Chapter 13
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After some twists and turns, Minister Jiang and Jiang Nian arrived at the country manor and presented their respects.
The chief steward was busy attending to matters and invited them inside the manor. He personally poured tea for them and then politely said, “I have already sent someone to inform the Royal Consort. Please wait a moment, Master Jiang and Second Young Master Jiang.”
Minister Jiang nodded reservedly and picked up his tea cup without saying much. But Jiang Nian, he understood the chief steward’s status. Seeing that the steward could still entertain guests here, he couldn’t believe it but had to accept the reality.
— Prince Li was unharmed.
The chief steward, noticing Jiang Nian looking at him, asked with a smile, “Does Second Young Master Jiang have any instructions?”
Jiang Nian shook his head first, then after a moment of contemplation, he inquired of the chief steward, “Sir, how did the Royal Consort get injured?”
Jiang Nian’s eyes were filled with worry, his expression seeming genuine. Seeing this, the chief steward just smiled and replied vaguely, “There was a little accident.”
Having served His Highness for so many years, the chief steward was adept at observing words and expressions. Although this Second Young Master appeared sincerely concerned on the surface, in reality, his worry lacked even a shred of truth.
However…
Wasn’t this Second Young Master of the Minister Residence supposed to be the so-called number one beauty in the capital?
The chief steward discreetly observed him for a moment, noting that while he was indeed handsome, compared to their Royal Consort, he seemed rather inferior.
The immortal and beauty, aren’t they both just bullying “people”?
Despite the chief steward’s lack of morality, he didn’t show it on the surface. Jiang Nian hesitated for a moment after hearing his words and then asked again, “Could it be because my younger brother acted recklessly and angered His Highness?”
Jiang Nian was well aware of Xue Fangli’s temperament, and upon hearing about Jiang Juan’s injury, his first instinct was that His Highness had been involved, especially considering the chief steward’s evasive response.
In the previous life, His Highness treated him the same way, almost killing him.
Jiang Nian paused, then added with a tinge of guilt, “My younger brother was raised in the countryside since childhood, only recently brought back to the capital. There are many things he doesn’t understand, and he definitely didn’t intend to provoke His Highness.”
The chief steward: “?”
How did they get onto the topic of their prince?
The injury to the Royal Consort had nothing to do with him.
Leaving aside how His Highness treats the Royal Consort with unusual indulgence, this time, the Royal Consort saved His Highness’s life. No matter how fierce His Highness may be, he wouldn’t repay kindness with enmity.
The chief steward sighed in resignation. “The Second Young Master is worrying too much.”
Jiang Nian just smiled, still convinced that Jiang Juan was injured by Prince Li.
Perhaps Prince Li’s fate had changed, but a person’s temperament couldn’t be altered. That’s just how Prince Li is.
Fierce, sinister, capricious.
In the previous life, Jiang Nian endured day and night, filled with fear.
In this life, Jiang Juan endured day and night, filled with fear.
Jiang Nian lifted the teacup and took a sip of tea.
Such a pity.
As the servant delayed, the chief steward noticed Minister Jiang’s growing impatience and suggested, “Master Jiang and the Second Young Master, please wait a moment longer. Let me check.”
Minister Jiang had some urgent matters to attend to later, so he urged, “Please hurry a bit.”
However, once the chief steward left, he never returned.
“This is outrageous!”
After being left waiting for about an hour, Minister Jiang could no longer contain his anger. He slammed his teacup on the table and exclaimed, “How dare my son keep his father waiting! We came here with good intentions, yet we’re met with such arrogance.”
Jiang Nian also felt that Jiang Juan was being a bit too much. He furrowed his brows but still tried to calm Minister Jiang down, saying, “Father, don’t get angry. Maybe he was delayed by something.”
Minister Jiang snorted coldly, “I think he’s getting too big for his boots!”
In reality, Jiang Juan was innocent. It wasn’t his intention to leave Minister Jiang and Jiang Nian waiting.
He fell asleep again when it was already dawn. When the servants first announced their presence, Jiang Juan didn’t quite catch what they said, only mumbling in a daze, “I want to sleep.”
The servant hesitated and looked towards Xue Fangli, who calmly said, “Let them wait.”
After being awakened once, his sleep wasn’t as peaceful anymore. Jiang Juan kept drifting in and out of sleep several times until he finally sat up from the soft pallet.
“What’s happening?”
Jiang Juan vaguely remembered someone saying something to him. Fatigued and drowsy from staying up all night, he inquired, his spirits low.
Now the chief steward was back, waiting for him. Seeing Jiang Juan awake, he smiled and said, “Master Jiang and the Second Young Master are here to see you.”
Jiang Juan: “…Who?”
The chief steward repeated, “Master Jiang and the Second Young Master are waiting for you now.”
That must be the protagonist shou, right?
Jiang Juan remained quiet for a while, feeling both pitiful and helpless as he tightened the thin blanket around him. He asked the chief steward, “How long have they been waiting?”
“About an hour,” the steward replied.
Jiang Juan: “…”
An hour.
Did he offend the protagonist shou again after pushing someone into the lake?
Jiang Juan asked in despair, “Why didn’t you fully wake me up?”
The chief steward glanced at Xue Fangli, and Jiang Juan, noticing this, turned his head in confusion. He was lying on the bed while the man was standing by the bedside, flipping through an ancient book without lifting his head. “There was no need to.”
Well then.
Jiang Juan could only accept the reality with a bit of uncertainty.
The chief steward asked him, “Your Royal Consort, do you want to see Master Jiang and the Second Young Master now?”
Jiang Juan nodded, and the chief steward went to fetch them. Lan Ting also hurriedly tidied Jiang Juan up so he could meet them.
But Jiang Juan still felt uneasy.
He had strict upbringing and was not accustomed to meeting people while sitting on the bed. Jiang Juan looked down, intending to put on his shoes at least and sit properly, but before his feet touched the ground, someone had already pressed down on his shoulder.
Turning his head, Jiang Juan saw Xue Fangli frowning at him. “What are you trying to do?”
Jiang Juan replied: “I’m trying to sit properly.”
Xue Fangli: “You can’t put weight on your feet.”
Jiang Juan: “I’m just trying to sit up. That shouldn’t count as putting weight on my feet, right?”
Of course it counted. Even putting his feet on the ground required some exertion. Xue Fangli asked him, “Aren’t you afraid it’ll hurt?”
“….I am.”
Jiang Juan was becoming a bit more alert, but he still felt conflicted about the situation. Xue Fangli looked at him for a moment, then suddenly asked, “You just want to sit up?”
Jiang Juan nodded, “Yes.”
Xue Fangli nodded in acknowledgment, “I understand.”
Understand what?
What did His Highness understand?
Jiang Juan was still puzzled, but Xue Fangli had already reached out and wrapped his arms around his waist. In the next moment, Xue Fangli sat down, and Jiang Juan found himself being held in his embrace.
Jiang Juan: “???”
Jiang Juan: “I didn’t…”
Before the words “need your comfort” could leave his mouth, Jiang Juan stopped himself. He remembered how much pain he was in last night when Xue Fangli pulled him into his arms to comfort him while tending to his wound.
Jiang Juan had to change his words: “This is too much trouble, you don’t have to take care of me.”
Xue Fangli opened his eyes, smiled gently at him, and said, “It’s not a trouble. The Royal Consort saved my life, so I owe you.”
Jiang Juan jerked his head up in surprise.
Xue Fangli met his gaze, his expression unchanged as he remarked, “You’re sitting up.”
Jiang Juan said perplexedly, “….But I wanted to sit up by myself.”
Being held like this was even more impolite than sitting on the bed when receiving guests!
“If your feet touch the ground, it will hurt,” Xue Fangli said casually, lowering his head. Jiang Juan’s scent lingered at his nose. He closed his eyes and lazily said, “If you cry then I’ll have to comfort you again. What a hassle.”
Jiang Juan earnestly said, “I’m quite heavy. If you sit like this for too long, you’ll be uncomfortable.”
“You’re not heavy,” Xue Fangli replied with a gentle smile, quite serene. “It’s manageable.”
Actually, it was quite light.
He would need to take good care of him in the days to come.
Xue Fangli thought casually.
However, holding the young man in his arms felt rather pleasant.
Humans were soft, and their scent was sweet.
After listening, Jiang Juan was momentarily at a loss for words. He stayed silent for a while before belatedly pushing Xue Fangli away in a fluster.
In his haste, Jiang Juan’s elbow accidentally hit something. Xue Fangli coughed lightly a few times, startling Jiang Juan, who immediately stopped moving.
“Are you okay?” Jiang Juan asked cautiously.
Xue Fangli was about to say he was fine, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so when he met Jiang Juan’s worried gaze.
Sitting in his arms, the young man, who had initially resisted, now obediently settled down and stopped struggling.
Xue Fangli lowered his eyelids. After a moment, he casually remarked, “It’s nothing serious.”
But “nothing serious” often meant there was something. Jiang Juan, feeling nervous, grabbed onto his sleeve. “Is it another bout of coughing up blood?”
Xue Fangli was surprised that Jiang Juan still remembered the coughing up blood. It was just something he had mentioned casually at the time. Nevertheless, Xue Fangli vaguely replied, “It’s fine.”
Jiang Juan really didn’t dare to move anymore. Well, if he’s going to hold me, then let him. He resigned himself to it.
But…
His Highness’s health is really not good, huh? Always coughing up blood. Moreover, if it’s gotten to the point of coughing up blood, it must be quite serious. No wonder he said he didn’t have much time left.
After pondering for a few seconds, Jiang Juan decided he would be nicer to His Highness from now on.
End-of-life care, that’s what he’s best at.
As for Xue Fangli, he gazed at him for a while, his smile casual.
A young bodhisattva is just a young bodhisattva, so soft-hearted and easily handled.
When Minister Jiang and Jiang Nian entered the pavilion, this was the scene they saw.
The young man was being held in his arms by Xue Fangli, his posture relaxed, one hand loosely wrapped around the young man’s waist, while he was speaking something to the young man, who was looking down at the fruit plate in front of him.
Jiang Nian’s footsteps halted, then widened his eyes in disbelief.
Was this really Prince Li?
How could it be?
How could he be holding someone in his arms like this, how could he be so gentle and pleasant?
He was clearly a devil, with a cold heart, delighting in trampling on the sincerity of others.
In that moment, Jiang Nian’s breath became unsteady.
In the past life, he feared Prince Li, but he also admired him deeply.
At the time of their betrothal, Jiang Nian’s heart was filled with joy; he firmly believed that no matter how cruel and ruthless Prince Li was, he could soften him and find a place by his side.
But it wasn’t meant to be. Reality harshly slapped him in the face.
Before their marriage, no matter what Jiang Nian did, this man refused to even spare him a glance. Even at their wedding, the man merely curled his lips disdainfully.
“Is this the number one beauty in the capital? Nothing but this.”
He hated Prince Li.
He had rejected Marquis Anping for him, but his dignity was trampled underfoot by him. In the end, it all amounted to nothing but a futile effort, as he could only watch Marquis Anping ascend to the throne as emperor.
Jiang Nian clenched his fist tightly, the pain pulling him away from the hatred of his past life. He struggled to regain some semblance of composure, calmly assessing the person in Xue Fangli’s arms.
He’s quite something, to even capture Prince Li.
The person in question kept their head bowed, their face obscured. Jiang Nian couldn’t help but entertain a suspicion, but almost immediately dismissed it. His brother was timid and shy, a far cry from the demeanor of this person.
So, where’s Jiang Juan?
Weren’t they here to see Jiang Juan?
In the midst of his thoughts, Jiang Nian had already regained his composure, and the steward said, “Your Highness, Your Royal Consort, Master Jiang and the Second Young Master have arrived.”
Just as the words fell, the young man heard the sound, raised his head, and happened to meet Jiang Nian’s gaze, causing Jiang Nian to be surprised once again.
He is Jiang Juan?!
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