Chapter 55: The Eldest Uncle Wants to Free-Ride and Profit

Felt uneasy and unsettled, Yu Zhaoyang had a restless night. Meanwhile, Yu Yuanzheng, who had no desire to raise someone else's child, returned to Qiya Courtyard and rambled on once more, recounting every detail of her day to the sleeping Shangguan Ziqing.

Listening to his wife's voice, Shangguan Ziqing felt an extraordinary sense of peace.

He had waited the entire day, deliberately fighting off sleep, simply to wait for her return so she could tell him about her day.

He never expected her to make such a monumental contribution in the palace, earning even the Emperor's gratitude.

She had even secured such a wonderful opportunity for her own family.

"Why do you suppose the Emperor rewarded my family instead of the Shangguans?" This question had puzzled Yu Yuanzheng all afternoon.

Since she was already married into the Shangguan family, any favors bestowed by the Emperor should logically have gone to them. Yet, instead of that, the benefits had been extended to her maiden family.

*[Silly girl, the Prince's Estate has already reached the pinnacle of status and glory; there are no more honors left to bestow. The Emperor could only reward your maiden family.]* Shangguan Ziqing chuckled inwardly.

"Huh? How is it that your expression—which never changes for a million years—seems to carry a faint smile?" Yu Yuanzheng was looking right at that handsome face as she spoke, observing him very carefully.

It was simply too pleasing to the eyes, and she loved looking at it.

To appreciate beauty was only human nature.

Having received a generous reward of gold, Yu Yuanzheng slept soundly and sweetly.

Early the next morning, she reported to the Princess Consort before heading back to her maiden home.

Her family did not yet know that she had been rewarded by the Emperor.

"Zheng'er, you must return a bit earlier so we can write down the musical score requested by the Empress together." The Princess Consort grew increasingly fond of this daughter-in-law and was utterly satisfied with her.

She was so talented and held no contempt for her ailing son; every single day, she slept in the same bed with him, changed his diapers, and adjusted his diet...

She handled every single task better than she, his own mother, ever could.

Alas!

If only Ziqing could wake up one day. That would make perfection absolute.

"Very well, Your Daughter-in-law will certainly return early."

Upon returning to the Yu residence, Yu Yuanzheng was surprised to find her eldest uncle already there.

Was he here to mend fences?

Had he found out that their second branch was on the rise?

"This niece pays her respects to the Eldest Uncle." Yu Yuanzheng greeted Yu Yunxin, the Marquis of Yong'an, with proper etiquette.

He had, of course, been present at yesterday's imperial banquet, and witnessing this niece's extraordinary performance had given him a profound shock.

Upon returning home, he had secretly inquired about his second brother's recent activities, only to discover that Elder Jin had actually taken both father and son as his personal students.

This was simply incredible.

The very second younger brother whom his mother had threatened with her life to force his father into suppressing had encountered such an extraordinary stroke of fortune the moment he broke away from the Marquis's estate. It filled him with intense jealousy.

Yet he himself held a mere sixth-rank Directorate post in the Ministry of Rites, drifting along entirely on the prestige of his ancestors.

At least he still held an official title and position, however modest.

If not for the modest connection between their late father and the late Prince, his Yong'an Marquis estate would never have been able to secure a marriage alliance with the Prince's Estate in the first place.

"Yuanzheng, you're here? Your eldest uncle truly had no idea your zither playing was so exquisite." Having not witnessed Yu Yuanzheng save a life firsthand, he had only heard about it and lacked a deep impression, but he had listened to her zither performance from beginning to end.

"Eldest Uncle, it is nothing much. Doesn't Eldest Sister play as well? This niece simply watched her play and picked it up by looking on from the side." Yu Yuanzheng's words were a stinging slap to the face.

"Yuanzheng is truly a clever child," Yu Yunxin praised her against his true feelings.

"Second Brother, how on earth did you catch the eye of Elder Jin? Might you be able to introduce Qingli and Qinghao to him as well? They both study diligently and intend to sit for the provincial examinations this autumn."

Yu Qingli and Yu Qinghao were precisely the two legitimate sons of the eldest branch. Both had already passed the preliminary examinations as scholars; the eldest son had already taken the provincial exam twice, and the second son once, though neither had managed to pass as a provincial graduate.

So they had set their sights on exploiting her father.

"Eldest Brother, that matter is not easily managed. Not only is Elder Jin extremely picky about his students, but even I only secured an opportunity to be tested by him through sheer coincidence." Yu Yunzheng certainly could not reveal that his daughter had traded on a massive debt of gratitude to secure the favor.

"Second Brother, we are family. Those are your two eldest nephews, whom you watched grow up. Once they achieve success in the future, they will naturally look after you, their second uncle," Yu Yunxin pressed on, refusing to give up.

"Eldest Uncle, you can simply have the First and Second Eldest Cousins go directly to Elder Jin's residence to be tested. If they truly have the aptitude for scholarship, Elder Jin will never turn anyone away," Yu Yuanzheng chimed in.

"Yuanzheng, how about this—give the Imperial Academy opportunity slated for Qingsheng to your eldest cousin instead? Anyway, since Qingsheng has already been taken in as a student by Elder Jin, it doesn't really matter whether he goes to the Imperial Academy or not." For the sake of his own son, Yu Yunxin had completely cast aside his pride and shame.

He actually dared to covet a reward bestowed by the Emperor himself in front of so many witnesses.

"Eldest Uncle, you cannot write two different characters for the surname Yu; the Emperor surely knows that I belong to the Yong'an Marquis estate. Why did he reward only my younger brother instead of the eldest cousin? Do you really not know?

Do you take the Emperor for a fool, unaware of the reasons behind my eldest sister's marriage swap?

And yet you actually dare to covet the reward the Emperor granted to our second branch.

Do you suppose the Emperor's decree is nothing more than child's play?"

Truly provoked to anger, Yu Yuanzheng's voice dropped several degrees into a frosty chill.

Utterly lacking in judgment, he was practically courting death right before the Emperor.

Jolted awake by her words, Yu Yunxin turned tail in disgrace and took his leave.

Yu Yuanzheng had originally returned to her maiden home to share this joyous news with her parents, younger brother, and sister, but the Eldest Uncle's arrival had caused them to learn of it prematurely.

"Eldest Sister," the two younger siblings cried out the moment the eldest uncle departed, joyfully surrounding Yu Yuanzheng.

Their delight was as exuberant as celebrating the New Year or a major festival.

"Second Brother, from now on you must study diligently. You may face ostracism at the Imperial Academy, but having caught Elder Jin's eye, you have a formidable backing. You need have no fear," Yu Yuanzheng encouraged him.

"Eldest Sister, I am not afraid. Thank you for fighting to secure such a wonderful opportunity for me. In the future, I will study with all my might and strive to place as the top imperial scholar. Then Eldest Sister will have a powerful maiden family to rely upon," Yu Qingsheng declared with great ambition.

"Very well, Eldest Sister will wait for that day. Little Sister, once the Eighth Princess recovers, I will bring you into the palace to pay respects to the Empress. Serving by the Princess's side, you must not behave as playfully as you do at home."

"Yes, Yueyin understands," Yu Yueyin replied, having just hidden outside and overheard the Eldest Uncle discussing the matter.

She was utterly overjoyed.

Had it not been for her eldest sister, she would never have had such an opportunity.

Seeing her children so full of joy, Zhao Yuejiu wore a gentle smile.

"Zheng'er, you must take good care of yourself in the Prince's Estate. Your maiden family can offer you no real help; everything will depend upon yourself."

"Rest assured, Mother. Since you all already know the news, I will be heading back now. The Princess Consort is still waiting for me to return early."

"Very well. Don't go running back to your maiden home constantly for no reason; it will only annoy the Princess Consort. Which married daughter constantly runs back to her maternal home?" Zhao Yuejiu said the exact opposite of what she felt.

Naturally, she wished her daughter could return every three to five days.

"Mother, I refuse to believe you don't wish I could come home every single day," Yu Yuanzheng teased playfully.

"Father, please be so kind as to take these two bottles of medicine to Elder Jin." Yu Yuanzheng produced two vials of medicine she had prepared over the past few days from inside her tunic.

Having her father deliver them was a deliberate gesture to grant him prestige and indirectly signal to Elder Jin that her father enjoyed a profound connection with the divine doctor.

"Very well," Yu Yunzheng accepted them without asking further questions.

As Yu Yuanzheng returned to the Prince's Estate and passed through the main courtyard, she was intercepted by Nanny Zhao.

"Eldest Young Madam, the Princess Consort has been waiting for your return."

Nanny Zhao was just about to head to the front gate to instruct the doorman, but upon spotting the Eldest Young Madam returning, she immediately redirected her to the main courtyard.

Following Nanny Zhao into the main courtyard, Yu Yuanzheng discovered that a great many guests had arrived to visit the Princess Consort.