Chapter 29: Let Them Get Their Heads Straight First
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Du Zi Heng felt a pang of guilt.
The truth was, Bing Yue was already well enough to get out of bed. In fact, they’d almost, well, let sparks fly just a moment ago. But once you told a lie, you had to tell a thousand more to keep it up. So, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and say, “Yes, the doctor said she’s still very weak.”
If his mother or Yu Zhi Yi decided to have the doctor check Bing Yue’s pulse, he’d have to find a way to stop them. There was no way he could let this lie unravel. He didn’t even notice Bing Yue’s uneasy expression.
Madam Yao pointed at Du Zi Heng, trembling with rage. “Du Youlin, have all your books on virtue and morality been eaten by a dog? Deceiving your own mother for a woman?!”
Du Zi Heng’s heart skipped a beat. “I…”
Yu Zhi Yi cut him off. “Young master, why don’t you meet someone before making excuses.”
With that, Yu Pan’er was pushed forward.
In the short time they’d been apart, Yu Pan’er’s face had swollen even worse, making her almost unrecognizable.
Du Zi Heng frowned, puzzled. “Who is this?”
Yu Zhi Yi looked calmly at Yu Pan’er. “Tell him yourself.”
Yu Pan’er had already been beaten once and had been stewing in anger. She couldn’t get into Guanyue Pavilion, and she was afraid of Bing Yue, too scared to even think about revenge. But now, with Yu Zhi Yi giving her the chance, she wouldn’t let it slip away. Immediately, she looked at Du Zi Heng with teary eyes and cried, “Young master, it’s me, Pan’er.”
“Today, I was just quietly reading and practicing my writing when Miss You appeared out of nowhere and beat me.”
“She said you belonged to her alone, and no one else was allowed to take you away. Anyone who dared would end up like me…”
Technically, she wasn’t lying. That was pretty much what Bing Yue had said, just in other words.
Du Zi Heng instinctively shook his head. “That’s impossible! Bing Yue may be skilled, but she’s never been one to act rashly, let alone beat someone for no reason.”
Yu Zhi Yi turned to Bing Yue. “Miss You, I heard you’re someone who owns up to what they do. Surely, you won’t deny it, right?”
Bing Yue smirked. “She tried to steal my man. Why wouldn’t I beat her?”
“The fact that I didn’t kill her is already giving face to the Chancellor’s residence. If it wasn’t for that, just for being your servant, it wouldn’t have ended with just a swollen face.”
She admitted it easily, without the slightest hint that she thought she’d done anything wrong.
Du Zi Heng blinked, stunned. How was it that, in just the time he’d taken an afternoon nap, she had managed to stir up such a mess? She had actually beaten a servant of the household!
If she were the mistress of the house, maybe that would be one thing, but she wasn’t! Her actions were practically a slap in the face to both his mother and Yu Zhi Yi! And just now, he had lied for her, and she didn’t even give him a hint to help him save face?
His face flushed red and pale by turns, as though someone had slapped him. He felt utterly miserable.
Yu Zhi Yi spoke coldly, “Do you understand now why Mother is so angry?”
Du Zi Heng closed his eyes. “I…”
Yu Zhi Yi had no interest in his excuses. Seeing that he understood what had happened, she went on the offensive. “Forgive my bluntness, but if you’re acting like this just because of a woman, even if you’re lucky enough to pass your exams in the future, you’ll just be a foolish official.”
“Mother is kind and generous—outsiders might not know, but shouldn’t you, her own son, know better?”
“If Miss You hadn’t done something wrong, why would Mother have been so furious?”
Du Zi Heng wanted to speak up, but Yu Zhi Yi gave him no chance. “Miss You, aren’t you impressive? As an outsider, you dared to deal with the servants of this household however you pleased. And you, young master, blindly sided with her against your own mother without knowing the truth. Do you think what you did was impressive? That your love was noble?”
“Hah, what a joke. You’re nothing but a pair of fools, heads filled with nothing but hot air, making a mockery of yourselves.”
Du Zi Heng was too stunned to respond. A moment later, he snapped out of it, unable to refute a word of what she had said. He could only turn his anger on Bing Yue. “Didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t be impulsive anymore?”
Now it was Bing Yue’s turn to get mad. “You’re blaming me over some wench?!”
“She tried to seduce my man, why shouldn’t I beat her?!”
Du Zi Heng was exasperated. “She’s a servant of this house. If she did wrong, my mother or Zhi Yi would deal with her. You’re not the mistress here. What right do you have to punish the servants?!”
Bing Yue laughed coldly. “Oh, I see. You just feel sorry for her, don’t you? Sorry she got beaten up like a pig, sorry your mother and that woman got shown up by me! You’re sorry for everything and everyone, except me!”
She pointed to the door. “Get out! Get out of my sight! I never want to see you again!”
Madam Yao, seething, shouted, “The one who should leave is you! This is the Chancellor’s residence; it’s Youlin’s home!”
Bing Yue was beside herself with rage. “Fine, fine! I’ll leave! And this time, I’m not coming back!”
Without even a glance at Du Zi Heng, she stormed out. As she reached the doorway, she stumbled, her hand instinctively moving to her chest as if in pain. But whatever she thought better of, she dropped her hand and sped away.
Suddenly, Du Zi Heng remembered her recent illness. Her body still hadn’t fully recovered. He couldn’t think of anything else, and hurried after her. “Bing Yue!”
“Du Youlin, stop right there!” Madam Yao called after him.
But whether he didn’t hear her or simply ignored her, he didn’t slow for a moment. Before long, he had disappeared from sight.
“This is outrageous! Completely outrageous!” Madam Yao was furious and wanted to have someone bring Du Zi Heng back.
Yu Zhi Yi stopped her. “Mother, you can’t force this. If you try, it’ll only backfire.”
Though still furious, Madam Yao didn’t blame Yu Zhi Yi. She spoke in a low voice, “So we’re just going to let that woman do as she pleases?”
Yu Zhi Yi shook her head. “Miss You seems quite capable. It’s not unusual for capable people to have a temper. The young master’s feelings for her are strong right now. The more we try to stop them, the more determined they’ll become.”
For the Chancellor’s residence, the most important thing now was Du Zi Heng’s upcoming exams.
Even if Yu Zhi Yi hadn’t said anything, once Madam Yao calmed down, she would have relented and let Bing Yue return. Still, Yu Zhi Yi wasn’t eager for them to return so soon, only to bring her more trouble.
Better to let those two who valued love above all else get their heads straight before coming back.
She didn’t want to ruin anyone’s relationship, but Miss You’s temper needed tempering.
Yu Zhi Yi sighed lightly. “If the young master keeps thinking about Miss You, it won’t do him any good in his studies. We should step back for now and wait until after the exams to discuss this. Don’t you agree, Mother?”
Anyway, Du Zi Heng was sure to fail. When that happened, they’d settle both old and new scores together.
In her past life, Yu Jiao Jiao had always gone against Bing Yue, leaving the Chancellor’s residence in chaos. After Du Zi Heng failed his exams, he blamed it all on Yu Jiao Jiao. This time, without anyone stirring up trouble, Yu Zhi Yi wanted to see if, after he failed, he’d still be so magnanimous as to not blame Bing Yue.