Chapter 129 The Greatest Punishment for a Person
The next morning, Lou Jin did not choose to go to the palace immediately.
After all, Lou Yi's identity has not been revealed to the world. He is still officially the Fifth Prince. If brothers really turn against each other, the Emperor will definitely not let Lou Shang off the hook.
He decided to go find Lou Shang himself.
He didn't bring many attendants, only Ye Xunyang and a few personal bodyguards.
Upon arriving at the Prince's residence, after being informed, Lou Shang seemed unsurprised and quickly invited them into his study.
Inside the study, Lou Shang dismissed those around him and faced Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang alone.
He looked thinner than before, and there was a lingering gloom in the depths of his eyes, but he showed no fear in front of Lou Jin. Instead, he had a kind of calm in which he had given up.
"Third Imperial Brother, what brings you here? May I ask what brings you here?" Lou Shang's voice was calm.
Lou Jin didn't beat around the bush. He placed the fragment of the secret letter directly on the desk and stared at him: "Fourth brother, what does this mean? Inquiring about the Imperial Clan Court, questioning Lou Yi's guards... what are you trying to do?"
Lou Shang looked at the fragments and revealed a bleak and twisted smile: "With your intelligence, Third Brother, how could you not guess?"
"My mother... was killed by that bastard Lou Yi! If I don't avenge this, I, Lou Shang, will be unworthy of being a son! I will never have peace of mind day or night!"
He became agitated, placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and stared intently at Lou Jin.
"You've brought down Liu Shi and Lou Qin, and Lou Yi has been imprisoned. It seems like everything is over. But he's still alive! His wicked mother and adulterous father killed my mother, yet he's still alive. How dare he?!"
Ye Xunyang listened with a furrowed brow. He could understand Lou Shang's grief over losing his mother, but...
Lou Jin remained calm. He waited until Lou Shang finished venting before slowly speaking: "Hatred has blinded you, Fourth Brother. Consort Xian and Lou Qin are the culprits, and they have already received their retribution. Lou Yi... his background is unbearable, and living may be more painful than dying. Father spared his life for a reason."
“Considerations? What considerations?! It’s nothing more than saving his pitiful royal face!” Lou Shang roared, panting heavily as he looked at Lou Jin with almost pleading eyes.
"Brother, this is all I want to do now! Give me a chance to settle this score myself! Just... just let me see him once!"
Lou Jin looked at him silently, his gaze deep, as if trying to see into his heart.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice deep and clear: "I can take you to see him."
A glimmer of hope instantly shone in Lou Shang's eyes.
But Lou Jin's next words were like a bucket of cold water poured over him: "But you can't kill him."
"Why?!" Lou Shang exclaimed, "A man like him deserves to die!"
"If he dies, you won't survive either." Lou Jin's tone was cold and unquestionable.
"Killing your brother, even if he's not Father's biological son, he's still a prince in name only. Father will never forgive you. Is it worth sacrificing your life and future for Lou Yi?"
Lou Shang was stunned, his mouth agape, but no sound came out.
Lou Jin took a step closer, lowering his voice.
“I understand that hatred needs to be vented. But death is not necessarily the only way, nor is it necessarily the most painless way.”
"Go and see for yourself what he looks like now, see what kind of state that person who once might have threatened you is in now. Let him live, and let him consciously accept everything he deserves, sometimes it can dispel hatred more than simply ending his life."
He looked at the struggle churning in Lou Shang's eyes and continued, "I can arrange for you to see him, to confront him face to face, and to witness his downfall with your own eyes. But your hands cannot be stained with his blood. That's the bottom line."
Lou Shang clenched his fists tightly, his body trembling slightly from the intense internal struggle.
He hated him; he wished he could tear Lou Yi to pieces.
But Lou Jin's words were like a cold needle, piercing his mind filled with hatred and making him realize the consequences of his impulsiveness.
Finally, as if all his strength had been drained, he slumped into a chair, his voice hoarse: "...Alright. I'll listen to my third brother."
He looked up, his eyes bloodshot. "But I must see him with my own eyes! I must ask him myself!"
“Okay.” Lou Jin nodded. “I’ll make the arrangements. But until then, you and your people should behave yourselves.”
Leaving the Prince of Shang's residence, Ye Xunyang couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, do you really believe he can control himself?"
Lou Jin gazed at the distant, layered palaces, his eyes distant: "Giving him an outlet for his emotions is better than him lurking in the shadows like a venomous snake, ready to pounce and bite at any moment. Besides..."
"Letting him see Lou Yi's current situation with his own eyes might be more effective than saying a thousand or ten thousand words to him. Sometimes, living in suffering is the greatest punishment for a person."
In the following days, Lou Jin began arranging his entry into the Imperial Clan Court, while Ye Xunyang also took some time to return to the General's Mansion to prepare to fulfill his second brother Ye Xunqin's entrustment.
He had mentally rehearsed several times how to subtly mention his second brother's mutual affection with a girl from Nanzhao, how to praise Anar's kindness and courage, and he was even prepared to use his persuasive skills to convince his old-fashioned father.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he sat down in the flower hall, he carefully chose his words and began, "Father, Mother, it's about my second brother... he and..."
Before he could finish speaking, Madam Ye's eyes lit up, and she interrupted him impatiently: "Is it that child, Anar? Oh my, I knew it a long time ago!"
Ye Xunyang was taken aback: "Huh? Mother, you... already knew?"
Do you think your mother is blind?
Madam Ye gave him a reproachful look, but couldn't stop smiling.
"The way your second brother looked at that girl that day, he was practically glued to her!"
"That boy Anar is handsome, kind-hearted, cheerful and sensible. I liked him very much the first time I met him!"
"If it weren't for your second brother's blockheadedness and constant procrastination, I would have asked them long ago when they planned to finalize the marriage!"
Ye Xunyang was a little stunned by his mother's rapid-fire words and subconsciously looked at his father, who had been sitting in the main seat without saying a word.
Ye Qing received his son's gaze, picked up his teacup and took a sip before slowly speaking. Although his tone remained calm, he did not object: "That kid Qin'er has finally done something sensible."
He put down his teacup, glanced at his expectant wife and somewhat bewildered second son, and continued, "Our Ye family is a family of military generals, and we don't follow the complicated rules of those aristocratic families."
“Finding a noble lady from the capital would be too complicated, with too many rules and too many thoughts. She might not be able to settle down and endure the hardships with Qin’er at the border, and she might not be a good match for our family’s temperament. As for Anar, I think she’s a good girl. She has a clear mind and a strong character. She was able to lead her people to survival in such a dangerous situation. She’s a good girl.”
"Since Qin'er likes it herself and the girl is willing, what right do we, as parents, have to object?"
Ye Xunyang was overjoyed; he hadn't expected things to go so smoothly.
"Father, Mother, you...you are so wonderful!" Ye Xunyang was so happy he almost jumped for joy. "If my second brother knew, he would be ecstatic! He was worried that you wouldn't agree!"
Madam Ye smiled and waved her hand: "Tell him not to worry unnecessarily! Hurry up and choose an auspicious day to finalize the marriage! Once the situation in the southwest is more stable, we'll bring him home in a grand and glorious ceremony!"
With this wonderful news in mind, Ye Xunyang walked briskly out of the flower hall, ready to immediately go and tell his second brother the good news.
To his surprise, as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, he saw Ye Xunqin standing like a pillar at the door, his face filled with uncontrollable joy and excitement, his ears red, clearly having been eavesdropping outside for quite some time!
"Second Brother! You..." Before Ye Xunyang could finish speaking, Ye Xunqin rushed into the flower hall and knelt down in front of Ye Qingcang and Madam Ye with a thud, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Son... Son thanks Father! Thank you Mother!" He kowtowed heavily, and when he raised his head, his eyes were a little red.
After saying that, without waiting for his parents to say anything more, he suddenly stood up and ran away like a gust of wind, his speed no less than that of someone charging into battle.
Seeing her second son's impetuous behavior, Madam Ye was both amused and pleased. She called out to his retreating figure, "Slow down! Don't frighten the girl!"
Ye Xunyang stood at the door, looking in the direction where his second brother had disappeared in an instant, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Filled with joy, Ye Xunyang returned to the Jinwang Mansion.
Lou Jin had just finished arranging matters at the Imperial Clan Court when he saw Ye return with a beaming face. He asked, "How did things go? Did General Ye and his wife give you any trouble?"
Ye Xunyang grinned and moved closer, sitting directly on Lou Jin's lap, wrapping his arms around Lou Jin's neck, and recounting what had just happened at the General's Mansion.
Lou Jin smiled as he listened. He put his arm around Ye Xunyang's waist, looked down into his bright eyes, and teased, "It seems the Second Young Master is impatient. Compared to someone back then, you're much more proactive."
Ye Xunyang knew he was teasing him about his awkwardness back then, and retorted defiantly, "Who said that! I... I was very proactive later, wasn't I?"
As he spoke, he deliberately gave Lou Jin a quick kiss on the lips, and then tried to run away.
Lou Jin wouldn't let him succeed. He pulled Ye Xunyang close, locking him firmly in his arms and deepening the kiss until Ye Xunyang was panting heavily before letting go.
He pressed his forehead against Ye Xunyang's, his voice low and chuckled: "Hmm, you're quite proactive. But you could be even more proactive..."
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