Chapter 25: Ten Days in Bed
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And then, there was nothing more.
You Bing Yue didn’t even manage to touch the hem of Li Rou’s clothes. Just as she was an inch away, it was as though an invisible force blocked her path. Not only that, but the force seemed to have a powerful recoil.
With a loud bang, You Bing Yue flew back a dozen meters, landing right outside the courtyard.
Yu Zhi Yi stared at the slim figure standing before her in shock. She didn’t even spare You Bing Yue a glance.
Li Rou was equally stunned, staring at You Bing Yue’s pathetic state. Her legs felt weak.
Seeing the young girl trembling but still trying her hardest to stay standing, Yu Zhi Yi couldn’t quite explain the feeling in her heart. She patted Li Rou gently on the shoulder. “Silly girl.”
Li Rou turned back, her face showing a smile that looked more like a grimace. “As long as you’re okay, my lady.”
Yu Zhi Yi’s eyes softened, her gaze lowering. “Don’t worry. She won’t be able to hurt me.”
Du Zi Heng arrived just in time to see You Bing Yue lying helplessly on the ground and Yu Zhi Yi boasting to those around her.
His eyes filled with rage. “Yu Zhi Yi, how dare you!”
Coincidentally, You Bing Yue, struggling to stand, shouted in anger. “You wretch! All you know is trickery and deceit. If you’re brave enough, drop that protective barrier and fight me one-on-one!”
Her voice was shrill with fury, completely drowning out Du Zi Heng’s words.
She hadn’t even heard him. Instead, she kept berating Yu Zhi Yi. “If you dare to seduce men, then stop hiding like a coward!”
Du Zi Heng’s words got stuck in his throat. He looked at her, completely in disbelief.
He had thought You Bing Yue was here because of Yu Zhi Yi, and after witnessing Yu Zhi Yi’s strength, he feared for You Bing Yue’s safety.
In reality, You Bing Yue did end up on the losing side. But clearly, it wasn’t Yu Zhi Yi bullying her. It was You Bing Yue trying to provoke her and getting beaten instead.
Silence hung over the scene like a heavy curtain.
Du Zi Heng looked up and met Yu Zhi Yi’s disdainful gaze.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Yu Zhi Yi turned her back to him. At the same time, the courtyard door closed from the inside.
Bang!
The heavy doors slammed shut, echoing like two palms smacking against his face.
“Yu Zhi Yi, are you feeling guilty? Open this door!” You Bing Yue shouted, oblivious to the person standing behind her.
She clenched her teeth, enduring the pain that made her feel like her insides were shattered. She kept yelling but dared not approach the barrier again.
Du Zi Heng looked at the woman behaving like a complete shrew and suddenly felt—there were no words for it.
Inside the courtyard, Yu Zhi Yi wasn’t concerned with what was happening outside. She couldn’t care less how Du Zi Heng managed to calm You Bing Yue down.
You Bing Yue had provoked her repeatedly, and she was tired of it.
She had planned to let things go, but clearly, You Bing Yue wasn’t interested in peace. Since that was the case, it was time for a little lesson—ten days bedridden should be good for some reflection.
This time, the backlash from the formation wasn’t as gentle as the last.
“Li Rou, go find Aunt Wen later,” Yu Zhi Yi instructed. “Tell her I need more hands here. Get Pan’er trained quickly; I could use her.”
Li Rou nodded and left to carry out the order.
Yu Zhi Yi couldn’t be bothered to deal with You Bing Yue herself, but she wasn’t about to let her hang around causing trouble all day either. Best to keep her busy.
When Aunt Wen got the message, she didn’t quite understand the reasoning but still increased Pan’er’s training.
The young mistress had said she wanted Pan’er to develop management skills.
But Pan’er wasn’t capable enough. For one thing, she was illiterate, which was a big obstacle for any managerial role.
After all, anyone in a trusted position had to be adept at hosting guests, skilled in bookkeeping, and at least able to read and write.
A person who couldn’t read couldn’t possibly manage those responsibilities.
So Aunt Wen brought someone in specifically to teach Pan’er how to read and write.
Pan’er was already sixteen, pretty set in her ways. She hadn’t liked studying before and wasn’t about to start now.
After three days, she hadn’t even learned to recognize a few characters, let alone write. In those three days, the lady instructor had smacked her palms eight times.
That night, Pan’er stared at her red, stinging hands, her eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness. “That woman just can’t stand to see me living well! She says she wants me to learn to manage things, but really, she’s just trying to make things difficult!”
She looked down on Yu Zhi Yi. First, because Yu Zhi Yi wasn’t the true daughter of the Yu family. Second, because unlike everyone else’s parents who were ordinary people, Yu Zhi Yi somehow ended up as the Yu family’s daughter, living in luxury, while she had to serve.
If she could also become the master…
Her eyes brightened.
Right, if she became the master, she wouldn’t have to do these menial tasks anymore or serve anyone.
True, with her current status she could only be a concubine, but…
That imposter Yu Zhi Yi was weak—even a farm girl could push her around.
She knew all about the dirty tricks of households. Defeating an incompetent imposter and an ignorant farm girl wouldn’t be too hard, would it?
Besides, right now, other than studying, she had nothing else to do. Plenty of time for “accidental” encounters with the young master.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t need to assign anyone to monitor Pan’er; she could already guess what was on her mind. And honestly, she was rather looking forward to it.
You Bing Yue would be bedridden for at least ten days. This was a perfect opportunity.
She hoped Pan’er wouldn’t disappoint her.
As she thought, an excited voice called out, “Miss, Miss!”
Zi Yuan, who had been away for two days, came rushing back to Wind Facing Pavilion on the third day, her excitement clear.
Yu Zhi Yi could tell from her expression that things had gone well. But she still asked, “How did it go?”
“Just as you predicted, those shopkeepers are being awfully obedient now!” Zi Yuan replied, brimming with excitement.
Most of the Du family’s businesses were in Shengjing City and the nearby counties, more than twenty shops in total.
When the shopkeepers saw only a maid had come, they didn’t take Zi Yuan seriously at all.
It wasn’t just Zi Yuan—even if Yu Zhi Yi herself, the young mistress, had gone, they wouldn’t have treated her any better. They might act respectful on the surface, but in their hearts, they looked down on her.
Zi Yuan had served Yu Zhi Yi for many years, well used to dismissive attitudes. She could easily tell when they were being disrespectful.
She didn’t waste words with them and played her trump card straight away.
One accusation after another, followed by the real account books found hidden in the gold shop manager’s mistress’s vanity. The gold shop manager had immediately backed down, terrified. The other managers, seeing this, quickly lost their defiant attitude.
After that, the work went smoothly.
“Miss, we’ve collected fifteen thousand four hundred taels of silver and five hundred taels of gold. I’ve checked all the records; everything matches up,” Zi Yuan reported.
Yu Zhi Yi smiled lightly. “Those monkeys see a chicken get slaughtered, and they worry they’re next. Naturally, they behave.”
She skimmed through the ledger, then took it with her to Plum Courtyard.
Coincidentally, Du Zi Heng was there.
At that moment, he was speaking to Madam Yao. “The imperial exam is coming soon, and I want to focus on my studies. I don’t have the time or energy to manage the shops right now. Bing Yue is capable and has the guts. I want to let her take charge once she recovers.”
Seeing Yu Zhi Yi, Du Zi Heng’s expression turned awkward.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t look at him. Seeing the mother and son talking, she was about to leave, but Madam Yao called out, “It’s fine. Stay, Yi’er. Hear what nonsense this unfilial son is spouting.”
Du Zi Heng’s face froze. He suddenly found it difficult to continue.
Yu Zhi Yi hadn’t been interested, but seeing his embarrassed expression, she changed her mind. “Alright.”