Chapter 075

Chapter 75: Won’t Climb Down? Then Don’t Break the Ladder

Sadly, the Du Clan would not climb down. They even seemed ready to break the ladder.

Madam Yao ended the talk and spoke firmly: “Yi’er, stop overthinking and rest. In two days, when you can get out of bed, we will leave the palace.”

She did not want to discuss it further. She ushered Chancellor Du out, then took the bowl of medicine a palace maid brought and, with a cool face, fed Yu Zhi Yi spoon by spoon.

Yu Zhi Yi held back a sigh. [The timing is wrong and the image is silly, but Red Luan’s favorite nonsense pops into my head: washing underwear with a cold face.]

She almost laughed at herself, then dragged up almost every sad memory from two lives to stop the laugh from slipping out. When she finished the medicine, a light sweat had soaked her back. She was exhausted.

Madam Yao set down the bowl and gently wiped the thin sweat from Yu Zhi Yi’s forehead: “Rest well. Do not think about other things.” She paused, then said in a low voice: “If the Du ancestors in the next world know about this and blame us, I will take it on my shoulders. You do not need to worry about anything.”

Yu Zhi Yi stared at the canopy. […I’m too tired. Let everything just end.]

She had chosen to take that sword herself. At first, her injury was not too serious. After two days in the palace, she was already preparing to go home. The Emperor and Empress came every day to check on her. Seeing her body and spirit improve day by day, they were pleased.

On the day before she was to leave the palace, the Emperor spoke with a smile: “Young Madam Du, you saved my life and have proved your skill. I will restore your post as an official at the Ministry of Justice. In addition, I reward you with one thousand taels of gold and grant you a First Rank title.”

Yu Zhi Yi tried to rise in thanks, but the Emperor lifted a hand: “Sit in bed. Don’t get up.”

Yu Zhi Yi felt bitter and tried to bargain: “Your Majesty, a post at the Ministry of Justice is not really suitable for me.”

The Emperor waved it off and said cheerfully: “I think it suits you very well. With your ability, solving cases will be easy. With you there, even those useless people at the Ministry of Justice can finally be useful. If I rely on them, they hardly solve a few cases a year. My Ministry of Justice is about to turn into an archive room.”

Yu Zhi Yi went quiet. [So he wants my ability.] She had not expected that her Heavenly Eye could be used like this.

She tried again: “But, Your Majesty, I can only do a limited number of readings a day. At most three.”

“Three is fine,” the Emperor said lightly. “That is still better than the Ministry solving nothing all day.”

Yu Zhi Yi fell silent again. Two days of bargaining had completely failed. She could not help doubting herself. In her past life, cleaning up Zhang Tian Shun, Madam Meng, and those monsters in Duke’s Manor had not even felt this hard.

The Empress smiled kindly: “Young Madam Du, do not feel burdened. Our Great Sheng Empire is not like other countries. It is common for women to serve as officials. The Ministry of Justice is special, yes, and you may face fierce criminals. But His Majesty will protect your safety.”

She turned to the Emperor with warm eyes: “Your Majesty, right?”

The Emperor nodded: “Right. I will grant you two close bodyguards. They will ensure your safety and will not let you be in danger again.”

Yu Zhi Yi stared at them. She finally decided to be blunt: “Your Majesty, I am not worried about danger. I simply do not want to go to work. I have to do morning practice every day, and at night I must offer incense to our ancestor. I truly do not have time to sit in the Ministry of Justice every day.”

The Emperor and Empress both paused.

Then the Emperor compromised: “How about this. You will go in the afternoons. That won’t delay your incense at night. As for evenings, if work piles up and you cannot get back in time, I will assign someone to offer incense for you. That way you will have no worries.”

Yu Zhi Yi almost lost her breath. [So you are set on this, aren’t you?] Fine. He was the human Emperor. Even the ancestor of the Heavenly Secret Sect gave three points of courtesy to a human Emperor. What could she, a mere grand-disciple, do?

She would go. It was only a job. She would treat it like going to watch a show.

At least the Emperor was not heartless enough to make her work while still injured. He let her rest and take up the post in one month.

Why one month? Because Imperial Physician Zhang had said she needed a little more than half a month before she could live normally again. The Emperor, feeling considerate, gave her an extra half month to rest.

When she thought about reporting to the Ministry of Justice every day and dealing with all kinds of people, Yu Zhi Yi put on a pain mask in her heart. In her past life, she had helped Zhang Tian Shun climb higher and higher. As his status grew, more followers gathered around him. When those people met her for the first time, they would always try to pick holes. She had spent about a third of her time proving them wrong.

Thinking about facing a new crowd of doubters and suspicious eyes at the Ministry of Justice, she already felt tired. Even if she had the skill to win them over, doing the same thing again and again would still be annoying.

Luckily, she still had a whole month before she would meet the big and small officials at the Ministry. She could enjoy a little peace.

Yu Zhi Yi returned to Chancellor’s Manor with the imperial edict and the rewards. Because she was injured, the Emperor excused her from kneeling to receive the decree, so she sat in the palanquin.

Chief Eunuch Hu finished reading the edict and was about to leave when Yu Zhi Yi called to him: “Eunuch, please wait.”

Chief Eunuch Hu bowed with a respectful smile and asked: “Young Madam Du, how may I serve you?”

Yu Zhi Yi said: “The Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress have cared for me a great deal. I have a gift for them. Please bring it back for me.” She took out a jade pendant and a jade hairpin. Without her explaining, Eunuch Hu already knew which one was for the Emperor and which was for the Empress.

Yu Zhi Yi added with simple courtesy: “I also trouble you to make another trip. You have worked hard.” She then handed Eunuch Hu a Protective Talisman and said: “Keep this next to your body. It can block one deadly strike.”

Eunuch Hu’s eyes lit up at the talisman.

On the day of the assassination, everyone had seen it clearly. The assassin wanted to kill the Emperor. Madam Meng had yanked Madam Yao over as a human shield. The assassin pounced toward Madam Yao, but the long sword stopped about ten feet away, blocked by an invisible barrier, and the force bounced him back.

Anyone who saw that would never again laugh at the so-called defense bracelet. A joke? The people who said that were the real jokes.

As for why Young Madam Du still got hurt… had they not heard her say it? That assassin had very deep inner strength. Even the most sheltered ladies knew one basic truth: the power of a master from the Martial World is not something ordinary people can match. Someone with enough inner strength can even crush large stones bare-handed. It was not strange that a top master could break a Protective Barrier.

But in this life, how many people would ever run into a top master like that assassin leader?

Those who had mocked Madam Yao now felt deep regret. If they had known those items truly worked, they would have gotten on Madam Yao’s good side earlier and asked her to help them get a defense bracelet.

Eunuch Hu, too, had secretly longed for such a thing, but he had never thought he could receive one. He had not expected Young Madam Du to be so generous and give him a Protective Talisman.

Du Zi Heng looked at the talisman in Eunuch Hu’s hand, his eyes dark and complicated.