Chapter 11
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Jiang Juan: “…”
He wasn’t a Bodhisattva; if he had known there were wolves, he would have been the first to run.
As it turned out, curiosity not only killed the cat but also the salted fish.
Jiang Juan had never experienced such a big scene before, and the pairs of glowing green eyes made him feel anxious, wanting nothing more than to rush out the door. Of course, he didn’t actually act on it; he was purely scared stiff.
Just as he was at a loss, footsteps drew near, and the guards caught up. “Your Royal Consort, you can’t—”
Before they could finish, the guards saw the wolves and were immediately horrified!
Where did these wolves come from? Even if His Highness rarely visited the country manor, the entire mountain was patrolled daily. Today, they hadn’t noticed anything unusual, let alone any signs of wild animals roaming.
“Protect His Highness!”
With the lead guard’s command, everyone raised their swords and rushed into the room. The standoff was broken at this moment. The wolves no longer waited idly; they lunged fiercely towards one of the men!
With a loud crash, the guard swung his sword, narrowly dodging the wolf’s attack but also shattering a glass lamp. They engaged in a direct confrontation with the wolf pack, swords raised.
The night wind picked up again, causing the veils at the observation platform to flutter softly. Beads clinked against each other as Jiang Juan suddenly noticed a wolf lurking in the shadows, poised to ambush Xue Fangli. Acting on instinct, he took a few steps forward, “Your Highness—”
As he stepped forward, he felt something pierce into his flesh. Jiang Juan sucked in a sharp breath, enduring the pain as he said, “….Behind you.”
The wolf viciously lunged towards Xue Fangli, but he had already sensed the danger and evaded. Several more wolves emerged slowly from the observation platform, trapping them inside. They were surrounded on all sides by wolves.
“Your Highness, we’ll cover you, you need to—”
“First, kill the alpha wolf.”
Xue Fangli said calmly, then swiftly drew his sword. The wolf that had previously ambushed him took a few steps back, seemingly provoked by his action. It let out a low growl, and all the wolves launched their attack together!
At this critical moment, a faint and feeble sound echoed, like a small creature whimpering.
The wolf cub that had disappeared earlier emerged, carried by another large wolf by its neck. Its whimpering seemed not merely random cries, but a form of communication with the wolf pack. Before long, the wolves abandoned their attack but remained cautious.
One by one, they departed until only the alpha wolf and the one carrying the cub remained. They cast a deep gaze at Jiang Juan before leaping down from the observation platform and disappearing into the darkness.
And thus, the fierce battle was resolved.
Jiang Juan was bewildered.
What was happening?
Feeling strange, Jiang Juan couldn’t dwell on it further. He had managed to stay composed earlier due to the tension, but now that he relaxed, he felt the piercing pain beneath his feet.
Unable to bear it any longer, he collapsed to the ground, lowering his head, afraid to look. Xue Fangli glanced over, “What’s wrong—”
His voice trailed off.
The young man sat on the ground, his eyelashes drooping. His jade-green garment clung to his body, still wet with water stains. His loosely tied long hair scattered, dripping water one strand after another.
Beneath the shirt were fair and slender ankles, his feet bare. They should have been a pleasing sight, with rounded toes and graceful shape, but they were stained with blood.
“It hurts.”
Jiang Juan lifted his head, his face and eyes damp, his nose slightly reddened. He seemed to be shrouded in mist, moist and pitiful.
A sense of inexplicable irritation rose in his heart, but Xue Fangli’s tone remained calm. “Is this how you came over here?”
Jiang Juan had always been afraid of pain, unable to bear it. He didn’t listen carefully, just repeated softly, “Your Highness, it hurts so much.”
Xue Fangli lowered his head to look at him. Before long, his elaborate robe fell over Jiang Juan’s head, covering him tightly. Xue Fangli bent down to lift Jiang Juan and placed him on the couch.
He didn’t turn around, just spoke coldly, “Why haven’t you gone to find out what happened? Do you want me to deal with you right now?”
The guards’ faces turned pale at his words. Wolves are cunning by nature and understand human behavior well. Being targeted by a pack of wolves would be difficult to defend against. However, regardless of the circumstances, it was their failure to detect the danger in time, and now they could only try to make amends.
They obeyed and left, and then Xue Fangli added, “Summon Imperial Physician Sun to come over.”
As they departed, Jiang Juan remained hidden beneath the robe. Initially, he was only in pain, but as the pain persisted, he began to long for home.
Tears rolled down his cheeks silently, soaking a small area of the robe. He cried silently, no longer voicing his pain. He gripped the fabric of the robe, creating wrinkles. Xue Fangli seemed to notice, yet also seemed indifferent as he casually lit a candle.
“Why did you come over?”
After a long pause, Xue Fangli suddenly spoke. He lifted a corner of the robe, and Jiang Juan, tearful, looked up at him. Then, Xue Fangli gently pinched his chin, lifting it up, and remarked, “You’re cried out your grievance.”
Feeling embarrassed, Jiang Juan turned his head slightly away. However, Xue Fangli increased the pressure of his grip, not allowing him to break free. After scrutinizing him for a moment, Xue Fangli said, “You’re feeling wronged.”
“What are you feeling wronged about?” Xue Fangli lowered his gaze. “It was you who left the courtyard, and it was also you who intruded here. If you had stayed in the courtyard obediently tonight or left on your own, how could you have been injured?”
Jiang Juan was indeed feeling wronged. He longed for his ibuprofen, but there was none in this era, so he had to endure the pain.
Besides—
“I didn’t intend to come in. I was worried about your condition, you seemed off this morning.”
Jiang Juan’s voice was muffled and a bit nasal, his eyes moist as he looked up at Xue Fangli, his eyelashes soaked through.
Xue Fangli was taken aback.
“I was afraid you’d pass out,” Jiang Juan added.
The flickering firelight danced on the boy’s face, intermittently illuminating it. Only his dark pupils seemed particularly bright.
Xue Fangli asked, “Why?”
Jiang Juan’s response was quick, “You’re kind, and you’ve been good to me.”
In the novel, Xue Fangli dies from a sudden illness. There’s nothing Jiang Juan can do about it, but he can still offer some end-of-life care. If His Highness really falls ill, Jiang Juan might be able to find a way to help alleviate the pain if he discovers it early.
Xue Fangli listened without saying a word, just staring at him for a long time. He released the pressure on Jiang Juan’s jaw and used his fingertips to wipe away the tears from the youth’s eyes.
It’s quite interesting, he thought.
He had never been a good person, yet the youth blindly trusted him.
He didn’t mind playing the role of a good person, comforting the youth like this seemed fine. But then Xue Fangli remembered the tear-streaked face of the youth.
——With lowered lashes, tears silently falling, he looked like a fallen mud Bodhisattva, swept into the sea of suffering, miserable and pitiful.
How could he cry so sadly?
Oh well.
Xue Fangli paused for a moment, then withdrew his hand expressionlessly.
—
It was said that wolves had come to the country manor, and Steward Gao was utterly frightened. He led Imperial Physician Sun over and knelt before Xue Fangli, weeping bitterly, “Your Highness, I was terrified to death!”
This time, His Highness’s experience was truly too perilous!
First, they arrived at the manor. Their prince was cautious, using fragrances and never allowing anyone to approach him too closely, especially when he intended to rest, as excessive use of fragrances could induce a deep sleep.
Then came the wolves. The manor was situated on a mountain, with patrols conducted daily and no signs of wild beasts ever appearing. Yet, they appeared tonight.
Wolves were always cunning and crafty. Perhaps they had been hiding for a while, seizing the opportunity when the guards were unprepared, or perhaps they had come from the depths of the mountains. In any case, they headed straight for their prince.
“Whoever came up with such a devious scheme, I wonder who the hell it is—”
Midway through his curse, Steward Gao closed his mouth. Among those who didn’t match up with their prince, there were only a few, and they were all nobles. He couldn’t point fingers at them.
Xue Fangli glanced at him, knowing what he was thinking, and said lightly, “It’s not them.”
His eldest brother and that woman, neither had this kind of cunning.
Besides knowing all about his various habits, this person seemed to be aware of many things.
From the moment the wolf pack voluntarily withdrew, Xue Fangli was certain that there was a problem with the bowl of deer antler blood wine. He never consumed food outside, whether it was blood wine or not, the bowl would be knocked over, causing him to feel unsettled.
However, the deer antler blood wine had been replaced with wolf blood wine, and the wolf pack chased after the manor for revenge.
It was a series of interlocking events, each step leading to a dead end.
But surprisingly, the young wolf was still alive, and Jiang Juan was determined to save it.
Xue Fangli smiled, but his expression was cold enough to send shivers down one’s spine. “There are some things even the Emperor doesn’t know, yet I wonder, how does he know?”
Steward Gao listened without daring to interrupt, feeling extremely relieved in his heart.
No matter what, as long as their prince was unharmed, it was all good. This time, it was truly too dangerous.
If their prince had fallen ill, if the Third Young Master hadn’t saved that young wolf, and if he hadn’t arrived in time, their prince would have been doomed!
Upon hearing this, Steward Gao couldn’t help but mutter, “Thanks to the Third Young Master…”
The Third Young Master sympathized with that young wolf, and as a result, through a series of twists and turns, ended up inadvertently saving His Highness’s life!
Xue Fangli, hearing this, lifted his gaze. Imperial Physician Sun was attending to Jiang Juan’s injuries, his foot treading on the shattered glass lamp, needing to remove the shards one by one.
The young man draped in a black and gold robe sat on the soft couch, his injured foot propped up on a cushion. As Imperial Physician Sun began to remove the glass shards, Jiang Juan winced in pain and instinctively pulled his foot back.
Imperial Physician Sun could only offer him comfort: “Bear with it, it will be over soon.”
Regret flooded Jiang Juan as he realized the consequences of running around barefoot, but no amount of regret could alleviate the pain. He reluctantly extended his foot again, allowing Imperial Physician Sun to continue with the treatment.
The glass shards weren’t particularly large, but they were deeply embedded in the flesh. Jiang Juan tried to muster his courage, reassuring himself that it was just a matter of removing the fragments—
He could handle it, he would be fine.
But the pain was unbearable, and he couldn’t endure it.
Jiang Juan recoiled once more, shaking his head stubbornly despite Imperial Physician Sun’s attempts to persuade him. Frustrated, Imperial Physician Sun turned to Xue Fangli for help: “Your Highness, we need to remove the objects from the Royal Consort’s foot as soon as possible.”
Seeing Jiang Juan’s strong resistance, Xue Fangli naturally noticed. He asked Jiang Juan, “Are you going to endure it yourself, or do you need someone to hold you down?”
“Can I choose neither?”
Jiang Juan asked weakly. He was already scared of the pain. Without a word, Xue Fangli simply approached and, bending down, grasped his ankle.
Feeling awkward, Jiang Juan instinctively struggled, causing the robe draped over him to slip off. His own garment was also lifted, revealing his bare legs.
Fair-skinned and well-proportioned, his legs were so beautiful that even his knees had a faint pink hue.
Xue Fangli tightened his grip on Jiang Juan’s ankle, staring at him without saying a word. Meanwhile, Jiang Juan continued to move ignorantly. He changed his tone and said, “I’ll do it myself. I think I can endure it.”
However, Xue Fangli didn’t release his grip.
The sensation under his hand was warm and soft. Jiang Juan’s ankle was delicate, too delicate to fully grasp. When his hand closed around it, his thumb pressed against the flesh below the calf, causing the snow-white skin to dimple slightly.
“Your Highness？”
Jiang Juan called out in confusion when Xue Fangli didn’t respond, his eyes filled with innocence. For a moment, Xue Fangli’s fingers, with their distinct joints, loosened, and he met Jiang Juan’s gaze. Then, he tightened his grip again, lowering his eyelids as he said, “You can’t bear it.”
Pressing down, Jiang Juan said, “….Alright.”
After a pause, Xue Fangli spoke again in a calm tone, “Cover yourself properly.”
Jiang Juan casually pulled the robe, which didn’t belong to him, back up. Xue Fangli then sat beside him, placing Jiang Juan’s injured foot on his own lap. He glanced at Imperial Physician Sun, indicating that he could begin.
Imperial Physician Sun was somewhat incredulous at the sight, his eyes widening. He hadn’t expected Xue Fangli to personally intervene. However, he didn’t stare for too long, considering the time already lost.
This time it would definitely work.
Jiang Juan nervously lowered his head. Before Imperial Physician Sun even began, he had already formed a reflex, wanting to move backward. However, his ankle was held firmly, and he couldn’t move at all.
“If you’re scared, then don’t look,” Xue Fangli said.
Jiang Juan didn’t want to look either, but he couldn’t help it. He felt that not looking would make him feel even more insecure. As he was thinking, Imperial Physician Sun took the opportunity to remove a piece of the fragment.
Jiang Juan flinched as the pain surged through him, but Imperial Physician Sun didn’t give him any time to react, continuing to extract the fragments one after another.
It hurt so much, really, really hurt.
Jiang Juan’s eyes were filled with moisture, and he dared not blink. Holding back tears was extremely difficult for him. Suddenly, a hand pressed against the back of his neck and pushed in a direction, causing Jiang Juan’s forehead to meet something.
He nestled into Xue Fangli’s shoulder.
Jiang Juan finally dared to blink, and the tears that had been clinging to his eyelashes fell. He let out a soft sigh, clutching onto Xue Fangli’s sleeve tightly, unwilling to let go.
The youth was so afraid of pain, yet not afraid of him.
As long as he wanted to, he could find a hundred ways to make the youth suffer more, to make him hurt so much that he couldn’t even cry.
Xue Fangli looked at Jiang Juan for a long time. Then, he leaned in close to Jiang Juan’s ear and spoke in a slow, deliberate tone, “Do you know, I have tasted human blood and flesh?”
Jiang Juan, lost in the haze of pain, was aware that Xue Fangli was speaking to him, but he couldn’t think clearly at the moment, let alone understand the true meaning behind those words.
He didn’t react.
Xue Fangli lifted his lips in a slow smile, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
He heard it, but pretended not to?
Or perhaps he isn’t afraid, but simply doesn’t want to engage with him any longer?
Indeed, the little bodhisattva is just that—a kind-hearted soul who cannot bear to see any impurity.
“Why?”
After what seemed like an eternity, Jiang Juan suddenly spoke up. He summoned up some energy and murmured, “No wonder Your Highness didn’t seem right after seeing that bowl of wine this morning. Were you also scared?”
“Never mind, you probably don’t want to talk about it anyway. I won’t ask anymore.”
Jiang Juan said softly, his voice trembling slightly at the end. Yet, he continued to console Xue Fangli, “It’s alright, it’s all in the past now. Don’t dwell on it.”
Xue Fangli’s eyelids flickered suddenly. He didn’t speak, but simply stared intently at Jiang Juan, feeling the surge of a manic impulse once again.
Unable to restrain it.
How dare he comfort him?
How dare he not fear him?
He had intended to spare him, to let him continue being that little bodhisattva on the lotus platform. He wanted to save sentient beings if he wished to save sentient beings, to alleviate suffering if he wished to alleviate suffering. Yet, this little bodhisattva had repeatedly and obliviously provoked him.
Then stay by his side.
He is a demon from the depths of hell; either reform him, or descend into hell together.
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You’re cried out your grievance.” -> You have
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