Chapter 52 Young Master Shen, would you dare let me see your arm?

Shen Chu looked at the large hand gripping her arm, then at Pei Yuan, who had a half-smile on his face, her eyes flickering slightly.

Pei Yuan so accurately seized her wound; could it be that last night's events aroused his suspicion?

She shouldn't have left any clues, right?

"Your Highness, I wish to measure this cave."

Despite the pain, Shen Chu gestured for Pei Yuan to release her.

Pei Yuan used considerable force; she swore the wound had definitely reopened.

She could feel blood seeping out, but fortunately she was wearing a dark blue official robe today, so the blood wasn't immediately visible.

Pei Yuan seemed to only then realize that he was holding her arm and let go.

"Please, Lord Shen."

Chen Chu took out the measuring rod and began to measure.

Pei Yuan sat casually beside her, his long legs stretched out on the roof, one hand resting on the ridge, and he turned his head slightly to look at her.

"Young Master Shen, won't you ask me about the thieves?"

Shen Chu took out his notebook to record the data. "Catching thieves is the business of the Jingzhao Prefecture, not our Censorate. However, if the Sixth Prince wants to say something, I am all ears."

Pei Yuan chuckled, "The thief was dressed in night clothes and covered with a black cloth, so even I, the prince, couldn't see his face clearly."

As expected.

Shen Chu scoffed inwardly, "You blind man at night, it would be a miracle if you could see clearly."

"However, my guards saw the thief's eyes clearly."

Chen Chu's heart skipped a beat, and his hand holding the measuring rope paused almost imperceptibly.

Noticing that Pei Yuan's gaze was fixed on her, she quickly composed herself, pulled the rope, and continued measuring.

"Your Highness could have the guards draw the eyes and give the drawing to the Jingzhao Prefecture; that would be a useful clue."

Pei Yuan shook his head, "I'm afraid that won't work."

Shen Chu looked up at him, puzzled.

"Guard Sun said the thief had a pair of inverted triangular eyes with a lot of white in them and small pupils. He had never seen such ugly eyes before."

Shen Chu couldn't help but clench the measuring rod in her hand.

She clearly has almond-shaped eyes, okay?

"Young Master Shen, have you ever seen such an ugly person?"

Shen Chu...you're ugly, your whole family is ugly.

She gave the rope a stern shake. "Your Highness, please move aside. I need to check the break at the edge."

Pei Yuan shifted slightly to the side, asking seemingly casually, "Lord Shen, what do you think was the purpose of the thief breaking into my residence?"

"I cannot guess."

Pei Yuan was somewhat disappointed. "You didn't guess either? To be honest, I fought with that thief before, and that person's height and build are quite similar to Lord Shen's."

Shen Chu twirled the measuring rod, then looked over with a smile, "Your Highness doesn't doubt me, does he?"

Pei Yuan said calmly, "What if I said yes? After all, Lord Shen once hid in the closet in this room, and he still hasn't fully explained it, has he?"

Shen Chu's smile faded slightly. "Is Your Highness interrogating me?"

Pei Yuan's gaze fell on her left arm, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Last night, my jade fan scratched the thief's arm. If you, Lord Shen, have a clear conscience, would you dare to let me, the prince, see your arm?"

Shen Chu's left arm twitched unconsciously.

Pei Yuan's smile was slightly cold. "Young Master Shen, do you dare?"

Chen Chu slowly and methodically put away the measuring rope and placed it at his waist.

"What does Your Highness mean by this? If I have an injury on my arm, does Your Highness intend to conclude that I was the thief who broke in last night based on that?"

Instead of answering, Pei Yuan asked, "So, Lord Shen, do you have an injury on your arm?"

Shen Chu's fingers, which were gripping her sleeve, turned slightly white.

A cold glint flashed in Pei Yuan's eyes. "Young Master Shen seems a little frightened?"

Shen Chu took a deep breath and nodded, "I dare not deceive Your Highness, I am indeed afraid."

"Where does the fear come from? Is it fear itself or a guilty conscience?"

"I fear I will be unable to defend myself, for I do indeed have an injury on my arm."

Pei Yuan was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Shen Chu to be so frank.

Shen Chu rolled up the sleeves of his official robes, and then rolled up the undergarments underneath, revealing a section of his arm.

Pei Yuan's gaze shifted upwards, his pupils contracting almost imperceptibly.

Near the elbow, a white cloth was wrapped around his arm, now stained with blood, the red stains glaringly bright.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, "Where did Lord Shen get the injury on his arm?"

“Last night, I was attacked by an assassin at home and was injured by him.”

"What a coincidence?"

Shen Chu spread his hands, smiling helplessly, "This humble subject also thinks it's quite a coincidence."

Pei Yuan's gaze fell on the white cloth. "What kind of weapon injured Lord Shen?"

"A long sword."

When Chen Chu lifted the white cloth, the bloody wound was exposed to the sunlight.

The wound was about one and a half inches long and very deep, with the skin and flesh turned outwards.

Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly; this was not a wound inflicted by the jade fan.

The blade on the jade fan is about an inch long, and the cut is not deep, but its shape is quite unique.

Shen Chu's wound looked more like the flesh and blood that had been pulled out when a dagger was stabbed in and pulled out.

"How should Your Highness determine this now?"

Shen Chu pushed his arm forward again. "Your Highness does indeed have an injury on your arm. Do you intend to use this injury to arrest me?"

Pei Yuan's gaze lingered on Shen Chu's arm.

Her arms were slender and pale, appearing even whiter than the woman's skin.

The bloodstains at the wound looked even more glaring.

Pei Yuan withdrew his gaze. "Since someone infiltrated to assassinate you, why didn't you report it to the authorities?"

Shen Chu looked up and glanced at him. "How does Your Highness know that I didn't report it to the authorities?"

"Does Lord Shen know who the assassin is?"

Shen Chu looked at Pei Yuan with a suspicious expression.

"Your Majesty, I have always been kind to everyone. The only person I have offended is you. Could it be that Your Majesty sent someone to kill me last night?"

Pei Yuan frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over Shen Chu.

Could it be that he suspected something wrong?

Shen Chu remained calm.

Pei Yuan sneered, "If I wanted to kill you, why would I need to send someone in the middle of the night?"

Chen Chu.....

He's so arrogant, she really wants to punch him.

Pei Yuan turned his head away, no longer looking at her, seemingly intending to end the conversation.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your Highness, could you do me a favor?"

Pei Yuan snapped out of his daze. "What?"

"Sizzle."

Shen Chu quickly lifted his clothes and tore off one of his undergarments.

"Chen Chu!"

Shen Chu smiled and extended his arm. "Your Highness, I can't bandage it myself. Please help me."

Pei Yuan scoffed, "You tore my undergarments, bandaged your wounds, and now you want my help?"

Shen Chu stared wide-eyed, looking completely innocent.

"Your Highness wouldn't be so petty, would you? If it weren't for Your Highness, my wound wouldn't have reopened."

Are you blaming me, the prince?

"Your Majesty, I dare not presume. I sincerely request Your Majesty's assistance."

"I won't help."

"Stingy." Shen Chu muttered under her breath, struggling to wrap the wound with a white cloth with one hand, biting one end with her teeth, and barely managing to tie it up.

It's a bit ugly, but at least it's covered up, isn't it?

She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to lower her sleeves when a sneer sounded above her head, "So ugly."

Chen Chu...

A pair of large, well-defined hands reached out and ripped open the wound she had painstakingly bandaged.

Just as Shen Chu was about to retort, she saw Pei Yuan holding her arm with one hand and wrapping the white cloth around her twice with the other, then neatly tying a knot.

It definitely looks better than when she bandaged it herself.

This guy may have a sharp tongue, but he's pretty reliable when it comes to getting things done.

Shen Chu stretched his arms and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Pei Yuan gave a soft snort, his gaze falling on her arm.