Imperial Husband Chapter 129

Chapter 129 

Li Jin smiled knowingly and said, "The Fifth Prince is not His Majesty, so how could he know if His Majesty does not have important matters for the Seventh Prince to handle? Or perhaps the Fifth Prince wishes to confront His Majesty about this?"

Upon hearing this, Ying Zijun's face immediately darkened like the bottom of a pot.

"That is not what this Prince meant. Furthermore, this prince has now received my princely title; it is improper for you to still address me as Fifth Prince." 

"My apologies." Li Jin bowed to Ying Zijun. "Having just returned to the capital, I failed to adjust promptly. However, I have heard that Prince Kang is most magnanimous and broad-minded. Surely you would not hold such a minor matter against me?"

"Well... naturally..."

Checkmated by Li Jin, Ying Zijun had no choice but to utter these insincere words.

Truthfully, Ying Zijun had been planning to seize this moment and rebuke Li Jin for his breach of protocol. But Li Jin had skillfully maneuvered first, publicly praising him for his magnanimity. To press the issue now would only make him look petty and narrow-minded.

Ying Ziqi unexpectedly interrupted, "Alright. The Second Imperial Brother is over there. Shall we go to him?" 

Neither Li Jin nor Ying Yuan objected to Ying Ziqi's suggestion. Ying Zijun's purpose in coming was also to probe Ying Ziqi and Ying Ziheng, so he did not oppose the proposal either.

A moment later, they walked over to where Ying Ziheng was.

This time, Ying Ziheng had brought a recently favored concubine and was composing poetry with her.

"You've finally arrived. What were you discussing earlier that seemed so engaging?" Ying Ziheng signaled with his eyes for the concubine to leave, then smiled lightly at the four of them.

"Nothing but idle chatter, nothing of importance," Ying Ziqi replied with a polite smile. "However, it would have been wonderful if the Eldest Imperial Brother could have come. It is truly a pity his injury restricts his movements."

Ying Zijun could not stand Ying Ziqi's disingenuous display and sneered, "Third Imperial Brother, who doesn't know that since the Eldest Imperial Brother injured his leg, he refuses to appear in public unless summoned by Father Emperor himself. His absence was surely something you anticipated long ago."

Ying Ziheng shook his head, his expression neutral. "Fifth Imperial Brother, no matter what, the Third Imperial Brother is still your elder brother. Your words are somewhat presumptuous."

Upon hearing this, Ying Zijun shrugged his shoulders.

"Honest advice is hard to swallow. Moreover, these are facts. My bluntness just now was merely to dissuade Third Imperial Brother from clinging to unrealistic delusions."

If not for knowing it was not yet time to openly break ties, Ying Zijun would have preferred to say: We are all contending for the Crown Prince's position. Talking about fraternal affection and respect, isn't that laughable?

Ying Ziqi explained with good grace, "Fifth Imperial Brother exaggerates. I was merely expressing regret that the Eldest Imperial Brother could not attend, not harboring the delusions you speak of."

Ying Zijun snorted coldly.

"Whether you were or not, only you truly know."

The corner of Ying Ziqi's mouth lifted. "Does the Fifth Imperial Brother's words carry some hidden meaning?"

Ying Zijun said shamelessly, "Third Imperial Brother misunderstands. I am merely concerned for you."

Watching the two of them trade barbs, Li Jin and Ying Yuan exchanged a knowing glance. In that moment, a whole conversation passed silently between them.

Not far away, Shen Ningyu, who had also been invited, was gazing infatuatedly at Li Jin. However, the infatuation in her eyes instantly transformed into venomous resentment the moment she inadvertently caught sight of Ying Yuan standing beside Li Jin.

How is this possible? How could he has brought that wretched commoner with him? Doesn't he realize that by doing this, he’ll become a laughingstock of others?

Perhaps the shock of seeing Ying Yuan was too great, for Shen Ningyu's jealousy had now peaked. She could only think that the luxurious clothes on Ying Yuan's body were provided by Li Jin to bolster his appearance, completely failing to notice the jade pendant at Ying Yuan's waist, which only an imperial prince was entitled to wear.

No, I must not. Prince Xian has finally agreed to help me. I absolutely cannot lose my composure and waste this perfect opportunity just because I saw this wretch.

...

The mutual jibes between Ying Ziqi and Ying Zijun did not last long before they ceased.

Because the banquet was about to begin.

Ying Ziqi had invited so many people to his princely mansion not simply to trade barbs with Ying Zijun, but to carry out more important matters under the cover of the banquet.

Thinking of this, Ying Ziqi cast a meaningful glance at Li Jin.

Li Jin, who had been secretly observing Ying Ziqi's every move, naturally did not miss this unusual action.

However, noticing it was one thing; Li Jin did not show any reaction. He continued pretending to know nothing, chatting with Ying Yuan, while silently remaining vigilant against Ying Ziqi.

Ying Ziqi suddenly stood up and raised his cup. "My thanks to all of you for honoring me with your presence. This Prince will drink first to show respect."

Having said this, Ying Ziqi immediately drained his cup in one gulp.

Seeing this, the others also picked up the wine cups on their small tables and drank them down.

"A-Yuan, just pretend to drink," Li Jin whispered to Ying Yuan before he drank. Using his sleeve as cover, Li Jin pretended to drink but actually poured the wine into his other sleeve.

Upon hearing this, Ying Yuan gave a slight nod and did as Li Jin said, not actually swallowing the wine.

During this time, led by Ying Ziqi, the guests began conversing freely, talking without restraint about everything from major affairs of state down to gossip about which official's household had been confiscated.

After a while, Li Jin stood up unsteadily and took his leave. "My apologies, I am feeling somewhat unwell and will take my leave now."

"That won't do," Ying Ziqi said with an inscrutable expression, shaking his head. "The hour is late, and the Heir is inebriated. Who can guarantee no mishap might occur? Why not stay the night at Prince Xian's mansion?"

As soon as these words left his mouth, Ying Ziqi signaled to a servant of the mansion to take Li Jin to a guest room, giving him no chance to refuse.

Li Jin also did not decline, quietly following the servant as he was led away.

Ying Yuan, seizing the pretext of needing the privy, shook off the person guiding him and silently followed behind Li Jin.

He observed as the servant escorted Li Jin to a room but paused outside. The servant knocked, and once the door was opened from within, the servant handed Li Jin over to the person inside and then quickly left.

Suppressing the anxiety rising in his heart, Ying Yuan waited until the servant's figure had completely disappeared, then quickly walked over.

"A-Yuan, come in. The person inside is already unconscious," Li Jin said calmly, having known Ying Yuan would follow. Seeing the fleeting shadow outside the door earlier, he now calmly invited him in.

"Alright." Ying Yuan opened the door and entered. But when he clearly saw the two people lying on the floor, he froze on the spot. "A-Jin, the people inside are... Shen Ningyu? Fourth Imperial Brother?"

Currently lying on the floor were two people: Ying Ziyan and Shen Ningyu. 

Moreover, their present state could be described as disheveled. If anyone were to walk in at this moment, they would unquestionably leap to the conclusion that something improper had taken place.

"This is Ying Ziqi's doing," Li Jin said, sitting down. He continued, "The person who helped me in earlier was Shen Ningyu. However, shortly after I entered, I knocked her unconscious. As for the Fourth Prince, I discovered he had been placed inside a chest in the room."

Having experienced Ying Ziqi using such tactics before, the moment Shen Ningyu helped him inside, Li Jin knocked her unconscious as he closed the door, and prudently searched the entire room. Naturally, he discovered the Fourth Prince, who had been rendered unconscious and placed inside a chest.

It was easy to imagine that Ying Ziqi must have been plotting something else.

As for Shen Ningyu seeking Ying Ziqi's help to scheme against him, this truly surprised Li Jin.

Shen Ningyu was, after all, Shen Chaoyan's legitimate daughter. It was surprising that Ying Ziqi appeared unconcerned about the possibility of this incident reaching her father and provoking his anger.

From the moment he saw Shen Ningyu was the one who opened the door, Li Jin knew they had colluded to plot against him. The look in Shen Ningyu's eyes when she left last time was clearly not one signaling the matter was over.

However, Ying Ziqi's help was not without a price. Or rather, ever since they colluded, Ying Ziqi had already set up this scheme within a scheme to deal with both him and Ying Ziyan.

As for what would happen to Shen Ningyu's reputation afterwards, that was not within Ying Ziqi's considerations.

"A-Jin, Shen Ningyu's complexion looks a bit off," Ying Yuan said. As soon as he entered the room, his gaze had fallen on Shen Ningyu lying on the floor, and he had also noticed the unusual flush on her face.

"Ying Ziqi must have done something to her," Li Jin said gravely. "A-Yuan, let's wake the Fourth Prince first."

"Mm."

Ying Yuan walked to the side table, poured a cup of water, then flicked droplets from the cup onto Ying Ziyan's face.

Soon after, Ying Ziyan began to stir, brought back to consciousness by Ying Yuan's actions.

"Mmm..." Ying Ziyan slowly opened his eyes. Once he clearly saw he was in an unfamiliar place, he was stunned. "What is this place?"

"Fourth Imperial Brother should still remember us, right?"

Ying Yuan set down the cup and smiled at Ying Ziyan.

Ying Ziyan exclaimed in astonishment, "Seventh Imperial Brother? Heir Li? Why are you here? No, what place is this? I was clearly in my own mansion. How did I inexplicably end up here?"

Ying Yuan gave a brief explanation. "Fourth Imperial Brother, this is Prince Xian's mansion... As for why you are here, we do not know."

"Prince Xian's mansion? Ying Ziqi plotted against me."

Hearing Ying Yuan's account of what happened, Ying Ziyan recalled how he had recently rejected Ying Ziqi's attempt to recruit him.

He thought the matter had ended there. Little did he expect the other party to be so unscrupulous as to abduct him to his own mansion.

Ying Ziyan clenched his fist. "Seventh Imperial Brother, Heir Li, I thank you both for this."

Ying Ziyan shuddered to think what might have become of him had it been anyone other than Li Jin and Ying Yuan who discovered him in such a compromising situation.

Li Jin looked at Ying Ziyan. "Fourth Prince, we should first think about what to do now. Since the Third Prince dared to set such a trap for us, he surely has further moves. We cannot sit idle and await our fate."

Ying Ziyan was one of the few imperial princes who genuinely wished to stay out of the contest for the Crown Prince's position. Yet, with a mother of humble birth and no military backing like Prince Hui, he was seen by his ambitious brothers as vulnerable and exposed—a tempting piece of 'fat meat' they were unwilling to overlook. It was for this reason that Ying Ziqi had chosen to covertly target him.

'If I cannot have it, I will destroy it' was Ying Ziqi's lifelong motto from his previous life. Therefore, Ying Ziqi's actions were clearly intended to use Shen Ningyu as bait to eliminate both Li Jin and Ying Ziyan in one fell swoop.