Chapter 67: Someone Is About to Break Into a Cold Sweat
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The grand hall buzzed with anticipation, filled with curious faces as they all turned to Minister Yu, who was beginning to sweat nervously. The tension in the room was thick, and all eyes were on him.
Minister Yu stood in silence, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. The truth of the situation had become painfully clear.
If Chancellor Du and the Guardian Duke were being truthful, then Yu Jiao Jiao and Yu Zi Xuan must have lied. As their father, he couldn’t escape the blame.
Now that this involved two of the court’s most powerful officials, Minister Yu knew he could no longer remain silent. He had to step forward.
“Your Majesty,” he began, bowing deeply. “Xuan’er and Jiao Jiao are young and naive. Please quell your anger.”
“When Yi’er was still at home, she did show some interest in metaphysics. However, none of us ever saw her demonstrate any real abilities, which is why Xuan’er and Jiao Jiao doubted her.” He bent even lower, trying to appease the Emperor. “Your Majesty, they had no intention of deceiving you. They were simply concerned about any negative consequences. I humbly ask for your forgiveness on their behalf.”
The Emperor’s expression was one of amused interest. As he had expected, a lie remained a lie. Even if the Yu family had kept Yu Zhi Yi in their household for appearances, they had never truly treated her as genuine.
He glanced over at Yu Zhi Yi, whose face remained calm and emotionless.
“Young Madam Du,” the Emperor said, his voice echoing through the hall, “do you still wish to perform? If you step down now, I can pretend none of this ever happened.”
Whether it was Yu Jiao Jiao and her brother stepping forward or Minister Yu subtly defending his children while making excuses for Yu Zhi Yi, effectively pushing all responsibility onto her, Yu Zhi Yi remained unfazed. The faint smile on her face never wavered.
“Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty,” she replied calmly, “but I still wish to perform.”
Yu Jiao Jiao clenched her teeth in frustration. Why does she always have to complicate everything? Does she just love being the center of attention?!
“Sister, please stop this nonsense!” Yu Jiao Jiao exclaimed. “The Emperor is giving you a chance; you should take it!”
Madam Yao could no longer hold her tongue. “Third Madam Zhang, you keep calling her ‘sister,’ but your actions hardly show that you consider her family. If you truly cared for her and had a good relationship, you’d know that Yi’er genuinely has remarkable abilities.”
She turned to the Emperor with a respectful bow. “Your Majesty, shortly after Yi’er married, she foresaw that my mother would soon face misfortune. She advised me to return home to help my mother through the crisis. Following Yi’er’s guidance, I did indeed save my mother’s life.”
Madam Meng, though she didn’t particularly like her daughter-in-law, felt compelled to support Yu Jiao Jiao at this moment. She spoke up with a sarcastic tone. “Since your mother didn’t encounter any misfortune, how can you be certain she was destined to?”
Initially, the guests in the hall had begun to believe in Yu Zhi Yi’s abilities due to Madam Yao’s personal account. But after hearing Madam Meng’s remark, they found her argument compelling.
“Yes, if nothing happened, how can you claim that something was supposed to?” someone murmured.
“Exactly,” another agreed. “Just because I had a peaceful day doesn’t mean I was fated for disaster and was saved without knowing it.”
Madam Meng chuckled softly. “Madam Du, you’ve been secluded in the inner chambers for too long and aren’t familiar with the tricks of charlatans. There are plenty who make grand claims without evidence.”
Madam Yao was momentarily at a loss, her attempt to defend Yu Zhi Yi interrupted.
Madam Meng reveled in her discomfort. Although the Chancellor’s residence and the Duke’s mansion seemed similar in stature, there was a vast difference. After all, their Duke Courage’s mansion was a noble family with a century of history. And who was Chancellor Du? Just a recently favored official. How dare he marry a woman from the same family as theirs? Moreover, that woman even outshone their own daughter-in-law!
Madam Meng had been holding onto this resentment, and today she finally found an outlet.
“Furthermore,” she continued with a sly smile, “Madam Du has been singing praises of her daughter-in-law to anyone who would listen, claiming she crafted defensive bracelets that not only prolong life but also protect the wearer from fatal harm.”
She scanned the room, her gaze challenging. “Listen to how absurd that sounds. Who would believe such a thing?”
Many guests glanced at Madam Yao’s wrists, but her wide sleeves concealed any jewelry she might be wearing. Still, murmurs of agreement spread through the hall.
“I heard those so-called defensive bracelets are made of jade,” one lady whispered. “Wearing jade over a long period does have health benefits, but that’s due to the jade itself, not because it’s some magical bracelet.”
“As for it being able to block fatal injuries… well, I don’t buy it,” another added skeptically.
“If such a treasure existed, people would be fighting over it. How come we’ve never heard of it?” a gentleman questioned.
Similar comments filled the air, and Madam Yao grew increasingly anxious. “What I’m saying is true…” she insisted, her voice nearly drowned out by the rising chatter.
She even considered revealing that Chancellor Du had survived an assassination attempt thanks to a defensive jade pendant crafted by Yu Zhi Yi. But the hall was too noisy; no one seemed to hear her.
And even if they did, would they believe her?
Yu Jiao Jiao had never found her mother-in-law so agreeable. She glanced at Yu Zhi Yi, her eyes brimming with undisguised triumph. Impostor, being exposed in public—are you breaking into a cold sweat now?
Yu Zhi Yi, of course, wasn’t breaking into a cold sweat, but she knew someone soon would be.
Seeing Madam Yao’s distress, she gently placed a reassuring hand on her arm. “Mother, trust me,” she said softly.
Madam Yao felt her anxiety and anger dissipate, replaced by a calm clarity. Though still concerned, she no longer felt overwhelmed.
“Since so many people doubt me and even accuse me of deceiving the Emperor…” Yu Zhi Yi addressed the room with a steady gaze, “then I’ll expedite matters by performing a divination for someone here. If I’m correct, won’t that prove my ability?”
The Emperor leaned forward, his interest clearly piqued. “Proceed.”
Yu Zhi Yi offered a slight smile, her eyes scanning the room. Noticing that Madam Meng and Yu Jiao Jiao seemed ready to object, she preemptively added, “Rest assured, everyone. The person I choose couldn’t possibly be colluding with me.”
Madam Meng and Yu Jiao Jiao both felt a surge of irritation at being outmaneuvered.
“Madam Zhang,” Yu Zhi Yi announced, her voice carrying through the now-quiet hall, “I choose you. I hope you won’t mind.”
Her tone was courteous, but the hint of a smile playing on her lips made it seem less than sincere.
Madam Meng’s expression tightened, but with the Emperor present, she maintained her composure.
“Of course not,” she replied with forced graciousness. “I’m quite curious to see what you can do, Madam Du.”
“I promise you won’t be disappointed,” Yu Zhi Yi assured her, a glint of confidence in her eyes.
Madam Meng studied her, noting the subtle mischief behind her calm exterior, and felt a sudden pang of unease. Am I actually nervous? she thought, annoyed with herself. She’s just a young woman putting on airs. What is there to fear?
Taking a steadying breath, Madam Meng straightened her posture. “Well then, let’s see what you have to offer.”
Yu Zhi Yi closed her eyes for a moment, centering herself, before beginning to speak.
Hello, Im quite baffled with the amount to be able to read ahead. If I buy a physical book, it would only cost (at most) about 50USD. But here, it cost 5 USD per chapter. I understand that there are other stories that you are translating which I have access to but I am only interested in this one story. How do I request the rest of the chapters of “Mistress of Metaphysics ” only?