Chapter 23
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Jiang Juan: “?”
He felt like His Highness had misunderstood something, but explaining would require starting from pretending to be sick, so Jiang Juan chose to remain silent.
“I woke up for a while…”
The Prince Residences’s carriage awaited them at the palace gate. Once they were inside, Jiang Juan kindly suggested, “You can go to the Miaoling Temple first, then take me back to the manor.”
“You’re also going to the Miaoling Temple.”
“Can I go?” Jiang Juan was surprised, “I thought you didn’t want me to go.”
“It’s better for you to stay by my side,” Xue Fangli said calmly, “Your health is too poor, and you’re too easily bullied.”
Jiang Juan hesitated for a long time, then slowly said, “….alright.”
In reality, he was quite anxious and had activated a ten-level alarm in his mind.
Acupuncture hurts so much.
Jiang Juan regretted it deeply. If he had known, he wouldn’t have pretended to have a heart attack. He would have just copied the sutras honestly, knowing that His Highness would arrive soon anyway.
Wait a minute.
The sutras he copied.
“Your Highness,” Jiang Juan said, “Earlier, I was copying sutras for the Empress Dowager, but I didn’t finish. She said it was for Beauty Yu. Will there be any consequences if it’s not completed?”
Xue Fangli lifted his gaze, asking him thoughtfully, “What sutra did she ask you to copy?”
Jiang Juan pondered for a moment before replying, “It seemed to be called the ‘Bilan Sutra.'”
Xue Fangli smiled, “No problem.”
— The “Bilan Sutra” was used to suppress evil spirits. After death, one cannot attain rebirth, and even if they manage to escape, they will only fall into the realm of animals, experiencing endless cycles of life and death, dying tragically.
Jiang Juan was unaware of this, assuming that the “Bilan Sutra” was similar to sutras like the “Great Compassion Mantra,” offering blessings for the deceased. However, it was impossible for the Empress Dowager to be unaware of its true nature.
Furthermore, having practiced Buddhism for many years, she firmly believed in the law of karma. The “Bilan Sutra” was so sinister that it naturally diminished the merits of the person transcribing it, and she intentionally had Jiang Juan transcribe it.
However, Jiang Juan was completely unaware, worrying instead about not completing it.
Xue Fangli said lightly, “Indeed, I can’t leave you alone.”
Jiang Juan blinked, “Huh?”
But Xue Fangli showed no intention of elaborating further. After waiting for a while, Jiang Juan had no choice but to pull back the curtain and look at the scenery along the way.
The Miaoling Temple was nestled in the mountains, unlike the wisteria sea at the manor. Here, lush vegetation surrounded yellow walls and black tiles, creating a unique atmosphere.
After the carriage stopped, Jiang Juan had just loosened the curtain when Xue Fangli moved to lift him again. Jiang Juan shook his head, “I can walk.”
Xue Fangli raised an eyebrow as Jiang Juan attempted to exit on his own. However, he didn’t steady the carriage, and his footing suddenly slipped. Fortunately, a hand promptly caught him around the waist.
“How can you be so fragile?”
Xue Fangli said casually as he pulled Jiang Juan back into his arms.
Jiang Juan: “It was just a slip.”
Xue Fangli: “Hmm.”
He acknowledged with a hum, showing that he didn’t take Jiang Juan’s words to heart, assuming he was just being stubborn, and continued to hold him close.
Jiang Juan: “……”
He felt like a human pillow in Xue Fangli’s arms. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was being treated like one, given how effortlessly Xue Fangli held him.
However, despite being this lazy, he couldn’t deny feeling a bit content.
Jiang Juan sighed again, this time with a touch of saltiness. Xue Fangli, not looking at him, asked, “What’s wrong?”
Reflecting on himself, Jiang Juan admitted, “I’m being too lazy. I don’t even have to walk anymore, everything is done for me.”
“So what?”
Xue Fangli’s tone remained casual, as if he didn’t see any issue with it. He even added, “I noticed you don’t like being attended to too much. If you’re willing, things could be even more leisurely for you.”
Jiang Juan felt very tempted, but still shook his head.
His end-of-life care was not over yet. Although His Highness was seriously ill, he was still alive. Now Jiang Juan had to get up and couldn’t lie down too comfortably. He still had things to do.
Xue Fangli held Jiang Juan and walked out of the carriage. Steward Gao had been waiting for a while and hurried over when he saw them. “Your Highness, Your Royal Consort, you’re finally here.”
After a pause, Steward Gao said quietly, “Your Highness, the servant seemed to have seen Master Jiang just now. If the servant didn’t see wrong, people from the General Residence have also arrived…”
As he spoke with Xue Fangli, Jiang Juan’s attention was caught by the consecutive mention of two key words — Master Jiang and the general’s residence, which made him alert too.
One of the protagonist shou’s closest friends, Jiang Qīngliang, was the Young Master of the General Residence. They probably wouldn’t run into each other, right?
Lost in his thoughts, Jiang Juan heard Xue Fangli’s indifferent “Hmm” as they stepped into the Miaoling Temple.
Miaoling Temple wasn’t particularly large, but it still had its fair share of incense burning. With Xue Fangli’s distinguished status, he had a novice monk following him. Upon their return, the novice monk hastily bowed, “Y-your Highness…”
Curious, Jiang Juan lifted his head to look around, and the novice monk, upon seeing his face, paused for a moment.
Xue Fangli lifted his gaze, his expression somewhere between a smile and a smirk. “Not had your fill yet?”
The novice monk’s face flushed red, but his heart felt cold — scared. He couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily. “Y-your Highness…”
Jiang Juan looked at him strangely, then suddenly felt a hand press against the back of his neck, forcing him to bury his face into the other’s chest.
“Your Highness?”
Xue Fangli’s action caught Jiang Juan off guard, and he couldn’t break free. Perplexed, he asked, “What’s going on?”
Lowering his head, Xue Fangli blinked innocently, suppressing the unnamed restlessness within him. He gently said, “There’s a breeze coming.”
Jiang Juan took it at face value. “Oh.”
Pressed against his chest, unable to see anything, he felt utterly insecure. He clung tightly to Xue Fangli’s sleeve.
Xue Fangli stared at him, and suddenly a thought occurred to him.
He didn’t just want him by his side.
He wanted more.
He wanted the youth to obediently stay in his embrace like this, to reach out and only grab hold of him, to endlessly soften his heart and show sympathy towards him. And more than anything, Xue Fangli recalled the way the novice monk looked at Jiang Juan.
Stunning, infatuating.
Xue Fangli paused in his steps.
Out of habit, Jiang Juan bumped into his chest. It wasn’t very painful, but it left him a bit dazed. He lifted his head.
Xue Fangli met his gaze.
Jiang Juan looked at him intently, his eyes moist and pure.
A vague desire brewed in his heart, but he couldn’t decipher it.
“Your Highness,” Jiang Juan called out, about to ask what was wrong, but then he suddenly spotted something of interest. He paused for a few seconds before continuing, “The Hall of Arhats…”
“Your Highness, I want to go to the Hall of Arhats to count the arhat statues. Is that okay?”
Counting arhat statues is quite an interesting divination method. Inside the Hall of Arhats, there are many arhat statues, each with an oracle. By counting the arhats in a specific way and then reading the verse on the oracle, one can find answers or results to their inquiries.
Every time Jiang Juan sees the Hall of Arhats, he likes to go in and count them. However, he purely finds it amusing and doesn’t have any specific questions or desires.
Xue Fangli glanced sideways and, after a moment, stepped into the Hall of Arhats.
“You’re supposed to count the arhats yourself,” Jiang Juan said. “Your Highness, you really can let me down now.”
But Xue Fangli seemed indifferent, only asking him, “Which way do you want to go?”
“To the left…”
Jiang Juan subconsciously answered, and Xue Fangli followed his words and walked into the left side. Seeing that he didn’t let go, Jiang Juan had no choice but to surrender. “Could you go a bit slower?”
Xue Fangli nodded and slowed his pace. After a few steps, Jiang Juan suddenly realized something. “Wait a minute, I forgot something really important.”
He stopped walking, clasping his hands together and bowing slightly, as if earnestly making a wish.
The temple was solemn and dignified, with the arhats looking down on the world with various expressions. Jiang Juan’s eyelashes drooped lightly, his posture devout. Wisps of incense wafted by, touching his eyes and eyebrows, making his face less discernible.
In that moment, he was in Xue Fangli’s arms, yet it felt as if separated by vast mountains and rivers, even more elusive than clouds and mist.
A sense of endless restlessness surged within him. Xue Fangli suddenly tightened his grip on his hand, and Jiang Juan opened his eyes, asking him strangely, “What’s wrong, Your Highness?”
Xue Fangli asked him, “What did you wish for?”
“What do you want that even I cannot give, yet you seek divine intervention.”
Jiang Juan was taken aback, shaking his head. “I didn’t make a wish, I just…”
Just what, he refused to say any more. Xue Fangli gazed at him intently, with turbulent and obscure emotions brewing in his eyes.
He should gouge out the little novice’s eyes.
He should smash this Hall of Arhats.
He should— “Your Highness.”
His sleeve was gently tugged, and the clear and soft voice of the young man sounded. Xue Fangli looked over indifferently, and Jiang Juan raised his hand, his fingertips about to touch his eyelids, but then he stopped.
Jiang Juan said worriedly, “Your eyes have a lot of bloodshot veins.”
“Is there a problem?”
Xue Fangli didn’t answer, just looked at his hand. The gaze seemed tangible, and Jiang Juan felt a sudden heat. He couldn’t help but curl up his fingers to retract them, but they were held tightly.
Xue Fangli’s grip was tight and forceful.
Jiang Juan felt the pain, but he also felt that His Highness wouldn’t intentionally hurt him, so he endured the pain and asked, “Your Highness, are you feeling uncomfortable again?”
He could barely bear the pain, but couldn’t hold back the tears. His eyelashes were moistened with tears, and his eyes became cloudy. Yet Jiang Juan kept asking, “Do you need to rest?”
Xue Fangli looked at him silently.
After an unknown amount of time, Xue Fangli finally spoke slowly, “No need.”
“Count your Arhats.”
He released his hand, leaving several red marks on Jiang Juan’s hand, vibrant against the skin like red plum blossoms in the snow, while the youth’s face remained moistened with tears.
The Bodhisattva knows no joy or sorrow, and certainly doesn’t shed tears.
But his little Bodhisattva does. The little Bodhisattva is afraid of pain and loves to cry. Only when he’s in pain and cries like a Bodhisattva in the mud does it seem like he’s in this mortal realm.
He wants him to feel pain, yet fears his tears.
He wants him to cry, yet fears his pain.
What does he really want?
Xue Fangli lowered his eyelids.
As he carried Jiang Juan past one Arhat after another, Jiang Juan looked up at them with a sulking expression. Suddenly, he softly said, “Your Highness, it’s this Arhat.”
“It’s the Venerable Mitreya Buddha.”
Jiang Juan lowered his head to read the verse. “…May you enjoy good health and a prosperous future, with all your endeavors successful and worry-free.”
“A very auspicious sign.”
Since childhood, Jiang Juan had been told he was a fortunate person, but he felt his luck only extended to drawing lots. He always managed to draw the best lots, and this time was no exception.
Jiang Juan squinted. “Your Highness, would you like to have this luck?”
He said, “I didn’t make a wish just now. I was just asking the Arhat if anyone would bully you in the future.”
“The Arhat said no.”
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