Chapter 90: I don’t like the occasion.

Chapter 90

Yu Yang's brow was furrowed with anger that he could not restrain. It was obvious he was furious.

He got out of the car, wanting to get into the other car.

But the servant still kept his head low, gritting his teeth as he said, "Second Young Master, Madam said you still have to go to the reception hall to receive guests."

Yu Yang said coldly, "What is my mother thinking? It's my sister-in-law's first day here..."

"Yu Yang," Li Zhen called to him softly, her brows arched lightly as she smiled, "I don't really like these kinds of occasions anyway."

If it was before the divorce from Yu Sheng, being targeted like this might have upset her, but today she was just going through the motions.

She hoped to become a marginal figure.

The servant explained, "Second Young Master, Madam just wants Miss Li to sit alone and have tea."

Yu Yang knew his mother's methods were always forceful. He decided that trying to resist for Li Zhen's sake would be futile, since his brother and uncle had evidently not come to an agreement yet with his mother. She did not want Li Zhen to appear in the reception hall.

He could only get back into the sightseeing car headed for the reception hall. "Sister, call me right away if anything happens," he said.

"Alright, you go on." Li Zhen nodded.

Yu Yang's sightseeing car left. When it was some distance away he still looked back worriedly.

The servant bowed and made a "please" gesture. "Miss Li..."

Li Zhen was led to a tea room in a remote small building.

A young woman in a cheongsam was making tea at the tea table.

Beside her another woman played the guzheng.

Seeing Li Zhen come in, the young tea master quickly stood up and bowed in greeting. "Miss Li, please have a seat."

It looked like this was prepared specially for her, awaiting her arrival.

"Thank you." Li Zhen sat cross-legged on the cushion, inhaling the tea aroma and listening to the distant, melodious ancient tune. She felt extremely comfortable.

Just now Yu Yang hadn't wanted her to come here.

But this was wonderful.

Compared to socializing with guests, this was practically heaven.

In the center of the Yu ancestral hall stood a huge incense burner.

In front of the offering table were rows of wooden spirit tablets.

Beneath each tablet flickered silent candle flames, swaying gently.

Yu Sheng’s mother, dressed somberly and nobly, stood before several dozen of the tablets, gazing down at her son who knelt before her. “Your uncle once swore never to step foot in the Yu house again, yet today he came for your sake. Did you and your uncle come to break the rules of the Yu family?”

Lv Linwan frowned deeply, his voice solemn. “Sister, haven’t you upheld the Yu family rules for one generation? Is that still not enough? Must you ruin Sheng’s whole life for these absurd rules?”

“As Yu family members, we must of course uphold the Yu family rules,” Madam Yu said, casting her eyes over the tablets. She gave a bitter laugh. “Yu Sheng, I’ve recited the hundred House Rules of the Yu family to you since you were small. Tell me now, of the two women the Yu heir must not marry, what are they?”

Yu Sheng knelt in the center, back ramrod straight. Shadows cast by the candlelight fell across his resolute face. “Do not marry one of impure birth, do not marry an actress.”

“Good, since you remember, why must you take the illegitimate daughter of the Li acting family?”

Yu Sheng raised his head. “She did not sell laughter in public or join show business. She only works as a hand model now.”

“What about her identity as an illegitimate daughter? Can that be changed?” Madam Yu felt angry and her emotions teetered at the brink of collapse.

Yet the man was already gone.

Only her delusions in her heart sustained her frail life now.

Madam Yu took down the tablet and held it to herself. “Zhenting, your son has grown up, as stubborn as you. He has a will of his own now.”

A teardrop fell onto the tablet with a “drip”.

Madam Yu’s eyes were blank. She only asked softly, “Leaving the clan registry, do you still remember what that entails?”

Yu Sheng: “One hundred lashes, all assets gained from the Yu family returned.”

Madam Yu looked to the right side of the ancestral hall, where a coiled whip hung from a stand.

Back then, when Yu Zhenting married her, the Lv family had exerted tremendous pressure on the Yu family. After all, how could merchants rival officials?

Her husband had also knelt in this hall and was coerced by the Yu family head with clan rules to divorce her.

Yu Zhenting had endured a hundred lashes.

She had knelt by and cried herself unconscious.

Let it go, let it go.

This child had her blood, Zhenting's blood. They were both irrational. What right did she have to blame her son?

It had been three years.

She should have known her son would not turn back.

Madam Yu took down the whip and handed it to Lv Linwan. “I don’t want anyone else to hit him. You do it.”

Lv Linwan took it, his hand shaking slightly. “Alright, he’s half a Lv family member. I’ll do it.”

Lv Linwan now understood his sister could not be persuaded.

“Steward,” Madam Yu called weakly.

The doors of the ancestral hall were pushed open.

The light of the setting sun forced its way inside, blending with the candlelight.

Yu Sheng was bathed entirely in golden rays.

The steward came in with a bow. “Madam.”

Madam Yu waved her hand limply. “Go bring Miss Li here.”

“No, I don’t want her to see this,” Yu Sheng said, raising his head.

“You’re making such a great sacrifice for her. You won’t let her watch?”

“I don’t want her to see.”

Yu Sheng looked back toward the tea room.

His mother did not want her to appear at the Yu family banquet, so she had arranged for her to be there.

Yu Sheng could imagine she would be delighted not to have to socialize, leisurely enjoying herself there with tea.

Yu Sheng drew his gaze back, his tone gentle. “She’s actually quite timid.”

“Seeing blood frightens her.”