Chapter 131: My Family Has Always Been Gentle and Humble
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Yu Jiao Jiao’s voice rang out sharply, startling the other person mid-strike. Their movements ceased momentarily.
Yu Ming Yu seized the chance to catch his breath and couldn’t help but sigh in relief. At the same time, he found himself agreeing with Yu Jiao Jiao.
“What my sister said is correct. Let’s not even talk about my father’s alleged corruption—those are just baseless accusations from Yu Zhi Yi. Even if he were guilty, what does that have to do with us?”
The more he spoke, the more reasonable his argument seemed to him.
The assailant appeared to consider his words and refrained from striking further for a long moment. Yu Ming Yu thought his persuasion had worked, only to hear a cold chuckle break the silence. Then came a kick, harder than the last, landing squarely on him.
The pain from the blow was so severe that Yu Ming Yu’s body went numb, as though the injured area no longer belonged to him. But he had no time to focus on his pain because the assailant finally spoke in a dark, menacing tone: “The only reason misfortune doesn’t extend to children is that blessings don’t either.”
Yu Ming Yu’s mind went blank.
More pain followed, unrelenting. He couldn’t tell how long the two attackers continued beating them. Finally, they seemed to tire and stopped.
Yu Ming Yu’s head lolled to the side as he lost consciousness. Before he blacked out completely, Yu Jiao Jiao had already fallen silent. His last coherent thought echoed the assailant’s words: “Misfortune doesn’t extend to children only if blessings don’t either…” He vaguely recalled having said those words himself once.
…
Yu Zhi Yi soon heard about the attack on Yu Ming Yu and Yu Jiao Jiao. It wasn’t as if she had sought out the information; someone passing by had seen two battered figures lying on the ground, barely breathing, and assumed they were dead. Terrified, they had rushed to report the incident without even checking if the victims were alive.
Although the event turned out to be a misunderstanding and no lives were lost, Official Gong of Jingzhao Prefecture was deeply frustrated. This was Sheng’s Capital, after all! The current emperor was wise and merciful but also strict. Because of this, the local officials couldn’t afford to treat any case lightly. They took even petty thefts seriously, let alone such a brazen act of daylight violence that left two people grievously injured.
Moreover, the victims were the children of the former Minister of Revenue. Even though the minister had fallen from grace, Consort Yu still held her position in the palace. She was carrying the emperor’s child—who could say if she might give birth to a prince in a few months? What if the Yu family rose to power again on her coattails?
For these reasons, Official Gong paid close attention to the case. He personally arranged for the siblings to be returned home and prepared to question them thoroughly once they regained consciousness.
When Yu Jiao Jiao woke up first, her accusation shocked everyone: she claimed the mastermind behind the attack was none other than the daughter-in-law of the Chancellor’s Mansion, Young Madam Du, who also held the official title of Fifth-Rank Female Official in the Ministry of Justice!
Official Gong couldn’t believe his ears. The accused, Yu Zhi Yi, held a government post slightly above his in actual influence because of her role in the Ministry of Justice. Moreover, as the Chancellor’s daughter-in-law, she was not someone he could offend lightly. But the gravity of the incident and the ongoing controversy surrounding the Graceful Phoenix Charity left him with no choice but to summon Yu Zhi Yi for questioning.
At the time of the summons, Yu Zhi Yi was calculating Li Feng’s birth chart. Having been interrupted earlier, she had to start over. Red Luan had already returned to the Splendid Embroidery Workshop to handle her numerous pending orders.
After a moment’s concentration, Yu Zhi Yi’s eyes gleamed with cold light as her calculations revealed an unexpected truth. She murmured, “So the true culprit is…”
Before she could finish, Steward Wu Shan knocked on her door. The door was ajar, and without turning, Yu Zhi Yi called, “Enter.”
Steward Wu Shan entered, flanked by two officials from Jingzhao Prefecture, his face filled with concern. “Mistress, the prefecture has summoned you for questioning.”
Yu Zhi Yi showed no surprise and rose, dusting off her long sleeves. “Let’s go.”
Before long, the group arrived at Jingzhao Prefecture. Yu Ming Yu and Yu Jiao Jiao were also present, though their earlier arrogance was gone. Both lay on stretchers, heavily bandaged. If the officials hadn’t identified them beforehand, even Yu Zhi Yi might have struggled to recognize them.
Looking at them, Yu Zhi Yi remarked to herself, “And that’s why one shouldn’t be too arrogant or greedy—it leads to a beating.”
Her tone seemed contemplative, almost like she was musing aloud.
Madam Yu and Yu Meng Qin had arrived in place of the absent Yu family members. Madam Yu’s anger flared at Yu Zhi Yi’s remark. “Yu Zhi Yi, how dare you speak so callously!”
Yu Zhi Yi looked at her, puzzled. “What did I say? I wasn’t the one who attacked them.”
Steward Wu Shan stepped forward, bowing humbly. “Madam Yu, you misunderstand. The mistress was merely reprimanding me for my shortcomings.”
The Yu family members: “…”
Official Gong: “…”
Even Yu Zhi Yi was slightly taken aback. No wonder Red Luan had chosen Wu Shan as her steward; he truly was a shrewd man.
While Yu Zhi Yi disliked unnecessary intrigue, she also didn’t mind if someone else handled it for her. She ignored Madam Yu and addressed Official Gong. “Official Gong, may I ask why you summoned me?”
Official Gong maintained a serious demeanor. “Yu Official, the Yu family accuses you of hiring thugs to assault Yu Ming Yu and Yu Jiao Jiao. Do you deny the charge?”
Yu Zhi Yi returned his formal greeting and replied, “Determining guilt and catching culprits is your job, Official Gong. As the accused, anything I say would lack legal weight as evidence. By the same logic…” She glanced at the two bandaged figures. “Their accusations against me—driven by personal grievances—cannot be considered evidence either.”
Yu Meng Qin interjected coldly, “They only offended you yesterday, and today they were attacked. My family has always been gentle and humble. Aside from you, they’ve wronged no one. Who else could it be but you?”
Madam Yu said nothing, but her expression was one of deep sorrow, as though Yu Zhi Yi had committed an unforgivable crime.
Yu Zhi Yi was about to respond when her gaze landed on someone nearby. It was the son of the Yu family’s steward, a home-born servant named Yu Jian Ren. Though plain-looking, he had a notorious appetite for women, owning more concubines than some nobles.
Her eyes darkened.
Yu Jian Ren noticed Yu Zhi Yi staring at him and grew puzzled. Then, a thought seemed to occur to him, and his expression brightened. Could it be that the eldest daughter of the Yu family had taken a liking to him? Although she was no longer a virgin and an illegitimate child to boot, she was undeniably beautiful and now a female official. He had never bedded an official before.