MLIAM Chapter 16
by VolareChapter 16: Entering Prison – What exactly is my relationship with Wei Yan?
The day after they disembarked from the Magnolia Cloud Ship, as expected, the Emperor found out about the dispute and the commotion.
The Imperial Guards arrived and, without a word, took Yu Shuli and Wei Yan back to the prison, while the Crown Prince was directly confined to his residence.
Yu Shuli originally wanted to argue, but Wei Yan gave him a look, and he obediently followed Wei Yan, expertly making his way into the prison.
As soon as they arrived, they discovered that The Censorate had added many new “talents.”
Yu Shuli sighed to Wei Yan, “Your prison business is really thriving.”
Wei Yan gave him a faint look, “It’s alright, anyway, like you and me, we are both condemned criminals.”
Yu Shuli: …
He greeted each of his fellow inmates one by one.
Not only did the others ignore Yu Shuli, but they also seemed to be mentally deranged, making some aggressive gestures towards him, their whole bodies exuding a faint aura of death.
Only the one next door to Yu Shuli was lively, looked normal, and was very outgoing.
Since this was Wei Yan’s territory, he naturally wouldn’t let him and Yu Shuli be wronged. Before Wei Yan could arrange anything, the jailer came in to tidy up the prison.
After the remaining prisoners were taken away by the jailer who had entered, only Yu Shuli, Wei Yan, and the prisoner next door to Yu Shuli remained in the entire prison.
This person was very shameless, not only refusing to leave but also clinging to the bars to talk to Yu Shuli.
“Yo, didn’t you leave triumphantly? You even vowed to bail me out, how come you’re back yourself?”
Yu Shuli was stunned, seeing a hint of familiarity in him, but couldn’t remember who he was. “You know me? Are we close?”
The young man choked in his throat, gnashing his teeth: “Hey, you… there were only two of us in the prison back then, what are you pretending for? Wasn’t it you who said you would bail me out?! It’s been months, and I haven’t seen you do it.”
Yu Shuli felt a little embarrassed and awkward. He didn’t remember who this person was at all.
However, judging from the other party’s familiarity, he should at least know him.
At least he should have indeed promised to bail him out.
In fact, if Yu Shuli sincerely wanted to bail someone out, he could certainly do it, but he forgot. He lost his memory, how could he remember anything about bailing people out?
Now, the situation was very different. Yu Shuli didn’t remember the other party, didn’t know his cards, and of course, he wasn’t prepared to fulfill the promise he made before losing his memory, even if the person who made the promise was himself.
“Haha, you can see that I’m back in here again, my methods are just bragging.” Facing the suspicious young man, Yu Shuli was vague, unwilling to mention the fact that he had lost his memory.
Wei Yan stood silently beside Yu Shuli, silently sizing up the young man opposite him.
“Wei Yan, are you cold?” Yu Shuli didn’t feel uncomfortable in a place like a prison, but he was worried that Wei Yan’s body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Wei Yan shook his head, straightening Yu Shuli’s outer robe for him: “I’m fine, you’re wearing so little, be careful not to catch a cold.”
The young man watched the interaction between the two. There was only one person who could be so intimate with Yu Shuli, and the answer was obvious.
He looked up: “You… you’re Prime Minister Wei?” His tone was not good.
Wei Yan lowered his eyes slightly, looking at the young man with a bit of a gloomy expression: “Who are you?” His tone wasn’t good either.
Yu Shuli was caught in the middle, in a dilemma.
He should have introduced them to each other, but who told him to lose his memory, so he had to pretend to be mute and say nothing.
“Hey, did you betray me?” The young man suddenly changed his target, looking at Yu Shuli, his eyes like sharp thorns, as if looking at a scumbag.
“Ah?” Yu Shuli was still out of the loop, stunned by the words.
The young man’s expression of looking at a heartless man, could it be that he and he were a couple before?
This… this is too much of a coincidence…
Yu Shuli didn’t know what was going on, so he could only look at Wei Yan guiltily: “That…”
“Not going to explain?” Wei Yan also glanced at Yu Shuli, his voice sounding cold. Seeming to be tired of standing, he propped one hand on the wall next to Yu Shuli, half leaning against the wall, giving Yu Shuli, who was blocked in the corner, a great sense of oppression.
“Could it be that you have some misunderstanding?” Yu Shuli dodged Wei Yan’s arm, turning his head to look kindly at the young man opposite, “The word betrayal, is too heavy, right?”
“For your behavior, calling you a traitor is an understatement, it should simply be despised!” The young man snorted, turning his head to the other corner: “I naively believed in you.”
Yu Shuli heard him say it more and more seriously, Wei Yan’s expression became more and more awful, and his eyelids couldn’t help but jump.
“What’s your relationship with him?” Wei Yan sneered, asking the young man.
“I won’t chat with you Crown Prince Party’s lackey.” The young man was also very determined, knowing that the person in front of him was the current head of the inner cabinet, The Censorate’s chief judge, Prime Minister Wei, who was below one person and above ten thousand people, he could still scold “lackey” without fear of authority.
Yu Shuli admired and appreciated his courage.
Wei Yan’s face became even darker.
“If you don’t say it, I have ways to make you say it, it’s just that you’ll suffer a little more.”
“You’re threatening me? But I’ve already lost everything, what’s the use of you threatening me?” The young man gritted his teeth, stretching his neck over: “I’m not even afraid of death, am I still afraid of your threats?”
His expression and tone were too similar to Yu Shuli’s when he came to confront him that day.
Wei Yan’s eyelashes moved, and he was silent.
Before, Yu Shuli kept saying that he wanted to break off the engagement, was it because of… this person in front of him?
Seeing that Wei Yan had lost the argument, Yu Shuli was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to save face, so he quickly tugged at his sleeve: “Forget it, let’s not argue with a madman. Maybe he was caught and brought in here for going crazy with someone outside!”
“Yu Shuli, you’re the madman!” The young man heard the words, knocked on the bars with both hands: “You’re heartless, don’t blame me for being unrighteous!” He turned his head to look at Wei Yan: “Hey! Do you know that Yu Shuli was the one who poisoned you back then!”
Yu Shuli looked at Wei Yan blankly: “What… what is he talking about? What poisoning?”
Wei Yan looked at him, stunned for a moment, seeming to be afraid of scaring him, his eyes softened a little: “You were playing with me.”
The young man sneered, seeing that Wei Yan actually knew the truth, and even defended Yu Shuli, he immediately felt that these two people were indeed birds of a feather.
Back then, Yu Shuli was sent by The Crown Prince Party to find out his news, fortunately, he was cautious and didn’t say anything.
Although he thought so, the young man still wanted to sow discord: “Playing around? I heard that Junior General Yu used a lethal dose of poison, playing with people’s lives? You two have great tastes.”
Yu Shuli’s pupils shook: “You… what are you saying?”
The young man said: “Otherwise, how do you think I know you? Wasn’t it because you poisoned Wei Yan, I assassinated The Crown Prince, and you and I became friends in life and death? You even promised to take me out, but now you’re pretending to know nothing? What are you acting for!”
Yu Shuli’s heart jumped wildly, his hand trembled, he grabbed Wei Yan and asked, “Is what he’s saying true?”
Wei Yan was silent.
“I’m asking you, Wei Yan, is what he’s saying true?”
Seeing him anxious, Wei Yan sighed, closed his eyes, with a bit of embarrassed self-mockery, finally squeezed out an “Mm” sound.
Yu Shuli simply threw him away, turned his head to look at the young man, his voice trembling: “You said, I poisoned Wei Yan? Why would I poison him? What is my relationship with Wei Yan… Are we mortal enemies?”
“What is your relationship, why ask me? Don’t you know yourself?” The young man rolled his eyes, not wanting to pay attention to him.
“I… I lost my memory…” Yu Shuli’s voice was already incoherent: “I thought, he and I were…” Yu Shuli suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, he squatted down, hugged his head, and gasped softly a few times.
Wei Yan’s knuckles turned white, standing quietly on the side, but with infinite panic in his heart.
Is stolen happiness so short-lived?
“If you want to know anything, I can explain…” Wei Yan wanted to reach out to hug him, but was pushed away by Yu Shuli.
Yu Shuli’s tone was really not good: “Don’t touch me first, let me think carefully.”
Outside, rumors were rampant, and the relationship between The Crown Prince, him, and Wei Yan had turned the world upside down. In the stuffy dungeon, there wasn’t a trace of fresh air.
He hugged his head, the veins on his forehead were jumping, his brows were furrowed, trying to find the memories he had lost, and to recall the bits and pieces of his time with Wei Yan.
This scared Chen Li.
“Hey, are you okay?” He muttered: “Really or not, lost his memory?…”
Seeing Yu Shuli in so much pain that he couldn’t straighten up, Chen Li also panicked a little: “Hey, don’t think about it, I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
Chen Li walked over, patted the bars, and happened to meet Wei Yan’s gloomy expression.
He swallowed, not looking directly into Wei Yan’s eyes, and reached out to tug at Yu Shuli’s clothes: “I remember everything you said back then, what do you want to know?”
Yu Shuli finally raised his eyes from the pain, his eyelashes were a little wet, but his expression was very stubborn, not looking at Wei Yan, but looking at Chen Li: “What exactly is my relationship with Wei Yan?”
Chen Li “Umm” a sound, under Wei Yan’s deadly gaze: “What you said back then, I don’t know if it’s true or false, I’ll just give it back to you as it is, you can tell the difference yourself?”
“Mm.”
Yu Shuli stood up, moving away from Wei Yan, “Tell me.”
The last string in Wei Yan’s heart was teetering, about to break.
Chen Li opened his mouth: “When you first came in, when you and I confided in each other, you said to me ‘I am definitely not The Crown Prince Party!'”
Wei Yan’s hanging heart eased a little, gently breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s it?” Yu Shuli frowned, “What can this tell? I’m not The Crown Prince Party anyway.”
“Hey, there’s more, don’t worry.”
Wei Yan pursed his lips tightly, and after a moment, a bitter smile appeared. Waiting for the truth was as torturous as waiting for a death sentence.
Chen Li pondered for a while, selling a pass, seeing Wei Yan’s nervous expression, he couldn’t help but secretly think: Could it be that what Yu Shuli said was all true?
“You also said ‘Don’t you know? Wei Yan secretly loves me, so he’s been targeting me everywhere.'”
As soon as these words came out, not only was Wei Yan’s expression frozen, but Yu Shuli was also completely frozen in place.
“And I asked you, why does Prime Minister Wei secretly love you but still have to arrest you in prison, you replied: ‘What do you know! This is his taste! A game of cat and mouse.'”
Yu Shuli was so embarrassed that his toes curled up. He tugged at Chen Li’s sleeve and whispered, “How could I say that?”
“How would I know?” Chen Li said, “I’m just reporting your original words truthfully.” He also emphasized the word “original words.”
“I don’t believe it, you must have embellished it!” Yu Shuli jumped up, “Do I look like such a narcissistic person?”
Wei Yan finally chuckled, the crisis was eliminated, and all the unease in his heart disappeared at this moment.
Sometimes, he didn’t know whether Yu Shuli’s habit of bragging and bragging was a good thing or a bad thing.
But now, it could be considered a good thing.
He looked at Yu Shuli with gentle eyes, and teased: “So… you already knew. Then why are you always dangling me?”
Yu Shuli couldn’t bear his words, and his ears turned red.
He covered his face in shame: “How could I say such shameless words…”
Wei Yan lowered his eyes to look at him, and smiled helplessly: “Now, you don’t have to avoid me, right? Can I be released without charge?”
Yu Shuli nodded embarrassedly, then turned his head to look at Wei Yan: “You… so it’s not that you and I eloped, but you’ve been pursuing me all along?”
Wei Yan readily admitted it.
“Then you still lied to me!” Yu Shuli retorted, “You must be very proud, right? You were chasing me so hard, and suddenly I threw myself into your arms.”
Wei Yan smiled: “How can you say that about yourself?”
Chen Li hissed, not wanting to listen anymore: “If you guys want to be lovey-dovey, you can go back and discuss it yourself, right?”
Wei Yan lowered his head and didn’t know what he was thinking. After a moment, he reached out to take Yu Shuli’s hand, his eyes full of gentle smiles.
His gaze towards Chen Li also became much friendlier: “What did you do to get in here?”
Chen Li poked Yu Shuli: “Ask this one.”
Wei Yan’s thin lips curved: “He lost his memory.”
“Oh, right.” Chen Li sighed and looked at Wei Yan cautiously: “So, you’re really not The Crown Prince Party?”
Wei Yan didn’t know where the good mood came from, and followed his serious look, and whispered: “No.”
This answer also stunned Yu Shuli: “You…” Yu Shuli always felt that Wei Yan didn’t seem like someone who would easily show his cards.
A powerful minister openly stated that he did not stand on The Crown Prince Party, and the risk was too great.
What’s more, they didn’t know the young man in front of them at all, and Wei Yan shouldn’t be so arrogant.
“What are you?” Wei Yan scratched his nose: “When did you get the misunderstanding that I’m The Crown Prince Party?”
Suddenly learning this news, Yu Shuli was actually overjoyed in his heart, which meant that he could try to persuade Wei Yan to join the Second Prince Party… that way, even if they got married in the future…
Thinking of this, Yu Shuli blushed and quickly stopped his divergent thoughts.
He murmured: “No wonder you dared to beat The Crown Prince…”
“What?! You beat The Crown Prince!” Chen Li almost jumped up, his originally perfunctory and decadent face instantly became energetic: “Good brother! You’re really amazing! I, Chen Li, misjudged you before! I apologize to you here.” He even made a bow like a model.
Yu Shuli scolded with a smile, reaching over the bars to pull him: “Who are you calling brothers?!”
Wei Yan smiled, “It’s okay.”
Yu Shuli muttered, “He’s taking advantage of you.”
Wei Yan comforted Yu Shuli’s hand, and then looked at Chen Li: “You… did you also offend The Crown Prince?”
“Mm.” Chen Li straightened his chest: “I assassinated him, didn’t succeed, was caught, said I’ll be executed another day.” He said it lightly, as if he was saying he ate two bowls of rice today.
Yu Shuli’s expression was indescribable: “You should leave a way out for the assassination, you don’t have any way out, you were caught in here like a fool. With your brainless way of assassination, you won’t die enough if you die ten thousand times.”
Wei Yan nodded in agreement: “Even if you heal it, you’ll drool.”
Yu Shuli laughed until he couldn’t see his eyes, and pushed Wei Yan: “When did you learn to make such jokes.”
The few people were chattering and lively, and suddenly a sharp cry of a woman rang out outside.
The dissuasion of the guards and the jailer came from far to near. “Princess Jiangning… this is an important place in the prison, you can’t go in…”
“Get out! This Princess wants to see Wei Yan!”