The Act Was Complete; There Was No Need to Keep Pretending

Whether to maintain his persona or earn the reward for going to prison, Zhang Yu had to agree to this.

"Mother, your son... your son is willing!"

He raised his head and looked at Lady Qin, his face full of obedience. "Brother Heng is young and frail, so naturally he shouldn't have to suffer in prison. As his elder brother, I should shoulder his burdens and ease Mother's worries."

Qin Xuehua, Zhang Wanning, and Zhang Heng smiled knowingly at the same time. Zhang Yu's answer was exactly what they had expected.

How could a lovesick fool possibly refuse?

"Then let's go. I'll see you out, and explain things to the Jingzhao Magistrate's yamen runners, so they don't make things difficult for you."

For once, Qin Xuehua had actually considered her eldest son's interests.

Zhang Wanning looked displeased and said to Zhang Yu, "Why haven't you thanked Mother yet? She's lowering herself for your sake, putting aside her dignity to speak with those lowly yamen runners. This is an enormous favor."

She seemed to have forgotten that Zhang Yu was taking the blame for Zhang Heng. If anyone deserved to thank her, it was Zhang Heng.

"Don't worry, Mother. I certainly won't bring shame upon the Marquis Estate."

Zhang Yu remained deferential. He turned to leave, ready to go confess at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Qin Xuehua and the others nodded silently, thoroughly satisfied with his behavior.

[ Ding! The host has "voluntarily" fulfilled the promise to take the blame. This behavior meets the final requirement of the "People-Pleaser Persona." Current "People-Pleaser Persona" progress: 100%. ]

[ Congratulations, host. The "People-Pleaser Persona" task has been fully completed. From this moment on, the host no longer needs to please anyone in the Marquis Estate or his Fiancée. All future choices of behavior will be made at the host's discretion. ]

The mechanical voice was cold, yet it struck deep in Zhang Yu's mind like thunder from the Nine Heavens.

"No need to keep it up deliberately..."

"Make my own choices..."

Three years.

For more than a thousand days and nights, he had forced himself to wear the mask of a people-pleaser, desperately ingratiating himself with everyone in the Marquis Estate, and with that damned Fiancée of his.

At last, this life of going against his own heart was about to end.

All at once, he slowly—excruciatingly slowly—turned around and gazed silently at Qin Xuehua and the others.

The old humility and fawning were gone from his face.

Qin Xuehua was slightly taken aback by his gaze, and a faint, inexplicable discomfort passed through her heart.

That look... It was too still, too calm to belong to the timid Zhang Yu she knew.

Zhang Wanning frowned as well. She only felt that her useless eldest brother was acting strangely today, though she couldn't say what was strange about him.

When Zhang Heng met Zhang Yu's gaze, his heart skipped a beat. There was no obvious emotion in that look, yet it sent a chill down his back.

Zhang Yu's lips moved.

Qin Xuehua assumed he was about to say some pointless thing like "Don't worry, Mother" or "I'll always remember your kindness," and was already preparing to look away.

Then she heard Zhang Yu ask, his tone grave, "Mother, do you know what it means if I take the blame?"

He still had to go to prison for the cultivation reward. But since he no longer needed to please this pack of ingrates, he wasn't going to hold back.

"What do you mean by that?"

Qin Xuehua shot to her feet and stared at Zhang Yu in disbelief. Her son, who had always meekly accepted whatever came his way, actually dared to question her. He'd gone too far!

The corner of Zhang Yu's mouth lifted in a cold curve. There was not the slightest trace of a smile in it, only frozen mockery.

"Mother, do you truly not understand, or are you pretending?"

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear. "The moment I step out that door and enter the Jingzhao Prefecture prison charged with assaulting an Imperial Relative, my future will be ruined."

Qin Xuehua's expression darkened. "Nonsense. You'll only spend a few days in prison. How could it be that serious?"

"Not that serious?"

Zhang Yu cut her off, his gaze burning as it pierced straight into Qin Xuehua. "Never mind the damage to my reputation. The Wang Family alone won't let me off. They've suffered such humiliation, and one of their Legitimate Sons has had his leg broken. Do you think they'll let it go?"

He slowly looked around at everyone, his tone turning dark.

"They can't touch the Marquis Estate. They can't touch your precious second son. But can't they touch me, an Eldest Young Master who's volunteering to take the blame?

Have you ever considered what might happen to me in prison? Whether I live or die, whether I come out missing an arm or a leg?"

He took a step forward, and somehow his presence became oppressive.

"You... How dare you!"

Cornered by his string of questions, Qin Xuehua went pale. Her chest heaved as she pointed at Zhang Yu, her finger trembling.

She had never imagined that her timid son could say such heart-piercing words, tearing open the bloody truth and laying it before her.

"How dare I?"

The last trace of warmth vanished from Zhang Yu's eyes. He spoke icily.

"Even at my most insolent, I couldn't match your favoritism.

Zhang Heng is the apple of your eye. You hold him in your hands, afraid he'll fall, and keep him in your mouth, afraid he'll melt.

When he gets into trouble, your first thought isn't how to teach him to take responsibility. It's how to cover for him and find a scapegoat.

And what about me?

Just because of two accusations from Zhang Heng, whether true or false, you didn't even investigate before casting me off in the countryside to fend for myself.

Even when you brought me back, it was only a way for you to show off your 'motherly kindness.' And now you want me to shield your precious younger son from disaster.

Am I not your son too?

Am I just supposed to be pushed out to take the blame?

Am I really such a thorn in your side?"