Chapter 132 Two Lines of Cause and Effect
Thinking this, his heart burned with passion.
Yu Zhiyi seemed oblivious to the disgusting desire in his eyes, calmly withdrawing her gaze and turning to Yu Mengqin, asking a seemingly unrelated question: "Four years ago, did the eldest young master visit Shangyang County?"
Yu Mengqin frowned: "So what if I've been there? So what if I haven't? What does it have to do with today's events?"
Yu Zhiyi shook her head: "It's okay."
She spoke frankly, but Yu Mengqin's expression grew even colder, feeling that his adopted sister was toying with him.
Madam Yu's expression grew increasingly distressed: "Yi'er, did you really hire someone to beat them up just to vent your anger?"
Instead of answering, Yu Zhiyi asked, "You said it was to vent your anger, so you know what they did?"
Madam Yu choked.
After a moment, she changed the subject and brought the question back to it: "Was it really someone you sent?"
She avoided the topic, clearly showing her willingness to cover it up.
If this were her past life, Yu Zhiyi would have been heartbroken.
At this moment, she only found it ridiculous: "If I were really the kind of person who would beat someone up to vent my personal anger if I were criticized, then when you almost killed me in the palace last time, wouldn't I have had your whole family killed? In that case, none of this would have happened."
Madam Yu choked.
Yu Mengqin said coldly, "Because you were too suspicious last time we made a move."
"But last time I took action, I could have easily exonerated myself by blaming it on ghosts and gods, wouldn't I?"
Yu Mengqin frowned deeply, as if it was the first time he had discovered that his adopted sister was so sharp-tongued.
His face was cold and stern when he suddenly said, "Proof!"
"What?"
"If you can prove that you didn't send anyone to do it, we will believe you."
Yu Zhiyi was almost amused, and in fact, she actually laughed: "Why... do I need to prove anything?"
She looked around and saw that everyone, including the Minister of Works of the Capital Prefecture, seemed to agree with Yu Mengqin's suggestion and wanted her to prove her innocence.
Upon hearing her words, everyone showed disapproval. The constables looked at her with questioning eyes, as if she were the murderer if she didn't testify.
"Investigating the case is the business of the Jingzhao Prefecture. Although I am now a suspect, I can cooperate with your investigation. However, unless there is evidence to prove that I am the one who assaulted someone, or that I hired someone to assault someone, no one has the right to force me to prove my innocence, nor the right to restrict my personal freedom."
She looked at the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture: "Lord Gong, am I right?"
"Yes! Yes!" The university student wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He felt that although the girl looked gentle and easy to talk to, her clear eyes were so intense that he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
Moreover, what Yu Zhiyi said was true.
Yu Mengqin clenched his jaw so tightly that the sharp curve looked as if it could sever a person's neck.
He said coldly, "Don't you claim to be a diviner? If you just cast a divination, you can find out who the murderer is and prove your innocence."
"But you don't dare! Because you're the one behind it all!"
Yu Zhiyi: "..."
"You can only choose between being a murderer and being incompetent."
Yu Zhiyi rolled her eyes: "I choose to wait for the Jingzhao Prefecture to solve the case."
"If you are not satisfied, go and beat the grievance drum. Perhaps His Majesty will hear your grievances and make an exception to allow me to use fortune-telling to find the murderer for you."
Yu Mengqin's eyes turned sinister: "Still saying you're not guilty?"
"Tch!" Yu Zhiyi made no attempt to hide her disdain: "Yu Mengqin, what do you think you are now? I am a fifth-rank official personally appointed by His Majesty. Although I haven't taken up my post in the Ministry of Justice yet, my rank is real!"
"And you, by what authority do you command me? Are you acting on my orders, or are you some kind of emperor?!"
"Don't forget, back in the palace, it was your family who broke off our ties to shift the blame onto me! The Yu family raised me for seventeen years, and I took over this huge burden you threw at me, saving the lives of seven masters and one hundred and twenty-eight servants of the Yu family!"
"I am no longer a member of the Yu family, nor do I owe you anything. As a stranger, you have no right to point fingers at me, do you understand?!"
"Considering this is your first offense since severing ties with your family, I will not hold it against you. However, if there is a next time... according to the 'Sheng Law - Official Code,' commoners who disobey their superiors shall be punished with twenty slaps to the face for minor offenses, and one hundred strokes of the cane for serious offenses!"
Her ethereal voice carried a certain force, like heavy hammer blows striking Madam Yu and Yu Mengqin's hearts.
Madam Yu was somewhat flustered: "Yi'er, we are family, how can we let this trivial misunderstanding..."
Yu Zhiyi chuckled: "A misunderstanding is indeed a convenient scapegoat, but unfortunately, I am not a 'misunderstanding.' I won't be falsely accused and unable to seek justice for myself. I've said it before, you only have one chance to disobey me. If you provoke me again..."
Her attitude was so firm that Madam Yu was frightened.
She wasn't a particularly strong person to begin with. The only reason she was able to control Yu Zhiyi in the past was because Yu Zhiyi was mindful of the kindness she had shown her and craved that warmth.
But now, the kindness is gone, and she doesn't care about that little bit of family affection anymore.
The Yu family mother and son slunk away with the two wounded.
As Yu Mengqin was leaving, a fresh, warm bird dropping landed on his head.
Yu Jianren tripped and fell, his eye hitting the stone lion at the entrance. Although he didn't go blind, his eye swelled up immediately and he couldn't open it.
The people from the Jingzhao Prefecture were dumbfounded, while Steward Wu Shan, after a moment of astonishment, breathed a sigh of relief and said with satisfaction, "Serves you right!"
In a dilapidated house, a boy of about twelve or thirteen years old had a chubby face and bright, sparkling eyes.
But at this moment, those bright eyes were filled with anxiety: "Dad, have we caused trouble for my sister?"
The middle-aged man was about the same age as Minister Yu Chunyue, but he looked a year or two older than Yu Chunyue. However, he was much better-built than Yu Chunyue, strong and healthy, with no excess fat on his body.
Despite the early winter weather, this man rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong arms.
Upon hearing the boy's words, his brows furrowed almost together.
The boy gritted his teeth: "How about I confess? I absolutely can't let my sister suffer from the Yu family again!"
The middle-aged man shook his head: "Let's wait for them to intervene first. If the Jingzhao Prefecture really follows the clues, you should leave the capital for a few days and come back after things have calmed down."
Before the boy could say anything, the middle-aged man continued, "I only hit someone, I didn't kill anyone, at most I'll be locked up for a year or two. During this time, you must protect my sister."
Seeing that the boy disagreed, he laughed and said, "Even if you say you are the murderer, they won't believe you."
Although the boy was not thin and not short, he was still only about the shoulder height of an adult.
To say he could take on two people by himself is absurd.
It would be more convincing if he came forward.
The boy's round eyes immediately filled with tears, and he nodded emphatically: "Dad, don't worry, I will!"
The men wiped away the boy's tears and sighed, "We owe your sister so much."
Yu Zhiyi suddenly felt a throbbing in her heart.
She clutched her chest and took several deep breaths before the feeling subsided somewhat.
After sitting up straight, she looked puzzled and took out a copper coin to cast a divination for herself.
However, the divination results were unclear, only showing that two more causal lines had appeared on her body.
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