Chapter 446: Chapter 446: You’re Just a Baby, Don’t Talk Nonsense
Upon hearing Ji Youzhi’s words, everyone watched as Princess Ata nodded vigorously.
"I... I don’t know. From the moment the Lord God Hunter choked me, I can’t remember what happened afterward," she said. Her words made everyone exchange concerned glances.
Prince Yi, in particular, stroked his long beard in confusion.
"You say you don’t remember anything after being choked. Have you had similar episodes before?" he asked.
Ji Youzhi frowned and hurriedly turned to Prince Yi for guidance. "Does Your Highness believe her claims?" he questioned.
In Ji Youzhi’s view, a suspect’s words couldn’t be taken lightly!
"I do not necessarily believe her," Prince Yi said, "but while I was on the frontier, I heard from my men that Nanjiang’s Great Wizard possesses a Soul-controlling Technique."
"He can supposedly control a wisp of another’s Divine Soul, manipulating their every move at crucial moments. Could Princess Ata be under such control?" Prince Yi voiced his concern.
As soon as Prince Yi finished, a sense of dread overwhelmed Eunuch Ling, who promptly ran out to intercept the Emperor on his way to the morning court.
However, just as he left the Imperial Study, he encountered Ji Youze, who was also waiting for the young Emperor to finish his morning court.
"Eighth Prince! Are you waiting for His Majesty to finish his court?" Eunuch Ling called out from a distance.
Ji Youze nodded, his hands tucked inside his sleeves. He had always been mature and prudent, with mannerisms reminiscent of a little old man.
"Eighth Prince, you needn’t wait for His Majesty. I will go instead. You should hurry to the Imperial Study! Princess Ata and the Seventh Prince are arguing."
Ji Youze found this perplexing. "Eunuch Ling, what are you suggesting?"
Eunuch Ling had watched the Ji brothers and the young Emperor grow up and was intimately familiar with Ji Youze’s temperament: unhurried, never angered or annoyed. However, such a person was often the most formidable.
Any potential trouble would be ruthlessly snuffed out by him, and any danger he could resolve without a trace. Eunuch Ling was truly afraid of this person.
"Early this morning, Princess Ata awoke and requested to see the Seventh Prince and the Eldest Princess. I was ordered to go..." Eunuch Ling relayed everything that had just happened to Ji Youze in great detail, finally adding, "From what I gathered from Prince Yi, His Highness suspects Princess Ata might be controlled by the Great Wizard of Nanjiang. But I also heard some days ago that the Great Wizard of Nanjiang was eliminated by the National Master and the Eldest Young Master... Ah... Eighth Prince, I haven’t finished speaking! Why are you leaving?"
Eunuch Ling stared at Ji Youze’s departing figure for a long time before muttering to himself, "Strange. Why is the Eighth Prince heading to the Library? Why isn’t he going to the Side Hall of the Imperial Study?"
「Meanwhile, in the Side Hall of the Imperial Study, Ji Youzhi and the Empress Dowager had taken in what Prince Yi said.」
The two of them first looked at Prince Yi in disbelief, then fixed their intense gaze on Princess Ata’s face.
Could Prince Yi’s words be true?
Is Princess Ata truly under someone’s control?
"I... I am merely suspicious myself, which is why I wanted to meet Divine Hunter Ji’s second older brother," Princess Ata explained. "I wanted to ask him if he could tell whether I was being controlled." Her words left the Empress Dowager and Prince Yi in silence.
Only Xiaosuisui, frowning, said, "If you are being controlled, my Second Uncle won’t be able to tell. Controlling one’s Divine Soul is a form of Witchcraft; only those who cultivate Witchcraft can discern it."
Upon hearing Xiaosuisui’s words, everyone’s gaze shifted towards her.
Princess Ata, especially, became agitated. "I refuse to believe that no one can help me! You’re just a baby! What could you possibly know? Don’t spout nonsense!"