Chapter 25 Lies
Looking at his injured expression, Shen Yelan seemed to derive some twisted pleasure. He stood up unsteadily, took a step closer, lowered his voice, and spoke with intense malice.
"But when I saw you this time when I returned to Beijing, I realized that you've grown up quite a bit, and you're actually to my liking. I was thinking of you, but alas."
"It's a pity that your good husband, His Highness King Jin, can't tolerate me."
Ye Xunyang's pupils shrank sharply: "You... what did you say?"
"Still pretending to be stupid?"
Shen Yelan leaned even closer, almost touching his ear, and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear, cursing him word by word.
"I kept those things very secret at the border, so why is it that as soon as I returned to the capital and got a little closer to you, someone leaked them to the Emperor?"
"Ye Xunyang, use your pig brain to think. Besides that King Jin who treats you like the apple of his eye, who else has this ability and this motive?"
"He's making an example of you, showing everyone that no one should even think about messing with you, hahaha..."
He burst into maniacal laughter, the sound echoing jarringly in the empty cell.
"He's got his eye on me, just because I glanced at you a couple of times."
"Ye Xunyang, why do you think he's so good to you? Let me tell you, Lou Jin is a possessive madman. He keeps you by his side just because he sees you as his possession, his medicine."
"Just you wait. Once you're no longer of any use, or if he gets upset one day, your fate won't be much better than mine!"
Ye Xunyang took a step back abruptly, his face deathly pale, as if the blood in his body had instantly turned cold.
He stared in disbelief at the seemingly deranged Shen Yelan, those vicious words piercing his heart like ice picks.
Was it Lou Jin who did it?
Seeing Ye Xunyang's shocked and bewildered expression, Shen Yelan finally realized that he was truly unaware of the situation, and a sense of vengeful pleasure welled up inside her.
His Highness the Entropy King was right after all.
Ye Xunyang didn't know how he got out of the prison.
He returned to the Jinwang Mansion in a daze, the words of Shen Yelan echoing in his ears.
"He can't tolerate me..."
"Kill the chicken to scare the monkey..."
"A possessive madman..."
"Medicinal guide..."
Every word made his heart pound.
Could it be that what Shen Yelan said is the truth?
Was Lou Jin kind to him only because he could cure his illness?
Ye Xunyang was in a state of turmoil. He locked himself in his room and didn't want to see anyone.
Reason told him that Shen Yelan's crimes were undeniable, and that he deserved his fate. Lou Jin was merely acting in accordance with the situation to rid the people of a scourge.
Lou Jin had always been very good to him, even impeccably so.
He did so much for himself and never asked for anything in return.
But the feeling of being kept in the dark gave him a sense of inexplicable fear and betrayal.
If Lou Jin's gentleness and indulgence are backed by such a paranoid desire for control, then isn't everything he has now built on quicksand?
That evening, for the first time in several days, Ye Xunyang did not go to the main hospital on his own initiative.
He sent a servant to inform the prince that he was feeling unwell and wanted to rest early, so he would not disturb him.
In the main courtyard, Lou Jin had just finished washing up and was now able to stand up for a short while without his wheelchair.
Upon hearing the maid's report, he paused slightly in his wiping motion.
He knew that Ye Xunyang had gone to the prison that afternoon.
It seems she heard something she shouldn't have heard from Shen Yelan, and that's making her uncomfortable.
Lou Jin's eyes darkened.
He anticipated that someone like Shen Yelan would inevitably turn on him before he died, especially since Lou Shang's men had also visited Shen Yelan yesterday.
This Shanlan is the same; if she didn't act more discreetly, Lou Shang's people would have figured her out.
He just didn't expect Ye Xunyang to react so strongly, avoiding him altogether.
Was he pushing too hard?
Or is it that, in Ye Xunyang's heart, that childhood friend still holds a special place?
A slightly bitter feeling welled up in my heart, but I quickly suppressed it.
His health has improved a lot, and his dependence on Ye Xunyang is no longer as urgent as it was at the beginning, but he also understands that he still needs Ye Xunyang to fully recover.
He knew Ye Xunyang well; the man was simple-minded and couldn't keep things to himself, so it was good to let him calm down.
"Understood," Lou Jin said calmly to the maid.
"Let the princess rest well. If she is still unwell tomorrow, send the royal physician to take a look."
"Yes, Your Highness."
That night, the two masters of the Jinwang Mansion slept alone.
The next day, Ye Xunyang got out of bed with two light dark circles under his eyes.
He hadn't slept all night, and his mind was still in turmoil. Shen Yelan's words lingered like a curse, but reason told him not to blindly believe everything he heard.
Just as he was feeling troubled and unsure how to face Lou Jin, the steward Wang Quan arrived.
"Your Highness, His Highness has instructed that you come to his study at noon to have lunch together." Wang Quan's attitude remained as respectful as ever.
Ye Xunyang's heart skipped a beat.
Lou Jin took the initiative to contact him? Did he notice his unusual behavior yesterday?
He was a little uneasy, but he couldn't refuse.
"Okay, I understand."
As noon approached, Ye Xunyang, carrying a carefully prepared lunch, lingered as he made his way to the study.
The closer he got, the heavier his steps became. He hadn't figured out how to face Lou Jin yet—whether to confront him directly or pretend nothing had happened.
As he approached the study door, he was about to knock when he heard Shan Lan's deep and clear voice reporting from inside.
"...Master, Shen Yelan committed suicide in prison last night."
Ye Xunyang's hand froze in mid-air, and his heart stopped beating.
Did Shen Yelan commit suicide?
Immediately following was Lou Jin's slightly surprised voice: "Suicide? Why? The former Japanese king was still very emotional when he heard about it."
"I saw the Entropy King's men secretly visiting the prison the day before yesterday, and they had contact with Shen Yelan."
"The specific content of the conversation is unknown, but it seems that the King of Entropy promised him that if he took all the blame and committed suicide, his family's lives would be safe."
After a moment of silence in the study, Lou Jin's voice, tinged with understanding and coldness, rang out: "So that's how it is. Lou Shang is trying to silence me and shift the blame onto me. What a clever scheme."
"Master, is it necessary to..."
"No need," Lou Jin interrupted Shan Lan.
"Now that the person is dead, the trail has gone cold. Let's leave it at that and not investigate any further, lest we alert the enemy."
He paused, then added in a serious tone, "This matter must not be known to the Princess."
“He is simple-minded. If he knew that Shen Yelan was silenced because of my fight with Lou Shang, he would definitely feel guilty and sad. I don’t want him to get involved in these sordid things and cause him unnecessary trouble.”
Ye Xunyang, standing outside the door, was struck dumb, frozen in place as if by lightning.
So that's how it is!
It wasn't Lou Jin who eliminated the people around him out of jealousy!
It was Lou Shang who, after using Shen Yelan, feared he would leak secrets, so he killed him to silence him and even wanted Lou Jin to take the blame.
Even though the prince was framed, his first thought was to protect him, fearing that the prince would feel guilty if he found out.
A strong sense of guilt instantly overwhelmed Ye Xunyang.
He actually doubted Lou Jin yesterday; he's so stupid!
Just then, Lou Jin, who was in the study, seemed to hear a slight noise outside the door and called out, "Who's outside?"
Ye Xunyang snapped back to reality, took a deep breath, suppressed his surging emotions, and tried to make his voice sound normal: "It's me, Your Highness. Lunch has been served."
He pushed open the door and entered, a forced, nonchalant smile on his face.
Lou Jin sat behind his desk, his gaze falling on his face. After carefully examining him, he said gently, "You're here. Put it down. You don't look well. Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Ye Xunyang placed the food box on the table, and while serving the dishes, he answered evasively, "Well, a little... I might have gone out in the wind yesterday, and my head feels a bit heavy. But it's nothing serious."
He set out the bowls and chopsticks, looked up at Lou Jin, and his eyes were filled with genuine concern.
"Your Highness, you've just recovered, so don't overexert yourself. Have your meal first."
He made no mention of his trip to the prison yesterday, nor did he ask about Shen Yelan, as if those troubles and suspicions had never happened.
Lou Jin looked at his busy figure and the pure worry in his eyes, and his heart stirred slightly.
It seems that the performance was very effective.
The objective has been achieved.
Lou Jin's lips curved almost imperceptibly, but then a faint trace of guilt swept through his heart.
This was not an honorable act, but in order to eliminate the misunderstanding between them and to keep Ye Xunyang firmly by their side, this method seemed necessary.
He suppressed his discomfort, took the chopsticks Ye Xunyang offered, and said in a normal tone, "Okay, let's eat together. You should eat more to replenish your energy."
The two ate lunch quietly, and the atmosphere seemed to have returned to its usual harmony. Ye Xunyang, having resolved his inner conflict, gradually became more talkative, discussing trivial matters in the mansion in an attempt to dispel the last trace of awkwardness.
Lou Jin listened patiently, occasionally offering a few words of agreement, but his gaze remained tenderly fixed on Ye Xunyang.
He knew that after this experience, Ye Xunyang would probably rely on and trust him even more. The guilt he felt for deceiving him seemed insignificant when he received Ye Xunyang's unreserved concern.
In the study at night, Lou Jin looked at the exercise booklet that Ye Xunyang had drawn for him, preparing to start practicing it after standing for a long time in a few days.
Shan Lan bowed and reported the situation: "The Shen family has taken the body back, and all traces have been removed. No one has noticed anything unusual."
"I understand. To atone for your sins, I will spare you from punishment for now. You may leave."
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