Chapter 37 Backing You Up
The rainy night in the south was damp and cold. Lou Jin sat in the temporary inn where he was resting, his fingertips holding the secret letter he had just received.
The letter, though written in illegible handwriting, clearly explained the situation in the capital.
Lou Shang leaked the news about the Jinwang Mansion to Lou Yi, clearly intending to use Lou Yi to investigate the truth. If he discovered that Lou Yi had left the capital, he would definitely take the opportunity to make trouble.
The crime of deceiving the emperor is a serious crime no matter how you look at it.
"Master, should we travel back to the capital tonight?" Shan Lan stood to the side with her hands at her sides, her voice extremely low.
He knew the wickedness of Lou Shang's actions. Lou Yi was already extremely sensitive to power, and now, instigated by Lou Shang, he would inevitably pay extra attention to the Jinwang Mansion. Ye Xunyang was facing danger alone.
Lou Jin held the secret letter close to the candlelight and watched it turn to ashes.
He got up and walked to the window, looking at the continuous rain outside. His heart was filled with worry for Ye Xunyang. Lou Yi was deep in thought and ruthless in his methods, and was definitely not someone he could handle.
"Travel day and night, and be sure to return to the capital within three days."
"yes!"
The mountain mists departed in response, and the inn instantly sprang into action. The sound of horses' hooves quickly broke the silence of the rainy night, galloping towards the capital.
Meanwhile, inside the residence of the Fifth Prince in the capital, Lou Yi was playing with a jade pendant while listening to his subordinates report the information revealed by Lou Shang.
A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips, his eyes full of disdain: "Lou Shang has quite the scheme, trying to use me to probe the Jinwang Mansion's secrets while he sits back and watches the tigers fight?"
The strategist beside him bowed and said, "Your Highness, although we know it's a case of using someone else to do the dirty work, it is indeed suspicious that Prince Jin has not shown his face for so long. If he has really left the capital, now is the perfect time to weaken the power of Prince Jin's mansion. Even if we only find out his whereabouts, it will be beneficial to us."
Lou Yi paused, his gaze becoming deep.
He recalled the incident of his mother's poisoning. Although there was no direct evidence, he always felt that it was related to the Jin Prince's Mansion. Now he could take this opportunity to investigate Lou Jin's true intentions.
"Go and call Lin An here."
A moment later, a man dressed in a blue robe entered the study. This man was Lou Yi's confidant Lou Shang, whom Lou Yi had turned against Lou Shang last month.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects." Lin An bowed deeply, his posture respectful.
"In the next few days, find a place where Lou Shang isn't paying much attention to your schedule, and go to visit King Jin at King Jin's mansion in the name of King Shang's mansion."
"No matter what method you use, you must see the King Jin himself. If you cannot see him, carefully observe the movements in the palace, especially the main courtyard and the study. Any abnormalities must be reported truthfully."
"Remember, don't reveal your identity. Just pretend you're following Lou Shang's orders."
Lin An's heart tightened, realizing the danger of this mission: "Your subordinate obeys and will certainly not fail in his mission."
Three days later, at dawn, Lin An, accompanied by two attendants, arrived at the gate of the Jinwang Mansion carrying several boxes of nourishing medicinal herbs.
Upon recognizing the guards as people from the Prince of Shang's residence, the guards immediately informed Ye Xunyang.
Ye Xunyang was sorting through the documents left by Lou Jin in the main courtyard when he heard the news. His heart skipped a beat. Lou Shang had just sent his chief secretary to inquire a few days ago, and now he had sent someone again. Clearly, he was still determined to succeed.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the panic in his heart, straightened his robes, and hurried to the flower hall.
Inside the flower hall, Lin An sat in the guest seat, his eyes seemingly casually sweeping over the furnishings, but in reality, he was secretly observing.
Upon seeing Ye Xunyang enter, he quickly stood up and bowed.
"Your subordinate, Lin An, has come to visit His Highness Prince Jin again on the orders of my lord. A few days ago, after the Chief Secretary returned, my lord was still worried and specially asked me to send some more medicine to make sure His Highness Prince Jin is well."
Ye Xunyang sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, but Your Highness is still recuperating and it is really inconvenient for you to receive guests. I appreciate Lord Lin's kindness, please return."
Lin An refused to back down, his tone carrying a hint of force.
“Your Highness, it is not that I am disrespectful. However, my lord instructed me that I cannot return to report if I do not see Prince Jin. I hope Your Highness will be accommodating and allow me to see him even from afar, so that my lord may be at ease.”
Without waiting for Ye Xunyang's response, he made a move to walk towards the inner courtyard.
Ye Xunyang reacted quickly, stepping forward to stop him: "Lord Lin, the Prince's residence has its rules. During the Prince's recuperation period, no one is allowed to enter. If you force your way in again, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Looking at Ye Xunyang's resolute expression, Lin An's suspicions deepened. If the Prince of Jin was truly recuperating in his residence, why would he need to obstruct him like this?
His eyes darted around, and he deliberately raised his voice: "What does Your Highness mean by this? Is it true, as the rumors in the capital say, that His Highness Prince Jin is seriously ill and unable to get out of bed, or even... not at home?"
The atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense upon hearing this.
Lin An didn't back down an inch, his tone deliberately urgent: "Your Highness, it's not that I'm being unruly, it's just that my master is pressing me hard. If I don't get to see Prince Jin, I'll be severely punished when I return. I hope Your Highness will be lenient!"
As he spoke, he made a move to bypass Ye Xunyang and rush into the inner courtyard, clearly determined to find out what was going on.
Ye Xunyang reached out to stop him, his palms already damp with cold sweat.
Ye Xunyang turned around abruptly, his heart skipping a beat.
In the corridor, Lou Jin, dressed in a moon-white casual robe, was slowly being pushed in a wheelchair by a guard, his face still pale but exuding a sense of composure.
Ye Xunyang's eyes instantly lit up with wild joy, but he immediately remembered his current situation and quickly suppressed his surging emotions, maintaining a calm facade. Only his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed his excitement.
The moment Lin An saw Lou Jin, his pupils shrank. He never expected that King Jin would actually be in the mansion!
Moreover, judging from his appearance, although he is in a wheelchair, he does not show any signs of being critically ill, which clearly indicates that the previous rumors were false.
He suppressed his shock and quickly bowed, saying, "Your subordinate, Lin An, has come to visit Your Highness King Jin on the orders of His Highness King Shang."
Lou Jin raised his hand in a gesture of support, his voice low yet carrying an undeniable authority: "No need for formalities. I do need to rest and recuperate these days, and I'm sorry to trouble Your Highness with your concern."
He glanced at Lin An indifferently, and although he didn't say much, Lin An felt a strange pressure.
"Leave the medicine behind. Go back and thank your prince for me. There's no need for frequent visits in the future. I will pay him a visit when I recover."
These words were perfectly worded, both confirming the claim of needing to rest and recuperating, and subtly sending the guest away.
Lin An knew that continuing the argument would not bring any benefit and would only expose his purpose, so he quickly bowed and replied, "Your subordinate obeys and will go back to report to my lord immediately."
Having said that, he left in a hurry with his entourage before Ye Xunyang could speak again.
Only after Lin An's figure completely disappeared outside the mansion gate did Ye Xunyang finally lose his composure. He rushed to Lou Jin's wheelchair, his voice trembling slightly: "Your Highness, why are you back so soon? Didn't you say it would be a few more days?"
Lou Jin felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at the joy and worry in Ye Xunyang's eyes. He stood up from his wheelchair and took Ye Xunyang's hand. The warmth from his fingertips instantly calmed Ye Xunyang down.
"Upon receiving the news that someone in the capital was plotting against you, I rushed back overnight." His tone was full of guilt.
"It must have been tough for you to handle all this on your own."
The attendants tactfully withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the courtyard.
Ye Xunyang hugged Lou Jin tightly, buried his head in the crook of his neck, and tears instantly streamed down his face.
All the grievances, worries, and longing of these past days transformed into a torrent of love the moment he saw Lou Jin, and could no longer be hidden.
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