Chapter 69
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He’s developed a mortal heart.
Developed….a heart.
Jiang Juan’s eyelashes fluttered. Something approached, a breath both familiar and secure, but his heart pounded wildly.
The sensation was too foreign. The atmosphere thickened, their breaths mingling and falling softly, brushing against Jiang Juan’s cheek like a summer night’s breeze.
Hot and passionate.
Yet the kiss was tender to the extreme.
Xue Fangli placed a kiss, not even a full kiss. Just a gentle touch, a brush. Though naturally fearless, he was always cautious in matters concerning Jiang Juan.
Like now.
He wanted to kiss Jiang Juan but feared scaring him, so he restrained himself.
He coveted Jiang Juan, not wanting to make him cry. Even a kiss was carefully coaxed.
The kiss continued, their lips still brushing.
It was beyond gentle, and Jiang Juan did not dislike it. But he was so overwhelmed that he forgot how to breathe, his eyes moist as he looked at Xue Fangli.
All the things he had deliberately ignored and avoided seemed clear at this moment.
No wonder he didn’t want His Highness to be sad.
No wonder he favored His Highness.
He… had fallen for him.
That’s why he kept avoiding it.
That’s why he was engulfed in inexplicable panic.
Because His Highnesscouldn’t stay with him for long.
Because His Highness would eventually leave. No one would carry him around, no one would sleep beside him, no one would support him.
He thought covering his ears and suppressing his heartbeat would make it seem like nothing had happened, convincing himself that he only wanted to accompany the prince to the end. But it was futile.
Jiang Juan was terrified.
Before entering this book, he had been ill for many years, his heart always on the brink of collapse. He had learned to let go from a young age, to see everything without letting it touch his heart. He knew he couldn’t hold onto anything and could accept it all calmly.
But not His Highness. He couldn’t accept it calmly.
Just thinking about it made him feel terrible.
He was afraid, so very afraid.
So afraid that…
“Why are you crying?”
Unknowingly, tears had silently fallen. Jiang Juan looked pitiful, his nose red, his eyes rimmed with red, as if grievously wronged.
“Don’t like me kissing you?”
Xue Fangli lifted his head, ending the kiss. He looked down at Jiang Juan for a long while, wiping away his tears with his thumb, speaking softly, “If you don’t like it, just push me away. Is it worth crying over?”
No, it’s not that he didn’t like it.
He didn’t dislike it.
Jiang Juan felt so low. He opened his mouth but said nothing, finally lowering his head, burying his face in Xue Fangli’s chest, choosing to escape again.
After a long while, he mumbled, “Your Highness, I don’t want to send you off.”
Even if he had to continue to deal with things, Jiang Juan wanted His Highness to live a little longer.
He wanted His Highness to spend more time with him.
The Government Office
“Your Excellency, you must help this humble woman get justice…”
A woman knelt in front of the court, kowtowing repeatedly. Marquis Anping stood beside her, his face pale with anger, watching her coldly without uttering a word.
Judge Zhang of the Kaifeng Prefecture held his gavel, looking at her helplessly, then at Marquis Anping, thinking he had truly run out of luck.
It was a minor issue—Marquis Anping had smashed the jade pendant of a courtesan named Hongyu from Hongxiu Pavilion. Normally, such matters could be easily dismissed, but this courtesan had brought forth a token from Prince Li to accuse Marquis Anping.
On one side was Prince Li, and on the other was Marquis Anping. As a second-rank official caught in the middle, Judge Zhang felt utterly helpless.
“Marquis, do you have any objections?”
Judge Zhang asked Marquis Anping cautiously, trying to maintain a smile.
Marquis Anping had been publicly taken from the teahouse and accused of bullying a weak woman. He was naturally furious, but he also knew he had to give Judge Zhang some face, so he only uttered two words: “No objections.”
This was an admission of guilt. Judge Zhang then pretended to follow procedure: “In that case, according to our laws, damaging someone else’s property should be…”
Compensation for the loss and three days in custody.
But this was Marquis Anping. Judge Zhang naturally didn’t dare to imprison him. Clearing his throat, he said, “Compensate the loss. Marquis, you should compensate for her jade pendant…”
Before he could finish, a soldier approached and whispered something in Judge Zhang’s ear. Judge Zhang quickly added, “Double the compensation. Marquis, you should double the compensation for her jade pendant.”
Marquis Anping glanced at him but didn’t ask any questions. He simply took out a stack of banknotes from his sleeve and threw them on the ground. Judge Zhang then asked the woman, “Hongyu, do you have any objections?”
The pendant had been a gift from a lover, and she thought it was lost forever. Now, receiving such a large compensation, the woman beamed with joy and said, “No objections, Your Excellency, no objections.”
“Thank you, Marquis. Hongyu thanks the Marquis.”
She hurriedly picked up the banknotes, her eyes gleaming with happiness. These banknotes would be enough to support her for most of her life!
That day, Hongyu had been dancing gracefully in the Chengde Hall when Marquis Anping suddenly took her pendant and smashed it to pieces.
These courtesans could earn some money only while they were young and beautiful. That pendant was her security for the future, and it shattered along with her heart. But then Prince Li had given her his own token and advised her on what to do.
Her lover—Prince Li’s steward—said that it was likely His Royal Consort had seen her plight and mentioned it to His Highness, which led to His Highness giving her his token to accuse Marquis Anping.
Her lover also mentioned that on that night, His Royal Consort specifically brought up the matter, asking him to comfort her.
This His Royal Consort was truly a living Bodhisattva!
The more Hongyu thought about it, the more grateful she felt.
No wonder Prince Li favored him.
Such a good person surely deserved to be cherished, right?
As she was thinking this, there was suddenly an announcement from outside the Government Office.
“Prince Consort is arriving—!”
Before the words had fully echoed, Su Feiyue had already strode in. Seeing Marquis Anping, he didn’t say a word before slapping him hard. “Bullying a weak woman, is this what I’ve taught you?”
Seeing Su Feiyue, Marquis Anping couldn’t maintain his cold demeanor any longer. “Uncle, I…”
Su Feiyue snorted coldly, “Don’t call me uncle, I can’t afford this disgrace!”
Marquis Anping opened his mouth to say something. Knowing Su Feiyue’s temper, he ultimately said nothing. Su Feiyue’s arrival and slap had frightened Hongyu, who looked at him timidly. Noticing her gaze, Su Feiyue smiled apologetically and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect.
“Prince Consort, Marquis Anping has already given her the banknotes. This matter is settled, you don’t need to scold him any further.”
Judge Zhang smiled, trying to smooth things over. Unexpectedly, Su Feiyue frowned upon hearing this. “Only given her banknotes?”
Judge Zhang was taken aback. “What else?”
Su Feiyue said coldly, “According to our laws, even if he compensates with banknotes, he should still be detained for three days.”
Judge Zhang hesitated. “Prince Consort, this…”
Marquis Anping pleaded, “Uncle!”
Being brought back to the Government Office was one thing, but being detained for three days would make him a laughingstock in the capital. Marquis Anping begged, “Uncle, I know I was wrong.”
Su Feiyue remained unmoved. “Judge Zhang, handle this according to the law. He may be a marquis, but if he breaks the law, he should be punished like any commoner!”
Judge Zhang was amazed, thinking that Su Feiyue was truly worthy of being a student of Mr. Bai, showing no mercy even to his nephew!
Su Feiyue waited a moment. “Judge Zhang?”
Startled, Judge Zhang quickly said, “Then… we’ll do as the Prince Consort says?”
Reluctantly, Judge Zhang agreed. Su Feiyue nodded, finally satisfied. Marquis Anping asked incredulously, “Uncle, why are you always like this?”
“She’s just a courtesan!” Marquis Anping was filled with resentment. “Why don’t you ask what really happened?”
Su Feiyue replied coldly, “Fine, tell me what happened that made you bully a weak woman!”
“She…”
Marquis Anping closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. “That jade pendant was a token of my engagement.”
“I saw the pendant on her and snatched it off. Prince Li’s Royal Consort giving the pendant to a servant was an insult to me! If he can give it away, why can’t I smash it?”
Su Feiyue looked at him for a long time before slowly saying, “Your engagement is over. Why would he keep the pendant?”
“Whether the pendant is kept or given away is his decision,” Su Feiyue said deliberately, “If the Royal Consort wants to give it away or smash it, that’s his choice. What does it have to do with you? How is it an insult?”
Marquis Anping was momentarily stumped. “But…”
Su Feiyue interrupted, “But what?”
“As I recall, you were the one dissatisfied with the engagement and you were the one who broke it off,” Su Feiyue said mercilessly. “What are you doing now? Feeling resentful? Regretting it? Why else would you care about the pendant?”
“I…”
Regret?
Marquis Anping asked himself.
He had always been unwilling to admit it and had always avoided the question, but every time he found himself gazing at Jiang Juan, he couldn’t help but feel resentment.
Resentment for his rapid change of heart, resentment for his exclusive focus on Prince Li.
He…
It seemed he regretted it.
Why else would he care about the pendant?
Why else would he have angrily smashed it?
“I…”
Marquis Anping stood there frozen.
Su Feiyue didn’t wait for an answer. He merely said, disappointed, “Use these three days to reflect on yourself.”
“Fuying and I raised you to adulthood, not for you to repay us like this!”
After a pause, Su Feiyue continued, “Since you brought up the engagement and broke it off on your own, you likely never apologized. In three days, we will go to Prince Li’s residence together and apologize to Prince Li’s Royal Consort.”
With that, Su Feiyue didn’t spare him another glance, simply cupping his hands to Judge Zhang before leaving.
Judge Zhang stood there stunned for a moment, looking at the pale Marquis Anping. He waved to the guards and tentatively asked, “Marquis, shall we?”
Marquis Anping took a few steps in a daze.
Yes, he regretted it.
He regretted breaking off the engagement.
But now he still had to apologize for breaking it off.
With a clang, he stepped into the cell, the door locked behind him, and his heart sank.
He regretted it.
But it was too late.
Night fell.
At the General Residence.
“Your Highness, Your Royal Consort, this way please.”
The servants of the General Residence politely led them inside.
Jiang Juan was still in a bad mood and had not spoken much along the way. He looked around; the General Residence was quite large, practical, and unpretentious in style.
Jiang Juan and Xue Fangli were escorted to the dining area. This was a private banquet, so only one table was set. As soon as they arrived, the steward ordered the meal to be served.
Before long, Grand General Jiang Sentao arrived late, cupping his hands in salute, “This humble servant greets Your Highness and Your Royal Consort.”
“I was just practicing a set of sword techniques, which delayed me. I hope Your Highness and Your Royal Consort can forgive me.”
Xue Fangli nodded, leading Jiang Juan to their seats.
“I have already heard about the incident at the restaurant.”
Jiang Sentao began, hesitating before using this as an opening. He looked at Xue Fangli with a complex expression. “The way Your Highness handled it was quite unexpected for me.”
Over the years, Jiang Sentao had been keeping an eye on Xue Fangli and was naturally aware of his erratic behavior. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned that his heart was full of hatred while drinking with Su Feiyue that day.
To Xue Fangli, his sister owed him, the Jiang family owed him, and even the Emperor and Empress Dowager owed him.
Even now, Jiang Sentao remembered a few years ago when Xue Fangli had burst into Cining Palace to save the person. The teenage boy had knelt in the filth, slowly raising his head to look at him. Those dark eyes, filled with coldness and emptiness, carried such hatred that it had sent chills down Jiang Sentao’s spine.
He had arrived too late.
He was ultimately too late.
Jiang Sentao felt a chill deep within as he remembered.
At that time, after Beauty Yu—known as Qingmei—had passed away, Emperor Hongxing was devastated. He locked himself in Yangxin Hall, refusing to attend court or see any ministers, even turning the Empress Dowager away. In her fury, the Empress Dowager had taken it out on the young Xue Fangli.
She had the corpses of Prince Li and his consort locked together.
Fourteen days.
They were locked for a full fourteen days.
No food was delivered, nothing at all.
During those fourteen days, Beauty Yu had turned to a pool of rot, the stench of the bones unbearable. Jiang Sentao couldn’t even bear to imagine how Xue Fangli had survived those fourteen days.
When his father had arrived too late, there was no longer Jiang Qingmei, only Beauty Yu. Later, he himself had arrived too late. The boy’s lips had been so red they seemed to be soaked in blood. With bloodshot eyes and looking deranged, he had screamed, “You all don’t want me to live, but I will survive!”
“She used to disgust me, feeding me her blood, making me eat her flesh. She didn’t want me to live, so I will drink her blood, eat her flesh, and still survive!”
“Why should I die just because you want me to? I will live well, I will live just fine!”
Jiang Sentao had been on the battlefield, his hands stained with countless blood, but in that moment, he felt fear because of a teenage boy.
The boy’s hatred was so deep and so intense.
Even though Jiang Sentao had received news of Jiang Qingmei’s death and learned that the Empress Dowager had imprisoned Xue Fangli, rushing back from the frontier overnight, it was too late.
He could do nothing.
Jiang Sentao prided himself on having a clear conscience, but like Emperor Hongxing, he had been indulging Xue Fangli all these years.
He knew how much young Xue Fangli had suffered and how deeply ingrained his hatred was.
“Is that so.”
Xue Fangli replied indifferently. He raised his hand, signaling the maids to stand down, and personally picked up a pair of silver chopsticks, feeding Jiang Juan. “Try a bite.”
Jiang Juan, in a foul mood and with little appetite, shook his head. “I don’t want to eat.”
He pushed the food away, but Xue Fangli glanced at him with unchanged expression and prepared a bowl of crab roe porridge. “Drink the porridge.”
Jiang Juan: “I don’t…”
He was about to shake his head again when Xue Fangli brought the porridge to his lips. Jiang Juan had no choice but to take a sip.
After one reluctant bite, Jiang Juan shook his head again, his face wrinkling in discomfort. “Your Highness, I really don’t want to eat.”
Xue Fangli looked down at him, showing no displeasure, his tone gentle and coaxing, “Just one more bite.”
At home, Jiang Juan had grown used to Xue Fangli feeding him and coaxing him to eat. He didn’t find it strange anymore, forgetting that they were currently in the General Residence.
Before this, Jiang Sentao had never thought that Xue Fangli could have such patience or be so gentle. He watched in a daze.
Ten years ago, the boy who knelt on the ground had seemed like a vengeful ghost, mad with hatred.
Ten years later, the man, dressed in splendid robes, still had a cold demeanor, his eyes cast downward. But the way he looked at the person beside him was incredibly gentle.
“If you don’t eat the porridge properly, I’ll mouth-feed you myself.”
Xue Fangli said casually, even his threats were tender.
Author’s Note:
His Highness (already tamed).
The unique confession of Salted Fish Juan: I don’t want to send you off.
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