Chapter 101: Turning the Tide

Two invisible streams of qi collided, and the Yu family head and his opponent each retreated two paces, appearing evenly matched on the surface. Yu Youwei heard him let out a muffled grunt and understood that he was forcing himself—his strength was actually a notch below his opponent's. Like any granddaughter would, she naturally moved to support his arm and asked softly, "Are you all right, Grandfather?"

The Yu family head was overcome with mixed emotions. As for this granddaughter born of a concubine, he had never really formed any impression of her. He remembered that she had come to his attention only when he learned of the marriage alliance between the Ning and Yu families, and that the match came about because she was to stand in for her legitimate elder sister—and the groom was said to be a fool. When the Yu family had fallen into disaster, if she had kicked them while they were down, he wouldn't have been surprised. But what a good child she was, standing fearlessly at his side. In her, he saw the shadow of his fourth son, Yu Tianming, the one who had made him proudest of all.

"Good child, don't concern yourself with the Yu family's affairs anymore. Live well in the Ning household. Your second brother has hostages in hand and will surely escape alive—no need to worry." The old man transmitted his voice to her.

"Why would the Yu family need to flee?" Yu Youwei tilted her head, feigning innocence. She was precisely at that flower-bud age, fresh and vibrant, and the pretty face she raised showed the artlessness befitting her years. Just as her grandfather was taken aback, she raised her voice and continued, "Does the Great Gan Dynasty have no rule of law, no justice? Even if the Great Gan is the Xiang family's domain, does that mean Xiang scions can do as they please? Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. Once the heroes of the realm learn what the Xiang scions did during the trial, and that the Gan Emperor's sacred judgment was unjust, they are bound to lose faith in the dynasty. How much longer can the Great Gan hold its place as the foremost power!"

This speech, utterly venomous in the ears of the Xiang family members, left them daring not to act rashly. The Gan Emperor, a man of grand ambition who wished not only to maintain the Great Gan's position as the foremost power but also to expand its territory, became even more wary of Yu Youwei upon hearing her words.

"Yes, why should the Yu family flee?" the Yu family head murmured, and tears glimmered in his aged eyes. This child Youwei truly resembled her father too much—calm in the face of trouble, never panicking, and unlike him, who had sensed something amiss yet remained trapped in the imperial palace with no time to respond.

After waiting a moment in silence and hearing no rebuttal from the Xiang party, Yu Youwei shot Yu Shiyu a meaningful glance and then made another astonishing declaration: "Second Brother, release the Xiang scions. What harm is there in wagering whether the Gan Emperor is emperor of the Xiang family alone, or emperor of all the people of Great Gan? Even if we lose the bet, at worst you lose your head—a scar the size of a bowl, and twenty years later you'll be a fine man again. Nothing to fear!"

The atmosphere in the entire square grew even heavier. Everyone's gaze shifted from Yu Youwei to Yu Shiyu. All present understood that Yu Shiyu had tormented the Xiang captives to the brink of death today, thoroughly burning his bridges with the Xiang family. With those Xiang scions as hostages, there remained a thread of hope for escape—but if he released them, he would be handing his very life over to his enemies.

Even the Gan Emperor's face twitched uncontrollably a couple of times. The Yu girl's move was too ruthless. Though he did wish to rescue the hostage Xiang scions, he also, deep down, hoped that Yu Shiyu would not possess that kind of courage.

"Hahaha! Since Ninth Sister has such an interest, what harm is there in Second Brother making the bet!" Yu Shiyu answered without hesitation, laughing heartily.

The Yu family head gritted his teeth and said nothing. His somewhat stooped back straightened—even if the Yu family were to be exterminated, he would not allow this pair of grandchildren to think little of him.

A blood oath of fealty, to put it plainly, was a master-servant contract. If the master died, the servant died, but the servant's death caused no harm to the master. Unless Yu Shiyu voluntarily dissolved it, the Xiang scions would share his fate. To save their lives, the Xiang family truly dared not touch Yu Shiyu. But when they saw that Yu Shiyu had indeed lost his senses and voluntarily dissolved the contract, the black-faced old man of the Xiang family was the first to lose restraint, striking out with a palm from afar.

Boos erupted throughout the square.

Yu Shiyu saw the giant palm shadow descending upon him but neither dodged nor avoided, habitually making the motion of licking his lips.

The Yu family head's body moved to act, yet he felt a fierce, oppressive aura flicker from Yu Youwei, pressing him so firmly that he could not stir.

The enormous palm shadow reached the top of Yu Shiyu's head, and it seemed one strike would flatten him into pulp. At that moment, however, the Gan Emperor extended a palm horizontally and blocked the fatal blow on Yu Shiyu's behalf: "As for the Yu family's affairs and what happened during the trial, once I have investigated the matter, I will give you all an accounting. As for your seizure of the Xiang scions as hostages, in light of your voluntarily dissolving the contract, I shall not pursue the matter."

Instantly, thunderous applause surged through the square like waves, and the multitude shouted in unison: "Long live His Majesty, wise and enlightened!"

The black-faced old man of the Xiang family had his fury and bewilderment instantly freeze, then transform into expressions of helplessness and astonishment.

In the imperial palace, in that small courtyard shaded by bamboo and trees, an old man tending flowers and plants stared somewhat absently toward the direction of the clamorous square and murmured to himself, "The Yu family has produced two remarkable young ones! If this matter is not handled well, it may well provoke popular unrest."

At the top of the wall, a woman's head popped up, adorned with rings and jade ornaments. Her eyes and brows carried a keen cunning. Clinging to the wall, she mocked, "Aren't you being a bit overanxious? Killing the Yu boy would shake the foundations of Great Gan? Could the dynasty have stood on the Eastern Continent for thousands of years, firmly keeping its place as the foremost power, if it were so fragile?"

"You're just a woman; you wouldn't understand such matters of state." The old man glanced at her and chided, "Why don't you use the gate properly instead of always climbing the wall? What will the younger generation think if they see you like this?"

"This old hen wants to peck over the wall—what are you going to do, bite me?" the woman retorted fiercely, then continued with great self-justification, "The Yu boy seemed to get his nerve from listening to that girl. Do you dare say she doesn't understand matters of state? She turned the Yu family's fortunes around with just a few words!"

The old man furrowed his grizzled brows and muttered to himself, "She's in the Ning household. I cannot use her, and neither can I eliminate her. Rather troublesome indeed!"

"Pah! It's no great matter, hardly worth fretting over for you, the Grand Elder of the Xiang family. Just send a legitimate daughter of the Xiang family whose talent is no less than hers to the Ning household's fool as a second wife. A woman, you see—if she doesn't enjoy favor, and lacks a powerful natal family, she'll find it hard to accomplish anything in her husband's house. I've heard that the Ning family wasn't satisfied with the Yu family substituting a concubine-born daughter for the legitimate elder sister anyway. When the time comes, won't they be able to mold her however they please!"

"Isn't that method too simplistic? Will it work?" the old man asked doubtfully.

"Goodness, Grand Elder, the Xiang family has raised so many worthless girls—what harm is there in giving it a try? Now that the Ning family has produced Ning Baixia, the Ning family fool's stock has risen as well. Having one more marriage tie with the Xiang family wouldn't be shameful." The woman laughed, looking for all the world like a merchant's wife reeking of copper coins.

"True enough." The old man nodded, then returned to tending his flowers and plants with full attention, paying no more heed to what was happening at the square.

On the square, the Gan Emperor, too, felt lingering fear. Granted, a mere Yu family could not shake the foundations of Great Gan, but the earlier mishandling had jeopardized the people's support. He understood deeply the way of emperors, knowing how crucial popular sentiment was to the nation. Even though he wished to have the Yu siblings sliced to pieces alive, he had no choice but to display the magnanimity of a wise and enlightened sovereign.