Chapter 550: Matters of the Heart

Zhu Ying knelt on the ground, her face pale and her eyes frantic.

Her mother, Aunt Liuu, clutched a silk handkerchief, weeping softly and occasionally muttering curses under her breath.

“You’ve always been such a sensible girl. How could you do something so foolish?”

“I’ve already found a matchmaker for you, searching for a fine young man in the city to be your husband…”

“Damn you, girl! Don’t you have any sense of shame?!”

She berated and struck her daughter as she spoke. Judging by the force of the blows, Aunt Liuu was truly furious this time.

“Mother.”

“Brother.”

Zhu Ying’s eyes were red. She lowered her head and said in a muffled voice,

“Yangg Yi and I are truly in love.”

“Nonsense!” Aunt Liuu trembled with rage.

“How can you still be spouting such nonsense at a time like this? Yangg Yi is just a guard from the Nursing Home. How could he possibly be worthy of you?”

“Yangg Yi possesses exceptional Talent. At eighteen, he has already reached the lower Eighth Grade. He’d be considered a prodigy even in the city.” Zhu Ying pursed her lips.

“I don’t think he’s unworthy of me.”

“Heavens…” Aunt Liuu’s knees gave way, and she collapsed to the floor, wailing loudly.

“Why is my life so bitter? My husband died young, and my children… my daughter won’t listen to me.”

“Tell me!”

“A few years ago, when you gave Yangg Yi the Pure Yang Qi Technique, had you two already gotten together?”

“I knew something was strange about you back then.”

“Mother!” Zhu Ying was both mortified and angry.

“No.”

“Enough.”

Zhu Ju spoke in a low voice,

“Aunt Liuu, it’s common for young people who haven’t seen the world to lack self-control and be captivated by the person right in front of them.”

“Fortunately, no great mistake has been made. Everything can still be corrected.”

“Yes, yes.” Aunt Liuu hastily agreed.

“There’s still time. There’s still time.”

“If no one speaks of this, no one will know. Daughter, you can still find a good husband.”

“Mother!” Zhu Ying’s voice rose.

“I won’t…”

“Silence!” Zhu Ju’s voice darkened.

“Your mother has your best interests at heart. There’s no need for further discussion.”

“Aunt Liuu, Yangg Yi will be here shortly. It’s inconvenient for you to be here, so please return to the rear courtyard for now.”

“Well…” Aunt Liuu hesitated but knew her presence wouldn’t help. She nodded immediately.

“Very well. Zhu Ju, as her older brother, you must keep your sister in line. Don’t let her act so willfully.”

“I understand,” Zhu Ju nodded.

Ming Nianwei had used an Array to discover that Zhu Ying had been frequently sneaking out to meet Yangg Yi in an alley outside the mansion.

And with increasing frequency.

If left unchecked, the young couple would likely be unable to control their passions and cause a disaster.

That was what led to today’s events.

*

*

*

Yangg Yi adjusted the Soft Armor he wore and licked his dry lips. He could feel his heart pound, a sense of urgency and panic that he couldn’t suppress no matter how he tried.

He knew why he had been summoned today.

Zhu Ying’s personal handmaiden, Xiaocui, had already secretly informed him of the situation in the mansion.

‘The young master…’

Zhu Ju rarely socialized with outsiders.

In Yangg Yi’s limited experience, this ‘young master,’ though young, commanded immense authority.

And contrary to rumors, the young master’s Martial Arts were exceptionally formidable, his strength far deeper than what he showed.

Whenever he was near him, Yangg Yi could feel an ever-present, formless pressure.

It was like…

a mouse seeing a cat.

An instinctive fear.

‘My brother is a bit domineering. To put it nicely, he’s decisive. To put it bluntly, he doesn’t listen to anyone’s advice.’

‘He’s the head of the family, so he naturally thinks everyone should obey him. His decisions are always right, and no one is allowed to refute them.’

Zhu Ying’s past words surfaced in his mind.

On that point, Yangg Yi deeply agreed.

But in his view, it wasn’t that Zhu Ju was incapable of listening to others’ advice, but that their words were meaningless to him.

It seemed…

Zhu Ju’s insight, methods, and experience meant his decisions were rarely wrong.

The key question was,

would

he tolerate him?

“Come in!”

“Yes.”

Yangg Yi pushed aside his stray thoughts, opened the door, and entered the room, dropping to one knee beside Zhu Ying.

He cupped his fists.

“Yangg Yi, paying respects to the young master!”

“Yangg Yi.”

Zhu Ju nodded slowly, his face devoid of emotion.

“When did this start between you two?”

“Young Master.” Yangg Yi lowered his head.

“This is all my fault. I was insolent and overstepped my bounds. It has nothing to do with Miss Zhu Ying.”

“Oh!” Zhu Ju said nonchalantly.

“So you’re saying that if you just let go, this can all be resolved?”

“…” Yangg Yi opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Young love is the purest of all. It doesn’t give up so easily. In fact, suppression only makes it stronger.

“Young Master!”

Yangg Yi dropped to both knees and kowtowed.

“My love for Miss Zhu Ying is as pure as gold. I beg the young master to show mercy and grant us your blessing.”

“Zhu Ying.” Zhu Ju didn’t respond to Yangg Yi, but turned his head to ask her,

“You tell me.”

“Brother…” Zhu Ying opened her mouth and said in a low voice,

“Years ago, when thieves broke into the Zhu Mansion, Yangg Yi saved me. I’ve admired him ever since.”

“Hmph!” Zhu Ju snorted.

“So, it’s been several years, then.”

“Does that mean it’s true that Yangg Yi initially stole the Primordial Yang Qi Technique, and you only gave him the Cultivation Technique later?”

“Th-…” Zhu Ying’s expression changed slightly.

“Yes.”

“This man, Yangg Yi, has a dark and calculating mind. At the Orphanage, he relied on his strength to beat another boy from his dormitory so severely he was gravely injured. This shows his cruelty,” Zhu Ju said slowly.

“Here in the Zhu Mansion, he disregarded the rules and stole the family’s Primordial Yang Qi Technique. This shows his disloyalty.”

“While on missions, he earned several times more silver coins than his colleagues but never shared any of it with others. This shows his greed.”

“This man might be handsome, but he is cruel, disloyal, and greedy. How could he possibly be worthy of you?”

Huh?

Zhu Ying’s head snapped up, her face a mask of astonishment.

“Zhu Ying.”

Zhu Ju’s voice was calm.

“You’re still young. It’s normal to be blinded by what’s in front of you and be unable to see a person’s true face.”

“Marriage is a matter for a lifetime…”

“Young Master!” Yangg Yi growled.

“I believe you are mistaken.”

“Oh?” Zhu Ju said.

“Then by all means, explain.”

“I beat that boy from my dormitory because he insulted me first. As for stealing the Primordial Yang Qi Technique… that’s not true. The Cultivation Technique I practice is from a different lineage; it is not the Primordial Yang Qi Technique,” Yangg Yi said.

“And as for the extra silver coins I earned, it’s because I worked harder than others. I deserved it.”

“Besides, training in Martial Arts is expensive. I barely have enough for myself, so why should I share with others?”

“Hmm…” Zhu Ju showed no anger at being contradicted. Instead, he nodded in understanding.

“So, was I wrong to say you have a dark mind and are a lone wolf?”

He didn’t have the time or energy to investigate Yangg Yi in detail, but he could tell whether his words were true or false.

Yangg Yi wasn’t lying.

This meant that, at least in his own eyes, he saw nothing wrong with his actions.

“Young Master.”

Yangg Yi took a deep breath.

“I don’t believe this personality makes me inferior. I am seventeen years old and have already reached the middle Eighth Grade in my Cultivation. I will soon reach the upper Eighth Grade, and I am confident I can reach the Sixth Grade before I turn thirty.”

“With such Talent and potential, I believe I am worthy of the young miss.”

“Moreover…”

“I am completely devoted to Miss Zhu Ying. I am willing to swear an oath right here that I will marry no one else in this life.”

As he spoke, he released the Qi within his body, revealing his true Cultivation level.

Zhu Ying turned to look at him, her beautiful eyes shimmering.

Yangg Yi’s Talent, Cultivation, and even his looks were top-tier in all of Taiyuan Prefecture.

On top of that, he was utterly devoted to her. How could her heart not be moved by such a man?

If he reached the Sixth Grade, he could easily establish his own household. She believed even her mother wouldn’t object then.

She never expected,

that Zhu Ju would remain completely unmoved. He said coolly,

“The Zhu Mansion has no need for a future expert like you. We just need you to not cause any trouble.”

“Yangg Yi!”

“You say you’re completely devoted to Zhu Ying. Then let me ask you, have you ever told her your real name?”