Chapter 358 - Calm Persuasion From the Artist

Perhaps because of the fact that she knew Zixu for a while, she could recognize the nervous signs across his expression. There was a slight delay in his words, only a fraction of a second that was barely noticeable to most. His eyebrows gathered for a brief moment before he relaxed them again, greeting his father with a placid smile.

On the other hand, Ziyang remained sitting by the side, worry plainly strung along his face. His eyes darted around the room, making sense of the situation.

Seeing the Old Master of the Yu Household, the very person the Fourth Miss was supposed to become a concubine of, Yujia should've been panicked. She should've felt at least a hint of concern. But surprisingly, as she surveyed the scenario, she was calm. Calmer than she would've ever expected.

"What is she doing here?" Zixu's father questioned him, distaste plain in his voice. 

Zixu opened his mouth, about to say something, but Yujia spoke up ahead of him.

"I apologize for my impudence, but are you Old Master Yu?" she began, politely lacing her hands together and bowing. She allowed a gaze of unfamiliarity to settle over her. It wasn't difficult to act as if she didn't know him. Only the Fourth Miss must've met him before, while she, as a transmigrator, was clueless of this man's face.

This statement of hers clearly took him aback. He shrunk his head back, blinking. "I am," he confirmed after a moment of silence, still confused at why she needed to certify his obvious identity.

"Well then," Yujia allowed a smile to settle on her lips. "I am very pleased to meet you, sir." Straightening her back, she continued, "I am Yue Yu, a fellow disciple of Lingxin Pavilion like Senior Brother Zixu." 

From the corner of her vision, she could see Zixu's gaze fixed on her. He must've not expected these words from her either. She didn't have the time to inform him earlier.

When she returned from her trip, in one of her first conversations with her master, she had asked her master for a favor. It was a favor she had thought of after learning the use of her master's name, and one that he did not have any objections to helping her with. It was a favor that solved one of her longest dilemmas, a favor that would come to quite a bit of use for now.

She had prepared for this day. She prepared for it ever since the day she asked her master if she could adopt his name.

With the favor she asked of him, Yang Yujia was stripped away from the public's eye. She became nothing more than a phantom, the name of a girl who once existed, the name of a girl who fell into an unlucky marriage, the name of a girl who no one would remember.

Instead, out from the remnants of this girl of lost memories, rose Yue Yu.

Granddaughter of Master Yue. Granddaughter of the founder of Lingxin. Granddaughter of the Emperor's teacher.

Of course there would be questions; there would be speculations. How could a girl rise from nowhere, after all? Yue Ze was famous for not having any descendents. 

Yet with the extent of her master's influence, not many would dare to doubt. Perhaps a nameless disciple of his delighted him enough for him to adopt her and give her a space as granddaughter. That served as enough of an excuse.

For now, however, it seemed like Zixu's father wasn't buying the excuse. 

"Yue Yu? Which 'Yue' family are you from, then? Do enlighten me," he stated.

Yujia decided to take the "humble" approach. 

"We are no merchant family, nor are we too heavily involved in the government. Although, if you would like to put it simply…" she paused for a second, tapping her chin in thought, "My grandfather founded Lingxin Pavilion?"

She could practically see her statement register in the man's eyes.

He was at a loss of words for a few moments, then laughed. It was a laugh broken into two breaths, sounding less of happiness and more of doubtful amus.e.m.e.nt. As if what she said was nothing more than a joke.

"Yue Yu, or should I put it, Fourth Miss of the Yang Family, you have taken this charade too far. We all know the truth, don't we?" 

"We all know the truth, but only as a matter between two families, is it not?" In response, she tilted her head. "Yang Family, Yu Family… who else knows? Who else has ever met this Fourth Miss of the Yang Family?"

His silence was enough of an answer. 

She went on, "I do not speak from a place of brashness. I wear the identity of Yue Yu. It is something that will be put into official papers soon. Yue Ze, the founder of Lingxin, is the one who backs me. If I say that I am Yue Yu, who will dare to doubt?"

"That…" he stumbled with a response.

"The marriage between the Yang and Yu families was intended as something to strengthen bonds, but if I speculate correctly, this strengthening of bonds is not as important as the reputation of both families. When the Fourth Miss ran away from her own wedding, I presume that you must've been outraged, sir. Outraged not at the loss of this opportunity, but the loss of your reputation. You send people to look for the Fourth Miss, yet only as a way to restore your reputation. But this is already old news. Many months have passed; who shall care about if some insignificant Fourth Miss ended up in the Yu Villa or not? If you bring her back now, if you take me down with force and insist that I am her, it will only make an old embarrassing story, one that most have forgotten, resurface in the capital. The Fourth Miss and her return will serve you no good."

Yujia knew that the Yu Family's Old Master was not dull. He could think well for himself. She merely gave him a direction for his logic. He could imagine the rest of the events. 

As he calculated her words, she waited. She glanced to the side at Zixu, noticing a light smile tracing his lips. It was a proud one. He was proud of her. 

When Zixu's father began speaking again, she focused her attention back onto him.

"I do not disagree with your earlier statements. You are correct; there is no need to bring the Fourth Miss back." Now, he flattened his lips into a thin line. "Except, what do you hope to gain from this? What do you hope to gain from becoming this 'Yue Yu'? What are you trying to do?"

"Why, nothing much." Yujia allowed her expression to be light. "I suppose I just want to have a better place to be. You must know that the Fourth Miss was not living in the best place. Rather than to live forever attached to a family that never loved me, is it wrong for me to seek my own happiness? That is all it is, in the end." 

It seemed like that was enough of an answer for him, though he continued, "Alright. Then, what are you doing here? Why return to my villa, if it is the very place you d.e.s.i.r.ed to escape?"

Yujia blinked. She gestured at Zixu with a nod of her head. "It is my Senior Brother's birthday today. Should I not pay him a visit?"

She noticed how the man's eyes trailed from her to Zixu, then snapped back to her. She could imagine his thoughts as well. In this era, amongst noble families, there were too many implications for a young woman to pay a visit to a young man. Though, in this particular case, it was not like the inferences of Zixu's father were wrong either.

"Is there anything else you would like to know, sir?" Yujia prodded for questions.

"My queries have been clarified," he affirmed.

She bowed again. "I won't stay at your villa for any longer. Thank you, sir, for your graciousness."

When she looked up at him, he seemed pleased at the news that she was leaving. It really felt like despite all logic, the thought of her existence still did not please him much. Though, Yujia figured, she had plenty of time to work on changing his attitude towards her in the future.

"You may depart," he permitted.

With another bow, Yujia then went to leave, but not before grabbing something. Someone.

Pulling on Zixu by the arm for a moment, she signaled for him to follow. The Old Master seemed baffled by this, saying, "Now, where do you think you're—"

"It's your son's birthday." Yujia beamed. "Spare him some free time, will you, sir?"

The man still wore that stern look, but after a moment, he relented. His expression softened. Looking down, he waved his hand. 

They had permission to leave. 

Looking back at Ziyang to wave goodbye, Yuija made sure Zixu knew to follow her. And then, out they went, away from the courtyard, away from the villa.

It was escaping with permission, but still, Yujia felt exhilarated. Not by the act of leaving, she realized, but that the dilemma which had kept her bothered by countless nights was finally officially over. She had solved it. She solved it with help from others, yes, but those were still her own words. Her own persuasion. Furthermore, it really, truly worked.

She could not stop grinning from ear-to-ear. And, as Zixu and her went through the front doors of the villa, she found her hand meeting his, her fingers lacing between his.

The two went down the streets, and for the first time, Yujia dared to say that all was well.