Zhenshu said, "That's good, but I don't know how he will punish my sister."
Du Yu laughed and said, "I have a good relationship with him, and you two are cousins. I'll put in a good word for you. What's wrong with releasing your sister once you've received the money?"
Zhen Shu said, "Thank you."
Du Yu, on the contrary, felt embarrassed: "There's no need to thank me."
He was struggling to knead a dumpling when he suddenly heard Zhenshu say, "Du Yu, let's get married."
"Okay!" Du Yu made a mess of the dumpling, then secretly threw it far away, afraid Zhen Shu would see it. He asked, "When?"
Zhenshu said, "Whenever you have time, we can go. As for the wedding, there's no need to have one. I'm so pregnant, it wouldn't look good in a wedding dress. But I still need to meet your family."
Du Yu thought about Du Wu's appearance and felt a chill run down his spine, but since Zhen Shu had brought it up, it was clear that she really wanted to be his wife. So he nodded and said, "That's easy. It's just that my father and I have never gotten along. I'm afraid he might embarrass you or say something unpleasant."
Zhenshu laughed and said, "I've heard plenty of harsh words, I'm not afraid."
Du Yu said, "If that's the case, why don't you come back to the back alley with me tonight?"
Zhen Shu raised her eyebrows and glared at Du Yu, saying, "What do you want to do?"
Du Yu, wanting her to expose his thoughts, quickly waved his hand and said, "I won't do anything. If you don't want to, you can wait a few more days."
These were truly agonizing days. Everyone in the capital knew the Emperor was gravely ill. The Grand Eunuch Yu Yichen summoned the court officials to discuss and remove him from his positions as Inspector General and General of Might. Everyone was discussing the date of his death; waiting for someone's death was a terrifying thing. From then on, Yu Yichen never left the palace, remaining there indefinitely. Zhenshu went to the Yu residence several times, but the front and back gates were tightly locked, and withered branches and fallen leaves littered the area in front of the gate, clearly indicating that it hadn't been tended to for a long time.
From the winter months to the twelfth lunar month, rumors circulated that Yu Yichen was dead, or that he had escaped through an underground tunnel in the palace. Zhenshu heard these rumors everywhere she went, whether walking on the street or sitting in the mounting shop. Every day, she would go to the gate of the Yu residence to check for any signs of disturbance. Finally, on the third day of the twelfth lunar month, she was tasked with guarding Mei Xun.
Contrary to popular belief, Prince Ping, having only been in the capital for a few days, seemed to have no intention of getting involved in court affairs. He only requested permission from the Empress Dowager to receive the Dowager Consort, and at the same time, instructed the Yingtian Prefecture to investigate the Dowager Consort's personal funds, ordering the bank to cancel the old notes and issue new ones. Then, he left the capital with the Dowager Consort and her servants. Thanks to Du Yu's kind words, Prince Ping did not make things difficult for Zhenxiu; on the contrary, he urged Zhenyu to release her.
Zhenxiu thus returned to the mounting shop and became an old maid.
Du Yu knew, of course, that his father, Du Wu, would not easily accept Zhen Shu, but he couldn't bear to go against Zhen Shu's wishes. So he personally arranged a set of clothes for her: a moon-white Wu silk long gown with a front opening, a brocade satin pomegranate skirt, and a cherry-colored long outer garment with fur trim. Zhen Shu put it on and complained, "With such a high belly, nothing looks good on me."
Du Yu said, "I think it looks great."
Zhenshu had no choice but to put it on, and the two of them went out together, got into the carriage, and headed towards the Duke's mansion. Today was a rare day off for Du Wu, and Du Yu had personally gone to Yang's place to report that he wanted to bring his wife to visit his parents.
Madam Yang, with her extensive social connections, knew that the woman Du Yu spoke of was none other than the third daughter of the second wife of the Song family, who had visited Dou Mingluan at the Duke's mansion. She also knew that this third daughter was the woman who had been arguing with Yu Yichen about marriage. Originally a second wife, she had once quarreled with Du Yu over a maid. Now that Du Yu, the heir apparent, had been deposed, and her son Du Heng was the succeeding heir apparent, she no longer felt the same harshness and dislike towards Du Yu. Instead, she harbored a desire to see him make a fool of himself.
Seeing that Du Wu was in a good mood, she tactfully mentioned, "The young master came a few days ago and said that he wanted to bring his wife to you for a consultation today, since you are on leave."
These past few days, Du Wu had gradually won Yu Yichen over like a chick, and he was in a great mood. Last night, he and Yang Shi had been entangled in passion for a long time. After all, he was in his early forties and not as young as he used to be, and he was feeling a bit weak in the waist and legs. Upon hearing this, he flew into a rage and said, "What wife? He actually believed it? Tell him to take her away immediately and put her in an outer courtyard to be cared for. I don't want to see her."
Madam Yang smiled and said, "I've heard that the woman is quite spirited and has a great reputation in the capital. Why don't you meet her?"
Du Wu frowned and asked, "What do you mean by 'heroic reputation'? I don't understand."
Yang smiled and nestled into Du Wu's arms, saying, "That's why you should meet him."
Du Wu asked Yang to help him get up, wash, and have breakfast. Hearing that Du Wu had announced his name and requested an audience, he and Yang sat down in the main hall to wait.
Du Yu helped Zhenshu into the room, saying softly, "Lift up your skirt a little, be careful not to trip."
Zhenshu smiled and agreed. The two went inside together to the west, where a maid was already waiting behind a curtain. Zhenshu had met Duke Du before, and even Duchess Yang. When Madam Zhong celebrated her birthday, Zhenyu and Tao Suyi, along with other unmarried girls, had made fun of Madam Yang.
She lifted her skirt and was about to kneel when Du Wu suddenly asked, "Have you ever been to my residence?"
Zhen Shu said, "I have been here before."
Du Wu asked, "Is it to find Dou Mingluan?"
Zhen Shu said, "Yes."
Du Wu looked at Madam Yang, who smiled and turned her face away. He put several things together in his mind and suddenly pointed at Zhen Shu, saying, "You're the woman who kept clamoring to marry Yu Yichen?"
Zhen Shu said, "Yes."
Du Wu was so angry he was practically spitting fire, his beard bristling. He pointed at Du Yu and sneered, "You actually want what the eunuchs have already finished playing with?"
Seeing that Du Wu was already searching for something, Du Yu quickly stood up and stood in front of Zhen Shu, saying, "Father, what you said is a bit too harsh. We got married three years ago, and now she is pregnant. We are the proper husband and wife."
Enraged, Du Wu threw the teacup at Du Yu, telling him to catch it and put it back. He then got up, looking around for a stick to hit Du Yu with, but the main hall, intended for receiving guests, was empty and lacked anything suitable. Furious, Du Wu grabbed the sword from Du Yu's body and whipped him mercilessly with the scabbard before saying, "Take her out of here, the farther the better. Whether she's pregnant or not is none of my business. Get out of here!"
Zhenshu knelt upright, and when Du Wu spoke, she stood up and said, "Your daughter-in-law thanks Father."
Seeing that she was indeed pregnant and had a thick waist, Du Wu didn't want to scold or beat her, so he pointed at Du Yu and said, "Get out!"
☆、121|New Clothes
Du Yu helped Zhen Shu up and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Zhenshu shook her head and said, "No."
After the two left the Du residence, Du Yu sighed and said, "My father and I have been at odds since birth, and it still is now. We don't need his approval to get married. Anyway, I don't consider him my father, and he doesn't consider me his son."
Zhen Shu said, "Okay."
They returned together to the small courtyard in the back alley of the East Market. When Du Yu saw Zhen Shu about to go out again, he asked in surprise, "Where are you going?"
Zhenshu said, "I need to buy some baby clothes, otherwise what will the baby wear after he/she is born?"
Du Yu asked, "Would you like me to come with you?"
Zhen Shu said, "No need, you should go to the yamen quickly."
Du Yu sighed, "Today is a day off."
Zhen Shu didn't turn around when she heard this, and went out. Du Yu was alone with nothing to do, so he went to the Inspectorate again. Now he was the Inspector, the same position that Yu Yichen had held, but he didn't use Yu Yichen's room and left it empty.
Du Yu summoned Huang Zijing and asked, "These days your men have been following my wife. What has she been doing all day?"
Huang Zijing said, "It seems that apart from the mounting shop, he went to the Yu residence every day a few days ago, but he hasn't been there in the last few days."
Du Yu covered his face and sighed, "Did she meet anyone?"
Huang Zijing said, "Yu Yichen has never returned home, but his personal attendant, Mei Xun, did return home and chatted with the madam for a few minutes."
Du Yu rubbed his face and said, "Tell them to keep following us, but whatever you do, don't let my wife find out."
Huang Zijing leaned closer and whispered mysteriously, "I went to a brothel the other day and got a beauty and face-smoothing recipe from a prostitute. Boss, do you want to try it?"
Du Yu, recalling Yu Yichen's delicate and tender face, was furious and said, "Get out of here right now and don't bother me."
When Du Yu returned home in the evening, he opened the door and saw a glimmer of firelight reflected in the square window. Feeling a warmth in his heart, he quickly went into the house and saw Zhen Shu sitting cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed) doing needlework. He was very happy and went closer to ask, "What are you doing, my wife?"
Zhen Shu held up a crooked little garment and said, "It's for making clothes for a child."
Du Yu noticed a large bundle beside her, filled with tiny clothes barely bigger than his palm. He picked them up one by one and asked, "How can a little child wear so many clothes?"
Zhenshu laughed and said, "Children use more clothes than adults. They need to be changed every time they pee, and these clothes are still not enough. I asked my sister to make some more for me. It will be better in a few days."
Du Yu had hired an old woman to prepare some simple meals in the kitchen. Now, she brought the food up, and the two sat down to eat. Du Yu noticed that Zhen Shu was not saying anything, seemingly lost in thought, but she was eating with great relish. So, Du Yu put more food in her bowl and said, "Eat more."
Zhen Shu said, "Okay."
She lowered her head, holding her bowl and eating with relish, lost in thought, remaining silent the entire time. After they finished their meal, Zhenshu buried herself in the crooked and ugly dress, sewing away incessantly.
Du Yu couldn't help but advise, "Since you're not good at needlework, why bother doing these things? The wound you stitched up for me back then, every time I exposed my back, people would laugh at me."
Zhenshu then raised her eyebrows and said, "If you don't like it, I'll cut it open for you with scissors, and then you can find someone to sew it up."
Du Yu told her that he could only feel comfortable if she glared at him, and waved his hand, saying, "How dare I, how dare I."
After sewing for a long time, Zhenxu said, "Since he is my child, I must make him a piece of clothing so that he can wear it after he is born."
Du Yu had no idea what she was thinking, and fearing that her plans didn't include him or the child, he dared not think of it—it was too cruel. He got up and left. Zhen Shu, feeling tired after sewing a few more stitches, got off the kang (heated brick bed), warmed a hot water bottle for the bed, washed herself, and went to bed. Du Yu, having spent a while reading in the west room, washed his feet and face and went into the east room. He saw Zhen Shu wrapped up tightly and lying on the inside, so he lay down on the outside. Seeing that Zhen Shu didn't object, he gently lifted the quilt and slipped into bed, reaching out to embrace her.
He was also a naturally fiery person, and even in the dead of winter, he was always warm.
Du Yu reached out and touched Zhen Shu's pillowcase, finding it icy cold. He realized that Zhen Shu had shed tears all over the pillowcase. He changed her pillowcase and lay down again, saying, "Crying so much during pregnancy might be bad for the baby."
Zhenshu sniffed and said, "I didn't, go to sleep."
Du Yu said, "Okay."
The two remained silent for a while, then Zhenshu suddenly asked, "Does your father really want to kill him?"
He is naturally Yu Yichen.
Du Yu shook his head and said, "I don't know. My father is the one who leads the hunting dogs. When Yu Yichen became the prey, my father had his own hunting dogs to catch the prey for him. He didn't need to lift a finger."
Zhenshu then asked, "If someone is to be dealt with, will it be the Yingtian Prefecture, the Ministry of Justice, or your Censorate?"
Du Yu said, "The Imperial Household Department will handle his case."
Zhenshu sighed deeply, and Du Yu felt a pang of sorrow as he listened. He couldn't help but comfort her, saying, "No one forced him to this point; he acted on his own impulses. How many people did he kill? Men and women, young and old, all with families to support. Where can their grievances be redressed?"
Zhen Shu said, "I know, I know he's a bad person."
Du Yu said, "He's not just a bad guy. He's a deformed person who harbors hatred for the world because of his disability. Sometimes he kills people not for justice or to solve cases, but simply to torment people's hearts. That's what's most terrifying."
Yu Yichen once said, "I am a deformed person, and I can't erase the desire to destroy all that is beautiful from my bones."
In fact, he was not simply evil; even bad people need a reason to do bad things. He wielded power and used it to destroy all the good things in the world. But all human conscience must be built on piety. Where did I come from? Where am I going? Every mortal should have such self-reflection to restrain themselves.
He had no origin and no destination; his heart was set on hell.
In fact, his personality had long been distorted, his faith had long been destroyed, and he was a disabled person who had lost his normalcy.
Zhenshu turned around and looked at Du Yu, asking, "Back in the Wuling Mountains, when you lied to me and made that oath, did you ever feel any remorse?"
Du Yu said, "I feel very guilty, but I was afraid that you would be scared away if I told you the truth, so I never dared to say it."
Zhen Shu said, "Being deceived is a very painful thing. You must always remember that you deceived me first."
Du Yu had a vague idea of what she wanted to do, but he was powerless to stop her. After a pang of pain in his heart, he nodded deeply and said, "Okay."
From the twelfth lunar month until the New Year, rumors circulated that the emperor in the palace was in grave danger. Although he had recovered from his serious illness, he was unable to speak or see, rendering him practically useless.
Compared to Emperor Chengfeng, Li Xuzhe was a very weak man when he was in the Eastern Palace. He was kind and weak by nature, lacking his father's domineering presence and good health. He has only been on the throne for a mere three years, and it seems that he will not be able to survive the third year. I'm afraid he will die before he can even see his young son sit firmly in the court.
The framing shop is always busy during the New Year. Su moved to Liu Wensi's house in the west of the city because she found the small building too stuffy. Zhenyi also rented a small courtyard for her to live in alone because it was inconvenient for her to live with Xiuer. Now, only Zhenxiu lives in the small building at the back.
She endured unimaginable suffering, risking her life to bet that huge sum of money, only to find it all was in vain. Now, she's feeling down about things upstairs, barely eating a meal, and has become so thin and frail that she's become the object of admiration for the scholars of the capital, resembling a beautiful woman clutching her heart.
When Zhenshu came to collect the children's clothes that Zhenxiu had made, she saw that Zhenxiu was just sitting there without moving, doing nothing but sewing. Feeling a little sorry for her, she comforted her, "You should really go out for a walk, like to your older sister's or Zhenyi's place, do some embroidery together and chat. It's much better than staying cooped up in the room like this."
Zhenxiu shook her head and said, "Someone like me has nothing to say to them."
Zhenshu took a piece of paper from her bosom and handed it to her, saying, "I used the money from the interest on this shop to prepare a small courtyard for you. If you find a good husband and get married, you can go there to live. Tong Qisheng is dead after all. Even if you stay and watch over him, you are not his proper wife. What's the use?"
Zhenxiu glanced at Zhenshu and said, "Do you know how much I've sacrificed for him?"
Zhenshu said, "Back then, Mother spent a lot of money and effort to get Zhang Rui to be her son-in-law, and in the end, Father died because of him. Although you have given a lot, it's all irreversible. Why not cut ties and start over, okay?"