Chapter 451: Chapter 451: Investigation on the Great Sorcerer of Nanjiang (Thanks to Haiyan for the extra monthly votes)
The young Emperor and the Ji brothers were taken aback by what they heard. They couldn’t immediately digest the news Princess Ata had delivered.
"’Could it be that the Divine Soul of the King of Nanjiang has already been consumed by the Great Wizard of Nanjiang?’ the young Emperor muttered. ’So, the current King of Nanjiang is actually the Great Wizard of Nanjiang?’"
Ji Youze noticed a hint of desolation on Princess Ata’s face. He suddenly recalled her mumbling from the day before and felt an inexplicable sympathy for her. "If that’s truly the case," he said, "he must have been scheming for years. Besides wanting to ignite a war across the lands, I’m afraid he has other, unspeakable objectives."
Princess Ata added to Ji Youze’s words, "His clearest goal is to provoke war, not just between the Great Han and Nanjiang, but also involving Xiling, Nanyue, and Dongjin!"
Ji Youze, the young Emperor, and Ji Youzhi all turned their heads to look at her.
"What else do you know?" Ji Youzhi demanded.
Hearing Princess Ata’s words, Ji Youzhi was so agitated he felt like drawing his sword. However, this was the Imperial Palace. Even though he and Ji Youze had been the young Emperor’s study companions here since childhood, he still wasn’t allowed to bring weapons into the palace. Even if his second sister-in-law, Huo Xing’Er, had given both him and Ji Youze sleeve bands that contained a hidden world, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to draw his personal sword here.
"I know that the Great Wizard also controls another person, who has been lurking in the Great Han for years... Ah..."
Princess Ata was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly clutched her head and screamed, "AAAH!"
"What’s wrong with you?" the Ji brothers and the young Emperor asked in unison.
Their eyes were filled with confusion.
Princess Ata suddenly fell silent. Then, she abruptly threw off the bed quilt and dashed barefoot towards the wall.
"Look out! She’s going to hit the wall!" Ji Youze shouted in alarm. In the same instant, Ji Youzhi flashed to the wall, his movement almost perfectly synchronized with Princess Ata’s.
He grabbed Princess Ata’s collar, but he was a step too late. Princess Ata had already slammed into the wall, and blood gushed out!
"Summon the Imperial Physician!" the young Emperor shouted.
Ji Youze quickly reached out to check Princess Ata’s breathing.
"She’s still breathing!"
Ji Youzhi quickly laid her on the bed and let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"It seems her Divine Soul is indeed being controlled," Ji Youzhi said. "But whether the one controlling her is the Great Wizard of Nanjiang or someone else still requires further investigation!"
Ji Youzhi was a Divine Hunter; without irrefutable proof, he wouldn’t jump to conclusions.
"Youzhi," the young Emperor declared, "I command you to take all the Divine Hunters, infiltrate Nanjiang, and investigate the matter of the Great Wizard of Nanjiang."
Ji Youzhi cupped his fists and accepted the order, but Ji Youze voiced his opposition.
"Your Majesty, you mustn’t!"
The young Emperor turned his head to look at him. "Why not?"
"He cannot go to Nanjiang! There are still major unresolved cases in the capital: Mr. Wu hasn’t been found, and the identity of the Empress Mother is still undetermined. The Divine Hunter Bureau needs to investigate all these matters. If he takes the Divine Hunters out of the capital, I’m afraid some troublemakers will take the opportunity to cause chaos again."
Ten years ago, when the young Emperor had just ascended the throne, many people in the capital were causing trouble. During the first year, the young Emperor played tai chi with them, which only fueled their arrogance.
In the second year, the young Emperor began trying to suppress them, but they only became more brazen, openly accepting bribes, bending the law for personal gain, and forming factions for selfish interests.
In the third year, the young Emperor secretly established the Divine Hunter Bureau. Within half a year, they gathered substantial evidence, confiscated the assets of numerous individuals, and made an example of them, thereby gradually gaining control of the Imperial Court.
Youzhi cannot leave the capital, yet the Great Wizard of Nanjiang must be investigated. What are we to do?