Chapter 8
“No, no, no, how could this be?” Duke Dingguo forced a dry laugh, “Today this old woman has prepared a modest gift, I hope Crown Prince Hanwang will accept it with a smile, and not take offense like the young master…”
Duke Dingguo tried her best to conceal the flash of terror that had just passed, but Yu Yunji still caught it.
Yu Yunji didn’t understand. She had already tried her best to appear kind, yet Duke Dingguo still looked as if she had seen a ghost.
“It’s really not a big deal, Duke. Please don’t worry about it,” Yu Yunji said gently.
The gentler she was, the more terrified Duke Dingguo became.
At this moment, she deeply understood that if she wanted to live well in You Dynasty, it would not be as easy as she thought.
Yu Yunji sighed quietly to herself.
Her reputation was now extremely poor, able to cure children’s night crying. If she wanted to change her fate, she would have to clear these stigmas, only then would there be room for maneuvering in the future.
Throwing dirty water is easy, but washing away a bad reputation is not as simple as just saying it.
Duke Dingguo was, after all, a veteran meritorious official. Regarding today’s incident on the street, she had likely made up her mind. To prevent the eldest young master of their Yun family from being turned into human oil lamps, she had made thorough preparations today.
But Yu Yunji knew that it was precisely these veteran meritorious officials whose words were more convincing.
If she wanted to clear her name, she would have to seize the opportunity that had presented itself.
“Haha, since Crown Prince Hanwang doesn’t blame me, this old woman still feels uneasy. Please, Crown Prince Hanwang, do accept these things.”
Duke Dingguo discreetly wiped the cold sweat from her palm. If Yu Yunji had spoken difficultly, she would have known how to respond. But faced with this current demeanor, Duke Dingguo was at a loss.
The attendants behind her brought forward several chests, which looked quite heavy. Duke Dingguo had clearly spared no expense for today’s visit.
Given the original owner’s tyrannical temperament of bullying men and women, this matter likely couldn’t end well today.
Yun Mengze bowed to her: “Today it was the young master’s carelessness, I hope Crown Prince Hanwang and the Male Empress won’t take offense.”
How could ordinary families bring their husbands to discuss matters? Saying this, Yun Jinxin naturally also noticed the person behind Yu Yunji.
The rumored mad Male Empress who couldn’t survive half a day after marrying into the prince’s mansion, now standing safely before everyone’s eyes, Gu Qi.
Today, the capital was nearly in an uproar, all because of this Male Empress of Hanwang. Who would have thought that not only was he still alive and well, but he was even deeply loved by the demon Yu Yunji.
“It’s fine, have some tea,” Yu Yunji gestured.
At these words, not only the Yun family mother and son but even Gu Qi froze in place.
“This…” Duke Dingguo looked at her with difficulty.
What’s wrong with drinking tea, Yu Yunji raised her eyebrows, then looked at Gu Qi standing beside her.
Gu Qi slowly tightened his pale knuckles.
Why look at him? Could it be that Yu Yumi didn’t know what it meant to invite a man to drink tea? Moreover, this person was the man that Crown Prince Gongwang had taken a liking to, Yun Mengze.
What was so good about such a seductive man? To think that Crown Prince Gongwang actually liked Yun Mengze. It must have been this kind of behavior that stole Crown Prince Gongwang’s heart. Thinking of this, Gu Qi felt as if a fierce fire was burning in his heart.
Looking at Yu Yunji again, she truly lived up to being a member of the royal family. She now had a look of incomprehension.
How could an unmarried young man casually drink tea from others? Drinking someone else’s tea meant agreeing to marry into that family.
If the person before him wasn’t You Dynasty’s outrageous prodigal, he would have believed that Yu Yunji didn’t know this saying. But the person with a confused face before him was Crown Prince Hanwang.
As Crown Prince Hanwang, how could she not know what it meant to give tea to a man?
Yun Mengze apologetically said to her: “Thank you, Crown Prince Hanwang, but this young master doesn’t…”
“If you’re not thirsty, then don’t drink it.” Without sparing him a glance, Gu Qi directly took the boiling tea in front of her and splashed it onto the lotus-patterned crystal brick floor.
Yu Yunji frowned slightly and said in a low voice: “Gu Qi.”
Duke Dingguo’s face immediately turned extremely ugly, but she smiled and said: “If the Male Empress is still angry…”
“There’s actually something else in this tea,” Yu Yunji didn’t understand why he suddenly went mad, and smiled at the two of them, “The servants made a mistake, fortunately the Male Empress discovered it in time.”
Gu Qi immediately threw the expensive teacup into the silver slag bucket, as if it was something dirty: “Since it’s dirty, how could it enter the prince’s mansion? I’m afraid it would taint this place.”
This was clearly an insinuation.
She had spoken to this extent today in order to use the mouths of the Yun family mother and son to clear her name somewhat. Who would have thought that Gu Qi would suddenly fall ill.
He truly was a madman. His sudden disruption of the situation made it difficult for her.
Duke Dingguo’s face was like an overturned color palette, changing back and forth. But today she had come to apologize, standing there unable to move forward or backward.
Yu Yunji discreetly tugged at his sleeve, indicating that he should not say anymore.
Who would have thought that not only did Gu Qi not restrain himself, but he coldly said: “I heard that the Yun family has a marriage agreement with the Gongwang mansion. In the future, this prince and the eldest young master will also be considered brothers. But I didn’t expect the illegitimate young master, as an elder brother, to come and give this prince a hard time first?”
He elevated the nature to brotherly feelings between Male Empresses. Yun Mengze’s eyes cooled slightly, but he said gently: “How could the Male Empress say such things? This young master doesn’t deserve it. We came today with sincerity.”
His hands were folded in his lap. Gu Qi’s gaze unconsciously followed to his waist.
The jade pendant hung at his narrow waist, adding a few traces of gentle and refined gentlemanly air. However, he had seen this jade many times before. It clearly belonged to Crown Prince Gongwang. How did it end up in the hands of this seductive fox?
Gu Qi felt a surge of blood rushing to his head. The scene before his eyes seemed to be covered with a crimson mist. His figure swayed slightly.
Yu Yunji saw that he was somewhat indignant and, fearing he would do something shocking again, quickly grabbed the sash at his waist.
But as luck would have it, just as she grabbed Gu Qi’s waist sash, he suddenly walked towards Yun Mengze.
The string with the broken jade and gold ornaments immediately snapped. With her pull, Gu Qi fell towards her.
“Ah…” Gu Qi was already unsteady, and with her interference, he fell directly into her arms.
Yu Yunji hadn’t expected him to fall with just one pull. He was originally somewhat frail, so falling onto her didn’t have much weight.
However, that delicate face was both shocked and angry. Perhaps because of the previous argument, his phoenix eyes were still slightly red. Being so close, Yu Yunji noticed a bright red mole at the root of his lower lashes.
Usually, that mole wasn’t very noticeable, but now up close it was different. The crimson dot seemed like the divine touch on this face, alluring but not vulgar, yet also extremely aggressive.
Like a venomous snake hissing and flicking its tongue, beautiful yet deadly.
“My goodness.”
The two overlapping figures before her eyes were indescribably ambiguous. Although she knew Crown Prince Hanwang was licentious and wanton, seeing this scene with her own eyes, Duke Dingguo couldn’t help but mutter.
A cold osmanthus fragrance wafted over. Gu Qi tightly grasped the cloth beneath him, his fair face slightly flushed: “You!”
Before he could finish speaking, his head tilted to one side and he fainted.
