Chapter 91: Dragged into the Fray
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Five years ago, Yu Zi Xuan suffered a high fever as a child, which left his mind permanently at the level of a five- or six-year-old.
This condition made him the target of ridicule and bullying from his peers, yet no one in the Yu Mansion noticed anything was amiss.
It was Yu Zhi Yi who first observed his sluggish behavior and ordered the servants to investigate. To her horror, they discovered his body covered in bruises and scars—evidence of severe abuse.
He had been bullied, beaten, and warned not to speak of it. His tormentors threatened that if he ever told anyone, they would harm his entire family next time.
Such threats would terrify any child, let alone one with the mind of a young boy like Yu Zi Xuan.
Heartbroken, terrified, and in pain, he stayed silent.
Yu Zhi Yi, unable to bear the sight of the only person who treated her kindly being so brutally mistreated, took matters into her own hands. Against all odds and risking backlash, she used a secret technique to alter his fate.
Yes, she reversed heaven’s fate.
Yu Zi Xuan’s condition wasn’t caused by illness but by being born with two missing souls. His destiny was unique; he was fated to remain mentally impaired for life, unable to reclaim these missing pieces even in death.
Through forbidden means, Yu Zhi Yi forcefully retrieved these fragments of his soul, restoring him to normalcy.
The process of merging these incomplete souls was an immense strain on both the caster and the recipient. While Yu Zhi Yi, being a cultivator, could withstand it, Yu Zi Xuan fell into a coma for seven days.
Before using the technique, she had sought the approval of the Yu family, but they dismissed her claims of having such abilities and warned her not to act rashly.
Her hesitation ended when she found Yu Zi Xuan, beaten black and blue by his tormentors. Overcome by fury, she ignored the family’s objections and carried out the ritual.
When Yu Zi Xuan fell unconscious, the family blamed her. They refused to believe her intentions, accusing her of causing his bruises and nearly flogging her out of the mansion.
It was only thanks to her third brother’s intervention that she was given a chance to explain.
She could only clarify that the injuries were from others’ abuse, and whether Yu Zi Xuan had been truly cured would only be known when he woke.
Eventually, the family discovered the bruises were indeed inflicted by cruel boys and unrelated to her. However… no one apologized to her.
In the midst of this, Yu Jiao Jiao sought out Divine Healer Chun Yu. The healer declared that metaphysical practices were nonsense and claimed he could cure Yu Zi Xuan himself, restoring his mind.
Days later, Yu Zi Xuan awoke. He indeed became like a normal person—but he no longer remembered his sister Yi, only sister Jiao Jiao.
The memory made Yu Zhi Yi’s gaze turn chilling.
Madam Yao, startled by her daughter’s expression, cautiously called out, “Yi’er? Yi’er?”
Snapping back to the present, Yu Zhi Yi massaged her temple and said, “Apologies. I was lost in old memories. Please, Mother, continue.”
She had thought two lifetimes would be enough to let her release the past. But now she realized that though wounds could heal, scars remained. No matter how deeply buried, the jagged texture would always catch her fingertips, reminding her of the blade that had been twisted into her flesh.
Her Dao heart was still unsteady.
Yu Zhi Yi smiled bitterly. No wonder her master refused to take her away. In her current state, even if she reached the pinnacle of cultivation, her inner demons would cause her to perish under the tribulation lightning.
“Never mind,” said Madam Yao, unwilling to press further. She could see that this Divine Healer had caused her daughter harm and didn’t want to rub salt in her wounds.
After silently reciting the Clear Mind Technique twice, Yu Zhi Yi regained her composure. “It’s fine, Mother. Please continue.”
With hesitation, Madam Yao said, “I’ve been wondering… should we inform His Majesty and the Yu family that the healer is dead?”
Had the Yu family been unrelated, she wouldn’t have hesitated. But since they were Yu Zhi Yi’s maternal relatives, mishandling the situation could drag her daughter down with them.
Yet, doubts gnawed at her. What if… the Yu family’s healer was genuine, and the one she met was an impostor? Wouldn’t that make her accusation a mistake?
Before Yu Zhi Yi could respond, Madam Yao set down her chopsticks and sighed. “Never mind. Let’s wait for your father to return and discuss it with him.”
However, before Chancellor Du returned, an imperial summons arrived for Yu Zhi Yi.
Though it was termed an invitation, the messenger’s tone was far from courteous.
Madam Yao grew anxious, dispatching someone to fetch her husband while attempting to delay the messenger. “What urgent matter requires His Majesty to summon my daughter so hastily?”
She even signaled Auntie Wen to offer the guard a silver ingot, but the man declined. “His Majesty is waiting. Yu Official, please.”
Despite Madam Yao’s protests, Yu Zhi Yi shook her head gently. “It’s fine, Mother. I may not return tonight, so don’t wait for me.”
“Yi’er!”
Madam Yao gripped her daughter’s hand tightly. The Yu family had only just tried to exploit the Western Empress Dowager, and now the Emperor had summoned Yu Zhi Yi. How could she not worry?
But as a mere chancellor’s wife, she had no power to defy an imperial command. Once Yu Zhi Yi left, she retreated to the Buddha hall, fervently praying for her daughter’s safety.
Yu Zhi Yi, unable to divine her own fate, could easily guess the Emperor’s reasoning. Likely, the Divine Healer had failed to cure the Western Empress Dowager, prompting the Yu family to implicate her as well.
She entered the palace fearlessly.
Her intuition proved correct. The Yu family, in their desperation, had dragged her into the fray.
After Yu Jiao Jiao was released, she and two brothers set out to find the healer. They claimed to have located him on the outskirts of the capital, intending to bring him directly to the palace.
Upon meeting the Western Empress Dowager, the healer prescribed a medicine he claimed would restore her mind within seven days. Yet after just one dose, the Dowager collapsed unconscious.
The entire Imperial Medical Bureau was summoned but failed to determine the cause. The Bureau Chief deduced that the healer’s prescription, meant merely for bodily nourishment, had reacted poorly with prior medications prescribed to the Dowager.
Reviewing the prescription confirmed this suspicion. Several ingredients clashed with the Dowager’s existing treatment.
The Bureau Chief openly questioned the healer’s credentials. “Even a barefoot doctor would ask about a patient’s prior medication before prescribing anything. How could a so-called Divine Healer neglect such a basic step?”