Chapter 64: Disloyal, Yet the Object Must Be Correct
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Yu Zhi Yi’s body, after being tempered with Merit, had become extraordinarily sensitive. Her senses were now sharper than ever, and her vision, in particular, was astonishing.
At a single glance, she discerned the abnormal redness on the face of the Carefree Prince, and noticed how his eyes turned dazed within moments. Clicking her tongue, she thought, This man sure is willing to go all out.
The Great Sheng Empire had its fair share of shady potions, but most required time to take effect—at least a quarter of an hour. Yet, the potion taken by the Carefree Prince acted within mere seconds of ingestion.
Potions of such rapid potency were top-grade. Without a hundred taels of silver, they were simply unattainable.
What sinister intent. What deep love, Yu Zhi Yi mused.
The malice was directed at her, while the love was clearly for You Bing Yue.
While Yu Zhi Yi internally mocked the situation, the Carefree Prince lost control and started to act. He ripped open the buttons of his collar in one swift motion, leaving his robe half-open to reveal a well-toned chest.
Yu Zhi Yi quickly averted her gaze, though not before her peripheral vision caught sight of the defined contours of his chest.
This sudden development left everyone stunned—everyone except Yu Zhi Yi, who remained unbothered.
Du Zi Heng reacted quickly, instinctively turning Yu Zhi Yi away from the scandalous scene. He wouldn’t allow her to witness such an eye-piercing spectacle.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t mind; she wasn’t particularly interested in the process. All she wanted was to see the Carefree Prince make a fool of himself. She wasn’t keen on viewing any inappropriate scenes either. If Du Zi Heng hadn’t intervened, she would have avoided them herself—for fear of “needle eyes,” after all.
The banquet descended into chaos.
The Emperor, both shocked and enraged, immediately ordered his attendants to subdue the Carefree Prince. But the prince, a seasoned martial artist, was deceptively strong despite his usual gentle demeanor.
The Emperor’s expression darkened.
The attendants, hesitant to harm the Carefree Prince, cautiously attempted to restrain him while helplessly watching his erratic behavior.
The Carefree Prince, still undressing, staggered towards You Bing Yue. His flushed face displayed a mix of passion and devotion as he declared, “Yue’er, you know my feelings for you. Why won’t you accept me?”
“Though I willingly resigned myself to being just a friend, I am still a man with a heart that loves. Watching you chase after someone else every day—it tears me apart!”
Yue’er?!
The crowd finally noticed an unfamiliar face among the attendants—a strikingly beautiful woman.
Her beauty was so exquisite and icy that it emanated an air of nobility, making her stand out even amidst the palace attendants. Her deliberate attempt to remain inconspicuous had initially succeeded, but now, with the Carefree Prince drawing attention to her, she was impossible to ignore.
Many young nobles present, who frequented the South Wind Bookstore, immediately recognized her.
“Isn’t that You Bing Yue?” someone exclaimed.
Curious onlookers unfamiliar with You Bing Yue couldn’t help but ask, “Who’s You Bing Yue?”
“She’s the one Du Zi Heng fancies,” the speaker explained enthusiastically. “She’s also the famed Lady Sage. Du Zi Heng admires her so much that he handed over his most prized South Wind Bookstore to her. She’s turned it into the hottest bookstore in all of Sheng Capital, with queues stretching from morning to night!”
“What? But wasn’t Du Zi Heng said to have a childhood sweetheart, the daughter of the Minister, who later married into the Duke’s family? And didn’t Du Zi Heng, heartbroken, marry his current wife as a replacement?”
Yu Zhi Yi: “???”
What kind of absurd rumors were these? She had never heard such nonsense before.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Yu Zhi Yi glanced at Du Zi Heng.
Du Zi Heng, shocked by the melodrama unfolding between You Bing Yue and the Carefree Prince, was trying his best to ignore the escalating chatter. But the murmurs were too loud, and he couldn’t pretend not to hear.
Noticing Yu Zhi Yi’s gaze, he felt a sudden pang of guilt and hurriedly explained, “Don’t misunderstand. There’s nothing between me and Yu Jiao Jiao. We were just childhood playmates because of our similar statuses. People misunderstood.”
“After the age of seven, I never met with her alone again,” he added, clarifying, “I may have been unfaithful in marriage, but my disloyalty wasn’t directed towards her.”
He continued, “I don’t know how these rumors spread, but as soon as I heard them, I immediately clarified. I didn’t expect them to resurface today.”
Yu Zhi Yi nodded, her curiosity satisfied. It seemed Du Zi Heng had quelled the rumors to reassure You Bing Yue. But with all three protagonists of this scandal present today, the rumors naturally resurfaced.
She didn’t mind being the subject of gossip. Her focus was on the spectacle rather than feeling offended.
Meanwhile, Du Zi Heng, anxious, turned his attention to You Bing Yue. Unable to hold back, he strode forward with a flourish of his sleeves, shielding her behind him as he glared at the Carefree Prince. “Your Highness, please restrain yourself.”
Though all of this transpired within mere moments, the crowd’s curiosity burned brighter. Their eyes darted between Yu Zhi Yi and You Bing Yue, then eagerly shifted to Du Zi Heng and the Carefree Prince, as if silently chanting, Fight! Fight!
The Chancellor Du and Madam Du, however, darkened their expressions simultaneously. “You Lin, get back here!”
The Emperor, his face now as dark as a pot’s bottom, decided to end this farce.
“Take the Carefree Prince away. If he resists, use force. Whatever happens, I will take responsibility.”
Relieved of their hesitation, the palace guards finally unleashed their full strength. In no time, the Carefree Prince was subdued.
Once restrained, one of the guards struck him unconscious with a quick blow, dragging him away.
The once-chaotic hall fell into an eerie silence.
The Emperor, his face stormy, was about to dismiss everyone when a delicate voice interjected, “The Carefree Prince’s behavior is clearly abnormal. Could someone have tampered with him?”
At that, the heated atmosphere turned frigid, and the Emperor’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent.