This year, Yun Yaoyao was fourteen years old.
As the only princess within the Imperial City, Yun Yaoyao's coming-of-age ceremony naturally had to be as grand as possible.
Although a betrothal had been arranged with the eldest son of the Sheng family before he went to war, the coming-of-age ceremony still needed to be celebrated with great fanfare.
Even though there were still six months to go, Concubine Shu had already begun preparations, all to ensure Yun Yaoyao would shine at her ceremony.
"Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince and Young General Sheng have both sent letters."
Yun Yaoyao, who had been wearing a distressed expression while sitting before her vanity, instantly brightened upon hearing the maid's words.
"Give them to me."
She took both letters. Recognizing the name Sheng Huaiyu on one, she eagerly pulled out the other and immediately opened it.
Her elder brother, to alleviate the drought, had personally traveled to a remote disaster-stricken area. She had heard that the remote regions were filled with impoverished people and uncivilized folk, making it inherently dangerous. Therefore, Yun Yaoyao worried about him daily.
Just a few days prior, she had heard that the Crown Prince had encountered trouble and was missing. Yun Yaoyao had thrown a terrible tantrum, causing the maids in the hall to dare not speak.
They were accustomed to the princess acting this way.
Concubine Shu was aware of the situation, but compared to the princess, she was even more volatile. The two maids in the palace only dared to serve their masters with greater caution, keeping their heads down.
"My elder brother is fine, and he'll be back in the Imperial City in two days!"
Yun Yaoyao's smile bloomed like a flower, truly beautiful.
The maid, naturally sensing the princess's improved mood, dared to flatter, "His Highness the Crown Prince is blessed with great fortune; of course, he is unharmed. You've even lost weight these past few days from worrying about him, Princess..."
Yun Yaoyao, immersed in joy, paid little heed to the maid's words.
Then, she heard the maid continue, "What about General Sheng's letter? Is he expressing his longing for you?"
The maid dared to say this because she assumed the princess and Sheng Huaiyu were deeply in love. She thought hearing such words would surely delight the princess.
However, to her surprise, Yun Yaoyao's expression suddenly soured.
"Here, take a look..."
With that, Yun Yaoyao casually tossed the letter to the maid.
"Your Highness, this servant knows she was wrong..."
Having served Yun Yaoyao for many years, the maid knew she had angered the princess and that the best course of action was to apologize quickly.
"Princess..."
She knelt before Yun Yaoyao, her head bowed to the ground, prostrate and trembling.
"What are you afraid of? If you don't want to read it, then don't."
Her tone was still casual, but the maid did not truly relax.
After a moment, she remained in the same position, not daring to move.
Yun Yaoyao suddenly let out a low laugh.
"Heh heh..."
It sounded like mockery.
The maid dared not move, nor could she see Yun Yaoyao's expression.
"Get up~" Her tone sounded rather cheerful.
Only then did the maid dare to relax and slowly raise her head.
At that time, the maid still did not understand why her princess was angry, nor why she would suddenly burst into laughter again.
It wasn't until much later that the maid learned this letter was not one of longing at all.
The letter was sent by Sheng Huaizhi, using Sheng Huaiyu's name.
Before the Crown Prince could return to the court, news of Sheng Huaiyu's death in battle arrived from the front lines.
It had been less than half a year since he departed.
The letter arrived in the afternoon, and the news came in the evening.
The letter had been en route for about five days.
"Princess, please don't be too heartbroken..."
The night was deep, yet Yun Yaoyao had gone out alone with her maid.
Carrying an oil lamp, she stood atop the city wall, her crimson robes, like blood, now indistinguishable in the darkness.
The maid assumed the princess was overcome with grief for General Sheng's death and tried her best to console her.
"Princess!"
Suddenly, Yun Yaoyao stood at the edge of the city wall.
Seeing this, the maid panicked.
"Tell me, will he come looking for me?"
The maid thought Yun Yaoyao was asking out of excessive longing for Sheng Huaiyu, never imagining that Yun Yaoyao meant whether his ghost would come to claim her life.
After all, his death had been orchestrated by Yun Yaoyao.
It was enough to have one General Sheng in the Sheng family; if Sheng Huaiyu grew too powerful, the Sheng family would surely bring down Yun Chao.
Her elder brother worried about this day and night, ever since their childhood studies.
It was then that she knew how great a threat the Sheng family posed to Yun Chao and her elder brother.
Therefore, Sheng Huaiyu had to die.
And Sheng Huaizhi had to have a weakness in her elder brother's hands!
As for this weakness, harming one's own brother was the perfect excuse.
"Princess, Young General Sheng surely wishes for you to live well!"
Yun Yaoyao chuckled again, perhaps. If he had no idea.
Then, without hesitation, she leaped off the wall, a crimson figure falling swiftly.
"Princess! Help!"
...
"Princess, your wounds are not yet healed. What if coming here worsens them?"
This maid was not the one who had witnessed Yun Yaoyao jump off the city wall that night. Remembering that maid's tragic fate, Su Ya dared not be careless.
"Don't worry, I have already died once; I won't jump again..."
News of the princess jumping off the city wall that night spread among the populace. They said the princess was deeply devoted and wanted to die for Young General Sheng, and it became a celebrated tale.
But that night, Yun Yaoyao knew she would not die.
Because in her childhood, she had personally witnessed her mother push one of her father's favorite consorts off the city wall. However, that person had not died, only sustained severe injuries and fallen unconscious.
But Concubine Shu did not give her the chance to wake up. No one knew how that favored consort died, except Yun Yaoyao.
Yun Yanqing should have returned much earlier, but he was delayed halfway through his journey as he accompanied the person who saved his life to their hometown, thus causing a two-week delay.
He only returned to the city at this time.
Yun Yaoyao gazed yearningly into the distance, and only when she saw a small black speck did she break into a smile.
"Brother is back!"
She stared intently, and the black speck gradually came into clearer view.
She saw that the two figures riding side by side at the forefront were one in white and the other in blue.
The man in white was handsome; he was her elder brother. The man in blue, amidst his handsomeness, possessed an even more heroic aura than her brother. The two of them were as beautiful as a painting.
She saw the man in blue speak, and then her elder brother smiled.
Her brother's smile was so joyful, different from the smiles he gave her.
That smile seemed to contain the coquettish charm of a young girl and the joy of meeting a kindred spirit.
Yun Yaoyao watched, captivated, and felt a pang of jealousy towards the man in blue.