Chapter 19
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Who cares about peacocks, Xue Congyun now feels restless, he bravely says, “Fifth Brother, I’ll leave first.”
Xue Fangli looks at him with a smile that’s not really a smile, “Why are you leaving now? Let’s have the meal together.”
Xue Congyun is too afraid of Xue Fangli. When he doesn’t smile, he’s scary, and when he does, he’s even scarier. Xue Congyun shakes his head vigorously, “N-no need, really no need.”
He’s feeling uneasy now, afraid of getting into trouble again, wishing he could just run away. But Xue Fangli shows no intention of letting him go, so he can only stand there stiffly.
Jiang Juan doesn’t sense the underlying tension. Hearing Xue Congyun saying he wants to leave, he politely bids him farewell, “Take care on the way.”
After that, Jiang Juan asks Xue Congyun, “Your Highness, can we have the meal now?”
Xue Fangli grunted and finally stopped looking at Xue Congyun. Xue Congyun breathed a sigh of relief. If he didn’t leave now, when would he? He was about to make a run for it when suddenly…
“If you don’t behave in the future, I’ll have plenty of time to teach you a lesson.”
Xue Congyun froze for a moment, nodding like a chicken pecking at grain. At least he wasn’t stopped again this time. He scurried away with his tail between his legs, once again grateful to Jiang Juan.
His Fifth Brother clearly had no intention of going easy on him, but Jiang Juan had already said goodbye. As his own Royal Consort, he had to save face for him. Only then did his Fifth Brother graciously let him off the hook.
Xue Congyun couldn’t help but grumble inwardly.
He had just scared the person by accident, but his Fifth Brother was the real problem. He left people injured all over the place—today it was the wrist, tomorrow it would be the foot, and who knows what it would be the day after tomorrow.
Thinking about this, Xue Congyun felt even more sympathetic. He decided to take a few days to recuperate before visiting Jiang Juan again, and this time he would bring him a few more treasures.
Married to his fifth brother, it’s too miserable.
How to relieve sorrow? Only with treasures.
Jiang Juan was oblivious to Xue Congyun’s sympathy. He was only curious about the peacocks in the manor, so as soon as the dishes were served, he began to eat.
The only downside was that Xue Fangli once again held him in his arms.
Jiang Juan: “…”
He looked up at Xue Fangli again and said earnestly, “Your Highness, I can sit by myself.”
Xue Fangli just said, “It’s more convenient this way.”
Jiang Juan: “?”
Convenient for what?
Soon he would know the answer. While Lan Ting was still mixing crab meat into the rice porridge, Xue Fangli had already peeled a lychee and was about to feed it to Jiang Juan.
He didn’t use his chopsticks much, but instead loved watching Jiang Juan eat, and was more eager to feed him himself. Seeing that he had already peeled them, Jiang Juan could only open his mouth to eat.
“So sweet,” Jiang Juan said.
“They’ve just delivered,” Xue Fangli said lightly, picking another one and saying, “Open your mouth.”
He still wanted to feed Jiang Juan, but this time, Jiang Juan accepted the peeled lychee and lifted it to offer him, saying, “Try one.”
The flesh was pure white and translucent, the young man’s fingers also fair, only the tips pinching the flesh were a lovely pink. For a moment, it was hard to decide which was more enticing.
Xue Fangli glanced at them but said nothing. If chief steward were present, he would surely intervene.
His Highness didn’t fancy sweets much and rarely indulged in them.
But he wasn’t there, and the maidservants dared not utter a word, all keeping their heads low. Jiang Juan, however, was entirely focused on sharing with him, “It’s really sweet, try it.”
After a moment, Xue Fangli indeed took a bite, and Jiang Juan stared at him in utter shock.
Both the flesh and Jiang Juan’s fingers were bitten into.
The teeth lightly grazed past, it was not painful, but a bit ticklish. A moist breath swept over, making Jiang Juan’s fingers twitch.
“Your… your Highness…”
“It’s very sweet.”
Xue Fangli finished calmly, meeting Jiang Juan’s gaze steadily.
Jiang Juan hadn’t experienced such a situation before, and although he was initially a bit nervous, seeing the calmness of Xue Fangli eased him somewhat. He uttered a soft “oh” and began to stir the crabmeat into the already mixed crab roe rice porridge.
With his head lowered, his eyelashes gently drooping, perhaps it was his compliance or perhaps his aura, but Xue Fangli’s agitation dissipated completely, and his mind became calm.
After a short while, Xue Fangli, seemingly nonchalant, spoke again, “How about I exchange that jade peacock for something else?”
“Ah?” Jiang Juan raised his head, “The peacock the Sixth Prince gave me?”
Xue Fangli smiled and nodded, “Yes.”
Jiang Juan took out the jade peacock. The jade’s water was excellent, as if it held a pool of water, and while the colors were diverse, they were not chaotic, perfectly displaying the splendid feathers of a peacock in full display.
He looked down for a long while without saying a word, while Xue Fangli smiled silently, but his gaze grew increasingly dangerous.
Is he reluctant to part with it?
Is he that fond of it?
“No need to exchange,” Jiang Juan shook his head, smiling softly, “If Your Highness wants it, just take it.”
With those words, Jiang Juan hesitated for a moment before adding, “But… Your health seems delicate. Your hands were so cold when I touched them before. You shouldn’t play with jade too often.”
Xue Fangli was taken aback.
“This is for you.”
Jiang Juan placed the jade peacock beside him and began to eat his porridge, still thinking about the live peacocks and wanting to see them spread their wings for real.
For a while, Xue Fangli spoke again, “Don’t you want to know what I want to do with it?”
“Why should I ask?” Jiang Juan looked at him puzzled, speaking earnestly, “Whatever it is, I’ll give it to you, Your Highness.”
Xue Fangli lifted his eyelids, and after a long pause, he asked gently, “Anything I want, you’ll give it to me?”
Jiang Juan was just like a salted fish. If His Highness asked for something, of course, he had to give it. He nodded, “Hmm.”
Xue Fangli didn’t say anything more. He just picked up the jade peacock on the table, his pale fingers rubbing it a few times, feeling the warmth left by Jiang Juan.
The young man’s complete lack of reservation undoubtedly pleased him.
Xue Fangli lazily lifted his lips, saying with a hint of satisfaction, “Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. There’s no need to accept these odd things.”
After finishing the meal, it was time to see the peacock. Jiang Juan washed his hands clean and said, “I’m ready, Your Highness.”
Xue Fangli nodded and glanced at the chief steward with his eyes.
—He had just returned in a hurry not long ago, almost failing to find the peacock.
The chief steward wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, “Your Highness, Your Royal Consort, please come this way.”
Jiang Juan still couldn’t stand on his own, so Xue Fangli bent down and picked him up. Although he didn’t know where the peacock was placed, it definitely wouldn’t be nearby. Jiang Juan hesitated and said, “Your Highness…”
“No need.”
Xue Fangli answered before Jiang Juan could finish his sentence. Jiang Juan looked at him with a complex expression and sighed, “Alright.”
His Highness’s pride was quite strong.
Xue Fangli: “…”
It was clear to Jiang Juan what he was thinking. He smirked, half-jokingly, “Hold on tighter. If I happen to lose strength along the way, you might get hurt if you fall.”
Jiang Juan exclaimed, believing it to be true. He tightened his grip around Xue Fangli’s hand slightly, resting his forehead against his shoulder.
Xue Fangli’s original intention was to scare him, but Jiang Juan nervously huddled in his arms, allowing him to hold him close. Xue Fangli suddenly found this quite pleasant.
Upon arrival, the soft couch and low table were set up, layers of silk and satin spread out, soft enough for comfort. Xue Fangli seated himself, still holding Jiang Juan in his arms.
Not far away, three peacocks roamed in the open space, none of them displaying their feathers.
Jiang Juan glanced at the low table, which was already filled with snacks by the maids. Having already eaten, he naturally couldn’t eat anymore. However, Xue Fangli began to peel lychees for him.
Xue Fangli: “Eat.”
Jiang Juan: “…”
He shook his head vigorously, “I can’t eat anymore, you should eat it yourself.”
“I’m not hungry,” Xue Fangli said calmly. “But watching you eat, I find it quite interesting.”
Jiang Juan: “…But I really can’t eat anymore.”
His tone was soft, tinged with a hint of unwitting grievance. Xue Fangli chuckled lightly, “Don’t you like it?”
Jiang Juan said in despair, “Even if I like it, I can’t eat all the time.”
Xue Fangli relented at this, and didn’t continue to feed Jiang Juan.
Several peacocks were still walking around the area, dragging their tails and calling loudly, but they refused to display their feathers.
Jiang Juan was fine, knowing that peacocks don’t always display their feathers when you want them to. However, Xue Fangli was becoming increasingly impatient, tapping the low table intermittently. He couldn’t feed the person in his arms, and the peacocks weren’t displaying their feathers, which irritated him.
Seeing this, the chief steward hurriedly said, “Your Highness, I’ve heard that peacocks can be encouraged to display their feathers with a little teasing. Shall I have someone try?”
Xue Fangli shrugged, “Hmm.”
Jiang Juan hesitated for a moment before intervening, “…Maybe we shouldn’t.”
Xue Fangli looked at him, “Why not?”
Peacocks display their feathers either for courtship or when they’re startled. “They might get scared.”
Xue Fangli paused, then asked him, “But don’t you want to see it?”
Jiang Juan did want to see, but he was patient and willing to wait. He replied, “Yes, I want to see it, but it’s okay if it doesn’t display its feathers.”
Xue Fangli lifted his eyelids to look at him.
How could he forget? No matter how obedient the young man was in his arms, no matter how gentle, he still had a compassionate heart.
He liked lychees, but he wouldn’t indulge excessively.
—— He admired peacocks, yet didn’t always insist on seeing them fan their tails; he admired a jade peacock, yet could give it away without reason.
He liked everything, and he liked nothing.
Xue Fangli suddenly felt irritated for no reason, and he abruptly grabbed Jiang Juan’s chin, forcing him to lift his head and meet his gaze.
Jiang Juan was taken aback, “Your Highness…”
So clean, too clean.
Xue Fangli looked into his eyes but said nothing. He gazed at Jiang Juan impassively, his fingertips feeling the smooth texture of skin before applying a slight pressure.
“It hurts.”
Jiang Juan looked bewildered, his eyelashes fluttering lightly. He could sense Xue Fangli’s anger, yet he wasn’t quite sure of the reason.
Was it about the peacock?
Or was it that he wouldn’t allow him to feed it again?
But— His Highness was so kind, he shouldn’t be angry.
Jiang Juan remained perplexed. He was in pain from the pinch, yet even so, he didn’t lose his temper. He just asked Xue Fangli with puzzlement, “Your Highness, what’s wrong with you?”
He knew nothing at all.
Or perhaps— he didn’t care about anything at all.
Jiang Juan’s cluelessness only added to Xue Fangli’s agitation. He stared at Jiang Juan expressionlessly, suddenly remembering the words Jiang Juan had spoken earlier.
Anything he wants, the youth will give it.
So, what did he really want?
He wanted…
Xue Fangli closed his eyes lightly, but the screams of a woman unexpectedly echoed in his mind.
——”Love and desire in humans are like holding a torch. Going against the wind… inevitably leads to burnt hands. Ha, inevitably leads to burnt hands!”
Xue Fangli paused, then suddenly stood up.
The intricate robes piled on the ground as he withdrew his hand. Xue Fangli lowered his eyelids, not casting another glance at Jiang Juan. He simply said coldly, “I have other matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave.”
The author has something to say: Want to see His Highness perform another act like that.
— “I Have No Desire”
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