Chapter 329 - What? who is arrested?

Chapter 329: Chapter 329 - What? who is arrested?

Jian was sitting on the edge of his bed, examining the wedding arrangements that had been sent over by the palace attendants, when the door opened.

He looked up and immediately brightened.

"Xing Yu!"

The documents were forgotten as Jian jumped off the bed and rushed toward his lover. Xing Yu barely had time to close the door before Jian threw himself into his arms, wrapping both arms around his neck and pressing an enthusiastic kiss against his lips.

Xing Yu caught him around the waist, smiling against his mouth. He returned the kiss, holding Jian close for a moment before gently pulling back.

"Jian, wait. I have something to tell you."

Jian wasn’t particularly interested in waiting. He leaned forward to steal another kiss, but Xing Yu tilted his head away slightly.

"It’s about Nansich."

That immediately caught Jian’s attention.

"What about him?"

Xing Yu’s expression became serious. "He’s been arrested."

Jian blinked.

For a moment, he thought he’d misheard.

"Arrested?"

"Yes. He’s being held in the royal detention wing."

Jian stared at his lover, his arms still loosely wrapped around Xing Yu’s neck. The information took a few seconds to register before his expression changed completely.

"What do you mean he’s been arrested? Why would anyone arrest Nansich?"

"Apparently, a container of Grayling poison was discovered in his room. Dican ordered him detained while the matter is investigated."

"Grayling poison?" Jian repeated incredulously. "What the hell would Nansich be doing with Grayling poison?"

Xing Yu shook his head. "I don’t know the details yet. I only learned about it from the palace guards."

Jian immediately released him.

"Where is he?"

"In the western detention wing."

"Take me there!"

Xing Yu had expected that reaction. He caught Jian’s hand before he could rush out of the room and pulled him back long enough to explain that Nansich was unharmed.

Unfortunately, that did very little to calm Jian.

"Unharmed? He’s in prison! We’ve only been here for a few days, and someone has already thrown my best friend into prison!" Jian exclaimed, dragging Xing Yu toward the door. "And Dican did it? What the hell is wrong with that brother of mine?"

Xing Yu followed him without resistance, although he kept a firm hold on Jian’s hand to prevent him from running ahead.

By the time they reached the western detention wing, Jian had worked himself into a considerable temper.

The soldiers stationed outside immediately straightened upon seeing the two of them.

"Your Highness!"

"Where’s Nansich?"

The captain stepped forward. "Lord Nansich is being held in the inner detention chamber."

"Take me to him."

The captain hesitated. "Your Highness, Prince Dican has instructed us that no one is to enter without his permission."

Jian slowly turned toward him.

"Are you telling me I can’t see my best friend?"

The soldier’s expression stiffened.

Xing Yu stepped forward before Jian could become any angrier.

"We’re not here to interfere with the investigation. His Highness only wishes to see whether Lord Nansich is being treated properly."

The captain looked between them, clearly struggling to decide which royal prince’s displeasure would be worse.

Eventually, he bowed and stepped aside.

"This way, Your Highness."

Jian followed him down the corridor, already imagining the miserable condition Nansich might be in. He knew how much Nansich hated being restrained. The man had always been fiercely independent, and the thought of him locked inside a prison cell over some ridiculous accusation made Jian furious.

He was fully prepared to demand his immediate release.

However, when they finally reached the cell, the scene before him was nothing like what he’d expected.

Nansich was sitting comfortably on a narrow bed covered with expensive-looking silk bedding. One leg was stretched out while the other rested casually against the edge of the mattress. Beside him sat a large platter of freshly cut fruits, several small dishes of snacks and a crystal jug filled with something that looked suspiciously like freshly squeezed fruit juice.

A soldier was standing outside the bars, carefully pouring more juice into a cup.

"Would you like another serving, Lord Nansich?"

"Yeah, fill it up."

"Of course."

The soldier obediently handed him the cup.

Nansich accepted it without even looking up, took a long drink and reached for another piece of fruit.

Jian stopped walking.

His eyebrows twitched.

Xing Yu, who had been following beside him, also paused.

For several seconds, neither of them said anything.

Nansich eventually noticed their presence.

"Oh, Jian."

He raised his cup in greeting.

"You’re finally here."

Jian stared at him.

Then at the fruit.

Then at the silk bedding.

Then at the soldier who was now politely asking whether Nansich needed anything else.

"What the hell is this?"

Nansich looked around lazily. "A prison, apparently."

"A prison?"

"That’s what they told me."

Jian pointed at the platter of fruit.

"Then what’s all that?"

"Fruit."

"I CAN SEE THAT IT’S FRUIT!"

Nansich gave him an unimpressed look.

"Then why are you asking?"

Jian nearly choked on his own frustration.

He had rushed all the way here imagining his best friend suffering in some horrible dungeon, only to find him lounging around like a nobleman on vacation.

Even the bedding looked more expensive than the blankets Jian had used back on Earth!

Xing Yu quietly turned his face away, hiding the faint smile threatening to appear.

Jian marched toward the bars.

"Nansich, what happened? Why are you here?"

Nansich finished his juice before answering. He handed the empty cup back to the soldier, who accepted it with a respectful bow, then stretched his arms above his head.

"The horny guy arrested me."

Jian froze.

"The what?"

"The horny guy. Your brother."

"DICAN?!"

His shout echoed through the detention wing.

Several soldiers flinched.

Nansich nodded calmly. "Yeah, that one."

"Dican arrested you?!"

"Technically."

Jian gripped the bars.

"What do you mean technically? Either he arrested you or he didn’t!"

Nansich shrugged and leaned back against the pillows.

"He accused me of poisoning him. Well, not exactly accused. They found some weird Grayling substance in my room, his husband started crying, and suddenly everyone decided I was a criminal."

Jian’s mouth fell open.

"Poisoning him?"

"Apparently."

"But how? We’ve only been on Gia for a few days!"

"That’s what I said."

"And where would you even get Grayling poison?"

"That’s also what I said."

Jian stared at him in disbelief.

Nansich picked up another piece of fruit.

"Didn’t help much."

For a moment, Jian was too stunned to speak. He knew Nansich well enough to understand that the man had absolutely no interest in poisoning Dican. If anything, Nansich had spent the last several days trying to avoid the prince.

"Wait. Wasn’t Dican the one chasing you around?"

"Exactly!" Nansich pointed at him with the fruit. "Finally, someone with a functioning brain."

Jian’s expression darkened.

"So Dican has been bothering you this entire time, and now he’s accusing you of poisoning him?"

"Something like that."

"That doesn’t make any sense!"

"Welcome to my life."

Nansich popped the fruit into his mouth and chewed contentedly.

Jian was growing increasingly furious, especially because his best friend seemed completely unconcerned about his own imprisonment.

"And what about Bian? You said his husband was crying. What did he have to do with this?"

At the mention of Bian, Nansich’s expression immediately soured.

"That fucking bitch."

Jian blinked.

Nansich sat up a little straighter.

"He came into my room acting all innocent, then started telling everyone I was secretly in love with him and wanted to poison Dican so I could steal him away."

Jian stared.

Then he slowly turned toward Xing Yu.

Xing Yu looked equally speechless.

Jian turned back.

"He said you were in love with Bian?"

"Yeah."

There was a brief silence.

Then Jian burst out laughing.

He couldn’t help it.

The accusation was so absurd that his anger momentarily gave way to disbelief.

"You? In love with Bian?"

Nansich glared at him.

"It’s not fucking funny!"

"I’m sorry!" Jian covered his mouth, but his shoulders were still shaking. "It’s just... you?"

"That’s exactly what I said!"

Jian laughed harder.

Nansich grabbed a small cushion from behind him.

"Keep laughing and I’ll throw this at your head."

Jian quickly tried to compose himself, although the corners of his mouth continued twitching.

"All right, all right. I’m sorry. But seriously, what happened afterward?"

"They dragged me down here. Your idiot brother stood there looking confused while Bian cried his eyes out."

Jian’s amusement disappeared.

"Dican just let them take you?"

"Yep."

"That bastard..."

"Oh, and he kissed me."

Jian blinked.

"What?"

Nansich casually reached for his juice again.

"Your horny brother. He came down here later and kissed me through the bars."

Jian’s mouth slowly fell open.

Xing Yu raised an eyebrow.

"He did what?"

"Kissed me," Nansich repeated irritably. "Can you go punch him for me? Preferably somewhere painful."

Jian stared at him for several seconds.

Then he looked at the bars separating them.

"Wait. Dican arrested you because he thought you poisoned him, but then he came here and kissed you?"

"That’s right."

"What the hell is wrong with him?!"

"That’s what I’ve been asking!"

Jian dragged a hand down his face.

He genuinely couldn’t understand what was happening anymore.

His second brother had apparently developed a habit of chasing Nansich around the palace, had allowed him to be arrested for poisoning him, and then had gone to the prison to kiss him.

What kind of ridiculous love story was this?

Jian looked at Nansich again.

The man was now comfortably reclining against the silk pillows, drinking fruit juice as though he didn’t have a care in the world.

Jian’s gaze slowly moved toward the platter of fruit, the expensive bedding and the attentive soldiers.

"Hold on."

Nansich looked up.

Jian pointed at everything around him.

"So what is all this?"

"What?"

"All this! The fruit, the juice, the silk bedding! Why are you being treated like some visiting royal?"

Nansich glanced around.

"Oh, that."

He shrugged.

"Dican arranged it."

Jian’s eyebrow twitched violently.

"He arranged it?"

"Yeah. He also replaced the guards with his own men and told them nobody was allowed to touch me."

Jian stared at the soldier standing beside the cell.

The man immediately lowered his head.

"His Highness instructed us to ensure Lord Nansich’s comfort and safety."

Jian looked back at Nansich.

"And you’re just accepting all this?"

"What else am I supposed to do? Sleep on the floor and starve myself to prove I’m miserable?"

Jian opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Unfortunately, Nansich had a point.

Still, the entire situation was becoming increasingly ridiculous.

Jian had come here prepared to rescue his best friend from a terrible injustice. Instead, Nansich was being fed expensive fruit, sleeping on silk and receiving personal attention from the very prince who had supposedly imprisoned him.

He slowly turned toward Xing Yu.

"Am I missing something?"

Xing Yu glanced at Nansich, then at the unusually comfortable cell.

"I believe there may be more to this situation than we’ve been told."

Nansich smiled faintly but said nothing.

Jian immediately noticed.

His eyes narrowed.

"Nansich."

"What?"

"Why are you smiling?"

"Am I not allowed to smile in prison?"

"Don’t change the subject!"

Nansich merely stretched out on the bed again, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

Jian stared at him for another moment before releasing the bars.

"Fine. You stay here and enjoy your ridiculous prison vacation."

"Thanks. I will."

"I’m going to find Dican."

Nansich lifted his head.

"Oh, good. Punch him for me."

Jian gave him an irritated look.

"I was already planning to!"

With that, he grabbed Xing Yu’s hand and stormed toward the exit.

Xing Yu followed, casting one last glance toward the cell.

Nansich had already returned to eating his fruit.

The soldier beside him quietly asked whether he’d like something warm for dinner.

"Yeah," Nansich replied. "And tell the kitchen not to overcook the meat this time."

Jian heard that just before turning the corner.

He nearly tripped.

What kind of fucking prison was this?!