Chapter 12: She Wants to Ruin the Chancellor’s Mansion
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“Du Qing is willing to renounce the darkness and embrace the light, and my heart is greatly pleased. When I ascend to power in the Central Plains, I shall share the rivers and mountains with you, Du Qing!”
Madam Yao cast a fleeting glance at the letter, her legs nearly buckling beneath her.
“This wasn’t me—I know nothing of it!” Liu Er Gou’s face was ashen, but he clung to denial to the very end.
Yu Zhi Yi’s tone remained calm as she remarked, “In the beam of your room hides fifty taels of silver, a so-called token of goodwill from your ‘fellow villager.’ In truth, though, he gave you two hundred taels. Out of that, you used one hundred and fifty to purchase property in the capital. After tonight’s plan, you intended to resign under the guise of returning home to care for your aging parents.”
“That house is located at No. 72 Chao’an Street. The deed is hidden under the central brick beneath your bed, wrapped in red cloth. The name on the deed? Your real name—Liu Er Gou.”
Liu Er Gou’s face contorted in horror. “How do you know all this?!”
Yu Zhi Yi merely smiled without answering.
By this point, Chancellor Du and Madam Du understood all too well that Yu Zhi Yi’s claims were the truth.
Madam Du trembled with rage. “Beast! You wretched beast! The Chancellor’s Mansion has been nothing but kind to you. That gold lion paperweight, worth a thousand taels, was your master’s cherished possession. When he punished you with thirty strokes for damaging it, he didn’t demand compensation, nor did he send you to the authorities. Yet, not only do you lack gratitude, but you also dare to do something so vicious!”
Chancellor Du’s expression darkened. “Zhi Yi, escort your mother back first.”
Yu Zhi Yi glanced at Liu Er Gou’s defeated expression and nodded slightly.
Shaken, Madam Du clung to Yu Zhi Yi’s hand and refused to let her leave upon reaching Leaning Plum Courtyard.
Yu Zhi Yi could only stay.
After all, there was still more to settle here tonight.
Half an hour later, Chancellor Du returned. It was evident he had dealt with the letter, Liu Er Gou, and even uncovered the identity of the mastermind.
He gazed at his daughter-in-law with amazement.
Though Madam Du had previously lauded Yu Zhi Yi’s abilities, Chancellor Du had dismissed them as exaggerated coincidences. Now, having witnessed them firsthand, he realized how narrow his perspective had been.
“Zhi Yi,” he asked after a moment’s contemplation, “if we hadn’t apprehended that traitor today, would the Chancellor’s Mansion have fallen?”
Yu Zhi Yi, ever willing to aid her most significant patron to date, replied without hesitation, “No, but Father would have been imprisoned. Though the truth would come to light within months, both you and Mother would suffer severe health repercussions from this ordeal, leading to your passing within a few short years.”
Madam Du shuddered and grasped Yu Zhi Yi’s hand tightly. “Zhi Yi, you’re the Du family’s blessing!”
Chancellor Du nodded in agreement, increasingly convinced that this daughter-in-law was a fortuitous match.
A pragmatic person, Yu Zhi Yi saw the value of the jade thumb ring gifted to her and gladly offered more advice to spare Chancellor Du unnecessary hardships.
“Father’s suspicion of the mastermind is correct,” she began. “But as the saying goes, ‘The King of Hell is easy to offend; the little devils are harder to deal with.’ This so-called King of Hell currently lacks the courage to openly confront Father. Instead, he sends lesser devils to do his bidding.”
“And the devil he sent,” she added, “is someone Father deeply trusts and would never suspect.”
“Because of that trust,” she concluded, “Father will suffer a grave loss.”
Chancellor Du froze in disbelief. A face suddenly surfaced in his mind. “Are you suggesting… Liu Shan?”
Liu Shan, his former schoolmate and fellow townsman, had been a close companion since their days at Joseph Academy. Though their academic paths diverged, with Chancellor Du achieving the top scholar rank and Liu Shan settling for a remote government post, their friendship endured.
It was unthinkable that Liu Shan would harm him.
Under Chancellor Du’s hesitant gaze, Yu Zhi Yi slowly nodded. “The truth is harsh, but it is the truth.”
The light in Chancellor Du’s eyes dimmed to nothing.
Madam Du opened her mouth to console him, but before she could speak, Auntie Wen entered and whispered something into her ear.
Startled, Madam Du instinctively looked toward Yu Zhi Yi.
Anticipating this moment, Yu Zhi Yi smiled gently. “Mother, speak freely. There’s no need to worry about me.”
She had foreseen this trouble and had deliberately waited here to confront it.
“What’s going on?” Chancellor Du asked, puzzled.
Reassured by Yu Zhi Yi’s calm demeanor, Madam Du instructed Auntie Wen, “Let him in.”
Auntie Wen nodded and called out, “Come in.”
A young servant entered the room, dropping to his knees and declaring loudly, “Master, Madam, I must expose the Young Madam! She harbors malicious intent and seeks to harm the Chancellor’s Mansion!”
“What?!” Madam Du exclaimed.
Chancellor Du, ever composed, cast a calm glance at Yu Zhi Yi before fixing his stern gaze on the servant. “To falsely accuse the Young Madam—such audacity!”
He barked an order to the guards. “Take this insolent wretch away and give him fifty strokes of the rod!”
Yu Zhi Yi was genuinely surprised by her father-in-law’s reaction.
Chancellor Du stroked his beard thoughtfully. “We already know who you are and your origins.”
After the incident at the Marquis of Wu’an’s Mansion, Chancellor Du had secretly investigated Yu Zhi Yi’s connections. His findings not only aligned with Yu Zhi Yi’s statements but provided even greater detail, confirming her credibility.
These revelations, coupled with Yu Zhi Yi’s previous accurate divinations for the Marquis’ wife, had thoroughly impressed him. While the price she demanded—the jade thumb ring—had initially startled him, he now fully acknowledged her extraordinary talents.
As the servant was dragged away, protesting his loyalty to the mansion, a commanding female voice cut through the air. “Release him!”
Relaxing visibly, Yu Zhi Yi turned toward the entrance. Moments later, You Bing Yue entered, supporting the accused servant.