Imperial Husband Chapter 72

The Imperial Palace.

"Second Prince, what are you doing?" Shen Ningyu, who had just left Shen Qianxue's place, was momentarily stunned upon seeing Ying Ziheng suddenly blocking her path.

Ying Ziheng could not conceal his grief and indignation. "Ningyu, please believe me, the only one I like is you. Agreeing to marry them was only because I was plotted against."

Hearing this, Shen Ningyu took a step back to avoid impropriety.

"Second Prince, whether it was a plot or you were used, since you have already agreed to marry the people from the Prince of Dingbei's mansion, please do not say things like liking me anymore, to avoid causing misunderstandings."

Shen Ningyu's words were filled with detachment from beginning to end.

Ying Ziheng didn't want things to end like this with Shen Ningyu. He persisted, "Ningyu, you know I don't like them. I never wanted to marry them."

Although Ying Ziheng had said he would give up on Shen Ningyu, encountering her again just now caused his psychological preparations to instantly collapse, and he felt deep regret for his decision.

But the matter was already settled. Even if Ying Ziheng regretted it, it was useless.

Shen Ningyu shook her head and decided to lay things out clearly. "Let me make this clear. Just like you, Second Prince, don't like them, I don't like you either, Second Prince. Please don't disturb me anymore in the future."

Previously, Shen Qianxue had been trying to matchmake them, so no matter how much Shen Ningyu disliked Ying Ziheng, she had never dared to speak so bluntly. But just moments ago, Shen Qianxue had spoken to her, making it clear—both directly and indirectly—that she should give up on Ying Ziheng. Shen Ningyu naturally wouldn't refuse.

So when Ying Ziheng accosted her not long after that very conversation, Shen Ningyu decided it was the perfect time to draw a clear boundary.

"Impossible! You do like me! I know, you're angry with me, that's why you're saying this on purpose, right?" Ying Ziheng refuted loudly, unable to believe it.

"Second Prince, I have never liked you." Shen Ningyu declared, her voice firm and leaving no room for doubt.

"No, you do like me!"

Ying Ziheng shook his head vigorously, feeling miserable and unwilling to accept this cruel fact.

"Second Prince, the only person I have always liked is only Heir Li." Shen Ningyu was utterly annoyed by Ying Ziheng. She directly stated her fondness for Li Jin to put a stop to Ying Ziheng's persistent pestering.

Ying Ziheng had not expected to hear this answer and gasped sharply. "Heir Li... you like Li Jin?"

"That's right." Shen Ningyu nodded gravely and looked at Ying Ziheng. "Heir Li and I have mutual affection. If you, Second Prince, truly like me, you should wish me happiness, not cling to me disregarding propriety as you are now."

"Ningyu..."

Ying Ziheng instinctively grabbed Shen Ningyu's sleeve.

"Second Prince, that is enough." Shen Ningyu shook off Ying Ziheng's hand and said coldly, "This is the last time we meet privately. I ask that you conduct yourself with dignity."

"No... You clearly..."

"Second Prince, I have other matters. I take my leave."

Shen Ningyu had no desire to listen to Ying Ziheng speak. Without waiting for him to react, she took her leave first and departed.

"No... It can't be like this... Ningyu... Ningyu clearly liked me, how could she suddenly like Li Jin..." Ying Ziheng slumped to his knees on the ground, his eyes filled with despair and madness.

"Second Prince, are you alright?"

The eunuch attending Ying Ziheng, seeing him suddenly kneel on the ground, hurriedly helped him up.

In a state of extreme anxiety, Ying Ziheng placed all the blame on Li Jin, his eyes full of venomous resentment towards him. "Ningyu does like me. Ningyu absolutely likes me. That's it, it must be that Li Jin, taking advantage of me being plotted against, stole Ningyu's affection away from me. Yes, it must be that. As long as I kill Li Jin, Ningyu will surely return to me."

The eunuch supporting Ying Ziheng was frightened by his sudden change in demeanor, his back stiffening, holding his breath, not daring to make a sound.

___

Liu Family, Liujia Village. 

After Li Jin told Liu Rong he wanted to go for a walk, he took Ying Yuan and Zhou Yunting with him. Their guide was Dashu. Originally, Dongzi wanted to guide them, but Liu Rong had just given birth, and Dongzi was worried. Furthermore, Dongzi didn't get along very well with the other villagers, so the task was given to Dashu.

Ping'an and Shi Weixu were left behind by Li Jin to take care of Liu Rong.

"Brother Jin, that house over there belongs to Grandpa Liu. The men in Grandpa Liu's family are very hardworking. When people in the village build houses, they always ask for help from Grandpa Liu's family." Dashu led Li Jin and the others around Liujia Village while telling them about the villagers. "But you must never go to the house further down the path. That family is Rong Fulang's maternal family. Back when Rong Fulang married Uncle Yin, they didn't hold back in mistreating Rong Fulang. Also, before, when Rong Fulang was heavily pregnant, it was their son who bullied Dongzi the most..."

Dashu liked Dongzi, so he was well aware of the misdeeds of Liu Laicai's family. He naturally didn't want Li Jin and the others to be deceived by that family.

Ying Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Since Dongzi was bullied by them, why didn't you step in to help Dongzi?"

"How could I not have helped Dongzi? But I had to work in the fields." Dashu lowered his head in frustration, clenching his fists. "They always picked times when I was working in the fields to bully Dongzi."

Ying Yuan said in surprise, "You work in the fields that early?"

"Mn. After my father married my stepmother, if I didn't work in the fields, not only would I get no food, I'd also be beaten."

Ying Yuan realized his question had touched a painful memory for Dashu and immediately regretted it. "My apologies," he said, understanding that every family had its own private struggles.

"It's fine." Dashu rubbed the back of his head in a carefree manner. "I'm used to it long ago. So I think, in the future when I'm capable of earning money on my own, I'll separate from the family and then propose to Dongzi's family, so Dongzi can marry me."

Although Dongzi looked thin and small, he was actually not young in age and would be of marriageable age in another year.

"Does Dongzi know how you feel?"

"Not yet. But after I separate from the family, I'll tell him."

Li Jin chuckled lightly. "Dashu, you should tell Dongzi about your feelings for him sooner rather than later. Otherwise, if someone else snatches Dongzi away, there will be nothing left for you."

"That won't happen. Dongzi swore when we were kids that he would marry me."

When we were kids...

Li Jin was somewhat impressed by Dashu for remembering something Dongzi said in childhood until now.

While chatting happily, Dashu inadvertently realized they had come to a place they shouldn't have. He urgently called out, "Brother Jin, let's go another way. Don't go over there. The people over there are not to be provoked."

However, Dashu's warning came too late. Those people had already noticed Li Jin and his group. Now that they had trespassed into their territory, how could they let them leave so easily?

"Surround them." A man with a scarred face gave the order, and the people around him immediately surrounded Li Jin and the others.

Seeing they were all surrounded, Dashu had no choice but to change tactics. He said to the scarred man, "Brother Hai, we're here to buy water. Please do us a favor."

Buy water? Are these the people who monopolize the well water?

Li Jin narrowed his eyes slightly, quietly observing the people surrounding them. Although they tried their best to conceal it, Li Jin could tell from their footsteps that these people were all well-trained.

The scarred man glared fiercely at Dashu. "Buy water? If you were really buying water, why were you shouting to leave?"

"Uh..."

"Enough. If you can't explain, then leave one arm behind, and I'll be merciful and let you go alive."

"Brother Hai, can't I just apologize? If I really lose a hand, I won't be able to work, and I'll have no grain to offer to you, Brother Hai." Dashu knew better than to confront the village bullies directly. He despised them, but he understood that stubborn resistance would only get him broken. For now, playing along was his only safe option.

Besides, he still wanted to marry Dongzi. What would happen to Dongzi if something really happened to him?

Dashu was usually the most diligent in working the fields and had given them a lot of grain. The scarred man thought it over and changed his mind, looking at Li Jin. "Fine, don't say I'm unreasonable. How about this: if you're willing to give me one tael of gold, I'll let him go. How about that?"

One tael of gold?

Dashu's eyes widened in disbelief. "Brother Hai, one tael of gold is too much."

Dashu knew that being targeted by the scarred man would inevitably mean a heavy loss, but he hadn't expected the scarred man to be so ruthless, asking for a whole tael of gold right off the bat, it was a lion's open mouth. Even if he sold himself, he wouldn't be worth a tael of gold.

The scarred man said displeased, "You shut up. I'm asking them, not you. Say another word and I'll cut out your tongue."

As soon as these words were spoken,

Dashu immediately didn't dare to speak.

Because Dashu knew the scarred man meant these words seriously. Previously in the village, someone who didn't listen to the scarred man had his tongue cut out, and other villagers who resisted were killed by him.

A cold glint flashed in Li Jin's eyes. He curled the corner of his mouth in a faint, mocking smile. "And if I said I don't have any tael of gold, what would you do then?"

"Then die."

After saying this, the scarred man immediately signaled with his eyes to his companions. His companions understood and immediately drew the daggers from their waists, thrusting them towards Li Jin and the others.

Li Jin's pupils constricted. He decisively gave orders. "Yunting, you protect Dashu. A-Yuan, I'll take the front. The enemies behind are entrusted to you."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Alright."

Zhou Yunting hoisted Dashu onto his shoulder and leaped out of the encirclement.

Thanks to their years of fighting side-by-side, Ying Yuan and Li Jin almost simultaneously jumped out of the enemy's encirclement and began attacking from the front and rear, catching the ruffians off guard.

"Brother Hai, they know martial arts!"

One of the ruffians, with a sly, rat-like face, couldn't help but cry out in terror.

"They only know some rudimentary skills, what are you afraid of?" The scarred man shouted displeased, then also joined the fight. He pulled out a dagger and stabbed towards Li Jin, seemingly targeting him as the weakest of the three, planning to use him as an example to intimidate the other two.

"Is that so?"

Li Jin merely arched an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips as he effortlessly caught the blade between two fingers, completely halting the scarred man's sneak attack.

"How can this be!"

The scarred man gasped sharply. He tried to pull the dagger back, but the dagger seemed fixed in place. The scarred man simply couldn't move it.