Chapter 6: Verbal Abuse and Protective Defense
The palace's red walls and yellow tiles appeared particularly solemn and dignified under the sunlight.
Ye Xunyang pushed Lou Jin's wheelchair slowly along the palace path, with the servants following far behind.
Although Ye Xunyang disliked these formalities, he knew that the imperial palace was a place of great importance, and he needed to be careful with his words and actions.
He remained expressionless, trying his best to appear calm and composed.
Just as they were about to turn into the corridor leading to the Hall of Diligent Governance, a group of people escorted a man dressed in the everyday clothes of a prince as they approached.
The man was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. His face resembled Lou Jin's somewhat, but he appeared more clumsy, and his brows carried an undisguised arrogance.
He is the most prominent fourth prince of the day, Lou Shang.
Ye Xunyang felt a chill run down his spine, realizing he had encountered a troublesome person. He subconsciously slowed his pace, trying to take a step back to avoid running into them.
Lou Shang also saw them, a mocking smile curving his lips. He led his men straight up to them, blocking their path.
"Oh, isn't this my third brother?"
Lou Shang's voice was loud and clear, his gaze filled with an unceremonious scrutiny.
"What brings you to the palace today? And with this newly appointed princess?"
His gaze fell on Ye Xunyang, filled with contempt and amusement.
Lou Jin raised his eyes, his gaze calm and unwavering, as if he were looking at an insignificant object, and simply replied, "Fourth Imperial Brother."
Ye Xunyang suppressed his temper and bowed slightly in accordance with etiquette: "Greetings, Your Highness, King Entropy."
Lou Shang seemed not to hear Ye Xunyang's greeting and continued to speak sarcastically to Lou Jin.
“Your Majesty is not in good health. He should stay at home and rest properly. This wedding has been quite a hassle, and then he has to go to the palace to express his gratitude. If he gets tired, wouldn’t that make Father worry? If the wedding to bring good luck causes problems, then it would really be… a loss that outweighs the gain.”
Lou Jin remained expressionless, only saying, "Thank you for your concern, Fourth Prince. I am still able to hold on."
Hearing this, Ye Xunyang was already getting angry. This idiot was clearly deliberately picking a fight, and every word he said was hitting Lou Jin's sore spot.
Seeing that Lou Jin's reaction was indifferent and he seemed to find it boring, Lou Shang turned his attention to Ye Xunyang, looking him up and down at his specially modified princess crown and robes.
"Young General Ye, oh no, now you should call her Third Imperial Sister-in-law? Tsk tsk, it's really a pity for Young General Ye. A dignified son of a military family, yet he has to wear this and push a sickly person around the palace. I wonder how Old General Ye feels when he sees this?"
Ye Xunyang had reached his limit. These words not only insulted Lou Jin, but also trampled on his and the Ye family's reputation.
Lou Jin's eyes suddenly turned cold, but before he could speak, Ye Xunyang exploded.
He was never one to swallow his anger. He had held back before out of respect for the palace and Lou Jin, but now that the other party was taking advantage of him, how could he tolerate it?
Ye Xunyang parked Lou Jin's wheelchair and started cursing at Lou Shang, pointing at his face.
"Who do we have here spewing nonsense? It's Your Highness, the King of Entropy! What's wrong? Did you forget to brush your teeth this morning, or did you get your head caught in a door last night and come here to act crazy?"
"My prince is unwell; it's an old ailment from his hard work for the country. The Emperor and Empress Dowager are both worried and concerned about him. Who are you to interfere?"
"Just because you're temporarily in charge of some affairs, you think you're the crown prince? The position of heir apparent is the foundation of the nation, and the emperor has the authority to make his own decisions. What are you so eager to show off for? Are you afraid others won't know you're eyeing that position?"
"And then there's my Ye family. My father is a great general who protects the country and has made great contributions to the nation! I, Ye Xunyang, am upright and honest. My marriage to the prince is by imperial decree and is perfectly aboveboard!"
"As for you, Your Highness, besides blocking the road here and gossiping like a long-tongued woman, what else can you do? When the soldiers on the border were fighting bloody battles, where were you to show off your prowess? Oh right, I forgot, with your golden and precious status, you probably haven't even warmed up a saddle yet, have you?"
This barrage of insults left Lou Shang and his entourage completely dumbfounded.
Lou Shang stared wide-eyed at Ye Xunyang in disbelief.
He had long heard that Ye Xunyang was straightforward and thought he was an easy target, but he never expected that his mouth would be so sharp and vicious, every word of which was aimed at his heart and lungs.
Lou Jin was also stunned. He didn't expect Ye Xunyang to start a fight directly, and to be so vivid, sharp and incisive in his insults.
He looked at Ye Xunyang's flushed face, his eyes fixed on Lou Shang, like a little leopard that had been provoked, yet he exuded a strange vitality.
Lou Shang finally reacted, his face turning ashen with rage. He pointed at Ye Xunyang, his finger trembling, "You...you're insolent! Ye Xunyang! What kind of thing are you, daring to speak to me like that!"
"What am I?"
Ye Xunyang sneered and put his hands on his hips.
"I am the Princess Consort of Prince Jin, whom he married through proper channels! I am the Princess Consort personally appointed by the Emperor! According to etiquette, you should address me as Imperial Sister-in-law! You have no respect for your elders and speak rudely. Who is being so insolent?!"
"You...you're talking nonsense!"
"A man, relying on some imperial strategist's prophecy to marry into the royal family, actually thinks he's something special! He's nothing but a bed toy..."
"Building entropy!"
Lou Jin, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke. His voice was not loud, but it carried a cold and imposing aura, instantly interrupting Lou Shang.
Lou Jin slowly raised his eyes, his eyes, which had been half-closed due to fatigue, now fully opened, his deep eyes gleaming with a cold light as he looked directly at Lou Shang.
"My queen is not for you to comment on, much less to insult."
He spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.
Lou Shang was taken aback by Lou Jin's sudden display of power, but then became even more enraged: "Lou Jin! What are you pretending for! Do you think you're still the same person you used to be..."
Lou Jin coldly interrupted him: "My past is none of your concern, Fourth Prince."
"As for the Fourth Prince, he has been provoking and insulting the Princess and noble families within the palace. If this were to reach Father's ears, I wonder what Father would think? Does the Fourth Prince think that now that he has high prestige in court and many people are flattering him, he can disregard palace rules and etiquette?"
Lou Jin has been suffering from a long-term illness and rarely argues with others. In the past, when Lou Shang provoked him, he mostly endured it or ignored it.
But today, contrary to his usual behavior, he launched a sharp counterattack.
The two princes, one sitting in a wheelchair with a pale face but an imposing aura, and the other standing opposite with a livid face and uncontrollable rage, were exchanging words on the palace road, arguing like two people quarreling in the marketplace.
The eunuchs and palace maids around them were already kneeling on the ground in fear, trembling and not daring to raise their heads.
Ye Xunyang was a little confused at first, but seeing Lou Jin stand up for him, he felt a strange warmth and a sense of satisfaction.
But seeing the two arguing more and more fiercely, he calmed down. If things really escalated, it would definitely not be good for Lou Jin.
He quietly tugged at Lou Jin's sleeve and whispered, "Your Highness, let it go. It's not worth getting angry with this kind of person. We still need to express our gratitude. Don't be late."
Lou Jin felt the force of the sleeve, took a deep breath, and suppressed the urge to cough and the anger surging in his chest.
He glanced coldly at Lou Shang, his gaze as if he were looking at a pile of garbage, and said nothing more to Ye Xunyang, "Let's go."
Ye Xunyang immediately pushed the wheelchair around Lou Shang, who was trembling with anger, and walked straight towards the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Even after walking a long distance, you can still hear Lou Shang's furious growls and the sound of things being smashed behind you.
Ye Xunyang looked down at Lou Jin's still tense profile and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Your Highness, are you... alright? Thank you for what you did earlier."
Lou Jin did not turn around. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "In the future, try to avoid him in the palace. This man is vindictive and will not let today's matter rest."
His voice returned to its usual low, hoarse tone, tinged with weariness.
Ye Xunyang curled his lip: "Why should I be afraid of him? He started it first."
Lou Jin tilted his head slightly, glanced at Ye Xunyang, and said with a complicated expression, "It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Be careful."
Ye Xunyang's heart stirred, and he nodded: "Understood, Your Highness."
Lou Jin was speechless. This guy was a bit silly, and he had to protect him.
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