Chapter 12

He had long felt that something was not right.

How could someone as licentious and dissolute as the Marquis of Han not forcefully take him on their wedding night, and why would she politely discuss these matters with him?

If she truly did not want to marry, who could stop her if she spoke up? At worst, given her temperament, even if she made her new husband into a human skin drum, that group from the Gu family probably wouldn’t dare to breathe a word.

How could such an evil person change her nature for the sake of a madman like him?

Unless the person before him was not actually the Marquis of Han at all.

But if not the Marquis of Han, who else could it be? If not the Marquis of Han, how could she be so calm before the Emperor, how could she chat and laugh with Zhou Zijing? At the foot of the imperial city, how could she have been switched?

Gu Qi met her flirtatious peach blossom eyes, seemingly trying to discern something from them.

The atmosphere in the Banyue Hall became somewhat strange for a moment.

“…I must admit, the husband’s speculation has truly opened my eyes,” Yu Yunji looked down at him sitting on the yellow pear wood stool. “However, no matter how good a story you tell, you still have to stay here and reflect on your actions.”

“Your Highness the Marquis of Han’s acting skills are poor. Do you still not dare to admit it?”

Yu Yunji did not stay to listen to him speak further, and walked towards the door.

Gu Qi was left sitting there, narrowing his eyes as he watched her departing figure.

After exiting the door of the Banyue Hall, Yu Yunji gently pressed her wildly beating heart, leaning against a pillar and letting out a long breath.

Damn it, she had been trying so hard to act, how did Gu Qi see through her?

Did she have to cooperate with him in killing people like the original owner? As a modern person, she really couldn’t do such a thing.

But she couldn’t argue too much with Gu Qi. The more she said, the more mistakes she’d make. It was better to let him think on his own.

“Your Highness, Miss Zhou has been waiting for you for a long time.”

Hearing Ruo Shui speak, Yu Yunji’s soul finally returned: “I see.”

“The Emperor just sent someone with a message, asking Your Highness to go to the Yutang Palace before noon tomorrow,” Ruo Shui said.

“Alright.”

Yu Yunji responded: “Go investigate and make a list of all the people who have entered and exited the Banyue Hall these days. Remember, check them one by one, don’t miss anyone.” As she was speaking, Zhou Zijing came walking towards her, and she heard her say: “Yu Mi, sister brought some good things today, how could you leave sister waiting here?”

Yu Yunji now had a head full of official business. Usually she could handle things in an orderly manner, but today being exposed by Gu Qi had made her thoughts chaotic.

“It’s my fault today. How about I have the servants make you a plate of chicken marrow bamboo shoots later?” she said.

If she remembered correctly, this was Zhou Zijing’s favorite dish from her manor.

The Zhou family was a military family, and such luxurious things were not allowed to appear in the Zhou household. However, chicken marrow bamboo shoots were labor-intensive and costly in both manpower and materials, so Zhou Zijing could only eat them at her manor.

Zhou Zijing wavered for a moment: “…Two plates.”

Ruo Shui responded and went to investigate, while Zhou Zijing mysteriously leaned close to her ear: “This is really a rare good thing, aren’t you curious? Don’t you want to ask me about it?”

“What exactly is it?” Yu Yunji asked helplessly.

“It’s a group of Silla slaves and Bodhisattva barbarians!” Zhou Zijing smiled proudly, patting her on the shoulder, “How about that, sister is being considerate, specially leaving the best two for you. This is something you won’t see in the capital…”

Thinking of the current rumors about her in the capital, Yu Yunji lightly coughed.

If she accepted, it would indeed solidify the Marquis of Han’s image, but it would take her a big step further from approaching the throne.

She politely declined: “I’ve been more fond of men from the Central Plains these days. You can keep these exotic men for yourself.”

Zhou Zijing looked understanding: “Afraid of your wife? You must accept this person. I’ve already put the contract of sale on your desk. Remember to call me for chicken marrow bamboo shoots when you’re done. I’ve been craving it for a long time.” With that, she left two men with exotic features there and rushed out of the manor like the wind.

Yu Yunji pressed her fingertips to her temple: “San Qian, help them settle in.”

The Marquis of Han’s manor could certainly afford to keep two living people, but sending people at this critical time made things a bit difficult for her.

Yu Yunji looked at the two nervous men and let out a light sigh.

*

Moon Creek Pavilion.

“The Emperor summoned the Marquis of Han to the palace?” Xi Hui asked.

Wu Zhi said: “That’s right.”

After answering, Wu Zhi was somewhat puzzled.

The Emperor doted on this youngest daughter the most and often summoned her to the palace. Usually the Grand Tutor wouldn’t ask about it, so what was going on today?

The night breeze blew in gusts, making the candlelight slant onto the nearby veiled hat.

The layers of gauze on the veiled hat half-concealed the documents underneath.

Xi Hui held a cup of hot tea, looking at the rising wisps of smoke, lowering his eyes without speaking further.

The Marquis of Han was beautiful and graceful, with a handsome appearance that seemed gentle and refined, but was extremely deceptive. In reality, her nature was incorrigibly wicked and arrogant, often frequenting brothels, merely possessing superficial beauty.

But how could the woman who stood up for justice on the street be the Marquis of Han?

Unless she had a screw loose somewhere. As far as he knew, Yu Yunji would never do something like that.

His grandmother was the current Emperor’s Grand Tutor. He had grown up in the palace since childhood, following his grandmother. Later, with the Emperor’s permission, he became the study companion for the two imperial princesses. Men were not allowed to study, but as the grandson of the Imperial Tutor, he was greatly favored by the Emperor to be granted the honor of being the princesses’ study companion.

That’s right, when his grandmother was still alive, the Emperor had even told her that she wanted to betroth him as a son-in-law to the imperial family. At that time, she was referring to this Marquis of Han.

Xi Hui unconsciously clenched his sleeves. Since childhood, he had seen how wicked the Marquis of Han was.

He was taciturn as a child, and Yu Yunji found him boring, so she wouldn’t play with him. She would often bring back dismembered and extremely bloody objects, whether insects, birds, snakes or rats, which would always frighten him so much that he couldn’t sleep all night.

For a three-year-old child, these were all indelible traumas.

“Grand Tutor?” Seeing him lost in thought, Wu Zhi called out.

Xi Hui’s long lashes trembled lightly, and only then did he notice that his fingertips had long been scalded red by the tea water, as if several sharp needles had pierced his fingertips.

“Why is the Grand Tutor so distracted? How about I go brew a bowl of…”

“No need.” Xi Hui interrupted, “You go and rest.”

Wu Zhi scratched his head, not daring to ask more. As he stepped out of the hall, he muttered: “Strange, doesn’t the Grand Tutor despise such people of poor conduct the most? Why did he suddenly bring her up?”

Xi Hui took a sip of warm tea, rubbing his scalded fingertips.

How could a person change so quickly? Just a few days ago, he had heard about how much trouble the Marquis of Han had caused at the South Wind Pavilion and Olive Wind Tower before her marriage.

“Wu Zhi, accompany me to the Yutang Palace tomorrow,” he said softly.

He hadn’t seen this old acquaintance for many years. Now he was no longer a young boy, but the Grand Tutor Xi of the You Dynasty. After all, they had been betrothed before, so they should meet.

—

Reading by candlelight was somewhat damaging to the eyes, even though the Marquis of Han’s manor used tile ends for lighting, it was still tiring.

She took advantage of this time to go over the recent affairs of the You Dynasty, big and small, in detail. Fortunately, everything could still be salvaged.

However, the most important thing to do now was to keep a close eye on Gu Qi, this variable. After today’s incident, he must have harbored resentment. If she couldn’t appease him, she feared she wouldn’t be able to have peace.

But…

Yu Yunji flipped the book pages backwards, her gaze fixed on the two characters “Xi Hui”.

In the book, he hated the original owner, but what exactly happened between them that could make Xi Hui cast such a terrifying curse regardless of the backlash?

Ruo Shui was extremely efficient in handling matters and soon came to report.

“Where is that small attendant now?” Yu Yunji put away the “Literary Records” in her hand.

“Your Highness, upon investigation, it was the small attendant from the husband’s courtyard who colluded with Jiao Lang. Taking advantage of the husband’s absence, they had the courage to steal the items out.”

“Was it really Jiao Lang who instigated this,” Yu Yunji pondered, “Bring that small attendant up, I’ll interrogate him myself.”

The original owner was promiscuous and cruel, turning male concubines into human stands, yet uniquely keeping Jiao Lang.

Yu Yunji thought there must be something she didn’t know about this.

There was a commotion at the door, and she slowly shifted her gaze to see a blood-covered person being dragged in.

That small attendant was covered in wounds, clearly having been beaten severely by the people of the marquis’s manor to force some information out of him.

As soon as he saw Yu Yunji’s face, his legs went weak and he fell to his knees.

“Your Highness, please spare my life.”

Although he knew that once the matter reached the Marquis of Han, he surely had no chance of survival, he still tremblingly begged for mercy, only hoping that when the Marquis tortured him, she might be a little gentler.

“If you confess truthfully, I will spare your life,” Yu Yunji said.

The small attendant trembled, not daring to look at that Bodhisattva-like face again, only saying: “This slave, this slave has already said, it was Lord Jiao who made this slave do it. This slave, this slave knows nothing else.”

“What did he use to buy you off?”

The small attendant choked, shaking as he said: “If this slave didn’t do it, the lives of my mother and father would not be safe.”

“But do you know that by doing this, your life is not safe, and the lives of your parents are also unknown,” Yu Yunji tapped her fingers on the table, startling him into trembling uncontrollably.

It was as if she wasn’t tapping on the table, but on a death warrant.

“If you’ve done wrong, you must be punished. For being disloyal to your master, according to the rules, you should be…” Yu Yunji paused and looked towards Ruo Shui.

Ruo Shui said: “Should be given thirty lashes.”

Thirty lashes, if actually carried out, would mean the end of the frail small attendant before her.

Being disloyal to one’s master was punishable by death.

The small attendant’s body went limp in despair, his face turning ashen.

Just as Ruo Shui was about to have the women beside her drag him out, Yu Yunji changed her tone: “However.”

“For the sake of your parents, you disregarded your own safety, which indeed fulfills filial piety,” Yu Yunji said. “Ten lashes, have the accounts office settle your wages. The Marquis of Han’s manor does not keep disloyal people.”

Hearing these words, the small attendant raised his head to look at her as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Your, Your Highness, you’re not going to kill me?” he mumbled.

Then, as if afraid Yu Yunji would change her mind, he kowtowed to her three times, the sound so loud it made one’s teeth ache. When he raised his head, there was indeed a red mark on his forehead.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy in sparing my life. This Yuesheng has no way to repay Your Highness’s kindness, in the next life I will be a cow or a horse…”

Seeing him getting further and further off topic, Yu Yunji interrupted.

“Alright,” Yu Yunji pinched the bridge of her nose tiredly, “Take the wages, along with the contract, and sell him off.”

The small attendant was still gratefully kowtowing to her. This was already the best outcome. At least he didn’t have to live in constant fear doing things for others. As long as his life was spared, there was still hope for the life ahead.

After dismissing Ruo Shui, Yu Yunji held a small brush, applying layer after layer of fish glue from a small porcelain bowl onto the yellowed letter paper.

The fish glue had been processed well, with no fishy smell and sufficient adhesiveness to glue together the notes Gu Qi had written over the years expressing his feelings.

Under the light of the tile ends, the woman with her hair half-tied up carefully glued the pieces of paper together one by one. The night sky cast a soft glow over her.

The news quickly spread to the Banyue Hall.

When Gu Qi heard that the Marquis of Han had sold off the small attendant but not mentioned any punishment for Jiao Lang, he gripped his teacup tightly.

“Lowly servant!” he said hatefully, then seemed to think of something and turned to grip Han Yu’s hand, “Did she keep two barbarian children in the manor today?”

Han Yu was in pain from his grip but didn’t dare let his tears fall: “Indeed…”

“Good, good, good,” Gu Qi smiled, “I can’t go out, but others can come in. Go summon that Silla slave to me immediately.”

Since new people had arrived at the manor, and they were helpless barbarian children, as the gentle and obedient principal husband, he naturally had to arrange for the newcomers to receive favor early and bear offspring for the marquis’s manor as soon as possible.

Everyone said the Marquis of Han was licentious and unrestrained, which woman could resist temptation? Yet Yu Yunji had been like a nun these past few days.

He wanted to see whether this Yu Yunji was real or fake.