However...
"Who are you calling ālittle sisterā? Donāt be ridiculous. Iām way out of your league!"
"Oh, but you are! My mother likes you. My third sister-in-law and second sister-in-law both praise you. Most importantly, Suisui likes you too. In our Ji Family, youāre practically one of us. Iām willing to acknowledge you as my younger sister! Arenāt you willing to acknowledge me as your older brother? Or do you not want to be part of our Ji Family at all?"
Xie PanāEr felt a lump in her throat. This man! She was annoyed with him, and with just a few words, he was escalating things to involve the entire Ji Family!
"You! How can you escalate everything to involve the entire Ji Family? Besides, Suisui calls me āolder sister,ā and youāre her seventh maternal uncle. If you call me āyounger sister,ā wonāt that mess up the generations? Or maybe I should call you āuncleā instead, how about that?"
Ji Youzhi was speechless.
How did I suddenly gain a generation in seniority?
"No, no, no! Iām not that old!" he hastily stopped Xie PanāEr, then chuckled and scratched his head. "Look, we can just have Suisui change how she addresses you and call you āAuntieā instead, wouldnāt that solve it?"
Heavens, he didnāt want to become a grand-uncle to the future Emperor!
"Hah! So you donāt want to be an āuncleā and gain seniority, but you want me to be an āAuntieā and get older?" Xie PanāEr fumed, gritting her teeth and snorting. "Let me tell you, dream on!"
Then she walked away, carrying the rabbit.
Ji Youzhi spread his hands towards Princess Ata, who stood to the side watching the drama. "Women! So fickle!"
Princess Ata rolled her eyes. "Iām a woman too!"
Then she also left.
Ji Youzhi walked towards the room where the Emperor and the National Master were discussing matters of state. Just as he reached the door, he heard the National Master say, "Thereās a path here, overgrown with thorns, so there are probably not many soldiers guarding it. After midnight, when the soldiers start to doze off, I will personally lead you and the Eldest Princess through this way to break out!"
"You will personally lead me and Suisui?" the Emperor repeated the National Masterās words.
The National Master nodded firmly. "Thatās right. However, the path is full of thorns. Iāll have to look after the Eldest Princess, so you might have to endure some hardship!"
The Emperor cleared his throat and asked him very seriously, "What about your little disciple? Are you going to take her along as well?"
The National Master shook his head. "I cannot. I plan to have her dress in the Eldest Princessās clothes. She, along with Divine Hunter Dugu Xiao and Princess Ata, will create a diversion by breaking out from the main path down the mountain. They will draw General Nanās attention. Only then will we have a chance!"
As soon as the National Master finished speaking, a CLANG echoed from outside. He and the Emperor walked out of the room, only to see Ji Youzhi standing at the door. Ji Youzhi was looking at the nearby corner, where a pile of firewood had toppled over.
"The National Masterās little disciple," Ji Youzhi said, his gaze fixed on the corner, "quite unluckily, happened to overhear your brilliant arrangement right as she arrived!"
The National Master was slightly surprised to hear this, but his expression quickly returned to calm.
"Divine Hunter Ji, your timing is perfect. Letās discuss how weāre going to break out tonight!"
Ji Youzhi spread his hands. "I think the National Masterās arrangement is quite good. However, my Suisui and the National Masterās disciple cannot be swapped. Itās my duty to protect my precious nieceās life!"
Although his precious nieceās condition wasnāt very good at the moment, he believed she would wake up soon.
"Divine Hunter Ji, this arrangement is also for the Eldest Princessās safety. Please do not misunderstand my intentions."
"Iām well aware of the National Masterās intentions; itās not hard to see. I just think the National Masterās eyesight might not be too good. Donāt fall midway and then need my Suisui to help you up! Youād end up implicating her!"
Ji Youzhi refused, his tone thick with mockery and disdain, clearly holding the National Master in low regard.
"What exactly do you mean, Divine Hunter Ji?" the National Master asked, furious.
Ji Youzhi glanced at him. "I mean exactly what I said. Itās settled then. You decide how youāre going to break out, which path youāll take, and then inform me. I will coordinate with you. However, I must keep Suisui by my side. On this point, I insist!"
Ji Youzhiās words angered the National Master considerably; his hands, hidden in his sleeves, were trembling slightly.
"I believe Divine Hunter Ji seems to hold some misunderstanding towards me!"
A corner of Ji Youzhiās mouth twitched upwards as he reached up to touch his nose. "No! Not at all!"
"If there truly is no misunderstanding, then what did you mean by what you just said? Are you mocking my inadequate skills?"
The National Master was about to go mad with anger.
He was a prodigy of the Daoist Sect, venturing into the secular world for experience! When had he ever suffered such mockery and disdain?
"Hey! You said that yourself! I didnāt say anything. If you really want to impose your interpretation on me, then thereās nothing I can do!" Ji Youzhi retorted with a sharp tongue, looking utterly punchable.
"You... you..."
"Alright! Divine Hunter Ji must be in low spirits due to the many recent events, which is why heās bickering with the National Master. National Master, please donāt take it to heart!" Seeing the National Master was about to explode with anger, the Emperor quickly stepped in to smooth things over, not forgetting to shoot Ji Youzhi a fierce glare.
This was his brother, who had grown up with him; he had to protect him!
The National Master, upon hearing this, flicked his sleeves and returned to the room.
As soon as the National Master went back into the room, the Emperor pulled Ji Youzhi aside. "Tell me," he began, his tone a mix of reprimand and instruction, "why on earth did you provoke him? If you donāt want Suisui to go with him, then donāt. Just state your position. Why did you have to mock and ridicule him?"
Years as Emperor had taught him the art of diplomatic maneuvering and making wise decisions.
"That wasnāt mockery; it was a statement of fact!" Ji Youzhi countered.
The Emperor was so angry he was at a loss for words. He pointed his folding fan at Ji Youzhi. "Look at that foul temper of yours! I have no idea what PanāEr sees in you. With that tongue of yours, sharp enough to kill without consequence, if it were me, Iād have been angered to death long ago! How could she possibly like you?"
Ji Youzhi shot him a sidelong glance. "She likes me because Iām understanding! If you could be a little more understanding, sheād surely fall for you in an instant!"
"You... What do you mean? You... you havenāt taken things too far with her, have you? Donāt tell me youāve actually developed feelings for her and told her something, or... done something?"