All Hail Cousin Brother

298 Symbol of Identity

This was the Empress Dowager’s appreciation of Yao Yao, and also her expectations.

From this, it could be seen that the Empress Dowager valued Yao Yao very much. Yu Zongzheng was also proud, so he had to give his daughter some advice.

Yu Youyao nodded. “Thank you for your guidance, Father. I’ll remember it.”

Yu Zongshen also smiled and said, “Yao Yao has received a reward from the Empress Dowager at a young age. Don’t feel too pressured. It’ll be fine as usual.”

Yu Youyao pursed her lips and smiled. “Second Uncle, I understand!”

After saying a few more words, Old Madam Yu mentioned Old Madam Cao and brought the Marquis of Changxing’s wife and Seventh Miss Cao over to apologize.

Yu Youyao couldn’t stay any longer, so she returned to the Jade Courtyard.

The next day, Yu Youyao went to school. At ten o’clock, Liu’er came over to report, “Young Miss, Third Miss Song of the Zhenguo Marquis Residence and Sixth Miss Qi of the Imperial Censor’s family are here.”

Yu Youyao quickly applied for leave from Ms. Ye and returned to the Jade Courtyard.

At this moment, Song Wanhui and Qi Sinian were chatting in the reception pavilion.

Seeing that Yu Youyao had returned, Qi Sinian quickly put down the pastry he had just picked up. “Quickly bring me the palace token that the Empress Dowager gave you yesterday. Let me take a look and broaden my horizons.”

Song Wanhui also said, “If it weren’t for the fact that it wasn’t easy to visit yesterday, I would have come over early in the morning to take a look.”

Yu Youyao was a little speechless. “So you didn’t come to see me. I was happy for nothing. If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have come back so quickly. You should have waited longer.”

With that, she turned around and instructed Chun Xiao to get the palace token.

Qi Sinian smiled when he heard this. He turned to look at Song Wanhui. “Hurry up and listen to this. This girl’s acting is improving. She’s already here, but we still have to wait.”

Song Wanhui covered her mouth with her handkerchief and laughed. “Who asked her to be a dignified person with a palace token? The noble ladies in the imperial family are just like her.”

The two of them teased together, making Yu Youyao feel so embarrassed.

She stomped her foot and said indignantly, “How can you be like this? You specially came here to find someone to be happy. If you continue like this, I won’t let you see the palace token.”

Qi Sinian and Song Wanhui couldn’t help but laugh again.

Even after receiving the Empress Dowager’s reward and praise, she was still the same as before.

At this moment, Xia Tao brought over a porcelain bowl.

The tender jade tofu was soaked in the yellow sugar water that had been poured with osmanthus honey. There were bits of osmanthus and almonds floating on it, and there was a refreshing fragrance.

Yu Youyao and the others’ eyes lit up.

Xia Tao pursed her lips and chuckled. “The weather is hot today. Nanny Xu was busy in the kitchen early in the morning. She made osmanthus almond tofu and only took it out after placing it in the well.”

There was an ice cellar at home, but Nanny Xu had said that Eldest Miss was still too young and couldn’t be too greedy for cold food. She wouldn’t be able to use ice until it were the dog days.

Qi Sinian couldn’t wait to pick up a small spoon and scoop a mouthful of sugar water.

The cold sugar water was thick and sweet. It had the fragrance of osmanthus and a strong bean and almond fragrance. As soon as it entered her mouth, even her hair felt refreshed.

“It’s really delicious.” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but glance at Yu Youyao and sigh. “There’s no one more blessed than you. When Nanny Xu left the palace, my family also went to look for her, but she didn’t agree to come to my house. My mother regretted it for a long time.”

Previously, at Yu Youyao’s birthday banquet, Nanny Xu had made chestnut mutton soup. She had used red beans, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and so on to make different flavors. The taste was really indescribable.

Later on, Qi Sinian even asked Yu Youyao for a prescription and asked the kitchen maid at home to make it accordingly. However, the taste was not as good as Nanny Xu’s.

“Isn’t that so?” Song Wanhui put down the small bowl and pressed a handkerchief against the corner of her mouth. “Cao Yingxue made a fuss with you because of Nanny Xu. It’s not unexpected.”

Who wouldn’t want such a powerful nanny?

Looking at Yu Youyao’s demeanor, self-restraint, and bearing, anyone who looked at her couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.

At the mention of Cao Yingxue, Qi Sinian also had a complicated expression. “Have you heard? Old Madam Cao is bringing Cao Yingxue back to the clan to pay respects to her ancestors.”

Upon hearing this news, Yu Youyao couldn’t help but be stunned. “Return to the clan?”

Song Wanhui sighed slightly. “I’m afraid it’s only on the surface. It’s true that she’s sending Cao Yingxue back to the clan. However, Old Madam Cao has personally sent Cao Yingxue back to the clan. As long as Cao Yingxue behaves herself in the clan, it’s not impossible for her to return to the capital in three to five years.”

Large families were more strict with their daughters who had ruined their reputation.

Cao Yingxue’s family was already not that bad to her.

Yu Youyao lowered her head and immediately felt a chill run down her spine. What she hadn’t thought of before rushed into her mind.

What if she was the one whose reputation had been ruined in the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence the day before yesterday?

It was true that her grandmother doted on her, but even if she was not criticized in the capital, she would still agree to send her back to the clan. Once she returned, as a bereaved eldest daughter, even if she had her grandmother’s love, it would be too late. How could she have a good ending?

Perhaps the clan would take care of her more because of the 50% profit of her mother’s dowry shop.

They would also treat her more kindly because of her maternal family.

However, the main branch, split branches, and side branches of the family were intertwined. There were also some small families that relied on the Yu Clan. From the outside, they looked harmonious, but the Yu Residence wanted their relatives to take the imperial examination and become an official. The resources in the family were limited. Every descendant who had passed the imperial examination needed a huge amount of resources from studying to becoming an official. There was also competition internally.

How could she have a good ending in such an environment?

Cao Yingxue was lucky. Her grandmother was an old noble with a fief, her father had a strong army, her mother was an imperial wife, and her sister was an imperial concubine. Even if she did whatever she wanted in the clan, no one dared to provoke her.

Yu Youyao smiled and changed the topic. “Osmanthus almond tofu is complicated and tiring to make, so Nanny Xu has only made it a second time. If you like it, copy the recipe later and bring it home to eat.”

Qi Sinian and Song Wanhui quickly agreed and did not continue this topic.

At this moment, Chun Xiao came over with a treasure box containing the palace token.

Yu Youyao received the treasure box and took out a palace token. Qi Sinian and Song Wanhui quickly leaned over to take a look.

Song Wanhui sighed. “The Great Zhou Dynasty values Lantian jade, and Lantian jade is yellow and green. The Empress Dowager really treats you differently!”

Qi Sinian agreed deeply. “Jade is virtuous. The Empress Dowager praised you for being clean and honest. Yao Yao is kind-hearted and doesn’t show any weakness. It’s obvious that she really thinks highly of you.”

The two of them looked at the palace token and exclaimed repeatedly. They were not praising the palace token, but Yu Youyao.

At this moment, Yu Youyao also understood that the palace token bestowed by the Empress Dowager had become a symbol of her status. In the future, no matter where she went or who she met, when people saw this palace token, they would definitely praise how dignified it was.