Chapter 22: CH 19

Sui Yan was frail, and he was only allowed to get out of bed and move around on the seventh day of the New Year after being stuffed with medicines by Jun Jingxing for many days.

Most of the snow in the courtyard had already melted. Sui Yan sat in a reclining chair with his rabbit and basked in the sun. He felt drowsy as he listened to the sound of water dripping from the icicles under the eaves. 

Soon after, Haitang ran into the courtyard. Before he came to a stop, he shouted, “Young Master, Young Master, the Crown Prince is here!”

When he heard about Duan Mingchong, Sui Yan felt angry and hateful. If Duan Mingchong had not been so careless and insensitive, Sui Yan would not have gotten poisoned, and he would not have been stopped from drinking his sweet soup.

Sui Yan opened his eyes and unhappily asked, “What is he doing here?”

As he spoke, Sui Yan held down the rabbit and forcefully rubbed its ears. When he finally let go, his hands were full of rabbit fur. The rabbit couldn’t stand it anymore and jumped off Sui Yan’s lap. 

Haitang replied, “He seems to be here to issue an imperial decree, and Second Young Master is currently greeting him in the front hall.”

An imperial decree?

Sui Yan frowned. What sort of decree could be issued from the palace now? Could it be that something happened at the borders, and Sui Xun was being sent back there?

Sui Yan felt increasingly concerned. After a moment of restlessness, he decided to go take a look.

Before he went out, Jun Jingxing, who was drying medicine in the courtyard, didn’t even lift his head as he chastised, “Don’t forget to put on thicker clothes.”

Sui Yan came back dejectedly, put on a frayed cloak, and darted out.

Sui Yan had guessed it. Last night, there was news that the bandits were starting to make trouble at the borders and seemed to be waiting for an opportunity to counterattack. This time, the emperor specifically let Duan Mingchong issue the imperial decree, which ordered Sui Xun to return to the borders ahead of time.

When Sui Yan arrived, Sui Xun had already accepted the decree and was asking Duan Mingchong about the bandits’ movements. 

Seeing him, Sui Xun waved Sui Yan over and said, “Come here.”

When Sui Yan saw the orders in his brother’s hands, his eyes reddened. He ran over and threw himself into Sui Xun’s arms as he spoke in a muffled voice, “Elder brother, are you going to leave?”

Sui Xun was a little embarrassed, but he couldn’t push Sui Yan away, so he patted him on the back and whispered, “How many times have I told you this? Don’t act spoiled. The crown prince is still here.”

Sui Yan finally reacted. He wiped his eyes and got out of Sui Xun’s arms. He had been so used to embarrassing himself in front of Duan Mingchong that he didn’t even blush this time. 

He bowed, “This subject greets the crown prince.”

When he saw Sui Yan’s aggrieved appearance, Duan Mingchong suddenly felt like he was separating a pair of mandarin ducks by coming to issue this imperial decree. He smiled and replied, “You don’t need to be so polite.”

After Sui Xun accepted the orders to return to the borders, he didn’t stay in the manor any longer. After a few words with Sui Yan, he hurriedly went to the military camp to arrange his return.

Since Sui Xun had left, Sui Yan couldn’t return to his courtyard, so he could only bite the bullet and receive Duan Mingchong. 

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Duan Mingchong opened the box, and the hamster tentatively climbed out. It seemed wary. 

Duan Mingchong reached out a slender finger and poked the tiny creature’s head as he said, “Go ahead.”

The hamster seemed to have received an order. It suddenly rushed forward and climbed up Sui Yan’s arm. When it reached his shoulder, the hamster finally stopped and sat down.

Sui Yan, “……”

Sui Yan tilted his head and awkwardly stared at the tiny creature. After a while, he whispered, “Your Highness, your pet…..seems to have poor eyesight?” 

Duan Mingchong smiled, “It’s for you.”

Sui Yan asked, “What? But before, didn’t you say that you wouldn’t give it to me?”

When he heard this, Duan Mingchong’s ears turned red, and he mumbled, “I……heard this hamster likes to bite people, and I was scared it would hurt someone before it grew up, so I brought it back and took care of it for a few days……”

Sui Yan blinked. 

Duan Mingchong continued, “Ahem……it’s been very well-behaved these past few days, but I’ve gotten tired of it. Since I don’t like it anymore, I’ll……I’ll give it to you.”

The hamster raised its front paws, patted Sui Yan’s neck twice, and endearingly chirped twice.

Sui Yan understood what Duan Mingchong meant: I originally wanted to give it to you, but I was scared it would bite, so I took it home to raise for a few days. When I realized that it doesn’t hurt people, I could feel at ease giving it to you.

Sui Yan thought, Aiyah, this isn’t good. How can this crown prince’s temperament be cuter than this hamster? 

Fortunately, he didn’t say this out loud. Otherwise, even with how gentle Duan Mingchong’s temperament was, Sui Yan would definitely be punished.

Duan Mingchong’s ears turned even redder as Sui Yan stared at him. He picked up the cup and took another sip of tea before he pretended to be calm and asked, “You don’t like it?”

Sui Yan tilted his head and reached out to tease the tiny creature. When he found that it really didn’t bite, he smiled, “No, I like it very much. Many thanks to Your Highness.”

Duan Mingchong secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thought for a moment, and seriously said, “If you like something cute, you can have your servants find it for you. The red-light district is such a messy place. With your noble status, it’s better to avoid going there.” 

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Sui Yan’s lips twitched. Since his rebirth, he had only been to the red-light establishment twice, but this naive prince already had the impression that he likes to misbehave and run amok.

When Duan Mingchong saw Sui Yan’s expression stiffen, he thought he had spoken too harshly, so he added, “Of course, if the servants in your manor can’t find what you want, you can look for me. No matter what it is, I can find it for you.”

Sui Yan thought, Like I need your help.

Sui Yan had felt dissatisfied with Duan Mingchong, but seeing how well Duan Mingchong was treating him, the resentment in his heart dissipated. In fact, the more Sui Yan looked at him, the cuter he seemed, so much so that Sui Yan lost interest in teasing the hamster he had just gotten. 

Sui Yan unconsciously wondered what would have happened if Duan Mingchong hadn’t died in his previous life. The crown prince would have stood opposed to Duan Zhisu, but as Duan Zhisu’s strategist, Sui Yan most likely wouldn’t have had the heart to plot against Duan Mingchong.

A person as pure as this should be protected from any worldly disturbances.

But Sui Yan knew that this was impossible. In the imperial family, being weak and kind was a sin. This youth will not always be this upright and pure.

Sui Yan smiled and said, “Okay, then I’ll thank Your Highness in advance.” 

Duan Mingchong finally breathed a sigh of relief. He looked Sui Yan up and down before asking, “You seem to have lost a lot of weight these past few days. Have you gotten sick again?”

Sui Yan had drunk so much medicine these past few days that a medicinal smell was all over his body. Just by smelling the scent, Duan Mingchong felt unpleasant, so he could only imagine how much medicine Sui Yan had taken.

Sui Yan answered, “I didn’t wear thick clothes when I came home that day and got a cold, but I feel much better now. I’ve troubled Your Highness.”

Duan Mingchong sighed, “How can you get sick so easily at such a young age? What did the imperial physicians say?” 

Sui Yan thought of what Jun Jingxing had said and answered, “He said I wouldn’t die.”

Duan Mingchong’s brows furrowed, “Which imperial physician said something this shameful?”

Sui Yan laughed so hard that he couldn’t even hold his teacup firmly, “A traveling doctor. Even though his character isn’t that great, he has a lot of medical expertise. Your Highness doesn’t need to worry.”

Duan Mingchong thought for a moment and asked, “Do you have any important plans for the next few days?” 

Sui Yan was teasing the hamster on his shoulder, and he was confused, “I’ve always been lazing around, and I don’t have anything important to do. Does Your Highness need me to do something?”

Duan Mingchong replied, “In a few days, I will go visit Master Gengxue on behalf of Father Emperor and bring copies of the Buddhist scriptures from the palace as an offering. If you have nothing to do, you can come with me.”

Sui Yan blinked and asked, “What? Me?”

Duan Mingchong looked at him worriedly and said, “Why don’t you……visit Master Gengxue and let him see……” 

Let him see if you’ve been cursed.

Sui Yan didn’t know that the crown prince was this superstitious, and he couldn’t hold back his laughter, “Your Highness, do you think I’ve been possessed by a ghost?”

Duan Mingchong was embarrassed by how straightforwardly Sui Yan exposed him, but he seriously answered, “At the palace banquet before the New Year, something seemed to be wrong with you, like…….you were possessed. In addition, you’ve been so sickly since you fell into the water last time. En, you should take precautions before anything happens. What, does Little Young Master not believe in Buddhism?”

Sui Yan hadn’t believed in it before, but after his rebirth, he felt like he should believe in this sort of thing. Maybe the monsters, ghosts, gods, and demons that appeared in plays really existed. 

“Okay, then when Your Highness goes, send someone to let me know.” Sui Yan readily agreed, “I’ve always wanted to meet the high monk Master Gengxue. I can also ask for an amulet to protect my elder brother.”

Duan Mingchong smiled and replied, “General Sui Xun will leave for the borders on the tenth day of the New Year. Let’s leave early in the morning the day after tomorrow. One day should be enough for the round trip.”

Sui Yan said, “Alright.”

The two chatted for a while before Sui Yan respectfully sent Duan Mingchong out. 

With a hamster sitting on his shoulder, Sui Yan leisurely returned to his side courtyard. As soon as he opened the door, he saw a black-robed attendant waiting in the long corridor.

After ordering him to do so many things, Sui Yan finally remembered to ask for his name a few days ago. The black-clothed attendant was called “Wushi.” The name sounded very casual, and it seemed to have been given by Sui Yan’s father.

Sui Yan was speechless when he heard this name. He asked, “What about the others? What are they called? Wufang? Wubing?”

Wushi cupped his fists and resolutely answered, “Wuwei, Wuduan, Wuzhi, Wu……” 

Just as he was about to list out the names of all of his comrades, Sui Yan interrupted him, his head in pain. He decided to start talking about business——if he had let Wushi continue, Sui Yan would refuse to recognize the character “wu.”

When Wushi saw Sui Yan, he bowed before reporting, “Young Master, I investigated it.”

Sui Yan replied, “En,” before he sat back on the reclining chair and covered himself with a blanket. He even closed his eyes comfortably, as if he was going to talk about it here.

Usually, Sui Yan would be very secretive every time he saw Wushi. Jun Jingxing, who was reading medical books by the medicine basket nearby, frowned and moved to leave. 

Sui Yan said, “You don’t have to leave.”

Jun Jingxing froze. Did Sui Yan……trust him?

Sui Yan ignored him and directly ordered, “Speak.”

Wushi took out a stack of papers from his sleeves and offered it to Sui Yan with both his hands as he quietly spoke, “The poison that the Third Prince ordered his servants to put in the wine wasn’t the Stigma that you spoke of. It was medicine with strong side effects that causes colds.” 

Sui Yan suddenly opened his eyes.

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