Chapter 010
Chapter 10: No Manners
Du Zi Heng opened his mouth, but no words came out.
You Bing Yue stepped onto the bridge as well, and Du Zi Heng frowned as he scolded her: “Why did you go pick a fight with her? Didn’t I promise you I would never get involved with her? We just asked her for help, and right after that you went after her people. What are you doing?”
She lifted her chin and answered, her eyes flashing: “You are my man, yet she holds the title of official wife. I came to win back my pride, what is wrong with that?” Then she snorted and added with scorn: “Besides, she is only a sheltered young lady. How could she help me? Your parents are propping her up to fool you. It is all tricks! Even without them, I could handle it myself.”
She did not think much about that strange fall a moment ago, assuming she went in the water because she pushed too hard and slipped: [I just fell by accident.]
Du Zi Heng felt the truth was not like she said, but he had no mind to press her now. Her clothes had been tight to begin with, and once soaked, every outline that should not be seen showed through. He told Du Lin to go away, then shielded You Bing Yue with his body and escorted her back to the Moon-Viewing Pavilion.
By then, Yu Zhi Yi had returned to the Windward Pavilion, and Zi Yuan was still fuming as she burst out: “That woman went too far!”
She kept grumbling as she poured it out: “What sort of person dares to strut in front of our miss? She is not even as good as a concubine. What is the difference between her and a paramour who cannot be shown in public?”
Yu Zhi Yi soothed her as she set down a cup of tea: “Enough, cool down. I promise you, if she dares to come to our door again, we will punish her hard the way we did today, all right?”
Before this, Yu Zhi Yi had not planned to bother with You Bing Yue. In the last life, every time You Bing Yue made a move on Yu Jiao Jiao, it was only because Yu Jiao Jiao had run over to provoke her first, and she was striking back. Yu Zhi Yi had thought You Bing Yue was different from Yu Jiao Jiao and that they could keep a peaceful surface. She had been wrong.
She reminded herself of her goal as she breathed out slowly: [I need to gather merit. I will not ruin my cultivation path for someone who is not worth it.]
But if the other side delivered herself to be punished, then she would not hold back.
She had also noticed something interesting. She still could not see through You Bing Yue’s face when she read it. It had been the same in the last life, and now again, after being reborn, she still could not see it clearly. Usually there were only two reasons for this. Either the other person belonged to the Mystic Sect or knew someone from the Mystic Sect and had used a secret method to hide her features from outsiders. Or the other person was heaven’s chosen.
Yu Zhi Yi could not yet figure out the truth, but she did not worry about it. Either way, it would not affect her. In the future, Du Zi Heng would set up his own household and move out to live elsewhere. She would remain in the Chancellor’s Manor, and they would hardly meet.
The only tricky part was the matter of children. In the last life, up until the accident that ended her life, You Bing Yue never had a child. That was a headache.
She shook off the messy thoughts and kept arranging the formations. Just now she had already laid a defense formation around the whole Chancellor’s Manor. This formation would only take effect at night, and she left openings at the main gate and several side gates. As long as no one tried to climb the walls or crawl through a dog hole in the middle of the night, the formation would not be triggered. If someone did try, the formation would hurt them. The manor’s guards were strict as well. Any noise would bring the house guards running. Most important of all, she had made some changes to the defense formation. If someone touched it, she would be able to “see” the person’s face. Even if that person slipped away by luck, they could not hide from her Fiery Eyes of Truth.
She remembered that in the last life Chancellor Du had once been framed. It took months to clear his name. Messes like that would drag Yu Zhi Yi down with them. She disliked trouble. If she could cut danger off while it was a seed, she would not allow it to grow into a towering tree.
Setting the formation around the Windward Pavilion was even simpler. She did not need an excuse. She only had to go out and fuss with the flowers, then stroll along the wall. No one would suspect anything.
She had just finished when a servant came to report: “Young madam, Marchioness Wu’an has arrived.”
Yu Zhi Yi nodded and gave the order: “Invite her in.”
The Marchioness came in with a face full of smiles and praised her warmly: “Heavenly Master is truly a Heavenly Master. You are amazing.”
Her son was a bit rebellious. He had a prior engagement, but he looked down on the girl for being the daughter of a military officer and not as gentle as the young ladies in the capital. He had shouted many times that he wanted to break the engagement. Yesterday, when Miss Tan heard that her son had almost been beaten to death for flirting with a young lady, she came in a rage to call off the match. This time her son refused. He would not agree no matter what and even begged her to set the wedding date quickly.
Yu Zhi Yi had already seen all this written on the Marchioness’s face, yet she still felt speechless after hearing it. It was a classic case of wanting what you cannot have. That said, once the young master married, he would settle down. He and Miss Tan would become a quarrelsome but loving pair, and the marriage would be happy.
Yu Zhi Yi smiled as she gave her verdict: “She is the young master’s destined match. As long as you treat her well, the Marquis Wu’an Manor will shine soon.”
The Marchioness was overjoyed and handed over a money pouch as she spoke kindly: “Heavenly Master, this is a small token of thanks. Please accept it.”
Yu Zhi Yi glanced at the bulging pouch and judged its weight. There had to be thirty to forty taels if it was silver. If it was gold, then even more. She had Zi Yuan put the pouch away, then she added a gift of her own with a calm smile: “I will give you a free reading. The eighteenth day of the twelfth month is an excellent day for them. If both houses truly wish to join in marriage, that date is just right.”
The Marchioness was delighted and bowed gratefully: “Many thanks, Heavenly Master.”
After the Marchioness left, Zi Yuan asked in a low voice: “Miss, Miss Tan was already going to break the engagement. Is she really the young master’s destined match?”
Yu Zhi Yi answered plainly: “She does have feelings for the young master. It is just that he behaved too badly before, and this time he did something extra shameful and hurt her heart. After this, the young master will settle down.”
Zi Yuan let out a breath. The Marquis Wu’an Manor’s young master had been so out of line that she had worried Miss Tan would not be happy if she married in. If so, would that not harm her miss’s merit?
While explaining, Yu Zhi Yi opened the pouch to check. Inside, it was all gold. Thirty to forty taels of gold was equal to several hundred taels of silver. Yu Zhi Yi was very satisfied.
Suddenly, Yu Pan’er came in to report: “Young madam, the one at the Moon-Viewing Pavilion went out.”
Yu Zhi Yi asked at once: “Is the young master not studying his books?”
She had thought Du Zi Heng went along, but Yu Pan’er shook her head and answered: “Reporting to young madam, the young master did not go.”
Yu Zhi Yi felt a flicker of surprise, then understood. You Bing Yue moved about freely. That freedom was something Du Zi Heng gave her. Madam Yao did not like it, but she could not win against her son and had to give in.
Zi Yuan frowned and scolded under her breath: “This is far too unruly.”
In a proper household, if a woman in the inner residence wished to go out, she needed to report to the mistress. You Bing Yue left on her own. It was as if she did not put the mistress in her eyes at all.
Yu Zhi Yi laughed softly as she answered: “She is not one of the manor’s people. She can come and go freely.”
She was neither a master nor a servant, so she did not count as one of the manor’s people. She did not even rank as a guest, because the master’s household did not welcome her.