Chapter 93
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The sorrows and joys of humanity do not intersect.
Imperial Physician Sun’s words suddenly reminded Jiang Juan of something.
No intimate relations for now.
Did that mean that even if His Highness wanted to do anything to him, he couldn’t?
After finishing the pulse diagnosis, Imperial Physician Sun, as usual, gave a few more instructions and prescribed some heart-protecting medicine before packing up his medicine box and leaving slowly.
“Your Highness.”
Jiang Juan sat on the bed, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Xue Fangli.
“Hmm?”
“Come here for a moment.”
Xue Fangli walked over, and Jiang Juan immediately threw himself into his arms, nearly hanging on Xue Fangli’s body. He tilted his head back, fluttering his eyelashes, and said, “Kiss me, quickly kiss me.”
Taking the initiative, Jiang Juan wanted a kiss, and naturally, Xue Fangli had no reason to refuse. However, he didn’t realize this was a sweet trap.
Their breaths intertwined and their lips connected. After the kiss, Jiang Juan was gently placed back on the bed. The afterglow of their previous intimacy still lingered, and now his face was covered with a rosy hue. His long eyelashes fluttered softly, and the youth looked breathtakingly beautiful.
The knuckles of Xue Fangli’s fingers, which had been resting on Jiang Juan’s waist, slowly began to drift downward. Jiang Juan immediately became alert. He turned his head, weakly pressing down on the hand, and gently gasped, “Your Highness, Imperial Physician Sun said it’s not allowed.”
“…”
Regarding intimate relations, Jiang Juan was not very clear about the specifics. Though he had seen explicit images, he wasn’t naïve enough to let someone take advantage of him without knowing what Xue Fangli intended to do.
Jiang Juan enjoyed being affectionate with Xue Fangli, especially the kisses, but he was somewhat scared of further developments. Now, by pretending to have a heart condition, he had not only resolved the immediate issue with Xue Fangli but also his lingering concerns, achieving freedom for kisses.
Innocently, Jiang Juan asked, “Isn’t a kiss enough?”
After asking, he answered himself, “I think it’s enough.”
Xue Fangli paused momentarily but then firmly held the slender, resilient waist of the youth and kissed him fiercely, demonstrating his answer with his actions.
— Not enough.
“Young Master, the noodles are here.”
At the Ministry of Personnel residence, a maid brought a bowl of longevity noodles. Marquis Anping sat silently nearby. After days of recuperation, he had lost much weight, and his demeanor was no longer steady but rather gloomy.
“Where are the Sixth Prince and the others?”
Today was Jiang Nian’s birthday. Normally, Marquis Anping should not be the only one present. Xue Congyun, Jiang Qingliang, and Gu Puwang would all be there to celebrate with Jiang Nian. They had always been close, but up to now, they had not appeared, prompting Marquis Anping to inquire.
Jiang Nian’s expression changed, and he forced a smile, “I didn’t invite them. It would be too noisy with too many people, and since you’re not fully recovered, I thought you might prefer a quieter environment.”
“Is it really that I prefer quiet, or do you think I can’t stand seeing people?”
Marquis Anping asked Jiang Nian darkly.
Even though he was recuperating at the Marquis’s residence, he was aware that news of both the teahouse incident and his public breakdown after learning the truth about the marriage had spread throughout the capital.
The former Marquis Anping was a composed and courteous gentleman, but now he had become a joke, ridiculed in the streets and alleys. Even the Marquis’s carriage was being pointed at and mocked.
“Marquis, how could I think you can’t stand seeing people?”
Jiang Nian was startled by the question and quickly explained, “The Sixth Prince and Jiang Qingliang always argue when they meet, and it never ends. Sometimes I can’t even stand it, let alone you.”
He paused and then continued, “Besides, how could you not be able to see people? If we’re talking about who’s unseemly, it’s actually me.”
“That day at the Eldest Princess’s residence, I took all the blame for you, facing the Eldest Princess’s and Prince Consort’s reproaches. Do you know what people in the capital are saying about me now?”
At this point, Jiang Nian’s voice choked up, “They’re saying I… lack shame.”
Marquis Anping frowned and asked, “For me? What do you mean by that?”
Jiang Nian was taken aback by the question. Just as he was about to respond, Marquis Anping continued, “Did uncle and aunt say something wrong?”
Knowing that Jiang Juan’s maternal grandfather was the Bai Xuechao, Marquis Anping had contemplated many things. For example, his obsession with the annulment of the marriage was closely tied to Jiang Nian.
If Jiang Nian hadn’t continually given him hope and sweetness, if Jiang Nian hadn’t maintained a teasing distance, he wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.
The fault for his decision to break off the engagement lay entirely with Jiang Nian!
Jiang Nian was genuinely stunned this time.
Was Marquis Anping suggesting….that he thought the same way?
The massive humiliation at the Eldest Princess’s residence had been swallowed with bitterness by Jiang Nian. He had hoped, at the very least, to receive some sympathy from Marquis Anping, but instead, he was met with such a response.
At this moment, Jiang Nian felt that Marquis Anping was selfish. His emotions boiled over, and he felt a wave of darkness before his eyes. Yet, simultaneously, Jiang Nian experienced an unprecedented clarity.
What did it matter if Marquis Anping was selfish?
What Jiang Nian had valued was Marquis Anping’s potential to ascend to the throne in the future and his easy manipulation.
Moreover, they already had the Emperor Hongxing’s decree for marriage, which Jiang Nian had painstakingly obtained. Despite Marquis Anping’s disgrace and dejection, Jiang Nian had endured it. There was no reason he could not endure now.
With these thoughts in mind, even though he felt immense dissatisfaction and anger, Jiang Nian only appeared momentarily stunned before tearfully saying, “Marquis, you…”
Normally, Marquis Anping would have been moved by such a display from Jiang Nian. However, now, everything Jiang Nian did was compared to Jiang Juan, leading to the conclusion that Jiang Nian fell short. This comparison only deepened Marquis Anping’s frustration.
After looking at Jiang Nian several times, Marquis Anping closed his eyes and said slowly, “Stop crying.”
After speaking, he turned to the maid and instructed, “Wipe your master’s tears.”
To Jiang Nian, Marquis Anping’s actions seemed like a concession, and he sighed in relief.
Marquis Anping said, “I came today not just to celebrate your birthday but also to discuss something.”
Jiang Nian asked, “What is it?”
Marquis Anping: “I will be going to Jiangnan for a while.”
Jiang Nian was taken aback. “Marquis, what will you be doing in Jiangnan?”
In his previous life, Marquis Anping had indeed gone to Jiangnan, but he was sent there by the Eldest Prince to carry out tasks. Given the changes in circumstances this time, Jiang Nian had thought that Marquis Anping would not be going to Jiangnan.
Marquis Anping’s expression shifted. “My uncle promised Prince Li—now the Crown Prince—that he would give him an explanation, and he asked me to leave the capital.”
For some reason, Jiang Nian felt that Marquis Anping was lying. But since Marquis Anping was unwilling to explain further, Jiang Nian did not press for details. Instead, he pretended to be surprised and said, “Really? I also plan to go to Jiangnan. Can we travel together, Marquis?”
Marquis Anping glanced at him without saying anything. Jiang Nian lowered his head, deep in thought.
Both were preoccupied with their own concerns.
The next day.
On the second day of Jiang Juan’s heart condition, he did not need to wake up early for business. He happily slept in until he woke up naturally.
Though, he was somewhat unhappy.
In the past, Jiang Juan could sleep until noon and then wake up to have lunch. However, after several days of early rising, he found himself waking up before noon.
“What kind of salted fish am I, waking up so early?”
Jiang Juan reflected on this and decided to have breakfast before continuing. As he was just getting out of bed, Lan Ting rushed over in a flurry.
“Young Master! Young Master——!”
“What is it?”
Lan Ting unfolded a letter and said with excitement, “Master has come to the capital to see you! He sent word that he will arrive in the evening!”
Jiang Juan: “Huh?”
Master? Is it Bai Xuechao?
So, his grandfather is coming to see him?
No, wait.
What grandfather? The real person is replaced by someone else. How can he face Bai Xuechao?
Jiang Juan panicked.
“Young Master, are you not happy?”
“…I am.”
Though he said he was happy, Jiang Juan did not look pleased at all. Seeing this, Lan Ting wasn’t confused; she just comforted him, “Young Master, it’s alright. The Master won’t mind. How could he hold anything against you?”
Jiang Juan blinked, as if discovering a hidden subplot, and tentatively asked, “What if he does mind?”
“Master cares about you so much,” Lan Ting sighed. “Young Master, you just love to overthink things.”
“What if there’s no blood relation with the Master?” Lan Ting continued, “Master has never seen you as an outsider, and neither has the Mistress.”
The Mistress she referred to was Jiang Juan’s biological mother, Jiang Chaoyao.
Jiang Chaoyao, abandoned by her biological parents due to a heart condition when she was around five or six, was adopted by Bai Xuechao. Later, as Jiang Chaoyao grew up and her heart condition worsened, she feared that Bai Xuechao, being an old man, would be left alone in the future. Hence, she risked her life to give birth to Jiang Juan.
As for Minister Jiang, who was not yet the Minister at that time, Jiang Chaoyao had no feelings for him; it was merely a matter of using him to conceive.
These things Bai Xuechao had never deliberately hidden. As a result, the former Jiang Juan often felt like an outsider and was reluctant to get close to Bai Xuechao. He was more focused on arriving at the capital to reunite with his biological father and marry his fiancé.
Lan Ting sighed, “You always say you’re stupid, that you can’t compare to the Master or his students, but Master doesn’t care about that. Instead of having extraordinary talent, he would rather see you happier.”
Jiang Juan seemed to understand.
The original self was not close to Bai Xuechao and felt self-conscious about his own mediocrity. In reality, Jiang Juan understood this and realized that the original self’s desire to go to the capital was not solely because of his biological father.
For an ordinary person to be surrounded by ordinary people is indeed much happier. However, the fear lies in an ordinary person being constantly among many clever individuals, especially when he tends to overthink.
Jiang Juan thought for a moment and said, “I’ve figured it out now; I won’t overthink things anymore.”
Lan Ting smiled at him, “Yes, Young Master. You seem much more cheerful now. I’m sure the Master will be very pleased to see you like this.”
But Jiang Juan was still anxious. This was Bai Xuechao, the most esteemed elder in the entire book, a paragon of virtue and grace, practically a sage. He had no idea how to interact with his grandfather.
Jiang Juan sighed.
The anxiety wasn’t just a fleeting feeling. After receiving the news, Jiang Juan was so unsettled that he couldn’t eat or sleep. He was so nervous that he made a snap decision, saying, “Lan Ting, let’s go to the city gate now and wait for my grandfather.”
Lan Ting was more than happy to comply, “Alright.”
The carriage was quickly prepared. Once they were on it, Jiang Juan noticed that Xue Fangli was also present.
“Your Highness, why are you here?”
“To pick up your grandfather.”
Jiang Juan blinked, initially intending to ask how Xue Fangli knew, but then he realized it was obvious given the situation at the residence. He simply said “oh.”
Xue Fangli wrapped his arms around Jiang Juan’s waist and held him close, resting his chin on Jiang Juan’s shoulder and breathing in the unique herbal fragrance from the young man. He nipped at the red mole on Jiang Juan’s neck.
Times had changed. Jiang Juan had no intention of fooling around with him while meeting his grandfather. He pushed Xue Fangli away, saying, “Don’t bite me. I need to behave properly today.”
Xue Fangli raised his eyebrows slightly, his teeth loosening in a half-smile. He gently turned Jiang Juan’s face towards him and said with a playful tone, “When I don’t want to touch you, you insist on coming close for affection. But now that I want to be close, you refuse me.”
“Why are you so unreasonable?”
It sounded quite familiar to Jiang Juan, who replied confidently, “We cats are just like that.”
“If you find it so troublesome, don’t keep a cat.”
As he spoke, Jiang Juan tilted his head and looked at Xue Fangli with a defiant expression, fully embodying the phrase “spoiled by affection.”
To top it off, he leaned in and kissed the corner of Xue Fangli’s mouth. When Xue Fangli was about to deepen the kiss, Jiang Juan grabbed his fingers and slowly said, “Your Highness, I’m so nervous.”
“I insisted on coming to the capital. I wonder if Grandfather is upset.”
Xue Fangli glanced at him with a half-smile and said, “Who would dare be angry with you?”
Jiang Juan played with Xue Fangli’s fingers and complained, “You, for one. Not only do you dare get angry with me, but your tone is always so harsh.”
Xue Fangli clicked his tongue lightly, “Bringing up old grievances again.”
Since old grievances were so easy to bring up, Jiang Juan made a habit of it. Ignoring Xue Fangli, he leaned against him and looked out through the curtain, aimlessly observing the scene outside.
The carriage was nearing the city gate.
“Why are there so many people?”
At the city gate, a crowd was gathered, seemingly watching a commotion. Jiang Juan looked over curiously and saw two people apparently arguing and chasing each other.
The person in front shouted angrily, “You madman! Do you know who I am to dare lay hands on me? I am the Minister of Rites!”
The elderly man trailing behind him, wearing a wide-brimmed hat that covered most of his face and covered in dust, stopped after a few steps, exhausted. He simply took off his shoe and threw it from a distance, with a resounding voice, “Bah! I’m hitting you, you turtle son!”
Jiang Juan: “?”
The Minister of Rites?
Isn’t that my father, the Minister?
Jiang Juan was stunned when someone recognized the approaching carriage and shouted in a panic, “The carriage from Prince Li Residence is coming! Stop watching the commotion! Prince Li Residence’s carriage is here!”
As soon as the words were spoken, the crowd scattered in a hurry, and even the elderly man who had been throwing the shoe looked alarmed and hopped away on one foot.
Once the carriage was parked, Jiang Juan didn’t dwell on the earlier commotion. He and Xue Fangli got out of the carriage and were looking around when he heard someone call him.
“Grandson.”
An old man holding a wide-brimmed hat walked towards them. He was dressed in white, immaculate and ethereal, with only his white hair showing slight disarray. It didn’t detract from his graceful and refined demeanor.
He smiled and nodded at Jiang Juan, truly embodying the celestial aura and grace worthy of the title “Snow Sage.”
But Jiang Juan was deep in thought.
Is this my grandfather?
Isn’t this the same elderly man who was just fighting?
Now he was dressed in clean white and had an ethereal aura, but earlier he was quite rough, throwing shoes when he couldn’t catch up.
No matter how quickly he changed clothes, Jiang Juan could still recognize him!
And—Jiang Juan suddenly wasn’t sure whether his grandfather was calling him a good grandson or a turtle grandson.
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