Chapter 059

Chapter 59: You’re the One Punished, Not Me

“When a junior does not listen, just tell her elders and her husband,” said Yu Zhi Yi, “there is no need to lower your own grade because of her.”

Madam Yao felt that made perfect sense and calmed at once: “Yi’er is right. People without manners should be well handled by their family.”

She knew that since this true Yu daughter married into the Yong Duke’s Manor, her days had not been happy. Zhang Tian Shun was a scoundrel who kept bringing different women home. There was even the shameful mess of a concubine getting pregnant before the mistress. Though the Yong Duke’s Manor did its best to hide it, the top circle still heard. On top of that, Duchess Yong was not easy to get along with. Thinking of all this, Madam Yao’s anger faded.

Yu Jiao Jiao broke out in a cold sweat and glared: “Yu Zhi Yi, you are despicable!”

Yu Zhi Yi smiled: “If fighting back against a wicked plan for the sake of someone I care about is called despicable, then I accept that.”

Madam Yao pressed her chest. Her heart was pounding like it would leap out. In her eyes, Yu Zhi Yi shone with holy light. This was the first time someone had stood up for her so firmly. Even Chancellor Du and her own mother would sometimes ask her to compromise for one reason or another. Her foolish son was worse, always opposing her for the sake of a woman. But this daughter-in-law stood at her side and, in a gentle voice that was not cold or hard, told the whole world that she was willing to carry a bad name to protect her mother-in-law. That feeling was beyond words. From this moment on, she was willing to face the world for this daughter-in-law, even if it cost her life.

Du Zi Heng arrived with his results just in time to hear Yu Zhi Yi’s words. His feelings were complicated. Earlier, You Bing Yue had used his good score to push hard for moving out of Du Manor. But that “good score” meant he had missed Top Scholar and Second Place Laureate and only earned Third Place Laureate. For others this was good. For him, and for Chancellor Du, it was not a result they could accept. Yet You Bing Yue did not notice his gloom. She only dreamed about the good life after moving out, which, in her mind, meant a life without his parents. She even did not want to come back and face his parents with him. He let out a deep sigh, feeling that something had changed.

Yu Zhi Yi noticed first: “Young master is back?”

Madam Yao and Yu Jiao Jiao looked over at the same time. Hatred flashed in Yu Jiao Jiao’s eyes, but no one cared.

Madam Yao stepped up and asked: “How did it go?”

Du Zi Heng was about to answer, but Yu Jiao Jiao rushed to speak: “How could it go? Look at him, half dead in spirit. He must have failed.”

Madam Yao snapped: “Third Young Madam Zhang, I have held back out of respect for your father-in-law being a duke and your father being the Minister of Revenue, but if you keep talking nonsense, do not blame me for being rude!”

Yu Jiao Jiao felt a bit afraid, but enemies meeting makes the eyes burn red. Thinking of how, in the last life, this vile man set her up until she died in disgrace, she could not hold down her anger and hate. Her voice turned sharp: “How funny. I am just telling the truth. Why can’t Madam Du handle it? Are we juniors not allowed to speak the truth? He failed. He failed. He failed! If you do not believe me, ask him yourself!”

Madam Yao did not doubt Yu Zhi Yi’s reading, yet hearing Yu Jiao Jiao speak so firmly still made her nervous. She looked at Du Zi Heng and asked carefully: “You Lin, is it true?”

Du Zi Heng gave Yu Jiao Jiao a cool glance. He did not know why she held such malice, but her rude words and attitude already disgusted him. He looked back and spoke gently: “Mother, I made the top three. The person who announces the good news should arrive soon.” It was only Third Place Laureate, but it still counted. He himself was not satisfied.

Madam Yao brightened: “I knew it. My son has great talent. He was sure to succeed!”

Yu Jiao Jiao screamed: “Impossible! You could not have passed! You are lying!”

This time, none of them needed to slap her face. Others did it for them. Drums sounded in front. Soon the announcing team stopped at the gate of Du Manor. A yamen runner in red stepped forward, bowed to the three, then turned to Du Zi Heng and said: “Young Master Du, congratulations on being named Third Place Laureate by His Majesty. In a few days His Majesty will place the flower on you himself. Congratulations, congratulations!”

Madam Yao froze for a heartbeat, then reacted at once and told Aunt Wen to give the messengers reward money. She did not show any displeasure in front of outsiders.

Yu Jiao Jiao went mad: “Third Place Laureate? How can that be? How can that be?”

She could not figure out what had gone wrong. Why, after the marriage swap, was her life still full of setbacks while that pair of shameless man and woman met smooth sailing at every step? In the last life, Du Zi Heng had not passed. Yes, the gap between Third Place Laureate and Top Scholar sounds big, but in this era a career does not stay golden just because you are Top Scholar. It is hard for a poor family to raise a true noble. Even if a poor student scores high, without help in court he cannot rise. Court power sits in the hands of great clans and the Imperial Family. Those in high seats are almost all from great clans or the Imperial Family. For a poor Top Scholar, the brightest day is the one when he wears the flower and rides through the streets. What comes after depends less on his own skill and more on whether he can hold the thigh of a powerful minister. So for Du Zi Heng, Third Place Laureate only sounded less grand than Top Scholar. Its real value was higher. With Chancellor Du supporting him in court, he would soon earn merit and fame.

In the last life, by this time Zhang Tian Shun had already won a small battle. Yet now he was still a parasite who only ate from the family and chased women. Yu Jiao Jiao felt she was going crazy.

Yu Zhi Yi did not care whether she went crazy. She ordered the people of Chancellor’s Manor to carry Yu Jiao Jiao into a carriage and told the coachman to report today’s events word for word to the people of the Yong Duke’s Manor. She knew that doing this would make the strong, controlling Duchess Yong give Yu Jiao Jiao a hard time. But [what does that have to do with me].

She still remembered how, when Yu Jiao Jiao framed her for abusing a servant and Madam Yu locked her in the woodshed, she had asked Yu Jiao Jiao: “Doesn’t your conscience hurt for doing this?” Back then, Yu Jiao Jiao had answered: “You are the one punished. What does it have to do with me?”