The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

28

Shen Yu let Shang JunLin hold him without saying anything. Strictly speaking, this was the first time they'd been so close.

The man's arms were so strong that Shen Yu's waist hurt from being squeezed. But he was painfully aware he was needed right now.

He couldn't have said what he was feeling, or what thoughts were going through his mind. The man's scent wrapped around him from all directions, fully occupying the gaps between him and the outside world. It seemed to last forever, but it also felt short.

He didn't know how much time passed before Shang JunLin slowly loosened his arms. "This emperor forgot himself."

Shen Yu didn't continue the topic from before. He knew that people sometimes needed time to digest certain things. If an outsider tried too hard to intervene, it would only increase the pain.

"Your Majesty, you hurt me just now." Shen Yu leaned against Shang JunLin and breathed slowly to ease the ache in his waist.

"... This emperor will give you medicine."

Shang JunLin was already familiar with the procedure. There was a small cabinet at the head of the bed, which was full of medicines for improving blood circulation and removing bruises, as well as some unidentified ointments sent by the imperial hospital.

"It's not that serious." Shen Yu pressed down Shang JunLin's hand with the medicine. "Your Majesty, has the King of Huaiyu incident reached a conclusion?"

Shang JunLin: "He quickly confessed his guilt, but this emperor still thinks there's something wrong."

Shen Yu: "Your Majesty feels the same way I do."

Shang JunLin: "Oh? What does the noble monarch think?"

"Doesn't it seem too easy to Your Majesty?" Shen Yu pulled Shang JunLin to sit on the soft couch. "Based on what Your Majesty said before, the King of Huaiyu has been planting moles in the palace for years without being discovered. It's strange that he was exposed so easily."

Shang JunLin nodded. "There are a lot of suspicious things about the King of Huaiyu, and his activity spans many years. This emperor isn't finished with him yet."

The King of Huaiyu was locked up in the dark prison, and specially-trained people interrogated him every day. Unfortunately, no matter what method they used, the result was the same.

Either he confessed immediately or he refused to say a word. The more he was interrogated, the more suspicions and loopholes he created.

"What about those women? Did they say anything?"

Since the presence of "Fei Meng" was discovered in the palace, the former concubines who were previously living in a remote courtyard of Yuzhang Palace were confined in another location by Shang JunLin. One reason was to prevent information from leaking, and another was to eliminate the chance that someone would attack again.

"Their information was almost the same."

Although things might appear to be resolved, in fact there was no conclusion at all.

"Based on the information this emperor learned, the King of Huaiyu is indeed one of the people behind the plot. The former concubines and some of the palace attendants were his eyes, with one exception," Shang JunLin said with a teacup in his hand.

"The young eunuch who threatened Concubine Yu?" Shen Yu guessed.

If that eunuch hadn't made a move and frightened Concubine Yu, she wouldn't have asked for help, and without her confession, they wouldn't have found out about the King of Huaiyu so quickly.