Chapter 048

Chapter 48: Her Character Is Pure; You Cannot Compare

Early the next morning, just after finishing her morning lesson and getting ready to eat, Yu Zhi Yi looked up as Zi Yuan rushed in and said: “Bad news, miss, Miss You really came back!”

Yu Zhi Yi answered without much concern: “You already knew last night she would return, so why panic?”

Zi Yuan blurted out: “I knew she would return, but I didn’t know Prince Xiao Yao would come with her!”

Prince Xiao Yao! He was a high noble of the Imperial House, the Emperor’s own brother, a true lord second only to one person and above all others. In the Great Sheng Empire, besides the Emperor, only a few people could make him even a little careful. Their own useless son-in-law was clearly not one of those few. If the son-in-law could not handle it, wouldn’t the miss be in danger? Miss You came back with strong momentum and bad intent. What should they do?

Yu Zhi Yi stayed calm and said: “Why be anxious? They came to visit Young Master Du, not to make trouble.”

She added with a light smile: “Of course, if someone really has no sense and insists on picking a fight at our door, we can treat it like a free show. Letting a lord perform for you is more exciting than buying a ticket outside, isn’t it?”

Zi Yuan fell silent. Although it sounded a bit absurd, since the miss said so, she stopped being so nervous.

Madam Yao had gone out early for business, so the only masters in the manor were Yu Zhi Yi and Du Zi Heng. Du Zi Heng, being injured, had a set recovery diet, so Yu Zhi Yi was happy to eat in her own courtyard.

When she had eaten half her meal, Steward Du came to report and said: “Prince Xiao Yao is here. Please go out to receive him.”

Yu Zhi Yi swallowed a mouthful of seafood congee and said: “Understood.”

Zi Yuan grew tense as Yu Zhi Yi changed clothes. She planned to wait at the gate, but when she reached it, she learned the prince had already gone to Bright Radiance Courtyard.

Zi Yuan turned on the steward and said: “Why didn’t you say the prince could go straight to Bright Radiance Courtyard? The young madam ran here for nothing.”

Steward Du wiped at imaginary cold sweat and said: “I did not expect the prince to move so fast. We had just received the news when he was already there.”

“It is fine,” Yu Zhi Yi said as she dismissed the steward, then she walked toward Bright Radiance Courtyard.

Arriving at Bright Radiance Courtyard, she bowed with a proper salute and said: “Greetings to Prince Xiao Yao.”

Prince Xiao Yao carried the air of a noble. He was handsome and gentle in looks, always with a faint smile at the corners of his lips. Acting as if he had not seen anyone salute, he spoke to You Bing Yue and said: “Yue’er, this morning you only drank half a bowl of porridge. That is bad for your wound. At noon you cannot be willful again. Even if you do not feel like it, you must eat well so the wound will heal faster.”

You Bing Yue’s beautiful, cold face did not change. She only stared absent-mindedly at Du Zi Heng. Du Zi Heng looked back, filled with feeling. No one paid attention to Yu Zhi Yi.

Yu Zhi Yi repeated more loudly: “Commoner Yu Zhi Yi greets Prince Xiao Yao.”

Prince Xiao Yao took an unhurried sip of tea and still did not look toward the door. You Bing Yue and Du Zi Heng heard her that time. You Bing Yue’s expression shifted a little, but she did not remind the prince who was acting like he had gone deaf. Du Zi Heng saw Yu Zhi Yi kneeling and felt a flash of pity in his eyes as he said: “Prince, Zhi Yi is here.”

You Bing Yue’s look turned cold and she said: “Young Master Du truly dotes on his wife.”

Her tone was full of mockery as she added: “Prince, since Young Master Du feels sorry for his lovely wife, you should spare Young Madam Du the courtesy. Do not hurt your years of friendship over a woman.”

Prince Xiao Yao smiled faintly and said: “Just for her?”

Though his looks were mild, his tone was harsh. Du Zi Heng frowned and said: “Yue’er, Zhi Yi is innocent.” He had already thought it through these days. Yu Zhi Yi was a pitiful person pulled in for no reason. The problem between him and Bing Yue could not be blamed on Yu Zhi Yi. That would be unfair to her.

You Bing Yue let out an angry laugh and said: “She is innocent? If she were innocent, she would not have married you, and she would not have tried every trick to drive me out. Since she entered the Chancellor’s Manor, I have not had a single good day. A scheming woman like that is best at pretending to be innocent while using any means to reach her low goal. See, now Du Zi Heng, your heart is already swayed by her. You even quarrel with me because of her.”

Du Zi Heng was at a loss for words. He felt something was not quite right, yet he also felt You Bing Yue was telling the truth. Since Yu Zhi Yi entered the manor, You Bing Yue had indeed suffered defeats. At first his parents had agreed to let You Bing Yue live in the Moon-Viewing Pavilion, but now his mother would not even let her step through the door.

Listening to them, Prince Xiao Yao saw the anger and hurt on You Bing Yue’s pale, perfect face. A chill flashed through his clear eyes. Such a strong and patient girl had been pushed to show a fragile side. [Yu Zhi Yi cannot stay.]

A clear, ringing female voice cut in like water over stone as Yu Zhi Yi said: “Let me interrupt.”

Even Prince Xiao Yao, whose mind was full of killing intent, paused. Du Zi Heng and You Bing Yue stopped arguing and looked toward the speaker. Yu Zhi Yi was already standing. Even after kneeling longer than she should, she did not look tired. Her graceful face was calm, and her blank look somehow made people feel her speechlessness.

She spoke evenly and said: “There is no need to discuss whether I am innocent or not. No matter the reasons, I am already Du Zi Heng’s principal wife.”

She turned to You Bing Yue and said: “But Miss You said you were driven out of the Moon-Viewing Pavilion because of me. Do you not feel ashamed saying that?”

She continued in the same calm tone and said: “At the start, was it not because you got involved in the servant theft case and did not want to be investigated that you left in anger?”

She did not slow down and said: “I did not order the servant to embezzle. I did not tell him to use the stolen money to buy jewelry for you. So how did it turn into me using dirty tricks to drive you out?”

She ended firmly and said: “Also, the Chancellor’s Manor has not been able to tolerate you for a long time. If it could, you would have been the young madam, and I would have nothing to do with it. Isn’t that right?”

Her face did not change, but each sentence landed like a sharp slap on You Bing Yue’s cheeks until they burned. You Bing Yue leaped up and said: “I did not tell him to embezzle, and I did not know those things were bought with stolen money.” In this matter, she felt she was the most innocent one.

Prince Xiao Yao nodded and said: “Yes, this is not Yue’er’s fault.” It was the servant who was foolish and forgot his place. What did that have to do with Yue’er?

He turned to Yu Zhi Yi and said: “Madam Yu, do not spread alarm and frame Yue’er. Her character is noble and self-reliant. She is not someone a back-courtyard woman like you can compare to. Also, who allowed you to stand up?”

His last words were quiet but heavy with pressure.