Imperial Husband Chapter 30

Li Jin was surprised to meet Ying Yuan at the palace gate. Furthermore, from Ying Yuan's reddened cheeks, it was clear he had been standing there for quite some time.

"Mm, let's go in." Ying Yuan nodded expressionlessly, pulled one of the two hand warmers he had tucked in his robe and shoved it into Li Jin's hands. Without waiting for Li Jin to speak, he walked ahead on his own. 

Ever since learning that Li Jin would enter the palace today, Ying Yuan had been waiting early at the side gate which the study companions must pass through.

"Yes."

Li Jin caught up with Ying Yuan. With tacit understanding, he did not mention why Ying Yuan had brought two hand warmers, nor why Ying Yuan did not ask him, like last time, why he had not kept their agreement.

"Li Jin, my relationship with them isn't very good. If they say anything unpleasant, just pretend you didn't hear it. As for the Third Prince, you must be careful of him. Don't believe what he says either."

Ying Yuan unexpectedly spoke to Li Jin about his relationship with the other princes.

Ever since Ying Yuan became Gu Rushuang's adopted son, no palace servants dared to casually beat or scold him anymore; instead, they all began to curry favor with him. The princes who disliked Ying Yuan also became cautious, only daring to mock him with words, not daring to lay hands on him like in the past.

Li Jin raised his brow slightly in surprise. "Seventh Prince, you seem quite wary of the Third Prince?"

From Li Jin's understanding of Ying Ziqi, Ying Ziqi would absolutely not provoke Ying Yuan's vigilance. On the contrary, he would secretly try to win Ying Yuan over to his side.

Ying Yuan said flatly, "Last time you saw me being beaten by Ying Zijun's men, it was Ying Ziqi pulling the strings behind the scenes."

It was actually by coincidence that Ying Yuan learned of Ying Ziqi's true nature. One day, while hiding beside a rockery in the imperial garden to avoid Ying Zijun's men, he happened to overhear Ying Ziqi skillfully using Ying Yuan's own situation to indirectly report Ying Zijun's misdeeds to Ying Zhengjing.

"So that's how it is."

Li Jin nodded, accepting this.

"Li Jin, aren't you going to ask me why I don't expose Ying Ziqi?"

This time, the surprised one became Ying Yuan. Generally, upon hearing him say this, people would press for details. Li Jin, however, didn't seem to have any intention of asking at all.

Li Jin looked at Ying Yuan and said, "Seventh Prince, if you could expose the Third Prince's true face, why would you need to tell me this?"

"......"

Ying Yuan was stumped.

Li Jin meaningfully patted Ying Yuan's shoulder. "Seventh Prince, the opportunity will come. No matter how clever a person is, it's impossible to be completely flawless."

"Li Jin, I don't understand. You met the Third Prince last time too, why are you so sure my words are true?"

Ying Yuan couldn't help but look at Li Jin with puzzlement.

Ying Yuan was deeply aware that his background and reputation were as different from Ying Ziqi's as heaven and earth. Even now that he was Gu Rushuang's adopted son, this had not changed. Many people were still watching him, waiting to see him fall back into the mud.

Li Jin answered with a question. "Then, Seventh Prince, do you remember what I said to you last time?"

How could Ying Yuan forget? He said subconsciously, "That I am more pleasing to the eye than the Third Prince?"

"Seventh Prince has a good memory." Li Jin responded with a smile. "Since I find you pleasing to the eye, it means I find the Third Prince unpleasing to the eye. Therefore, I naturally trust you more."

"......"

Ying Yuan was once again stumped by Li Jin's words, and an indescribable joy welled up inexplicably in his heart.

A short while later.

Li Jin and Ying Yuan finally arrived at the place where the princes studied, the Imperial Study Hall.

They saw row upon row of neatly arranged desks, all made of fine zitan wood. The four corners of the desks had long been smoothed round to prevent injury. The Four Treasures of the Study placed upon them were rare treasures.

[Zitan wood: a precious, aromatic hardwood, historically revered in China for crafting the most elite imperial furniture and art objects due to its extreme density, rich color (the purplish-black to red-brown), and natural luster.]

[The Four Treasures of the Study: brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.]

Perhaps because they had arrived too early, only Li Jin and Ying Yuan were currently in the Imperial Study Hall.

"I sit over there."

At Ying Yuan's direction, Li Jin took the seat next to Ying Yuan.

"Heir Li, you've finally come?" The moment Ying Ziqi stepped into the Imperial Study Hall, his gaze fixed on Li Jin. "I heard you fell ill some days ago, are you better now?"

The current Ying Ziqi was still young, far less polished than he would later become. Li Jin could easily see the ambition in his eyes.

Li Jin stood up and clasped his hands, his tone distant. "Thank you for your concern, Third Prince. I have fully recovered."

"That's good."

With that, Ying Ziqi sat down to the side. He wasn't surprised that Li Jin would act so distantly towards him; after all, they had only met twice. But there was plenty of time, wasn't there?

"Well, well, Seventh Brother, you're here so early? Seeing you got scolded by the Grand Tutor yesterday, I thought you wouldn't dare come today." As soon as Ying Zijun walked in, he took it as a matter of course and mocked Ying Yuan.

Accompanying him were the Sixth Prince, Ying Zirui, and the Fourth Prince, Ying Ziyan.

Unlike Ying Zirui, who was on good terms with Ying Zijun, Ying Ziyan had merely happened to meet them on the way. Once inside, he found his own seat and sat down.

Ying Yuan ignored Ying Zijun's provocation entirely, opening a book and beginning to read seriously.

"I say, Seventh Brother, you barely know any characters. Can you even understand it?" Ying Zijun's anger flared higher. But when his gaze inadvertently fell upon Li Jin, he froze immediately. "It's you? What are you doing here?"

Ying Zijun recognized Li Jin as the person who had made him lose face that day, and his eyes instantly filled with a savage cruelty.

Seeing Ying Zijun so angry, Ying Zirui asked curiously, "Fifth Brother, do you know this person?"

"How could I not know someone with such nerve?"

Ying Zijun sneered, his gaze towards Li Jin growing increasingly hostile.

Aside from Ying Ziqi, who had already learned Li Jin's identity from Zhiqiu, the other princes present in the study had only heard Li Jin's name but had never seen him in person.

"Whose study companion are you?"

Seeing that Ying Zijun intended to teach Li Jin a lesson, Ying Zirui also impolitely questioned Li Jin in a demanding tone.

"He's naturally mine."

Ying Yuan, who had been silent until now, coldly replied.

"Ha ha ha ha." Ying Zijun laughed loudly. "Everyone in the palace knows that your study companion offended his grandmother, was locked in the ancestral hall overnight, couldn't take it, and has been recuperating from a long illness! He's probably still lying in bed right now."

Mentioning the Heir Apparent of Dingbei stirred up Ying Zijun's anger, and he even resented Ying Zhengjing in his heart for assigning him to be the study companion of a good-for-nothing like Ying Yuan.

"Fifth Brother, watch your words," Ying Ziqi cautioned.

Ying Ziqi's intervention only made Ying Zijun more displeased.

"It's the truth, why should I watch my words?" Ying Zijun cast a disdainful glance at Ying Ziqi. "It's only you, Third Brother, who always worries unnecessarily. In my opinion, if this heir can't handle such a small matter, he's surely destined to die young."

"Fifth Prince, whether I live long or not is none of your concern." Li Jin's sudden remark instantly stunned everyone present.

"You are the Heir Apparent of Dingbei?"

Ying Zirui couldn't help but gasp.

Wasn't he still recuperating? How did he get here?

"Yes."

Li Jin nodded, his gaze settling on Ying Zijun.

"W-why are you looking at me? I... I wasn't wrong." Ying Zijun remained stubborn, refusing to admit his fault, but the tone of his voice betrayed his panic.

I'm done for... done for...

Cold sweat broke out on Ying Zijun's forehead.

Ying Zijun's mother, Imperial Concubine Jin, Lan Yingying, had repeatedly warned him to win over the Heir Apparent of Dingbei, to snatch him away from Ying Yuan. But after last time and now, he had thoroughly offended Li Jin. How could he possibly win him over now?

"Now that you're here, take your seats properly."

Just as Ying Zijun was thinking of a way to resolve the conflict between them, the Grand Tutor walked in and coldly surveyed the people present.

At these words.

The princes and their study companions, including Ying Zijun, immediately sat down properly.

This Grand Tutor, Li Hepu, was one of Ying Zhengjing's trusted ministers. His character was upright and inflexible, and he would not go easy when disciplining these princes. Even the best pretender, Ying Ziqi, had suffered setbacks at his hands.

Grand Tutor Li Hepu's eyes finally settled on Li Jin. "You are the Seventh Prince's study companion, the Heir Apparent of the Prince of Dingbei, Li Jin?"