Hearing the breathing of Ye Xunyang beside him grow deep and steady, and confirming that he was fast asleep, Lou Jin slowly opened his eyes.
He turned his head slightly and, guided by the faint moonlight filtering through the window, studied Ye Xunyang’s profile.
The young man had sharp features and striking, bold brows. Even in his sleep, he carried an untamed, vibrant energy.
However, what left Lou Jin inwardly startled and suspicious was not Ye Xunyang’s appearance, but the physical sensation in his own body.
Ever since he was afflicted with a bizarre poison three years ago, that bone-deep, agonizing pain had clung to him like a shadow, day and night without rest. The imperial physicians were completely helpless, and the Grand Preceptor’s elixirs could only barely suppress it, making his days slightly more bearable.
Yet in the dead of night, the pain usually intensified, making it difficult for him to sleep.
Tonight, however, ever since he drew close to Ye Xunyang, that excruciating pain that had tormented him for years had slowly receded like a tide. Although it hadn’t vanished completely, it had lessened to a nearly negligible degree.
For the first time in a long while, his body felt a sense of genuine comfort.
Could it truly be related to this man, Ye Xunyang?
Lou Jin’s gaze turned deep and dark.
Originally, he had intended to deceive the people in the palace and leave as soon as Ye Xunyang fell asleep.
Now, this truly was a massive surprise.
Being able to sleep peacefully without being jolted awake by excruciating pain was something he had longed for after enduring so much torture.
After weighing his options for a moment, Lou Jin lay back down and closed his eyes.
A long-absent wave of drowsiness washed over him, and he actually drifted into a deep sleep, free of nightmares.
Early the next morning, the first glimmers of dawn appeared.
Lou Jin was the first to wake up. Years of habit meant he maintained his vigilance even in deep slumber.
Just as he moved to get up, he felt a heavy weight across his body.
Looking down, he saw a sturdy, long leg resting unceremoniously across his waist. It belonged to none other than Ye Xunyang, who was sprawled out across the bed.
Lou Jin said, “…”
He looked at Ye Xunyang’s unrestrained sleeping posture—which had practically commandeered more than half the bed—and that highly conspicuous leg, his lips twitching imperceptibly.
This Young Master Ye’s sleeping posture was truly something else.
Gently moving the leg aside, Lou Jin got out of bed with light, agile movements, careful not to wake the person sleeping there.
He stood by the bedside, casting one final, complex look at Ye Xunyang, whose cheeks were flushed with sleep.
Was this inadvertent relief brought by Ye Xunyang, or was he someone sent with ulterior motives?
Lou Jin left the bridal chamber silently, just as quietly as he had arrived, without alerting a single soul.
When Ye Xunyang woke up, the space beside him was already empty, the bedding ice-cold, as if last night had been nothing more than a dream.
Only the faint, lingering scent of medicine in the air served as a reminder that his nominal husband had indeed existed there.
He rubbed his eyes, feeling a bit annoyed with himself for sleeping so soundly.
After getting up and washing up, a maidservant respectfully brought in breakfast. It was exquisite and appetizing, but there was no sign of Lou Jin anywhere.
By the time he finished breakfast and strolled around the courtyard several times, the Prince of Jin was still nowhere to be seen.
Ye Xunyang muttered to himself that he still needed to find a chance to discuss things clearly with Lou Jin; what kind of arrangement was it if he could never even see the man?
Just as he was about to find someone to ask where the Prince had gone, the estate steward found him first, holding a large ring of keys and several thick account books.
“Your Highness,” the steward greeted with a deep bow, his attitude seemingly a few shades more respectful than the day before, which startled Ye Xunyang.
“His Highness has given orders. Starting today, all internal affairs and living expenses of the estate shall be managed by the Princess Consort. These are the keys to the treasury and the account ledgers. Please review them, Your Highness.”
Ye Xunyang froze, exclaiming, “Handed over to me? Managing the household finances?”
He pointed at himself in disbelief.
Handling a spear and saber was fine, but managing the inner affairs of the Prince’s estate? What was this Prince of Jin thinking?
“That is indeed how His Highness commanded,” the steward replied. “His Highness said that since the Princess Consort has entered the estate, you are now the master of the household and should rightfully take charge of the domestic affairs.”
Ye Xunyang thought to himself: This sickly prince is certainly bold. Wasn’t he afraid I would squander all his family wealth?
If he refused, what if the prince complained to the Emperor and had him charged with a crime? Forget it; he might as well agree. At worst, he would just pay back any losses, and it would at least keep outsiders from gossiping.
“Fine then,” Ye Xunyang said readily, taking the heavy keys and account books.
“Since His Highness trusts me, I will take charge for the time being. If there is anything I do not understand, I will have to ask for your guidance, Steward.”
The steward hastily replied, “This old servant will certainly do his utmost to assist the Princess Consort.”
Ye Xunyang casually laid the account books on the table and first weighed the key ring in his hand, the metal clinking with a crisp sound.
“Steward, what is the estate’s monthly income nowadays? Where do the primary expenses go? What is the general state of the treasury? Give me a rough overview first.”
The steward was rather shocked. He had not expected Ye Xunyang to actually know about these matters, having initially assumed he was just a flashy martial artist who only knew how to wave weapons around. Still, he gave a professional and serious report, knowing that no fools could enter the Prince of Jin’s estate.
“Replying to the Princess Consort, the estate’s monthly income primarily comes from the yields of three imperial farms in the suburbs of the capital, the rent from four shops in the city, and His Highness’s stipend as a Prince of the First Rank. As for expenses, the largest share goes to the monthly allowances and provisions for nearly a hundred people up and down the estate. Next are the costs for His Highness’s daily medications and tonic supplements, followed by the maintenance and repairs of the mansion.”
Ye Xunyang listened attentively. Although he could not make out the flowery, scholarly ledger entries, having grown up in a General’s household, he was not completely clueless about managing a household. Back then, he had been a carefree young master, but now that he had to handle things himself, he could not help feeling a bit out of his depth.
Pinpointing the crucial detail, he asked, “Are His Highness’s medical expenses really that massive? Are they supplied entirely by the Imperial Hospital, or does the estate purchase them independently?”
“Replying to the Princess Consort, the Imperial Pharmacy supplies a portion, but certain rare medicinal ingredients must be procured independently by the estate.”
Ye Xunyang nodded, getting a clearer picture in his mind.
He opened the latest account book, looking at the dense, fly-head script and the complicated income-and-expense entries until his scalp tingled.
Following his own habits, he drew several large grids on paper, marking the income, expenditure, and inventory for each item.
“Come, read the numbers out, and I will fill them in.” Ye Xunyang rolled up his sleeves, his posture looking less like a household accountant and more like a general deploying troops before a sand table.
Meanwhile, inside the estate’s study, Lou Jin was listening to a secret guard’s report.
“After taking over the account books, the Princess Consort did not flip through them in detail. Instead, he asked the steward for a general overview, jotted something down on a blank sheet of paper, and has now ordered the steward to gather the medication receipts. He also plans to take inventory of the treasury this afternoon.”
Lou Jin sat behind his desk, tapping his knuckles lightly against the tabletop, a flash of surprise and amusement in his eyes.
This was certainly not something a reckless brute who only knew martial arts could do.
“Did he show any impatience or annoyance?” Lou Jin asked.
“Replying to Your Highness, no. The Princess Consort seemed quite interested, and handled it with great focus.”
“Interested?” Lou Jin raised an eyebrow slightly.
He could actually be interested in such things?
This Ye Xunyang truly was interesting.
Originally, handing the household management over to Ye Xunyang had involved multiple considerations.
First was testing him: to see whether Ye Xunyang would reveal his true colors or seize the opportunity to plant his own people and skim off some profits.
Second was going with the flow: since keeping Ye Xunyang by his side offered some benefits, he might as well find something to keep him occupied so he would stay peacefully in the estate.
Third was a trace of a detached, laissez-faire curiosity, wanting to see just how many surprises the man could bring him.
Now, it seemed that in this very first step, Ye Xunyang’s reaction had exceeded his expectations.