Chapter 105: Are You Robbing Me?
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Yu Zhi Yi seemed utterly oblivious to the commotion outside. She casually wiped the ashes from her palm with a delicate handkerchief, remarking, “A single Transfer Talisman should be worth at least five hundred taels. I’ll have to demand this money from the Carefree Prince.”
The Empress Dowager’s summoning of Yu Zhi Yi to the palace had everything to do with the prince.
After that day, the Carefree Prince had been confined to his bed, paralyzed from the waist down. Forget about standing or moving freely—even sitting upright without assistance was beyond his reach.
Though the imperial physicians unanimously agreed his injuries were man-made, the Empress Dowager remained adamant that some evil force was at play. She believed fervently that only metaphysical methods could provide a solution.
Hence, she had summoned Yu Zhi Yi to the palace.
The Carefree Prince, upon hearing this, could only find his mother’s actions ludicrous.
Never mind whether this woman’s metaphysical arts could actually heal him; even if they could, why would she be inclined to help?
Still, he made no move to stop it.
A metaphysical master who claimed to foresee others’ fortunes and misfortunes but couldn’t predict her own death? Surely, this joke would circulate in Sheng Capital for years.
Then came the herald’s announcement: “The Empress Dowager, His Majesty, and Official Yu have arrived!”
The Carefree Prince was dumbfounded. That woman—alive and well?
It wasn’t until Yu Zhi Yi stood before him, unscathed, that he realized his men had been completely ineffective. Not only was she unharmed, but her attire remained immaculate.
Suppressing the storm of emotions in his eyes, the Carefree Prince kept his expression neutral. However, Yu Zhi Yi greeted him with a bright, teasing smile. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
At that moment, the emperor and the Empress Dowager were slightly ahead of her, meaning only the Carefree Prince caught her mocking smile. While some palace servants noticed it, the Carefree Prince’s pride wouldn’t allow him to complain. He could only swallow his resentment.
The Empress Dowager spoke urgently, “Official Yu, I have called you here to check whether any malevolent energy remains on the Carefree Prince.”
The prince remained outwardly courteous, though he was inwardly skeptical. He didn’t meet Yu Zhi Yi’s gaze, his downcast eyes giving him a melancholic air. His strikingly handsome face, paired with his apparent sorrow, painted the picture of a wounded noble.
Why the melancholy? Naturally, it stemmed from his grim prognosis of lifelong immobility.
The Empress Dowager, moved by her imagined tragedy, grew even more anxious. “Official Yu, if you can cure the prince, I will reward you handsomely.”
The emperor added, “Indeed. You exorcised the malevolent spirit plaguing the Empress Dowager. If you can heal the prince, I will double your reward.”
The Carefree Prince frowned. His mother and elder brother were completely at this woman’s mercy.
Yu Zhi Yi appeared impervious to the prince’s derision and defiance. She responded calmly, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, I can do it. However, the prince’s injuries are severe. Treating him will require an enormous expenditure of both my energy and resources…”
She could heal him today, but should he “accidentally” get injured again later, that would no longer be her responsibility.
Ever since severing ties with the Yu family, her state of mind had grown tranquil. She now adhered firmly to the principles of the Heaven’s Mystery Sect: act according to your heart.
The Empress Dowager and the emperor both looked elated. The emperor declared, “Rest assured, you will not be shortchanged.”
Finally, the Carefree Prince could hold his tongue no longer. “Official Yu, I recall that your expertise lies in metaphysics, not medicine. I’ve already consulted Daoist Yun Qing Zi from the Dragon-Tiger Mountain Dojo, who confirmed that my condition stems from severe physical trauma, not any malevolent entity.
“Are you suggesting Daoist Yun Qing Zi was mistaken?”
Since joining the Heaven’s Mystery Sect at the age of seven, Yu Zhi Yi had spent ten years honing her craft. Though she had occasionally ventured among the common folk under an alias, she had never delved deeply into the larger world of metaphysical sects. She’d heard of Dragon-Tiger Mountain as a cornerstone of the mystic arts but knew little about its practitioners.
After all, her master had taught her skills, not gossip.
She didn’t know who Yun Qing Zi was, but…
“The esteemed Daoist was not wrong. The prince’s injuries indeed have nothing to do with malevolent forces. They are simply physical wounds.”
The Carefree Prince seized upon this, turning sharply to his mother and brother. “Mother, brother, you heard her! She admitted she’s a fraud!”
If he could move, he’d have leapt to his feet. Alas, he couldn’t. The resulting twist of his neck and attempt to lift his head only made the gesture more awkward.
The Empress Dowager and the emperor both frowned. While the emperor stayed silent, the Empress Dowager addressed Yu Zhi Yi directly. “Official Yu, what is the meaning of this?”
“Your Majesty, Empress Dowager,” Yu Zhi Yi began respectfully, though her gaze taunted the prince, “Daoists study more than just ‘Mountain Arts.’ Other disciplines include Fate Medicine, divination, and geomancy.”
Her lips curled slightly. “I am but a humble practitioner. In addition to Mountain Arts, I have dabbled in medical techniques. However, unlike ordinary physicians, I treat ailments through metaphysics.”
The Carefree Prince’s frown deepened. He detested the idea that this woman might actually possess some ability, nor did he trust her intentions. Yet…what if?
What if she could heal him, compelled by imperial authority?
The world was not short of extraordinary individuals. The talents of Dragon-Tiger Mountain’s Daoists, for instance, were widely revered, but even they bowed to imperial power. Perhaps Yu Zhi Yi was no different.
He loathed the thought of spending his life bedridden, humiliated and dependent. His face, once so captivating, and his carefree demeanor had charmed countless women. To remain paralyzed, chained to a life of indignity…he couldn’t accept it.
As Yu Zhi Yi watched the shifting emotions on his face, her smile grew. How humiliating it must be for someone so proud to seek help from someone they despised.
“So, Your Highness,” she asked sweetly, “will you place your trust in me?”
The prince hesitated, his lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, he wanted to retort defiantly. But an insistent voice inside screamed: Don’t say it. Don’t give her an excuse to refuse. If she can heal you and you drive her away, you’ll regret it forever.
At last, he exhaled and replied coldly, “I trust you.”
That single word carried a weight of suppressed fury and resentment.
Yu Zhi Yi, unfazed, nodded lightly. “I’ve always required payment upfront. Please prepare eleven thousand five hundred taels, Your Highness.”
The Carefree Prince’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you robbing me?!”