Over the next two days, the Prince’s Manor appeared peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents surged intensely beneath.
Wang Quan and Shan Lan secretly investigated all the servants who might have had access to the chestnuts. Although they rooted out two whose hands were unclean and had outside connections, there was no direct evidence linking them to the poisoning.
What was even stranger was that although poison had been diagnosed in Ye Xunyang’s body, he consistently felt no discomfort whatsoever. His internal energy circulated smoothly without any obstruction, and his spirit remained just as it usually was.
Even the estate physician stated that he had never witnessed such a reaction, and could only instruct him to take the detoxifying decoction on schedule as a foolproof measure.
Although Ye Xunyang felt this was completely unnecessary, in order to set everyone’s mind at ease, he went along with it gracefully.
He spent most of his time staying in the main courtyard. On one hand, it was convenient for the estate physician to look after both of them, and on the other hand, he simply could not feel at ease regarding Lou Jin’s condition.
Lou Jin’s vitality had been damaged by this poisoning, making him even weaker than usual and causing him to frequently fall into a deep sleep.
That evening, just as Ye Xunyang finished drinking his medicine and sat cross-legged on the outer chamber couch to perform his routine breath control, the energy within his body remained as calm as ever.
Suddenly, a muffled cough was heard coming from the inner chamber, suppressed and strained.
He immediately halted his cultivation, stood up, and strode quickly into the inner chamber.
He saw Lou Jin curled up on the bed, his body trembling slightly, his forehead hair already soaked in cold sweat, and his complexion looking terrifyingly pale under the moonlight.
“Your Highness?” Ye Xunyang’s heart tightened as he stepped forward and softly called out to him.
Lou Jin seemed to have plunged into a semi-conscious state, offering no response, and merely curled up even tighter instinctively, as if suffering from extreme cold.
Remembering what the estate physician had said about this poison being extremely cold and triggering chills, Ye Xunyang hurriedly fetched another brocade quilt and draped it over Lou Jin, but it seemed to have little effect.
Watching Lou Jin’s painful expression, Ye Xunyang hesitated for a moment. Remembering what the Grand Astrologer had said when asking the two of them to marry, that his own extreme yang energy might be able to restrain the cold chill within Lou Jin’s body, he gritted his teeth, discarded his outer robe, lifted a corner of the quilt, and lay down beside Lou Jin, carefully pulling him into his arms.
His hands met with a patch of icy coldness.
Ye Xunyang circulated his internal energy, filling his entire body with a gentle warmth, making him feel like a human stove.
The warm embrace seemed to dispel the chill surrounding Lou Jin’s body. He instinctively moved closer toward the source of warmth, his tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxing, and his trembling slowly subsiding.
Ye Xunyang maintained this posture, not daring to move an inch. He could clearly feel Lou Jin’s slender bones and faint breathing.
A strange sensation spread through his heart; it was not disgust nor embarrassment, but rather a heavy sense of responsibility and an indescribable tenderness.
Perhaps due to the day-in, day-out care over the past few days, Ye Xunyang discovered that his perspective on this sickly prince had unconsciously undergone a change.
“Lou Jin,”
“You will get better, I promise.”
Early the next morning, the sky was faintly bright.
Lou Jin woke up first.
The moment his consciousness returned, he sensed that he was being tightly held in someone’s embrace, surrounded all over by a warm and dry aura that dispelled the deep-seated bone-chilling cold that had lingered for days.
He stiffened slightly, raised his head, and instantly met Ye Xunyang’s sleeping face close at hand.
The young man was sleeping soundly, his handsome brows relaxed, his breathing even and prolonged, and his warm breath brushing past his forehead hair.
Because they were extremely close, he could even clearly see the faint shadows beneath Ye Xunyang’s eyelids, which clearly showed that taking care of him last night had consumed a considerable amount of his mental energy.
Lou Jin did not move, simply watching quietly.
This feeling of being protected in someone’s arms was something he had not experienced from anyone since his mother’s passing when he was ten years old.
Although his Imperial Father felt heartache for him and regretted neglecting his mother, to him, the emperor’s pity was not enough to sustain him until the present day, leaving him with no choice but to strive to do his utmost.
Over the three years of his illness, he had grown accustomed to pain and solitude, having long forgotten what it felt like to be held in someone’s arms like this.
Yet right now, Ye Xunyang truly seemed to have a miraculous effect on him, not only alleviating his chill but even lessening the bone-deep, lingering ache.
Just as Lou Jin’s thoughts were stirring, Ye Xunyang’s eyelashes fluttered and he too woke up.
Their gazes met, and both of them froze for a moment.
Ye Xunyang was the first to react. As if scalded by fire, he hastily let go, bolted upright, and flushed scarlet instantly, his speech even turning stuttering, “Your Highness!”
“You are awake? How do you feel? I am not a thousand percent sure, but I didn’t mean to!”
“Seeing you shivering so badly last night, so…”
Seeing him at a complete loss, the subtle awkwardness at the bottom of Lou Jin’s heart dissipated instead.
He propped himself up, intending to sit, but swayed slightly due to his weakness.
Seeing this, Ye Xunyang cast aside his embarrassment, hurriedly reached out to steady him, and pulled a soft pillow to place behind his back.
“Be careful.”
“It’s nothing.”
Lou Jin leaned back into a sitting position. Though his voice remained weak, it was much better than the previous night.
“Last night, thank you.”
Ye Xunyang scratched his head and gave a sheepish chuckle. “What is there to thank? It was just a small effort. Does Your Highness feel a bit warmer? The estate physician said your poison is most afraid of the cold.”
“Much better.”
Lou Jin nodded, his gaze resting on Ye Xunyang’s face with a look of scrutiny.
“The poison in your body, is it truly without any hindrance?”
The estate physician had claimed the poison was bizarre, so he still felt somewhat uneasy.
“Me?”
Ye Xunyang tested his limbs by moving them about.
“Not a single feeling of discomfort at all! If the estate physician hadn’t insisted, I would have doubted whether I was even poisoned or not. Your Highness, rest assured, this physique of mine is completely fine!”
At this moment, Wang Quan walked in softly carrying a medicine bowl, and upon seeing that both of them had already gotten up, with the prince’s complexion seeming somewhat better than the previous two days, joy immediately bloomed on his face. “Your Highness, Consort, it is time for medicine.”
Ye Xunyang very naturally took Lou Jin’s bowl of medicine, tested the temperature, and then handed it over into his hands. “The temperature is just right.”
Lou Jin glanced at him and quietly took the medicine bowl.
As the bitter medicinal liquid slipped down his throat, he felt that it somehow was not as difficult to swallow as in the past.
After breakfast, the estate physician came once again to take their pulses.
Following a careful examination, the physician revealed an expression of astonishment. “Although Your Highness’s pulse remains weak, the momentum of that cold and baleful poison has indeed been suppressed, and even shows signs of slowly receding.”
“The Consort’s pulse remains robust and steady, and that toxin is nowhere to be seen. It is truly unheard of! Had the previous day’s pulse readings not been so definitive, this old man would have almost thought the diagnosis was mistaken.”
This result allowed everyone to heave a sigh of relief while simultaneously feeling profoundly amazed.
Wang Quan cast a look of both astonishment and gratitude toward Ye Xunyang.
After the estate physician withdrew, Lou Jin spoke to Wang Quan. “Regarding the poisoning incident, continue to investigate in secret, but on the surface, suppress it for now and tell the outside world only that my old ailment has relapsed.”
Wang Quan instantly grasped his intent. “This old servant understands. Startling the snake by beating the grass would be counterproductive.”
Ye Xunyang felt somewhat puzzled. “Why not investigate with great fanfare? Are we just going to let that hidden culprit behind the poisoning roam free?”
Lou Jin looked at him with deep eyes. “To be able to administer poison silently within the Prince’s Manor, and with methods so covert, is definitely not the work of an ordinary person.”
“Acting rashly will only cause the other party to hide even deeper, or even lead them to desperation. It is better to show weakness outwardly and lure the snake out of its hole.”
Suddenly enlightened, Ye Xunyang praised with admiration, “Your Highness thinks things through comprehensively!”
He pondered for a moment and said, “Since that is the case, starting today, I will test your food and medicine for you first! Anyway, it seems I am not afraid of this poison.”
Hearing this, Lou Jin’s gaze flickered.
He remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice. “There is no need for that. I have my own precautions.”
He did not want Ye Xunyang to take risks on his behalf, even though he appeared completely immune to the poison.
“It is necessary, absolutely necessary!” Ye Xunyang insisted firmly.
“Carefulness steers a ship through ten thousand years! Besides, I am your consort now. Isn’t protecting you supposed to be a matter of course?”
Watching his bright and resolute gaze, Lou Jin ultimately raised no further objections, simply shifting the topic calmly. “Feeling a bit better today, I would like to go to the study to handle some accumulated affairs.”
Ye Xunyang immediately raised objections.
“No way!”
“The estate physician said you need complete rest! Can’t those matters be handed over to Wang Quan and the strategists to handle?”
“Some matters must be personally inspected.” Lou Jin’s attitude remained resolute.
Unable to out-stubborn him, Ye Xunyang had no choice but to compromise. “Alright then, I will push you over, but we have a deal: you can only handle things for one hour! When the time is up, I am pushing you right back to rest!”
“Very well, I will listen to the Consort in everything.”