Chapter 65: Everyone’s Turned Foolish
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Everyone turned toward the voice, only to see Yu Jiao Jiao hastily cover her mouth, as if she had let slip something she shouldn’t have.
Noticing that even the Emperor was looking her way, his expression far from pleased, Yu Jiao Jiao felt her heart pound with anxiety. She had meant to stir the pot, to seize the chance to bring Yu Zhi Yi down—but that didn’t mean she wasn’t afraid of the Emperor. On the contrary, having lived two lifetimes, she understood all too well how terrifying imperial wrath could be.
She immediately dropped to her knees, her face pale, secretly regretting her impulsiveness. But now, there was no turning back. She could only grit her teeth and say, “Your Majesty, this humble wife misspoke. Please forgive me.”
Madam Zhang, Meng Shi, shot Yu Jiao Jiao a glare and also bowed in apology. “Your Majesty, Your Highness the Empress, Yu is young and ignorant…”
Yu Zi Xuan couldn’t hold back. “Madam Zhang, you’re mistaken! Sister Jiao Jiao was only brave enough to speak the truth! The prince’s behavior just now was clearly off, but none of us dared to step forward. Was it because we didn’t notice? No! It’s because we were all afraid of getting into trouble!”
“But Sister Jiao Jiao, despite her respect for Your Majesty and Her Highness, still courageously spoke up. This isn’t ignorance; it’s a fearless spirit that deserves commendation!”
Minister Yu and his wife, along with their four sons, all nodded in agreement with Yu Zi Xuan’s words.
The Emperor and Empress exchanged glances. A cold light flashed in the Emperor’s eyes. “You’re right. Prince Xiao Yao’s behavior was indeed abnormal. Summon the imperial physicians! Investigate this matter thoroughly!”
For such an absurd incident to occur during an important occasion, and with the victim being his own brother—how could the Emperor not be angry? Prince Xiao Yao’s mishap not only challenged the dignity of the royal family but also embarrassed him, the Emperor, in front of everyone.
Having received the Emperor’s approval, Yu Jiao Jiao cast a gloating glance at Yu Zhi Yi. But just a moment later, she composed herself, putting on an expression of concern. She looked at Yu Zhi Yi and spoke cautiously, “Sister, I just saw you glaring at Prince Xiao Yao with hatred. Especially after he drank that cup of wine, you smiled in a way I couldn’t understand. Could you tell me why?”
Yu Zhi Yi raised an eyebrow. All eyes turned to her, filled with judgment. The Emperor’s imposing aura bore down unmistakably.
“Yu Zhi Yi, is this true?!” he demanded.
Having lived two lives, Yu Zhi Yi knew that pleading innocence often only made one look more guilty. The more she denied, the less they’d believe her. It could even be seen as having a guilty conscience.
She gave a slight bow and said calmly, “Your Majesty, I have no way to prove myself, just as there’s no way to prove that what Yu Jiao Jiao said is true.”
Her response seemed weak, but it was actually a strategic retreat. Yu Jiao Jiao claimed she saw Yu Zhi Yi provoke Prince Xiao Yao, but who could prove that her words were true? These were unprovable accusations. If the Emperor chose to believe Yu Jiao Jiao now, it would set a dangerous precedent. Could anyone be condemned based on unsubstantiated claims, without evidence?
The Emperor and the gathered ministers caught the underlying message in Yu Zhi Yi’s words. After a moment of consideration, they agreed.
Chancellor Du stepped forward and respectfully bowed. In a deep voice, he said, “Your Majesty, all matters must be based on evidence. We cannot condemn someone based on one-sided statements. Otherwise, our great empire will be plagued with wrongful accusations in the future.”
Yu Zi Xuan muttered discontentedly, “Sister Jiao Jiao wouldn’t lie. If she said she saw it, then she did.”
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t bother to respond, letting him make a spectacle of himself. You Bing Yue, on the other hand, glared coldly at Yu Zhi Yi. She knew better than anyone that Yu Zhi Yi was behind this. Because that cup of wine—it was supposed to be drunk by her!
But that scheming woman not only avoided drinking the wine herself, she managed to harm Prince Xiao Yao and drag You Bing Yue into the mess as well. She could feel the disdain and contempt from the nobles around her. Hatred surged in her heart. She pushed past Du Zi Heng and strode to the center of the hall, locking eyes with Yu Zhi Yi.
“I saw you smile at Prince Xiao Yao too, right after you drank your wine,” she declared. “If you weren’t up to something, why would you do that?”
Overwhelmed by anger, You Bing Yue had momentarily lost her reason. Yu Zhi Yi smiled. “Why would I raise my glass and smile at Prince Xiao Yao while drinking? Tell me, what’s the logic behind my actions?”
You Bing Yue found herself at a loss for words. She realized she had acted foolishly in her impulsiveness. Yes, logic. There had to be a reason to harm someone. Though there was friction between Yu Zhi Yi and Prince Xiao Yao, the root cause was her, You Bing Yue. It was she who had stolen Du Zi Heng’s affections.
Logically, if Yu Zhi Yi wanted to harm someone, it should have been You Bing Yue. Poison Prince Xiao Yao? The motive simply didn’t make sense, and the method of poisoning didn’t add up either.
Ignoring You Bing Yue’s panic, Yu Zhi Yi looked up at the Emperor and Empress. Her voice was calm but firm, resonating clearly in the grand hall.
“Your Majesty, today is my first time entering the palace since I was ten. It’s impossible for me to command anyone here. You can investigate this thoroughly. Uncovering the truth isn’t difficult. If there’s something wrong with the wine, then someone must have tampered with it. As long as someone acted, there will be traces. I believe Your Majesty is wise and discerning, not easily deceived by petty tricks, nor willing to wrong an innocent person.”
By praising the Emperor’s wisdom, she made it difficult for him to dismiss the matter lightly. He pondered for a moment and then nodded. “Rest assured, I will investigate this matter thoroughly. If it truly has nothing to do with you, I won’t wrong you. However…”
His gaze turned sharp. “If it’s found that this was your scheme, regardless of your identity or abilities, I will not spare you!”
Yu Zhi Yi replied without humility or arrogance, “Of course. That’s only right.”
The Emperor saw her confident and composed smile and sighed inwardly. He had a good idea of what was going on. At this moment, he could only lament that his brother’s life of ease had dulled his wits; everyone seemed to have become foolish—still acting like lovestruck fools.
Suppressing his irritation, he decided to let the matter rest. After all, there was a grand event coming up. Since Yu Zhi Yi was now implicated in a case involving potential harm to a royal family member, the Emperor decided to temporarily retract his appointment of her. He would decide whether to proceed with her exceptional promotion to a position in the Ministry of Justice after the truth was fully uncovered.
Yu Zhi Yi accepted this gladly, even saying that nothing could be better. A delay was fine; cancellation would be even better.