Chapter 107: Watching You at Your Worst
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By now, two hours had passed since they were left alone together.
The Carefree Prince was utterly devastated. His royal brother and the Empress Dowager—how could they trust this woman so much? Two hours had gone by, yet neither of them came to check on him.
This was undoubtedly the darkest moment in his life of over twenty years. Not even when aiding his royal brother to secure the throne, only to be betrayed by adversaries and narrowly escape death, had he felt this despondent.
Yu Zhi Yi sat motionless until past midnight before she finally opened her eyes. Pulling out a talisman from her sleeve, she approached the bed.
Although the Carefree Prince was gravely injured, his suspicion that Ruan Jin Ning might take revenge kept him awake. The sound of approaching footsteps snapped his eyes open.
Yu Zhi Yi’s expression remained calm as she flicked her wrist and muttered an incantation. The talisman glowed faintly green, its light enveloping the Carefree Prince. He felt an indescribable comfort spreading from his waist to the rest of his body. Before long, the light faded, and the ashes of the talisman scattered onto the bedside.
“It’s done,” Yu Zhi Yi said indifferently.
He couldn’t believe the process could be so effortless. Yet when he shifted slightly, he found he could sit up without issue.
“…”
After his initial surprise, he ground his teeth. “If it’s this easy, why did you waste so much time?” Did she have any idea what he’d endured these past hours?
Yu Zhi Yi smiled faintly. “Maybe because the tea was good, the snacks were delicious, or this palace was pleasing to the eye? I just wanted to stay a little longer.”
She might as well have said, “I wanted to watch you squirm in psychological torment.”
The Carefree Prince caught her underlying meaning and almost fainted from rage.
Unperturbed by his anger, Yu Zhi Yi walked to the door and opened it.
The Empress Dowager, being elderly and recovering from illness, had already retired after an hour. The Emperor, however, had waited outside all this time. When he saw Yu Zhi Yi emerge, his gaze swept past her to the Carefree Prince within the hall. His eyes lit up with relief. “Carefree!”
The Carefree Prince, whose name was Leng Carefree, grimaced.
Yu Zhi Yi had no interest in witnessing the brothers’ reunion and promptly announced her departure.
The Emperor initially wanted to offer her a place to stay for the night, given the late hour, but Yu Zhi Yi refused outright.
If she truly stayed, the Carefree Prince would surely concoct some nefarious scheme out of spite. While she didn’t fear him, she also had no desire to invite unnecessary trouble. Besides, he’d soon be bedridden again, and she had no intention of being held accountable.
Watching her leave as swiftly as a rabbit, the Carefree Prince snorted. “At least she knows her place!”
This palace was his domain. If that woman dared stay the night, he’d ensure she never forgot it.
The Emperor frowned at his brother’s dark expression. “She possesses great skill and could greatly benefit our Great Sheng Empire. Let this petty grudge between you end here.”
The Carefree Prince widened his eyes in disbelief. “Royal Brother, you’re siding with her too?”
Shaking his head, the Emperor replied, “There is no grudge to speak of. You were the one who sought trouble with her first. Let’s not even bring up the palace banquet incident. Today, you even sent assassins after her. Such foolishness!”
Disappointment flashed in his eyes. “Over a woman, you’ve become unrecognizable.”
“Royal Brother, I simply despise frauds. This has nothing to do with anyone else,” the Carefree Prince argued.
But the Emperor wasn’t so easily deceived. With his intelligence network having unraveled the tangled relationships between Yu Zhi Yi, Du Zi Heng, You Bing Yue, and his naive brother, he saw right through the excuse.
Seeing his brother’s stubbornness, the Emperor’s tone grew colder. “You must not harm Official Yu again. If my verbal warning isn’t enough, don’t blame me for taking drastic measures.”
To ensure his brother understood, he added, “I’ll eliminate the root cause entirely. Should that day come, don’t call me heartless.”
The Carefree Prince paled. Fully aware of his brother’s decisive nature, he could only grit his teeth and concede. “I understand.”
When Yu Zhi Yi exited the palace gates, she found a carriage waiting for her.
Du Zi Heng dismounted as soon as he saw her. Relieved to see she was unharmed, he said, “Let’s go home.”
Yu Zhi Yi silently boarded the carriage without wasting words on why he had come.
As the carriage rolled forward, she suddenly recalled something. “Isn’t there a curfew in the capital?”
Under curfew laws, anyone wandering the streets after hours without authorization risked imprisonment or, worse, execution on the spot.
Du Zi Heng explained, “I guessed you wouldn’t stay in the palace overnight, so I asked Father to secure a travel permit.”
Travel permits allowed movement during curfew hours but were only valid for a specified time.
Yu Zhi Yi nodded and said no more.
Du Zi Heng wasn’t one to pry and merely asked, “Is everything resolved?”
“Yes, it’s done.”
Silence fell again, and neither seemed inclined to break it. When they arrived at the Du Mansion, Du Zi Heng alighted first. He extended a hand to assist Yu Zhi Yi, but she evaded his touch.
Du Zi Heng froze briefly, staring at his empty hand.
Yu Zhi Yi landed gracefully, reached into her sleeve, and pulled out a talisman. “This is a Winter-Warm Summer-Cool Talisman. It’s for you.”
Not fond of owing favors, she considered this her repayment for his waiting on her tonight.
Du Zi Heng pressed his lips together. What he once coveted no longer seemed so desirable.
Frowning, Yu Zhi Yi noticed his hesitation. She grabbed his wrist and placed the talisman in his palm. “Take it. As long as it doesn’t get soiled, it will work indefinitely.”
Du Zi Heng fell silent. Though she had seized his wrist, she hadn’t truly touched him, and the talisman landed directly in his hand. It was as though she viewed him as something untouchable.
After a long pause, he sighed softly.
Du Lin, who had been watching, smirked.
“You reap what you sow,” he thought.
He had warned his master on the wedding night, but Du Zi Heng had ignored him, leaving the bride behind. Worse, he had gone to seek out You Bing Yue.
Now, the once-dismissed bride revealed her worth, yet what good would it do?
When Yu Zhi Yi returned to her room, a sliver of Golden Light of Merit entered her brow. But she felt no joy, knowing it would soon dissipate.
Then a thought struck her. Wait, something wasn’t right…