Chapter 078

Chapter 78: How about I leave?

Anyone dragged into these Imperial Family secrets is basically carrying their head on their belt: you never know when your neck and head will part.

Since ancient times, very few gifted people have died in peace.

At this moment, Du Zi Heng was truly worried about Yu Zhi Yi.

Resting her chin on her hand, Yu Zhi Yi looked calmly out the carriage window and said: “With things like this, can I stay out of it just because I want to?”

Living in the Capital City with a father-in-law who is the current chancellor, even if she did nothing, she could be pulled into fights between the palace and the Court Hall at any time.

Some things cannot be dodged.

Unless she had hidden her ability from the very start.

But she did not have parents who loved her without condition, and even though her in-laws seemed to like her when she first entered the Chancellor’s Manor, they would never give up everything for her.

Still, she had people she wanted to protect.

With no powerful backer, only if she stood tall herself could she keep those she cared about from suffering and from being looked down on.

So was she really willing to shrug and ignore everything? If the right conditions existed, who wouldn’t want to be spoiled like a little princess?

Frowning, Du Zi Heng said: “If we turn back now, there is still a chance.”

Fixing her gaze on his face, Yu Zhi Yi said: “Du Zi Heng, I suddenly think the title Official Yu sounds nice.”

She lifted a shoulder and added: “Maybe before long, I can become Vice Minister Yu, or even Minister Yu; don’t you think it would be cool if your wife were a minister of the realm?”

She tipped her head and, in a lighter tone, said: “Of course, if you don’t want to be overshadowed by my name, then sign a separation letter. You can marry your lovely beauty, and I can walk my wide, bright road. Wouldn’t that suit us both?”

Du Zi Heng gave a cold laugh and said: “Your abacus beads are about to bounce off and hit me in the face.”

He glanced at her and said: “Don’t say things like that again.”

Yu Zhi Yi frowned, about to answer, when people began gathering outside Prince Shun’s Manor.

Soon, a group of servants surrounded a man in a wheelchair and came out.

The man in the chair looked to be just over thirty, steady in bearing, with a shadow of sadness between his brows.

When he saw Eunuch Hu, he showed not a trace of respect as he said: “This prince is a cripple and will not salute.”

Eunuch Hu cried out and said: “Prince, what are you saying? You have the right not to kneel.”

Prince Shun did not reply.

Suddenly he looked toward the carriage. In his lifeless eyes, a shard of cold light flashed.

But at once he looked away with a calm face, as if he had never noticed the carriage in the alley or the people inside it.

Knowing nothing of this, Eunuch Hu opened the imperial decree and read it aloud.

In truth, the decree was no big matter: the Emperor had only granted Prince Shun a pile of rewards.

Those with insight understood that the gifts were a pretext; the real purpose was to let Yu Zhi Yi see whether Prince Shun had the heart to rebel and whether he was the mastermind behind the assassination. After all, Prince Zhong was only a poor scapegoat pushed out to take the blame.

When the rewards were finished, Eunuch Hu made ready to take his leave, and Yu Zhi Yi also needed to enter the palace to report.

All of a sudden, a cool voice sounded as Prince Shun said: “Eunuch Hu, are you not going to invite the honored guest?”

Eunuch Hu blinked and said: “Huh? Which honored guest?”

Prince Shun gave a short, cold laugh and said: “The one in the carriage, the famed prophet who plans without a flaw, Young Madam Du.”

Eunuch Hu went numb.

Prince Shun’s men were already walking toward the carriage.

Yu Zhi Yi sighed; when two powerful bodyguards reached the carriage, she said in an even voice: “Please ask the prince to come into the palace with me; some things must be said face to face to be convincing.”

Prince Shun snorted, resentment flashing in his eyes as he said: “This prince wants to see what tricks he can pull now!”

The people around him were alarmed and said: “Prince, you must not!”

No matter how they tried to dissuade him, Prince Shun had already made up his mind.

In the Imperial Palace, the emperor looked at the man in the wheelchair, and a touch of longing and regret crossed his eyes as he said: “Yun Huai, you finally agreed to see me.”

Chu Yun Huai gave a cold smile and said: “Your Majesty invited Young Madam Du on purpose only to force me to show myself, then take the chance to wipe out an ambitious hidden danger. There is no need to be so careful. I have been ready for a long time. If Your Majesty wants this life, take it whenever you like. I will not resist.”

With a sharp look, the emperor said: “Chu Yun Huai, you know I have never had such thoughts!”

Standing side by side, Yu Zhi Yi and Du Zi Heng watched and felt the scene grow very strange: [This is way too strange.]

People had always guessed that Prince Shun’s broken legs and his near death on the way to put down the rebellion were all the emperor’s plot.

But now, it did not seem that way.

Seeing one of them want to explain but not know how, and the other acting like “I’m not listening,” Yu Zhi Yi kindly cut in and said: “Your Majesties, how about we leave first?”

Only then did the emperor remember there were others in the hall. He did not feel he had said anything wrong as he said: “Young Madam Du, since you claim skill in calculation, why not calculate what misunderstanding lies between me and Yun Huai?”

Straightening, Yu Zhi Yi said: “I can, but I will need both of your birth dates and eight-character charts.”

With a mocking look, Prince Shun said: “Doesn’t Young Madam Du claim she can read a life from a person’s face? Why, when it is this prince, do you need the eight characters?”

He clearly did not believe she would dare ask for the emperor’s eight characters and thought this was another plot directed at him, just like back then.

Thinking of his broken legs and his past merits, Yu Zhi Yi let his sarcasm pass and explained: “Prince, you may not know this. I am skilled, and by certain methods I can read a person’s fate from the face. But some people carry a special fate. There is a layer over their faces I cannot see through, one that hides the heavenly mechanism. At those times, I must combine what I see with the eight characters to judge a life.”

She glanced between them and said: “Both Your Majesty and the prince carry this special fate. Your Majesty is a dragon among men, noble beyond words. Even with the eight characters, I can only sense a little.”

The emperor waved a hand and said: “Fine, I will give you mine.”

He wrote his eight characters on a sheet of paper.

Prince Shun’s expression shifted. He had not expected the emperor to be so direct: [Is this sincerity, or another trap?]

Lowering his eyes, he struggled inside.

At last he looked up and said: “Fine, this prince will give you mine as well.”

Eight characters can always be found, even if he refused. There was no need to hold back. From the moment he decided to enter the palace, he had not expected to leave alive.

Yu Zhi Yi took the two sheets and felt them heavy as a thousand jin as she said: “Your Majesty, each reading needs its own fee. Last time’s reward does not count for this time. Today these are two readings, so there will be two lots.”

The emperor paused, then chuckled and said: “Don’t they say Daoist cultivators are pure and free of desire? Why do you love money so much?”