Chapter 20 He is his princess
When the carriage from the Prince of Jin's mansion arrived at the palace gate, it did not attract much attention.
Lou Jin remained in his wheelchair, pushed by Ye Xunyang. He was dressed in a princely formal suit, his pale face made even more bloodless by the crimson robe. He coughed softly the whole way, looking like he was seriously ill and unable to get out of bed.
Ye Xunyang wore a dark brocade robe with cloud patterns embroidered on it, which was both appropriate for his status and neat. He had a calm expression, but his eyes would occasionally sweep sharply around, like a vigilant guard.
Their seats were arranged to be below the throne, inconspicuous yet demonstrating the royal family's consideration for the ailing prince.
When the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine arrived, his gaze swept lightly over Lou Jin, only to be replaced by a graceful smile.
Lou Shang sat in the seat opposite them, dressed in fine clothes, full of vigor, chatting and laughing with the surrounding imperial family members and court officials, but his eyes occasionally seemed to be like poisoned needles, piercing Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang.
After several failed attempts to assassinate him, and with the Jinwang Mansion now as impenetrable as an iron barrel, he had lost his patience.
As the banquet progressed and became increasingly lively, the atmosphere grew even noisier.
As is customary, there will be entertainment programs. This year, in addition to the usual song and dance performances, a new program called "Auspicious Hundred Plays" has been added, allowing eligible young men and women from various families to showcase their talents. It is ostensibly for the enjoyment of the people, but in reality, it provides an opportunity for royal children and noble families to meet and admire each other.
After several rounds of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, the atmosphere became somewhat dull.
Lou Shang suddenly stood up, bowed to the throne, and said, "Father, today's banquet, while elegant and refined, seems to lack a bit of vigor. I have heard that the princess consort of my third brother's household is a daughter of a military family and has superb martial arts skills."
"Why not ask the Princess to demonstrate her beauty, so that we can also broaden our horizons and see what kind of heroic figure she possesses that has won the favor of our Third Prince?"
His words, though spoken with a smile, were sharp and menacing, directly pushing Ye Xunyang to the forefront with sinister intentions.
If Ye Xunyang refuses, he will be considered cowardly, confirming his reputation for using his looks to please others. If he accepts, he will be wielding weapons in this setting, and the slightest mistake could lead to disrespect. If things are sabotaged in secret, the consequences would be unimaginable.
More importantly, this will force Ye Xunyang to leave Lou Jin's side.
In an instant, all eyes were focused on Ye Xunyang.
There was curiosity, scrutiny, ill intent, and a few expressions of sympathy.
Ye Xunyang tightened his grip on the wheelchair armrests and looked at Lou Jin.
Lou Jin coughed twice, covering his mouth, and was about to politely refuse when Ye Xunyang pressed his arm and shook his head slightly.
He could tell that Lou Shang was determined to cause trouble today, and there was no way to avoid it.
Besides, Ye Xunyang is upright and honest, so what is there to fear about showing off?
He rose, bowed to the throne, and said in a clear, neither humble nor arrogant, “Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Shang’s hospitality is too much for me to refuse. However, swords have no eyes and I fear they might disturb Your Majesty’s presence. I would like to demonstrate a set of boxing techniques as a way to add to the festivities.”
The emperor pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Granted. Enough is enough."
Ye Xunyang took off his outer robe, revealing a tight-fitting outfit underneath, which made him appear even more upright, with long arms and a slender waist.
He walked steadily to the open space in the center of the hall, took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a salute, and then assumed a fighting stance.
The starting stance is as steady as a mountain, and then the fist suddenly generates wind!
What he practices is not a fancy performance routine, but a fierce and powerful boxing style honed on the battlefield. His movements are expansive and powerful, with strength contained yet not revealed. Every punch and every kick carries the sound of air being cut, full of power and beauty.
In stark contrast to the surrounding extravagance and decadence, his masculine and heroic aura instantly attracted everyone's attention.
The previously whispering atmosphere at the banquet fell silent as many young ladies from prominent families watched intently, their eyes revealing undisguised admiration and amazement.
Even some of the royal women and princesses couldn't help but whisper among themselves, their eyes frequently falling on Ye Xunyang.
"I've long heard of General Ye's heroic deeds, and seeing him today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved..."
"With such elegance, no wonder His Highness King Jin..."
"What a pity, if only I hadn't been married..."
The hushed whispers, though low, were like tiny needles piercing Lou Jin's ears.
He sat upright in his wheelchair, his face still calm, even showing a hint of sickly fatigue, as if he had little interest in the performance in front of him.
Only the hand resting on the armrest, with its knuckles slightly white from the force, betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
As he looked at the dazzling figure in the arena and the gazes directed at Ye Xunyang, a strong emotion quietly welled up in his heart.
He was jealous of those gazes that lingered so brazenly on Ye Xunyang.
Ye Xunyang should be his.
She was his queen, the only medicine that could alleviate his pain.
He had never been so clearly aware that he was beginning to greedily desire to possess everything.
This intense possessiveness and the ensuing jealousy terrified even him.
He was used to strategizing and hiding his emotions, but at this moment, faced with Ye Xunyang's brilliance because of others, his proud self-control was somewhat shaky.
In the arena, Ye Xunyang finished a set of boxing techniques, stood up, slightly out of breath, and sweat rolled down his forehead, adding to his heroic spirit.
He clasped his hands in greeting and looked around, his gaze finally settling on Lou Jin, where he revealed a bright smile.
Lou Jin nodded slightly, his eyes showing a gentleness he himself was unaware of.
A cheer erupted in the hall, and the emperor stroked his beard and offered a few words of praise.
Just as Ye Xunyang was about to return to his seat, a eunuch carrying a wine pot tripped and stumbled, spilling the entire pot of wine straight towards Lou Jin.
The wine pot was angled erratically; if it spilled, it would not only wet Lou Jin's robes but could also splash into his mouth and nose, causing a violent cough. Furthermore, if there was something wrong with the wine...
Everything happened so fast that almost no one had time to react.
"Your Highness, be careful!"
Ye Xunyang's expression changed drastically. He was still a few steps away from Lou Jin and didn't have time to push the wheelchair away.
In the blink of an eye, he moved like lightning, suddenly taking a side slide and narrowly getting in front of Lou Jin. At the same time, he stretched out his arm and used his wide sleeves to meet the splashed wine!
The wine was completely blocked by his sleeves, soaking a large area.
Ye Xunyang stood in front of Lou Jin, his eyes cold as he looked at the eunuch who was kneeling and begging for mercy in fear, and said sternly, "You are clumsy and disturb the prince. What is your punishment?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a fierce aura honed on the battlefield, making the eunuch tremble.
Lou Jin sat behind him, and when he looked up, he could only see Ye Xunyang's tall and strong back, which firmly protected him.
His queen is protecting him.
The guards quickly stepped forward and dragged the eunuch away for questioning, causing the atmosphere of the banquet to become somewhat tense.
The Imperial Concubine quickly stepped in to smooth things over, allowing the banquet to continue. However, this incident only intensified the undercurrents within the banquet.
Ye Xunyang returned to his seat and asked Lou Jin in a low voice, "Your Highness, are you alright? Did the wine spill on you?"
He tugged at his soaked sleeves, somewhat annoyed: "What a waste of these clothes."
Lou Jin looked at his face, which was so close to his, and saw that his clear eyes were filled with pure worry and lingering fear.
He reached out and gently grasped Ye Xunyang's hand, which was resting on the armrest of the wheelchair.
Ye Xunyang was stunned and subconsciously tried to pull away, but Lou Jin held him even tighter. Lou Jin's hand was icy cold.
Lou Jin's voice was low and husky, his gaze fixed intently on Ye Xunyang: "It's alright. It's just a piece of clothing. I'm glad you're alright."
His fingertips, hidden by the sleeves of his robe where no one could see, gently caressed the inside of Ye Xunyang's wrist.
On the carriage back to the mansion, Ye Xunyang was still indignantly analyzing the accident that had just happened, convinced that Lou Shang was behind it all.
Lou Jin remained silent, leaning against the car wall, closing his eyes to rest, but he held Ye Xunyang's hand tightly and never let go.
For the first time, Lou Jin realized with such clarity that he might never be able to let go again.
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