Chapter 107

Chapter 107: I want to see you make a fool of yourself

By now, two shichen had passed since they were left alone.

Prince Xiao Yao felt even worse. [Do the imperial elder brother and the Empress Mother trust this woman too much? It has been so long, and they still did not come in to check?] He announced to himself: [This is the darkest moment of my life.] Not even when he helped his imperial elder brother fight for the throne and nearly died under the traps of several enemies did he feel this hopeless.

Yu Zhi Yi kept her seat until past midnight. Then she opened her eyes.

She took a talisman from her robe and walked to the bed.

Although Prince Xiao Yao was badly hurt, he was afraid Ruan Jin Ning would use the chance to take revenge, so he forced himself not to sleep. Hearing her steps, he snapped his eyes open.

Yu Zhi Yi flicked her wrist. While she chanted under her breath, the talisman paper gave off a soft green light.

The light covered Prince Xiao Yao. He felt comfort spread through his whole body. The pleasant feeling started at his waist and flowed through the rest of him.

Soon the light faded. Ash drifted down by the pillow. Yu Zhi Yi said mildly: “All done.”

Prince Xiao Yao did not believe healing could be that easy. But with a small movement, he sat up.

He stared, stunned. After the first joy, he ground his teeth: “If it was this easy, why did you waste so much time?”

Did she know what he had gone through all this time?

Yu Zhi Yi smiled: “Maybe the tea tasted nice, the pastries were good, or this hall had things I liked to look at, so I wanted to stay a bit longer.”

She almost said the words out loud: [I wanted to watch you crack and show your worst side under the pressure.]

Prince Xiao Yao heard the hidden meaning and almost passed out from rage.

Yu Zhi Yi walked over and opened the door.

The Empress Dowager was elderly and had only just recovered, so after one shichen she could not stay up and went to rest. The Emperor had waited the whole time. Seeing Yu Zhi Yi come out, he looked past her into the hall at Prince Xiao Yao and brightened: “Xiao Yao!”

Prince Xiao Yao’s name was Leng Xiao Yao.

Yu Zhi Yi had no interest in watching brotherly affection. She asked to leave.

The Emperor first wanted to keep her in the palace for the night, but Yu Zhi Yi would not agree. Prince Xiao Yao was almost ready to explode. If she really stayed, who knew what petty trick he would come up with. She was not afraid of him, but she did not want needless trouble. Besides, he would soon be paralyzed again; she did not want to be stuck with any blame.

Watching Yu Zhi Yi run off faster than a rabbit, Prince Xiao Yao snorted: “At least she knows her place.”

The palace was his territory. If that woman had stayed the night, he would have given her a lesson she would never forget.

The Emperor saw the gloom in his eyes and frowned: “This woman has great skill and can benefit our Great Sheng Empire. End the little grudge between you.”

Prince Xiao Yao widened his eyes in disbelief: “Imperial elder brother, you are taking her side?”

The Emperor shook his head: “There is no grudge at all. You were the one who picked on her for no reason. Let us not even talk about the banquet. Today you even sent people to kill her. You are truly confused.”

His eyes showed clear disappointment: “For a woman, you have turned into someone I barely know.”

Prince Xiao Yao frowned: “Imperial elder brother, I simply cannot stand swindlers. This has nothing to do with anyone else.”

Such lies might fool others, but the Emperor’s information network had already sorted out the four-way tangle between Yu Zhi Yi, Du Zi Heng, You Bing Yue, and his foolish brother. He would not be tricked. Seeing his brother still stubborn, his voice turned cold: “You will not make another move against Official Yu. If my warning is not enough, do not blame me for using special means.”

Afraid his love-struck brother would not understand, he made it clear: “I will make the person who started all this disappear. If that day comes, do not blame me for being ruthless.”

Prince Xiao Yao jolted: “!!”

He knew his imperial elder brother always kept his word. Unwilling as he was, he could only grit his teeth and answer: “I understand.”

When Yu Zhi Yi stepped out of the palace gate, she saw a carriage waiting.

Du Zi Heng jumped down. Seeing her moving fine and, by torchlight, looking normal in color, he let out a breath and said: “Let’s go home.”

Yu Zhi Yi kept quiet and did not ask the silly question of why he had come. She got into the carriage.

The carriage rolled forward.

She remembered something and asked, puzzled: “Isn’t there a curfew in the capital?”

Except for officials called out at night and those with special permission, anyone who dared walk the streets during curfew might be jailed at best, and at worst, shot on the spot.

Du Zi Heng said: “I guessed you might not stay in the palace, so I asked my father to apply for a travel pass.”

With a pass, one could be on the street during curfew. Of course, the pass was temporary and would be void after the approved time.

Yu Zhi Yi nodded and said nothing.

Du Zi Heng was not the nosy type. He did not ask what had happened in the palace. He only asked: “Was the palace matter taken care of?”

She answered: “Yes, it was.”

Silence fell again.

Neither of them broke it. When they reached Du Manor, Du Zi Heng got out first.

He reached up to help Yu Zhi Yi down, but she avoided his hand.

Du Zi Heng stared at his empty palm for a second.

Yu Zhi Yi landed steady on her own. After a thought, she drew a talisman from her sleeve and said: “Winter-Warm Summer-Cool Talisman, for you.”

She disliked owing favors. This talisman paid him back for waiting for her tonight.

Du Zi Heng pressed his lips. He suddenly realized that the thing he had long wanted did not feel so urgent anymore.

Yu Zhi Yi frowned when he did not take it. She caught his wrist and pushed the talisman into his palm: “Take it. As long as it does not touch filth, this talisman will keep working and will not expire.”

Du Zi Heng stood still. She had pulled his wrist, but did not touch any other part of him. The talisman landed straight in his palm. It felt like she treated him as if he were flood and wild beast.

After a long while, he sighed.

Du Lin watched his young master’s reaction and curled his lip. [If you knew it would be like this, why did you do that back then?] He had warned him even on the wedding night, but the young master would not listen and left his new wife. Leaving was bad enough. He could have spent the night in the study or gone back to Bright Radiance Courtyard. But no, he went to find You Bing Yue. Now he finally saw the new bride’s good points. But so what?

When Yu Zhi Yi returned to her room, a thread of golden merit light slipped into the space between her brows.

She did not feel very happy, because she knew the light would fade soon. Then she paused and thought again: [Wait, that is not right.]