Chapter 49 Old Case

At dinner, Sui Yan absentmindedly drank half a bowl of soup. He couldn't help but ask the palace servant who was serving the dishes, "Where's His Highness?"

The palace maid helped him pick up a piece of meat from the medicinal meal with chopsticks and said respectfully, "His Highness said that he had eaten at the Fifth Prince's place and would not come to accompany the young marquis."

Sui Yan almost broke the chopsticks in his hand.

He thought to himself: Oh, man.

Sui Yan finished his meal without any taste, and was coaxed by the palace maid to drink half a bowl of medicine, then returned to the side hall in a muffled voice.

Sui Yan sat on the couch in a daze for a long time, then unbuttoned his clothes in a depressed mood, intending to go to bed. However, when he put his clothes down, the sachet that he had stuffed in his arms accidentally fell out.

Sui Yan was stunned for a moment, and it took him a while to realize why Duan Mingchong suddenly ignored him.

After figuring out all the points, Sui Yan's mood, which had been depressed all night, suddenly lifted.

In the bedroom of the East Palace, Duan Mingchong sat in front of the desk with his hair loose, reading a book in his hands with his eyes lowered. The flames of candles as big as beans enveloped his body, making his handsome profile look even gentler.

Sui Yan pushed the door open cautiously, and when he saw Duan Mingchong's gentle and graceful appearance, his Adam's apple moved with difficulty.

He poked his head in the doorway for a long time before he timidly asked, "Your Highness?"

Duan Mingchong was startled, he raised his head and looked towards the door, he caught a glimpse of Sui Yan's alert look like a frightened little animal, his eyes darkened.

"What are you doing outside? Come in."

Sui Yan then came in trembling. He was wearing a thin coat and was barefoot. His lips were bruised purple from being frozen.

When Duan Mingchong saw it, his face suddenly darkened. He threw the book, which he had not turned a page of all night, on the desk, stood up and walked over quickly.

"Why did you come here without wearing thick clothes? Aren't you cold?!" Duan Mingchong walked up to him, dragged him into the room, and pushed him onto the couch with a sullen face.

Sui Yan's plan was to torture Duan Mingchong because he knew that Duan Mingchong would definitely fall for it.

He bent his legs, stepped on each other with his cold feet, and whispered, "I suddenly remembered that I had something to discuss with Your Highness, so I ran over here."

Duan Mingchong frowned and said, "Is there something important that can't be discussed tomorrow?"

Sui Yan pulled out a purple sachet from his sleeve, carefully pinched the two tassels on the tassel with two fingers, handed it to Duan Mingchong, and whispered, "This."

Duan Mingchong's eyes moved, and he said, "Do you want to tell me about the girl who gave you the sachet?"

Sui Yan swallowed.

Duan Mingchong smiled and said, "People who gave you the sachet naturally have feelings for you. You should make your own decisions about your own life. Why would you tell me?"

After Duan Mingchong finished speaking, he clenched his hands in his sleeves suddenly, tearing a few wrinkles on the brocade clothes, and there was some unknown bitterness in his heart.

"He's old enough now, it's time for him to prepare for his life." Duan Mingchong thought sadly, "Since we're going to discuss marriage, he can't stay in the East Palace for too long."

Duan Mingchong was just about to open his mouth to ask him to return to the Marquis' Mansion when he saw Sui Yan lower his head and untie the sachet, revealing a few leftover pine nuts inside.

Duan Mingchong: “…”

Sui Yan smiled flatteringly: "I ran into Jiang Enhe in the palace today. He forced it on me. I was afraid that Your Highness would worry that the thing came from an unknown source, so I didn't dare to tell you."

Duan Mingchong stared at the pine nuts in the sachet, not knowing what to say for a long time, his eyes filled with a complexity that was hard to describe in words.

Sui Yan picked up the sachet and shook it like a hot potato and threw it under the bed, grinning, "I threw it away. Look, I threw it far away. I will never eat it again. Your Highness, please be merciful and don't blame me anymore."

Duan Mingchong felt somewhat helpless seeing his pitiful expression. He rubbed his brows and said, "I don't blame you. If you want to eat this kind of food again in the future, I'll ask Chef Yu to make it for you. The food outside..."

Sui Yan added: "...It's not clean. I know. I will definitely not eat it again in the future."

Duan Mingchong looked at him helplessly with a gentle smile on his face.

Sui Yan finally saw Duan Mingchong's usual gentle smile, and knowing that the matter had been talked out, he also smiled.

Duan Mingchong said: "Since there is nothing else, you can go first..."

Before he could finish his words, he saw Sui Yan lifting the quilt and crawling inside.

Duan Mingchong: “…”

Duan Mingchong asked with difficulty: "Ayan, what are you doing?"

In the time it took to say this, Sui Yan slithered into the quilt like a snake, revealing only his hairy head and two eyes as white as glass. He grabbed the edge of the quilt with both hands and blinked at him: "I'm cold."

Duan Mingchong was helpless: "Then I'll take you back to the side hall to sleep."

Sui Yan smiled playfully: "Your Highness, since I took the initiative to admit my mistake this time, please let me sleep here for one night. I am not used to sleeping alone, and I had a nightmare all night last night."

Duan Mingchong was a little embarrassed.

Sui Yan hardened his heart: "I can't sleep, I might have to look for incense everywhere."

Duan Mingchong: “…”

Duan Mingchong was completely defeated by him and nodded helplessly: "Okay, I'll have someone bring a charcoal brazier over, and go to sleep."

Sui Yan smiled brightly, arched his body and shrank into the bed, patted the quilt and said, "Your Highness, come quickly!"

Duan Mingchong smiled and said, "I have something else to do, so it will be a little later."

Sui Yan had already climbed onto the bed, so he wasn't afraid that Duan Mingchong would run away halfway, and nodded obediently.

Duan Mingchong tucked the quilt for him before turning around and leaving.

He turned around, the smile on his face turned a little cold, he walked a few steps with a frown, picked up the sachet on the ground and looked at it casually.

Sui Yan was squirming in the quilt, not knowing what he was happy about.

Duan Mingchong took a look at the arched brocade quilt, his eyes darkened, and he quickly threw the sachet into the charcoal basin beside him.

The charcoal fire was quickly engulfed by the sachet and soon burned into a ball of ashes.

Duan Mingchong lowered his eyes and looked at the sachet that was burned by the flames in the charcoal basin. His amber eyes flickered in the light of the fire.

He murmured softly, "Jiang, En, He."

Sui Yan relied on his thick skin to successfully move into Duan Mingchong's bedroom - although His Royal Highness the Crown Prince still refused to touch him like a gentleman, and every day he wanted to move himself to the edge of the bed to sleep.

In this leisurely manner, half a month passed, with grass growing, birds singing, and flowers blooming in profusion.

Sui Yan's body was well taken care of by Duan Ming Chong. His face had gained some flesh and looked much more rosy. However, perhaps because he was still growing up, the muscles and bones in his legs would cramp like crazy every night. Sui Yan would howl in pain every night, and would secretly throw himself into the arms of the little prince, taking advantage of him.

On this day, Duan Mingchong went to the inner cabinet to discuss matters. Sui Yan, whose legs had been cramped all night last night, was trembling and was about to go to the Yu Garden to appreciate the flowers. The palace servants saw that he was staggering but still insisted on running to the Yu Garden, so they followed behind and whispered to persuade him.

Sui Yan waved his hands: "It's okay, don't worry about me, I'll just take a walk."

The young marquis was disabled but determined. He moved step by step with great difficulty to the Yu Garden. He looked around, waved away the palace maids who followed him, and sat alone in the pavilion beside the pond.

After a while, a figure hurriedly ran along the quiet path.

Sui Yan saw it and said hurriedly, "Here it is!"

The man ran over quickly and when he got closer, he revealed a bruised face. It was Jiang Enhe.

Sui Yan was shocked when he saw it: "Wow! Lord Jiang, why do you look so dignified today?"

Jiang Enhe stepped onto the stairs and said angrily, "Did I provoke you? Are you really going to cheat me like this? Besides, you have already accepted my bribe, so why are you still reporting it to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

Sui Yan: “…”

Sui Yan Wu Gu blinked: "What?"

Jiang Enhe was still furious: "Don't tell me you know nothing! I was doing well in the Imperial Academy, but a few days ago, the Crown Prince suddenly came to me and asked me to take charge of an old case! Damn it! No one else dared to take on this matter, so how come it fell on me for no reason? Isn't it because you whispered in the Crown Prince's ear that I am so unlucky?"

Sui Yan was so confused by the scolding, but he felt comfortable with the words and didn't argue with Jiang En, so he patiently said, "Why? If you don't take over this case, will the prince beat you?"

Jiang Enhe was a little embarrassed, and touched the wound on his face uncomfortably, muttering softly: "I was chasing a bear cub who stole my money on the busy street. That little bitch, don't let me catch her, or I'll make her pay!"

It was the first time that Sui Yan found that Jiang En and this man were quite interesting. He raised his eyebrows and said, "So, you called me out because you want me to turn down this case for you?"

Gann nodded in humiliation.

Sui Yan said, "Then tell me first, what case made you want to throw it away like a hot potato?"

Jiang Enhe thought for a while before whispering in Sui Yan's ear: "It's about Yin Lingfeng's corruption case. His Highness seems to want to re-investigate it."

Sui Yan's eyes trembled.

Sui Yan asked, "Why did he suddenly check this?"

Jiang Enhe almost screamed: "I want to know too!"

Sui Yan glanced at him with a look of resentment: "Calm down, it's not a big deal. Since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants you to investigate, just go ahead and investigate. What are you worrying about?"

Jiang Enhe curled his lips and said, "It's easy for you to say that. In the case of Yin Lingfeng, many ministers in the court pleaded for him, but the emperor still sentenced him directly in order to protect the Fifth Prince. If I take over this case, wouldn't I be courting death?"

Sui Yan thought of Duan Xichen's current situation and smiled, "That may not be the case. Maybe now is a good time to overturn the verdict."

Jiang Enhe was frightened, his mind was not working, and he asked blankly, "What?"

Sui Yan was about to speak when he heard footsteps from the side. The two people who were very close to each other quickly separated and turned their heads to look to the side.

Duan Xichen, dressed in a black robe, came out from a side path with a few attendants, and seemed to be here to admire the flowers as well.

As Sui Yan saw Duan Xichen's face, his body stiffened instinctively, and the fear deep in his heart surged up like a tide, but he quickly suppressed it.

Duan Xichen seemed to see Sui Yan and walked towards him with a sullen face.

He had been seriously ill and was in very weak shape. Perhaps it was because of the smell of the medicine, but his temperament changed drastically, becoming gloomy and deep, with a sinister look in his eyes.

Sui Yan and Jiang Enhe stood up and saluted him.

"I have met the Fifth Prince."

Duan Xichen walked forward quickly, looked coldly at Sui Yan, whose legs were shaking and almost unsteady, and said after a while: "Get up."

The two of them then stood up.

Duan Xichen looked at Sui Yan coldly, smiling but not smiling, and said, "Young Marquis, it's been a long time since we last met, and you are still as beautiful as ever."

Jiang Enhe, who was standing aside, had a gloomy face. He seemed to have not expected that Duan Xichen would dare to be so disrespectful to Sui Yan in front of so many people, and his tone almost treated Sui Yan as a dishonest person.

Sui Yan remained calm and said calmly, "It's been a long time since I last saw the Fifth Prince. He is still as unreasonable and rude as a commoner."

Duan Xichen: “…”

Jiang Enhe: "..."

It seemed that he had not expected Sui Yan to dare to ridicule him in public. Duan Xichen was stunned for a moment.

Sui Yan suddenly uttered an "ah", tilted his head and apologized insincerely, "I'm so sorry, Fifth Prince. I've been ill for a few days and I'm not fully recovered yet. My brain isn't working well. The Crown Prince always tells me not to run around, fearing that I might offend people by talking nonsense. I hope you can forgive me for being outspoken and not complain to the Crown Prince."