104: Chapter 104 Living Better Than You: The General Male Supporting Character 22

Inside the grand hall, as Prince Yu stepped over the inner threshold, the frozen air seemed to tear open.

Nan Li's deathly pale complexion finally regained a hint of color the moment she saw who had arrived.

He strode over to Nan Li's side and sat down. After looking her up and down to confirm she was unharmed, he turned his gaze toward Prince Jing, who sat perched in the seat of honor.

"I heard that Li Er came to attend Princess Jing's banquet, but when she didn't return to the mansion, I came to check on her. I didn't expect Imperial Brother to be here as well. What was it that you were just talking about drinking?"

Prince Yu's voice was calm. As far as he was concerned, seeing that Nan Li was safe and sound, he let out a long sigh of relief.

Ever since Nan Li had set off for Prince Jing's Mansion, he had been feeling uneasy.

However, to everyone's surprise, when faced with Prince Yu's question, Prince Jing showed no panic or guilt whatsoever; instead, he spoke frankly.

"Hahaha, it's nothing serious. I simply gifted my sister-in-law two cups of fine wine, but it seems there was a misunderstanding, and I was accused of poisoning them."

Prince Jing laughed while pointing at the wine cups on the tables of Nan Jin and Nan Li.

Prince Yu looked ahead, then turned to look at Nan Jin, only to see her wearing a look that was half-smile, half-sneer.

Prince Yu furrowed his brow, pondered for a moment, and cast a wary glance at Prince Jing.

"Imperial Brother, Li Er is in poor health and shouldn't drink too much. Allow me to drink this wine on her behalf."

With that, Prince Yu raised the wine cup, preparing to drain it in one gulp.

Just as Prince Yu was about to bring the cup to his lips, a cool hand gently pressed down on his arm.

Nan Li's face was deathly pale, and her eyes were filled with anxiety. She shook her head at him, gently but firmly.

Prince Yu paused and looked down at Nan Li. He understood what she meant: this wine could not be consumed.

However, he did not put the cup down.

Opposite them, the smile on Prince Jing's face hadn't changed at all. He remained as confident and eager to watch the show as before, which caused Prince Yu's heart to sink heavily.

A truly absurd thought suddenly crossed his mind: could this wine actually be poisoned?

Poisoning a Princess was one thing, but had his Imperial Brother truly gone mad? Would he dare to poison a Prince in public?

One had to realize that he had just been prepared to drink it, and Prince Jing hadn't stopped him. If Prince Jing were to poison Prince Yu today, to say nothing else, Prince Liang could ascend to the throne.

After thinking it over carefully, Prince Yu still felt it was unlikely.

Perhaps Nan Li had simply misunderstood, and the wine wasn't actually poisoned.

But then he thought, a gentleman does not stand under a tottering wall.

A sharp glint flashed in Prince Yu's eyes. He suddenly realized something.

First of all, this wine shouldn't be lethal, otherwise, how could Prince Jing be so composed?

But just because it wouldn't kill didn't mean the wine was safe; there was another possibility.

If it was that kind of wine—and all the guests present were noble ladies—once Nan Li drank it, she would become the laughingstock of the entire capital by tomorrow.

"What? Does my sixth younger brother also think that I would poison the wine?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

Prince Yu said he believed him, but he quietly set the wine cup down.

He was thinking that while it had been easy to come in and easy to refuse the wine, leaving would be difficult.

Seeing that Prince Yu still didn't seem to take the matter seriously or realize the severity of the situation, Nan Li turned slightly and whispered the sequence of events to him.

After hearing about Prince Jing barging in, Princess Jing feigning death, the verbal sparring, the coercion to drink, and then hearing about Nan Jin's earlier arrogance, Xuanyuan Zhan could no longer sit still. He hadn't expected Prince Jing to be this crazy today.

If he thought of the worst-case scenario, this wine might actually be lethal. What was to be done?

He regretted coming alone; he should have brought the entire patrol battalion with him.

[Is this really the male lead? They're both princes, can't he just stand his ground?]

[He's probably afraid Prince Jing will go down fighting.]

[It's an information gap. He underestimated Prince Jing's current determination and resolve.]

[I don't get it. He knew his wife might be in danger at Prince Jing's Mansion and was restless all day, yet he went to the mansion alone to look for her?]

[Bringing troops definitely wouldn't work; he probably wouldn't have been able to enter the mansion. But he really should have brought a couple of expert guards.]

[The more he retreats, the more Prince Jing is convinced that Nan Li is Prince Yu's weakness.]

[Yeah, it feels like the male lead didn't come to save the day, but to hand over his head.]

The live comments were deeply disappointed. Just then, the personal maid Bai Ling, who was sweating profusely from anxiety, suddenly stepped forward.

"Miss, let me do it. Whether it's drinking it all or just testing it, I am willing."

When these words were spoken, Prince Yu's heart stirred. Why hadn't he thought of that?

It was just a maid. She could test what was in the wine first, and then he could prepare accordingly.

[To be fair, this maid is very loyal.]

[Prince Yu wouldn't actually let her drink it, would he? He clearly knows Nan Jin fiercely confronted Prince Jing, so why not just honestly ask Nan Jin for help right now?]

[Wow, he's wavering! Xuanyuan Zhan is actually considering it! Damn, this man is so disappointing!]

[He gave Bai Ling a subtle hint, there was even encouragement in his eyes.]

[No wonder the original novel wrote that Prince Yu was the most like the young Old Emperor—weighing pros and cons, the art of kingship. So that's how it is!]

The live comments were all berating Xuanyuan Zhan for being a disappointing man. At the same time, his reaction truly destroyed the last bit of favor Nan Li had for him.

It was this method again. Why was it that whenever this man encountered a problem, the first thing he thought of was always sacrificing his own people?

Last time it was asking her to apologize first; this time it was letting Bai Ling test it first.

Bai Ling was the maid who had grown up with Nan Li, a sister in all but blood. She was the one who would secretly slip her candy when she felt wronged and would stay by her bedside without undressing to sleep when she was ill.

She could not stand by and watch her go to her death.

Just as Nan Li couldn't help but want to stop Bai Ling from testing the wine, "Clap, clap, clap!" A round of applause mixed with crisp laughter rang out in the grand hall without warning, abruptly interrupting everyone's actions.

Everyone was shocked! Nan Jin had stood up at some point.

After clapping, she crossed her arms, her face wearing undisguised sarcasm and mockery, yet her bright eyes were laughing wantonly.

"How interesting."

Nan Jin laughed and walked step by step to the center of the hall, her posture lazy, her aura too powerful to ignore.

Prince Jing's face darkened. Nan Jin's previous offense had been defused by the sudden arrival of Prince Yu. He hadn't expected her to jump out again now; did she really think he, Xuan Yuan Jing, had no temper?

However, he failed to notice that Nan Jin's bodyguard, the one who looked like a woman disguised as a man, Bai Ni, had shown no concern from start to finish.

Xuan Yuan Jing was about to fly into a rage to regain control of this game, but Nan Jin ignored him completely.

She walked slowly to the table where Nan Li and Xuanyuan Zhan were sitting, her tone complex.

"Nan Li, I don't hate you anymore!"

"Wh... what?" Nan Li was stunned, completely not expecting Nan Jin to suddenly say such a thing.

Nan Jin glanced at Xuanyuan Zhan again. "A long time ago, I kept wondering, what does it look like when Xuanyuan Zhan cares about someone?"

"Now I've seen it, and I've discovered that it's nothing special."

"So Nan Li, I've discovered a fact: this time, I really did marry better than you."

"So... I don't hate you anymore!"

After saying this, she didn't look at Xuanyuan Zhan's bewildered expression, nor did she wait for the pensive Nan Li to reply. Nan Jin suddenly raised her hand, picked up the cup of wine on Nan Li's table, and turned to look at Xuan Yuan Jing at the head of the hall.

The corners of her mouth curled up, and like offering a libation to the dead, she poured the wine onto the ground.

"How insolent!!!" Xuan Yuan Jing slammed the table and rose in shocked fury. "Nan Jin, you have a lot of nerve!!!"

Nan Jin ignored him and continued speaking nonsensical words to herself. "Calculating the time, it should be about right."

As soon as she finished speaking, the doors outside the grand hall were suddenly thrown open. A mansion guard ran in, panicked. "Your Highness, Your Highness, it's bad! Someone has come from the palace!!!"