Chapter 22 Reprimand
Inside the Imperial Palace, Changchun Palace.
The incense burner emitted fragrant wisps of precious ambergris, yet they could not dispel the stagnant atmosphere within the hall.
Consort Sun sat upright on the soft couch at the head of the table. Although she was over forty years old, she was well-maintained and still had her charm. However, at this moment, a layer of frost covered her brows.
She held the ten-year-old Ninth Prince Lou Wu in her arms. The little boy seemed to sense his mother's displeasure and nestled obediently against her, not daring to make a sound.
In the center of the hall, King Shang Lou Shang stood with his hands at his sides, a hint of disdain on his face.
"Mother, why did you summon me here so urgently?"
Lou Shang's tone revealed a hint of impatience that was barely perceptible.
After the palace banquet ended, he intended to go back and plan his next steps, but was urgently summoned by the Imperial Concubine.
"What is it?" The imperial concubine sneered, her beautiful eyes filled with murderous intent.
"You still have the nerve to ask? Did you really think you could get away with all those little tricks you played at the palace banquet?"
Lou Shang's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure: "Your subject does not know what Your Majesty is referring to. At the palace banquet, your subject has always followed the rules and regulations..."
"Follow the rules?" the imperial concubine interrupted him, her voice rising.
"Have someone deliberately spill wine to test the strength of the Prince Jin's mansion, and then take further action?"
"Shang'er, do you think your father is old and blind?"
She took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and her tone turned sorrowful: "His Majesty, unusually, did not come to my palace tonight. Do you know what this means? He is giving me a warning, and also a reminder to you!"
"No matter how out of favor Lou Jin is, he is still a prince. You used that medicine to keep him bedridden before, which was fine, at least you spared his life and it was still acceptable on the surface. But now you're so eager to take his life at the palace banquet, right under the Emperor's nose? Are you crazy?!"
Lou Shang's face flushed red and then turned pale when his secret was exposed. He argued, "Mother! You are worrying too much. The poison was colorless and odorless back then. He would have died within four years without any evidence. There is no way to verify it."
“Who would have thought that Lou Jin would be so resilient? Not only did he not die, but his spirits are getting better and better. If he were to fully recover, with his former prestige in the army and the court, as well as the support of the Ye family, wouldn’t he be a major threat? This is my way of eliminating future troubles.”
"To prevent future troubles?" The imperial concubine was furious.
"You've cut off your own path to survival!"
"The Emperor is not taking any action against you now because he lacks conclusive evidence, and also out of consideration for me and the Sun family. But if Lou Jin really dies, do you think the Emperor will let it go?"
"When the investigation begins, do you really think you can cover it up perfectly? If the Emperor is determined to investigate, he will find you no matter where you are!"
She hugged Lou Wu tighter, her tone filled with deep disappointment and warning: "Shang'er, you need to broaden your horizons! Instead of wasting time staring at a half-dead Lou Jin, you should look at the people around you!"
"Look at your fifth brother, Lou Yi, and his quiet mother. This time, the Empress Dowager handled all the arrangements for the palace banquet perfectly, leaving no room for error. I couldn't find any fault with her!"
"This mother and son, without any prominent maternal relatives, have managed to remain firmly in the palace until now. What is their secret? It is their caution, their low profile, and their never actively seeking trouble! That is true wisdom!"
Lou Shang, upon hearing this, revealed a disdainful expression: "Fifth brother? Mother, you think too highly of them. A concubine who rose from the ranks of a palace maid and a prince with no power base, they merely rely on being cautious and subservient to others to get by. What can they possibly achieve? Are they even worthy of my attention?"
Looking at his arrogant and conceited appearance, the imperial concubine felt utterly exhausted.
She waved her hand, wearily closing her eyes: "Enough, that's all I have to say. You may leave now. Behave yourself these days, and without my permission, do not lay a hand on the Prince Jin's residence again. Otherwise, don't blame me for not cleaning up your mess!"
Seeing his mother's distress, Lou Wu gently patted the Imperial Concubine. Although Lou Shang was resentful, seeing the Imperial Concubine's anger, he dared not say anything more and could only bow and retreat dejectedly.
He dismissed the Imperial Concubine's warning, as for the Fifth Prince and the Virtuous Consort. He didn't take them seriously at all.
His only rival has always been Lou Jin, who once dominated him but is now half-dead!
The study of the Prince Jin's mansion.
As soon as it was light, Lou Jin was already sitting behind his desk.
After Shanlan finished reporting the latest developments at Changchun Palace in a low voice, she quietly withdrew.
Lou Jin listened expressionlessly, his fingertips lightly tracing the cold armrests of his wheelchair.
His father's reprimand, the imperial concubine's scolding, Lou Shang's dissatisfaction... all of this was within his expectations.
He had even been aware of the Imperial Concubine's words about his fifth brother, Lou Yi, and the Virtuous Concubine.
The seemingly unassuming fifth brother was indeed much more composed than his impatient fourth brother.
Heartbroken? Perhaps he had already turned cold three years ago when the poison took effect and his father simply told him to take good care of himself.
This mild and ineffective reprimand no longer stirs any emotion in him.
The justice he seeks can never be obtained through charity.
Suddenly, the study door was gently pushed open a crack.
Ye Xunyang poked his head in, holding a tray with steaming hot porridge and side dishes on it.
He saw Lou Jin already sitting behind the desk, paused for a moment, then grinned, with a hint of cautious flattery: "Your Highness, you woke up so early? You came to the study without even having breakfast. I... I brought you some food."
He remembered that Lou Jin was in a bad mood last night, and his behavior was also abnormal after he came back. Although he did not know the specific reason, he guessed that it must be related to the fright and fatigue from the palace banquet.
Hearing that Lou Jin had come to the study without having breakfast, he worried that Lou Jin was still angry or unwell. After hesitating for a long time, he couldn't help but come over.
Lou Jin raised his eyes and looked at the person at the door with a concerned look in his eyes.
He didn't let him leave as usual, nor did he continue the topic from last night; he simply gave a curt reply.
"Okay, come in."
Seeing that his tone was calm and not as frightening as it had been the night before, Ye Xunyang felt relieved. He quickly carried the tray in and carefully placed the porridge and dishes on a corner of the desk, not forgetting to set out the chopsticks.
"Your Highness, please eat something while it's hot. It's bad for your health to handle things on an empty stomach." He muttered, habitually reaching out to touch Lou Jin's forehead to see if he was still feeling unwell. But halfway there, he remembered what happened last night and sheepishly withdrew his hand.
Lou Jin took in his little actions, his eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't say anything. He simply picked up the silver chopsticks as instructed and slowly began to eat his breakfast.
The porridge was cooked until soft and sticky, and the side dishes were light and delicious—it was a familiar taste.
Seeing that he was willing to eat, Ye Xunyang felt much more at ease, so he stood quietly to the side and waited, but his gaze unconsciously drifted to the documents spread out on the desk.
The only sound in the study for a moment was the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
After finishing half a bowl of porridge, Lou Jin put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and then looked at Ye Xunyang again: "Have you eaten?"
"Ah? I've already eaten. I ate it in the yard." Ye Xunyang nodded quickly.
"Um."
"The weather is quite nice today, why don't you accompany me for a walk in the garden?"
Ye Xunyang was a little surprised. It was rare for Lou Jin to suggest going for a walk. It seemed that his mood had really improved. He immediately replied, "Okay! I'll push you there! Getting some sun is good for your health!"
On a clear early winter morning, the sun was warm and gentle.
Ye Xunyang pushed the wheelchair along the winding cobblestone path, chatting idly with Lou Jin.
Lou Jin listened quietly, occasionally responding, his gaze falling on Ye Xunyang's smoothly sculpted forearm.
Upon reaching the pavilion in the middle of the lake, Ye Xunyang parked his wheelchair and leaned against a pillar without any regard for appearances, stretching his limbs.
"It's much more comfortable outside; it's so stuffy in the study."
Lou Jin looked at the shimmering lake and suddenly spoke, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather: "I just received news that after the palace banquet last night, Father did not go to the Consort's palace."
Ye Xunyang was stunned for a moment, not immediately realizing the connection: "Huh? And then?"
"Last night, the Imperial Concubine summoned Lou Shang to Changchun Palace and reprimanded him," Lou Jin continued, his gaze still fixed on the lake, as if he were talking about something unrelated to himself.
Ye Xunyang then realized what was going on, and his eyes lit up: "Is it because of what happened last night? Is the Emperor angry?"
"It was a warning, I suppose. The Imperial Concubine was reminding him that instead of focusing on me, a dying man, he should look at the real adversaries around him."
"The real opponent? Who is it?" Ye Xunyang asked curiously as he leaned closer.
"Fifth Prince, Lou Yi, and Consort Xian," Lou Jin said calmly.
"The Fifth Prince?"
Ye Xunyang tried hard to recall, and there was an unremarkable boy in his memory, several years younger than Lou Shang, whose mother seemed to be of ordinary background.
"Is there... anything special about him?"
"Nothing special." Lou Jin withdrew his gaze and looked at Ye Xunyang, his eyes deep.
"Those who know how to conceal their talents and wait for the right opportunity are often more dangerous than those who are aggressive and domineering."
Ye Xunyang nodded as if he understood, but he was really not good at these court intrigues and found them very troublesome.
He was more concerned about something else: "Now that the Emperor has reprimanded Prince Shang, does that mean he'll behave himself in the future? Will we be able to have some peace and quiet?"
Lou Jin looked at his hopeful eyes, unwilling to shatter his illusions, yet also unwilling to lie to him.
He slowly shook his head: "No. It will only make him hate and be more anxious. Next time he strikes, he will be more covert and more ruthless."
Ye Xunyang's smile froze, and his brows furrowed again: "Then what should we do? Are we just going to keep guarding like this?"
"It's alright."
"He's prone to making mistakes when he's in a hurry. We just need to be prepared and wait for him to make a mistake."
His gaze fell on Ye Xunyang, carrying a gentleness he himself was unaware of: "After all, with you here, I will feel very at ease."
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