Chapter 127 Drugged with Aphrodisiac
Lou Jin, who was watching from the side, clearly guessed what Ye Xunyang wanted to ask. With a smile in his eyes, he did not stop him. Instead, he gave Anar, who was looking over, a reassuring look.
Ye Xunyang didn't explain, but half-pulled, half-dragged Ye Xunqin into his own bedroom and closed the door behind him.
"You brat, what are you up to?" Ye Xunqin was pressed into a chair by him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Ye Xunyang crossed his arms and looked down at his second brother: "Second brother, what's going on between you and Anar? I wanted to ask you this on the way back to Beijing. Have things progressed between you two?"
Ye Xunqin's ears burned from his question, and her eyes darted away: "What progress? Oh, nothing much to say."
Ye Xunyang persisted, "I heard that you accidentally entered the Blackwater Marsh because of her and the Cotton Village. You're quite the infatuated one!"
Ye Xunqin felt a little embarrassed by his younger brother's teasing, so he sighed before speaking.
"Oh dear, it was when I left you to go find her that I encountered the Shadow Serpent's camp on the way. I had no choice but to go through a poisonous forest, and I accidentally fell into their poison trap..."
Upon hearing this, Ye Xunyang's smile faded, and his expression turned serious: "Second Brother, are you alright...?"
Ye Xunqin waved his hand, a look of relief on his face: "I forced myself to hold on, suppressing the pain with my internal energy, and followed the clues all the way until I finally found the cave where Anar and the others were hiding a day later."
"At that time... I was almost at my breaking point."
"Did Miss Anar cure you of the poison?" Ye Xunyang asked.
Ye Xunqin nodded, but a blush inexplicably rose on his face, his eyes darting around, not daring to look at his younger brother.
Looking at him like this, Ye Xunyang's curiosity grew even stronger: "If you're going to detoxify, then detoxify. Why are you blushing, Second Brother?"
It couldn't be the kind of poison the prince and his... could it?
Ye Xunqin opened his mouth, seemingly finding it difficult to speak. After a long pause, he finally mumbled, "...It's...it's that kind of...aphrodisiac......"
Ye Xunyang was taken aback at first, then his eyes widened and his voice rose several decibels.
"Aphrodisiac?! My God! Then... then when you found Anar... it couldn't be... that you two... were already..."
He gestured with his hand, the meaning of which was self-evident.
No! Absolutely not!
Ye Xunqin stood up abruptly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, waving his hands repeatedly, his face turning bright red.
"What kind of family tradition is our Ye family! How could I... how could I take advantage of an unmarried girl like that! If word gets out, how can I face anyone!"
He took a few deep breaths to calm his agitated emotions, then lowered his voice, filled with utter embarrassment.
"It was...it was Anar, she recognized what was in my wound...she...she helped me..."
When he spoke the last few words, his voice was almost inaudible, and his neck turned completely red.
Ye Xunyang finally breathed a long sigh of relief and patted his chest.
"That scared me to death... Thank goodness, Second Brother, you held your nerve!"
He couldn't help but laugh again, nudging Ye Xunqin with his elbow.
"However... after what happened, your relationship... is now quite extraordinary."
Ye Xunqin sat down again, rubbed his face with both hands, trying to dispel the heat, and his tone became serious.
“Xunyang, to be honest, I actually… have had feelings for Anar for a long time. She is cheerful, speaks her mind, is open and kind, and is also very brave and resourceful.”
"During our time in the Southwest, she followed me everywhere, never complaining of hardship or fatigue, and remained calm and collected even in dangerous situations. If it weren't for her this time, I might have..."
He paused, a gentle expression appearing on his face, but then turned to distress: "But... I don't know how to tell my father and mother."
“You know, Father… although his attitude towards Prince Jin has improved a lot now, Anar is, after all, a woman from the border, and we don’t know if Mother can accept it. Xunyang, could you… could you help me sound out his intentions? Could you put in a good word for me?”
Looking at his second brother's happy yet apprehensive expression, Ye Xunyang understood.
He and the prince are truly like husband and wife; both have to plead for their own elder brother. Last time, the prince helped the eldest prince; this time, it's his turn to help his second brother.
"Don't worry, Second Brother!" Ye Xunyang patted his chest, full of confidence. "I'm very experienced now, I'll definitely handle this matter perfectly for you!"
Ye Xunqin took it as his younger brother referring to the time when he was scolded by their father for his affair with King Jin, and felt both grateful and guilty.
"Then thank you very much, brother. With your elder brother not in the capital, these things... have really been hard on you."
"We're brothers, no need to be so polite!" Ye Xunyang waved his hand dismissively.
Ye Xunqin seemed to suddenly remember something and lowered his voice, saying, "Oh, by the way, there's something I need to remind you of. I heard that the Left Prime Minister's daughter, Xu Zhaoyun, is returning to the capital. Did you know about that?"
Ye Xunyang looked bewildered: "What, the Left Prime Minister's daughter? Do I need to know about her?"
He was busy with military affairs all day long, or he was always around Lou Jin, so he really didn't care much about the movements of the young ladies in the capital.
Looking at his bewildered expression, Ye Xunqin was exasperated. She pointed at him twice with her finger and said, "Are you stupid? It's Xu Zhaoyun, who was almost betrothed to Prince Jin back then! The Left Prime Minister's beloved daughter, beautiful and talented, a famous woman of talent in the capital!"
"When this marriage was first proposed, the prince disagreed. But when it was brought up again, the prince finally agreed. The young lady's dowry was already prepared, and the imperial decree was about to be issued. However, the prince was suddenly poisoned and his life was in danger. The emperor took pity on the Left Prime Minister and temporarily put the marriage on hold."
"But this Miss Xu is quite devoted. She waited all these years, and even at twenty, she was still unmarried. In a fit of anger, the Left Prime Minister sent her back to her hometown. Now that he heard that the Prince has recovered from his illness and made great contributions, enjoying unparalleled fame, the Left Prime Minister quickly brought her back from her hometown!"
He paused, looking at Ye Xunyang's gradually furrowed brows, and continued, "Now there are rumors circulating in the capital that the Prince is in good health and his power is even greater, and the original engagement may be brought up again."
"Some people say that even without bringing up the old agreement, it's only natural for a prince to take a concubine. Xu Zhaoyun has waited for so many years, so becoming a concubine would fulfill her wish. There are a lot of rumors going around, so you'd better be more careful! I really don't know how you've managed to get by in the capital all these years, you don't even know this!"
Ye Xunyang's face darkened after hearing this.
He vaguely remembered Xu Zhaoyun, but he didn't expect there to be such a connection.
Ye Xunyang snorted coldly, "It's just the imagination of some bored people. I know the prince's thoughts better than anyone else."
Seeing that he understood, Ye Xunqin didn't say anything more, but reminded him, "It's good that you understand. The Left Prime Minister has considerable power in the court. If he really has such intentions, he will probably try to influence the Emperor or the Empress Dowager. You and the Prince... should make plans as soon as possible."
"I understand, thank you for reminding me, Second Brother." Ye Xunyang nodded and kept the matter in mind.
Although he trusted Lou Jin, he still needed to be cautious.
The two brothers talked for a while longer before leaving the room together.
Outside the door, Lou Jin and Anar were talking quietly.
Seeing them come out, Anar blushed slightly and secretly glanced at Ye Xunqin.
Ye Xunqin also looked away somewhat awkwardly, her ears turning red.
Looking at the couple who clearly had feelings for each other but were still awkward, Ye Xunyang thought of himself and Lou Jin, and then of Xu Zhaoyun who had suddenly appeared. He couldn't help but sigh: Love is indeed a complicated matter, regardless of status or position.
He walked to Lou Jin's side and naturally took his hand, as if silently asserting his dominance.
Lou Jin turned his head to look at him, his eyes questioning.
Ye Xunyang smiled and said in a low voice, "It's okay, I'll tell you when we get back."
On the carriage back to the Prince's Mansion, Ye Xunyang wanted to bring up Xu Zhaoyun's matter with Lou Jin several times, but he didn't know where to start.
Should we just ask, "Your Highness, I heard that an old flame you were almost engaged to has returned?"
It sounded so petty, but the unease he felt was something he couldn't shake off.
Lou Jin keenly noticed his unusual behavior, took his hand, and asked softly, "What's wrong? Is there some difficulty with General Ye and Miss Anar?"
“It’s not their business…” Ye Xunyang shook his head, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Lou Jin glanced at him, but didn't ask any further questions. He simply tightened his grip on Lou Jin's hand.
The carriage soon arrived at the gate of the Prince Jin's mansion.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Lou Jin got out of the carriage first. He then turned around and naturally reached out to help Ye Xunyang.
However, just as Ye Xunyang bent down to get out of the car, his gaze inadvertently swept across the front of the Prince's Mansion, and his movements suddenly froze.
Under the stone lantern in front of the Prince's Mansion, a woman stood quietly.
The woman wore a moon-white cloak, had a slender figure, an exceptionally beautiful face, and an elegant and dignified demeanor, like a rare orchid in a secluded valley.
A maid carrying a brocade box followed behind her.
At this moment, the woman looked up, her eyes sparkling, and her gaze fell on Lou Jin, who had just gotten off the car. Her eyes were complicated, with a hint of resentment and expectation that she wanted to say but couldn't.
Although he had never seen it before, Ye Xunyang's heart sank.
Lou Jin had obviously seen the woman as well. His hand, which was supporting Ye Xunyang, paused slightly, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and his eyes instantly returned to their usual coldness and aloofness.
The woman was Xu Zhaoyun. When she saw Lou Jin looking over, she stepped forward slowly, slightly bent her knees, and spoke in a soft and melodious voice, like a nightingale emerging from a valley.
"Zhaoyun... greets Your Highness, King Jin."
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