Chapter 91 is hard to accept
"Father, please don't get angry. Taking care of your health is the most important thing..." Ye Xunyang tried to comfort him.
Since returning to the capital, Ye Xunyang has also come back to the General's Mansion. Several times he wanted to tell his father, but Madam Ye said to wait until General Ye was feeling better before telling him.
They had planned to inform their father half a month later, on Ye Xunyang's birthday, when he was in a good mood, but this imperial decree disrupted their plans.
"Speak!" Ye Qing slammed his hand on the edge of the bed and coughed violently again, which startled Madam Ye, who quickly patted his back to help him catch his breath.
Looking at his father's furious face, Ye Xunyang knew that the matter could no longer be hidden.
He took a deep breath, lifted his robe, and knelt upright in front of the bed.
Upon seeing this, Lou Jin did not hesitate at all, stepped forward, and knelt down beside him.
This scene stunned Ye Qing and his wife.
“Father, Mother,” Ye Xunyang’s voice was deep and clear, with a resolute determination, “The imperial edict… is true in every word. Your son and Prince Jin are not just ordinary ruler and subject, nor merely allies. We… we have long since pledged our lives to each other, and are truly husband and wife.”
Despite the suspicions, hearing his son admit it with his own ears, and especially seeing the powerful King Jin kneel down with his son without hesitation, still struck Ye Qing like a thunderbolt. He swayed, pointed at them, his fingers trembling, too angry to speak.
"You...you unfilial son! Your Highness Prince Jin! Do you...do you know what this is saying? Xunyang is a man! How could you...how could you...what kind of behavior is this! What has become of the Ye family's reputation! What has become of the royal family's reputation! What has become of the reputation of our ancestors!"
Overwhelmed by anger and shame, he felt a sweet taste in his throat and spat out another mouthful of blood, staining his shirt red.
"master!"
"Father!"
"Old General!"
The three gasped in unison. Madam Ye could no longer hold back, and cried to Ye Qing, "Master! Things have come to this, please don't pressure the children anymore! Do you really want to kill yourself with anger?"
Lou Jin held Ye Xunyang's hand tightly and met Ye Qing's gaze frankly: "General Ye, it's all my fault. I was the one who fell in love with Xunyang first, and I insisted on staying with him. If you want to blame someone, blame me alone. Xunyang was just responding to my feelings."
He paused, his voice steady and powerful, carrying the air of a prince, and even more so, a sense of respect and responsibility towards his elders: "I know that this matter is shocking, has brought shame to the old general, and has put the Ye family in a difficult position."
"But I, Lou Jin, hereby swear that I will never betray Xun Yang in this life, and will share his fortunes and misfortunes, and be with him through life and death. The affairs of the Ye family are my affairs, Lou Jin's affairs. I will do my utmost to protect the Ye family and bring glory to the Ye family."
He looked at Ye Qing and said, word by word, "If the old general is still angry, Lou Jin will bear any punishment without complaint. I only ask that the old general take care of his health and not harm himself because of our matter."
The room was silent, save for Mrs. Ye's soft sobs.
Ye Qing stared intently at the two people kneeling before him.
His own son's eyes were stubborn and determined, while the young prince, of noble status, was completely unpretentious, taking all the responsibility upon himself, speaking earnestly, with a firm gaze.
He recalled everything Lou Jin had done for his son, and then looked at the figures kneeling side by side before him...
A surge of anger and shame, faced with this deep affection, momentarily became stuck in his chest, unable to erupt.
He was breathing heavily, and finally, with a long sigh, he leaned back heavily on the pillow and closed his eyes.
"Get out..." he waved his hand weakly, his voice hoarse, "All of you get out... let me have some peace and quiet..."
Just then, a report came from outside the door: "Master, Madam, the imperial physician has arrived."
Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang exchanged a glance, knowing that further words would be futile and might only further upset their father. Ye Xunyang kowtowed heavily, his voice choked with emotion, "Father, please take care of yourself. Your son will be watching over you outside."
Lou Jin also said in a deep voice, "General, please rest assured and recuperate. The imperial physician is already outside the door."
After saying this, the two stood up and silently left the room, leaving the space to the imperial physician and Madam Ye.
The door closed gently behind him, shutting out what was happening inside.
Ye Xunyang leaned against the pillar, feeling as if all his strength had been drained. Lou Jin stepped forward, gently embraced him, and stroked his back, offering silent comfort.
"It's my fault..." Ye Xunyang buried his face in his shoulder, his voice muffled, "I should have thought of that sooner. Father... with his old-fashioned nature, how could he accept it..."
"It's not your fault," Lou Jin said in a low voice, his tone firm. "We chose this path and anticipated the storms that would come. We just didn't expect it to happen in this way, to let the old general know, and to harm his health."
He cupped Ye Xunyang's face in his hands, wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his fingertips, his gaze deep and tender: "But Xunyang, now that we've taken this step, there's no turning back. No matter what, I'll face it with you."
Looking at the unwavering determination in Lou Jin's eyes, Ye Xunyang's panic and self-blame subsided slightly. He nodded and gripped Lou Jin's hand tightly in return.
The imperial physician examined the patient inside for about half an hour before emerging. The two immediately went to greet him.
"Imperial Physician, how is my father?" Ye Xunyang asked anxiously.
The imperial physician stroked his beard, his expression relatively calm: "The old general's sudden anger triggered his heart, causing his liver qi to rise and blood to fail to return to its proper channels, hence the vomiting of blood. He is not in serious danger for now; I have administered acupuncture and medicine, and he is temporarily stable. However…"
He paused, glanced at Lou Jin beside him, and carefully considered his words: "The root of this illness lies in the knot of resentment in one's heart. If the knot in one's heart is not untied, the resentment will be difficult to relieve, which will ultimately be a great harm to the body. One still needs to calm down and recuperate, and must avoid being stimulated again."
The meaning behind those words was crystal clear. Ye Xunyang's expression darkened, and he said in a low voice, "Thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician."
After seeing the imperial physician off, the two stood outside the door in silence for a moment.
Finally, Madam Ye came out with red eyes and said to Ye Xunyang, "Your father has gone to sleep. You should go back first. I will stay here and watch over things."
She looked at Lou Jin again, her expression complicated, but she still bowed and said, "Your Highness, please return. Thank you for your protection today."
These words, though polite, also carried a sense of distance.
Lou Jin understood Madam Ye's feelings at that moment, and he solemnly returned the greeting: "Madam, you are too kind. It is the old general's health that is of utmost importance. If there is any need, please send someone to the Prince's residence to inform him at any time."
Madam Ye nodded, said nothing more, and turned to go back to her room.
Back at the King Jin's mansion, the atmosphere was completely different from when he left.
Although the servants did not know exactly what had happened, they did not dare to say anything when they saw the prince and princess return with solemn expressions, and served them carefully.
The children also became much more well-behaved.
In the following days, Ye Xunyang would return to the Ye residence to visit every day, but Ye Qing either refused to see him or remained silent when they met, his eyes filled with complex emotions, but no longer as fiercely rebuking him as he had that day.
This silent resistance only made Ye Xunyang feel worse.
As night deepened, most of the lights in the main courtyard of the Jinwang Mansion had been extinguished, leaving only a few lanterns casting a dim yellow glow under the eaves.
Ye Xunyang leaned against the bed, gazing at the deep night outside the window, frowning and sighing deeply. Lou Jin finished washing up, lay down beside him, and gently pulled him into his arms.
"Still thinking?" Lou Jin asked in a low voice, his chin brushing against the top of his soft hair.
Ye Xunyang sighed, leaned into his arms, and said in a muffled voice, "Although Father no longer scolds me, his silence makes me feel even worse. Am I being too unfilial?"
"Nonsense." Lou Jin tightened his grip, his tone firm. "What's wrong with pursuing what you love? It's normal to find it hard to accept. It would be scary if you agreed right away. Perhaps we should have an open and honest talk."
"But the imperial physician said that Father cannot be subjected to any more stimulation..."
“I understand, so we need to think this through carefully and find a safe solution.” Lou Jin patted his back reassuringly. “In short, I’ll take care of everything.”
As the two were discussing in hushed tones, a very faint rustling sound suddenly came from outside the door, as if someone was tiptoeing closer.
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