Chapter 35 Taking Sole Control of the Prince's Mansion
After Lou Jin left, the Jinwang Mansion seemed to become much quieter.
Ye Xunyang roused himself and continued to handle the affairs of the manor as usual, inspecting defenses and supervising servants, keeping the manor in good order.
In their spare time, they would unconsciously look towards the main courtyard, or walk to the lakeside pavilion where the two of them often went, and stare blankly at the lake surface covered with a thin layer of ice.
He then realized that the days without Lou Jin by his side were so long and... boring.
Unbeknownst to him, he had grown accustomed to that person's presence, his scent, his voice, the occasional deep gaze he cast, and even the faint medicinal fragrance emanating from him.
"What's wrong with me?" Ye Xunyang rubbed his temples, his mind a mess.
He remembered that kiss, that embrace, and his heart began to race uncontrollably again.
This feeling was something he had never experienced before.
Even when faced with Liu Yunxu's persistent pursuit or Shen Yelan's closeness, he only felt annoyance and disgust.
Only Lou Jin...
"Your Highness, the General's Mansion has sent some New Year's goods. What do you think we should do with them?" The steward's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Ye Xunyang snapped out of his daze, shook off those chaotic thoughts, and got up to deal with important matters.
As the year draws to a close, the atmosphere in Beijing remains tense.
The fourth prince was confined to his quarters, while the fifth prince's power surged, subtly altering the political landscape of the court.
Behind the scenes, countless eyes are watching, waiting for the next storm.
Ye Xunyang kept Lou Jin's instructions in mind and stayed home as little as possible. In the past two days, apart from necessary visits to the General's Mansion to see his parents, he hardly went out.
He also strengthened the security of the Prince's Mansion, especially the main courtyard and study, and assigned trusted confidants to guard them day and night.
On the fifth night after Lou Jin left, Ye Xunyang finished his business and returned to his empty bedroom.
Lou Jin's presence still lingered in the room. He lay on the large bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
Without that person's body temperature and breathing, the bed felt exceptionally cold and empty.
He couldn't help but wonder, where is Lou Jin now? What's the weather like in the south? Is his body holding up? Will he encounter any danger?
A host of worries came rushing in, making him anxious and upset.
Just then, a very faint knocking sound came from outside the window.
Ye Xunyang instantly became alert, gripped the short blade under his pillow, and hissed, "Who?"
"Your Highness, it's your subordinate, Wushan." A familiar voice came from outside the window.
Wushan was one of the guards who left with Lou Jin. Could something have happened to the prince?
Ye Xunyang's heart tightened, and he immediately got up and opened the window.
Wushan was dressed in night clothes, looking travel-worn and tired.
"Wushan? Why are you back? Where is the Prince?" Ye Xunyang asked urgently.
Wushan knelt on one knee and presented a sealed letter with both hands: "Your Highness, please rest assured, His Highness is well. I was ordered to return ahead to deliver this letter. His Highness instructed that this letter must be handed to Your Highness personally."
Ye Xunyang took the letter, and his fingertips touched the familiar handwriting on the envelope. Only then did his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settle down a little.
He eagerly opened the letter and read it by candlelight.
Lou Jin's handwriting was vigorous and powerful, and the content was concise. He first reported that he was safe and sound, saying that he had arrived safely in the southern border region and was conducting reconnaissance as planned.
Then he told him that the situation in the capital was complicated, and that he must be careful and take good care of himself.
At the end of the letter, there was only one simple sentence: "Don't worry, my return is not far away."
Ye Xunyang read the few lines of text several times, as if he could see the person writing them between the lines.
He carefully folded the letter and tucked it away close to his body.
"Does Your Highness have any other instructions?" Ye Xunyang asked Wushan.
Wushan shook his head: "His Highness only instructed his subordinates to deliver the message and assist the Princess in protecting the safety of the Prince's residence."
"Alright, you must be tired from your journey. Go and rest now," Ye Xunyang said.
Wushan bowed and withdrew.
Ye Xunyang lay back down on the bed, clutching the letter tightly in his hand.
Lou Jin specially sent someone back with a letter. Is it because... he's also worried about him, just like him?
The thought made his cheeks flush slightly, but a sweet feeling welled up in his heart that was hard to describe.
He closed his eyes, and Lou Jin's image appeared in his mind.
On the tenth day after Lou Jin left, the capital city was blanketed in its first heavy snowfall of the winter.
Snowflakes, like goose feathers, fluttered down, covering the red walls and green tiles, and temporarily concealing the tense atmosphere that was brewing beneath the surface.
News of Lou Jin's departure from the capital was strictly suppressed. The only public statement was that His Highness Prince Jin's old illness had slightly relapsed, and he needed to recuperate in his residence, refusing all visits.
It's common for illnesses to worsen in winter, and Lou Jin had refused visits in previous years, but this time someone still noticed something was wrong.
The Ministry of Rites was the first to sense something unusual.
A routine document regarding the year-end royal family sacrifice was sent to Prince Jin's residence, requiring Prince Jin to review and approve it personally. Ye Xunyang had no choice but to meet the official in charge of the matter in person.
The official from the Ministry of Rites, sitting in the main seat of the Prince's mansion, looked at Ye Xunyang and spoke with a hint of probing.
“Your Highness, it is not that I am making things difficult for you, but the scale of the sacrificial ceremony and the arrangement of personnel have always required the personal approval of the Prince. Now, His Highness…”
He drew out his words, his eyes glancing almost imperceptibly toward the inner courtyard.
"If His Highness is unwell and unable to attend to official duties, according to regulations, some expenses may need to be recalculated."
Ye Xunyang held the teacup, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, but his expression remained unchanged.
"His Highness merely needs rest and recuperation; he is not incapable of handling affairs. If the physician has any doubts, he may leave the regulations here, and His Highness will review them once he is feeling better. As for the expenses,"
He set down his teacup with a crisp sound and looked calmly at the other person.
"No matter what, the Prince Jin's Mansion would never neglect the proper rites for ancestor worship. It will be done exactly as required. Or does the Ministry of Rites think that I, Ye Xunyang, am not even capable of managing this basic household affairs?"
His tone wasn't harsh, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.
The doctor felt a chill run down his spine when he saw the princess's gaze. Remembering that the princess was backed by the Ye family and that he himself was no pushover, he quickly smiled apologetically and said, "No, no, Your Highness is too kind."
"I am simply following the rules. Since Your Highness has said so, I will report it according to the original procedure."
After dismissing the people from the Ministry of Rites, Ye Xunyang sat alone in the flower hall for a long time.
The cold wind howled outside the window, and for the first time he felt so clearly that the Wangfu without Lou Jin in charge was like a ship that had lost its ballast, tossing and turning in the wind and waves.
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