Chapter 9: Is she possessed?

After going to Eternal Lane and coming back, Younger Sister Zhi seemed to have become a different person.

Former Younger Sister Zhi was so lively, so clingy, always full of energy clinging to him, her smile sweet and cute; when he said one, she wouldn't say two, hearing him praise the little sister she would also get jealous, asking him which younger sister he liked most.

Now, seeing him is like seeing a stranger, cold and distant.

This isn't his Younger Sister Zhi!

Is she possessed?

Eternal Lane has heavy yin energy; Pei Shangyan indeed has heard many rumors of hauntings, saying the deceased deposed consort will return to seek vengeance and find a substitute body to possess. Last night the little sister also reminded him, she also noticed that Younger Sister Zhi was a bit strange.

Better to believe it exists than to doubt it.

Thinking this, Pei Shangyan's gaze instantly became extremely sharp; he fiercely grabbed Mu Yuanzhi's wrist and snapped, "You aren't Younger Sister Zhi! Tell me, where did you come from, you monster?!"

?!

He's sick, huh!

Mu Yuanzhi really is convinced.

She tried to pull her hand back to no avail, so she patiently said, "I am Mu Yuanzhi; if Crown Prince doesn't believe me, he can summon the National Teacher."

Although Mu Yuanzhi had no dealings with the National Teacher, in her previous life the National Teacher at least wasn't a follower of Pei Yunxi, so she wouldn't spout nonsense and put her in danger.

Pei Shangyan obviously didn't believe Mu Yuanzhi's explanation; his Younger Sister Zhi would never speak to him like that.

Without further ado, he dragged Mu Yuanzhi away.

"Let go of me, I want to go hunt on Back Mountain! Pei Shangyan, are you sick?!"

Seeing his sister glaring angrily, Pei Shangyan became even more convinced that Younger Sister Zhi was possessed.

Even when Younger Sister Zhi scolds someone, she's sweet and soft like acting coy; how could she be this sharp and bitter now?

He dragged her along rudely, and the palace servants along the way pointed and gossiped, rumors spreading instantly.

In terms of strength, Mu Yuanzhi truly couldn't match Pei Shangyan; while he was still furious, no matter how she pleaded, he wouldn't let go.

"National Teacher!"

"National Teacher!"

Pei Shangyan shouted twice with no reply; others in the Imperial Observatory didn't know where the National Teacher had gone, only the Vice Director was present.

"Your Highness, Crown Prince..." the Vice Director who came quickly exclaimed in shock.

"You've followed the National Teacher for so long—do you know how to tell if someone is possessed by a ghost or demon?" Pei Shangyan got straight to the point.

Upon hearing, the Vice Director knew what was going on; his gaze swept over Mu Yuanzhi and he nodded, saying, "Your Highness, Crown Prince, naturally I know."

Hearing that, Mu Yuanzhi keenly noticed a flash of slyness in the Vice Director's eyes.

This person harbors ill intentions!

He merely pointed at the nearby pond and said, "Just dip your head in the water, and any demon or monster will reveal itself."

Indeed! Mu Yuanzhi knew this Vice Director was no good—he's probably a follower of Pei Yunxi!

"Crown Prince, I just recovered from a wind-cold!" Mu Yuanzhi truly couldn't fathom how Pei Shangyan's brain works; how could she have once thought him exceptionally clever?

Indeed, if he were smart enough he wouldn't be played by Pei Yunxi into going in circles; everyone in this family besides the great-grandmother is brainless!

However, Mu Yuanzhi's words just now, to Pei Shangyan's ears, showed guilt; without another word he seized Mu Yuanzhi and pressed her head into the pond!

A suffocating feeling washed over her; Mu Yuanzhi felt her brain start to lack oxygen, her heart and lungs as if flooded with water, her whole body submerged in surging terror.

So uncomfortable!

Who will come save her!

Her struggling hands splashing the water gradually grew weak.

Crown Prince……

Pei Shangyan……

No!

She can't just die like this!

After barely managing to live again, she absolutely cannot die so ignominiously!

summoning strength from somewhere, Mu Yuanzhi actually broke free of Pei Shangyan's restraint!

"Younger Sister Zhi!"

Pei Shangyan held back time, about to pull her up, but unexpectedly a sudden force broke his restraint, and he just watched helplessly as Mu Yuanzhi sank!

Almost instinctively, Pei Shangyan jumped into the pond without hesitation, splashing water that drenched the Vice Director, who then realized the Crown Prince had jumped in!

Even ten heads wouldn't be enough to behead him!

"Someone come! Quickly save the Crown Prince!" the Vice Director, who can't swim, didn't dare jump into this very deep pond, panicking to the point his head seemed about to smoke.

Slowly sinking to the pond bottom, Mu Yuanzhi could no longer hear anything; she felt as if darkness were swallowing her, her consciousness growing ever fainter.

So unwilling—is this really how she dies?

A blinding flash of light squeezed through the narrow gap of her struggling-open eyes, filling her vision with warm silver-white.

She strained to reach it, then grasped a hand equally warm.

……

Mu Yuanzhi woke up to a ceiling both strange and familiar within reach.

This is… her sleeping quarters?

"Cough..." Mu Yuanzhi tried to speak, but as soon as she opened her mouth she coughed.

The Imperial Physician taking her pulse, seeing her wake, beamed: "Her Highness the Princess has awakened!"

"The Princess is awake!" Hongdou and Linglong looked at each other and teared up.

Thank heaven and earth!

Mu Yuanzhi still felt lingering fear, her fingers trembling, and she had no mind to pay attention to the others in the room.

The imperial physician busily wrote prescriptions, while the two maidservants bustled about, not knowing what they were busy with.

The instigator, Pei Shangyan, was instead absent, and Mu Yuanzhi no longer wanted to bother checking whether he was present.

The person who had just saved her in the water was definitely not Pei Shangyan.

The light she saw must have been the refraction of a jade hairpin used by a man—who was it?

The National Teacher? Or someone else from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?

Outside the door, Pei Shangyan heard the news that Mu Yuanzhi had awakened; his hanging heart finally settled, but he had no face to go in and see her—just then the National Teacher had come to look over her, saying she was not possessed.

This should have been a joyous matter, yet he couldn't feel happy, as if lead had been poured into his feet, guilt weighing on him so he could barely breathe.

But why has Little Sister Zhi's temperament changed so drastically?

As for the hidden weapon matter, could it be that she is truly innocent?

But the little sister would not lie—could there still be some other misunderstanding here?

Pei Shangyan thought he still needed to go in and see her; otherwise he wouldn't be at ease.

He pushed the door open and entered; the imperial physician was about to leave, and Pei Shangyan had the two maidservants also withdraw.

The wan, exhausted Mu Yuanzhi looked desolate and sorrowful; Pei Shangyan stared, recalling how just moments ago her life had hung by a thread, his heart suddenly clenched: "Little Sister Zhi… it was Brother who misunderstood you… you…"

"Go out, I want to rest." Mu Yuanzhi didn't even glance at Pei Shangyan, impatiently cutting him off; because she was agitated, another bout of coughing followed.

From now on, upon seeing Pei Shangyan, she must be more on guard.

"Little Sister Zhi, do you still feel uncomfortable anywhere?" Pei Shangyan anxiously stepped forward.

He felt extreme regret; Little Sister Zhi had just recovered from a wind-cold ailment, her body precisely in a weakened state.

"I want to rest—can you get out?!" Mu Yuanzhi suddenly raised her voice, her brows furrowed with annoyance.

Pei Shangyan stood there stunned, the foot he had stepped forward with awkwardly lowered.