The news of the imperial decree for marriage spread quickly. Lu Jingxing and the Yu family father and son were all meritorious officials who had quelled the rebellion. On the surface, they seemed a suitable match.
However, Lu Jingxing was known for his ruthless methods and his moniker, "King of Hell." He and Yu Liuniang had been adversaries in court, each wishing the other dead.
Most importantly, while Lu Jingxing was indeed the sole heir of the Lu family, he had risen to power by stepping on the顾 (Gu) and 郑 (Zheng) families. He had once been betrothed to Gu Sanniang, who was also close friends with Yu Liuniang.
Marriage was meant to foster goodwill between two families. Yet, these two were clearly incompatible. Why would the Emperor decree such a union?
Yu Mingyue remained increasingly calm. Du Rui, however, looked worried. He wanted to advise her but didn't know where to start, as she seemed unfazed by it all.
Although Du Rui was much older than Yu Mingyue, he was utterly devoted to her. The common folk said that Dali Temple had Lord Di in the past and now had Lord Yu, both upright officials who served the people.
He had been promoted along with Yu Mingyue. He had once thought he would remain a Rank Eight Evaluator his entire life, never expecting to reach Vice Rank Six.
If it weren't for her divine skill in solving cases, how could he have benefited? Even his elderly wife said Lord Yu was his benefactor.
Now that his benefactor faced troubles, he, as a subordinate, didn't know how to help, nor could he even offer advice.
Du Rui was an honest man. After much deliberation, he simply went to refill Yu Mingyue's teacup. "The weather is still cold and warm. Please have some hot tea, my Lord."
Just as Yu Mingyue picked up the cup, she saw Zhao Yayan arrive again.
When the news of the imperial decree broke, Zhao Yayan had come to cause trouble for her once before, but she gained nothing and instead became a laughingstock.
She hadn't come to the yamen for the past two days, and Yu Mingyue thought she would have retreated in shame. Unexpectedly, she had become more determined, returning today.
Du Rui moved to stop her, but Yu Mingyue held him back. There was no avoiding her.
Moreover, Yu Mingyue found Zhao Yayan rather interesting. At least she possessed the courage to love and hate, a trait that somewhat resembled Youyou.
However, the Lu Jingxing whom this young girl admired was far from a good match.
Lord Zhao indulged his daughter's folly, not only out of affection but also likely knowing there was no possibility between them.
Zhao Yayan's eyes were red and swollen, clearly having cried for a long time. She looked at Yu Mingyue and said, "I want to speak with you alone."
Du Rui looked at Yu Mingyue, who nodded. She was just a weak girl; what was there to fear from her?
"Sit!" Yu Mingyue poured her a cup of tea. The hot tea wafted white steam, its aroma filling the air.
Zhao Yayan held the cup but did not drink.
After a long silence, she finally spoke. "I know the marriage decree is not your fault. You were also compelled. I shouldn't have confronted you that day. It was my mistake. I should apologize to you."
Yu Mingyue smiled. "I never blamed you, and you don't need to worry about it."
Zhao Yayan was not inherently bad. She had entered Dali Temple based on her own merit and was a talented woman.
However, when it came to matters concerning Lu Jingxing, she lost her reason and easily became frantic.
As Zhao Yayan shook her head, tears flowed again. She quickly wiped them with a handkerchief. "I have resigned from my position as Secretary. Today, I've come to collect some personal belongings and will return to my hometown, Yiyang, soon."
After Zhao Yayan's outburst, her reputation suffered. Even with her father's backing, her marriage prospects were uncertain. Returning home would allow her to avoid the storm.
"It's good that you're going back. Although you don't want to hear it, I still say the same thing: Lu Jingxing is absolutely not a good match."
Zhao Yayan gave a wry smile. "The person you waited for at the city gate that day was Xie Jiayan, wasn't it? You understand the pain of unrequited love. Can you control who you like? You, a dignified Duke's legitimate daughter and an imperial official, still can't let go of someone who was stripped of his official position by the Emperor?"