Chapter 020

Chapter 20: Du Zi Heng Apologizes

Zi Yuan asked with a troubled face: “Miss, isn’t this unfair to the first wife?”

They were on their way to No. 18 Lin’an Street.

Ji Yi Fei was going to expose Yu Zhi Yi’s “lie.”

Du Zi Heng and people from the Yao Clan came along for two reasons: to protect Yu Zhi Yi from harm and to watch the drama.

As for the chrysanthemum banquet, even though Yao Fifth had invited many famous blooms, everyone thought the same thing: watching flowers can’t beat watching a scandal.

Only Zi Yuan knew her miss’s real skill. She wasn’t worried about a wrong reading; she worried about the first wife’s safety. Based on the temperament Miss had just described for Madam Pang, that woman was truly ruthless.

Yu Zhi Yi said calmly: “Bringing this to light is their only chance to live.”

She didn’t say more. From Ji Yi Fei’s face, she had read that his only sibling would soon die. In other words, Madam Pang would soon realize the first wife and her son were alive and would send people to kill the boy. She couldn’t see the first wife’s final fate yet, but judging by Madam Pang’s nature, it wouldn’t be good. In the previous life, gossip about Ji Cong Xin’s old and new wives never spread, which showed Madam Pang had hidden everything well and fully controlled Ji Cong Xin so he didn’t dare avenge his wife and child.

Just then the carriage stopped, and everyone got out.

Staring at the house ahead, Ji Yi Fei glared at Yu Zhi Yi with red eyes and said: “This young master will expose your lie right now!”

He turned to Du Zi Heng and said: “Brother You Lin, once it’s clear she’s spouting nonsense, I want an explanation from you!”

Du Zi Heng’s eyes showed worry as he said: “Brother Ji, don’t be rash.”

Bang! Ji Yi Fei kicked open the courtyard gate.

Then he saw a scene that made his eyes almost split with rage. His always stern father was gently teaching a young man to write. A plainly dressed woman came out of the house carrying a tray with steaming soup. It was simple and warm.

Ji Yi Fei’s eyes turned red. His lips trembled and no sound came out.

His kick shattered the peace. The woman jumped in fright, the tray fell, and soup splashed everywhere.

Ji Cong Xin was flustered at first, but he quickly steadied. Without looking at his stunned son, he went to the woman’s side and asked softly: “Are you all right? Did you get burned?”

Ji Yi Fei found the scene stabbing to the eye and shouted: “Father! Are you worthy of my mother?”

He tried to rush forward. The young man instantly stepped in front of Ji Cong Xin and the woman. Broad and sturdy like a small hill, he blocked Ji Yi Fei several paces away and would not let him come closer.

After making sure the woman wasn’t burned, Ji Cong Xin looked up at his two sons with a complicated face and said: “So be it. Let’s use this chance to settle things.”

Ji Cong Xin was a decisive man. When he said he would settle it, the very next day he divorced Madam Pang. He also didn’t hide the reason. People who knew them heard of Madam Pang’s past crimes. A small number of odd folks said he didn’t have to be so harsh, since it had been so long and the first wife and her son hadn’t died; why not forgive and forget? They even said keeping both women would be the “real blessing.”

But most people with a proper sense of right and wrong clapped and cheered.

That was later. For now, Yu Zhi Yi sat in the carriage heading back to the Chancellor’s Manor. She had nothing to say to Du Zi Heng, so she closed her eyes to rest and to absorb the golden light of merit that had just drifted into her body.

She was actually surprised. She hadn’t taken a payment for the reading this time; she had done it purely to slap Ji Yi Fei’s face. She thought Heaven wouldn’t count merit born from her private motive, yet this time the merit was even more than the last two times. [Maybe it’s because I saved two lives?]

Just as she was thinking, the man across from her spoke softly: “Sorry.”

Yu Zhi Yi opened her eyes and asked: “For what?”

Looking away, Du Zi Heng seemed embarrassed, but he still said: “I’m sorry for doubting your ability.”

He had already seen it with his own eyes. And a few days ago, Madam Yao had told him about Du Ping’s case. With his brain, he could guess how the Chancellor’s Manor would have ended if Yu Zhi Yi hadn’t found that traitor. Forget taking the Imperial Examinations; he might not have escaped the punishment of clan extermination.

Still, his fixed ideas were too deep. He didn’t believe Yu Zhi Yi had the skill, and he suspected his mother praised her on purpose just to match them.

Reality had slapped him hard.

Yu Zhi Yi looked a bit surprised, but she didn’t care much and said lightly: “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

Those six light words felt oddly heavy.

Thinking of the old rumors in the Capital and then of her behavior these days in the Chancellor’s Manor, Du Zi Heng could tell the rumors were false. He had always thought he could read people, but he had stumbled because of his own bias. Remembering what he had said to her before, he felt guilty. He tried to explain: “A year ago I traveled to study. Bandits attacked. There were many of them, and I was badly hurt. It was Bing Yue who saved me.”

Yu Zhi Yi raised a brow: “?”

[Did I ever say I cared about your love story?]

With nothing else to say, she smiled quietly and kept listening to the story she already knew by heart.

After saving him, You Bing Yue cared for him in a way that looked cold on the surface but was actually thoughtful. He saw the kind soul under her fierce, distant look. She also dropped wise sayings now and then. He was deeply drawn to her. He didn’t even want to go home anymore; he only wanted to be a happy pair of lovebirds with her in the countryside.

Hearing this, Yu Zhi Yi clicked her tongue and said: “No wonder Madam Yao, who is usually so gentle, dislikes Miss You so much.”

Du Zi Heng choked and asked: “Why?”

Yu Zhi Yi gave him a look and said: “If it were me, and the son I raised with care threw away his parents and family honor for a woman, I wouldn’t just dislike that woman. I wouldn’t even want that son.”

Du Zi Heng fell silent.

Suddenly it was like a flash split open the fog in his head. He felt a bit guilty and tried to defend himself: “I was born in the Chancellor’s Manor. My parents always wanted a proper match for me. Bing Yue is from the countryside. Even though she is skilled and has broad insight, Mother likely wouldn’t be happy. I just… I just didn’t want to make Mother angry.”

Yu Zhi Yi rolled her eyes and said: “To me, it looked like you wanted to make her angry to death so no one could stop you.”