Chapter 229

Chapter 229: Nonsense, He Isn’t Sick

At that time, the street was packed. Shops stood shoulder to shoulder with their doors wide open, and hawkers shouted all kinds of pitches to attract customers.

People jostled past each other. It was lively and loud.

When they saw someone kneel in the street and shout, many stopped to look.

Li Rou jumped in front of Yu Zhi Yi to shield her. Then, when her eyes landed on the kneeling person, she froze and stammered: “Ma… Madam?”

Yu Zhi Yi raised an eyebrow at the sight.

It was Madam Yu, Madam Zheng.

After she cut ties, the only one who still had anything to do with her was Yu Ming Quan. As for the others, she could now read both their paths and their hearts with ease.

Madam Zheng knew how to play a crowd. She dropped to her knees at once and used the most loaded words, stirring up everyone’s feelings as she cried: “Yi’er, your mother begs you! Please, please!”

People whispered, pointing: “What? That kneeling madam is the girl’s mother?”

Someone squinted and said: “That girl looks familiar… wait, isn’t that Yu Zhi Yi from the Ministry of Justice? Then the kneeling one must be the wife of the former Minister of Revenue.”

Another added: “So she’s Official Yu’s adoptive mother.”

“What happened? Why is Madam Yu kneeling to Official Yu? Doesn’t Official Yu know it’s a huge taboo for a mother to kneel to her child, and the child will be punished by heaven?”

“Didn’t you hear Madam Yu? She’s begging Official Yu to save a life.”

“Ah… so Master Yu must be sick, and Official Yu can save him but is refusing?”

While the chatter grew, Madam Yu said, tears in her voice: “I know you still blame us. You blame us for favoring your sister, and for not preparing an expensive dowry when you married.”

She pressed on, covering her face as if she could not bear the shame and cried: “All the fault is mine. If you must blame someone and punish someone, blame me and punish me. Do not take it out on your father, all right?”

She sobbed and said: “Your father cares for you too!”

With her hands hiding her face, her red lips curled the slightest bit.

People around them bristled with anger.

“Is Yu Zhi Yi even human? How can she watch her own adoptive father suffer and refuse to help?”

“If not for Yu Manor, she would never have grown up safe, and she would never have her skills today. Yu Manor raised her, and once she could stand on her own, she kicked them away. How heartless!”

“That’s right. She was promoted by Your Majesty, which shows Yu Manor trained her well. Without Yu Manor, how would she be who she is? Not only is she ungrateful, now she will not even save her foster father. Shameful!”

“How could someone like that be a good official?”

It was working. Consort Yu kept pushing them to bring Yu Zhi Yi into the palace. After several sons refused or failed, Madam Zheng finally faced the truth: Yu Zhi Yi felt nothing for her brothers, so they would never succeed. Only Madam Zheng could try.

She had wanted to take the gentle path. But after talking it over with her daughter, she found that path was closed. If softness could work, the sons would not have failed. Yu Zhi Yi was now stubborn and unyielding.

So Madam Zheng hardened her heart. She would use public opinion to force a compromise. Yu Zhi Yi might not fear the people, but would she dare ignore Your Majesty? And Your Majesty cared about the people’s voices. If the outcry grew loud enough, he would not sit back.

Yu Zhi Yi watched Madam Zheng’s show of grief with a cold face. Even with a quick glance, she had seen through Madam Zheng’s goal. [She sighed inside.]

She had never imagined that one day she would tear masks in public with Madam Zheng. Even when she cut ties in the palace, she had not blamed Madam Zheng much. The Yu clan always let men decide. Even as the matriarch, Madam Zheng could not control the big choices. She only followed Yu Chun Yue’s lead.

But now…

Yu Zhi Yi watched Madam Zheng’s shoulders shake. [What a performance. She even makes it look moving.]

Yu Jiao Jiao pushed out of the crowd, rushed to Madam Zheng’s side, and, eyes red, pretended to lift her up as she said: “Mother, don’t be like this. You are cutting my heart.”

Madam Zheng did not get up.

People saw Yu Jiao Jiao tug at her several times, but Madam Zheng had no intention of rising. Yu Jiao Jiao gave up, then looked at Yu Zhi Yi with wet eyes and said: “Sister, I know you blame me for taking our family’s love and the rich life you should have had.”

She added, voice shaking: “If you have anger, take it out on me. Do not blame Father and Mother. They are innocent.”

She went on: “Back then they forgave you, and because they worried you would not live well after leaving Yu Manor, they kept you there. They love you.”

She pleaded: “Please, for the sake of the care and teaching they gave you, come back with us. Father really needs you.”

The crowd grew louder, more certain that Yu Zhi Yi was ungrateful. They said she had grown up safe, enjoyed wealth, and learned her skills thanks to Yu Manor. Now that she had ability, she kicked Yu Manor aside and ignored her sick foster father. Shame on her.

Hearing those supportive voices, Yu Jiao Jiao pressed her pale lips tight so they would not curl up.

Her recent days had been bitter. At the Yong Duke’s Manor, the old matron tormented her because the Yu clan had lost power. Yu Jiao Jiao wanted to restore Yu Manor’s glory, even make it greater than before. Only then could she step on that old woman.

Today was the best chance. If she helped Consort Yu give birth to a prince, Consort Yu would regain favor and, in that happy moment, could ask Your Majesty to restore her father’s post.

Later, when the young prince took the throne, they would be his mother’s family. Then a post like chancellor, even regent, would not be a problem.

Yu Zhi Yi stared at the proud smile that almost broke through Yu Jiao Jiao’s act. The longer she stayed away from Yu Manor, the more clearly she saw their hypocrisy. She had not planned to stir up old things, but they would not let her be. They wanted her to work for them for free, and they wanted to ruin her.

[Heh.]

Her fingertip moved, and a sheet of talisman paper slid into her sleeve.

Just as she was about to act, an angry shout exploded from the crowd: “Nonsense! That man named Yu isn’t sick at all. You want to trick my daugh… I mean, trick Official Yu into going there, only so you can get back at her!”