After the Nanjiang guard spoke, his expression involuntarily changed.
"This is impossible! If we do this, what good will it do us?"
A faint smile touched Ji Youzhi’s lips, which curled slightly. "Us?" he murmured, a hint of amusement in his tone.
The expression on the Nanjiang guard’s face suddenly froze. Damn it, this Ji Youzhi seems to have already noticed something.
"You... What are you trying to say?"
"You should know perfectly well what I’m trying to say," Ji Youzhi said, watching the Nanjiang guard, his tone icy, his gaze sharp.
The Nanjiang guard, however, said nothing. His face remained tense as he looked towards Princess Ata on the sickbed.
Seeing the guard remain silent, Ji Youzhi knew he likely wouldn’t get any information from him today, so he stated, "I am presiding over the investigation into the Nanjiang Princess’s assassination attempt. If you decide to talk, come find me at the Ji Mansion."
With that, he turned to Xie Pan’Er and Xiaosuisui. "Let’s head back for now!"
Xie Pan’Er hesitated. She had come here seeking the truth. But she hadn’t said anything, hadn’t asked anything. How could she willingly go back like this?
Xiaosuisui, however, furrowed her little brow and looked at the Nanjiang guard. "There’s still another knife. Give it to me!"
Hearing this, the Nanjiang guard gritted his teeth in frustration, but ultimately, he reluctantly handed the other knife to her.
Xiaosuisui happily reached out for it, but Ji Youzhi quickly snatched the knife away. "You’re not even as tall as this knife," he said. "What would you do with it? Your Seventh Uncle will keep it safe for you. You can have it when you grow up."
Xiaosuisui shook her head, giggled, and said, "Seventh Uncle, you use a sword, not a knife."
Ji Youzhi’s expression froze. He suddenly felt as if Xiaosuisui’s words carried some hidden meaning.
"Suisui, what do you mean by that?"
Xiaosuisui didn’t answer. At that moment, as she turned her head, she spotted someone selling candied haws outside the post station.
"Pretty Sister! Candied haws!" She was clearly craving them.
"Then let’s go buy some candied haws!" Xie Pan’Er said, picking her up and heading outside.
The Nanjiang guard quickly blocked their path. "Our princess hasn’t woken up yet. Please, Grand Princess of Great Han, stay with her a while longer!"
His words made both Xie Pan’Er and Ji Youzhi glare at him angrily.
"What do you mean by that? If your princess dies, are you expecting our princess to pay with her life?" Xie Pan’Er demanded, glaring at the Nanjiang guard, her anger boiling over.
The Nanjiang guard turned his head away, too guilty to meet their eyes.
Ji Youzhi, however, turned to Long Wu and cupped his fist. "Lord Long, while Princess Ata is recuperating, no one is to enter the post station without His Majesty’s command!"
Long Wu acknowledged, "Yes!"
Ji Youzhi shot the Nanjiang guard one last look, then left with Xie Pan’Er and Xiaosuisui, a cold laugh escaping him.
The Nanjiang guard’s expression stiffened terribly; Ji Youzhi’s parting glance seemed to have seen right through him.
After buying candied haws for Xiaosuisui, Ji Youzhi had Xie Pan’Er and Xiaosuisui return to the Ji Mansion first, while he himself headed to the Imperial Palace.
The Nanjiang guard watched them until they were out of sight, then quickly hurried into Princess Ata’s room.
Inside Princess Ata’s room, two maids were tidying up. Upon seeing him, they bowed silently and withdrew.
"Royal Sister! Are you awake?" the guard called softly to Princess Ata on the bed.
Princess Ata slowly opened her eyes and tried to sit up.
"Don’t get up! Be careful of your wounds."
"COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! I never expected that Xie Si, a mere scholar, would possess such strength. I anticipated his fury, yes, but I didn’t expect him to actually strike me. And I certainly never imagined his scissors would pierce my heart!"