reinforcement
"Wei Shu, you weren't drugged by me?" Jiang Jin immediately realized something was wrong when she saw Wei Shu gripping her hand.
"Of course, if you could easily knock me out, then you should be the great general!" Wei Shu gripped Jiang Jin's hand tightly, his intense gaze fixed on her eyes.
"I thought you would run away. After all, the inner prison is feared by everyone. You do have some guts." Wei Shu lowered his head, staring intently at Jiang Jin, who was lying on the couch. Her face was slightly flushed, but she was still staring at him with wide eyes.
"I'm not the kind of person who deserts." Jiang Jin pulled a soft pillow under her head to find a more comfortable position. "Tell me, what reason are you going to use to throw me into the inner prison?"
"You probably still don't understand me. Do I need a reason to throw you in the inner prison? But you're right about one thing: I could easily kill you and have someone else take your place." Wei Shu grabbed Jiang Jin's chin, looking at her with a mocking gaze.
"If you reveal who the prince behind you is, I can let you go."
Wei Shu gently traced Jiang Jin's lips with his thumb, "Maybe I can be merciful and keep you by my side."
"Wei Shu, do you think I'll be scared into submission? Enough nonsense, just kill me if you dare, or admit you love me and can't bring yourself to do it!" Jiang Jin deliberately provoked Wei Shu, preferring a quick death rather than being slowly tortured.
"Jiang Jin, your attempts to provoke me won't work." Wei Shu laughed as he saw Jiang Jin's cheeks flushed with anger.
"Jiang Jin, I mean what I say. If you repent and turn back from your wrong path, I might spare your life." Wei Shu loosened his grip slightly, hoping to give Jiang Jin time to think things over.
"Wei Shu, would you betray His Majesty? If our roles were reversed, would you betray His Majesty?" Jiang Jin looked at Wei Shu with a cold smile. "Your Highness has been very good to me, I would never betray her!"
"Jiang Jin, since you're so stubborn, don't blame me for being ruthless." Wei Shu pinched Jiang Jin's mouth shut and forced her to swallow a pill.
"This is a bone-corroding pill. Without the antidote, you will die within twelve hours. Tell me, is your life more important or your status as His Highness more important?"
"Wei Shu, I won't let you threaten His Highness!" Jiang Jin hardened her heart, quickly pulled out her hairpin, and ruthlessly plunged it into Wei Shu's arm.
"Wei Shu saved you with all his heart that day, and he is determined to kill you today with all his heart. No one can threaten His Highness!" Jiang Jin kicked Wei Shu away with all her might and fled to the door, only to hear Wei Shu's incredulous voice.
"You want to kill me?" Wei Shu clutched his arm, his usually cold and resolute eyes now showing a hint of helplessness. "You're willing to risk your own life for the prince you speak of?"
"Wei Shu, I may not be as good as you at killing, but I have plenty of poison to take you down with me!" Jiang Jin removed her bracelet and pointed at Wei Shu.
"If you're not afraid of death, then come at me. Don't forget who saved you from the assassins that day. If it weren't for me, you would have died at the hands of the Wang family long ago!"
Wei Shu laughed loudly, his eyes filled with desolation. He gently pulled out his hairpin and threw it on the ground, then approached Jiang Jin step by step.
"Jiang Jin, that medicine isn't poisonous; it's just a regular heatstroke relief pill." Wei Shu looked at Jiang Jin with red eyes.
"I thought you genuinely wanted to go to Yuezhou with me and genuinely wanted to test the medicine for me. Even though I knew there were many suspicious points in this matter, even though there were too many mysteries surrounding you, I could deceive myself. But Jiang Jin, it turns out you really are a heartless person."
"Wei Shu, isn't it better to pretend you don't know? I won't hurt His Majesty or Da Yan!" Jiang Jin stared at Wei Shu's tears for a moment, then clenched her bracelet, forcing herself not to look at Wei Shu's tears.
"Are you willing to live in a daze, trapped in a void of dreams forever?" Wei Shu clutched his bleeding arm, his heart aching as he looked at Jiang Jin's wary eyes. "Why don't you lie to me again?"
Wei Shu stood an arm's length away from Jiang Jin, forcing a bitter smile, and said, "As long as you said you hadn't lied to me, I could have believed you. Why won't you even lie to me anymore!"
"Wei Shu, I don't want to lie to you anymore." Jiang Jin's eyes filled with tears, her hand holding the bracelet trembled slightly, but she still pointed at Wei Shu in front of her.
"I just don't want to feel guilty anymore. It was all for my own sake. I'm a selfish person!" Tears streamed down her face, but Jiang Jin still stubbornly stared at Wei Shu.
“Your Highness is to me as His Majesty is to you. All of Wei Shu’s schemes were devised by me alone, and Your Highness was completely unaware of them.” Jiang Jin’s words further enraged Wei Shu.
"Jiang Jin, you are my wife, yet you are defending someone else. Do you know how dangerous it is to marry a madman? Do you know that your prince doesn't care about your life?"
Wei Shu grabbed Jiang Jin's wrist, the bracelet falling to the ground with a thud, and his arm tightly gripped her waist.
"Jiang Jin, I've changed my mind. I don't want to be your husband in name only anymore." Jiang Jin tried to pry Wei Shu's arm off, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't budge it an inch.
"Wei Shu, aren't you afraid I'll kill you when you're in the mood!" Jiang Jin gritted her teeth as she looked at Wei Shu in front of her.
"I would be more than happy to die beneath the peony!" Wei Shu hugged Jiang Jin tightly. "You'd better not have any wicked thoughts, or we won't be in the room anymore."
"You're a madman, let go of me!" Jiang Jin pinched Wei Shu's wound, causing him to gasp in pain. "Let go of me!"
"You forced me to do this." Wei Shu kicked open the door, and the bright sunlight outside made Jiang Jin squint.
"You two are still here?" Wei Shu looked at Yi Yi and Yi Er with a cold face.
"General Wei, please release Lady Jiang." Yi Yi gripped his soft sword and looked at Wei Shu.
"You're all so loyal!" Wei Shu sneered, grabbing Jiang Jin by the back of the neck. "But who's faster, you or me?"
"No!" Yi Yi saw the murderous intent in Wei Shu's eyes and slowly lowered the soft sword. "Don't hurt Lady Jiang."
"Then I'll make you die, right here in front of Jiang Jin!" Wei Shu smirked maliciously at Jiang Jin. "You think the blood of the secret guards is warm?"
"Wei Shu, it was my fault, I shouldn't have lied to you, but this has nothing to do with Yi Yi and Yi Er, they are innocent!" Jiang Jin gasped in fear, looking anxiously at the two of them.
"You must leave! Wei Shu won't kill me, but he will kill you. If you don't leave, I'll bite my tongue and commit suicide, and His Highness will punish you anyway!" Jiang Jin pleaded with Yi Yi and Yi Er. She truly didn't want to see them get hurt.
"Madam Jiang!" Jiang Jin opened her mouth and bit her tongue. Having no other choice, she had to leave, leaving only the two of them in the courtyard.
"Jiang Jin, you're really arrogant. Why would you think I wouldn't kill you?" Wei Shu released his grip on Jiang Jin's neck and looked at her with a half-smile.
"If I wanted to kill you, would I still be here talking to you?" Jiang Jin looked up into Wei Shu's eyes. "What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Tell me the identity of the person behind you." Wei Shu sat down on the stone bench, put his arm around Jiang Jin's shoulder, and let her sit on his lap.
"Do you think that's possible?" Jiang Jin sneered. "My answer will never change. I will never betray Your Highness, just as you will never betray His Majesty."
"Jiang Jin, you really have no heart." Wei Shu's hand slowly moved down and pinched Jiang Jin's waist. "So slender. I wonder if your prince has ever wrapped his arm around your waist like this?"
"You...you're a madman!" Jiang Jin laughed angrily. "His Highness styled my hair and applied medicine for me. We even slept in the same bed when we were young. His Highness is extremely kind to me and would never force me like you do!"
Jiang Jin wanted to say something, but a kiss disrupted her thoughts. Wei Shu's kiss was extremely aggressive, as if he wanted to devour Jiang Jin whole. Wei Shu's fingers hooked the sash around Jiang Jin's waist.
"Waaah!" Jiang Jin tried to run away, but Wei Shu held her waist tightly, preventing her from moving an inch. Wei Shu's fingers gently tugged at the delicate bow at her waist, leaving it loosely hanging there.
"Jiang Jin, are you still not going to talk? If you do, I'll let you go and let you return to your prince's side." Wei Shu gently wiped away Jiang Jin's tears.
"I won't say it. It's just a physical appearance, I'm not at a disadvantage!" Jiang Jin grabbed Wei Shu's shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "You just want to force me to betray His Highness, all you can do is use this kind of ridiculous nonsense to pressure me!"
"You really are unconventional!" Wei Shu reached out and grabbed Jiang Jin by the back of the neck before kissing her. Jiang Jin was stunned for a moment, then opened her mouth and instantly took the initiative. She touched Wei Shu's Adam's apple and gently pressed it, causing Wei Shu to breathe heavily.
"Wei Shu, I can kill you right now!" Wei Shu said nonchalantly, feeling the tiny knife against his throat. "Then kill me. I said I'd be more than happy to."
As the two were locked in a stalemate, Wei Shu suddenly felt a gust of wind rush towards him. He quickly shielded Jiang Jin and retreated to the side.
"Who are you!" Wei Shu protected Jiang Jin and moved towards the courtyard gate.
"Jia Yi!" Jiang Jin put away the ring and ran towards Jia Yi. "You're here too!"
"Hmm." Jia Yi frowned as he looked at Jiang Jin's lips. "You go first, I'll cover your retreat."
"You must go back immediately, His Highness cannot be without someone by his side!" Jiang Jin grasped Jia Yi's hand. "Bianzhou is at a critical moment, and we cannot move against Wei Shu for the time being."
"Is that so?" The courtyard gate slowly opened, and a woman wearing a peony and phoenix dress embroidered with gold thread walked in. Although she was followed by only a few people, they were clearly not ordinary individuals.
Xueya frowned as she looked at Jiang Jin, then cautiously glanced up at Lou Xuan's cold expression.
"Hurry up and come here!" Lou Xuan looked at Jiang Jin with a cold face, but her eyes were filled with unwavering worry.
"This humble servant greets Your Highness." Jiang Jin stood behind Jia Yi and fastened her belt.
"I'll count to three, and if you still don't come over..." Before Lou Xuan could finish speaking, Jiang Jin rushed over and knelt down with a thud.
"Coming, coming!" Jiang Jin hurriedly tugged at Lou Xuan's skirt. "Your Highness, I'm alright."
"Xueya." Lou Xuan gently pulled Jiang Jin's arm away, and Xueya helped Jiang Jin up. "My lady, you went a bit too far today."
"General Wei, don't you even bow to me?" Lou Xuan walked up to Wei Shu. "Weren't you quite so capable just now?"
"Your subject pays respects to Princess Zhaoyang." Wei Shu knelt before Lou Xuan. "Your subject was unaware of Your Highness's esteemed presence and has failed to greet you properly. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness."
"Then atone with your death." Lou Xuan's words betrayed no truth. Wei Shu stood up on his own. "Your Highness is joking. Even His Highness the Crown Prince has no right to arbitrarily punish officials in the court."
"It's alright. If you die here, I'll pin the blame on Wang Juesong," Lou Xuan said quietly, looking at Wei Shu.
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