Chapter 96:
Despite the discomfort, since the old man came from afar, Jiang Juan had to spend time with him.
Reluctantly, he got up, washed up, and was still in a daze. He sat in front of the mirror, allowing Lan Ting to attend to him.
“Where is the prince?”
Since it was so early, Xue Fangli was already gone. Jiang Juan asked uncertainly, “Is he in the study?”
Lan Ting nodded. “Yes, His Highness left early.”
At least he wasn’t the only one up so early, which made Jiang Juan feel a bit better.
Lan Ting gently gathered Jiang Juan’s long hair, which was draped over his shoulders. She suddenly let out an exclamation. Jiang Juan, yawning, asked, “What’s wrong?”
Lan Ting, blushing, shook her head. “N-Nothing.”
She didn’t look like it was nothing. Jiang Juan looked down but couldn’t see anything. He had no choice but to look up at the mirror. As soon as he did, he felt his heart sink.
On Jiang Juan’s neck, where the red mole was, there were lingering marks from last night. Xue Fangli had tormented him there for quite some time. The pale skin was now marked with suggestive bite marks and a blush-like red imprint, creating an alluring scene that invited imagination.
Jiang Juan: “……”
He was still concerned about his dignity. Jiang Juan was utterly frustrated; he had told Xue Fangli not to do anything more, but he had reluctantly allowed him to continue with his mouth, which had turned out to be even worse.
Jiang Juan was in despair. It was already embarrassing, but it wasn’t over yet. After Lan Ting finished arranging his hair, she hesitated for a long time before tentatively speaking up.
“Y-Young Master, do you remember what Imperial Physician Sun said? Your heart condition has just flared up. Such intense activities… you…”
“No, we didn’t do it.”
“Ah, okay.”
Lan Ting fell silent, and the atmosphere became quite awkward.
Jiang Juan took a deep breath, annoyed with Xue Fangli, and after a long pause, he pointed to the marks on his neck and asked Lan Ting, “Can you help cover these up?”
“Yes, of course.”
Lan Ting took out some makeup powder and carefully applied it to even out the red marks. Finally, Jiang Juan was able to face people again.
Once everything was sorted, Jiang Juan went to see Bai Xuechao.
“Grandfather, I overslept.”
Jiang Juan felt a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry for making you wait.”
Bai Xuechao, of course, didn’t mind at all. He responded with a dignified air, “It’s not too long, and it’s fine. It’s actually my fault for arriving too early. Tomorrow, I’ll come again at the hour of the rabbit.”
Jiang Juan: “……”
Isn’t that around seven or eight o’clock?
Jiang Juan, with a look of relief, said, “Okay, the hour of the rabbit.”
Getting up this early wasn’t too bad since he didn’t have to do much. Jiang Juan could manage with his remaining energy. They first had breakfast, and then Bai Xuechao enthusiastically taught Jiang Juan how to play chess until Steward Gao arrived, running in.
“Crown Prince Consort, Mr. Bai.”
Steward Gao handed over an invitation card. “Mr. Bai, Prince Consort requests an audience.”
Prince Consort? Why would he want to see grandfather?
Oh right, in the original plot, the Prince Consort was Bai Xuechao’s student, and a favored one at that.
Jiang Juan belatedly remembered this and privately hoped that with the Prince Consort’s arrival, he might be able to go back and catch up on sleep. However, Jiang Juan’s hope was destined to be in vain.
Hearing that it was his student, Bai Xuechao showed no reaction other than waving his hand. “What’s there to see? I’m busy accompanying my grandson. I’m not available.”
Jiang Juan：“……”
“Grandfather, the Prince Consort is already here.” Jiang Juan slowly said: “You’ll stay in the capital for a while for this trip. I’m here every day, so you can spend time with me any day. It’s not that big a deal to miss today.”
Bai Xuechao pondered for a moment but still said, “No, I won’t see him.”
He huffed lightly. “It’s enough that I’m not holding him accountable. I entrusted you to him and his nephew, and yet? If you weren’t so likable, who knows how much trouble you’d be in.”
Jiang Juan thought for a moment. The Prince Consort and Marquis Anping were different. He disliked Marquis Anping but didn’t mind the Prince Consort. Jiang Juan said, “Grandfather, the Prince Consort and the eldest princess weren’t in the capital at that time. When they returned, not only did they apologize, but they also supported me.”
Bai Xuechao, hearing this, had a complicated expression. He sighed and asked Jiang Juan, “Do you like him?”
Not exactly liking, Jiang Juan remembered that the last time at the horse stable, he had fallen into the water while saving someone. While Xue Fangli was furious, it was the Prince Consort who comforted him and understood his actions.
“Just… he seems quite gentle?”
Bai Xuechao shook his head with a smile and said nothing more.
Jiang Juan then became curious and asked, “Grandfather, the Prince Consort was the top scholar before, right? Why isn’t he doing that now? Was he pressured by his father like my friend, Gu Puwang?”
Bai Xuechao was taken aback by the question and took a while to respond. “Feiyue, he’s just too ambitious. You don’t know how he was when he first became the top scholar.”
Jiang Juan blinked. “How was he?”
Bai Xuechao’s old face showed a moment of nostalgia. It seemed he was lost in memories for a while before he spoke with fondness.
“That year, he was still a little rascal…”
The day of the results was always the most festive in the capital, with drums, firecrackers, and great commotion.
Bai Xuechao and his friends had specifically chosen that day to enjoy tea at a teahouse. Suddenly, amidst the noise, he looked down to see a young man in red, riding a white horse, galloping down the street.
“Teacher! Teacher——!”
Su Feiyue looked up and loudly declared, “I, a humble student, have been named the top scholar.”
Pausing, Su Feiyue continued with a hint of regret, “Compared to the top scholar, the third place is more pleasant to the ear. I had hoped to be the third place, but unfortunately, with the Emperor’s favor, I was forced to take the position of top scholar.”
“………”
After hearing this, Bai Xuechao held back the congratulatory words he had prepared, almost raising his hand to douse him with tea. The sound of horse hooves was still echoing as Su Feiyue laughed heartily, “Teacher, my ambition has never changed. In this life, I only wish to—clear away the impurities and cleanse all the injustice in the world!”
His voice faded away. It was the height of spring, with the streets blooming with flowers. Su Feiyue picked a peony, riding his white horse down the broad, smooth avenue, crushing the petals that had fallen.
The sky was high and distant.
“What nonsense.”
Bai Xuechao laughed and scolded, but as he laughed, he suddenly realized something. His expression gradually dimmed, “So many years have passed.”
The Prince Consort was so arrogant when he was young. Declaring that he didn’t want to be the top scholar because the title of ‘flower blossom’ was more pleasing to him, it was almost like he was a different person from now.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Juan’s curiosity was piqued. He asked Bai Xuechao, “Grandfather, why does the Prince Consort now seem to… always be enjoying leisure time with the Eldest Princess, ignoring everything else?”
Bai Xuechao forced a smile, “People change.”
Bai Xuechao had always been energetic and unaged, but perhaps reminiscing about the past had made him somewhat weary. The old man finally showed some signs of his age.
“You’ve reminded me. In a few days, I need to visit an old friend.”
Jiang Juan nodded, “Alright, I’ll accompany you then.”
Bai Xuechao did not immediately agree, as if he had some reservations. However, whether or not to meet the Prince Consort still depended on his decision.
Steward Gao asked, “Mr. Bai, so… will you not meet the Prince Consort?”
Bai Xuechao waved his hand, “Let him go back.”
Steward Gao acknowledged this and summoned a servant to refuse Su Feiyue.
Even though Bai Xuechao would not meet Su Feiyue, Jiang Juan still had to stay with his grandfather. Playing chess was too mentally taxing, and Jiang Juan didn’t want to think too much. He had an idea, “Grandfather, would you like to read a book?”
“His—the Crown Prince has collected so many ancient books and rare editions. Would you like to take a look?”
Bai Xuechao was indeed interested upon hearing this, and he quickly said, “Let’s go see.”
Jiang Juan then asked Steward Gao, “Could you take us there?”
Of course, it was just a matter of informing them, and the Crown Prince Consort was always too polite. Steward Gao smiled and said, “Crown Prince Consort, Mr. Bai, this way, please.”
The library wasn’t far from Liangfeng Courtyard, but Jiang Juan wasn’t someone who loved reading, so he had never been there before. This was his first visit, and as soon as he walked in, the unique aroma of books greeted him.
While Jiang Juan was looking around, Bai Xuechao took a glance and excitedly exclaimed, “Isn’t this… the ‘Sanxuan Chuan’ annotated by Cang Jisheng?”
He walked a few steps closer and, before even taking out the book, saw something else and was stunned, “‘Zhongjian,’ ‘Nanhua Tongyi,’ ‘Kong Lun’… These are extremely rare editions, and he managed to collect them all!”
Jiang Juan didn’t understand these things, blinking his eyes and asking, “So… Grandfather, do you like them?”
Bai Xuechao continued examining the rows of books. Though he originally had little regard for Xue Fangli, he couldn’t help but compliment him now.
“This Crown Prince does have good taste.”
He had chosen his dear grandson and the books collected were all more precious than the last.
Bai Xuechao was so delighted that he didn’t know where to start. As he hesitated, suddenly someone tentatively called out, “Mr. Bai?”
Bai Xuechao turned around, and the person’s surprise was evident, “Mr. Bai, it’s really you!”
Jiang Juan was taken aback, and Steward Gao also exclaimed, “Oh, I forgot to mention that Mr. Lou is here as well.”
“Mr. Lou?”
The name sounded familiar to Jiang Juan. As he tried to recall, Steward Gao explained, “Last time, when the Crown Prince Consort admired a black porcelain teacup, His Highness exchanged it for a set of ancient books.”
“Later, Mr. Lou came to borrow books and found that the estate had many rare books and editions. He requested to see more, and His Highness had no objections, so Mr. Lou has been visiting the library almost every day.”
Jiang Juan then remembered this matter, noting that Mr. Lou was the richest man in Jiangnan and greatly admired Bai Xuechao.
In the original plot, after the flood, Mr. Lou had even contributed money to help Marquis Anping gain considerable local reputation.
But now—Mr. Lou was spending every day in the prince’s library and admired his grandfather so much. Would he still help Marquis Anping?
Meanwhile, Bai Xuechao, after a moment of scrutiny, suddenly realized, “Is it you? Lou Yueru?”
Seeing that he remembered him, Lou Yueru, the richest man in Jiangnan, grinned widely, “Mr. Bai, it’s me! You still remember me!”
Bai Xuechao smiled and said, “How could I forget? Your writings are truly excellent.”
After many years, meeting again and being praised by someone he admired, Lou Yueru was overjoyed. He had intended to downplay his excitement but could not hide it. He decided to change the topic.
“This is…?”
He was looking at Jiang Juan, and Bai Xuechao gently patted Jiang Juan’s shoulder, “My grandson, Jiang Juan.”
Lou Yueru was enlightened, “The Crown Prince Consort?”
Bai Xuechao smiled and said, “Yes, indeed.”
Lou Yueru smiled and added, “He’s such an endearing person. No wonder His Highness was willing to trade ancient books for a teacup—turns out it was to please Mr. Bai’s grandson.”
Jiang Juan: “………”
It seemed like a compliment directed at him, but it also seemed like it was more about his grandfather, with just a mention of him thrown in.
In any case, with Lou Yueru present, Jiang Juan felt much more at ease. Bai Xuechao and Lou Yueru shared similar interests, and once they started talking, they chatted non-stop, leaving Jiang Juan with little to do.
Steward Gao had other matters to attend to. After he took his leave, Jiang Juan found a spot for himself, lay down, and started to sleep.
To preserve the books, the library was well-ventilated and not exposed to sunlight. Jiang Juan felt cold after a short while of sleep, but he hesitated to move and thought he could endure it, so he turned his head and tried to sleep again.
Eventually, after an unknown amount of time, Jiang Juan was picked up by someone. He wanted to open his eyes to see who it was, but his eyes hurt intensely, and his throat felt uncomfortable. Jiang Juan could only snuggle a little in the person’s arms.
Xue Fangli chuckled softly, “Always either sleeping or acting spoiled.”
Jiang Juan felt uncomfortable, his brows slightly furrowed, and he had no strength to respond. Xue Fangli looked at him for a moment, then lowered his head to rest his forehead against Jiang Juan’s. After a moment, he also frowned, “Why is he so hot?”
With a flick of his sleeves, Xue Fangli strode out of the library, “Call the imperial physician!”
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