Chapter 028

Chapter 28: Stop Making a Fuss

Du Zi Heng asked: “How did things go today?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he almost bit his tongue. [Wasn’t I here to demand answers?] But the topic had already slid away, and he did not drag it back.

Yu Zhi Yi answered honestly: “I checked the gold shop and Tai Xing Restaurant, then took time to visit the manor farm outside the city. The new shopkeeper at the gold shop is capable and trustworthy. Business at Tai Xing Restaurant is decent. The crops on the farm are growing well, so we should have a good harvest this year.”

Du Zi Heng said: “Oh… then you’ve worked hard. Get some rest,” and he turned to leave.

Yu Zhi Yi and Zi Yuan looked at each other. Even with Yu Zhi Yi’s eyes that could see the cause and effect of good and evil, she was confused: “What did he come here for?”

She quickly figured it out. Du Zi Heng was a clean-living man. Though he kept two maids, they were ordinary maids who had never served as bed maids. Yu Pan’er’s stunt today was something he could not stand. And since Yu Pan’er belonged to Yu Zhi Yi, when a dog misbehaves, the blame falls on the master who failed to rein it in.

Yu Zhi Yi said: “Forget it, don’t mind him.” She did not take it to heart. She still had uses for Yu Pan’er and could not get rid of her yet. Even so, as mistress of the household she could not ignore unruly servants, or Madam Yao would be the first to complain.

She ordered Zi Yuan: “Go tell Aunt Wen to make Yu Pan’er kneel for six hours so she remembers who she is.”

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

You Bing Yue had been bedridden nearly ten days and could finally get up and move. Then she learned that Yu Pan’er had tried to seduce Du Zi Heng. The attempt failed, but she, the modern queen of the night, would not allow a cheap woman to drool over her man.

Yu Zhi Yi was different. She was a proper young lady and had even gone through the wedding rites with Du Zi Heng. But what was Yu Pan’er? Nothing. You Bing Yue rushed over at once.

At that moment, Yu Pan’er was learning the abacus. Ever since Aunt Wen dragged her back, she had been much more obedient. She still dreamed of rising in status, but Aunt Wen watched her closely, and she could not get out, so she had to grit her teeth and study.

As she practiced writing, she kept shooting hidden knife-like looks at Aunt Wen. [Just wait, old woman. When I gain favor, the first person I settle accounts with is you.]

After she finally finished one sheet, she brought it to the lady teacher. The teacher was not very satisfied, but it was the best Yu Pan’er had written so far, so she let her rest for a quarter of an hour.

Freed for a moment, Yu Pan’er rushed toward the latrine. She was bursting.

Before she reached it, a figure dropped from above. You Bing Yue grabbed Yu Pan’er by the throat and, with her other hand, slapped left and right. The sharp smacking rang out again and again.

She slapped more than twenty times. When both cheeks were swollen high and blood seeped from Yu Pan’er’s mouth, You Bing Yue flung her to the ground and said: “Trash like you dares to covet my man? Since your master won’t discipline you, I will.”

She warned: “Du Zi Heng is mine. No one but me gets to touch him.”

She added: “If you dare to have thoughts you shouldn’t, next time it won’t be just slaps.” Leaving that deathly threat behind, You Bing Yue turned without expression and walked away.

Yu Pan’er, clutching her ballooned face, didn’t need a mirror to know she was a mess. She screamed: “Ahhh!”

Her cry brought patrolling bodyguards. Seeing a maid-faced girl beaten into a pig head, they were shocked and hurried to report to Madam Yao and Yu Zhi Yi.

Even though Yu Zhi Yi had already calculated that Yu Pan’er would be punished, she still jumped when she saw the result. The hand was truly heavy.

Yu Pan’er cried to Madam Yao and the young madam: “Madam, young madam, that Miss You is crazy. I didn’t offend her, and she just beat me up! Please, you must give me justice.”

Madam Yao was furious: “Outrageous! Catch that woman and bring her here!”

Du Zi Heng was resting at the Moon-Viewing Pavilion. After the beating, You Bing Yue felt fresh and light. A servant had told her he never spared that maid a glance, and sweetness filled her heart. She went over and sprawled across Du Zi Heng.

Because You Bing Yue had been injured, Du Zi Heng had held back all these days. With the beauty in his arms now, he no longer cared if it was day or night and let her take off his robe. Just as they were about to spark into a blaze, Du Lin’s panicked voice sounded: “Bad news, young master, madam sent people to summon Miss You! They say madam is very angry.”

Du Zi Heng frowned: “We just had a few days of peace. Why is mother making trouble again?” He thought of Bing Yue’s body just healed and said: “Tell mother that Bing Yue is not recovered. Whatever it is, wait until she is fully well.”

The house guards did not dare defy Du Zi Heng and could only return with that message. Madam Yao shook with anger: “Unfilial son! I want to see how long he shields that woman. Go, to the Moon-Viewing Pavilion!”

Yu Zhi Yi quickly soothed her, rubbing her back: “Mother, please calm down.”

Madam Yao squeezed her hand: “You are too gentle. That woman is stepping on your head and you are not angry.”

Yu Zhi Yi thought that she was not holding back for Du Zi Heng’s sake. She truly was not very angry. If not for You Bing Yue pestering her again and again, she would even be happy to see them affectionate.

Soon, the group arrived at the Moon-Viewing Pavilion. By then, Du Zi Heng and You Bing Yue had their clothes on. Though their blood still ran hot, Madam Yao’s summons forced them to push desire down.

Seeing Madam Yao come in person, Du Zi Heng was unhappy and said: “Mother, why are you picking on Bing Yue again? She has been very well-behaved lately, and she just recovered from a serious illness. Can you stop targeting her?”

He glanced at Yu Zhi Yi with displeasure and said: “Mother is older and not in the best health, and she should not get angry often. Why didn’t you advise her?”

Unjustly blamed, Yu Zhi Yi felt no anger, only amusement. Around You Bing Yue, this man seemed to throw away his brain and his values. [Does love really turn people into fools? Scary. It is right that my heart stays on the Way.]

She said: “You know mother should not be angered, so why did you push her into a rage?”

Choked by his own words, Du Zi Heng said: “I didn’t. I just don’t want more trouble in the manor. Can you not, like mother, make a fuss?”

If those house guards had politely invited his beloved, he would have been delighted. He dreamed of Madam Yao and You Bing Yue getting along. But the guards had come with hard faces. He would be a fool to send a just-healed You Bing Yue out.

Madam Yao snapped: “You dare say I make a fuss?”

Yu Zhi Yi gave a cold little laugh and said: “You say Miss You is still sick?”