The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits-Chapter 190

There are missing parts here in the previous update. This is the updated one.

"Is Your Majesty angry?"

Shen Yu tilted his head slightly. "Because I got hurt?"

"Yes," Shang Junlin did not deny it. "I know Ah Yu had his own reasons for doing this, but I still hope that next time—no, I will not allow the same thing to happen again."

"This time, it was my fault." Shen Yu raised his uninjured hand and gently touched the man's face. "I know Your Majesty will protect me..."

But in that moment, he still instinctively chose to rely on himself. He didn’t want to trouble Shang Junlin too much. He had long been used to depending only on himself.

"I’m not blaming you, Ah Yu," Shang Junlin awkwardly changed the subject. "Let’s not talk about this anymore. Get some rest. I’ll go check on things."

Was this Shen Yu’s fault?

No.

Shang Junlin was overwhelmed with worry. He knew that if Shen Yu had done nothing at the time, the situation would have turned against them. He understood this, but seeing Shen Yu injured, he still could not bear it.

He couldn't bring himself to reprimand Shen Yu. He had nowhere to direct his rage, and there was no way he could unleash it upon Shen Yu. In this matter, Shen Yu had done nothing wrong—the ones at fault were those scheming in the shadows, trying to drag Shen Yu into the mess.

Shang Junlin didn’t stay long. He couldn't ignore what had happened tonight, but once he confirmed that Shen Yu was not in serious danger, he left.

Leaning against the headboard, Shen Yu gazed at the canopy above him, his eyes carrying a trace of confusion.

Tonight would be a sleepless night for many.

Shen Yu's hand was wounded, and the lingering effects of the incense left him feeling weak. He remained listless until near dawn, when Shang Junlin finally returned.

Shen Yu had been dozing lightly. When he saw Shang Junlin enter, he sat up.

"Ah Yu, why aren’t you sleeping?"

Shen Yu caught the scent of blood on the man and frowned slightly. "What did Your Majesty do?"

Shang Junlin paused for a moment. "Nothing. Fang Jun interrogated the assassin."

Shen Yu looked at him with suspicion, strongly suspecting that Shang Junlin had taken action himself.

He didn’t know that his suspicion was, in fact, the truth.

After Shen Yu was injured, Shang Junlin, full of pent-up fury, had nowhere to vent it. He went directly to the captured dancer who had attempted the assassination. No one knew what kind of torture she suffered. Later, when Fang Jun entered, all he saw was the dancer's blood-soaked clothing and Shang Junlin standing amidst a chilling aura that made him unapproachable.

"I have never considered myself a good person," Shang Junlin's voice was frigid. "You made Ah Yu bleed today—I will make you pay back double!"

Since ascending the throne, especially after Shen Yu entered the palace, Shang Junlin had reined in his temper considerably. It had been a long time since Fang Jun had seen him this furious. The ministers who had not yet left heard the commotion from within and dared not raise any more doubts about Shen Yu.

They now understood with absolute clarity—Shen Yu was Shang Junlin’s untouchable reverse scale. To provoke him meant certain death.

No one dared to challenge the enraged emperor. They weren’t fools.

Later, reflecting on the banquet, the ministers recalled Shang Junlin and Shen Yu’s interactions. It was clear how they were in private. As Shang Junlin had said, if Shen Yu truly harbored ill intentions toward him, he wouldn’t have needed such an elaborate scheme involving a dancer’s assassination attempt.

The ministers were temporarily detained in the palace. Fortunately, the palace was vast with plenty of vacant halls. They were all placed in one location and could only leave after their innocence was confirmed.

Shang Junlin personally handled the interrogation. Under Fang Jun’s questioning, the dancer, who had initially refused to speak, finally broke and admitted she had framed Shen Yu.

But she still refused to reveal the identity of the mastermind.

Fearing that the dancer might die before they could extract more information, Fang Jun mustered his courage to stop Shang Junlin’s interrogation.

After calming himself, Shang Junlin returned to Yuzhang Palace.

Under Shen Yu’s questioning, Shang Junlin spoke lightly about the situation: "All those connected to the assassin have been detained. Fang Jun will arrange for further interrogation."

"What does Your Majesty plan to do with them?" Shen Yu asked, but immediately realized the question was foolish. He shifted slightly deeper into the bed. "Would Your Majesty like to rest for a while?"

Shang Junlin sat down by the bed and tucked the covers around him. "I still have matters to attend to later. I won’t rest."

"Mu Xi, have the kitchen prepare some food," Shen Yu said, not pressing him. This assassination had happened within the palace, making it even more complicated to handle than the last attempt.

"Ah Yu is hungry?"

Shen Yu nodded. "Your Majesty should eat with me."

Shang Junlin did not refuse.

The kitchen was efficient, and soon, under Mu Xi’s direction, dishes were set on the table.

Since it was morning, the food was light. Shang Junlin wasn’t picky and ate with Shen Yu.

As the first light of dawn broke, the sun slowly rose. Shang Junlin took Shen Yu’s hand and strolled down the garden path.

The winter sun brought a gentle warmth. Shen Yu raised a hand to shield his eyes.

Shang Junlin's gaze darkened.

The hand he held was Shen Yu’s uninjured one, but the one shielding his eyes was the wounded one, wrapped in layers of white cloth, concealing the deep gash across the palm. Yet, Shang Junlin would never forget the sight of that hand, drenched in blood.

Noticing his gaze, Shen Yu lowered his hand and waved it in front of Shang Junlin. "Imperial Physician Gu’s medicine works well. It doesn’t hurt anymore."

"Ah Yu, don’t hurt yourself again." Shang Junlin’s expression was complex, his tone tinged with sorrow.

"I won’t." Shen Yu disliked seeing such an expression on his face. "I promise."

A breeze swept through, tousling Shen Yu’s hair. He stopped and turned to Shang Junlin. "If not for this incident, I wouldn’t have had the chance to watch such a beautiful sunrise with Your Majesty. Let’s not dwell on unhappy things. Look ahead—it’s breathtaking."

A giant red sun was slowly rising.

Near the Ministry of Justice’s prison, a silent battle was coming to an end.

The commander of the imperial guards wiped the blood from his face and ordered in a hoarse voice, "See if there are any survivors."

Their goal wasn’t just to eliminate those in the shadows trying to rescue King Yue, but also to use them to uncover the mastermind behind it all.

They had deliberately let their guard down to lure out the biggest fish.

In a nondescript house on the outskirts of the capital—

A man in a dark blue robe, his face concealed by a black mask, knelt before two figures dressed in black.

"Dawn has broken, and they still haven’t returned," the masked man said.

His voice was hoarse, making it impossible to determine his age.

"I have already sent people to assist them," one of the figures replied.

The masked man let out a cold snort. "Make sure they bring back the right people—not anything... unnecessary."

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Just then, a loud bang came from outside.

The three men’s expressions changed.

"I’ll go check," one of the black-clad figures said.

A sense of foreboding rose in the masked man’s heart.

This was a mission he shouldn’t have personally come for. Normally, he let his subordinates handle everything, but because of King Yue’s rebellion, his forces had suffered great losses.

Too much had been sacrificed for King Yue.

Just as he moved to enter a secret passage, the door was violently kicked open.

Sunlight glinted off the dark armor of the intruders.

His pupils shrank. "Hidden Dragon Guards—"

New Year’s Day found the court in chaos.

Shen Yu, after a brief nap, went to the study. The prime minister, Fang Jun, and others were deep in discussion. The news from the prison had reached the palace.

"Your Majesty is occupied," the steward murmured. "Shall I announce you?"

Shen Yu shook his head. "I’ll wait."

The side chamber had changed since his last visit—small comforts added, as if anticipating his presence.

Shang Junlin arrived sooner than expected. "You should have come straight in." His thumb brushed Shen Yu’s cheek.

"State affairs take precedence." Shen Yu dismissed the concern. "The dancer—has she talked?"

"Nothing useful. Fang Jun fears she’ll die before breaking."

"And the others?"

Shen Yu’s fingers traced the rim of his teacup. Lightly. Deliberately.

"I need to know who hates me enough for this."