Chapter 029

Chapter 29: Let Them Clear Their Heads First

Du Zi Heng felt a prick of guilt. In truth, Bing Yue could already get out of bed, and they had almost sparked together just now. But once a lie is told, many more are needed to cover it. He stiffened his neck and said: “Yes. The physician says she is still weak.” [If mother or Yu Zhi Yi want a physician to take her pulse, I must stop it. I cannot let the lie be exposed.] He did not notice the uneasy look on You Bing Yue’s face.

Madam Yao pointed at him, shaking all over with anger: “Du You Lin, did you feed the classics you read to a dog? For the sake of a woman, you lie to your own mother!”

Du Zi Heng flinched: “I…”

Yu Zhi Yi cut in: “Young master, meet someone first, then argue.”

At her words, Yu Pan’er was pushed forward. In just this short time, her face had swollen even more, to the point she was unrecognizable.

Du Zi Heng did not recognize her and asked: “Who is this?”

Yu Zhi Yi looked at Yu Pan’er and said: “You tell him yourself.”

Yu Pan’er had been beaten for no reason and was stewing with anger. She could not enter the Moon-Viewing Pavilion and was now also scared of You Bing Yue, so she did not dare seek revenge. But Yu Zhi Yi gave her a chance, and she would not miss it. She looked at Du Zi Heng with a pitiful face and said: “Young master, this maid is Pan’er.”

She added: “Today, when I was quietly studying, Miss You suddenly appeared and beat me.”

She repeated: “She said the young master is hers alone and no one can fight her for him. Whoever dares will end up like me.”

Her words were not exactly lies. That was the gist of what You Bing Yue had said.

Du Zi Heng denied it at once: “Impossible. Though Bing Yue can fight, she is not impulsive. She would never hit someone for no reason.”

Yu Zhi Yi turned to You Bing Yue and said: “Miss You, I hear you are brave enough to own what you do. You will not deny it, right?”

You Bing Yue sneered and said: “She tried to steal my man. Why shouldn’t I hit her?”

She added: “I already showed respect for Chancellor’s Manor by not beating her to death. Without that tie, since she is your servant, it would be more than a swollen face.”

She admitted it openly and did not feel she was wrong.

Du Zi Heng stared: “What…?” He could not figure out how, during his short nap in the afternoon, she had caused such a mess. She had struck a servant of the house. If she were the mistress, that would be one thing, but she was not. Doing this was no different from dumping filth right on his mother’s and Yu Zhi Yi’s heads. Worse, he had just lied for her, and she watched without a word to stop him. [You saw me cover for you and said nothing?]

Heat crawled over his face, stinging like he had been slapped.

Yu Zhi Yi said coolly: “Young Master Du, do you understand now why mother is angry?”

Du Zi Heng closed his eyes and said: “I…”

Yu Zhi Yi did not want to hear excuses. Seeing he understood the story, she went on the attack: “Forgive my bluntness, but with your mind blinded by desire like this, even if you barely pass high, you will still be a foolish official.”

She said: “Mother is the gentlest and most patient person. Outsiders may not know, but you, her son, should know.”

She pressed on: “If Miss You had not done wrong, why would mother be so angry?”

Du Zi Heng tried to speak, but Yu Zhi Yi gave him no chance and said: “Miss You is amazingly bold. As an outsider, she punished a servant of this house. And you, without asking right or wrong, used words to hurt your own mother for her. Do you two think this makes you impressive, that your love is noble?”

She snorted and said: “It is disgusting, laughable, and empty-headed.”

Du Zi Heng was stunned. After a moment, he came back to himself. He could not refute Yu Zhi Yi and could only turn angry at You Bing Yue, saying: “Didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t be impulsive again?”

You Bing Yue saw his anger and grew even angrier, saying: “You blame me for a cheap woman?”

She demanded: “She tried to seduce my man. Why can’t I hit her?”

Du Zi Heng said tiredly: “She is a servant of Chancellor’s Manor. If she did wrong, my mother and Zhi Yi will decide her punishment. You are not the mistress here. How can you punish a servant of this manor?”

You Bing Yue laughed coldly and said: “So in the end, you feel sorry, don’t you? Sorry that cheap woman got beaten into a pig head. Sorry that I pressed your mother and that woman down. You feel sorry for heaven and earth, but not for me!”

She pointed toward the door and shouted: “Get out. Get out of my sight. I never want to see you again!”

Madam Yao snapped: “The one who should leave is you. This is Chancellor’s Manor. It is You Lin’s home.”

You Bing Yue choked on fury and said: “Fine, I’ll leave. Once I go, don’t even think of making me come back.”

She did not spare Du Zi Heng a glance and stormed out. At the threshold, her old injury seemed to flare. She faltered and her hand lifted, as if to press her chest. But whatever she thought of, she lowered her hand and quickened her steps.

Du Zi Heng suddenly remembered she had only just recovered and ran after her, calling: “Bing Yue!”

“Du You Lin, stop right there,” Madam Yao called. But whether he did not hear or ignored her, he did not slow down and soon vanished from sight.

“Outrageous,” Madam Yao fumed. She wanted to order people to tie Du Zi Heng and bring him back.

Yu Zhi Yi stopped her and said: “Mother, we cannot force this, or it will backfire.”

Though angry, Madam Yao did not vent it on Yu Zhi Yi and asked in a low voice: “So we just let that woman do as she pleases?”

Yu Zhi Yi shook her head and said: “Miss You seems quite capable. People with real skill often have a temper. The young master’s feelings for her are very strong right now. The more we block them, the tighter they will cling.”

For Chancellor’s Manor, the most important thing now was Du Zi Heng’s Imperial Examinations. Even without Yu Zhi Yi’s persuasion, once Madam Yao cooled down she would compromise and allow You Bing Yue back. But Yu Zhi Yi did not want them returning so soon to cause trouble. Better to let those two, who put love above all else, clear the water out of their heads before they come back.

She sighed slightly and said: “If the young master keeps thinking about Miss You, it won’t help his studying. So we should step back. After the exams, we can talk. What do you think?”

[Anyway, he will certainly fail. Then we will settle new and old accounts together.]

In the previous life, Yu Jiao Jiao had always targeted You Bing Yue, filling Chancellor’s Manor with smoke and chaos. After Du Zi Heng failed the exam, he blamed it on Yu Jiao Jiao. [This time, with no one making trouble, if he still fails, will he be generous enough not to blame You Bing Yue?]