Chapter 84
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“Gu Puwang was indeed kidnapped, but it wasn’t the villagers who rescued him, it was Brother Nian…”
While Gu Puwang was still in a daze, Jiang Qingliang spoke up for him.
This incident had caused quite a stir in the capital city five years ago.
Gu Puwang, renowned for his exceptional talents and being the son of the Prime Minister, had been kidnapped right under the Emperor’s nose. When Emperor Hongxing learned of this, he was furious and sent many people to assist Prime Minister Gu in searching for Gu Puwang.
After nearly half a month of searching, both Gu Puwang and the kidnappers were nowhere to be found. Gu Puwang’s grave was prepared, but he eventually returned on his own.
He returned to the capital with Jiang Nian, who was then the Second Young Master of the Minister Residence rather than the Minister Residence (lower rank).
The widely circulated story in the capital was that this Second Young Master happened to encounter the fleeing kidnappers and the barely-conscious Gu Puwang on his way back to the capital and then stepped in to rescue him.
Later, when Jiang Qingliang and Gu Puwang became acquainted, Jiang Qingliang had inquired about the incident, and Gu Puwang did not deny that it was Jiang Nian who had saved him.
Jiang Qingliang was unsure, “Did you remember wrong? Or did Brother Nian…..ask your master for help?”
Lan Ting scrutinized Gu Puwang again and confirmed, “I did not remember wrong. This is indeed the young master.”
After a pause, she hesitantly asked, “Is Brother Nian the Second Young Master?”
Gu Puwang, who had been silent, nodded, “Yes.”
Lan Ting softly exclaimed, “Oh, that’s not right. It was because our master was fishing and noticed suspicious behavior from this person. He wasn’t anxious at all despite claiming the child was sick, and he exposed himself in just a few sentences.”
“You said your master…”
Jiang Qingliang was about to argue, but then he remembered something.
In this matter, there was no need for Gu Puwang to lie. As for the maid—when she mentioned “master,” wasn’t she referring to Jiang Juan’s grandfather?
What had happened at the Great Temple was all the talk these days. Jiang Juan’s grandfather was indeed Mr. Bai Xuechao!
This really couldn’t be disputed.
Jiang Qingliang immediately fell silent, turned to Gu Puwang, and asked, “Gu Puwang, what’s going on?”
Xue Congyun was also puzzled but said with certainty, “Mr. Bai would never lie.”
“Well then…”
Jiang Qingliang hesitated, and Lan Ting seemed to recall something else, saying in confusion, “How could it be the second young master? Master rescued Young Master Gu, and shortly afterward, the officials arrived, saying they were going to send Young Master Gu to the capital. Master was worried and even checked the token—according to what should have happened, Young Master Gu should have gone straight back to the capital. Did something happen on the way?”
“No.”
After a long pause, Gu Puwang finally shook his head and said, “The journey back to the capital was smooth.”
Mr. Bai saved Gu Puwang and handed him over to the officials, but in the end, he found himself in a desolate temple, where he only saw Jiang Nian and was told that Jiang Nian had saved him.
What had truly happened was unclear to Gu Puwang, as the high fever had left his memory hazy. Over the years, he could only speculate on his own, but no matter how he guessed, Jiang Nian was certainly not innocent.
Over the years, Gu Puwang was aware that Jiang Nian was an ambitious person and not as harmless as he appeared, but because of this favor, Gu Puwang never spoke of it and had even told himself that, no matter what, Jiang Nian’s heart must be kind.
But now—“…Did Brother Nian fake being a savior?”
Gu Puwang thought of this, and Jiang Qingliang also realized it. He moved his lips, struggling internally, “How could it be? How could Brother Nian do such a thing?”
Xue Congyun was equally disbelieving and asked Lan Ting, “Are you sure you’re not mistaken? Do you have any evidence?”
Lan Ting thought for a moment and said to Gu Puwang, “Young Master Gu, you have a thumb-sized jade gourd in your sleeve pocket, right?”
“The gourd has your name and date of birth inscribed on it, if I’m not mistaken, it was the first day of the first month, and… this jade gourd was broken and then mended.”
Jiang Qingliang and Xue Congyun both looked at Gu Puwang, who slowly nodded.
“…Yes.”
Xue Congyun’s eyes widened in shock, unable to say a word, and Jiang Qingliang was even more stunned.
Unlike Gu Puwang’s clarity, Jiang Qingliang and Xue Congyun were profoundly affected by the revelation. Jiang Nian, known for his good nature and kindness, was now revealed to have deceived them, causing a deep impact.
“How could Brother Nian be like this?”
At this point, neither Xue Congyun, Jiang Qingliang, nor Gu Puwang felt like continuing as guests. They looked at each other in silence and finally said goodbye to Jiang Juan.
They arrived noisily but left with furrowed brows, and it wasn’t just because they had been punished. Jiang Qingliang murmured, “It would have been better to have been beaten and soaked in water; anything would have been better than this.”
“Gu Puwang, what should we do about Brother Nian?”
Xue Fangli was deeply depressed and really had no idea what to do. The once good Brother Nian now seemed like a completely different person, “It feels like we don’t even know him anymore.”
Gu Puwang said calmly, “Let’s set up a time to meet him.”
Jiang Qingliang, forcing himself to stay upbeat, suggested, “There’s no time like the present. How about now?”
Xue Congyun quickly interjected, “No, no, no. I’m still feeling uneasy. Not today.”
Jiang Qingliang asked, “Then… tomorrow?”
Xue Congyun: “Okay.”
After years of interaction, there were feelings involved. Jiang Qingliang grit his teeth, “If Brother Nian admits it and apologizes sincerely, he will still be my Brother Nian. If he doesn’t…”
If he doesn’t, Jiang Qingliang didn’t know what to do. It was just as Xue Congyun said; it felt like they didn’t know Brother Nian at all. Jiang Qingliang sighed.
Xue Congyun: “I feel the same way.”
In the past, Jiang Nian had been very good to him. Xue Congyun was also a person who valued emotions, but now, with the matter of Gu Puwang, Xue Congyun couldn’t help but wonder if Jiang Nian’s kindness had some other intention.
The two people who usually argued the most were rarely silent now. Gu Puwang looked at them and said, “Then let’s meet him tomorrow.”
Though arranging a meeting with Jiang Nian was giving him a chance, Gu Puwang, based on his understanding of Jiang Nian, always felt that Jiang Nian would not be honest with them.
After a moment of silence, Gu Puwang said, “In a few days, it will be Brother Nian’s birthday.”
Jiang Qingliang was taken aback, calculated the days, and said, “It really is. I wonder if we’ll still be able to celebrate his birthday with him.”
After saying this, Jiang Qingliang’s mood darkened even more. Xue Congyun suddenly exclaimed, “What? So soon?”
During this period, whenever he got some rare item, he would immediately send it to Jiang Juan, completely forgetting about this. Even the treasures originally prepared for Jiang Nian were picked out and sent to Jiang Juan, leaving him almost emptied.
Xue Congyun: “…”
For some reason, he suddenly felt that even if Jiang Nian didn’t admit it, he wouldn’t be that sad.
He really couldn’t get a treasure in just a few days!
His mother now guarded him as if he were a thief!
“My grandfather is really… so kind-hearted.”
Jiang Juan sighed with emotion.
“Master is not exactly kind-hearted; he just…” Lan Ting pondered her words and said with a strange expression, “Whenever Master went out, even if it was just to fish, he’d end up picking up someone.”
Jiang Juan: “…”
Absurd.
Is this why his grandfather saved so many people?
But since it was brought up, Jiang Juan wondered, “Prime Minister Gu said my grandfather saved Gu Puwang. It must have been this time. Prime Minister Gu knew, so how could Gu Puwang not know?”
Lan Ting pondered and said, “I remember that about half a year ago, someone from the mountains came to the capital. Master was quite concerned about Young Master Gu, so he asked him to deliver a letter. Prime Minister Gu must have only learned about it then.”
“It’s been so long, and Young Master Gu has already suffered a lot. Prime Minister Gu probably thinks there’s no need to mention it to him again.”
Lan Ting’s reasoning was sound, and Jiang Juan was persuaded.
Having had breakfast and met with guests, Jiang Juan found himself bored as His Highness had not returned yet. In the past, he could amuse himself with puzzles like the Nine-linked Rings or the Luban Lock, but now he had nothing to occupy his time. Jiang Juan, feeling utterly bored, said, “I think I’ll take another nap.”
“Young Master, you…”
Jiang Juan had always been a heavy sleeper. Lan Ting was about to tease him but suddenly recalled Master E’nan’s mention of unstable spirits, which made her heart skip a beat. She quickly changed her tone, “You’ve just had a meal. Please don’t rush to sleep right away.”
“But if I don’t sleep, I have nothing to do.”
“Otherwise…”
Lan Ting suggested, “How about I bring the cat we had brought to the residence last time for you to play with?”
Jiang Juan blinked; that sounded good. “Sure, bring it over quickly.”
Soon, the sound of a small cat meowing echoed as Lan Ting hurried in, holding the four-eared kitten.
The kitten had grown quickly. Since arriving at the manor and being well-fed, it had gained quite a bit of weight in just a few days. Lan Ting placed it into Jiang Juan’s arms, “Young Master, hold it carefully.”
Jiang Juan nodded and began to pet the kitten. The little cat, feeling quite affectionate, kept nuzzling Jiang Juan’s fingers. Jiang Juan looked down and took a deep breath.
Ah, so happy.
When Xue Fangli entered Liangfeng Courtyard, Jiang Juan was happily cuddling the cat, burying his face into its fur. Xue Fangli raised an eyebrow, walked over, and pinched Jiang Juan’s neck, “Don’t you remember what I told you?”
“Your Highness.”
Hearing his voice, Jiang Juan was quite pleased, but with His Highness arriving and questioning him, Jiang Juan could only ask in confusion, “What did you say?”
Xue Fangli said coldly, “Cats can be kept in the residence, but you are not allowed to hold them, and they certainly cannot be on the bed.”
Ah, there was something like that.
His Highness didn’t like animals with fur.
Jiang Juan felt a bit guilty, but the kitten was so pleasant to hold that he was reluctant to put it down. Jiang Juan struggled, “I’m just holding it for a bit. I’ll bathe later.”
“No.”
But Jiang Juan really wanted to play with the cat. He reached out to grab Xue Fangli’s fingers, saying, “Just for a little while.”
Xue Fangli swatted Jiang Juan’s hand away, but Jiang Juan grabbed it again, “Your Highness, let me hold the cat. I’ll give you a kiss.”
Xue Fangli replied curtly, “You’ve got cat hair all over you. What’s the point of a kiss?”
Jiang Juan: “…”
What’s with the cat hair talk? His Highness was so annoying.
Now, not only was Jiang Juan unwilling to kiss him, he didn’t even want to touch his hand anymore. “You always say I only know how to irritate people, but you’re the real champion of irritation.”
Annoyed, Jiang Juan hugged the kitten tighter and had Lan Ting help him onto the bed. He said seriously, “Your Highness, if I accidentally get cat hair all over your bed, you should sleep somewhere else tonight.”
“…”
Xue Fangli gave him a sidelong glance. Jiang Juan lay on the bed, placing the kitten on his chest. The cat kept stepping on him, causing his collar to open up. His unkempt black hair fell against his neck and over his delicate collarbone and porcelain-white skin.
“Tsk.”
Xue Fangli approached, using his slender fingers to tap the kitten’s head. The animal, sensing danger, immediately froze. Xue Fangli leaned in, about to kiss Jiang Juan.
Feeling the kiss, Jiang Juan reached out to stop him, still holding a grudge, “Why kiss me with cat hair all over?”
Xue Fangli looked at him a few times, then held Jiang Juan in his arms, resting his chin on his shoulder and taking in his scent. His tone was casual, “To kiss you.”
“I’ve changed my mind, not happening.”
Though Jiang Juan was angry, he didn’t ignore Xue Fangli. He continued to pet the cat for a while and asked, “Your Highness, what should we name it?”
Xue Fangli replied without hesitation, “Jiang Qin.”
Note: Qin here means diligent.
Jiang Juan: “?”
“What do you mean Jiang Qin? No way,” Jiang Juan said. “Are you calling me lazy?”
“No.”
Jiang Juan didn’t believe him at all. He decided he had to get back at him, “Let’s call it Xue Dog then.”
Xue Fangli: “…”
He wasn’t particularly interested in what the cat was named and didn’t mind Jiang Juan’s teasing. He lazily said, “Whatever you like.”
The cat, which was so well-behaved, was now named Dog. Lan Ting looked on, hesitating to speak, but seeing that the one being scolded had no objections, she could only smile and shake her head.
His Highness really dotes on Young Master.
At this moment, a servant hurried over and whispered a few words to Steward Gao. Steward Gao promptly said, “Your Highness, it’s time to go.”
Xue Fangli looked up and replied with a nod. Jiang Juan, puzzled, asked, “Where are you going?”
“To the study. I have matters to attend to.”
Emperor Hongxing’s illness had come on suddenly and aggressively. Even though Xue Fangli was handling state affairs, he felt quite overwhelmed, resulting in a backlog of work.
Originally, after the crown prince was established, Xue Fangli should have moved into the Eastern Palace to handle state affairs. However, on the day the crown prince was named, Jiang Juan had fallen into trouble, so he had naturally been unable to attend to these matters. Now that Jiang Juan was awake, everything should be back on track.
The earlier visit from the palace had been to deliver an official decree from Emperor Hongxing. He had sent several officials to meet with Xue Fangli and handle some of the more troublesome documents.
Although Xue Fangli had no obligation to return to the Liangfeng Courtyard, he came back to comfort Jiang Juan because Jiang Juan had mentioned being afraid.
But now that he was back, it didn’t seem like Jiang Juan was all that scared.
Xue Fangli looked down as Jiang Juan, holding the kitten, was playing with its paws and enjoying himself. Xue Fangli pinched the soft flesh of his cheek and said calmly, “I’m leaving. When I return, if the cat is still here…”
“I want to go too.”
Before Xue Fangli could finish his warning, Jiang Juan had already put the cat down and was hugging Xue Fangli around the waist, “Your Highness, it’s so boring for you to be busy alone. Take me with you.”
Jiang Juan was still thinking about the interrogation mentioned by Steward Gao.
When Xue Fangli said he was going to the study and had matters to attend to, Jiang Juan immediately became alert, as this had been the case the night before. Jiang Juan instinctively thought he was going to interrogate Minister Li.
“You want to go?”
Xue Fangli looked at him and, though it was possible, he didn’t see why not. Having Jiang Juan by his side would mean he wouldn’t have to constantly worry about him getting into trouble or getting hurt again.
Jiang Juan: “Yes, yes, I want to go.”
Xue Fangli: “Play with your cat.”
It seemed Xue Fangli really didn’t want Jiang Juan to come along. He put Jiang Juan back on the bed and stood up, “Stay here.”
Jiang Juan reached out to grab him, “I won’t play with the cat anymore. Your Highness, I want to accompany you.”
Xue Fangli gave a humored snort but remained unresponsive. Jiang Juan slowly said, “How about I give you a kiss?”
Xue Fangli looked at him and smiled, “I don’t feel like kissing right now.”
Jiang Juan complained, “…Why are you so out of touch with the situation?”
“So what do you want then?”
Xue Fangli lowered his head. The hem of Jiang Juan’s shirt was still disheveled from the cat walking on it. Besides a prominent red mole on his shoulder and neck, there were also several noticeable love bites.
With a deep, alluring voice, Xue Fangli, his crimson lips curving upwards, said, “Tonight, I will teach you something new… How about it?”
“Sure, sure.”
Jiang Juan didn’t care what the new play was or what it entailed. He just wanted to prove himself and that he wasn’t going to be easily swayed. “Your Highness, hold me.”
Xue Fangli adjusted Jiang Juan’s clothes and then, as Jiang Juan wished, pulled him back into his arms and carried him.
Steward Gao waited anxiously outside, not daring to rush them. After all, several officials had already arrived, and their Highness’s first day had led to quite a delay.
As for the reason…
Steward Gao glanced at the person in Xue Fangli’s arms and sighed. It wasn’t that the Crown Prince Consort was clingy; it was just that His Highness doted on him so much.
Whether it was the Royal Consort or the Crown Prince Consort, this person truly was… a bewitching beauty!
Note; it’s wordplay, basically royal consort is Wang Fei, then Crown Prince Consort is Taizi Fei, and the bewitching beauty here is Yao Fei so all of them have the -fei.
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