Chapter 38 I Just Like Him
With Chun Tao's help, Yu Nian reluctantly boarded the carriage.
Before getting into the car, she kept looking towards the gate of the Regent's Mansion.
"Fifth Miss, please stop looking. The master is busy with official business and doesn't have time to see you off."
Canghai couldn't bear to watch any longer. Yu Nian's eyes were really pitiful, so he offered a tactful explanation. But in fact, he had never seen his master personally see guests off.
Yu Nian wrinkled her nose. She didn't want Chunyu Han to see her off; she wanted him to persuade her to stay. Yu Huaifeng's face was so sour that Yu Nian already had a premonition that her father would not let things go well when she got home.
"It's alright. Please tell your family not to miss me too much."
Yu Nian muttered something under her breath and lowered the carriage curtain.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped into the hall, Yu Huaifeng spoke with a long face.
"Where did you learn those twisted theories? You, a young girl, seem to know all the ins and outs of blood-drop kinship testing!"
Yu Nian had already thought about how to deal with this problem when she was writing it.
"I just happened to see it mentioned in a book before, and in a moment of desperation, I thought I'd give it a try and do my part for the Yu family."
The answer was acceptable, and Prime Minister Yu did not delve too deeply into it. What concerned him was something else entirely.
"Didn't you go on a picnic with your fourth brother to relax? Why are you in Chunyu the eunuch's bedroom in the Regent's mansion!"
Yu Huaifeng glared at Yu Nian, his beard bristling. This daughter of his had never given him a moment's peace since she was little, and she was becoming more and more opinionated as she grew older.
Yu Nian lowered her eyes, suddenly recalling what Cang Hai had said: Chunyu Han's spies are everywhere, perhaps even in the Prime Minister's residence. If these words were to reach Chunyu Han's ears, things would be terrible.
"Father, the Regent just helped us, please be more polite in your words."
"Why should I be polite with him? You dare say you weren't so badly injured because of him! He's just returning the favor. Do you expect me to come and thank him in person?"
Yu Nian's words only made Yu Huaifeng angrier. If Yu Huaifeng didn't have this much observational ability, he wouldn't be a government official.
"You, getting involved with this powerful eunuch, what family will dare to hire you in the future? No secrets stay hidden forever. Sooner or later, word will spread that you spent the night at the Regent's residence. I'd like to see how you'll have the face to go out in public then."
Prime Minister Yu was not ungrateful for Chunyu Han's help, but if the price of his help was Yu Nian, he would rather fight the Emperor to the death than trade away his daughter's happiness for the rest of her life.
"How am I shameless? I'm just recuperating there. Besides, if no one wants me, so be it. I'm not getting married. I'll stay home and be an old maid for the rest of my life."
Yu Nian had never been criticized before in her life, and she developed a stubborn streak.
"What kind of good person do you think he is? He's such a cold-blooded person, he has no heart at all. He dared to openly kill seven assassins on the execution platform. If he's ever in a bad mood, he'll just kill you and me."
Prime Minister Yu truly had no idea what kind of curse Yu Nian had fallen under, and his mind was completely focused on Chunyu Han.
"He killed all the assassins..."
Yu Nian murmured, her throat tightening. The heavier Chunyu Han's sins, the harder it would be to change his fate.
“From today onwards, you are not allowed to go anywhere. Once this period has calmed down, I will arrange for you to meet the son of Imperial Censor Wang. Although his son is not outstanding in appearance, he is honest and hardworking. I can rest assured that you will marry him.”
Yu Nian was injured, but Prime Minister Yu did not criticize her too harshly. Although he was sharp-tongued, he still felt sorry for his daughter.
Prime Minister Yu insisted on arranging a marriage for Yu Nian, which gave Yu Nian a real headache. It was impossible to change the mindset of this ancient person, so Yu Nian could only try to find another way to protect herself.
"I don't want to see any of the sons of Imperial Censor Wang. I only like Chunyu Han, and I won't marry anyone else but him."
Yu Nian's eyes were full of stubbornness; despite being seriously injured, she still stood tall.
"Rebellious son!"
Yu Huaifeng was furious; he clutched his chest with one hand, and his breathing became rapid.
"Miss, please stop talking."
Chun Tao had never seen Prime Minister Yu so angry before, and quickly tugged at Yu Nian's sleeve.
Yu Nian could only apologize to the old man in her heart. She really didn't mean to upset him. If Yu Nian didn't say something harsh this time, Yu Huaifeng probably wouldn't give up the idea of introducing her to blind dates.
“How can you face your ancestors and your mother in heaven like this! You kneel down in the ancestral hall! Come out when you realize your mistakes.”
With a flick of his sleeve, Prime Minister Yu used family discipline to punish Yu Nian for the first time.
"Please spare the young lady, she is injured and cannot kneel."
Chun Tao immediately knelt down and kowtowed to beg for mercy, but all she got in return was: "You kneel down too."
The master and servant were locked in the Yu family's ancestral hall. It was the first time Yu Nian, a modern person, had ever seen what the ancestral hall of a large family looked like.
Rows of brownish-red ancestral tablets stood on the shelf, and the ever-burning lamp cast a warm yellow halo, enveloping the mountain-like shelf.
Unlike the solemnity and reverence of modern cemeteries, Yu Nian felt that the warm yellow tones here created a particularly cozy atmosphere.
"Chuntao, you're really kneeling? Save your energy, get up."
Yu Huaifeng was angry, but he also left room for Yu Nian. He didn't have anyone monitor her and even locked the door, so no one knew whether Yu Nian and the others had knelt down or not.
“You’ve been running around with me these past few days and haven’t slept well. Just make do with a nap here. Dad will definitely let us out when it’s light.”
As Yu Nian spoke, she picked up an apple from the offering table, wiped it with her sleeve, and took a bite without any regard for her image.
"Miss, that's for our ancestors!"
Chuntao was terrified and quickly took the apple down and put it back in its place.
“Then my ancestors will surely pity me, a young man, who is seriously injured and has not eaten anything since morning.”
Yu Nian took the apple back and added, "When I get out, I'll definitely give them something better to show my respect to the elderly."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Chun Tao's stomach started rumbling. Yu Nian smiled and stuffed another apple into Chun Tao's hand.
"Eat quickly, then go to bed early."
Yu Nian thought that maybe Yu Jing would plead with the old man for her after he returned, and she could leave earlier. But as night fell, she didn't see a single person come over.
While Chun Tao was dozing off, Yu Nian quietly took the plate off the table, laid out a mat, and prepared to lie down and rest for a while.
If Chun Tao sees this, she'll have to use those rules to keep her in check again.
As Yu Nian laid out the table, he muttered incoherently, "Ancestors above, I am truly mortally injured and exhausted. I borrow this table for the night, please forgive me..."
Yu Nian had just finished making up the makeshift "bed" and lay down when she suddenly felt a cold wind sweep by, extinguishing the candles on both sides of the table.
No way, could it be that our ancestors are angry?
Yu Nian swallowed hard, feeling a continuous stream of cold air rushing towards her from behind, and the temperature in the entire ancestral hall suddenly dropped.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry, I won't sleep anymore..."
Yu Nian stood up cautiously, turned around, and met a pair of dark, deep eyes like those of a hawk.
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