Chapter 41 Protecting Each Other

The palace maid who was serving in the side hall hurried to the outside of the study. Before she could go in, she suddenly heard the sound of porcelain breaking, and it seemed that there were also countless sounds of falling to the ground.

The person waiting outside whispered, "What happened? Your Highness has something urgent to do. If it's not urgent, please don't disturb him."

The palace maids complained: "The young marquis seems to be ill again, and is now clamoring to return home."

When the man heard this, he hurried forward and knocked on the door.

"Your Highness."

Duan Mingchong's cold voice came from inside: "What's the matter?"

Then footsteps were heard, and Duan Mingchong opened the door. His face, which was usually as gentle as jade, was now as cold as ice, and there was no warmth in his eyes when he looked at people.

The people serving in the East Palace had never seen Duan Mingchong so cold and stern before, so they stammered, "The young marquis seems to be ill again..."

Hearing this, Duan Mingchong was stunned for a moment, then he hurried to the side hall without saying a word.

This time, Sui Yan's drug addiction attack was extremely severe. He seemed to be very sober, and insisted on going out with his coat on, but was always stopped by the servants guarding outside.

He interrupted twice, and his face was already showing some impatience. His fingers were crackling, as if he was trying hard to suppress his anger.

However, when Duan Mingchong pushed the door open, Siu Yan, who was about to get angry, suddenly pouted as if he had been wronged, and said softly, "Your Highness..."

Duan Mingchong's eyes were still bloodshot. He walked forward quickly, held Sui Yan's arm, and said as softly as possible, "What happened?"

Sui Yan was already addicted, and had been making a fuss for half a day without caring about anything. He had already become limp all over, and when Duan Mingchong touched him, he couldn't hold on and fell on him.

Sui Yan grabbed his collar and whispered, "Your Highness, I want to go home."

Duan Mingchong noticed that his pupils were a little dilated and realized that it was the smell of the medicine that was causing the problem. When he thought that he had become addicted to the medicine in order to cure his stigma, he felt as if someone had grabbed and squeezed his heart, causing him so much pain that he almost couldn't breathe.

Duan Mingchong took a deep breath, hugged Sui Yan and put him on the couch, and said softly, "Don't go home yet. Wait until you recover, okay?"

Sui Yan's internal organs and even his bones felt as if they were being gnawed by countless insects. He was in so much pain that tears streamed down his face. He wrapped his arms tightly around Duan Mingchong's neck and cried softly, "Your Highness, please, I want some incense..."

"Ming Chong, I feel bad... please save me..."

He cried and hugged Duan Mingchong tightly. His desire for the smell of medicine almost drove his unclear mind completely crazy.

Duan Mingchong held him down and kept comforting him: "It will be fine soon, soon..."

He suddenly couldn't speak.

Sui Yan didn't know if she heard what he said or not. She kept wanting to smell the fragrance and crying so hard that she couldn't breathe. Her hands kept struggling and Duan Mingchong almost couldn't hold her down.

During the struggle, Sui Yan's nails scratched Duan Mingchong's neck again, and this time the force was so great that blood gushed out.

The palace maids shouted in surprise: "Your Highness!"

Everyone hurriedly pulled Duan Mingchong away. Doctor Meng Yu, who arrived late, quickly directed people to tie Sui Yan's hands to the bedposts with red silk cloth, and had people hold him down while inserting several needles into his acupuncture points and forcing him to drink tranquilizers.

When Doctor Meng Yu was giving Sui Yan medicine, Duan Mingchong was supported by a palace servant and sat on a chair in the outer room, looking a little dazed.

The palace maids bandaged the wound on his neck in a hurry. It must have been extremely painful to have such a cut and then apply the golden abscess medicine, but Duan Mingchong seemed to be unconscious and just sat there in a daze.

He could hear the violent coughing and crying of Sui Yan in the inner room. Duan Mingchong sat there in a daze for a long while before he raised his slightly trembling hands and covered his eyes.

After about half an hour of torment, Doctor Meng Yu finally came out with a gloomy face.

Upon seeing this, Duan Mingchong hurried forward and wanted to ask something, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something and he was unable to speak for a while.

Doctor Meng Yu said, "It's nothing serious. Just give him medicine every two hours."

Duan Mingchong was speechless and could only nod.

Soon, all the people in the side hall left.

Duan Mingchong's eyes were a little red. He stood in the outer room for a long time before he lifted the pearl curtain and entered the inner room.

Sui Yan was tortured quite badly. His black hair soaked with sweat stuck to his pale cheeks, making him look even weaker. He rested his head on a soft pillow with his head slightly tilted back. Even when he fell asleep, his face showed a hint of pain.

Duan Mingchong just took a look and felt as if he was pricked by needles, and his eyes became sore.

He sat on the edge of the couch, holding up Sui Yan's wrist with shaking hands, gently touching the red marks on his wrist caused by the bandages, and suddenly felt weak all over.

Sui Yan was probably hurt and cried out vaguely.

Duan Mingchong quickly let go of his hand.

Sui Yan did not sleep well. He had nightmares about being chased the whole night. In the midst of nightmares, he suddenly stepped on empty air, trembled all over, and opened his eyes in a daze.

As soon as his body regained consciousness, Sui Yan felt as if he was clinging to something warm. The warmth coming from it continuously made him feel so comfortable that he wanted to cling to it.

He had just woken up and his vision was still a little blurry. He rubbed his eyes and then saw clearly that he was curled up in someone's arms.

Sui Yanhun's body stiffened, and he became completely sober.

He raised his head in surprise and met Duan Mingchong's gentle eyes directly - Duan Mingchong's eyes were slightly red, not knowing whether he was awakened by the absence of someone or by being woken up by him.

“Your Highness!” Sui Yan was frightened to the point of jumping up, and looked at him in horror.

Duan Mingchong reached out to hold him down as he was about to get up, tucked the quilt in for him, and said softly, "Don't let the heat escape. Sleep a little longer. It's still early."

Sui Yan glanced toward the window and found that it was still dark.

Sui Yan curled up again, leaned to the side somewhat unnaturally, and with his back to Duan Mingchong, he kept entwining his index fingers together and circling them.

After a moment, he couldn't help it anymore, and timidly turned over and whispered, "Why is His Highness here?"

Duan Mingchong chuckled and said, "You had a nightmare at night, and I was worried that you would fall out of bed, so I came to accompany you."

Sui Yan was secretly delighted, thinking that having a nightmare would actually get him this kind of treatment, so he might as well have nightmares every day.

He pulled the quilt upwards and accidentally rubbed his swollen wrist, making a "hiss" sound.

Duan Mingchong hurriedly pulled his hand over and blew gently on the swollen area: "Does it still hurt?"

Sui Yan wanted to ask Duan Mingchong about his hand yesterday, but he gave up when he saw that Duan Mingchong didn't seem to want to talk about it. Today, Duan Mingchong could sleep on the same bed with him, so Sui Yan became bolder and whispered, "Your Highness, am I... am I not sleeping well?"

Duan Mingchong asked: "Why do you say that?"

Sui Yan said embarrassedly: "I thought it was because I was being too annoying that you had someone tie me to the bed."

Duan Mingchong: “…”

Anyone with a little common sense could tell from the red marks on the wrist that it was caused by being tied up with a rope. Sui Yan could not imagine what he had done that was so outrageous that both humans and gods could hate him to have such a gentle man like Duan Mingchong tie him up.

——Two more nights.

Sui Yan was startled, could it be that he was sleepwalking?

Duan Mingchong probably knew that he couldn't hide it, so he was silent for a while before saying, "Doctor Meng Yu said that you are addicted to a certain kind of medicinal fragrance..."

Sui Yan was stunned for a moment before he remembered the addictive medicinal incense that Jun Jingxing had prepared. He would light it every night at his house in the past few days. He also lit it for a while on the day Jun Jingxing came back, but he entered the palace the next day and left the medicinal incense.

Jun Jingxing's words "I need to prepare the calming incense as soon as possible, otherwise you will suffer at night" suddenly rang in his ears, and Sui Yan realized that the suffering he was talking about was the drug addiction.

Duan Mingchong said: "When your drug addiction kicks in, you'll be delirious and looking for incense everywhere. If you're not given any, you'll get angry. If you're not trapped to prevent you from moving around, Doctor Meng Yu said you might even commit suicide, so..."

Sui Yan looked at his wrist covered in red marks in shock, having no memory of the drug addiction attack.

Duan Mingchong saw him like this and hurriedly comforted him, "But fortunately you didn't use it much before, it won't take long to recover, don't worry."

Sui Yan nodded hesitantly and said in a low voice: "I... I am causing trouble to Your Highness here. I, I will take my leave as soon as the sun rises..."

Duan Mingchong took a breath and tried to speak softly: "Be good and get well in the palace before going back. There is no doctor in your house. If you have another attack at night, the servants will not dare to disobey you and may even burn incense for you."

Even if Sui Yan had no recollection, he probably knew that when his drug addiction kicked in, he wouldn't be able to look decent at all, and he would probably cry and scream and throw himself about wildly.

And Duan Mingchong actually saw his entire ferocious appearance.

Sui Yan felt that he could not accept it.

He forced a smile and said, "No, I will have them throw away all the incense and will not use it again. Your Highness, don't worry."

Duan Mingchong wanted to say something else, but Sui Yan pulled the quilt over his face, turned his back to him and refused to communicate any more.

Duan Mingchong stared at him blankly, raised his shaking hands gently, and was about to put them on Sui Yan's back when there was a sudden knock on the door.

Duan Mingchong's hand suddenly retracted.

"What is it?"

The palace maid said, "Your Highness, it's time to go to court."

Duan Mingchong was stunned.

Sui Yan huddled in the quilt with a smirk on his face. He felt a little lost when he felt Duan Mingchong lift the quilt and get off the bed.

It was clearly his initiative to go back home, but when he saw that Duan Mingchong refused to stop, Sui Yan suddenly felt a surge of grievance in his heart, and his eyes were sore.

"Go to court." Sui Yan thought bitterly, "I will go home once you leave, and I will never come to see you again."

Duan Mingchong put on his outer coat and walked out of the inner room. He opened the door and said to the palace servants waiting outside, "Go to His Majesty and ask for leave for me."

The palace maid was stunned: "Ask for leave?"

The Crown Prince had been in charge of government for more than a year, attending court every day regardless of weather conditions. The palace maids had never thought that he would one day take the initiative to ask for leave.

Recalling how Duan Ming Chong had almost smashed everything in the study last night, the palace maid didn't dare to say anything more and bowed and left.

Duan Mingchong closed the door and returned to the inner room again.

The sound of jade shattering against the beaded curtain startled Sui Yan. He grasped the edge of the quilt with both hands and peeped out secretly. When he saw Duan Mingchong sitting beside the couch, his eyes lit up.

Duan Mingchong lowered his eyes to look at him and said, "Listen to me and go back after you have cured the disease."

Sui Yan suppressed his excitement, coughed, and whispered, "Your Highness, are you not going to court?"

Duan Mingchong smiled softly: "No."

Sui Yan grabbed the edge of the quilt with his fingers and exerted force. The corners of his lips curled up unconsciously, and he said softly: "Why, why?"

Duan Mingchong said: "I was afraid that you would run away, so I had to keep a close eye on you."

Sui Yan tightened his toes and gently kicked the quilt, forcibly suppressing his joyful mood, pretending to be calm and said: "I, I won't run away, I won't run away."

Duan Mingchong hummed, blinked, and changed his words: "I was afraid that you would have another nightmare, so I wanted to accompany you."

Sui Yan: “…”

Sui Yan's fate was too bad, and no one had ever been so kind to him. He blushed at Duan Mingchong's unintentional flirting, and thought to himself in a daze, "I must be dreaming now."

Duan Mingchong was wearing an outer robe, with his black hair loose. He lacked his usual elegant and distant look, and to Sui Yan, he looked more worldly.

Sui Yan was staring at him, Duan Mingchong lowered his eyes to look at him, and suddenly smiled softly.

Sui Yan: "Your Highness?"

Duan Mingchong said softly, "Years ago, I asked you about attending court and taking the title..."

Sui Yan thought about it carefully and seemed to remember this happening.

At that time, Duan Mingchong asked him: "You will be attending court in the next year. How can you survive in the court if you continue to be so lazy and idle?"

At that time, Sui Yan didn't know that Sui Xun was still alive, and didn't know about the mess that happened later. He had already made up his mind to die, so his words to Duan Mingchong were extremely impulsive.

Thinking about it now, Sui Yan suddenly felt a little embarrassed: "Your Highness, I was young and ignorant at that time..."

Duan Mingchong laughed, and it took him a while to realize that in terms of age, Duan Mingchong was younger than him.

Sui Yan felt even more embarrassed.

Duan Mingchong said: "I don't mean to bring up the past to make fun of you, I just want to ask you, do you still want to go to court and take the title?"

Sui Yan sat up with his quilt in his arms, tilted his head, and thought: "It doesn't matter what I say. In fact, my biggest wish is to eat, drink, have fun and wait for death. It would be good if I don't have to get up early every day to attend court, but seizing the title... well, I have to wait for my brother to come back and tell him. This matter is not something I can decide."

Duan Mingchong smiled and said, "As long as you don't want to, no one can force you."

Sui Yan blinked, not quite understanding what he meant: "Huh?"

Duan Mingchong said, "Father has been talking to the people in the inner cabinet about letting you attend court these days. If you don't want to, I will help you refuse."

Sui Yan was even more confused: "Ah?"

Duan Mingchong pressed his shoulder and said, "Then I will go to see the emperor later, so I won't have dinner with you."

Sui Yan could only say "ah".

Duan Mingchong really wanted to tell Sui Yan about this in a serious manner, but seeing his confused face and his constant "ah", he couldn't help but smile.

Sui Yan was pushed back onto the couch by him and couldn't help but grab Duan Mingchong's sleeve.

Duan Mingchong said, "It's still early, you can sleep for a while, I'll go see if the medicine is being boiled."

He was about to leave when Sui Yan came to his senses and grabbed his wrist again.

Duan Mingchong turned around and looked at him, without a trace of impatience.

Sui Yan blinked and whispered, "Your Highness means that I can stop caring about the affairs of the court and continue to be my idle marquis and have fun, right?"

Duan Mingchong smiled and said, "Yes."

Sui Yan hesitated and said, "Then...then I have no power in the court. If I am bullied..."

He didn't know what he was thinking about. He pulled the quilt to cover half of his face and whispered tentatively, "What should I do?"

Duan Mingchong held his hand, gently placed it under the quilt, reached out to tidy up a strand of hair on his forehead, and said softly: "I will always protect you from now on."

Sui Yan finally got the answer he wanted. He covered his face with the quilt, cried out silently, and nodded hurriedly.

Sui Yan had lived for so many years in his past and present lives, but this was the first time he had heard someone say such words to him. Even though he was not the type to rely on others to survive, he was still deeply hurt by these words. His head seemed to be boiling with thoughts, and he had no energy to think.

Not until Duan Mingchong left did Sui Yan secretly peek out from under the quilt, his cheeks slightly red, perhaps from suffocation or embarrassment.

"That's great." Sui Yan murmured softly, "So this is what it feels like to have someone protecting you."