Chapter 156: The Consort is a Poisonous Woman
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These two people gazed at one another, their eyes interwoven with an almost tangible thread of sentiment. It was as if the world had shrunk to accommodate only the two of them, leaving everyone else as mere background props.
Watching this scene, Yu Zhi Yi suddenly recalled a story that Red Luan had once shared with her.
It was the tale of an illegitimate daughter searching for her father.
This illegitimate daughter’s father was none other than the current Emperor, who, during a covert journey in disguise many years ago, had stayed at the home of a wealthy family. Before long, he and the wealthy family’s young lady had privately pledged themselves to each other. From that encounter, a child had been conceived.
Before the young lady’s pregnancy began to show, the Emperor was called back to the palace due to urgent matters. His promise to return for her soon turned out to be a fleeting lie, dispersing like smoke in the wind.
Later, the young lady gave birth to a child. She raised her into an outstanding young woman before passing away.
And so, the young woman took the keepsake her mother had left her and embarked on a journey to find her father.
The Emperor, of course, had an Empress by his side.
During this journey, a series of events unfolded. For example, after the illegitimate daughter arrived in the capital, she became sworn sisters with a lively and cheerful girl. Later, the cheerful girl, upon seeing the keepsake, decided to take it to the hunting grounds to help the illegitimate daughter identify her father. However, as events transpired, the cheerful girl was mistaken as the Emperor’s daughter instead. She was even granted the title of Princess.
In the end, the story concluded on a positive note. With the help of her sworn sister and a host of influential allies, the illegitimate daughter successfully reunited with her father.
Throughout this process, however, the Empress relentlessly caused trouble for the protagonist’s group, refusing to acknowledge their claim to the Emperor’s bloodline.
Naturally, the Emperor’s side was not limited to just the Empress. There was also a young, beautiful, and universally admired Imperial Consort, who sided with the protagonist’s group. Thus, the audience adored the Imperial Consort, while the Empress was detested and labeled as malicious.
It was as though, in the Emperor’s story, the only villain was the Empress. Everyone else—whether it was the woman who had a clandestine relationship with the Emperor, the Imperial Consort, or the protagonist’s group—were all painted as virtuous.
Yu Zhi Yi couldn’t help but find parallels between herself and the Empress in that tale.
To Du Zi Heng and You Bing Yue’s mutual friends, she was undoubtedly the villainous Empress, while You Bing Yue was the kind-hearted, morally flawless protagonist.
A chuckle escaped her lips before she could stop herself.
The sudden sound of laughter disrupted the tender exchange of gazes between the pair.
You Bing Yue looked startled, as if jolted from a dream. She hastily withdrew her gaze and glanced at Yu Zhi Yi with an air of panic. “I… I’m sorry, Young Madam Du. I didn’t mean to lose myself for a moment…”
Ou Yang Shuo frowned. “You did nothing wrong. What are you apologizing for?”
Du Zi Heng, who had initially felt a twinge of guilt, especially after the events of the past, found himself less comfortable indulging in such moments of eye contact with You Bing Yue when in Yu Zhi Yi’s presence.
Yu Zhi Yi clapped her hands lightly. “Young Master Ou Yang is absolutely right. Miss You did nothing wrong. In fact, there’s no need for either of you to act so furtively. After all, I have stated from the very beginning that I have no objections to Young Master taking a concubine.”
Ou Yang Shuo slammed the table and stood up. “So you’re saying that Miss You should be a concubine? How can you be so malicious?”
Yu Zhi Yi remained unruffled. She simply regarded him with a peculiar expression. “She and Du Zi Heng clearly share mutual affection. Where is the malice in allowing her to enter the household? I am the rightful and legitimate wife, married into the Du Family through proper channels. I have done nothing wrong. Surely, you don’t expect me to step down voluntarily?”
“Or perhaps,” she added, her tone sharpening, “Young Master Ou Yang wishes for Du Zi Heng to cast me aside?”
“Since when do the disciples of Dragon-Tiger Mountain advocate for destroying marriages with such bold impudence? Is this the way of your sect?”
“You’re spouting nonsense!” he retorted.
Ou Yang Shuo Jun’s face was as cold as frost, his eyes glinting with a chilling sharpness that seemed almost tangible. “I have never uttered such words,” he said icily, “so do not twist my statements to tarnish the reputation of Dragon-Tiger Mountain.”
Yu Zhi Yi spread her hands with a casual indifference. “And so? What do you want me to do?”
Her expression darkened suddenly. “Frankly, I don’t mind Du Zi Heng having a few women around. If you want to push women onto him, I can turn a blind eye. But bringing them right in front of me, then acting like it’s my fault for being jealous?” Her voice turned sharp. “That’s just plain disgusting.”
“So, what exactly are you aiming for? Standing here, singing praises of their so-called unyielding love before my face? What do you expect me to do? Beg You Bing Yue to move into the mansion?”
She let out a derisive laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Perhaps you should ask Miss You why she was expelled from the Chancellor’s residence in the first place?”
Her words struck like a whip, leaving the room silent. The crowd, initially confident in their actions, suddenly found themselves at a loss for words.
After all, from their perspective, there was nothing wrong with Du Zi Heng’s desires. He was free to take and love as many women as he pleased. And wasn’t his love with You Bing Yue the epitome of true passion?
True love, after all, was invincible.
Yet, they had entirely overlooked one crucial fact: his legitimate wife was still present.
Or perhaps it wasn’t an oversight at all. Perhaps they simply didn’t care. Or worse, it was deliberate—an act meant to humiliate her.
To them, You Bing Yue was so pure, so kind. Yu Zhi Yi, by contrast, was the wicked woman who had stolen another’s husband, breaking the young woman’s heart and forcing her to part from her true love. By supporting You Bing Yue and Du Zi Heng’s “true love,” how could they possibly be in the wrong?
But now, after hearing Yu Zhi Yi’s biting words, even they began to feel that perhaps they had gone too far. And her insinuation—that there was more to You Bing Yue’s departure from the Chancellor’s residence—planted doubt in their minds.
You Bing Yue’s face turned pale. “Young Madam Du, the past is best left buried. Zi Heng and I are a thing of the past now.”
Her voice was soft and restrained, a picture of someone noble and enduring great hardship. Her usually aloof demeanor seemed to crack, leaving behind a fragile beauty.
She stood, her movements graceful yet trembling. “Brother Ou Yang, let us leave.”
Ou Yang Shuo’s eyes narrowed as he rose. His gaze at Yu Zhi Yi was dark and inscrutable.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t react at first. But just as he turned to leave, she abruptly called out, “Wait.”
Her voice, once calm, now carried an unyielding weight.
You Bing Yue halted, a bitter smile on her lips. “Young Madam Du, is there still something you wish to say?”
Even Du Zi Heng frowned. “They’re already leaving. What more do you want?”
Yu Zhi Yi fixed her gaze on Ou Yang Shuo’s face. “You mentioned you were leaving tomorrow. Where exactly are you headed?”
You Bing Yue looked surprised. Ou Yang Shuo’s expression remained cold. “That is none of your concern.”
With that, he took You Bing Yue by the hand and strode out of the Chancellor’s mansion.
Yu Zhi Yi’s eyes narrowed slightly, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.
Just now, as Ou Yang Shuo turned to leave, she had caught a faint glimpse of a shadow—a deathly aura shrouding his features.
Though it wasn’t intense, its presence was undeniable. It signified danger, perhaps even severe injury, looming on the horizon.
Typically, practitioners of the mystic arts had ways to conceal their fates, shielding themselves from the prying eyes of others.
It was precisely because of this that Yu Zhi Yi’s unease deepened.
As the Chief Disciple of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, Ou Yang Shuo’s cultivation in the Qi Refining Stage was formidable. For his concealed destiny to reveal signs of impending death could only mean one thing: the peril he faced was extraordinary, nearly insurmountable.
A crisis that even a practitioner of his level might struggle to overcome could only be caused by one of two things: a malevolent cultivator with unparalleled skills or an entity far more terrifying—a malevolent spirit.
Regardless of which, such a threat would undoubtedly spell disaster for ordinary people if left unchecked.