Chapter 095

Chapter 95: Cutting Ties

Minister Yu snapped, anger tight in his voice, as he said: “Yu Zhi Yi! I gave you a chance, yet you stay stubborn. So hear me now: if you dare act recklessly, my Yu Manor will cut all ties with you.”

Yu Zhi Yi’s calm heart felt as if something bumped hard against it. The feeling was complicated. It did not hurt. Other than that single jolt, there was no pain at all. She looked at Minister Yu with cool eyes and said: “Do you really mean it?”

Her gaze was so clear and steady that nothing could hide under it. Minister Yu felt as if she had pierced his thoughts. He suddenly did not dare meet her eyes. He turned his head away in a hurry.

Only after he looked away did he realize what had just happened. He had been shamed by a young girl. Anger flared hotter, and his tone turned icy as he said: “Yes. If you keep this up, you are no longer the eldest miss of Yu Manor.”

Yu Zhi Yi seemed to hear a crisp snap. The line of karma that had always bound her to the Yu Clan broke in half, leaving only a thin thread. It was already very faint.

Lowering her eyes, she turned to the Emperor and said: “Please bear witness, Your Majesty. Today, the Yu Clan chooses to cut ties with me. From now on, whether riches and honor or poverty and sickness, we will have nothing to do with each other.”

She added calmly as she said: “I did receive seventeen years of support from the Yu Clan. I am willing to return all the money they spent on me.”

She finished without a tremor as she said: “From today on, you are no longer my father, mother, brothers, and sister. I am no longer your daughter or sister.”

Then she bowed slightly and said: “To repay the Yu Clan’s years of raising me, I, Yu Zhi Yi, will take full responsibility for today. If I can wake Her Highness, that will be best. If I cannot wake Her Highness, or if it is proven that Her Highness fainted from illness and not from a malevolent spirit, I am willing to give my life in apology.”

Du Zi Heng pressed his lips together and looked at her. Her fair face seemed even paler now. Her expression was calm, her eyes cold and without a ripple. Yet he felt as if, through the hard shell of iron walls, he saw a sadness curled up deep inside.

The Emperor was silent. Everyone loves gossip, especially the messy drama of family grudges. But he had no time to enjoy it now. He gave a slight nod to show he agreed, though worry shadowed his brow.

Unlike the Emperor’s speechless worry, the Yu family all let out a long breath. They did not believe Yu Zhi Yi had any real skill. But now it no longer had anything to do with them. If she wanted to risk herself, that was her problem.

That thought had barely formed when their faces changed together.

The Empress Dowager, who had lain quietly on the bed, suddenly sat up.

Yu Jiao Jiao cried out as she said: “Her Highness is awake!”

Minister Yu relaxed a little, and Prince Xiao Yao sneered as he said: “I told you. Empress Mother surely had no-” The last word froze in his throat.

Not only him. Everyone around them showed the same look as if they had seen a ghost.

The Empress Dowager, once gentle and dignified, dropped to the floor on all fours. Her eyes glowed red. She bared her teeth at the crowd.

Her posture was not human at all. She looked more like a beast on four legs.

Even that strange crouch was nothing compared to her eyes. The scarlet light inside them spread like a lamp, covering half her face.

At the sight of that crimson glow, the timid screamed. Some fainted right away. The first to faint was Yu Jiao Jiao.

When the Empress Dowager landed on the floor, she happened to be right in front of Yu Jiao Jiao. Those eyes, full of malice and greed, locked onto Yu Jiao Jiao’s gaze.

Yu Jiao Jiao not only saw a twisted human form. She also saw a face wrapped in a chilling blood-red light. It no longer looked like a human face. The outline was still human, but blue-black marks seemed to swell and sink under the skin, ready to burst through at any moment. So Yu Jiao Jiao fainted.

The palace attendants were in chaos. The two young masters of the Yu Clan rushed to their parents, and Madam Yu hid behind Minister Yu.

Prince Xiao Yao and the Emperor both turned pale. The Emperor started forward, but Prince Xiao Yao stopped him and said in a low voice: “Imperial Elder Brother, Empress Mother always keeps protective charms near her. How could this disaster happen?”

No matter how blind or biased he had been against Yu Zhi Yi, even Prince Xiao Yao could not deny what he saw. The Empress Dowager was clearly possessed.

The Emperor said curtly as he said: “We will look into that later. Right now we must clear the malevolent spirit.”

He had just opened his mouth to let Yu Zhi Yi begin when Prince Xiao Yao suddenly pulled out a string of prayer beads and said: “These were consecrated by the abbot of Guardian Nation Temple. He said a malevolent spirit would not dare come near. I will use this to calm Empress Mother. Imperial Elder Brother, send someone to fetch the abbot at once.”

The Emperor hesitated. Before he could speak, Prince Xiao Yao moved. With a light tap of his toe he reached the Empress Dowager and tossed the beads onto her back.

Nothing happened.

The consecrated beads did not work. They only enraged the malevolent spirit. It leaped up like a hunting cat and slapped Prince Xiao Yao across the chest.

Prince Xiao Yao flew like a kite with its string cut and crashed to the floor. Something in his body made a sharp crack.

Terror filled him as he realized he could not move.

The Emperor’s face changed. Calling “Empress Mother” in hopes of waking her motherly love, he shielded Consort Yu and tried to leave the hall.

Their movement drew the Empress Dowager’s gaze. She turned her neck with a stiff, unnatural motion. Her scarlet eyes locked onto the Emperor.

The red glow seemed to burn even brighter.

A chill swept over the Emperor, as if death itself had set eyes on him.

The Empress Dowager sprang again, this time rushing straight at the Emperor.

Guards had already heard the commotion and charged in. Seeing the danger, they rushed in with drawn blades and formed a wall in front of the Emperor. They trembled, but they did not forget their duty.

Sadly, in front of such a strange power, ordinary people could do nothing.

Soon the guards lay all over the floor.

The Empress Dowager sprang toward the Emperor again. She seemed impatient now. Her speed was so great that no one could get in her way.

At last she reached him. As before, she struck down with her palm. This time she aimed not at his chest but at the crown of his head.

If this blow landed, the Emperor would die on the spot.

Everyone could only watch as the cruelest scene seemed certain to happen.

Then the Empress Dowager’s palm halted, as if clamped by invisible iron. It could not fall.

As the crowd stared in shock, a woman’s clear, airy voice sounded: “Prince Xiao Yao, Minister Yu, shall we proceed with the ritual?”