AUBTN -Chapter 84 Four People Living Together

Shen Jue’s face was cold, his whole body radiating a “strangers keep away” chill as he said irritably, “Someone insisted on following, wouldn’t leave even if I tried to chase them off.”

Lu Yan, however, looked as if he had returned home. His eyes swept across the courtyard and finally rested on Yu Qing, softening slightly. “I’ll stay here.”

“Ah?” Yu Qing was momentarily stunned, then her eyes lit up, even showing a hint of excitement.

“You’re staying here too? Great, great! Now it’ll be lively!”

She was naturally fond of liveliness. Although Yu Yuan was nice, it was still Shen Jue’s domain and felt somewhat gloomy.

If Lu Yan also moved in, the sense of security would skyrocket!

“What’s great about it!” Shen Jue cut off her cheer coldly, giving Lu Yan a disdainful glance.

“I like peace and quiet, and I hate having strangers in my home. One is already too much, and now another demon shows up? Do you think this is some inn where anyone can stay just by paying?”

“Master Shen, you’re mistaken,” Lu Yan stepped forward, expression calm.

“After all, we’re comrades-in-arms and have worked together for years. It’s not like an outsider would take offense. I’m not picky; just give me a place to sleep.”

Shen Jue snorted. “The firewood room? Lu Yan, your body is delicate. If you catch a chill, and tomorrow at court you blame me for mistreating a colleague, I won’t be able to take the responsibility.”

“I won’t,” Lu Yan swore confidently.

“No way,” Shen Jue refused to budge.

“Just seeing your face makes me lose my appetite,” he added.

“Shen Jue, now’s not the time to throw your rich young master tantrum,” Lu Yan frowned.

“The case is urgent. We must stay in constant communication.”

“That can be done by carrier pigeon—you don’t need to share a bed!”

“Who said I want to share a bed with you?!”

Watching these two normally formidable court officials about to bicker like schoolboys in the courtyard, Su Hewan really couldn’t stand it.

Rubbing her throbbing temples, she stepped forward helplessly to mediate. “Um… Master Shen, Lu Yan, calm down, please calm down.”

Shen Jue snorted coldly and turned his head away.

Su Hewan hesitated, then said carefully, “Master Shen, I think… letting Lu Yan stay here might actually be a good thing.”

Shen Jue snapped his head around, eyes dangerous as they glared at her. “Which side are you on?”

Su Hewan quickly waved her hands, plastering a professional fake smile on her face. “Of course I’m on your side, Master Shen! But think about it—didn’t His Majesty assign you to investigate this case? The case is wide-ranging, and the people behind it are ruthless. If Lu Yan stays here, you two working together will double your efficiency! If the case is solved sooner, we can all get back to living peaceful days, right?”

Shen Jue raised an eyebrow, eyeing her suspiciously. “You know this?”

He had just come out of the palace and hadn’t even had a sip of water—how could this girl know that His Majesty had assigned them the case?

Su Hewan’s heart skipped a beat, but her face showed nothing. She cleared her throat lightly to cover it: “Just a guess, a guess! For something this big, anyone could figure it out.”

However, while she spoke casually, the barrage of thoughts in her mind reached Shen Jue’s ears as clearly as if they were spoken aloud:

【Do we even need to guess? The late emperor has passed, the new emperor ascends, and the foundations are unstable. Jiang Huai was suddenly silenced—and on his way back to the capital, no less. Even a fool would know something’s wrong.】

【Right now, the little emperor trusts only two people—Shen Jue and Lu Yan. If he doesn’t let them investigate, is he going to let anyone else do it?】

Shen Jue’s eyes flickered slightly at this; the girl certainly sees things clearly.

But the next wave of Su Hewan’s thoughts sent a shiver down Shen Jue’s spine:

【But, the little emperor’s mind isn’t as simple as it seems. Tying his two sharpest “blades” together to investigate a case—on the surface it’s trust, but in reality, it’s a form of control.】

【If Shen Jue and Lu Yan end up crippling each other, or if one grows dominant, it threatens imperial authority. Only by having them check and monitor each other can the little emperor reap the benefits without lifting a finger.】

【As expected, whether it’s the young emperor or the old one, once imperial power is involved, their schemes are unfathomable! These two fools may seem clever, but heaven forbid they end up being used as pawns while helping someone else count the gains!】

Listening to these thoughts, Shen Jue’s previously indifferent expression gradually stiffened.

The fingers playing with his thumb ring paused slightly, and a deep shadow flickered across his narrow phoenix-like eyes.

He had always thought Su Hewan was just a slightly clever, mysterious palace maid.

Never did he imagine her insight into court affairs would be so sharp—perhaps even more ruthless than many seasoned ministers.

Imperial scheming… checks and balances…

Shen Jue looked at Su Hewan intently.

Su Hewan, caught under his gaze, felt a chill run through her and instinctively touched her face: 【Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face? Or did I just act too fake just now?】

Shen Jue withdrew his gaze, suppressing the storm of thoughts in his heart. He snorted coldly. His tone remained proud but softened somewhat: “Fine. Since Miss Su says so, it would be petty of me to chase anyone away.”

He turned to Lu Yan, wearing a look of disdain: “There’s a storage room in the west wing. Tidy it up a bit—it should be livable. You can stay there.”

Before Lu Yan could respond, Yu Qing jumped up excitedly: “Great! I’ll take Master Lu on a tour right away!”

Without minding Shen Jue’s expression, black as a pot’s bottom, she grabbed Lu Yan’s sleeve and pulled him toward the backyard with glee: “Lu Yan, Lu Yan, come on! I’m telling you, this Yu Garden is huge! There’s a lotus pond at the back—though the flowers aren’t blooming yet—and the pavilion there is absolutely beautiful…”

Lu Yan stumbled slightly under her pull but the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, letting her lead him along.

He only managed a quick glance back at Shen Jue and gave a small nod of thanks.

Watching them disappear into the distance, Shen Jue could feel the veins at his temples throb even more aggressively.

“What a sight!” he ground out through gritted teeth.

“Pulling and tugging in broad daylight—completely indecent!”

Su Hewan, standing nearby and watching Shen Jue’s grumbling but protective demeanor, couldn’t help sneaking a smile:

【Come on, Master Shen, this is a textbook case of ‘tough on the outside, soft on the inside.’ You clearly want them to stay and help, yet you insist on acting forced. This tsundere trait… truly unmatched.】

Shen Jue’s body stiffened.

He slowly turned his head, his eyes darkly fixed on Su Hewan. A chilling, fake smile curved across his lips: “Miss Su, are you casually plotting me in your mind?”

Su Hewan’s face turned pale. She quickly covered her mouth, eyes wide and shaking her head innocently: “No! Never! Absolutely not! My admiration for Master Shen flows like the endless river…”