Chapter 092

Chapter 92: The Divine Physician Is a Fraud

Under the bureau chief’s questioning, the furious glares of the Yu Clan siblings, and the emperor’s death stare, the man finally trembled and admitted the truth: he was not a divine physician, only a swindler.

The emperor exploded in anger and was about to have the fraud and the three from the Yu Clan dragged out for execution.

At the critical moment, Yu Jiao Jiao thought of what happened right before Yu Zi Xuan woke up years ago. She faintly realized Yu Zhi Yi might have played a role back then, so she begged the emperor to summon Yu Zhi Yi to the palace to clean up their mess: “No, to treat the empress dowager,” she corrected herself in a hurry. [Ahem, I mean to treat the empress dowager.]

Yu Zhi Yi stood outside the West Empress Dowager’s Longevity and Health Palace, breathing in the thin scent of medicine drifting from the great hall as she studied the air above the roof. In moments, she had a good idea of the situation.

As soon as she stepped through the doors, a figure lunged at her and clung to her leg, wailing: “Sister, sister, I know I was wrong, please save the empress dowager!”

Yu Jiao Jiao hugged Yu Zhi Yi’s thigh and cried pitifully.

“I know you hate me and hate that I came back and took everything from you,” she said through tears, “but if you can cure the empress dowager, I will cut ties with Father and Mother and stop calling myself the second young lady of Yu Manor. I will return our parents to you!”

A short distance away, Yu Meng Qin and Yu Zi Xuan both knelt on the floor.

Seeing his most pampered sister sob so sadly, Yu Meng Qin’s eyes went cold, while Yu Zi Xuan’s eyes blazed: he snapped, “Jiao Jiao, things aren’t even clear yet, you don’t need to beg her.”

After learning the divine physician was a fake, the two brothers’ attitudes had already begun to shift, especially Yu Zi Xuan’s.

He remembered the day he first woke up, the look in that girl’s eyes-surprised yet faintly aggrieved. When the family questioned her, she did not look at anyone else, only at him. He had not understood why this familiar yet unfamiliar girl would wear that expression. Then, after hearing from others what she had supposedly done to him and to Yu Jiao Jiao, all he felt was disgust, and he refused to dig deeper.

Now, before Yu Zi Xuan could think it through, Yu Jiao Jiao’s tearful plea hit his ears. Habitual pity flooded his heart and washed away every other thought. All he knew was that Yu Zhi Yi was bullying his Jiao Jiao again.

As for the claim that Yu Zhi Yi had healed him, he thought it was nonsense. If she truly had that skill, why had she not explained then? As a Daoist cultivator, there are many ways to prove your ability, right? Yet back then, faced with everyone’s questions and his mistrust, she stayed silent.

Yu Zhi Yi said coldly as she looked down: “Let go, or I won’t mind kicking you away.”

A chill ran through Yu Jiao Jiao, and she let go without thinking. When she realized she had flinched, she regretted it and reached out again to grab Yu Zhi Yi’s robe and cry some more.

No matter whether Yu Zhi Yi could save the empress dowager or not, she and her two brothers were doomed to suffer for today. She did not want to die. Worse than death would be seeing the person she hated most live better than her. So, no matter what, she had to drag Yu Zhi Yi down with her. If the other woman saved the empress dowager, everyone would be happy. But if she failed, then she would not be able to walk away clean either.

Her hand darted out, but the hem of the skirt slipped through her fingers. She tried again, and it was like she hit an invisible wall. The unseen barrier slapped her hand hard, and she cried out in pain.

Everyone in the hall looked at her. Yu Jiao Jiao reflexively tried to pin it on Yu Zhi Yi and sniffled: “Sister, I know you don’t like me, but you can’t hit me in front of so many people.”

Yu Zhi Yi’s eyes were full of mockery.

Yu Jiao Jiao sensed something was off but did not think it through. She had used this trick many times back at Yu Manor, and it always worked. She forgot this was not Yu Manor but the Imperial Palace. Here there were not only the soft-hearted Yu Clan, but also the emperor, guards, and many palace attendants.

Even the two Yu brothers saw what had just happened, clear as day.

So after Yu Jiao Jiao’s habitual false accusation, the brothers did not scold Yu Zhi Yi and comfort Yu Jiao Jiao like before. Instead, they both looked stunned.

A bad feeling rose in Yu Jiao Jiao’s heart, and she whispered, “Big Brother, Little Brother, what’s wrong?”

Yu Zhi Yi gave a short laugh and said: “Yu Jiao Jiao, open your eyes. This isn’t Yu Manor. Everyone saw you try to stage a bump-and-blame. Even if those two want to favor you with blind eyes, they still have to consider the consequences.”

Yu Jiao Jiao froze: “Sister, what are you saying, you really just…”

“I never touched you,” Yu Zhi Yi said from above. “You tried to fake a bump, but you could not get near me.”

In a daze, Yu Jiao Jiao remembered the palace banquet and blurted: “A defense bracelet?!”

“Using your brain at last?” Yu Zhi Yi clicked her tongue.

The emperor’s face was dark: “Guards, drag that troublesome thing out of here.”

The Yu brothers panicked and pleaded: “Your Majesty, please forgive her. Our sister acted without thinking.”

The emperor was about to speak when a cry announced: “Consort Yu arrives!”

As the announcement fell, a graceful beauty entered the hall. Seeing two guards dragging Yu Jiao Jiao toward the door, the soft-bodied beauty bowed to the emperor and said: “Your Majesty, what is happening?”

She moved with elegant curves, but halfway through the bow, her brows pinched and she pressed a hand to her lower belly.

Consort Yu had just been found to be pregnant, not yet three months along, the most delicate time. She had long been favored, and the emperor had high hopes for this child.

Seeing her discomfort, the emperor frowned, then lifted his hand for the guards to release Yu Jiao Jiao. He turned to Yu Zhi Yi and said: “Official Yu, you should already know what happened. Go examine the empress dowager. I command you to cure her.”

Yu Zhi Yi paused. [Who would have thought the Ministry of Justice could be as dangerous as the Imperial Medical Bureau, with heads at risk at any time. Mortal emperors really are headaches.]

Still, she spoke calmly to reassure him: “Your Majesty, please be at ease. It isn’t a big problem.”

Hearing this, the emperor, miraculously, relaxed a little. Though they did not wish to admit it, the three from the Yu Clan also let out the breath they were holding.

Yu Zhi Yi had already sized things up outside the Longevity and Health Palace. She entered only to confirm. She watched by the empress dowager’s bed for a while, then walked the hall’s perimeter. A quarter-hour later she returned to the emperor’s side and said: “Your Majesty, I have found the source of the problem.”

The emperor brightened: “Truly? Is there a solution?”

“There is,” Yu Zhi Yi answered truthfully.

Yu Jiao Jiao’s eyes flashed with unwillingness, and she opened her mouth to speak. Consort Yu glanced at her, the softness in her eyes turning into a firm warning.

Yu Zhi Yi took in the silent duel between aunt and niece and thought: [No wonder she has stayed favored for so many years. Her mind works much better than Yu Jiao Jiao’s.]