Chapter 291

Chapter 291: Jiang Liu Bin’s Apology

If this were yesterday, or rather before he saw the unlucky ghost and Yu Zhi Yi’s methods, Jiang Liu Bin would have darkened at Chen Xin Yue’s words and disliked Yu Zhi Yi even more. But now, he nodded in agreement and said: “You’re right. Who knows what kind of life sister lived these eighteen years. Our Martial Alliance really owes her too much. I need to tell my mother to pick out some good tonics for sister to nourish her body.”

Chen Xin Yue froze: “?”

Before she could say anything, Jiang Liu Bin had already run off and vanished.

Her attempt to manipulate him had backfired, and her face twisted with frustration.

Yu Zhi Yi didn’t know about their exchange. By then she had already brought her people back to the Green Willow Courtyard in the Martial Villa.

Green Willow Courtyard was the domain of the Jiang Clan’s second master, Jiang Yu Chuan. On the other side, the Great Swan Courtyard was where Alliance Leader Jiang and his family lived.

All the way back, Jiang Liu Yun chirped nonstop with questions about the unlucky ghost, asking: “Sister, was he really a lucky koi in his last life?” and “Sister, are lucky koi Heaven’s favorites? Can they really bring people good luck?” and “Sister, will he stay unlucky forever?” and “Sister, did that young miss really have her soul scattered? Is she truly beyond saving?” and “Sister, do people really have another life after this one?”

Sister, sister… Yu Zhi Yi’s head buzzed until she could barely stand to hear the word sister again. [No one ever told me being loved by your family is a kind of burden too.]

It wasn’t only her. Jiang Liu Yi and the heir apparent also looked worn down by the endless questions.

Jiang Liu Yi stopped his brother and said: “Enough. You just asked a dozen things. Which one is your sister supposed to answer first?”

Jiang Liu Yun was about to start from the top again when Jiang Liu Yi added: “Your sister has been busy for a long time. She must be tired. Let her rest first.”

Yu Zhi Yi gave him a grateful look. She wasn’t great at talking with people. Since childhood, except for Red Luan, she rarely had much to say to anyone. Reading people’s faces was the one exception. And the unlucky ghost matter wasn’t suitable for wide discussion anyway.

The unlucky ghost had been a lucky koi favored by Heaven in his past life, which left a trace of Heaven’s attention on him. Things that happened to him, or even saying his name, could draw Heaven’s notice, whether for good or harm. [If this hadn’t involved Jiang Yu Chuan, I might not have stepped in at all.]

As for the answers Jiang Liu Yun wanted, there were too many variables. She could only say: change was not impossible.

After escorting Yu Zhi Yi to her own courtyard, Jiang Liu Yi pulled Jiang Liu Yun away.

After breakfast, Jiang Yu Chuan had people pack up everything of Mystic Xiao Qing’s. She had stayed here before because she missed her daughter too much; anywhere else made her unstable. Only here could she calm down. Now that she had fully recovered, Jiang Yu Chuan decided to bring his wife back to their own courtyard. Their daughter was grown and deserved her privacy.

Mystic Xiao Qing was reluctant at first, but Jiang Yu Chuan somehow persuaded her. Now the little courtyard held none of her things. Instead, boxes of beautiful clothes and jewelry had been carried in and were stacked in what used to be the nursery.

Seeing the pile, Yu Zhi Yi paused and asked: “What is all this?”

The maid assigned to her, Nuan’er, smiled and said: “Second Madam said the clothes prepared for Miss before are too small now, so these are new outfits made to Miss’s current size. As for the jewelry, Second Madam said the old pieces didn’t match your status, so she bought more.”

Li Rou opened several boxes. Inside were over a dozen splendid sets of ready-made clothing and a few small cases of hairpieces and jewelry. The clothes were fine. They were gorgeous, though not at the level of the Splendid Brocade Workshop. Even by Li Rou’s eye, they fell a little short. Still, this was faraway Tian’an Commandery; these garments were plenty lavish here.

The hairpieces were especially new in design, solid in material, and exquisitely made. Each set was very grand and clearly expensive.

Nuan’er peeked at Yu Zhi Yi’s face. She had expected amazement, but Yu Zhi Yi’s expression hardly rippled. The little maid clicked her tongue in secret, thinking: [Miss has amazing self-control.]

Nuan’er then took out a gift list and said: “Miss, these are the gifts brought by the guests at last night’s welcome banquet. The storehouse has moved them here. When would you like to check them?”

Yu Zhi Yi was a little surprised and asked: “Aren’t those going into the storehouse?”

Nuan’er blinked and said: “They were given to Miss. Naturally Miss should decide how to handle them.”

Yu Zhi Yi pressed her lips together. Before the age of ten, the Yu Clan had held a yearly birthday feast for her. She received many gifts at those feasts. Except for things that were obviously children’s toys, the valuable items were all taken by Madam Yu “for safekeeping.” They were taken for more than ten years. Even when she married, Madam Yu never returned them.

Because of that, after last night’s welcome banquet, Yu Zhi Yi had thought the Jiang Clan would also send the gifts into the storehouse. After all, Jiang Yu Chuan paid for the banquet, and the guests came for the Martial Alliance and for Jiang Yu Chuan’s sake.

“Miss?” prompted Nuan’er.

Yu Zhi Yi came back to herself and said: “Have Li Rou take the list and check everything. After the count is done, send the gifts to my father’s storehouse.”

As for the clothes and jewelry, she did not refuse them. Gifts had always been for exchange. If she couldn’t use a gift, she could pass it on later, saving the money and effort of buying something new. That was how Yu Manor had handled things: of the gifts sent up by subordinates, a few were kept for Yu Chun Yue and the young masters and misses, and most went into the storehouse to be used when calling on others. These so-called gifts to her were really gifts to the Martial Alliance. More precisely, they were gifts to her father, Jiang Yu Chuan.

Nuan’er was startled and asked: “Miss doesn’t want them?”

Yu Zhi Yi shook her head and said: “I don’t need them.” She would be leaving the Martial Alliance soon and wouldn’t be returning gifts. It was better to leave these for Jiang Yu Chuan to use as return presents.

Nuan’er nodded thoughtfully. Before long, Madam Alliance Leader heard about it and clicked her tongue in surprise.

At that moment, Yu Zhi Yi and Jiang Liu Bin were staring at each other. Jiang Liu Bin lifted something with both hands and said: “Sister, this is my apology gift. Please take a look and see if you like it.”