"Th-the eldest young lady is back?"
With a shout, the entire Su Mansion was in an uproar.
When Wang Manwen saw Su Yueyue covered in blood, she was startled and quickly stepped forward to support her. "Yueyue? What happened to you?"
Su Yueyue glanced at Su Mingyu with lingering fear. Just as she was about to speak, Su Mingyu took over. "Second Aunt, I went out to have fun today. Unexpectedly, I ran into a gangster. Yueyue got covered in the gangster's blood while saving me. I'll never forget Yueyue's kindness of saving my life."
Wang Manwen looked at Su Mingyu's sincere look and said angrily, "You only know how to cause trouble all day long. Let Yueyue attend the Prince Yu's birthday banquet instead of you. It'll save you from causing any more trouble."
Everyone knew that the Prince Yu's birthday banquet was arranged by Concubine Ning after pleading with the emperor. It was nominally to celebrate Prince Yu's coming of age, but actually to choose a concubine for him.
Concubine Ning was the most favored imperial concubine, and the emperor doted on Prince Yu very much.
The position of Princess Yu was what all the unmarried young ladies in the capital were vying for desperately.
It so happened that Concubine Ning was an arrogant person and only allowed the eldest legitimate daughters of each family to attend. Even though Su's father was the Minister of Revenue, only Su Mingyu could go.
Wang Manwen so casually made her give up this opportunity. She was really a "good" stepmother.
A cold light flashed in her eyes. Su Mingyu curtsied. "Second Aunt is right. Sister Yue is the most beautiful girl in the capital. With her there, she will surely bring glory to our Su Mansion."
Seeing Su Mingyu's disappointing look, Wang Manwen curled her lips disdainfully. "Don't worry. Second Aunt won't treat you badly."
"Once Yueyue becomes the Princess Yu, Second Aunt will surely find a good family for you."
Back in the small wooden house in Qinghui Courtyard, Su Mingyu rubbed her temples.
She, a top - level agent in the 21st century, had actually time - traveled?
However, the Su Mingyu in this world was really stupid. She didn't even know that she had been played as a fool by Wang Manwen and Su Yueyue.
She even stupidly fell into their trap and ended up with her body exposed in the wilderness.
If she hadn't time - traveled to replace her and survived, she would have died with great grievance.
The scene before her death flashed before her eyes again.
Being betrayed by her best friend and the man she loved the most at the same time and finally dying a violent death, she was actually not much better than the Su Mingyu in this world.
Since God had given her a new life, she would surely avenge Su Mingyu.
"Mi - miss..."
A small figure ran to Su Mingyu in a hurry and carefully examined her from head to toe.
Seeing the bloodstains on her hand, Zhizhu's tears welled up. "Where did you go, miss? And you got yourself hurt like this?"
Su Mingyu carefully sized up the little maid who was applying medicine to her. Long - term malnutrition had made her face sallow.
She was too thin. Her weak body seemed to fall down at a touch.
Su Mingyu poured a glass of water with her other hand and said calmly, "Starting tomorrow, you'll get up early with me to exercise."
"Ah?"
Zhizhu stared at her blankly and reached out to touch her forehead. "You don't have a fever."
"Miss, you've been in poor health since childhood. You can't go out in the cold winter morning, or you'll cough."
Su Mingyu slapped away Zhizhu's hand and raised her eyebrows. "I know! It's precisely because of my poor health that I need to exercise. You don't want to be bullied all your life, do you?"
Her current body was really weak. According to her previous arm strength, she would have strangled Su Yueyue to death when they were in the earthen pit.
In order to regain her strength as a top - level agent, she had to start exercising her thin arms and legs as soon as possible.
"Mi - miss..."
Zhizhu's eyes turned red and she sobbed, looking at Su Mingyu with red - rimmed eyes. "After all these years, you've finally come to your senses... Madam and the second young lady are really not good people..."
Knowing that this little maid really cared about her, Su Mingyu felt a warmth in her heart.
In the 21st century, she was an orphan, and the two most important people had betrayed her.
Zhizhu's pure concern made Su Mingyu feel an unprecedented warmth. "Don't worry. I won't be so stupid anymore."
Early the next morning, Su Mingyu dragged Zhizhu to run around the yard.
But before they even ran two laps, Su Mingyu coughed violently due to the cold air.
However, after several days of perseverance, Su Mingyu's body finally got used to the cold air in the winter morning.
Seeing Su Mingyu so relaxed, Zhizhu couldn't sit still. "Miss! You still have the mood to exercise?"
"Prince Yu's birthday is coming soon. The second young lady invited the best tailor in the capital to make clothes for her early on. Are you really willing to let the second young lady go instead of you? He's the most favored Prince Yu!"
Seeing Zhizhu's indignant look, Su Mingyu found it a bit funny. "So what if he's favored? He's not the legitimate crown prince. And even if one becomes the crown prince, does it mean he'll surely become the emperor? How many times has the crown prince been deposed?"
"How dare you, Su Mingyu!"
"You actually dare to openly discuss the position of the crown prince! If the Censorate hears this, your Su family won't have enough heads to be chopped off."
The sudden voice scared Zhizhu and she quickly knelt on the ground.
Su Mingyu just gathered her sleeves and sat on the stone bench beside. "Cousin Lin, what wind has blown you into my yard?"
Su Mingyu's face was flushed from the exercise. Lin Jun couldn't help but stare at her for a while, but soon regained his composure.
"If I hadn't come, how would I have known you were saying such treasonous words?"
Su Mingyu gave Lin Jun a sidelong glance. "I'm just stating the facts."
Seeing that the other party didn't take him seriously at all, a trace of malice flashed in Lin Jun's eyes.
He wanted to see how arrogant Su Mingyu could still be after tonight!
"I'm here to tell you that there will be a literary gathering at my mansion tonight. Many young masters and ladies from the capital will come."
Then Lin Jun disdainfully sized up this dilapidated yard. "Normally, your Qinghui Courtyard has no qualification to go. After all, you're useless both in literature and martial arts."
Lin Jun took out a nameplate from his bosom and put it on the stone table, seemingly very reluctant. "But Sister Yueyue said that since you gave up the chance to attend Prince Yu's birthday banquet for her, as a token of gratitude, she asked me to invite you."
"The literary gathering will be at 5 - 7 p.m. tonight. You must come."
Su Mingyu gave Zhizhu a look, indicating her to put away the nameplate. "Since Sister Yueyue is so kind, how can I let her down? Don't worry. I'll definitely come."
Seeing that Su Mingyu agreed, Lin Jun quickly left the yard as if he was fleeing from something dirty.
But just before leaving, he looked back at Su Mingyu with a hidden look in his eyes.