Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 12

Yu Ruhai’s sudden change in attitude was completely unexpected to Old Madam Yu. She frowned and said, “Master, Meng Yujiao is utterly shameless. She did such filthy things and nearly ruined Silang’s reputation. How can we just let this go?”

Yu Ruhai had other plans in mind, but it wasn’t the right time to say them out loud to the old woman. He simply replied, “To err is human. Yujiao is still young, so making mistakes is inevitable. As long as she doesn’t repeat them in the future, it’s fine.”

These words were also meant for Yu Jiao’s ears. On one hand, they displayed his magnanimity; on the other, they were a calculated gesture to win her over.

Just then, someone knocked on the gate again. Speaking with the tone of the family head, Yu Ruhai said, “It must be Shitou bringing the consultation fee. Everyone, go back to your rooms and rest.”

With that, he walked toward the courtyard gate to receive the fee from the Zhou family.

Inside the house, Old Madam Yu glared at Yu Jiao with disgust. She had hoped they could kick this disgraceful girl out of the family and spare themselves the eyesore. Who would’ve thought that a visit from the Zhou family would give the girl a chance to show off her skills?

Madam Song smiled kindly at Yu Jiao and beckoned her to return to the east wing to sleep. Yu Jiao hesitated briefly but followed her.

The main branch couple also left the main room and returned to their quarters.

When Yu Ruhai came back after receiving the payment, Old Madam Yu began helping him out of his outer robe and whispered, “Master, I know how much you value medical skill. But Meng Yujiao is a troublemaker. Who knows what chaos she might stir up in the future… are we really going to keep her in the family?”

Yu Ruhai sat down on the bed while Old Madam Yu crouched to remove his shoes and socks.

“Our Yu family had an ancestor who once served as an imperial physician,” he said quietly. “And yet look at us now, reduced to living in this remote mountain village. The medical knowledge passed down to me is but a fraction of what it once was.” 

“Even Hanshan and his two older brothers have made little progress in studying medicine. Our ancestors always hoped the future generations could restore our family’s honor. I have a feeling Meng Yujiao might be the key to that.”

Old Madam Yu frowned slightly. Though she didn’t agree with his thinking, she spoke softly, “I just worry you’re overestimating her. She’s only a fourteen-year-old girl. Even if she studied medicine when she was younger, how much could she possibly remember now?” 

“This time she got lucky saving Zhou Huai. But what if luck isn’t on her side next time and someone dies? The consequences would fall on the Yu family and your reputation would be in ruins.”

Yu Ruhai always appreciated Old Madam Yu’s gentle demeanor. He held her hand and said, “I understand your concern. From now on, I’ll supervise her closely whenever she sees patients. You don’t understand how dangerous ‘Horseback Madness’ is.” 

“She’s young, yes, but to save Zhou Huai from such a condition with a single treatment? That wasn’t just luck. She must’ve learned real techniques from a great doctor in the capital.”

Over the years, Old Madam Yu had earned Yu Ruhai’s deep respect and affection. She had her own subtle ways of influence and never opposed him openly, always speaking in ways that pleased him.

She nodded and said, “Let’s just hope she remembers this lesson and doesn’t try to seduce Silang again. He’s now enrolled at the county school and officially a Tongsheng (licentiate). He’ll be taking the provincial exams in the fall. He can’t afford even a speck of scandal.”

Yu Ruhai lay down on the bed and replied, “I know. His future is the priority. If you dislike her, we’ll let her stay for now. Once we’ve extracted all the medical knowledge she has, we can drive her out.”

Old Madam Yu lay beside him, praising, “Master always thinks everything through.”

Yu Ruhai was pleased, he had always held himself in high regard. Though just a commoner, he saw himself as a physician above the average villager. Old Madam Yu knew him well and always addressed him respectfully as “Master.”

Meanwhile, Yu Jiao followed Madam Song back to the east wing. The commotion had woken Yu Mengshan, who was now sitting on the bed. When he saw them enter, he smiled kindly at Yu Jiao and asked, “I heard from Qizhe that you know medicine, you saved Zhou Huai just now?”

Yu Jiao replied modestly, “I know a little.”

Madam Song beamed, “Meng girl’s medical skill is impressive. When Zhou Huai was carried in, he was barely breathing. Even father said he couldn’t be saved. But this girl brought him back with just a few needles. Father values medicine above all, and now he’s agreed to let her return to the east wing to sleep.”

“Knowing medicine is a good thing,” Yu Mengshan said. With her skill, Meng Yujiao might find a stable place in the Yu family. 

He glanced toward the inner room where Yu Qizhe slept. Seeing the door tightly shut, he lowered his voice and said to Yu Jiao, “I know you’re unwilling to live with my Wulang. But you were bought into the Yu family. If you dishonor a woman’s virtue, you could end up drowned in a pig cage. If you step out of line again, we won’t tolerate it.”

His words were a warning. What Meng Yujiao had done was unacceptable even within their own branch of the family, let alone to the rest of the Yu household.

Yu Jiao knew well how foolish the original owner of this body had been. Given that, the attitude of the second branch couple toward her now was already surprisingly kind.

She nodded obediently. “I understand. I will stay within bounds from now on.”

Madam Song spoke gently, “Good child, I know you’ve suffered a lot since coming to our household. But you are now part of the second branch. The only thing that matters is living a stable life from now on.”

Yu Jiao nodded again.

“Go to sleep now,” Madam Song said, opening the door to the right. “Fuling is still at her maternal grandmother’s house and hasn’t returned yet.”

Yu Jiao nodded. From memory, after she was bought into the Yu family, she never shared a room with Yu Qizhe, but instead stayed with the eldest daughter of the second branch, Yu Fuling.

She stepped into the room and shut the door behind her, letting out an unexpected sigh of relief. She scanned the room, it was sparsely furnished. A small bed stood against the wall, with an old trunk in the corner. 

It didn’t feel like a young girl’s room at all. But compared to the straw pile in the woodshed, it was a massive improvement. Yu Jiao lay on the bed, pulled the quilt over herself, stretched lazily, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, word of the Zhou family’s emergency visit spread throughout Qingyu Village. The village wasn’t large, and the loud wailing from the Zhou household the previous night had caught the neighbors’ attention. 

People had gone over early in the morning to inquire. Zhou Huai and his wife praised Yu Ruhai’s medical skill immensely. While they didn’t mention that Zhou Huai had suffered from the embarrassing “Horseback Madness,” they emphasized it was a life-threatening condition, highlighting the doctor’s expertise.

Until now, Yu Ruhai had only treated minor illnesses like headaches and diarrhea. If something serious came up, he usually deferred to doctors in the town or city. The villagers had always assumed he was just a quack.

But the story from the Zhou family made everyone reconsider. They felt they’d underestimated Yu Ruhai.

That morning, several villagers came by, hoping to watch the excitement and maybe get a consultation or some medicine.

Yu Jiao was still sleeping soundly when Madam Song knocked on her door and woke her up.