Chapter 23: No Big Problem
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Yu Zhi Yi was puzzled. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t figure it out.
But she was always the kind of person who returned kindness tenfold. Madam Yao had given her something so precious; she couldn’t just owe a favor without repaying it. Lately, though, it had been hard for Yu Zhi Yi to read Madam Yao’s expression. She couldn’t tell if fortune or disaster was coming, and that left her uneasy. Finally, she decided to make something special for Madam Yao—a jade bracelet with protective properties. She spent three days on it, carefully choosing a piece of jade from her collection and carving it with care. Once it was ready, she brought it to Madam Yao in person.
“Is this for me?” Madam Yao asked, her eyes widening at the sight of the jade-green bracelet. Each bead was perfectly translucent, glowing softly even without sunlight. It was enchanting—beautiful.
She fell in love with it at first sight.
Seeing the joy on Madam Yao’s face, Yu Zhi Yi quietly let out a sigh of relief.
When she was eleven and had just started learning how to make magical tools, she’d made protective bracelets for everyone in the Yu family. Back then, her skills were still raw, but the bracelets were just as fine as anything sold in stores.
Yet, the Yu family had scoffed at them.
Yu Wu Five had thrown his bracelet to the ground in front of her, sneering. “What protective bracelet? Yu Zhi Yi, can’t you live without making a scene? You learned a few tricks from a fake Taoist, and now you think you’re some kind of master?”
“This junk—whoever wants it can have it, but I don’t!”
The other four brothers hadn’t been as harsh, but none of them ever wore their bracelets—not once.
And as for Yu Jiao Jiao, her bracelet had probably ended up in some trash heap ages ago.
Yu Zhi Yi realized she’d been dwelling too much on the past. She forced herself to let go of those unimportant memories. She hesitated, then spoke softly, “Mother, this bracelet has protective powers. Even if nothing dangerous happens, wearing it will help strengthen the body.”
Madam Yao’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
She stroked the bracelet lovingly but hesitated, afraid that touching it too much would diminish its magic. Finally, she slipped it onto her wrist with care, holding her arm up to the sunlight to admire it like it was a rare treasure.
Yu Zhi Yi was surprised at how much Madam Yao liked it. It was genuine; she could tell.
So, her creations weren’t unlikable after all. It was just the Yu family who didn’t appreciate them.
Her gaze softened, feeling a bit of her old stubbornness begin to fade away.
That evening, when Chancellor Du returned to the mansion, he noticed the unfamiliar bracelet on Madam Yao’s wrist and casually asked, “Is that new?”
Madam Yao smiled proudly, shaking her wrist. “Yi’er gave it to me.”
Chancellor Du hesitated. “…That girl. She took my jade thumb ring worth eight thousand taels and didn’t even say a proper thank you.”
Madam Yao, apparently not content with merely sharing, continued, “Yi’er made this bracelet herself. It’s a protective charm—not only can it protect me, but just wearing it can improve health and prolong life.”
“You know, since I put it on, I feel like my headaches have lessened, and my whole body feels lighter.”
Chancellor Du frowned. “Is there really such a magical item in this world?”
Madam Yao glared at him, adamant. “It’s true! If you don’t believe me, try it yourself!”
Chancellor Du, expressionless, took the bracelet and put it on his wrist.
Madam Yao, though a little reluctant, allowed him to wear it to prove its powers.
Chancellor Du nodded. “Alright, I’ll see if I feel anything. You should get some rest.”
Although still a bit unwilling, Madam Yao let him wear it for the night, hoping to show its effect.
Chancellor Du wore the bracelet to his study and quickly forgot about it as he got lost in his work. As a chancellor, his days were packed, leaving him barely enough time to breathe, and nights were no different.
If the Emperor summoned him in the middle of the night, he had to drag himself out of bed and head to the palace without hesitation.
Luckily, tonight was quiet, with no emergencies from the palace. Only around midnight did Chancellor Du finally lift his head from the mountain of documents.
He stood up, stretching his body like he usually did to ease his fatigue. But—huh?
He didn’t feel tired at all today.
In fact, he felt refreshed, as though he could easily handle another hundred documents!
He glanced down at his wrist, where the bracelet glowed softly in the dark. It looked beautiful.
Hmph…
“That brat,” he muttered.
Couldn’t she just give him a decent thank-you gift for his precious thumb ring?
Sure, the bracelet was nice, but compared to his jade thumb ring, it still fell short.
His ring was worth ten times the value of her bracelet!
Still grumbling to himself, the next morning, before leaving for court, Chancellor Du returned the bracelet to the sleeping Madam Yao, gently slipping it back onto her wrist.
The next few days passed smoothly for Yu Zhi Yi.
Madam Yao had entrusted her with managing the entire household. Despite its grand title, the Chancellor’s mansion was quite simple, with only four main residents: Chancellor Du, Madam Yao, their son Du Zi Heng, and Yu Zhi Yi.
After Madam Yao’s last round of housecleaning, everything was now in order, and the servants knew where their loyalties lay. Although the young lady wasn’t favored by the young master, she was supported by her in-laws and held managerial authority.
Besides, her reputation for seeing through people’s misdeeds had already spread throughout the estate. No one dared to cause her trouble—except for a few fools who still hadn’t learned their lesson.
As for the day-to-day affairs, Yu Zhi Yi delegated most responsibilities to her maid, Zi Yuan, while she herself only handled crucial decisions.
For that reasoning, Zi Yuan’s frustration grew more exasperated each day. “Miss, must I meet with the stewards from the farm too?”
She was just a maid!
Was this really fair?
Yu Zhi Yi was enjoying a fragrant melon imported from the northern border and blinked at her innocently. “What’s the problem?”
Grinding her teeth, Zi Yuan replied, “There’s a big problem! I’m just a maid—how can I command respect in such matters?”
Yu Zhi Yi waved a hand dismissively. “No big problem.”
She took a look at the birthdates of the stewards and singled one out. “This Du Qiao, for example—he might seem honest and simple, but in reality, he indulges in all kinds of vices in private. Now, of course, he’s a man, and as long as he doesn’t harm others, I don’t care if he gambles or drinks himself to death.”
“But he loses almost every time he gambles. After losing all his own money, he started eyeing the mansion’s funds. He took the household’s money to try his luck again, hoping to win it back, but predictably lost even more. The hole just kept getting bigger. To cover it up, he began cooking the books, making it look like the jewelry shop was losing money.”
“Evidence? Well…”