Chapter 33
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This string of small-leaf red sandalwood Buddhist prayer beads had been offered at Zhao An Temple for many years. The beads were lustrous and clear, imbued with the fragrance of incense, symbolizing the elimination of karmic obstacles.
Jiang Juan usually remained pure and clean. His body seemed like bodhi, his heart like a bright mirror, as if with a slight carelessness, he would immediately ascend to enlightenment.
But now, Jiang Juan was lying on the soft couch, moving restlessly due to the intense pain. His whole body was covered in a damp mist, and the scent emanating from him was inexplicably sweet and cloying.
The small-leaf red sandalwood bracelet on his ankle, symbolizing sanctity and serenity, contrasted with his fair skin and curled toes, inexplicably giving off a decadent and alluring feeling.
At this moment, the young man was no longer the little Bodhisattva who avoided even a speck of dust. He had become a mud Buddha, unable to save himself, pulled into the boundless earthly world by the Buddhist beads, surrounded by karmic obstacles.
He himself was the karmic obstacle.
Instead of crossing the sea of suffering, he insisted on pulling others into the sea of desire.
“Your Highness, are you done?”
Xue Fangli had been motionless for a long time, and Jiang Juan couldn’t help but ask. Xue Fangli stared at his ankle, his fingertips touching his own empty wrist as if feeling something.
—He had once held this ankle.
Thin and fragile, it would leave marks even without exerting much force.
What if he squeezed it tightly?
In the Miaoling Temple, all his burgeoning desires finally became clear at this moment.
“Your Highness?”
Still, no one responded. Jiang Juan turned his head and suddenly met Xue Fangli’s gaze. The dark color surged, and the look in his eyes was unfathomable.
Jiang Juan had often found Xue Fangli inscrutable, but he was certain His Highness harbored no ill intentions toward him, so he wasn’t afraid. He just asked, “Are you done?”
Sitting up, he slowly straightened his clothes and bent down to adjust the small-leaf red sandalwood bracelet on his ankle.
With his dark hair piled on his shoulders, Jiang Juan complained softly, “No wonder my ankle hurts a bit. It got scratched. Your Highness, take a look.”
He pulled the bracelet up, and the beads scratched his tender skin, leaving round red marks.
Why did everything leave marks on him?
Xue Fangli reached out a hand and gently touched Jiang Juan’s ankle. The touch was as familiar as in his memories. He looked down and almost involuntarily wanted to exert force — “It’s so itchy.”
Jiang Juan quickly withdrew his foot, innocently looking at Xue Fangli. He was the one being examined, and he didn’t want anyone to touch him.
Xue Fangli met his gaze. Jiang Juan was no longer in pain, and the dampness that had surrounded him had faded. His eyes were clear, and his demeanor was pure.
There were no karmic obstacles, no desires — he was completely free from them.
He had meant to save others but ended up tempting them to develop karmic obstacles. Ironically, he himself was ignorant and unaware.
How hateful it was.
It would be better to make him hurt, make him cry.
That he no longer cared and could only nestle into his embrace, tearfully seeking comfort.
Xue Fangli closed his eyes, suppressing the madness and restlessness deep in his soul, and restrainedly said, “Rest well. If you’re hungry, I’ll have food sent in.”
Jiang Juan asked him curiously, “Your Highness, what about you?”
“Something came up.”
Xue Fangli replied casually with just two words, intending to leave, but then suddenly added, “Your foot injury is not serious anymore. You can resume your medicinal bath.”
Jiang Juan exclaimed, “Ah,” realizing that the medicinal bath would take a while. He just wanted to finish bathing and go to sleep early. “Let’s resume it tomorrow.”
Xue Fangli looked at him. “When you came back, you were still acting spoiled, even said you were seriously ill and couldn’t pick up anything.”
Jiang Juan: “?”
He hadn’t been acting spoiled; he was just explaining.
But did His Highness misunderstand something again?
Jiang Juan hesitated, wanting to say something, but this was before he transmigrated into the book, and there was no way to clarify. He could only accept it.
After the medicinal bath and soaking in the bath, Jiang Juan was already drowsy. When he lay back on the bed, Lan Ting hurried over from the country manor.
She quickly blow-dried Jiang Juan’s hair. Jiang Juan shook his head. “Forget it, blow-drying takes too long. Just towel it dry for me.”
Lan Ting insisted, “No, Young Master, you must dry your hair quickly, or you’ll catch a cold.”
Jiang Juan could only hug his pillow and let her blow-dry his hair.
He had slept on this bed for a whole night. It was so hard. Now, with a lot of soft silk spread out, it felt much softer to the touch. But because Jiang Juan slept with Xue Fangli in his arms for several sleeps, the bed still wasn’t as comfortable as His Highness.
Maintaining a constant temperature, snuggling up provided a sense of security. Every day, he was forced to be a pillow, but he could also take the opportunity to embrace him.
Jiang Juan couldn’t help but ask, “What about His Highness?”
Lan Ting replied, “His Highness is resting in the Liangfeng Courtyard.”
Well, without His Highness is without His Highness. Jiang Juan just felt regret for a few seconds, then settled down again. After all, the bed was soft enough, and he could still sleep well.
But Xue Fangli couldn’t sleep well, even unable to fall asleep.
In the Liangfeng Courtyard, a songstress softly sang.
Amidst the heavy curtains, Xue Fangli leaned on the soft couch. He had just bathed, his ink-black hair still wet, a dark patch on his shoulder, but Xue Fangli didn’t mind. He just picked up a golden goblet and drank.
It had been a long time since he last used spices. The fragrance filled the room, but its effect was minimal. Xue Fangli, like countless nights before, passed the lonely nights with boredom.
He could truly fall asleep only after a few nights, and every time was when he held Jiang Juan, smelling the sweet fragrance on him and peacefully drifting off.
The young man’s body was well-proportioned, and holding him felt exceptionally comfortable.
If he were here, he could pull him into his arms, and just by lowering his head, he could capture the scent from his neck.
However, “Love and desire in humans are like holding a torch against the wind, inevitably causing burns.”
Xue Fangli slowly spoke, his expression filled with deep annoyance.
He wasn’t afraid of getting burned.
He only feared not being able to keep Jiang Juan. In the end, he and Emperor Hongxing would end up with the same fate.
From fondness arises obsession, from obsession arises obstacles, and from obstacles arises demons.
It was pitiful and laughable.
With his mind in turmoil, restlessness and hidden pain surged within Xue Fangli. He pressed his temples wearily, “Squeak,” and Steward Gao came back.
“Your Highness, His Majesty said he has a few mountain manors, but they’re not as comfortable as the palace. Since the weather is hot, it would be better for you and the Royal Consort to stay in the palace.”
Xue Fangli nodded, seemingly not thinking that staying in the imperial palace was any special favor, just a matter as usual.
Steward Gao hesitated for a few seconds, then said softly, “Your servant saw His Majesty quite pleased. He said this is the first time you’ve asked him for anything.”
Xue Fangli didn’t respond anymore. Steward Gao looked at him for a moment, then continued, “Your Highness, His Majesty also wants you to visit the palace tomorrow.”
After a pause, Steward Gao added, “When your servant was leaving, I saw Lord Li from the Ministry of Justice kneeling outside the Yangxin Hall. Perhaps it’s related to today’s matter.”
“Hmm.”
Xue Fangli responded indifferently. He took out a sachet from his sleeve.
Steward Gao glanced at it. He remembered this sachet vividly, especially since it was clearly in His Highness’s possession. He had even used the excuse of losing the sachet to go and ask the Royal Consort for another one.
“It’s all fragrance, but why is there only his scent that I like so much.”
Xue Fangli lowered his gaze, as if questioning Steward Gao and himself at the same time.
But Steward Gao was adept at flattery. He had two eyes, not just for show. Before, he had thought His Highness was quite indulgent towards the Royal Consort, but now he wasn’t so sure.
Their Royal Highness was falling into a trap.
——The Royal Consort talks about peacocks, there are peacocks. He was afraid of heat, so he got mountain manors. Even lychees was being sent overnight from Nanjiang. His Highness even angrily smashed the Cining Palace.
What kind of Royal Consort was this? Clearly, he was a bewitching Royal Consort.
“This shows that the Royal Consort and Your Highness are a match made in heaven,” Steward Gao said. “The Royal Consort is pure-hearted, treats Your Highness extremely well, Your Highness likes the scent of the Royal Consort, and how could he not like Your Highness?”
Xue Fangli asked with interest, “In your opinion, what does the Royal Consort like about me?”
Steward Gao remained silent for a few seconds and calmly replied, “…. The Royal Consort likes that Your Highness is a good person.”
Xue Fangli chuckled lightly, mocking Steward Gao. Steward Gao met his cold gaze and quickly lowered his head.
The Royal Consort could say three times a day that His Highness was a good person, but each time His Highness heard it, he didn’t have this expression on his face. He even sincerely pretended to be the epitome of grace and charm to please the Royal Consort.
Steward Gao was inwardly complaining, but then heard Xue Fangli say, “Go see if the Royal Consort is asleep.”
Steward Gao responded, “Yes.”
Not long after, he returned, “Your Highness, the Royal Consort has been asleep for some time.”
Pausing for a moment, sensing that His Highness would be pleased, Steward Gao added, “Before he fell asleep, the Royal Consort asked where you were, Your Highness.”
Xue Fangli grunted in acknowledgment, lazily lowering his eyelids. “Get lost.”
Steward Gao took the order and hurriedly left. Xue Fangli pondered Steward Gao’s words and chuckled softly.
Yes, he was a “good person.”
The young man let him hold and embrace him, willing to sleep in his arms, never putting up defenses against him.
What was he restraining himself for?
Having heard “good person” so many times, did he really think of himself as a good person?
The next day.
Before dawn, Jiang Juan was awakened.
“Young Master, Young Master—” Under Lan Ting’s call, Jiang Juan reluctantly opened his eyes. The canopy was lifted by a pale hand, and Xue Fangli lowered his head, looking at him. “Accompany me to the palace.”
Jiang Juan: “?”
He looked at the sky—it was still dark. Ever since he entered the book world, there were no morning nurses to check on him, so Jiang Juan would sleep until the sun was high before getting up. It was impossible for him to move this early.
Jiang Juan: “I don’t want to go.”
Xue Fangli: “You want to.”
Jiang Juan said slowly, “But I’d rather sleep.”
Xue Fangli smiled slightly. “You can sleep in the carriage.”
Would the carriage be as comfortable as a bed?
Jiang Juan shook his head, turned over, and resisted the early wake-up call. Xue Fangli glanced at him, pulled back the thin blanket, and directly sat Jiang Juan up, saying to Lan Ting, “Get him ready.”
Jiang Juan: “…”
Even if His Highness was a bit pitiful, it was too much to start this early.
Jiang Juan: “I don’t–“
Xue Fangli: “You sleep.”
How could he sleep like this? Jiang Juan looked up, staring at Xue Fangli.
Xue Fangli, however, ignored this, simply bowing his head and lightly sniffing Jiang Juan’s scent. All the restlessness and frustration from the night before were smoothed away in this moment.
It was because the young man was sitting in his arms, and because he was infatuated with the scent on the young man.
Jiang Juan begrudgingly washed up and changed into his clothes, feeling like a limp fish due to the early morning business.
Xue Fangli watched him and soon spoke in a calm tone, “If you really don’t want to go to the palace, forget it.”
Jiang Juan perked up immediately, saying, “Then I…”
“Do you remember yesterday when I reported to the officials,” Xue Fangli interrupted, “and Marquis Anping accused me of attacking?”
Jiang Juan paused, nodded, “Yes.”
Xue Fangli lowered his eyes, “The father of the person I supposedly attacked entered the palace last night, demanding an explanation from the emperor, and also accused me of wrongdoing.”
Jiang Juan gasped, feeling a bit softened.
“That’s outrageous,” Jiang Juan frowned, “You were only trying to help, how could they misunderstand you like that?”
Xue Fangli said calmly, “I’m used to it.”
Hearing this, Jiang Juan felt even more sorry for him. He sighed and said affectionately, “Forget it, Your Highness, I’ll accompany you to the palace.”
Xue Fangli asked, “You’re not going to sleep?”
Even the most tired fish couldn’t lie down flat now. Jiang Juan said, “I can sleep on the way.”
“Alright.”
Xue Fangli smiled faintly, gently saying, “You can sleep in my arms during the journey.”
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