Chapter 206

Chapter 206: Maybe he just has a mistress outside

Yu Zhi Yi looked at Princess Consort Ping, who was standing to the side watching: “Princess Consort Ping, do you have other business?”

Princess Consort Ping let her smile fade, though her eyes still held interest, and said: “I do have something I’d like Official Yu to help with.”

Her manner was far better than Yu Jiao Jiao and that other girl’s. In her expression, tone, and gaze there was no trace of scorn or disgust.

Before Yu Zhi Yi could reply, the princess consort signaled to her maid.

The maid at once took a basket from a servant behind her. When the basket opened, a neat layer of silver ingots shone inside.

Princess Consort Ping said: “I asked around before coming. Official Yu only takes ready silver when she works.”

Yu Zhi Yi glanced at the ingots and did a quick count. There were twenty pieces.

She said: “Please speak, Princess Consort Ping.”

Yu Zhi Yi took the basket and handed it to Zhang Xiang. When she left the Du Clan, she brought only two maids with her. As for Zi Yuan, there was no need to say more; Zi Yuan belonged to her and would of course follow her. Unfortunately that girl was out handling an errand and could not return for a while. Li Rou had matters today, so Zhang Xiang was the one attending her.

Zhang Xiang had been with Yu Zhi Yi for a while, but she always served outside. She had never seen so much money all at once. The sight froze her in place. Then the drive in her heart to become a first-rank maid woke her up. She came back to her senses and took the basket from Princess Consort Ping’s maid. The next moment she almost stumbled.

[So heavy!] She steadied herself, heart thumping. [Is this the weight of money? It really is heavy. But this kind of heaviness, I like!]

Behind Princess Consort Ping, her maid shot Zhang Xiang a disdainful look.

Yu Zhi Yi called Steward Wu to bring tea and snacks. The refreshments at Yiluan Charity were not like those outside; Red Luan arranged them all by hand. The pastries were crisp snow mochi and walnut crisps. The tea was peach oolong. There was also a city-famous snack you could hardly buy anywhere else: spicy strips.

At the sight of the spicy strips, Princess Consort Ping paused and said: “I didn’t expect to eat spicy strips here at Official Yu’s. Outside, people spend a fortune and still can’t get them.”

It was a bit much to say “a fortune,” but the price had indeed shot up. Since spicy strips appeared, both people who loved spice and those who didn’t had fallen for their bold, spicy scent and taste. Sadly, Fortune Hall sold only one hundred portions a day, and each portion held just a few thin strips. The snack’s fame grew so loud that many in the Capital went just for it. Demand far outstripped supply, so the young lord behind Fortune Hall rolled out a strict quota.

At first, every table could order several plates of spicy strips. Now, each table could order only one portion. If that table had already ordered at noon, then they could not order again at night. This rule shut the door on those who tried to bring extra relatives and friends to get more orders.

Prince Ping’s Manor, as a first-rank imperial kin residence, could obtain spicy strips by status, but even they had a limit of two portions. If anyone tried to pull rank for more, well, behind Fortune Hall stood the young lord. The young lord had no official power, but his father did.

Princess Consort Ping liked the snack a lot, but the portions she got were always too small. Her husband also used the strips to treat guests, so she was lucky to get one or two pieces. Yet on the plate before her now, a quick count showed around ten pieces.

Her maid lowered her voice to remind her: “Princess Consort, many people outside are copying spicy strips these days.”

It was her way of telling the princess consort not to hope too much. Maybe these just looked like spicy strips but wouldn’t taste right.

Yu Zhi Yi did not explain. She simply returned to the earlier topic and asked: “Princess Consort Ping, can you tell me what trouble you’ve run into?”

Princess Consort Ping pulled her gaze from the plate. Once her maid suggested they might be fakes, her interest dropped.

She first glanced at Steward Wu. Yu Zhi Yi understood and waved Steward Wu and Zhang Xiang out.

Only then did Princess Consort Ping say: “I suspect my husband has met a ghost.”

Yu Zhi Yi scanned the princess consort’s face and made no comment, waiting for her to continue.

Princess Consort Ping said: “It started about a month ago. After my husband came home at night, for the first time he didn’t handle official work. He didn’t even bathe. He just went straight to sleep.”

“That period came right after he returned from San Feng Mountain. Many people in the Capital invited him to banquets. I thought he was simply in a good mood and drank too much, so I didn’t think hard about it.”

“But the same thing continued for half a month. Every day he left early and came back late, then went straight to sleep.”

Yu Zhi Yi asked: “Why do you think he was haunted? Perhaps he simply has a woman outside.”

Princess Consort Ping fell silent. [You really know how to talk.]

After a moment to smooth her mood, she said: “I did suspect that, so I had people look into the prince’s movements during that time. They found nothing suspicious.”

“Each day, aside from working at the Ministry of War, he only went to restaurants for drinks with a few friends.”

“I checked carefully. There were no women among their companions. The places they went were proper restaurants without any filthy women around.”

Yu Zhi Yi nodded.

Princess Consort Ping went on: “After half a month, things changed.”

“He began to come home right after work. He no longer fell into bed at once. But before I could be happy, I realized something was even more off.”

“Every day he locked himself in the study.”

“At first I thought he was handling business. Then one day I took chicken soup to him. When I reached the study door, I heard him talking to himself.”

“It felt like he was speaking to someone. From what he said, I could tell the other person was a woman. But strangely, I never heard a woman’s voice.”

“So I wonder if a female ghost has latched onto him.”

Yu Zhi Yi thought for a moment and said: “You do have yin energy clinging to you, Princess Consort. But to know for sure, I need to see the prince.”

Princess Consort Ping asked: “When are you free, Official Yu? Could we go now?”

Yu Zhi Yi was about to answer when two workers carried in a stretcher.

Her face changed. She said: “Please wait a moment, Princess Consort,” then walked quickly to the door. On the stretcher lay a Yiluan Charity staffer, already unconscious. His body was covered in bruises, with the worst wounds in the abdomen and chest. From the cuts alone, it was clear the attackers had meant to kill.

Princess Consort Ping frowned when she saw Yu Zhi Yi delay her business for a servant, but she held her tongue. A moment later she patted her chest in relief, thankful she hadn’t said anything rude.