Chapter 34: She’s the Chancellor’s True Kin, He Must Be Adopted?
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“What’s wrong?” Yu Zhi Yi touched her own face.
She had already undergone Purifying Meridians and Marrow, so there couldn’t possibly be some foul toxins oozing out again, right?
Zi Yuan snapped back to her senses, her gaze still fixed on Yu Zhi Yi’s face. Her cheeks, however, had flushed bright red. “It’s nothing… I just think you’ve grown even more beautiful, Miss. It’s like your entire body is glowing.”
A body refined by Golden Light of Merit not only granted longevity and eternal youth but also radiated an inner and outer beauty, an almost sacred glow.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t particularly notice it herself, but to others, she appeared like a celestial maiden sent to grace the mortal world.
She blinked in surprise and glanced down at herself, confirming the subtle yet unmistakable difference between her and ordinary people. To avoid drawing unnecessary trouble, she quickly performed a hand seal.
The light faded instantly.
Even though the glow was gone, her skin, tempered by merit, remained flawlessly smooth and radiant. Her fair complexion carried a soft, rosy hue, appearing both healthy and beautiful. Her eyes shone with extraordinary clarity, and her lips were naturally crimson, as if adorned with the finest rouge.
Staring into the mirror at her mistress, Zi Yuan hesitated, unable to bring herself to apply makeup. “Miss, your current look resembles a lotus emerging from water—these powders would only conceal your natural radiance.”
“Then let’s not bother.”
Yu Zhi Yi had never been fond of makeup anyway, though Zi Yuan loved dressing her up. Ever since Madam Yao had gifted her a plethora of clothes and cosmetics, the young maid had taken to treating her face like a painter’s canvas, determined to create the most beautiful masterpiece.
Today, though, Yu Zhi Yi was happy to let it slide.
…
The ever-busy Chancellor Du was home for a rare breakfast.
Even Du Zi Heng, usually emboldened by love to provoke Madam Yao, dared not defy his father’s authority and obediently joined the meal.
At the sight of his son, Chancellor Du frowned. “Did you spend the night wrestling with demons?”
Yu Zhi Yi: “…”
She hadn’t expected the Chancellor to be so sharp-tongued.
Du Zi Heng’s expression darkened. “I was… just studying late into the night and didn’t sleep well.”
“Really?”
Chancellor Du cast a probing look at his son, neither confirming nor denying his claim. His scrutinizing gaze, however, made Du Zi Heng sit up straighter despite himself.
The breakfast table was tense, and Madam Yao quickly interjected to ease the atmosphere. “Alright, alright, let’s eat first.”
With a huff, Chancellor Du relented, giving his wife some face. Even so, his mood remained visibly sour.
He might not meddle in the household affairs, but he wasn’t ignorant of them either—especially when the previous day’s events had caused such a stir. That pompous You Bing Yue had nearly gotten a royal killed. The fact that she was carried back into the city by Chancellor Du himself, in a very public display, had been the subject of widespread gossip.
Known for his high moral standards, Chancellor Du had spent his life earning the admiration of the people. Never did he imagine that his son would disgrace him so thoroughly in his twilight years!
After the meal, Chancellor Du did not immediately leave the table. His lingering presence compelled everyone else to remain seated as well.
Setting down his chopsticks, Chancellor Du fixed his son with a stern look. “With the imperial exams approaching, I don’t want to hear about any more nonsense. If your antics affect your results… Forget about making her your concubine. She won’t even step foot in the outer courtyard unless she does so over my dead body!”
Du Zi Heng trembled slightly, his lips pressing into a thin line before stammering, “Father, you can rest assured. Bing Yue is my virtuous partner and will not distract me from my studies.”
Madam Yao snorted. “What nonsense! That troublemaker, a virtuous partner? Nonsense! Zhi Yi is the real virtuous partner!”
Du Zi Heng opened his mouth to refute her but found himself at a loss for words.
Although Yu Zhi Yi had not been in the household for long, she had indeed brought order to the chaos in the Chancellor’s Mansion and even resolved some of his and You Bing Yue’s issues. He couldn’t deny her contributions, so he remained silent.
Yu Zhi Yi sighed inwardly. She hadn’t done much to advocate for herself, yet here she was, receiving praise—both the good and the bad—courtesy of the Chancellor and his wife.
To lighten the mood, Madam Yao glanced at her wrist and suddenly brightened. “Oh, Zhi Yi, could you make a bracelet for your father as well?”
Though still angry with his son, Chancellor Du’s irritation momentarily subsided at his wife’s suggestion. Feigning indifference, he cleared his throat. “I am the Chancellor of a nation. Wearing trinkets like bracelets—how unbecoming! Just use something simple.”
Yu Zhi Yi: “…”
Your jade thumb ring isn’t exactly subtle, either—and it’s made of the finest jade.
It seemed her father-in-law was a man of contradictions.
Chuckling softly, she replied, “If Father doesn’t like bracelets, how about a jade pendant? It has the same effect. Alternatively, if you could procure some Lightning-Struck Wood, a wooden hairpin would work even better.”
Lightning-Struck Wood was a rare material with exceptional properties for warding off evil. The older it was, the greater its power. However, it was notoriously difficult to find, and aged pieces were even rarer.
To Du Zi Heng’s astonishment, his rigid and imposing father looked almost tender when speaking with Yu Zhi Yi. The young man was even more shocked by her composure—this was the same man who struck fear into the hearts of courtiers and commanded respect from the Emperor, yet she conversed with him as casually as one would with a friendly neighbor.
It shook Du Zi Heng to his core. Could this amiable man truly be his father? Or was he only this stern with him?
While Du Zi Heng wrestled with his existential crisis, the two had already reached an agreement. Since Lightning-Struck Wood wasn’t immediately available, Yu Zhi Yi promised to craft a jade pendant for Chancellor Du in the meantime, with a wooden hairpin to follow once the material could be found.
The Chancellor struggled to maintain his dignified facade, managing only a stiff nod. Yet, the satisfaction in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Seeing the joy in his father’s eyes, Du Zi Heng bowed his head in silence.
For the first time, he began to doubt his lineage. Could it be that Yu Zhi Yi was the Chancellor’s true child, stolen at birth, while he, an adopted boy, was taken in to ease their grief?
Just as Du Zi Heng’s imagination spiraled out of control, Yu Zhi Yi and Madam Yao left the room, their smiles lingering. Meanwhile, Chancellor Du reverted to his usual stern demeanor as an official arrived to report.
“Send him to the study,” the Chancellor commanded without looking up.
Du Zi Heng: “…”
Wonderful. It seemed his father’s sternness wasn’t reserved just for him—it extended to everyone except his mother and his proper wife.
As Du Zi Heng continued to question his existence, Yu Zhi Yi’s rare, genuine smile bloomed. “If Red Luan invites me, of course, I’ll go.”