Chapter 392: The Handsome Governor Flirts Fiercely 15

Even if he doesn't say it, Jin Chen understands.

"Are you afraid that if I find out I'll abandon you, or afraid that I'll act like today, leave you without saying goodbye and then favor others?"

Jin Chen deliberately voiced his suspicion more seriously, and almost immediately Xuan Che tightened his embrace around his neck, so closely that he could feel his body trembling.

Not only was his body trembling, his voice trembled as well.

"Your Highness, don't say that… If you really are like this, even in death I won't let you go."

It was Jin Chen who first provoked him; if such a thing really happens in the future…

No, it absolutely must not happen…

"Alright, alright, I certainly wouldn't do that—don't be afraid, I'm just saying it to scare you."

Jin Chen could barely breathe from his hold, then he began hugging him and soothing him continuously: "What I mean is, if you have any problem I'll worry too, and I don't want to hear about your condition from others—it would upset me as well."

I was supposed to give you the flowers today, but I happened to see Jin Changyou leering at you with a disgusting smile, and you ignored me, which made me angry.

He spoke as frankly as he could to avoid causing future misunderstandings over this.

Gradually, Xuan Che's emotions eased.

He stayed quietly in Jin Chen's embrace, silent, as if lost in thought.

Since childhood he's been used to handling everything on his own—even when the Qian Yong Emperor forced him to undergo castration, he didn't utter a sound; after seizing power, facing constant plots to topple him, he's grown accustomed to swallowing any privacy and suffering, gritting his teeth.

Today's incident, too, stems from his lack of foresight.

If he were to suddenly see Jin Chen chatting happily with someone in the Imperial Garden, he probably wouldn't stay as calm as Jin Chen.

Or perhaps one day he would suddenly hear from others that Jin Chen had little time left to live, and had been kept in the dark, which would break his heart.

"Your Highness… I was wrong."

Having finished his self-reflection, Xuan Che softly hooked his arms around Jin Chen's neck, acting coquettish, his body swaying slightly, his eyes locked unblinkingly on Jin Chen, his phoenix eyes seeming to hold spring water.

"Then tell me, what's going on with this cold poison?"

Jin Chen didn't really mean to blame him either, rubbing the corner of his eye with his thumb and softening his tone.

"Just tell the truth…" Xuan Che turned his gaze to the window, watching the leisurely crowd on the street, his mind drifting back to the past.

It was just a few years ago, shortly after I took power, when many sought to impeach and remove me; court affairs were swamped then, and I didn't have the energy to contend with others.

Until one night after dinner, when relentless abdominal pain and a burning haze in my head led the imperial physician to diagnose cold poison that had entered my body and reached my heart meridians—incurable.

Recalling this, Xuan Che seemed to feel that night's pain again, unconsciously clutching Jin Chen's collar, his eyes gloomy.

After that I ran a fever for three full days, using many precious herbs just to cling to life; thereafter I lived in constant cold, even in the midsummer heat I was utterly icy, and sometimes at night I would be seized by convulsions.

Hearing this, Jin Chen felt immeasurable pity, his palm gently stroking the back as he softened his voice: "Has the culprit been found?"

The one who poisoned my dinner that day was a eunuch from the small kitchen; even under torture to death he didn't reveal the mastermind, and investigation showed his family had once received a sum of hush money.

"As for the true culprit…" Xuan Che sighed, shook his head and pursed his lips, "I still haven't found him—I've carefully investigated every official in the court, and there's not a clue."

Jin Chen understood, "So you think perhaps the person who gave Jin Changyou the jade pendant might be connected to the poisoning back then?"

"Exactly, but it's a pity that person is merely a simple Kunlun Daoist who didn't even know the jade pendant itself was poisoned."

Jin Chen, however, felt it wasn't that simple.

It was also today, while he was matchmaking Cui Chengping and Qi Yiqiu, that he realized the original plot made it seem Xuan Che and Jin Hua Xuan were opposing each other, but nearly every important plot involved Jin Changyou.

This Fifth Prince is absolutely not just a background character.

【0731, go over the plot again and see if you can find any clues.】

【0731, go re-play the plot once more, see if you can find any clues.】

【Does the system have any medicine to cure the cold poison?】

【There is, but all the system shops are upgrading, so it'll take some time.】

【There are some, there are some, but all system stores are upgrading, probably need some time.】

Since the An Yin incident was resolved, the main system space has been slowly upgrading, fearing greater dark forces may strike later, so they won't be helpless.

Hearing that it can be cured, Jin Chen felt relieved for now.

He held the person in his arms tight, poured a cup of tea and brought it to his lips.

"From now on, if anything else comes up, you must not hide it from me."

"Won't happen, Your Highness," Xuan Che said, seeing he no longer blamed him, obediently drank the tea, leaned in his arms acting coquettish, "Just you also can't just leave without saying goodbye like today."

Heaven knows what thoughts flashed through his mind when he heard the little eunuch's reply.

In the end he didn't act on it, merely taking a few people out to search, but only because he is Jin Chen—his beloved and the future ruler of Jin State.

If not for that… today's conversation should have taken place in the East Factory's dungeon.

【Villain Heartthrob Value detected: 15, total now 30!】

After clearing the misunderstanding, their moods improved considerably; they leaned on each other and drank at the table, but Jin Chen wouldn't let him drink too much, so he had the waiter bring some snacks and signature dishes to coax him into eating.

But since he wouldn't let him drink, Xuan Che naturally found his own way to get alcohol.

Each time Jin Chen took a sip, Xuan Che acted like a greedy kitten, hooking his fingertips on Jin Chen's collar, tilting his head to lick the still-moist lips, occasionally slipping his tongue in, making Jin Chen's breathing heavy as he pressed him into an embrace and they exchanged deep kisses.

Though he hadn't drunk much, Xuan Che's face flushed, making him look even more bewitchingly beautiful; even his angry gaze was soft and seductive.

Leaning against Jin Chen's chest, breathing evenly, his slightly dazed phoenix eyes flicked to the downstairs stall selling flower hairpins, and he couldn't help recalling the few flowers Jin Chen had picked in the Imperial Garden.

He leaned against Jin Chen's chest, breathing evenly; his somewhat dazed phoenix eyes suddenly caught sight of the small stall selling flower hairpins downstairs outside the window, and he couldn't help recalling the few flowers that inside Jin Chen had picked in the imperial garden.

"Your Highness, what about the flowers you picked in the Imperial Garden?"

Xuan Che's waist was still a bit limp; he half-raised his chest to meet Jin Chen's gaze, their faces almost nose-to-nose.

"Flowers…" Jin Chen's eyes flashed with mischief, intending to tease the one in his arms, and he said offhandedly: "I don't really remember; after leaving the Imperial Garden I might have just given them to whatever palace maid or eunuch I found pleasing."

"Those were yours to give me—how could you just give them away to others!"

Xuan Che also believed it, his phoenix eyes reddening with hurt, his heart filled with a sour ache.

Xuan Che also truly believed it, his phoenix eyes reddened with grievance, feeling only a wave of sourness in his heart.