The maid next to her, Lian’er, gently comforted her, “Young Madam, Second Young Master will definitely turn misfortune into blessing this time. Don’t worry too much.”
Yu Jia’s delicate hands were tightly clasped together. She was so tense that her knuckles had turned pale. Her voice trembled as she choked out, “How can I not worry? Second Young Master committed a capital crime this time. Even though we suspect that Xu Yangshuo framed him, we have no concrete proof.”
“With Prime Minister Xu’s overwhelming influence over the court and the Empress’s ruthless methods, Second Young Master’s chances of surviving this are slim.”
“Entering the palace to face the Empress today is no different from walking to the execution platform!”
Right now, throughout the entire empire, only one person could protect Wu Yi—and that was Duke of Dingguo, Wu Yuan. But Wu Yuan had been away from home for months, and no one knew where he was anymore.
Watching civil and military officials file out of the palace one after another, Yu Jia grew more anxious by the second. “Court is already dismissed… why haven’t Father and Second Young Master come out yet?”
Just then, Lian’er exclaimed with delight, “They’re coming out! The patriach and Second Young Master—both of them! Second Young Master is safe. That’s wonderful!”
“Second Young Master?” Yu Jia’s eyes flicked toward the palace gates.
Wu Yi also spotted the pair. His eyes lit up instantly. “My sister-in-law, who’s been widowed for five years, really is stunning.”
Yu Jia truly was beautiful. Her features were delicate and gentle, her brows like painted ink, her skin as smooth and soft as condensed cream—far more tender than milk. She looked elegant and dignified, graceful in every gesture.
She had that kind of gentle, enchanting beauty that stirred the urge to protect and cherish her.
Duke Wu An frowned, “What did you just say?”
Wu Yi laughed awkwardly and brushed it off, “Nothing, Father. I was just mumbling nonsense.”
“Second Young Master!” Yu Jia rushed toward him, eyes red with emotion. Her chest heaved with each step. “You bastard, you scared me to death.”
After five years together, the bond between uncle and sister-in-law was deep. To her, this little brother-in-law meant the world.
Wu Yi didn’t hesitate. He spread his arms and hugged her tightly. “Sister-in-law, I was so scared! I thought I’d never see you again.”
At the same time, he silently brought up her status panel.
With a thought, a virtual interface appeared before him:
[Name: Yu Jia]
[Age: 26 years]
[Height: 167 cm]
[Cultivation: 8th stage Martial Master]
[Favorability: 84]
[Score: 96]
[Number of claps: 0]
[Bone Structure: Mortal Grade — Upper (Mortal Grade tiers: Low, Medium, Upper, Peak, Perfect)]
[Identity: Daughter of former Duke Zhenbei General Yu Quanshun, widowed eldest granddaughter-in-law of the Duke of Dingguo’s household]
[Evaluation: A gentle and kind-hearted virtuous wife with a soft exterior and a strong will. Do not disappoint her—missing out would be a lifelong regret.]
“96 points. Beautiful!” Wu Yi couldn’t help but marvel.
The system’s scoring was strict, based on appearance, figure, and temperament. Anyone scoring above 95 was unquestionably top-tier.
“And her favorability is 84? That’s really high…”
He was surprised, but it made sense. Yu Jia had lived with the original Wu Yi for five years, and their bond was strong. A favorability of 84 wasn’t strange at all.
Her clap count was 0—no surprise there either. His cheap elder brother hadn’t even consummated the marriage before being rushed to the battlefield due to an urgent border war. He never returned… or rather, he did, but only as a cold corpse. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
So Yu Jia had been a living widow for five years.
[Ding! Yu Jia meets the criteria for pregnancy candidate. Host, would you like to mark her?]
“Mark.”
[Ding! Pregnancy Candidate No.1—Yu Jia marked successfully. Host may now begin the process.]
[If the candidate’s favorability exceeds 90, the host may receive a random sacred artifact or top-tier technique and gain a strand of sacred energy daily.]
Yu Jia, now calmer, gently pushed Wu Yi away. Although they were close, hugging in public wasn’t appropriate.
She turned to Duke Wu An and asked, “Father, how did it go? Did Her Majesty convict Second Young Master?”
Duke Wu An glanced at Wu Yi with a complicated expression and said gravely, “We’ll talk once we’re home.”
With that, he stepped into one of the Duke of Dingguo’s carriages.
“Sister-in-law, come! I’ll explain everything to you in detail,” Wu Yi said cheerfully.
Then he grabbed Yu Jia’s soft, boneless hand and pulled her into another carriage.
As the procession headed back home, Wu Yi recounted everything that happened at court—though he left out the part about the system.
Yu Jia hadn’t seen it firsthand, but just hearing it made her break out in cold sweat.
The Minister of Revenue filed an impeachment! The officials collectively pressured the Empress! Duke Wu An even prepared to sever his own arm!
And yet, Wu Yi stood his ground. He publicly berated the court, exposed Xu Yangshuo, and performed a duo-act with the Empress to execute both Lin Zhengtai and Xu Yangshuo, shocking the entire court.
“My goodness… You actually did all that?” Yu Jia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Second Young Master, you’re amazing!”
Overwhelmed with emotion, she playfully pinched his cheeks, stretching his face into a meme-worthy expression.
She hadn’t expected Wu Yi to turn things around like that. It was a miracle born from a desperate situation.
At the same time, she felt confused. Why did her little brother-in-law seem like a different person today?
She knew his nature better than anyone.
“I’m exhausted, Sister-in-law. Let me rest for a bit,” Wu Yi mumbled, resting his head against her soft shoulder, inhaling her faint, fragrant scent, and drifting off to sleep.
He really was tired.
The Hammer of Boundless Merit had ten different functions, all of which consumed a tremendous amount of mental energy. When he hammered Xu Yangshuo at court, it had drained him. He hadn’t recovered yet.
Otherwise, he’d have started increasing Yu Jia’s favorability already…
…
Duke Wu An stood with hands behind his back, his expression serious. “Time to be honest. Where did that black little wooden hammer come from? What’s going on?”
Even as his father, today’s Wu Yi had left him shaken. He felt like he was facing a stranger.
Wu Yi hesitated. First, he didn’t want to say anything—the system was his secret. Second, even if he wanted to talk, how would he explain it? That he was a transmigrator with a system and not really Duke Wu An’s son?
That’d be pure nonsense.
“Father, can we… not talk about it?” Wu Yi scratched his head. “Everyone has secrets, right? A secret is called a secret because… well, it’s secret. And…”
“Enough with your nonsense,” Duke Wu An interrupted with a headache. “If you don’t want to say it, then don’t.”
“From now on, you’re grounded for half a month. No leaving the residence. Don’t stir up more trouble.”
After he left, Wu Yi lay shirtless on the bed.
Yu Jia sat beside him, gently applying ointment to his back. Seeing the bruises and welts still fresh from yesterday, her eyes filled with pain.
“Long Jiuli really didn’t hold back. She nearly beat you to death,” she muttered.
Long Jiuli—Ninth Princess and full-blooded sister of Empress Long Qiyue.
Having spent five years together, Yu Jia had come to see Wu Yi as her real younger brother. Her care for him was sisterly and maternal.
Looking at the injuries from Long Jiuli’s beating, Yu Jia couldn’t help but feel heartache.
Hearing her concerned tone, Wu Yi lay there, eyes closed, enjoying her soft, cool touch as he said, “It’s fine. Long Jiuli has always looked down on me for being a playboy. She acted to preserve royal dignity.”
“You have to know why you’re angry… and also understand why others are angry.”
“She didn’t kill me on the spot—that’s already rational of her.”
Yu Jia pinched his waist sharply, making him grimace and gasp.
“You’re still defending her? She’s going to be the Crown Princess of the Great Yan Empire soon. Don’t tell me… you still like her?”
She knew Wu Yi had liked Long Jiuli, chased her for two years. But the proud and gifted Ninth Princess had never spared him a glance.
Unexpectedly, Wu Yi just chuckled, “Sister-in-law, you don’t get it. A Crown Princess is even better.”
“Innocent young girls may make your heart flutter… but mature married women drive you crazy.”
Yu Jia glared at him, scolding, “Where did you even learn that nonsense? Stop talking about little girls and married women. Not allowed anymore!”
Wu Yi turned his head toward her, grinning as he pulled out the Hammer of Boundless Merit. “Sister-in-law, come here. Let me give you a proper hammering.”