In the days that followed, Ye Xunyang strictly managed Lou Jin’s diet and daily routine.
Without fail, he supervised Lou Jin in taking his medicine and eating his meals on time.
He would also drag Lou Jin out for a slow stroll in the estate’s garden on clear, sunny afternoons, under the guise of stretching his limbs and absorbing vital energy.
Lou Jin let him fuss, cooperating in silence most of the time.
He discovered that whenever Ye Xunyang was bustling about by his side, the pain in his body would indeed lessen significantly, and even his spirits improved.
As for the estate’s account books, Ye Xunyang managed them quite capably.
Although he lacked patience for minute details, he possessed a clear head when it came to major matters, making strict and fair distinctions between rewards and punishments. Combined with the steward’s assistance, the household not only avoided chaos but actually ran more orderly than ever before.
The servants, who initially held a wait-and-see attitude and harbored doubts about the Princess Consort, gradually set aside their misgivings and dedicated themselves to their duties upon seeing his fair handling of matters, his lenient treatment of subordinates, and the Prince’s obvious indulgence toward him.
Nor did Ye Xunyang stay cooped up in the estate all day. Occasionally, he returned to the General’s household to visit his mother or headed to the imperial riding grounds in the suburbs to race horses and practice archery, keeping his body nimble.
Every time he returned, he brought back novel street snacks for Lou Jin and recounted what he had seen outside.
Long confined to his sickbed and the estate, Lou Jin found his vivid and lively descriptions quite entertaining.
That evening, Ye Xunyang brought back a bag of freshly roasted sugar chestnuts from outside, hurrying excitedly into the main study.
“Your Highness, try these! They are piping hot, fragrant, and sweet!” He peeled a golden chestnut and handed it directly to Lou Jin.
Seeing the fingertips slightly reddened by the chestnut shell, Lou Jin hesitated for a moment before reaching out to accept it and popping it into his mouth.
The sweet, soft, and glutinous texture melted on the tip of his tongue, indeed quite pleasant.
“How is it?” Ye Xunyang asked with eager anticipation.
“Not bad,” Lou Jin replied calmly, only to see Ye Xunyang immediately beam with delight, as if he had received the highest praise in the world.
“I told you they were good!” Ye Xunyang started peeling chestnuts for himself, talking as he ate.
“Today at the riding grounds, I ran into an old martial arts escort who said his family’s ancestral liniment for relieving tendons and activating collateral channels is exceptionally effective. I’ll go get some later for you to try.”
Under the candlelight, Ye Xunyang’s cheeks carried a healthy flush, his eyes shone brightly, and his mouth never stopped moving.
Lou Jin quietly watched him, the unfamiliar feeling in his chest growing increasingly clear.
He seemed to be somewhat getting used to having this person by his side.
“Your Highness?”
Noticing that Lou Jin was lost in thought, Ye Xunyang waved a hand right in front of his eyes.
“What are you thinking about? Are you tired?”
Recovering his senses, Lou Jin covered his mouth with a slight cough: “It is nothing. The hour is late, and you have been running around today as well. Go back and rest early.”
Ye Xunyang checked the water clock; it was indeed getting late.
He patted the chestnut crumbs off his hands and stood up: “Alright, then you should sleep early too, Your Highness. Stop reading books; it strains the mind.”
Reaching the doorway, he remembered something and turned back: “Right, I arranged to meet someone tomorrow to inquire about a physician who recently traveled back from the Southern Frontiers. They say he has some rather extraordinary methods, so perhaps he can find a way.”
Lou Jin nodded: “Be careful.”
“Got it!” Ye Xunyang waved his hand and pulled the door shut as he left.
Silence settled back over the study, with only the faint, sweet fragrance of chestnuts lingering in the air.
Lou Jin wheeled himself to the window, gazing up at the sparse stars in the night sky. After a long moment, he let out an inaudible sigh.
Just as Ye Xunyang returned to his own quarters and finished washing up, preparing to turn in for the night, a sense of unease inexplicably gripped his heart. He felt as though Lou Jin’s evening cough had sounded more suppressed than usual.
Hesitating for a moment, he put on an outer robe and decided to check on the main courtyard once more.
Just as he reached the entrance of the main courtyard, he heard a round of violent coughing from within, immediately followed by Wang Quan’s panicked, low cry: “Your Highness! Blood, you are coughing up blood!”
Ye Xunyang’s heart plummeted. He instantly shoved the door open and rushed inside.
He saw Lou Jin slumped over the edge of his wheelchair, spots of dark red blood splattered across the floor. His complexion was as pale as paper, startling crimson stains lingered around his lips, and his entire presence was weak and frail.
“Your Highness!” Ye Xunyang sprang forward in a single bound, casting all other thoughts aside as he bent down and swept Lou Jin up horizontally in his arms.
The weight in his arms was so light it shocked him to the core, and he carefully laid the man down onto the bed, finding his touch icy cold.
“Quick, summon the estate physician!” Ye Xunyang roared at Wang Quan, his voice trembling.
Snap out of it as if waking from a dream, Wang Quan bolted out frantically to fetch the doctor.
Ye Xunyang wrung out a wet towel and carefully wiped the blood from Lou Jin’s lips. Watching his tightly closed eyes and the furrowed brows of his pained expression, his heart ached terribly.
Wasn’t he doing fine this afternoon? Why suddenly…
The estate physician hurried in carrying his medicine chest. Upon seeing Lou Jin’s condition, his expression instantly turned grave.
He rushed forward to take his pulse, pressing his fingers against Lou Jin’s wrist. A moment later, his expression shifted drastically: “This pulse of His Highness, it is a sign of poisoning!”
“Poisoned?” Ye Xunyang and Wang Quan exclaimed in unison, both struck with shock.
“How is that possible? His Highness’s food and medicine today followed the exact routine and were tested for poison!” Wang Quan said urgently, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
“Investigate! Immediately investigate everything His Highness touched today: the food, the tea, the medicinal ingredients, even the incense and clothing.” Forcing himself to stay calm, Ye Xunyang gave the deep, commanding order with unquestionable authority.
Wang Quan immediately acknowledged the command and rushed out, leading trusted men to tear the main courtyard inside and out upside down.
Soon, the report came back: everything His Highness consumed today was completely identical to usual, and the poison tester had suffered no adverse reactions either.
The atmosphere in the room instantly stagnated. Since nothing the Prince touched was problematic, where did the poison come from?
At that moment, a dark figure materialized silently in the corner of the room like a ghost, none other than the secret guard Shan Lan.
His icy gaze swept across the scene, finally locking onto Ye Xunyang, and he delivered a flat, emotionless warning: “After dinner this evening, His Highness consumed the sugar chestnuts brought back by the Princess Consort.”
As soon as those words were spoken, everyone’s gaze instantly converged on Ye Xunyang.
Ye Xunyang was stunned at first, and then a wave of absurdity surged in his chest. He blurted out: “Chestnuts? I ate those chestnuts too! If they were poisonous, why am I fine?”
He found it utterly ridiculous. He had watched the street vendor roast those chestnuts on the spot, and because his own cravings acted up, he had eaten several first. Finding them delicious, he had specifically brought them back for Lou Jin to try. How on earth had they become a tool to poison him?
A look of hesitation crossed Wang Quan’s face; having spent these days together, he truly refused to believe this straightforward Princess Consort would commit such an act.
Shan Lan, however, cared nothing for that. Taking orders solely from Lou Jin, he believed any entity threatening his master must be eradicated.
With a flash of cold light, Shan Lan’s short saber cleared its scabbard, the icy, razor-sharp blade instantly pressing against the back of Ye Xunyang’s neck with murderous intent.
“Speak! Who is the mastermind behind this?”
Ye Xunyang was dazed for a split second before blazing fury rushed straight to his head.
He had brought back food with good intentions, only to be framed like this. Living an upright and honorable life, when had Ye Xunyang ever suffered such unmitigated injustice?
“Mastermind your head!”
With an angry shout and casting aside all caution, Ye Xunyang abruptly leaned backward to dodge the blade while executing a lightning-fast strike to parry Shan Lan’s wrist.
Though caught off guard, his years of martial arts instincts remained intact, and he immediately engaged Shan Lan in a fierce brawl within the narrow confines of the inner chamber.
Fists roared through the air, tables and chairs overturned, and the sound of shattering porcelain rang out endlessly.
Ye Xunyang’s martial arts style was fierce and direct, while Shan Lan’s was ruthless and deceptive, leaving the two locked in an intense stalemate.
Wang Quan and the physician watched from the sidelines, terrified out of their wits yet entirely unable to intervene.
“Stop! Cough, cough… Shan Lan… stop…”
Amidst the chaos, a weak yet clear voice drifted from the bed.