Chapter 74 Showing Affection
"An ambush!" Ye Xunyang's pupils contracted, and he shouted sharply, "Protect the two princes!"
Almost simultaneously, a dense cacophony of mechanical sounds echoed from the forests on both sides of the canyon.
Countless crossbow bolts rained down from above like locusts, their target clear: the carriage.
"Raise shields!" The well-trained guards immediately raised their heavy shields, instantly forming an impenetrable defensive wall around the carriage.
The arrows clattered against the shield, sparks flying.
"It's a crossbow!" Ye Xunyang instantly realized that the attackers' equipment was definitely not that of ordinary mountain bandits, and his heart sank even further.
After the first volley of arrows, shouts of battle erupted from both sides of the hillside as hundreds of black-clad assassins, armed with sharp blades, charged straight at the carriage.
"Charge!" Ye Xunyang brandished his spear and faced the charging assassins.
The battle instantly intensified.
The narrow canyon terrain made it difficult for the large army to deploy, and for a time they were entangled by this group of assassins who were far fewer in number than their own.
Lou Jin observed the battle outside through the crack in the car window and said in a deep voice, "Their target is very clear: me, or my brother, or perhaps Feng Bao."
Yu Beichen quickly checked Lou Yan's condition to make sure he was not disturbed, then looked at Lou Jin: "Your body cannot be used to exert internal force."
Lou Jin nodded: "I know."
He looked at Ye Xunyang, who was fighting fiercely outside the car, and his eyes flashed with worry, but even more so with trust.
Ye Xunyang stood in front of the carriage like a god of war.
Just then, deafening battle cries came from the other end of the canyon. The general in charge of the vanguard finally led his troops to break through the obstruction and launch a pincer attack.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the remaining assassins retreated into the depths of the mountains like a tide, their actions swift and decisive, clearly indicating that they had planned their escape in advance.
The battle ended quickly, leaving behind dozens of corpses of black-clad assassins in the canyon.
Ye Xunyang, panting heavily, walked to the carriage and asked anxiously through the window, "Your Highness, are you alright?"
"It's nothing," Lou Jin's voice came, tinged with concern. "And you?"
"It's just a superficial wound, nothing serious." Ye Xunyang wiped the blood off his face and gave a hearty smile.
The ambush at Luoying Gorge was passed without incident. After the army cleared the battlefield and rested briefly, they continued their advance along the official road.
The carriage started moving again. Lou Jin looked at the cut on Ye Xunyang's arm, his brows furrowed, and ordered without room for doubt, "Get in the carriage and treat the wound."
Ye Xunyang wanted to decline, but seeing Lou Jin's insistent expression, he had no choice but to hand the horse over to the guards and climb back into the carriage.
As soon as he entered, he felt two pairs of eyes on him.
Lou Jin's concern was undisguised, while the First Prince and Mr. Yu's gazes were somewhat...complex?
Before he could think it through, Lou Jin had already pulled him to sit down next to him.
"Roll up your sleeves." Lou Jin's voice was deep and carried an unyielding tone.
Ye Xunyang obediently did as he was told, revealing his wound.
Lou Jin took out a water bag and a clean white cloth and personally cleaned his wounds.
After cleaning, Lou Jin took out the wound medicine and carefully sprinkled it on the wound.
Afraid of hurting him, Lou Jin lowered his head, leaned close to the wound, and gently blew on it.
Ye Xunyang subconsciously tried to pull his hand back, but Lou Jin held it firmly.
"Don't move, it'll be done soon." Lou Jin didn't even look up, focusing on bandaging him, his tone as natural as if nothing could be more normal.
But the slight redness at the base of his ears betrayed that he was not as calm as he appeared.
Lou Yan, sitting opposite, went from observing at first, to raising an eyebrow, and now... she just couldn't stand it anymore!
Lou Yan took a deep breath, feeling as if his injury was hurting even more.
He coughed suddenly. "How about I bring a bed over for the two of you?"
Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang, who were engrossed in their own world, turned to look at him at the same time, but did not hear what he said.
Lou Yan stared at them expressionlessly, then shouted towards the car: "Stop the car!"
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
Lou Yan, leaning against the carriage wall and trying to maintain his dignity as the eldest brother, said to Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang, "You two..."
He paused, seemingly trying to find the right words, but ultimately gave up, saying, "Take good care of the wound."
Without waiting for their reaction, he turned to Yu Beichen, who was trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, and reached out his hand: "Beichen, help me up, let's go to the carriage in the back." His tone was as matter-of-fact as could be.
Yu Beichen was clearly taken aback for a moment, then looked up at Lou Yan and met his unquestionable gaze.
He pursed his lips, then finally stood up and silently took Lou Yan's arm.
With Yu Beichen's help, Lou Yan slowly got off the carriage and walked towards the spare carriage behind without looking back.
Yu Beichen supported him, never turning back, but his slightly quickened pace revealed his desire to leave as soon as possible.
In the blink of an eye, only Lou Jin, still bandaged, and Ye Xunyang, whose cheeks were flushed, remained inside the spacious carriage.
The carriage curtains swayed, isolating the outside world.
Lou Jin looked at Ye Xunyang's embarrassed expression, and couldn't help but chuckle softly, his chest vibrating with a pleasant resonance.
Ye Xunyang was smiled at by Lou Jin, who put his arm around his shoulder and pulled him back to sit down next to him.
"Alright, now no one's bothering us." Lou Jin's voice carried a lingering smile, magnetic and gentle. "Continue bandaging."
Ye Xunyang leaned on Lou Jin's shoulder. Now... he was truly in a situation where he couldn't clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River!
But it seems there's no need to clear it up anymore.
In the carriage behind, Lou Yan leaned comfortably against the newly laid-out cushions, looking at Yu Beichen across from her who seemed a little uncomfortable, and her mood inexplicably improved.
Yes, it's definitely quieter here.
As for his wolfish third brother and that Ye family brat... let them be!
They're already married, after all.
Lou Yan turned his head to look at Yu Beichen, who was reading a medical book across from him, and suddenly spoke, his tone casually teasing: "Beichen, look at Jin'er and that kid from the Ye family... they're quite rare."
Yu Beichen paused slightly as he turned the pages of the book. Without looking up, he simply gave a soft "hmm" in response.
Lou Yan's gaze lingered for a moment on his lowered eyebrows and tightly pursed lips.
Ten years have passed.
This person is finally within his reach again.
Although he still maintains a cold and aloof demeanor, it's a world of difference compared to the past ten years when he was completely out of touch.
He was no longer as impulsive as he had been in his youth, and he knew that Yu Beichen's inner turmoil was not something that could be resolved in a day.
Pushing him too hard might just push him further away.
So he stopped teasing Lou Jin and the others, and his tone became calm and sentimental, as if he were just chatting casually: "Looking at Jin'er and Xunyang reminds me of some things from my youth."
He paused, his gaze gently falling on Yu Beichen. "Time flies."
Yu Beichen didn't look up or reply, but his aura seemed calmer.
Lou Yan didn't care about his silence and continued to speak to himself, his voice low and steady: "Sometimes I feel that it's best if people can stay by my side safely. As for the rest... there's plenty of time."
He spoke these words casually, but the meaning behind them made Yu Beichen tighten his grip on the book slightly.
Yu Beichen still didn't look up or respond, simply maintaining his bowed head posture.
Lou Yan took in his subtle changes and smiled inwardly.
No rush, having someone by your side is the biggest progress.
He has plenty of time and patience to slowly melt this iceberg, to wait for him to figure things out, and to wait until the day he can no longer deceive himself.
He said no more, comfortably adjusted his posture, and closed his eyes, as if he was really just tired and needed to rest.
The carriage fell silent again, with only the rhythmic rumble of the wheels and the soft breathing of the passengers.
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