Chapter 98: Sister Yi…
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The Empress Dowager had awoken, her consciousness fully restored.
The Emperor, however, remained concerned about potential lingering effects and had summoned Yu Zhi Yi to the Longevity Palace. As a loyal court physician and skilled in metaphysics, Yu Zhi Yi naturally fulfilled her duty to relieve the monarch’s worries. After a meticulous inspection of the palace, she offered her advice: “Although Her Majesty the Empress Dowager appears to be fine for now, there is one item that, if not dealt with promptly, may expose her to further invasion by malevolent energy.”
At that moment, the Empress Dowager reclined delicately against her couch. Despite nearing fifty, her well-maintained appearance made her look like a woman in her early thirties. Her pale face and fragile frame rested softly against the supporting arms of the chief palace matron. She was the very image of a delicate willow bending under the breeze, evoking both admiration and pity.
Who would have guessed that not long ago, this same woman had displayed the ferocity of a wild beast, single-handedly incapacitating a group of martial experts?
“What item?” the Emperor asked urgently.
The Empress Dowager also straightened her posture, her curiosity piqued.
Yu Zhi Yi replied, “The jade bracelet Her Majesty wears.”
It was a Hetian jade bracelet, with a smooth texture and a soft, luminous glow. Even a layperson could tell it was a rare treasure.
Both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager paled. “This jade bracelet?” they exclaimed in unison.
The Empress Dowager instinctively denied it. “Impossible!”
Yu Zhi Yi said nothing, her expression calm and composed, her demeanor resolute. She neither argued nor explained further.
The Empress Dowager’s impression of Yu Zhi Yi, initially favorable due to her serene presence during the earlier crisis, now soured. Her gaze turned cold. Fortunately, the Emperor’s trust in Yu Zhi Yi’s abilities remained unshaken. Before the Empress Dowager could speak further, he asked, “Beloved Official Yu, what is wrong with the bracelet?”
Yu Zhi Yi explained, “This bracelet is a gift from the late emperor to Her Majesty, one she cherishes deeply, wearing it almost every day.”
The Emperor was unsurprised by Yu Zhi Yi’s knowledge. The Empress Dowager, however, raised an eyebrow. “You are well-informed, I see.”
Unperturbed by the veiled skepticism, Yu Zhi Yi continued, “Ordinarily, Her Majesty wears consecrated prayer beads from the Heavenly Sound Temple, which should ward off malevolent energy. However, some time ago, the beads were accidentally broken, and no replacement was acquired. This left an opening for malicious forces to take advantage of.”
She paused before adding, “Her Majesty treasures this Hetian jade bracelet, rarely parting from it except when bathing. Except, half a year ago…”
The Empress Dowager’s expression changed subtly.
Noticing this, the Emperor grew more curious. What had happened six months ago? Although he was the Emperor, he couldn’t monitor every detail of the inner palace, especially regarding such private matters.
The Empress Dowager remained silent, signaling Yu Zhi Yi to continue.
Yu Zhi Yi spoke evenly, “Six months ago, the Carefree Prince returned from his travels and gifted Her Majesty a bracelet made of exquisite ice-flower jade. The bracelet’s patterns were so intricately beautiful they appeared almost painted, yet they were entirely natural. Enchanted by this gift, Her Majesty temporarily replaced her Hetian jade bracelet with it.”
“The perpetrator, knowing Her Majesty would eventually wear the Hetian bracelet again, tampered with it. They had an identical bracelet crafted to confuse matters and secretly swapped the original with the counterfeit. The genuine bracelet was buried in a long-abandoned grave deep in a desolate burial ground outside the capital.”
“Such burial grounds are saturated with Yin energy. The particular grave used for this plot belonged to someone who had died unjustly, harboring intense resentment. Any object left in such a place absorbs its malevolent energy. Furthermore, the perpetrator invited a practitioner of dark arts to carve a sliver of the deceased’s grievance into the bracelet.”
“Once their preparations were complete, the tampered bracelet was returned to Her Majesty’s jewelry box. Unsurprisingly, two months ago, Her Majesty chose to wear it again—coinciding with the late emperor’s death anniversary.”
Yu Zhi Yi’s ethereal voice entranced the Empress Dowager, whether by its cadence or its content. She refrained from interrupting until Yu Zhi Yi had finished, then remarked, “You…” Her tone was conflicted.
Though she couldn’t confirm the burial ground’s details, the rest of Yu Zhi Yi’s account matched her memories.
The Emperor’s expression grew somber. “Where is this burial ground?” he asked.
“Just outside the capital,” Yu Zhi Yi replied.
The Emperor immediately dispatched investigators. Before long, the commander of the Capital Halberd Guards returned with a report. “Your Majesty, we found the burial ground and an isolated grave. Its soil appeared recently disturbed, and its headstone was severely weathered, as though abandoned for years. Yet, fresh offerings and ash-like residue were scattered on the grave.”
The Empress Dowager stiffened, her unease palpable. The Emperor’s face darkened with fury. Though he trusted Yu Zhi Yi, seeing evidence of the conspiracy enraged him. “Who dares plot against the Empress Dowager?”
The Empress Dowager shared his anger and fear.
Yu Zhi Yi remained silent.
Both turned to her expectantly.
Yu Zhi Yi sighed. “Your Majesty, I cannot meddle freely in others’ karmic ties.”
The Emperor fell silent. He understood: no payment had been offered.
Chief Eunuch Hu promptly produced a small gold nugget from his robes. Though tiny, it was worth a significant sum—enough to cover Yu Zhi Yi’s fee for unveiling the truth behind the plot.
Accepting the gold, Yu Zhi Yi declared, “It was Consort Liang.”
Consort Liang had been a secondary consort before the late emperor’s ascension. Afterward, she had been elevated but maintained a reputation for gentleness and humility, earning trust from both the Western Empress Dowager and the Eastern Empress Dowager. Even her son, the Prince of Jing, posed no threat, appearing unremarkably mediocre.
Yet now, Consort Liang was implicated in a scheme to harm the Empress Dowager. The implications were chilling.
Royal intrigues were rarely straightforward. Though the Emperor knew Yu Zhi Yi had likely discerned the entire story, he chose not to press her further. After all, in the labyrinth of imperial politics, victims were not always blameless.
Thus, for the first time, Yu Zhi Yi was dismissed without being compelled to explain every detail. She, too, refrained from volunteering more, merely requesting someone notify Madam Yao as she made her way to the palace gates.
“Sister Yi…”
A trembling voice, like that of an abandoned puppy, called out. Yu Zhi Yi paused momentarily but continued walking without turning back.