Chapter 104: Disappearance
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation
Yu Zhi Yi arrived at Leaning Plum Courtyard, only to find it nearly empty save for a few servants. Upon inquiry, she learned that Madam Yao had left for the estate due to some urgent matters. Wen Nanny stayed behind to hand over a few tasks to Yu Zhi Yi but planned to head to the estate as well once the business was concluded.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Du, who left early every morning and returned late at night, was unlikely to return home for lunch.
As she contemplated, the steward came to report that Du Zi Heng had gone to the Ministry of Personnel and would not be back for lunch either.
Yu Zhi Yi: “……”
It was the peculiar feeling of “the tiger’s away, and the monkeys rule the mountain.”
Returning to Breeze Pavilion, she ordered the main kitchen to send some ingredients over, deciding to prepare lunch in her small kitchen. The main kitchen was instructed to focus on providing meals for the rest of the household.
Li Rou’s cooking skills were decent. While she could not match the head chef, she was more than capable of preparing simple home-cooked dishes.
After lunch, Yu Zhi Yi reclined on her chair to rest. Li Rou, having changed her clothes, noticed her mistress looking drowsy and offered, “Miss, would you like me to give you a massage?”
Massaging before sleep often made one rest better.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t refuse.
Li Rou’s hands, neither too large nor too small, worked deftly on Yu Zhi Yi’s shoulders and neck. With her eyes half-closed, Yu Zhi Yi slowly drifted off. Occasionally, she mused that if achieving immortality was impossible in this lifetime, then earning a little money and living a leisurely life wasn’t so bad either.
When she awoke, the sun had dipped low in the sky. She had no intention of going out and planned to wash up and rest after dinner. Despite having slept through the afternoon, she was confident she could sleep again if she lay down.
Recently, she hadn’t gained much merit, and her cultivation had stagnated. Yet finding fated people wasn’t easy—she couldn’t just grab someone off the street and ask if they wanted their fortune told or their destiny reversed.
Soon, dinner was ready. The small kitchen had prepared a simple yet balanced meal: two dishes and a soup, flavorful and visually appealing.
Just as she picked up her chopsticks, Yu Zhi Yi paused mid-motion, then quickly increased her eating pace. By the time she had finished a small bowl of rice, the steward arrived outside Breeze Pavilion and respectfully announced, “Young Madam, a summons has come from the palace. The Empress Dowager requests your presence.”
Setting her chopsticks down, Yu Zhi Yi rinsed her mouth and elegantly wiped the corners of her lips before washing her hands in the basin Li Rou offered.
“Understood.”
Li Rou appeared worried. Though newly promoted and less experienced than Zi Yuan, she spoke little but worked diligently. Noticing her mistress’s gloomy mood, she ventured hesitantly, “Miss, should we send someone to fetch the young master?”
Having her mistress enter the palace alone was worrisome.
Yu Zhi Yi shook her head. “No need.”
Du Zi Heng was merely a minor eighth-rank official. Even if he accompanied her, what could he do? Moreover, the Empress Dowager had summoned her specifically; Du Zi Heng might not even be allowed entry.
At the entrance of Du Mansion, a sedan chair awaited quietly.
Seeing the sedan, Yu Zhi Yi was reminded of something. In her previous life, after Yu Jiao Jiao offended You Bing Yue, the Carefree Prince sought revenge for his beloved by tampering with Yu Jiao Jiao’s carriage. During an outing, the carriage shaft suddenly snapped, and the wheels shattered into pieces, leaving Yu Jiao Jiao with a broken leg that kept her out of public sight for a long time.
Now, this sedan chair…
Seeing her hesitate at the doorway, staring at the sedan, the eunuch tasked with delivering the summons grew impatient. “Young Madam Du, the Empress Dowager is waiting.”
Yu Zhi Yi asked, “Must I use this sedan? Can I switch to my own carriage?”
This eunuch seemed unfamiliar; he wasn’t the trusted Eunuch Hu by the Emperor’s side, nor had she seen him before in Longevity Palace.
The unfamiliar eunuch hesitated briefly, his gaze flitting almost imperceptibly in a certain direction. His head barely moved, but Yu Zhi Yi caught the subtle motion that an ordinary person might have missed.
A moment later, his tone grew sharp. “Young Madam Du, the palace sedan is not something just anyone can sit in. Please don’t make it difficult for this servant.”
Without waiting for her response, he lifted the sedan curtain and urged, “Please.”
Yu Zhi Yi deliberately glanced in the direction the eunuch had looked, smiling brightly. “Alright.”
In a dark alley, a man emanating a menacing aura frowned slightly, then smirked disdainfully. This woman had some tricks, managing to detect his presence. But no matter her protective bracelet or metaphysical skills, he didn’t believe in her abilities.
If she were truly capable, she wouldn’t have been injured by Cang Yue or looked down upon by the Yu family.
Today, he would expose her lies and avenge his lord!
The sedan swayed as it left Du Mansion’s street, heading toward Lin’an Street.
Lin’an Street was the main thoroughfare of the Great Sheng Empire, leading directly to the imperial palace. It was the most bustling street in Sheng Capital, teeming with merchants and pedestrians.
The lively chatter, mingled with the tempting aromas of street food, created a vivid atmosphere that captivated passersby.
At the easternmost end of Lin’an Street, the grandeur reached its peak, for beyond lay the imperial palace’s domain. Within a mile of the palace, no idle individuals were allowed, making the vicinity a sacred place for citizens to pay homage.
Here, amidst the lively crowd, Bo Yi Ming concealed himself in an optimal hiding spot, gripping his longbow. His eyes gleamed with cold malice.
Finally, the sedan neared the imperial palace gates. Despite the throngs of onlookers, the guards and eunuchs clearing the way ensured a path remained open. The curious crowd speculated about the sedan’s occupant.
Bo Yi Ming drew his bow without hesitation, releasing an arrow aimed directly at the sedan’s window.
Though the sedan continued forward, for a master archer like him, hitting the target was effortless.
Yet the arrow vanished into thin air before it could reach the sedan.
Bo Yi Ming’s expression shifted. “What happened?”
No one answered his question.
His face contorted with disbelief. Could the woman truly possess metaphysical abilities?
After a moment, his gaze hardened, and he loosed three arrows at once, determined to pierce her defenses. But once again, the arrows disappeared.
Now, panic crept into his heart.
Leaping to his feet, he donned a mask and drew his blade, prepared to charge forward. Surely, she couldn’t make him vanish as well?
To his astonishment, a sharp sound sliced through the air from behind. Turning swiftly, his eyes widened in shock.