Chapter 64: 64 chapters Others’ hand cramps
Although Chu Yu didn’t plan on harming You Lan, she intentionally prolonged the time of her fear, which was a form of psychological oppression and a small warning to the young girl.
Don’t be too presumptuous, don’t make decisions on your own, were the implicit messages from Chu Yu.
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Every person is an independent entity. Chu Yu never believed that by merely intimidating or shouting about equality, she could easily win people’s hearts. Interests, emotions, rationality, desires—people are composed of multifaceted factors. Sometimes, so-called loyalty is just a byproduct of interests. Everyone has their own motives, including Chu Yu herself.
If she herself was not above such things, on what grounds could she expect others to become puppets without self-awareness?
Thus, Chu Yu could fully understand You Lan’s little schemes. Although it seemed like Rong Zhi had fallen out of favor, the accumulated authority over time still made You Lan subconsciously obey him.
Between the newly favored Huan Yuan and the seemingly disfavored Rong Zhi, You Lan’s unconscious choice revealed her stance. She subconsciously thought that following Rong Zhi would bring her more benefits, thus she ignored Huan Yuan who wanted to see Chu Yu.
Understanding is understanding, but indulgence is not allowed.
Actually, You Lan’s actions hadn’t caused much loss or harm, but she was just unlucky enough to run into Chu Yu who was sharpening her knife. She was caught red-handed and prepared to be made an example for the other “monkeys.”
However, deciding exactly how to make an example involved details that made Chu Yu herself hesitant. You Lan was just a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl. If the punishment dragged on or involved beatings, not to mention the risk of beating her to death, Chu Yu herself couldn’t bear to give such an order. Yet, if the punishment were too light, she feared it wouldn’t serve as a deterrent and teach a lesson to others.
After pondering for a while, Chu Yu instructed the guards, “Lock her in the firewood shed. Do not send her food. Release her after three days at this time.” Her tone was light, yet faintly icy.
You Lan shook, her body trembling as the guards dragged her away by her arms. Chu Yu watched her pitiful pale face, feeling a surge of softness almost making her blurt out a command to retract the order. But rationality promptly regained control, suppressing the inappropriate impulse.
This was not the time to be soft-hearted, Chu Yu told herself.
Ignoring the dragged-away You Lan, Chu Yu walked directly toward Huan Yuan and asked, “What do you need?” Before Huan Yuan could reply, she instructed the guards on both sides, “From now on, if Young Master Huan comes to see me, let him through directly, understand?”
The guards exchanged looks, their eyes reflecting surprise, silently speculating that Princess’s favor had indeed shifted to Huan Yuan. They resolved to be more cautious in the future.
After giving her instructions, Chu Yu looked at Huan Yuan again, “Speak up if you have something to say. From now on if there’s anything important, just send someone to notify me directly. The attendants I gave you aren’t just for show.” Looking at Huan Yuan’s somewhat haggard handsome face, Chu Yu felt somewhat guilty, because when she occasionally slept in, the person who helped her count money until his hands cramped up was Huan Yuan.
With Huan Yuan’s busywork behind the scenes, she had enough leisure to prepare for other matters.
Huan Yuan requested Chu Yu to walk to a quieter place, his face showing remorse. “In the mansion, there have been some thefts of valuable items.” In fact, he had intended to report this yesterday, but for some reason, upon seeing Chu Yu last night, he forgot about it, hence the delay until now.
Chu Yu’s eyebrows knitted together, “Have you found out who did it?” Seeing Huan Yuan’s expression, she already guessed the answer. Without waiting for his response, she smiled slightly and continued, “What exactly was lost? Is the loss significant?”
“Some ornaments and decorations, total loss amounting to roughly three to four hundred thousand coins,” Huan Yuan said, lips slightly pursed. “And there are some discrepancies in the old accounts.”
Chu Yu felt a headache coming on as soon as Huan Yuan mentioned the accounts. Those complicated numbers could dizzy anyone. She bent her finger and tapped her chin, thinking for a moment before she had an idea, “Leave this matter to me. I am going somewhere now, come with me.”
Huan Yuan paused briefly then followed Chu Yu, “Princess, where are we going?”
“Muxue Garden,” where Rong Zhi resided.
The Muxue Garden of Rong Zhi, serene as ever, had had the bamboo sliced by Yue Jiefei cleaned up days ago, and new trees brought in from other places. Under the noon sun, the garden exuded a refreshing greenery.
Under the specially constructed vine trellis, Rong Zhi lay leisurely on a soft couch, the direct sunlight largely blocked by the wide green leaves of the vines. His eyes were closed, a smile graced his lips, and his posture was languid. It looked like he was napping, yet Chu Yu instinctively thought that he was waiting for her.
When Chu Yu approached Rong Zhi, those unfathomably deep eyes slowly opened.
Chu Yu didn’t beat around the bush and directly pulled out a folded brocade above his head, shaking it and then tucking it away, saying, “You can’t say you don’t know why I’m here.”
Rong Zhi smiled and said, “Of course, I was indeed waiting for the Princess here.” He propped himself up from the soft couch slowly; when he sat up, it seemed to strain his wound, his body pausing momentarily, but a joyful smile quickly spread across his face. It took quite a while for him to sit up, and he took a slight breath before speaking, “I want to ask the Princess for something.”
“What is it?”
“Seven-leaf Snow Ganoderma.”
Seven-leaf Snow Ganoderma? What is that?
Chu Yu blinked, trying hard to remember, when Huan Yuan whispered by her side, “Princess, it was one of the Emperor’s gifts a few days ago.”
Although Rong Zhi held control over the Medicine Department, the storehouse of medicinal materials, and spices, items like the Seven-leaf Snow Ganoderma bestowed by the Emperor, since they are valuable and can be preserved for a long time, belonged to the category of treasures, stored in the treasury. The supervision of this treasury had now been transferred to Huan Yuan, and anyone who wanted to take anything from it had to go through Chu Yu.
Rong Zhi smiled slightly, looking up at Chu Yu standing beside him, his expression open: “Ah Cuo’s injury has been delayed for several years, and now we finally have the crucial medicinal ingredient. I hope the Princess can accommodate this request.”
Rong Zhi, needing something, sensed that Chu Yu wanted the formula for the incense, and proactively offered it to exchange for the medicinal ingredient to cure Hua Cuo.
Frankly speaking, this trade was actually quite beneficial, because the so-called Seven-leaf Snow Ganoderma was neither here nor there for Chu Yu, but if she had the formula for the incense bag in her hands, it would only be beneficial for Chu Yu and not detrimental.
But…
Chu Yu looked down at Rong Zhi, the eyes of the two less than two feet apart, with their emotions clearly visible to each other.
She almost maliciously smiled, “What if, I don’t allow it?”
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For those who have expressed unfamiliarity with the corresponding historical background, don’t worry; those who know can compare it against the history, and those who don’t know can just consider it a creative fabrication. After all, I write novels~~ This is a bonus update with 11500 points~~
Regarding this Seven-leaf Snow Ganoderma, everyone can just assume I made it up, as I’m really not good at rare medicinal materials. I searched for half a day yesterday and still was clueless~~ so I just invented a name. This thing isn’t very important; it’s just a clue.
I recommend a new book, Lonely Moon Travel~~ by Zhang Lian, which will have a PK next month. Many people must have read her Anxiang Soul; this time she has a new story, quite interesting from a strong female lead angle, those who love powerful female leads should check it out~~
Description:
In the Shadow Moon Country, a different world isolated for thousands of years and founded by a transmigrated woman from the past; a coup occurred, and the queen became a Duck Girl (a maid serving ducks). Then another revolution by men, and the outside world invaded Shadow Moon.
The queen of the Female Venerate Country arrived in the outside patriarchal world. What will she experience in this world?