Chapter 238

Chapter 238: What the heck? I just got promoted

Red Luan quickly wiped the water from the corner of her mouth and, ignoring the damp spots on her clothes, asked: “Are you sure? Is he really your birth father? He isn’t some schemer, right?”

When the Yu Clan publicly confessed today, they also explained why they kept Yu Zhi Yi with them back then and why they never drove her out later. It wasn’t because they treasured the tiny bit of blood ties between father and daughter, mother and child, or siblings. They only wanted to squeeze every last drop of value out of Yu Zhi Yi.

Red Luan worried that this so-called birth father who had shown up out of the blue was the same kind of person.

Yu Zhi Yi looked at the bright, fox-like eyes full of concern and felt a small warmth in her heart: “I can feel it. He doesn’t have a hidden goal. He came only to recognize me.”

For some time she had felt someone following her; it must have been that father and son.

“I didn’t agree to go back with them. I want to think it over.”

Red Luan nodded: “Being careful is right.”

She hesitated, then finally said: “My father has dealt with people from the martial world and knows the Martial Alliance. The last two alliance leaders were father and son, and they have a decent reputation. But that is how they’re seen in the martial world; no one knows how they behave inside their household.”

“If you can, it’s best to cast a divination for yourself.”

After Red Luan left, Yu Zhi Yi weighed three copper coins in her palm, then gently tossed them.

In a moment, the coins landed on the table. Her gaze moved slightly as she studied them.

The next day, after morning court:

“What? Minister Yu wants to resign?”

The emperor stared at Yu Zhi Yi in surprise and asked: “Are you unhappy with your current post and salary?”

Yu Zhi Yi shook her head: “No.”

“Then… do you want to return to the Martial Alliance?”

Yu Zhi Yi wasn’t surprised he knew. Yesterday’s uproar had spread everywhere, and it happened right under the Imperial City. It would be strange if the emperor hadn’t heard.

She nodded honestly: “Yes. I want to visit my mother.”

The emperor was silent for a moment, then said: “How about this. I allow you to take those case files with you, and bring twenty constables along. That way you can go home, and your work won’t be delayed. How about it?”

Yu Zhi Yi said: “…Your Majesty, have you ever heard of a man in stories called Zhou the Skinner?”

The emperor replied: “Never heard of him,” then smiled with kindly understanding on his mature, scholarly face and said: “Minister Yu wants to go home, and I permit it. But do not bring up resigning again. Do you know how many students study for decades for the chance to rise in office? What you want to give up is their greatest dream.”

Yu Zhi Yi answered honestly: “But being an official was never my long-held wish.” [My wish is to ascend.]

Still, the emperor’s words did remind her: this post should not be thrown away lightly.

A hundred years ago, Eldest Princess Jia Luo, the Protector of the Nation, poured out her heart to make life a little less hard for women in this world. But did their status rise that much? Not really. Many ambitious women were pushed out of the halls of power just because they were women.

In recent years, the status of women in the Great Sheng Empire even showed signs of slipping again. Yu Zhi Yi’s rise could give women some courage and hope. If she rashly resigned, the standing of women in Great Sheng might fall off a cliff later.

[Forget it. I’ll work a few more years.]

When she thought this through, Yu Zhi Yi set the idea aside and bowed: “I understand, Your Majesty. I will first handle the cases during my leave, then request my vacation.”

The emperor was very pleased: “Good, good. Go.”

After Yu Zhi Yi left, Eunuch Hu came forward to pour tea. Seeing the emperor in a good mood, he smiled and said: “Congratulations, Your Majesty. A long-held worry finally found a cure.”

Since a hundred years ago, the Martial Alliance had grown stronger and even threatened the Imperial Court’s place. True, the Martial Alliance had fewer people than the Imperial Court’s soldiers, but those who qualified to join the Alliance were masters who could defeat ten men alone, even a hundred. Bandits and mountain brigands didn’t fear the Imperial Court, but when they heard the name of the Martial Alliance, they respected it as if it were divine.

The Alliance’s existence was always a thorn in the emperor’s heart. Over the years, the Imperial House tried to destroy them or bring them under the throne, but all attempts failed.

Now it was revealed that a fifth-rank official of the Imperial Court was actually the niece of the Martial Alliance’s alliance leader. What a great thing. With Official Yu to help smooth things over, whether the court tried to recruit or to wipe out the Alliance, it would be twice the result for half the effort.

“You are a clever one,” the emperor said with a laughing scold, his whole face warm as spring.

“Give my decree: Official Yu has cracked case after strange case and earned great merit. For the southern tour, she is granted the post of inspecting prefect, with the power to act first and report later. Grant her a residence and one hundred taels of gold.”

Eunuch Hu drew in a sharp breath: “It is truly Official Yu’s good fortune to be held in such regard by Your Majesty.”

When the decree arrived, Yu Zhi Yi was full of question marks. “What the heck, and I just got promoted?”

An inspecting prefect was a third-rank post. Though it would only be her identity while traveling and she would still be a fifth-rank physician when she returned, it was still a leap in rank. This felt even more absurd than her garden space leveling up. With one step, she was now equal to Yu Chun Yue? Even her former father-in-law, Chancellor Du, was only two ranks higher.

Li Rou rubbed her hands in delight and said: “Miss, you’re a third-rank official now? That’s amazing!”

Zhang Xiang was grinning like a fool at the door.

Seeing how happy they were, Yu Zhi Yi couldn’t bear to dampen their joy. But in her heart, she still felt this promotion came out of nowhere: [This promotion feels strange.]

Sadly, a mystic arts practitioner cannot read her own fate; nine times out of ten it comes out wrong. At most, she could check for good or bad luck. Thankfully, she did not live by fortune-telling alone. [Whatever comes, I’ll deal with it.]

These days, the story of the Yu Clan’s fake daughter spread everywhere. Once people in the Capital City learned the truth, they cursed the Yu Clan badly. Madam Zheng in particular got scolded so hard she didn’t dare go out.

Soon, she had to go out whether she wanted to or not. Constables arrived saying someone accused her of attempted murder seventeen years ago and that she had to come in for questioning.

Madam Zheng denied everything. But the prefect of Jing Prefecture brought Yu Jiao Jiao in. They wanted Yu Chun Yue as well, but ever since he entered the palace he hadn’t come out. The prefect didn’t know where he was. Madam Zheng had a guess but didn’t dare say it.

In the main hall, Madam Zheng denied it over and over. Yu Jiao Jiao didn’t know the truth from back then, so she didn’t expose anything. When the prefect of Jing Prefecture was getting a headache, Yu Chun Yue was delivered to the yamen door. Unlike Yu Jiao Jiao, who had been an infant, Yu Chun Yue had been involved the whole time back then. And he had a Truth-Telling Talisman placed on him.