Chapter 063

Chapter 63: Drink This Wine, and You’ll Make a Fool of Yourself Later

“Look at that woman,” said Fifth Young Master Yu when he noticed the eye-to-eye fight between Yu Zhi Yi and Yu Jiao Jiao, his face going dark: “Jiao Jiao’s eyes are red from anger. That woman is awful!”

Aside from Yu Ming Quan, the other three Yu brothers wore different expressions, but all of them showed the same disapproval. None of them liked seeing Yu Zhi Yi make things hard for their beloved sister.

Madam Yu was anxious too. But this was a royal banquet, so she could not go over to comfort her sweet daughter. She could only cast a wounded look at Yu Zhi Yi, hoping this adopted daughter would read her eyes and stop “bullying” Yu Jiao Jiao.

Minister Yu said nothing. His old face only looked heavy.

Yu Zhi Yi did not glance toward the Yu clan at all. After drawing back her eyes, she followed Chancellor Du and the others to sit behind Chancellor Du’s seat.

At such banquets, family members sat behind their own husband’s or father’s chair.

She and Du Zi Heng had not yet formally taken office, so today they attended as family members. They had no separate seats.

Not long after they sat, members of the imperial clan, the palace consorts, and the Emperor arrived one after another.

The Emperor, in his thirties, looked refined and noble. He did not carry a killing air. Judging only by his manner, it was hard to imagine he was a ruler known for firm, decisive action.

The Empress was dignified and open-handed. She was not a stunning beauty, yet she carried a calm grace that felt like peace under heaven.

After taking his seat, the Emperor began to speak.

Though today was his birthday banquet, a birthday came every year, while new talent did not. So before the feast began, he praised the fresh top three from the Imperial Examinations and would announce their appointments.

Before that, there was the usual look ahead to the Great Sheng Empire’s peace and prosperity.

At a warm moment, he lifted his cup to drink with everyone.

All present lifted their cups. Whether they could drink or not, they had to keep up with the Emperor.

As Yu Zhi Yi raised her cup, she felt two hidden yet powerful gazes.

Her hand paused. But the Emperor had already tipped back his cup, and the people near him also drained their wine as he set his cup down. If she did not drink, she would stand out in an awkward way.

Before that awkwardness could grow, she also emptied her cup quickly, as if she had noticed nothing strange about the wine.

Somewhere among the seats and the crowd, two pairs of lips curved with the same pleased smile.

Yu Jiao Jiao glared hard at Yu Zhi Yi.

[That wretch really knows how to grab attention! Drink, drink, drink. Why doesn’t she just drink herself to death? If only that cup had something in it. That would be perfect.]

But all she could do was imagine it.

Her status was not high enough to mess with wine at such an important palace banquet.

Just then, she caught a glimpse of a Daoist figure.

Seeing that person also staring at Yu Zhi Yi, a cruel smile at his lips, Yu Jiao Jiao froze, then quickly brightened with a look that said she was ready for a show.

She loved dog-eat-dog drama.

Yu Zhi Yi seemed unaware. After finishing her wine, she set down her cup.

When everyone had drunk, the Chief Eunuch beside the Emperor called out in a ringing voice: “Will the new Top Scholar, the Second Place Laureate, the Third Place Laureate, and Young Madam Du, Yu Zhi Yi, step forward to receive their appointments!”

This string of titles left many people stunned.

They understood the first three. But the last one?

As top families of the capital, most people here had heard the rumor that Yu Zhi Yi was being made a fifth-rank official at the Ministry of Justice. Hearing a rumor was one thing. Seeing the Emperor bring her out alone, in public, to grant an office was another. It felt unreal.

That was the Ministry of Justice.

Yes, fifth rank sounded small beside all the fourth-, third-, even second- and first-rank officials present.

But the Ministry of Justice was not a place for just any cat or dog. It was a real power office.

Even a minor clerk there was someone many would fight to befriend.

Honestly, if the Emperor only wanted to answer the common people who worshiped Yu Zhi Yi, he could have given her a reward in secret, or publicly handed her a useless ceremonial job. No one would complain.

But he was loudly giving her a real post in front of all the civil and military officials and the imperial relatives. That was a bright slap to many faces.

Never mind anything far away. Look only at the top three standing here now.

They had done well in the Imperial Examinations, but whether they would get good appointments was still unknown.

If their coming appointments were worse than Yu Zhi Yi’s, wouldn’t the three of them want to crawl into a hole?

And their chief examiner for this round, Chancellor Du, would surely lose face.

Oh, wait.

Chancellor Du was Yu Zhi Yi’s father-in-law.

Oh. Then never mind.

No matter what people thought, the awards had to go on.

Feeling the many hostile looks around her, Yu Zhi Yi did not fear them.

She had already spent her worry yesterday when she learned about the appointment. [What’s done is done. If the ending cannot be changed, I won’t tear myself up inside. Let others stew on it instead.]

The only real change was that she could no longer lie flat without guilt later.

That was not a big problem. After all, she belonged to the Mystic Sect, and she could read at most three hexagrams a day. [If the Emperor and the Ministry of Justice officials want to use my fortune-telling to solve those tough cases, they will be disappointed. It’s not that I refuse to help, but I do have limits.]

Lost in these thoughts, Yu Zhi Yi walked to the middle of the hall with Du Zi Heng and the other two examinees.

Since today’s feast was not a strict ceremony, those receiving appointments did not need to kneel.

Yu Zhi Yi and the three examinees saluted the Emperor, then stood quietly to the side.

She and Du Zi Heng stood shoulder to shoulder, a perfect picture of an unfamiliar couple. Neither gave the other a look.

The people present did not know how they truly got along. They only felt that this couple who met at the peak were unexpectedly a perfect match.

You Bing Yue thought so too.

Her face turned green with anger.

At the instant Yu Zhi Yi stepped onto the platform, Prince Xiao Yao, seated with the imperial relatives, curved his lips in a cold smile.

[By now the drug should be working.]

[Let’s see how this woman keeps pretending to be pure and innocent after she makes a fool of herself in public.]

[The Divine Maiden who saves the suffering? Bah. She doesn’t deserve it.]

Prince Xiao Yao waited and waited until the medicine finally took effect.

But not on Yu Zhi Yi.

Suddenly, a wave of heat surged through his own body.

The restless heat hit not only his body but also his mind, shaking his reason so badly he could not think straight.

In the center of the hall, Yu Zhi Yi seemed to glance his way by chance.

She quickly looked back and hooked a faint, pleased smile.

Prince Xiao Yao’s mind went blank: [!!!].