Chapter 34: Is She the Real Heir to the Chancellor’s House? Was He Just Adopted?
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“What’s wrong?” Yu Zhi Yi asked, touching her face.
She had already undergone a spiritual cleansing. Surely it couldn’t be that some horrible toxins were surfacing again, right?
Zi Yuan snapped out of her daze, her eyes still fixed on Yu Zhi Yi’s face. Her cheeks flushed pink. “Nothing, Miss. It’s just… you seem to be getting more beautiful every day. You’re practically glowing.”
Having her body refined by virtue value not only extended Yu Zhi Yi’s youth and prolonged her life, but also gave her an inner radiance. While she barely noticed the change herself, anyone who saw her couldn’t help but think they’d stumbled upon a fairy.
Yu Zhi Yi paused, looking down at her hands. Sure enough, she realized her appearance had changed compared to ordinary people.
To avoid any unnecessary trouble, she quickly made a gesture with her fingers, whispering an incantation.
The glow faded instantly.
Though the radiant light was gone, her refined skin remained flawless, smooth, and glistening with a healthy, rosy glow. Her eyes looked even clearer, her lips naturally pink.
Zi Yuan, staring at her through the dressing mirror, couldn’t bring herself to add any makeup. “Miss, you’re already as lovely as a lotus just emerging from water. Any powder would only dull your natural beauty.”
“Then let’s skip it,” Yu Zhi Yi replied.
She had never been fond of makeup, though Zi Yuan loved dressing her up—especially after Madam Yao had brought her so many new clothes and cosmetics. The young girl treated her face as a canvas, trying to create the most beautiful masterpiece.
Yu Zhi Yi decided to go along with it for once, taking advantage of the moment.
Today was rare for Chancellor Du; he actually stayed home for breakfast.
Du Zi Heng, who had let love cloud his judgment and angered Madam Yao multiple times, didn’t dare cross his father. He obediently appeared at the breakfast table as well.
Upon seeing his son, Chancellor Du frowned. “Did you spend the night fighting demons?”
Yu Zhi Yi raised an eyebrow. She had no idea Chancellor Du had such a sharp tongue.
Du Zi Heng’s expression darkened. “I was… just studying late. Didn’t sleep well.”
“Is that so?”
Chancellor Du gave his son a long, scrutinizing look. He neither confirmed nor denied his belief.
Still, that knowing gaze was enough to make Du Zi Heng straighten his back, unable to hide his discomfort.
Sensing the growing tension at the table, Madam Yao quickly tried to ease the situation. “Alright, alright, let’s just eat.”
Chancellor Du huffed, but eventually respected his wife’s wishes. He sat down, though his expression remained stern.
He didn’t involve himself in the household’s affairs, but that didn’t mean he was unaware of them.
Yesterday’s fiasco had been particularly noisy. That arrogant Mr. Ao Bing had nearly gotten someone from the royal family killed. In the end, Chancellor Du had to carry the princess back into the city in his own arms, and the whole thing was spread with vivid details.
Chancellor Du had spent his entire life praised for his integrity. Never would he have imagined that, in his old age, he’d become a laughingstock—all thanks to his son!
When breakfast ended, Chancellor Du did not leave the table right away.
Since he stayed, no one else dared to rise either.
Chancellor Du put down his chopsticks, his face grim as he turned to his son. “The imperial examination is around the corner. I don’t want any more nonsense. If your distractions cost you the exam… I won’t just deny her entry as your concubine. If she dares to be shameless and tries becoming your mistress, she’ll have to step over my dead body to get past the courtyard gates!”
Du Zi Heng’s body trembled slightly.
He bit his lip and finally promised, “Father, don’t worry. Bing Yue’s my loyal companion. She won’t affect my studies.”
Madam Yao frowned. “Don’t say such nonsense! That troublemaker, your companion? Rubbish! It’s Yi’er who’s the true partner you need!”
Du Zi Heng opened his mouth, but couldn’t argue back.
Though Yu Zhi Yi hadn’t been in the household for long, she had managed to keep everything in order—even helped him and Bing Yue get out of some sticky situations.
There was no denying it. He could only keep quiet.
Yu Zhi Yi realized she hadn’t done anything for herself, yet all the praise and criticism were being handled by Chancellor Du and his wife. She was left speechless.
The atmosphere grew more oppressive by the moment. Madam Yao glanced at her bracelet and an idea struck her. “Yi’er, would you make your father a bracelet too?”
Chancellor Du was still fuming at his son’s foolishness. Hearing his wife’s words, the anger didn’t vanish entirely, but it did settle.
He perked up slightly.
As Yu Zhi Yi’s father-in-law, he felt it was beneath him to ask for something from his daughter-in-law. So, he cleared his throat and said, “I am, after all, the Chancellor of a nation. How would it look if I wore jewelry like a woman?”
Yu Zhi Yi assumed he doubted the bracelet’s defensive abilities. But then he added, “Something simple would do just fine.”
Yu Zhi Yi blinked, bewildered.
The jade ring he wore was also jewelry—and a rather exquisite piece at that!
Who knew her father-in-law could be so contradictory?
She chuckled softly. “If Father isn’t fond of bracelets, perhaps I could make a jade pendant instead? It will have the same effects. If you could help me find a piece of lightning-struck wood, I could fashion a hairpin from it, which would be even better.”
Lightning-struck wood was the best talisman against evil. The older the wood, the stronger its power.
Unfortunately, it was extremely rare, and finding an aged piece was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Du Zi Heng was stunned to see his stern, rigid father soften into a kind smile in front of Yu Zhi Yi—just like an ordinary father.
Yu Zhi Yi, in turn, faced the man who terrified so many ministers—the Chancellor whom even the emperor respected—without a hint of nervousness. She chatted easily with him, calm and composed, as if she were speaking with any elderly neighbor.
It made Du Zi Heng question his entire worldview.
Was his father really that warm?
Or was it just that his father only acted so stern around him?
As Du Zi Heng pondered, he suddenly realized that his father and Yu Zhi Yi had already decided on the materials.
They couldn’t find any lightning-struck wood for now, so Yu Zhi Yi promised Chancellor Du a jade pendant to wear for the time being. Once she found some, she’d make a hairpin for him.
Chancellor Du almost broke into a smile but kept his stern demeanor. He simply nodded, trying not to lose his authority.
Yet, unbeknownst to him, the satisfaction he suppressed on his face had shifted to his eyes, making them sparkle.
In those slightly clouded eyes, there was now unmistakable warmth and contentment.
“With a jade pendant that keeps fatigue away, even three days and nights of work won’t wear me down,” he thought to himself.
Du Zi Heng noticed the smile in his father’s eyes and bowed his head in silence.
He began to wonder if he really was Chancellor Du’s biological son.
Perhaps Yu Zhi Yi’s story had a twist—maybe her parents weren’t commoners but had been stolen away by some vile woman? And his parents, to ease their pain over losing a daughter, had adopted a baby boy?
As Du Zi Heng’s thoughts wandered further and further, Yu Zhi Yi and Madam Yao left together, arm in arm, and Chancellor Du returned to his usual stern expression.
An official arrived to report progress on some tasks. Chancellor Du raised his eyes slightly, his authority returning instantly. “Take him to the study.”
Du Zi Heng sighed. It seemed his father was strict not only with him but with everyone except his mother and Yu Zhi Yi.
As Du Zi Heng continued to brood, Yu Zhi Yi broke into a genuine smile for once. “If Hong Luan is inviting me, how could I not go?”