Chapter 88: Not Saving
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Yu Zi Xuan didn’t think there was anything wrong with his double standards. In fact, he didn’t even see them as double standards. To him, Yu Zhi Yi was simply dodging the topic. “Stop changing the subject! I’m asking you: are you going to help Sister Jiao Jiao or not!?”
Yu Zhi Yi’s face turned cold. “No.”
“You!” Yu Zi Xuan was livid, pointing at Yu Zhi Yi’s nose as he roared, “Yu Zhi Yi, do you even have a conscience?!”
“Oh, I see now! You’re still holding a grudge against Sister Jiao Jiao. You resent her for taking away the affection you used to have!”
“You’re nothing but an ungrateful, backstabbing wolf! A traitor who can’t be trusted!”
“I regret it so much! If I had known you’d turn out to be such a venomous, cold-hearted person, I would’ve begged our parents to throw you out…”
Slap!
A loud, crisp slap echoed through the silent room, as piercing as a thunderclap.
Madam Zheng’s face turned pale, and Yu Zi Xuan clutched the side of his face where he had been struck, his eyes blazing with fury. “Yu Zhi Yi! How dare you hit me?!”
Just then, Yu Ming Quan struggled to push his wheelchair into the room. As he entered and saw the scene before him, he hastened his movements. “Zi Xuan, shut your mouth!”
He then turned to Yu Zhi Yi. “Yi’er, don’t be angry…”
Yu Zi Xuan was dumbfounded. “Third Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? We’re the ones who have the right to be angry here!”
Yu Zhi Yi withdrew her hand, her face devoid of expression, as she stared at Yu Zi Xuan for a long time.
The ferocious look in his eyes… he was no longer the bright and honest boy she once knew.
The brother she had cherished was ultimately gone, and she was the one who had sent him down this path.
Yu Zi Xuan began to feel uneasy under her piercing gaze. His anger ebbed, replaced by wariness. He took a step back. “What trick are you planning now?”
Yu Zhi Yi lowered her gaze, the last traces of sentiment in her heart extinguished.
“Yu Zi Xuan, out of everyone in the Yu Mansion—every single one of the eight members, including Yu Jiao Jiao—you are the only one who has no right to criticize me. Because you owe me!”
“This slap today is just a small warning. If there’s a next time… I’ll show you the true meaning of discipline and respect.”
She flicked her sleeves and turned to look at Madam Zheng with a detached expression.
Madam Zheng, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, shrank under Yu Zhi Yi’s gaze, terrified that her seemingly unhinged daughter might strike her too.
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t raise a hand against her. Instead, she said emotionlessly, “I won’t partake in any acts of deception against His Majesty. And don’t think about doing it behind my back. If this matter is ever brought before the Emperor, I will tell the truth.”
“I won’t save Yu Jiao Jiao… nor do I want to.”
With that, she turned to leave.
As she passed by Yu Ming Quan, his hand shot out to grab her wrist.
Yu Ming Quan’s face was filled with worry. “Yi’er, they’re only acting out of confusion. Third Brother apologizes on their behalf. Please don’t be angry.”
Yu Zhi Yi paused briefly, then gently pried his hand away. “Third Brother, if you ever need help with your leg, come find me at the Chancellor’s Mansion. I’ll do what I can for you.”
When the last of his fingers slipped from her wrist, Yu Zhi Yi walked away from the Yu Mansion without looking back.
“This is outrageous! That ungrateful wretch!” Madam Zheng’s face was devoid of her usual tender façade, her expression twisted with disdain.
Yu Ming Quan wasn’t surprised by his mother’s change in demeanor. He frowned. “Mother, you were in the wrong to involve Yi’er in this mess in the first place.”
“It’s precisely because of her lifesaving grace toward His Majesty that she’s the most suitable—and fastest—option to save your sister,” Madam Zheng reasoned coldly. “If things go awry, His Majesty will surely take her contributions into account and won’t implicate the rest of us in the Yu Mansion.”
Yu Zi Xuan also shot a glare at Yu Ming Quan. “Third Brother, why are you always siding with that traitor? Don’t forget, Sister Jiao Jiao is your real sister!”
Yu Ming Quan had heard this argument countless times before. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he maneuvered his wheelchair out of Madam Zheng’s room.
As he reached the corner of the corridor, Yu Zi Xuan’s loud voice carried from behind him. “Mother, I’ve got an idea!”
Yu Ming Quan shook his head.
To him, the entire affair was nothing more than a desperate gamble by his family.
As long as their youngest sister wasn’t directly implicated in the assassination attempt, the Court of Judicial Review wouldn’t easily convict her. At worst, she’d remain in prison for a while longer.
Her birth father was the Minister of Revenue, and her husband’s family held the Duke Courage title. The Emperor would undoubtedly weigh his options carefully before making any decisions.
If the Capital Halberd Guards uncovered the mastermind behind the assassination, it would clear her name entirely.
And even in the worst-case scenario, they still had Consort Yu to rely on…
No matter how he looked at it, involving Yu Zhi Yi wasn’t necessary.
He couldn’t help but recall Yu Zhi Yi’s parting words and gave a bitter laugh.
His legs…
There was no hope for them.
No matter how brilliant Yu Zhi Yi’s foresight was, she couldn’t possibly heal his legs. That required medical expertise, not metaphysical knowledge.
Meanwhile, in Madam Zheng’s room, Yu Zi Xuan was enthusiastically exclaiming, “Mother, do you remember Divine Healer Chun Yu?”
Madam Zheng’s interest was piqued. “Divine Healer Chun Yu? Of course.”
The Divine Healer was renowned across the Great Sheng Empire, famous for being able to revive the dead and heal the gravest of injuries.
Years ago, Yu Zi Xuan hadn’t always been as sharp as he was now. He had been mentally impaired, his intellect akin to that of a five- or six-year-old child. People called him a fool.
On top of that, he had suffered at the hands of Yu Zhi Yi, who had secretly abused him. The most severe incident had left him unconscious for seven days.
Fortunately, Jiao Jiao had tirelessly searched for a renowned doctor and chanced upon Divine Healer Chun Yu during his travels. The healer had come to the Yu Mansion and cured Yu Zi Xuan.
Since then, Yu Zi Xuan had lived a normal life.
Recalling the past made Yu Zi Xuan grimace. “That’s why I call Yu Zhi Yi an ingrate. She nearly killed me! If I hadn’t been lucky, I’d have been dead and buried by now.”
Madam Zheng sighed. “Who could’ve known she’d be so cruel?”
Yu Zi Xuan sneered. “What’s worse, she had the audacity to take credit for my recovery, claiming she healed me! Utter nonsense!”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Forget it, no point talking about her. She’s bad luck.”
“I heard that the Western Empress Dowager is now mentally incapacitated. Her symptoms are similar to what I experienced back then. If Divine Healer Chun Yu could cure me, he could surely cure Her Majesty too.”
“If we bring the healer here and claim he came for Sister Jiao Jiao’s sake, His Majesty might be so pleased that he lets her go!”
Madam Zheng’s eyes gleamed. “This plan… might actually work.”