Chapter 185

Chapter 185: I Heard I Harmed You?

Because of the rules between men and women, Vice Minister Fan did not keep You Bing Yue at his own manor to recover. Still, she was his benefactor, and it seemed she had been hurt after going to Cao South Village at his request, so he would not ignore her. After hearing from Du Zi Heng where she was healing, he brought his wife to visit. Later, when Du Zi Heng said he was going out to find a way to help You Bing Yue, Vice Minister Fan volunteered to stay and asked his wife to look after her.

Before leaving, Du Zi Heng had left a Protective Talisman from Yu Zhi Yi, so by now You Bing Yue had woken up. Even so, her spirit was poor, and she looked wilted.

Vice Minister Fan asked with worry: “Miss You, what exactly happened in Cao South Village? Were you hurt?”

When she first woke, You Bing Yue’s mind was still foggy. Since fainting, she had fallen into a string of nightmares and suffered terribly. In the dream she became Cao Zhao Di, taking the place of Sister Fan to serve Cao Da Li’s whole family. If she did the smallest thing wrong, they beat and scolded her. Not only the three men of the house, but even the child Cao Yao Zu treated her badly. He called her a fox spirit behind her back and often ran to the family to accuse her of abusing him. The whole Cao Clan hated her even more. Just when she could not stand it and wanted to kill them all, she woke up.

It took a long moment before she realized she was truly awake. She had finally escaped the nightmare. Hearing Vice Minister Fan’s question, a cold light flashed in her eyes. [It must have been that wretch.] That woman knew Mystic Arts. She must have cursed her, which caused the constant nightmares.

She also could not tell the truth. If she spoke honestly, she would have to admit that Yu Zhi Yi had solved the case, which meant she would lose the reward money. Vice Minister Fan might also get angry that she had fooled him before. Thinking of this, she looked troubled and said softly: “Please, let’s not bring it up.”

Vice Minister Fan asked again: “Why? Is there something hidden in this matter?”

You Bing Yue sighed: “Forgive me, my lord. I do not wish to talk about it, so please do not ask.”

The more she held back, the more Vice Minister Fan wanted to dig. He had sat in his position for a while and longed to move up. His father had only ever reached a post at the Court of State Ceremonies, with little power. Vice Minister Fan had earned his current seat at the Ministry of Rites by his own ability. He was ambitious.

To move forward, he saw two paths. He could build seniority and wait for the Minister of Rites to retire, then plan his step up. Or he could push someone out. Now another path seemed to open: push the Minister of Rites to fight for the chancellor’s seat, which would mean forcing the current chancellor down. If he could dig up some scandal inside Chancellor’s Manor, removing the chancellor might not be a dream.

You Bing Yue did not know what he was plotting. Seeing him press her again and again, she finally said, as if unwilling: “It was Young Madam Du…” She seemed to harden her heart and added: “Soon after we reached Cao South Village, Young Madam Du arrived too. She was angry that I had caught Cao Yao Zu, so she left the village that very night. After she left, I started to feel unwell. I did not think much of it at first, but when we returned to the Capital City, it grew much worse.”

“So she harmed you!” Vice Minister Fan rose in anger and said: “As an Imperial Court official, to be so narrow-minded! Miss You, do not worry. I will not let this go.”

You Bing Yue felt a secret joy and said: “Thank you, Lord Fan.”

Madam Fan had watched coldly the whole time. At last she could not hold back and laughed coldly: “Enough.”

Both Vice Minister Fan and You Bing Yue froze. You Bing Yue stared at Madam Fan, not understanding why this woman was acting like this.

Vice Minister Fan frowned and said: “Madam…”

Madam Fan shot back at once: “If you like this black-hearted lotus so much, then do not come home.”

She sneered and said: “Just because Official Yu is not here, you think you can slander her at will? Do not forget, Official Yu is a Director at the Ministry of Justice and the one who pushed to reopen the Cao South Village case.” She looked at You Bing Yue with open scorn and said: “Are you truly not afraid that Official Yu will slap your face in public?”

Anger flashed in You Bing Yue’s heart. [This woman!] But on her face she showed only grievance and said softly: “Madam Fan, how have I ever wronged you? Or did you have Young Madam Du read your fortune?”

Madam Fan rolled her eyes and said: “I have eaten more salt than you have eaten rice. Do not try these tricks on me.” She added: “You are a woman who stepped into another person’s marriage, and now you bad-mouth the lawful wife behind her back. Only a fool would believe you.”

The fool, Vice Minister Fan, went silent.

Madam Fan continued: “Official Yu has skills and she has means. If she truly wanted to deal with you, why would she let you wake up so easily and give you time to speak ill of her? Back when you clung to Du Manor, she did not move against you at all, which shows she never even put you in her eyes.” Then she turned to Vice Minister Fan and said: “I am going home. Are you coming?”

Under his wife’s deathly stare, Vice Minister Fan hesitated, then decided: “Miss You, rest well. We will take our leave.”

You Bing Yue was stunned. This would not do. She was about to say something to keep him when the door swung open. Yu Zhi Yi walked in with a mocking look and said: “I heard I harmed you?”