Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Ex-Husband Zhang Tian Shun

Red Luan once told her about a faraway land with advanced technology where a job called acting was very popular. People there made “television dramas” and showed them to the audience. These shows were like stage plays in some ways, but they reached more people and were easier to understand. One kind, called the “palace-fight drama,” was especially popular.

Before, Yu Zhi Yi did not think television dramas, especially palace-fight ones, were any good. Now she had found the fun in them.

Her delight was the exact opposite of Consort Yu’s mood. Consort Yu had a personal imperial physician who had served her nearly twenty years. He knew her signals. Just one look from her, and Imperial Physician Liu would understand what she wanted. Like now: she was not truly unwell. She was pretending to stop the emperor and Aunt Chang from digging any further. If only Imperial Physician Liu had come, he would never have exposed her.

But there were two more doctors today.

No matter how she insisted that only Imperial Physician Liu should examine her, the other two still took her pulse. Then they tore off the pretense without mercy, reporting to the throne: “Your Majesty, Consort Yu is not in danger. She only needs calm rest.”

Consort Yu tried to keep it going: “But this consort really felt short of breath and stomach pain.”

One physician answered evenly: “These are normal reactions in pregnancy. Although Your Highness’s first two pregnancies went smoothly, each pregnancy is different. This is normal.”

Catching her look, Imperial Physician Liu added quickly: “I think it would be safer to take more medicine and strengthen the body.”

Imperial Physician Du shook his head: “All medicines have some poison. If there is no need, you should not take them. We usually medicate when the fetus is not stable. Consort Yu’s current pregnancy is very stable, and the first two were smooth as well. Unless there is an accident, there should be no big problem. But if you take medicine or tonics when there is no problem, that could create one.”

He finished with a firm warning: “Even if it does not harm the mother, it could harm the child.”

Imperial Physician Jiang agreed with Du. Two against one. Imperial Physician Liu lost.

Aunt Chang gave Consort Yu a half-smile: “Since Consort Yu is worried, then focus on caring for the baby. This old servant believes the Grand Empress Dowager would also want to see the young prince born safely.”

She then gave the emperor a gentle look of blame: “Your Majesty, you know Consort Yu is pregnant. How can you still ask her to help manage the six palaces? There are so many matters large and small. How can a pregnant woman carry all that?”

The emperor nodded at once: “In that case, Consort Yu, rest and raise the baby. You do not need to manage the six palaces for now. We will speak of it after you give birth.”

Consort Yu went numb. She could not understand how she had stayed so careful and never dirtied her own hands, yet still got caught in the end. Once the right to assist in managing the harem is removed, it is hard to take back. So many people were eyeing her position, especially the Empress. That old enemy had been suppressed for years. If Consort Yu lost power, would the Empress not be pleased to death?

She rushed to speak: “Your Majesty, this consort is fine. I am willing to share your burden.”

Aunt Chang sighed: “Your Majesty, since Consort Yu is so thoughtful of you, you should be thoughtful of her too.”

The emperor agreed: “My love, just rest well. You do not need to visit the Empress either. We will decide everything after the child is born.”

Consort Yu: “!!”

The matter was settled. She felt something roll through her chest and almost spat blood.

Yu Zhi Yi, however, was in high spirits and could not help smiling. [Do people really think a member of the Mystic Sect is easy to offend? I used to respect them, so I endured when they angered me. I am done enduring. If they keep jumping around, they can taste the backlash.]

At the same time, she respected Aunt Chang even more. No wonder the old maid, champion of palace intrigue, had watched three full rounds of palace wars. Every word sounded like it was for the other person’s good, yet it cut away the most important piece with a soft knife. And the other side still had to say thank you.

Aunt Chang wanted to invite Yu Zhi Yi to her house, but Yu Zhi Yi had to return to the Ministry of Justice to update and archive the cup’s case file, so she declined. Aunt Chang did not mind and said with a smile: “Come by when you have time.”

Back at the Ministry of Justice, Yu Zhi Yi marked the cup’s case as solved and wrote a detailed record of how she cracked it. She then told a clerk to copy the file and send it to the Court of Judicial Review, along with a list. The list held suspicious points from the wrongful cases of Lin Zhang County. With these points in hand, those cases could be overturned and retried.

If she had not found the cup, the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review would have ignored her talk of wrongful cases. But on her first day in office, she found a treasure lost for thirty years. It was not just any treasure. It was the very thing Grand Empress Dowager Jing’an had missed to her dying day. That meant Yu Zhi Yi had likely appeared before the emperor. So neither office dared slack off, and they agreed to reopen the cases.

Yu Zhi Yi had already picked the case she would solve tomorrow, then headed to Yiluan Charity. The emperor told her to solve one case a day. [So I will solve one a day. Solving more would be disrespectful.]

Near an alley by Yiluan Charity, a carriage came toward her. Recognizing its style, Yu Zhi Yi stepped aside to let it pass. Unexpectedly, the carriage stopped in front of her. The curtain lifted, showing a face both familiar and strange.

Zhang Tian Shun held up the curtain and looked down at her from his seat, greeting her politely: “Official Yu, a pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure,” Yu Zhi Yi said, then lifted her foot and kept walking.

Raising a brow as she went by, Zhang Tian Shun drawled: “Official Yu, I wonder if this young master has the honor to treat you to a drink?”

Yu Zhi Yi rolled her eyes. [This man never changes. Flirting, and with me of all people?] She did not bother to answer, treating his words like air.

Her lack of response only made Zhang Tian Shun more interested. As a famous playboy of the Capital, and one with power as well, there were very few people he hesitated to flirt with. Lately, Du Zi Heng had been making trouble for him. Paying him back was only polite. Flirting with Du Zi Heng’s wife was the best revenge.

He had imagined many ways Du Zi Heng might react when he heard. He had not imagined this one thing at all: Yu Zhi Yi would not even spare him a glance.