Chapter 230

Chapter 230: Yu Chun Yue: I Was Only Pretending to Be Sick

A sudden, fierce male voice boomed through the air, so loud that everyone’s ears rang.

When people finally reacted, three men had appeared. One was a stranger in middle age. Another was a round-faced youth. The sword-browed youth beside them was holding someone by the scruff like a chick, and that “chick” was none other than Yu Chun Yue, the man rumored to be at death’s door.

The round-faced youth snuck a look at Yu Zhi Yi, his eyes full of careful hope.

The crowd stared, stunned by this sudden turn. Madam Zheng and Yu Jiao Jiao both went pale.

They had just claimed that Yu Chun Yue was dying and only Yu Zhi Yi could save him, yet when they turned around, he was dragged right to their faces?

This… their cheeks burned for no reason.

The Capital held nobles and those who mixed with nobles. These people might never have set foot in the Minister’s Manor, but seeing Yu Chun Yue from afar had not been impossible. Now, looking at him dangling like a chick, they were blank with shock: “Isn’t that the former Minister of Revenue? Didn’t they say he was about to die?”

“What, he’s Official Yu’s foster father? His face looks rosy. He doesn’t look like he’s dying at all.”

Yu Zhi Yi swept one glance across Yu Chun Yue’s face, then looked away.

This man wanted the same thing as Madam Zheng and her daughter. In fact, he knew more than they did.

And he was worse than they were.

The plan had been his idea, yet he made Madam Zheng and her daughter carry it out.

Right now, though, she was more interested in the father and son who had barged in.

Especially that round-faced youth… they seemed to have met once.

When he felt her look his way, the round-faced youth flushed and didn’t know where to put his eyes.

Yu Zhi Yi glanced twice, then looked away.

She could see karmic lines on both of them.

Lines tied to her.

[What is going on here?] She wanted to calm down and think it through, but clearly someone did not intend to let her.

Yu Chun Yue, once the Minister of Revenue, had a quick mind. Hearing the whispers around him, his eyes rolled and he suddenly shouted: “Ah!” Then he went limp and fell.

The sword-browed youth, startled, let go.

The former Minister of Revenue hit the ground with a thud.

The youth bristled and snapped: “Quit playing dead. When I found you, you were drinking with your arm around a woman. Get up!” He gave Yu Chun Yue two kicks.

Yu Chun Yue’s body swayed with the kicks, but his eyelids did not even twitch.

When Madam Zheng heard he had just been drinking with a beauty, she nearly exploded. Still, she kept a sliver of sense and knew this was not the time to settle scores. Forcing down her rage, she rushed forward with a face full of grief and said to the youth: “Young master, I don’t know what grudge we have with you that you would slander the master like this.”

“Our Yu Manor is strict and upright. There isn’t even a concubine in the house. What you said is impossible.”

The youth said, speechless: “You’re about to throw yourself on him. Can’t you smell the wine and powder on him?”

Madam Zheng: “…”

The smell was so strong she couldn’t keep lying with her eyes open.

Yu Jiao Jiao’s mind turned fast. She said at once: “Father is gravely ill. He could never be drinking or seeking women. It’s you! You poured wine and smeared rouge on him on purpose. You are framing him!”

She glared at the father and son: “Who are you? Why slander my father? Who sent you?”

She used a questioning tone, but her eyes kept flicking toward Yu Zhi Yi. The hint was far too obvious.

Anyone who wasn’t a fool could see what she meant.

Thankfully, not everyone in the crowd was easy to lead by the nose. A calm voice asked: “So the true young miss of the Yu clan means that Official Yu hired people to splash Official Yu with wine and paint? For what? The truth is the truth. If Master Yu were really sick, this stunt would only make his illness worse, and she would be cursed without end.”

“Unless Master Yu is faking.”

The round-faced youth let out a cold laugh: “He is faking. I heard him tell that pretty woman to leave by the back door, or if Madam Yu saw her, Madam Yu would take her life.”

Madam Zheng: “…”

What a vicious pot to dump on her head!

She bit down hard, but kept a mournful face, revealing nothing: “The master isn’t like that, and he would never speak of me that way in secret.”

This kind of thing depends on who you choose to believe. You can’t sort it out in a moment.

Yu Zhi Yi smiled: “Isn’t it easy to find out whether he said those words?”

With husband and wife both here, she didn’t have to track them down one by one.

Madam Zheng opened her mouth, but Yu Zhi Yi did not give her the chance. She stepped to Yu Chun Yue, pressed a piece of talisman paper to his forehead, and said nothing more.

Everyone watched the man who, moments ago, had looked weak and frail suddenly open his eyes. His expression was lively. There was no trace of sickness.

Yu Zhi Yi asked: “Is what this young master said true? Were you drinking and flirting with a young beauty before they brought you here?”

The onlookers thought the question was silly. Even if he had done it, he would never admit it now.

Then Yu Chun Yue, face full of wronged anger, said: “Yes!”

Everyone: “?”

Fine, you admitted it. But why do you look like someone framed you?

Yu Chun Yue: “…”

He also wanted to know what was going on. He had meant to deny it. But somehow, when he opened his mouth, he admitted it.

Before he could think it through, Yu Zhi Yi asked again: “Then are you truly ill? Dying?”

Yu Chun Yue had no intention of admitting that. But the moment he spoke, he blurted: “What illness? I’m fine. I only said that to trick you into coming back and to ruin your name.”

He clapped a hand over his mouth the instant the first few words came out, shocked.

What was happening? Why was he telling the truth?

Madam Zheng and Yu Jiao Jiao were just as stunned. Madam Zheng had never seen a Truth-Telling Talisman and didn’t know its power, but Yu Jiao Jiao did.

The moment Yu Zhi Yi brought out the talisman paper, Yu Jiao Jiao thought: [This is bad!] She wanted to rush up and rip it off. But before she could move, Yu Zhi Yi fired off the first question.

Yu Zhi Yi was quick, and the space between Yu Jiao Jiao and Yu Chun Yue was not small. There was no way to make it in time.

In that brief delay, Yu Chun Yue blew himself up with his own confession.

Yu Jiao Jiao’s heart plunged. She shouted to Yu Chun Yue: “Father, there’s something wrong with that talisman paper, tear it off!”

She also sprang forward to rip it away.

The round-faced youth moved as soon as she did and blocked her path.