Chapter 101 Secret Letter from the Southwest
Time flies by, and there are only three days left until Lou Jin's birthday.
The mutton-fat white jade pendant had been meticulously polished by Ye Xunyang. The two rings were interlocked, the jade was warm and lustrous, and although the lines were not as skillful as those of the master craftsman, they had their own unique charm.
The body is plain, with only the characters "烬" and "阳" engraved in a very hidden place on the inner side of the double rings. If you don't look closely, you will think it is a natural jade pattern.
Ye Xunyang wrapped it in soft silk and hid it under his pillow, waiting to give it to him on his birthday.
The day before yesterday, the Seventh Prince, the Ninth Prince, and the Eighth Princess were taken back by the palace maids, and the huge palace seemed to become much quieter and emptier in an instant.
With the three little devils noisier, the two of them felt much more relaxed.
Last night, perhaps because of the rare quiet, Lou Jin was particularly persistent, tossing and turning until the early hours of the morning before Ye Xunyang was finally able to fall into a deep sleep.
Therefore, even though the sun was high in the sky, the curtains in the main courtyard's sleeping quarters were still drawn low, creating a beautiful and enchanting atmosphere.
Ye Xunyang was awakened by the overly bright sunlight outside the window. He moved and felt weak all over, with Lou Jin's arm hanging heavily around his waist.
He turned his head slightly and saw that Lou Jin still had his eyes closed and was breathing evenly, clearly still fast asleep.
Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, outlining the deep contours of Lou Jin, softening its sharpness and adding a touch of gentleness.
Ye Xunyang looked at him, not wanting to wake him, so he closed his eyes and decided to stay a little longer.
A slightly anxious pacing sound came from outside the bedroom door.
It's mountain mist.
He had been pacing outside the door for a while, clutching a secret letter he had just received.
News from the southwest, and it was urgent.
He knew the matter was important, but the two masters inside had stayed up late the night before and were certainly not up yet, so he dared not disturb them rashly.
Time passed slowly, and as the sun rose higher and higher, Shanlan's anxiety felt like it was being roasted over a fire.
Finally, he gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and raised his hand to knock three times very lightly, yet clearly enough, on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Inside the bedchamber, Lou Jin's eyelashes fluttered, and he was the first to wake up.
Ye Xunyang immediately opened his eyes as well. The two looked at each other and saw the displeasure of being disturbed in each other's eyes. However, if it were not an urgent matter, Shan Lan would never dare to knock on the door at this time.
"What is it?" Lou Jin's voice was hoarse from just waking up.
Outside the door, Shan Lan heard the response and immediately bowed, lowering her voice and reporting urgently, "My lord, Your Highness, there is an urgent message from the southwest!"
southwest!
These two words were like ice water poured into a warm place, instantly dispelling all laziness and drowsiness.
Lou Jin's eyes sharpened, and he immediately sat up, saying in a deep voice, "Come in."
Ye Xunyang's heart tightened, and he subconsciously pulled the brocade quilt up higher.
It's been so long since he returned from the Northwest, and finally some news has come. It's possible that his second brother has discovered some clues.
Shan Lan lowered her head and quickly walked into the inner room. Through the screen, she held up the secret letter high: "Just received a message by carrier pigeon, the sealing wax is intact."
Lou Jin put on an outer robe, stood up, walked around the screen, and took the secret letter.
His gaze swept quickly across the words, his brows furrowed, and his expression darkened.
Ye Xunyang, separated by a screen, could not see the contents of the letter, but he could sense the seriousness of the situation from Lou Jin's suddenly solemn aura. He couldn't help but ask softly, "Your Highness, what is the situation?"
Lou Jin walked back to the bedside and gave the letter to Ye Xunyang.
"It's a letter from my second brother. After they rescued the old chieftain, they've been hiding in the dense forest investigating the Shadow Serpent's territory. They also captured an internal traitor in the Cotton Village. The Shadow Serpent has already controlled several tribes in the southwest and is colluding with the Nanzhao Kingdom."
Ye Xunyang was shocked after carefully reading the letter.
"It seems that the changes in the capital have not affected Shadow Serpent, which means that the biggest mastermind behind the scenes is between the southwest and Nanzhao. Is it that the southwest is colluding with foreign powers, or that the Nanzhao forces have invaded our dynasty?"
"Yes, we need to make a trip to the southwest to eradicate this Shadow Serpent and restore peace to the southwest."
After Lou Jin finished speaking, he handed the letter to Shan Lan.
"Shanlan, take this letter to your brother, the Emperor."
"Yes! I'll do it right away!" Shan Lan accepted the order and quickly disappeared outside the door.
After the order was given, Lou Jin slowly exhaled, sat back down on the edge of the bed, and took Ye Xunyang's hand.
The bedchamber returned to silence, but the previous warmth and intimacy were gone. A tense atmosphere, like the impending storm, filled the air.
Ye Xunyang looked at Lou Jin's furrowed brows, gently smoothed them with his hand, and said in a low voice, "It seems that this birthday is destined to be anything but peaceful."
Lou Jin grasped his hand and pressed it against his cheek. Although there was seriousness in his eyes, there was no panic. Instead, a smile appeared on his face.
"It's alright. They'll have to see if they have the ability to cause trouble. I'll accept this gift. Perfect, let's settle all the previous scores together."
He lowered his head and kissed Ye Xunyang on the forehead, his tone becoming firm: "Don't worry, the sky won't fall. Our birthdays have been celebrated."
Even so, both of them knew that their peaceful days had been disrupted.
After receiving the order, Shan Lan dared not delay and immediately rode to the Prince Yan's residence.
Upon arrival, they found Lou Yan deep in thought in his study, contemplating a newly arrived secret letter.
"Your Highness." Shan Lan bowed respectfully and presented the letter that Lou Jin had given him with both hands. "My master has ordered me to deliver this letter to Your Highness immediately."
Lou Yan took it, quickly opened and read it, his brows furrowing more and more.
The information in Ye Xunqin's letter about Ying She's collusion with Nanzhao and control of southwestern tribes corroborated the contents of another secret report he had just finished reading, but the focus was completely different.
He placed the two letters side by side on the desk, tapped the one he had received with his fingertips, and said to Shan Lan, "The people I sent to Nanzhao have also sent back news."
"The Shadow Serpent's roots run deeper than we imagined. They have not only infiltrated the southwest, but also have deep roots within the Nanzhao Kingdom. Their power is already enough to shake the foundations of the country. The Nanzhao crown prince was assassinated a month ago and has been poisoned and is still in a coma. There are undercurrents in the country, and several forces are stirring up trouble."
This is no longer just a border tribal disturbance, but a crisis involving the political stability of neighboring countries, and could even trigger larger-scale unrest.
If Nanzhao were to fall into internal strife due to the issue of the crown prince, or be completely controlled by the forces behind Ying She, it would pose a huge threat to the southwestern border of Dasheng.
The situation was urgent, and Lou Yan immediately stood up: "Prepare the horses, let's go to Prince Jin's residence."
When Lou Yan stepped into the Jinwang Mansion with two secret letters, the scene that greeted him made him pause and his lips twitch.
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