“Big brother, could you please help me deliver this letter to the Sixth Prince?”
However, the guards at the entrance acted as though they hadn’t heard her at all, completely ignoring her request.
Seeing this, Yu Zhizhi began to feel anxious.
Just as she was about to resort to bribing them with silver, a voice suddenly came from behind her.
“Give it to me. I’ll pass it on to the Sixth Prince.”
Startled, Yu Zhizhi turned around and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the speaker was Qi Yize—the Sixth Prince’s close friend and trusted subordinate.
The Sixth Prince oversaw the Censorate, while Qi Yize served as the Deputy Chief Censor. Since Yu Zhizhi knew how close the two men were, she trusted him completely.
Seeing how readily he agreed, she handed over the letter without hesitation.
“Thank you. Please make sure the Sixth Prince receives it, and tell him that I’ll be waiting here for his reply.”
“Whether he accepts or refuses, please have someone come out and inform me.”
She intended to personally cook a hot pot meal for the Sixth Prince as a sincere apology.
After all, she firmly believed in a famous saying:
There’s no problem that a hot pot can’t solve.
And if there is, then two hot pots should do the trick.
As long as the Sixth Prince enjoyed the meal, her objective would be achieved.
She had already made up her mind.
If he rejected her invitation, she definitely wouldn’t go to the blacksmith and commission a custom copper hot pot stove.
Earlier, on her way here, she had visited a smithy and learned that an expedited custom order would cost three taels of silver.
She only had fifty taels to begin with.
After spending thirty taels redeeming Xiaotao’s freedom, she was left with only twenty.
She still needed money for ingredients and future stall business expenses.
Right now, she was truly poor.
“Alright.”
The main reason Qi Yize agreed was because he wanted to find out what Yu Zhizhi was really up to.
When he learned that she intended to wait here for Zhao Yunjin’s answer, his curiosity only deepened.
Also…
Had he just heard things wrong?
Yu Zhizhi had actually thanked someone?
Had all the etiquette she learned somehow stopped being fed to the dogs?
“Young Master Qi, I’d like to eat some apricots from this tree. May I pick them?”
Was she really so poor now that she couldn’t even afford fruit?
Qi Yize deliberately refused to indulge her.
“You can eat apricots, but you’re not allowed to pick them.”
Yu Zhizhi froze for a moment.
The meaning behind those words was painfully obvious.
She could eat them.
She just couldn’t pick them.
In other words, she could only pick up the ones on the ground.
She glanced downward.
The ground was covered entirely in rotten fruit.
Young Master Qi was clearly doing this on purpose.
Xiaochen was just as thirsty as she was.
Who knew how much longer they would have to wait?
Quenching their thirst came first.
Suddenly, an idea struck her.
The corners of Yu Zhizhi’s lips curled upward into a sly smile.
“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she rushed toward the apricot tree and delivered a powerful kick to the trunk.
Immediately, dozens of ripe apricots tumbled from the branches and scattered across the ground.
“Little brother, quick! Pick up the fruit!”
Hearing his sister’s command, Yun Xiaochen happily scampered over and began collecting the freshly fallen apricots.
As he picked them up, he looked at her with admiration.
“Big Sister, you’re so smart and amazing!”
Not far away, Qi Yize stood frozen in shock.
He never expected Yu Zhizhi’s brain to work that quickly.
She had actually come up with such a solution.
Although…
It was undeniably crude.
Still.
No one ever dared pick fruit from that tree anyway.
Since nobody harvested it, perhaps only Yu Zhizhi would think of kicking the entire tree.
Shaking his head helplessly, Qi Yize turned and entered the Sixth Prince’s residence.
Yu Zhizhi picked up a large, ripe apricot and casually wiped it against her sleeve before taking a huge bite.
Sweet juice instantly filled her mouth.
Closing her eyes in satisfaction, she savored the flavor.
After finishing the entire fruit, she finally felt her dry throat recover somewhat.
Just as she reached for a second apricot, she noticed Xiaochen still busily gathering fruit.
She selected the largest apricot and handed it to him.
“Little brother, stop picking for a moment. These are really sweet. Give one a try.”
However, Xiaochen hesitated.
“But Sister, they haven’t been washed.”
Yu Zhizhi laughed.
“We’re limited by circumstances right now, so washing them isn’t possible. It’s fine—just wipe them with your sleeve like I did.”
“By the way, do you know what this method is called?”
Xiaochen widened his eyes curiously.
“What’s it called?”
Yu Zhizhi grinned.
“If it’s not clean and not dirty, eating it won’t hurt you!”
“I understand!”
Soon afterward, the siblings began an amusing routine:
Pick one.
Wipe one.
Eat one.
Repeat.
The guards nearby watched the entire spectacle with stunned expressions.
Truthfully, they had long coveted the fruit growing on this rare apricot tree.
They simply never dared touch it.
But after witnessing Yu Zhizhi’s creative solution, they suddenly felt tempted to try it themselves.
Meanwhile…
Inside the Sixth Prince’s residence, Zhao Yunjin sat in an elegant pavilion within the garden, discussing important matters with several subordinates.
Qi Yize hurried over.
The moment he approached, he immediately sensed the oppressive atmosphere.
Glancing at the men standing nearby, he then waved the letter in Zhao Yunjin’s direction.
Zhao Yunjin looked at them with an icy expression.
His voice was cold enough to freeze water.
“Go back and reorganize the case files. If there’s a next time, report yourselves for punishment.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The group answered in unison before quickly retreating, clearly terrified.
Watching them flee, Qi Yize smirked.
“Looks like only Qin Zihao and I aren’t scared by your cold face.”
Ignoring the joke, Zhao Yunjin asked directly,
“What is it?”
Grinning broadly, Qi Yize handed over the letter.
“Take a look.”
Zhao Yunjin accepted it.
“Who sent it?”
“Yu Zhizhi.”
At the mention of her name, something flickered briefly in his eyes before disappearing.
He opened the envelope.
The moment he saw the handwriting—which resembled a chicken scratching through a rice field—he frowned.
At the top of the page, three large characters stood out prominently:
Letter of Apology
Zhao Yunjin shook his head.
What ugly handwriting.
But as he continued reading, his expression gradually became more complicated.
Dear Sixth Prince,
I would like to apologize for my drunken behavior that day.
I’m sorry!
If one apology isn’t enough, then let me add two more.
Sorry!
Sorry!
Can you feel my sincerity now?
If not, that’s alright.
I sincerely invite you to join me for lunch tomorrow at noon at Fuju Restaurant in Haidong District.
I will personally cook a one-of-a-kind dish to demonstrate my heartfelt apology.
I look forward to your arrival.
Yu Zhizhi wishes you:
Good health, a hearty appetite, increasing handsomeness, and that you find your special someone soon.
When Zhao Yunjin reached the final sentence, he frowned once more.
He still remembered exactly what she had said while drunk that day:
“You ugly freak. No wonder nobody wants you.”
Knowing perfectly well that he had a scar on his face, she now wished him to become more handsome?
And hadn’t she just said he deserved to remain unwanted?
Now she was wishing for him to find love soon?
Find love with whom?
At present, he had no fiancée.
And hardly any woman dared approach him.
Was Yu Zhizhi doing this on purpose?