Chapter 2
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Jiang Juan didn’t hesitate to take his hand. “Sure.”
The youth’s hand was fair and well-proportioned, with a hint of rouge at the fingertips.
Xue Fangli glanced at it before clasping Jiang Juan’s hand.
He really wasn’t afraid of him, even extending his hand like this.
And…
It was quite soft.
The servant, seeing this, let go of Jiang Juan and stopped assisting him. Jiang Juan took a step forward, but he hadn’t recovered from the shock of the arrows just now, and his legs were still weak. With this movement, Jiang Juan fell straight forward.
Oh no.
What a humiliating scene.
Jiang Juan felt like he was about to fall flat on his face in front of everyone, but suddenly someone grabbed him, and he ended up crashing into Xue Fangli’s arms.
Jiang Juan was taken aback for a moment, and Xue Fangli asked him, “Third Young Master, what’s wrong?”
His legs were weak, either from being frightened or simply due to weakness. Jiang Juan was about to speak but felt too embarrassed to admit the truth. Instead, he came up with a lie on the spot, “….my chest hurts.”
Xue Fangli lowered his head, noticing that Jiang Juan’s complexion was indeed poor. At this moment, the two were close to each other, and he caught a whiff of the faint herbal fragrance emanating from the young man.
He didn’t dislike this scent.
Xue Fangli said, “Then let’s take a break before we continue.”
Jiang Juan responded with a simple “oh” and glanced at Xue Fangli, feeling even more puzzled.
Wasn’t Prince Li quite easy-going? What’s the deal with the portrayal of him in the book? Did the author redefine the terms “disregard for human relations” and “arbitrary and unrestrained”?
Jiang Juan pondered over it but couldn’t make sense of it, so he chose to give up. By this time, he felt he had rested enough and could move again. He took a few steps back and tugged at Xue Fangli’s sleeve, saying, “Your Highness, I’m feeling better now.”
As he stepped back, the faint fragrance lingering in Xue Fangli’s breath gradually dissipated, no longer detectable. Xue Fangli frowned slightly, but his tone remained unchanged as he said, “Well, let’s go.”
The wedding was hastily arranged, with both Xue Fangli and Jiang Juan dressed in their everyday attire. Even Prince Li Residence had only managed to hang lanterns and red silk at the entrance; inside the residence, everything seemed as usual.
Jiang Juan glanced around, not particularly concerned. Right now, he was thinking about something else. According to the original plot, wasn’t Xue Fangli supposed to fall ill soon?
Jiang Juan began to sneak glances at Xue Fangli frequently.
Xue Fangli noticed but chose not to inquire, idly fingering the small sandalwood beads on his wrist.
As they stepped into the bridal chamber, the matchmaker respectfully handed them a red silk ribbon, with Jiang Juan and Xue Fangli each holding one end.
Just as Jiang Juan tightened his grip on the red silk, he noticed something amiss.
The man beside him seemed to freeze in motion.
He who held the red silk trembled uncontrollably, veins protruding beneath his pale skin. Xue Fangli squinted, his brow furrowed tightly, while his other hand pressed against his temple, as if in excruciating pain.
His headache was unbearable; he was having an attack.
As if triggered by this, everyone in the wedding chamber—the high-ranking officials of the Prince Residence, the maids, servants, guards, even the matchmaker—prostrated themselves on the ground, their foreheads pressed firmly against the floor, not daring to make a sound.
The chief steward reached for his pocket, fingers trembling so violently that it took him several attempts to retrieve the medicine bottle. With shaky hands, he began to pour out the medicine.
“Knock, knock, knock—”
Amidst the silence of the room, only the sound of the bottle tapping against his palm could be heard. Yet, despite his efforts, the chief steward failed to pour out any pills. His face paled, realization dawning upon him.
There was no medicine left.
His breath hitched.
“Y-your Highness…”
“Are you experiencing a severe headache?”
Both the chief steward and Jiang Juan spoke at the same time. The chief steward stared at Jiang Juan in astonishment and anger. Throughout the entire wedding hall, only this Third Young Master remained standing. The chief steward couldn’t decide whether to commend him for his courage or condemn him for his ignorance.
It was well-known throughout the capital city that although Prince Li was afflicted with chronic illness, his temperament was unpredictable and ferocious. If anyone encountered him during an episode, it could spell their demise.
Jiang Juan received the chief steward’s gaze with bewilderment. Of course, he was even more puzzled by why everyone had suddenly knelt down, but that seemed less important at the moment.
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Juan asked Xue Fangli, “Would you like me to give you a massage? It might help alleviate the pain a bit.”
Before undergoing heart surgery, Jiang Juan had actually spent some time recuperating in a traditional Chinese medicine hospital. After all, the success rate of the surgery was too low, and his family strongly opposed taking such a risk. Unable to do anything in the hospital room every day, not even being able to walk far during walks, Jiang Juan had no choice but to go to the next room to learn massage from an old Chinese doctor.
Although he had only learned the basics, Jiang Juan believed he could still alleviate some of the pain. It was also a way to thank Xue Fangli for helping him just now.
After waiting for a while and seeing no response from Xue Fangli, Jiang Juan thought he might not trust him. He added, “I really know how to do massage.”
Xue Fangli finally raised his eyelids, his eyes almost reddened by bloodshot veins, clearly in pain. He stared at Jiang Juan and said expressionlessly, “Okay.”
With a “slap,” the cold sweat dripped from the high steward’s forehead as he sighed silently, looking at Jiang Juan with the eyes of someone witnessing a death sentence.
Alas, he wondered if the palace’s nobility would hold Jiang Juan accountable for His Highness’s condition.
Jiang Juan released the red cloth and pressed Xue Fangli into a chair, oblivious to the intense hostility in the man’s gaze as it fell on his neck.
Suddenly, Xue Fangli raised his hand, and his fingertips touched Jiang Juan’s skin.
Jiang Juan was taken aback. “What’s wrong?”
Xue Fangli remained indifferent, his fingers slightly clasping together, about to exert force, when he caught another scent.
A faint, elusive herbal fragrance.
He paused.
The irritation and restlessness caused by his headache seemed to be soothed by something. Xue Fangli sniffed the scent—a fragrance he didn’t dislike, even rather liked—and found his mind gradually calming down.
Xue Fangli’s fingers were quite cool, causing Jiang Juan to flinch slightly. He asked Xue Fangli again, “What’s wrong?”
Xue Fangli looked into the bright eyes of the young man, paused for a moment, and said in a calm tone, “There’s a red mole here.”
Jiang Juan lowered his head, the red mole happened to be at the nape of his neck, he couldn’t see it, but Jiang Juan was still surprised.
How coincidental, he also had a red mole here.
Jiang Juan nodded vaguely, “Um, there is one.”
Xue Fangli withdrew his hand, and Jiang Juan stood up and moved behind him to begin massaging him.
The young man’s strength was very light, and he found the acupoints accurately, but that was all he could do. Xue Fangli didn’t stop him, he closed his eyes lightly, silently inhaling the scent emanating from the young man’s body, and the hostility around him gradually dissipated into nothingness.
The chief steward had been kneeling for a long time, but he never heard any screams. He cautiously lifted his head and was immediately dumbfounded.
What’s going on?
Why didn’t His Highness kill anyone?
This shouldn’t be happening.
The chief steward stood frozen in place, his gaze lingering for too long. Xue Fangli glanced at him, sensing something, and the steward immediately trembled, prostrating himself on the ground, his heart pounding wildly.
Xue Fangli spoke wearily, “Go fetch the medicine.”
The chief steward hurriedly complied, “Yes!”
He stood up, drenched in cold sweat, and dashed off as if his life depended on it.
Jiang Jian massaged Xue Fangli’s back for a while, feeling tired. He decided to take a shortcut and initiate a conversation instead, “Do you always get headaches, Your Highness?”
“Mmm.”
In fact, this was also Jiang Juan’s first attempt at massage. He had been a pampered child since childhood, coupled with poor health, his family almost cherished him as the apple of their eye. Fortunately, Jiang Juan was raised with a good temperament, apart from not being able to endure hardship, he didn’t have many faults.
Jiang Juan asked Xue Fangli again, “Is my massage alright?”
“…It’s passable.”
Jiang Juan was content.
Not long after, the chief steward returned. He seemed not to dare to linger for a moment, sweating profusely when he left and returning in a hurry, sweating even more. Xue Fangli took the medicine bottle from him.
The wedding master took the opportunity to leave, Jiang Juan looked down, curiosity struck him. He remembered that the novel did not explicitly introduce the illness of Prince Li, only mentioning it as incurable. So he asked, “Your Highness, what is your illness?”
With a few rolls of his Adam’s apple, Xue Fangli swallowed the pill, but his gaze suddenly turned cold.
What illness? It’s madness.
He looked at Jiang Juan impassively.
The Third Son of the Minister Residence was not favored, they said he grew up in the countryside, timid and shy. He didn’t see it that way. Actually, he was quite brave. Since being sent to Prince Li Residence, he dared to do anything and say anything.
Thinking about killing him was as easy as turning over one’s hand.
However…
Xue Fangli recalled the look in the young man’s eyes. Unfounded joy and anticipation, clear as if untouched by a speck of dust. He looked at him without fear or unease, just watching him.
Killing him wasn’t necessary.
Sending him away would suffice.
With this in mind, Xue Fangli slowly spoke, “Coughing up blood.”
The medication seemed to alleviate his pain, and Xue Fangli once again donned that layer of refined elegance. However, there was a hint of detachment in his demeanor.
Coughing up blood?
Jiang Juan widened his eyes.
Diseases that cause coughing up blood seemed quite serious. No wonder the Xue Fangli in the book passed away on the second day of his marriage.
Jiang Juan sighed and then asked Xue Fangli very honestly, “Are you feeling better, Your Highness? Can we continue with the ceremony?”
“After the ceremony, you will officially become a member of the Prince Li Residence,” Xue Fangli casually tapped the medicine bottle, “I don’t have much time left, and I will only wrong you.”
“You won’t wrong me,” Jiang Juan blinked. If being happy as a salted fish was considered being wronged, he was willing to endure it for a lifetime. Jiang Juan sincerely said, “Your Highness, it’s an honor for me to be associated with someone as distinguished as you.”
Xue Fangli glanced at him, “Would you like to leave before the ceremony? What do you think?”
Of course, Jiang Juan vehemently shook his head, “I am willing to accompany Your Highness forever. While you are alive, I am yours, and even after you’re gone, I can guard the residence for you for a lifetime.”
Xue Fangli: “…”
He locked eyes with Jiang Juan, finding nothing but sincerity in the depths of the youth’s dark pupils. Xue Fangli tapped the medicine bottle lightly again, then after a while, he said, “In that case, I’ll ask you again in a few days.”
With those words, he lowered his head and coughed lightly, a few traces of blood appearing between his fingers.
Jiang Juan witnessed it and couldn’t help but sigh.
Alas, there won’t be any other few days for you. In the novel, you’re already gone by the third chapter.
The servant brought a golden basin for Xue Fangli, who leisurely washed his hands. Amidst the rippling water, Xue Fangli inexplicably recalled Jiang Juan’s words.
——”I am willing to accompany Your Highness forever. While you are alive, I am yours, and even after you’re gone, I can guard the residence for you for a lifetime.”
Weak as he was, even taking a few steps would cause pain in his chest. How much longer could he endure?
He scoffed silently, his voice surprisingly gentle.
“Then let’s continue with the ceremony.”
The matchmaker, realizing she had just made a nervous mistake, hastily wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. With a forced smile on her face, she loudly announced each step of the traditional wedding ceremony:
“One bow to heaven and earth!”
“Two bows to the parents!”
“The couple bows to each other!”
“Now, off to the bridal chamber—!”
As soon as the words fell, Jiang Juan suddenly remembered something.
What was the plot of this part about the marriage ceremony again?
————“Prince Li is an unfathomable man, he is intimidating, and even more terrifying. Jiang Nian remembered that as soon as he got off the sedan, he lowered his head and dared not look up, walking with fear and trembling. What’s even more frightening is that halfway through, he suddenly fell ill. Jiang Nian witnessed Prince Li killing many servants, and the blood flowed like a river.”
Jiang Juan: “???”
He glanced at the gentle-looking Xue Fangli in front of him, then at the unscathed servants, once again deeply perplexed.
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