Yu Si Yu was scared out of her mind, she had no choice but to use all her willpower to feign an imposing manner and scolded boisterously, "Yu Xiang, how dare you join forces with this old dog to harm me! You are so vicious!!"
Qiu Shi disdainfully pouted.
Yu Xiang raised her eyebrows and chuckled, "If I wanted to harm you, would I dismiss all the servants in the courtyard? Now, all I have to do is clap my hands and shout and such a shameless girl like you, with evil morals, would be tied up, locked in a 'Pig Cage', and drowned in the river[1]."
After hearing this, Yu Si Yu's state of mind broke down, and she hid behind Fang Zhi Chen unconsciously.
Fang Zhi Chen had no choice but to brace himself and stepped forward, cupped his hands in front[2] and made a bow, then said, "Second Young Miss has misunderstood. This subject has no love affair with Eldest Young Miss, nor are we exchanging heartfelt confessions. Instead, we are discussing canceling the engagement."
He paused and continued to speak with a flushed face, "The person this subject genuinely likes is the Second young miss, and I have already discussed it with my mother. Soon, I will send a matchmaker to visit the manor and propose marriage. This time, this subject came without careful considerations. It was really my thoughtlessness, and I seek Second Young Miss forgiveness. This subject doesn't have the slightest affection for Eldest Young Miss, and only felt that she was pitiful."
Deep down he thought that Yu Xiang was young and would have an inferiority complex because she was disabled, so there was no reason why her heart wouldn't waver when she saw such a handsome and talented man who fell in love with her. Therefore, the scandal of breaking into a lady's chamber could be passed over.
No matter how intelligent Yu Xiang was, she never would have thought that Fang Zhi Chen would say such things. One moment, he was caught in a secret meeting with Yu Si Yu, and the next moment he confessed to her. The day before, he was thinking of marrying a shu[3] daughter. The next day, he took a fancy to the di[4] daughter. He really thinks he has such a big face[5]! Who does he think he is? Pan An's[6] reincarnation?
Yu Si Yu stared at Fang Zhi Chen in astonishment. She simply couldn't believe her own ears.
Tao Hong exploded in anger. She pointed to him and scolded, "You lecher! You and my master have never met, so who are you admiring? Don't just randomly splash dirty water on my master!"
Fang Zhi Chen even used gestures when explaining, and was at least able to explain clearly about the affinity to meet at the Taoist temple.
Yu Xiang squinted her eyes and asked, "Why do you want to marry me when I can't walk? Who will manage your household finances, food and wine, and management of servants, food, accounts?"
When Fang Zhi Chen saw that she asked so seriously, he unconsciously gave a relieved smile, "This subject would marry my cousin first and she will take care of the household finances, food and wine, and inner affairs. Even if it's difficult for Young Miss to conceive, the children my cousin gives birth to will be under Young Miss' name and you would be recognized as the mother of the child. Even when you join the Fang family, you would still be able to continue the lifestyle you are having now in the Yu manor, and would not need to worry about anything at all. This subject will definitely take good care of Young Miss, and wouldn't let Young Miss suffer the slightest bit of grievance. My cousin is sweet-tempered and docile. She grew up in the Fang family, so if Young Miss has any difficulties, she will be able to help handle them for you and serve you with all her heart."
Yu Xiang gently rubbed her lips with her fingertips. When he finished talking, she couldn't help but smile. The originally delicate face in the candlelight was especially mesmerizing, the small cinnabar in between her eyebrows faintly shone red rays which would directly draw one's soul into her Violet Palace[7].
Fang Zhi Chen was gawking at her foolishly for a moment, his heart was pounding madly.
However, he saw her face immediately turned cold as she scoffed, "Your cousin will be in charge of the household affairs, management of wine and food, inner affairs. Will she have the title of a concubine or a di wife? Not only are you humiliating me by treating me as a concubine instead of a wife, but you also want me to help you raise your shu sons and daughters. So when they grow up, they can divide my dowry. Do you take me for a fool? Even a fool would not be as stupid to suffer a loss!"
With a sneer, she continued, "Don't mention that I'm just a cripple, I'd never take a fancy to you even if my whole body is completely paralyzed! In terms of appearance, talent, family background, and moral character, which part of you is worthy of me? What gives you the right to talk to me like you are doing me a favor? If you don't stick yourself onto my Marquis manor, your Fang family will crumble and degenerate into mud within two months. You will no longer be a third-place candidate in the Han Dynasty, but a homeless dog that isn't even worthy to carry my shoes."
She took out her whip and whipped the armrest of the wheelchair and chided, "Quickly get out of here, or this lady will have someone to break that pair of dog's legs of yours!
Fang Zhi Chen was stupefied by what she had said. He simply couldn't believe that the cold-as-ice woman right now was the beautiful woman who was smiling brightly in the day. The words that came out of her mouth were not words but a sharp knife that cut him into pieces and drenched him in blood. Immense humiliation and anger made him feel out of breath.
He stood still and his face suddenly turned blue and white.
Yu Xiang waved her hands to Liu Lu, "Go, call all the patrol guards over, even if he is beaten to death. My elder brother will help me clean up the mess."
Only then did Fang Zhi Chen remember that Yu Pin Yan was the only person in the Han Dynasty who could kill imperial officials without needing any reason. With his means, even if the Fang family was exterminated, no one would dare to say a word, not to mention the fact that the Fang family had so much information that could be used against them and drove them to their death.
He covered his face and left. The fond memories of the girl smiling under the sun that he kept in his heart had all turned into the hateful and frightening cold face. The Second Young Miss of Yu manor was a rebel with poisonous thorns all over her body... He hadn't believed this until now.
Yu Xiang turned and looked towards Yu Si Yu, who was slumped on the steps. She said scornfully, "Look, this is the person you want to stay with, without a care to the scruples, he disobeyed Grandmother. He hasn't yet married a diwife but he has already begun to think of taking in a concubine. He entered your boudoir in the middle of the night without any consideration for your reputation. If you marry him, you will suffer in the future, not to mention his terrible mess of a family!"
Yu Si Yu struggled to get up and bellowed, "Yu Xiang, you are shameless! You seduced Fang Zhi Chen behind my back! You are wanton, despicable, and shameless! You are the one who should be drowned in a 'Pig Cage'!"
Yu Xiang's face was expressionless as she listened to her hurling insults. When she finished yelling at her, she said, "Yu Si Yu, you should be glad that I can't walk. Otherwise, I will dunk you into a water tank to wake up that brain of yours! The Fang family will be in decline soon. Do you think it is fun for the whole manor to be searched, possession confiscated and the entire family to be exterminated? If you want to die, don't drag my brother down! If it wasn't for the fact that you share the same 'Yu' surname as my elder brother, do you think I would care whether you live or die?"
Yu Si Yu raised her jaw in defiance, "Yu Xiang, you don't have to deceive me. You are not doing it for my good, and you are afraid that if I married someone affluent, it will get in your way. Because you are a cripple and I am able-bodied, so you are jealous, you resent and target me everytime. If the Fang family were on the brink of extermination, the Emperor would not have chosen him as the third-place candidate[1] and he would have been disqualified from the Imperial Examination! The fact that he was appointed as third-place candidate shows that the Emperor still thinks highly of him and the Fang family. It is because you are aware of this that you are trying to ruin my marriage, isn't it? You are so malicious!"
Yu Xiang was dumbfounded when she heard this, she covered her mouth and laughed for a while. The more she laughed, the louder her laughter was. It was fine if this person was stupid, but she thought she was very smart which could make one shake with laughter. What did the Emperor's decision to make Fang Zhi Chen a third-place candidate have to do with the collapse of the Fang family?
Recalling back to the time when the Emperor was under attack of an assasination attempt on the hunting grounds, and was rescued by the imperial commander at that time. The Emperor first ordered fifty boards to the Commander for dereliction of duty and also stripped off his position. Later, when the Commander returned home, he was issued an Imperial Edict to reward him for his rescue work and his official position was reinstated. This come and go, up-and-down was enough to give a glimpse into the Emperor's style of doing things. He was very fair in his dealings with the imperial court. He dealt with all matters according to the rules and regulations of the punishments and rewards in an impartial manner. Fang Zhi Chen's talent had nothing to do with his family background, so he awarded him a scholarly honour. If the Fang family was really guilty, then Fang Zhi Chen would still be punished for his crime, demoted and dismissed from office, which would be according to the national law of the Han Dynasty.
However, Yu Xiang did not say these words to Yu Si Yu. Even if she told her, she would not believe and would use greatest malice to guess her intentions.
Yu Pin Yan was in a special position which led to him having numerous enemies within the imperial court. Over the years, Yu Xiang wished that she could cultivate herself into someone who was immune and invulnerable to all kinds of poisons just so she wouldn't burden her elder brother. She didn't have many friends and seldom spoke to anyone when she ventured out. Other than maintaining contacts with the Old Madam's old acquaintances in Marquis Yongle manor, she hardly ever moved about in the Capital. She was slowly taking the Marquis Yongle manor down the path of a 'lone minister'[2] because that was what the Emperor was happy to see. Even with her unreasonable and overbearing character, Yu Pin Yan's unprincipled spoiling of her was something that made the Emperor satisfied. Yu Pin Yan needed a weakness, and not become someone who did everything appropriately and perfectly in all aspects.
She did everything she could to make it easier for Yu Pin Yan to go further. However, Yu Si Yu kept on committing stupid acts. First, she fawned on the daughters of the aristocratic families, and then tried to marry into a wealthy family. Why didn't she give it more thoughts? With the special status as a Commander, how could the Emperor be pleased to see that Yu manor had joined hands with those old aristocratic families?
The Emperor's intention destined Yu Si Yu to only be able to marry into an ordinary family and live a normal life. For this reason, the Old Madam refused many families that were more prominent than the Fang family just to put the Emperor's mind at ease.
But, a mere salt transportation envoy would make Yu Si Yu lose her mind. If she knew that the Old Madam had refused many Duke and Marquis manor's proposals of marriage, wouldn't that make her hate the Old Madam to the bone?
As she thought about this, Yu Xiang was overcome with powerlessness. She waved her hand and said, "Lock her up in a room and wait for Old Madam to return to deal with her separately." Then, she pointed to Qing Ya, "Let this maidservant be hit 30 times on the board, then shut her in the woodshed."
Qiu Shi obliged and pushed Yu Si Yu into the room.
Yu Si Yu spat fiercely at Qiu Shi and yelled, "Yu Xiang, what kind of act are you putting up in front of me? Let me tell you, you are just an illegitimate..."
Before she could finish the second half of the sentence , her mouth was covered by Qiu Shi and she was escorted into the room with her hands tied up. Qiu Shi then found a piece of handkerchief in the sewing basket and used it to gag her, the yelling and cursing turned into a vague whimper.
Yu Xiang naturally understood the curses she was saying. She pursed her lips indifferently and left under the drizzling rain.
Qiu Shi was still holding Yu Si Yu in her arms. When everyone has left, she whispers, "My Eldest young miss, please stop! So what if Miss Xianger isn't blood related to the Marquis manor? The Old Madam and Marquis feel that she is, then isn't she so! You and her are incomparable, even if the real di daughter returns, she can't be compared to her. The Old Madam and Marquis dote on her. What do you have to compete with her? It's better if you quickly stop, if not, there will be less hope for you to get married."
Yu Si Yu slowly calmed down. Her expression did not show it but her hatred for Yu Xiang became more profound.
Qiu Shi waited for a moment to let go of her. She immediately pulled off the handkerchief from her mouth, slapped Qiu Shi and scolded fiercely, "You old dog that lives off one person while secretly helping another! I will deal with you one day!"
Qiu Shi was originally sent by Lin Shi to monitor Yu Si Yu, so she was naturally clear about the pedigree of Yu Xiang. However, she was quick-witted and felt that there was no opportunity for advancement by following Lin Shi, so she quickly pledged allegiance to Yu Xiang.
She turned and walked out of the room while covering her face that was swollen and red. When she saw Qing Ya that was tied on the ground, she immediately kicked her a few times to vent her anger. She thought in her heart: What is the meaning of living off one person and secretly helping another? It should be a good bird choosing the right tree to live on. Just with how Marquis spoils Miss Xiang'er, Miss Xiang'er has the final say in the Yu manor. Just a fool like you, thinking of overpowering Miss Xiang'er in every aspect, dream on!