Chapter 70: Cowardly

From then on, Sui Xun changed his usual habit of practicing sword at home and ran out after returning from work. According to the servants of the Marquis's Mansion, General Sui would go to the Jiang Mansion every day and take Jiang Ning to run around and have a lot of fun.

Sui Yan, however, was the opposite of Sui Xun. He stopped running around these days and stayed at home all day, either sleeping or basking in the sun in the yard. He even rarely went to the East Palace.

Jun Jingxing brought some more herbs from Yin's house, and when he had nothing to do, he started researching medicine in the yard.

Sui Yan sat on a rattan rocking chair, holding a small hand stove and glancing at Jun Jingxing. He tapped the ground with his toes and said, "See you in the moonlight."

Jun Jingxing didn't even raise his head: "Hmm?"

Sui Yan said: "I want to have some snacks."

Jun Jingxing said: "Bear with it."

Sui Yan tapped the ground with his toes again and was about to stand up to get it himself, but Jun Jingxing said indifferently: "You are not allowed to get off the rattan rocking chair."

Sui Yan had no choice but to retract his foot in grievance.

Every time Jun Jingxing was drying herbs in the yard and Sui Yan was basking in the sun, he was afraid that the cat-like ancestor would bump into them with his hooves and claws and knock over the herbs he had picked with great difficulty.

After the medicine basket was knocked over two or three times, Jun Jingxing made three rules with Sui Yan with a gloomy face - every time Sui Yan was out in the sun, he was not allowed to get off the chair, and Jun Jingxing promised him that he would not use acupuncture when treating patients.

With this exchange condition, Sui Yan finally agreed to sleep quietly on the rattan rocking chair and stopped kicking around.

Jun Jingxing continued to research medicine.

Sui Yan rocked on the rattan rocking chair for a while, and seemed to feel bored. He leaned on the armrest and said lazily to Jun Jingxing: "Why are you developing some messed-up medicines every day? They all seem to be useless."

Jun Jingxing sneezed as he tilted his head due to the sting of the medicine powder, and said without even raising his head, "It may not work if you look at it, but it works if you take it."

Sui Yan had to be force-fed medicine every day, and he got used to it over time. He tilted his head and asked, "How long do I have to take it?"

Jun Jingxing said: "You can eat as long as you live."

Sui Yan: “…”

Sui Yan said faintly, "I feel like I'm smelling like medicine now. After soaking in the tub for a while, I feel like the water smells like medicine. Doctor Jun, I want to ask you, are you planning to feed me into a medicine man? The kind whose blood can cure all diseases?"

Jun Jingxing frowned: "What a mess. What weird play have you read?"

Sui Yan took out a half-read book from his clothes and said, "Here, this is a collection of ancient strange stories. It's used to kill time and help me sleep."

Jun Jingxing asked, "What are you talking about?"

Sui Yan flipped through the book randomly: "There are so many things about gods and Buddhas, reincarnation, ghosts and monsters, etc. Do you want to listen? I will read it to you."

Jun Jingxing said hurriedly: "No need, Lord Hou, please spare my ears."

Sui Yan said: "This is really interesting, but some of it seems too fabricated."

Jun Jingxing: "For example?"

Sui Yan turned a page, pointed at a few lines of words and leaned forward to show him: "For example, this one - it says that no matter whether a person is good or evil, black or white, as long as he dies, he will be reincarnated. In the next life, whether he will be a human or an object, rich and powerful or miserable for a hundred years, it is unknown."

Jun Jingxing: "So?"

Sui Yan patted the book and said angrily: "This is not right at all. This reincarnation thing is just a lie for children."

Jun Jingxing was speechless and said, "That makes sense. Besides, you have never died, so how do you know that this is a lie?"

Sui Yan glared at him.

After Jun Jingxing finished speaking, he realized that he was so bored that he wasted his time discussing such a messy issue with Sui Yan. He said unhappily, "If you don't believe it, don't read this kind of fabricated book. If you want to sleep, I'll give you a few medical books. You will definitely sleep all night long after reading a few pages."

Sui Yan: “…”

Jun Jingxing said again: "Didn't you want to run to the East Palace whenever you had time before? Why have you learned your lesson now? You don't even mention Duan Mingchong's name?"

Jun Jingxing is really good at talking about something that is not worth mentioning.

Sui Yan had been worried about Duan Mingchong. Upon hearing this, he threw the book over and said unhappily, "Go on making your medicine."

He lay back down on the rattan rocking chair, pulled the small blanket over himself, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Sui Yan has seldom had nightmares in these years. This time he was just taking a short nap, but for some reason he had nightmares one after another.

"The emperor won't live long, won't you take action? When Duan Ruwang died in Xiangguo Temple, someone must have seen it. Even if he is dying now, he will not let you go."

"Sui Yan, Sui Yan! Are you still alive?"

"Do you still...want to live?"

"The Third Prince... has already returned to the capital from Canglin Temple. Can you... still wait for him?"

“…”

The noises from all around were endless, making Sui Yan's head ache. He pressed his forehead with difficulty in a daze and murmured, "Your Highness..."

A warm hand reached out and gently touched his forehead.

Sui Yan opened his eyes with great difficulty, looking at the shadowy face in front of him with blurry vision.

“Your Highness…”

The man's voice seemed to be covered by a layer of fog, and it didn't sound clear: "Ayan, what do you think?"

Sui Yan wanted to raise his hands to grab him, but his hands seemed to weigh a thousand pounds and he couldn't lift them no matter what.

He became more and more anxious, and his eyes turned slightly red.

Duan Mingchong probably saw his urgency and hurriedly grabbed his hand and held it in his warm palm.

Sui Yan seemed to be somewhat confused. He half-closed his eyes and shook his head desperately, saying in a hoarse voice: "I can't wait... I can't wait!"

Duan Mingchong hurriedly grabbed his hands and coaxed him softly, "I'm here, Ayan, wake up."

Sui Yan suddenly shook off Duan Mingchong's hand, finding strength from nowhere, and struggled to crawl to the edge of the couch.

He lost his grip and fell off the couch, and was quickly caught in the arms of Duan Mingchong.

The two of them fell to the ground in a heap.

Sui Yan struggled until he had no strength left, and fell on Duan Mingchong's shoulder with sweat all over his face. His long hair hung down on the side of his face, making his face look even paler.

Sui Yan didn't recognize him. He pressed Duan Mingchong's chest with trembling hands and said in a trembling voice: "The gods and Buddhas will treat those who commit suicide..."

"Will there be a severe punishment?"

"Will... I not enter reincarnation?"

"Will I become a lonely... lonely ghost?"

"Yue Jian..." Sui Yan murmured softly, "Did you bury me in the Sui family's ancestral tomb? I miss my parents..."

Duan Mingchong didn't quite hear what he was saying, but he knew something was wrong with his current condition, so he grabbed his waist and half-dragged him onto the couch.

At this moment, Jun Jingxing, who was late, rushed in carrying a lit incense burner. White smoke curled up like ink falling into water.

Duan Mingchong held Sui Yan in his arms, while looking up at Jun Jingxing, frowning and asking, "What kind of fragrance is that?"

Jun Jingxing said: "The calming incense is very effective - he is just haunted by a nightmare, it will be fine in a while."

Duan Mingchong finally felt relieved.

Sui Yan leaned against his chest, clutching Duan Mingchong's clothes tightly, his knuckles turned white, and the clothes were wrinkled.

Duan Mingchong gently patted Sui Yan's back and coaxed him softly: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I'm with you."

Sui Yanhun leaned limply in Duan Mingchong's arms. Soon the calming incense took effect and he fell into a deep sleep.

Jun Jingxing knew Sui Yan's thoughts about Duan Mingchong, so he didn't stay here any longer and stood up to say goodbye.

Sui Yan slept till dark and then woke up groggily. Nightmares always drain a lot of energy. He slept for half a day but felt even more tired.

He rubbed his eyes, propped up his elbows and sat up, saying drowsily, "Yuejian, I'm so thirsty."

There was a rustling sound beside me, and a voice said softly, "The water is here, drink slowly."

Sui Yan was not fully awake yet. He was dazed and was fed half a cup of water before he reluctantly opened his eyes.

Duan Mingchong looked at him with a smile: "Awake?"

Sui Yan blinked his eyes, and took a moment to come back to his senses. He leaned back in shock, and the back of his head almost hit the wall. Duan Mingchong quickly reached out and cushioned it.

Sui Yan huddled back with the quilt in his arms, stuttering, "Your Highness, why...why are you here?"

Duan Mingchong: "Are you still thirsty?"

Sui Yan didn't dare to let Duan Mingchong serve him personally, and shook his head desperately.

Duan Mingchong put down the cup and said, "I haven't seen you these few days, and I thought you were sick again, so I wanted to come to the Marquis' Mansion to see you. The day after tomorrow is the New Year's Eve, and I brought some royal delicacies for you to try."

Sui Yan nodded hesitantly, and only then realized that he was covered in sweat, even his shirt was a little wet.

Sui Yan loved Jie the most, he frowned and tugged at his sleeves.

Duan Mingchong said: "Want to take a bath?"

Sui Yan nodded, glanced outside, frowned and said, "It's already dark?"

Duan Mingchong said: "Yes, you have been sleeping for half a day, and you have been holding my clothes tightly."

Sui Yan hesitated and said, "Then... Your Highness has been sitting here for half a day?"

Duan Mingchong smiled and said, "Of course."

Sui Yan wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Duan Mingchong did not tease him and said, "I originally wanted to come over to see you and then leave, but when I first came, I saw that you were in a nightmare, so I wanted to stay with you for a while longer."

Sui Yan felt a little embarrassed. He straightened his messy hair and said, "Is that so?"

There was a sudden knock on the door.

Haitang said outside the door: "Master, Doctor Jun asked us to boil some hot water. Do you want to take a bath?"

Sui Yan said hurriedly: "Okay, I'll go right away."

A response was heard from outside the door, and then there was no further sound.

Duan Mingchong stood up and said, "Then I will leave first."

Sui Yan didn't know what he was thinking. He suddenly grabbed Duan Mingchong's sleeve, tilted his head and blinked at him: "Your Highness..."

Duan Mingchong was puzzled: "Hmm?"

Sui Yan hesitated for a long time before hesitating, "Has the palace ban arrived yet?"

Duan Mingchong: "..."

Duan Mingchong looked at him helplessly. If he remembered correctly, during the Lantern Festival three years ago, Sui Yan had planned to keep him in the Marquis' Mansion for one night for this reason.

It was just that something happened to Duan Xichen suddenly at that time, so his stay at the Marquis' Mansion naturally came to nothing. I didn't expect that Sui Yan still remembered it now.

Duan Mingchong suppressed his laughter and said, "Yes, then Lord Hou, can you let me stay in your house for one night?"

Sui Yan's eyes lit up and he nodded like crazy: "Stay, stay, stay!"

Duan Mingchong leaned over, flicked his brow with his fingers, and said with a soft smile: "Go take a shower, I'll go talk to General Sui first."

Sui Yan hurriedly put on his clothes and ran out to take a bath.

The bathtub in the next room was blocked by a screen. Sui Yan took off his clothes and turned around the screen, then he saw the bathtub full of herbs.

Sui Yan hurriedly wrapped himself in clothes and shouted outside: "Haitang! Haitang!"

The door was pushed open, and Jun Jingxing walked in holding a small bag of herbs and asked calmly, "What do you want to see him about?"

Sui Yan grabbed his cape with one hand and pointed at the screen with the other, and said anxiously, "Why is the wooden barrel full of herbs? How can I take a bath? Isn't today the twenty-first? Why do I need to take a medicinal bath if it's not the first or fifteenth day of the month?"

Jun Jingxing said nothing, but threw the herbs in his hand into the hot water.

Sui Yan hurried over to greet him: "Hey!"

Jun Jingxing then turned around and said coldly, "Do you know that when you came back from the East Palace a few days ago, you were covered in other poisonous incense?"

Sui Yan was stunned: "Ah?"

Jun Jingxing said: "Although there is not much, it is harmless to ordinary people, but you are weak to begin with, and the stigma has not been removed. Even that little bit of poisonous fragrance can take your life. Fortunately, you did not stay in the East Palace for too long, otherwise..."

Sui Yan thought about it and it seemed that he heard someone say that Duan Ruwang sent the woman from Southern Xinjiang to the Eastern Palace the last time he went there, but when he went there, the woman had already left.

It was probably at that time that the poisonous fragrance from the Princess of Southern Xinjiang lingered in the East Palace for a long time and stained him a little.

Sui Yan felt a little scared. In his previous life, he had come face to face with the Princess of Southern Xinjiang and narrowly escaped death. He never expected that he would almost fall into her hands again this time.

Sui Yan said: "Fortunately, she is dead now."

Jun Jingxing didn't hear clearly: "Who died?"

Sui Yan: "Have you heard of the princess from Southern Xinjiang? She is so beautiful. If you were still in Wanhualou now, you might have to give up the title of the most beautiful woman."

Jun Jingxing: “…”

Jun Jingxing's lips twitched: "I don't want this title, and who told you that the Princess of Southern Xinjiang is dead? Isn't she still fine, and has now moved into the Fifth Prince's palace."

Sui Yan chuckled and said nothing more.

He slapped the tub and said unhappily, "Never mind that princess. Ask Haitang to change the hot water for me, and replace the herbs with flower petals, the kind that leaves a lingering fragrance, the kind that makes people unable to stop!"

Jun Jingxing: “…”

Jun Jingxing was puzzled and asked: "What are you going to do? How can you make sleeping sound like going to the emperor's bed..."

Sui Yan looked at him dimly.

Jun Jingxing took a deep breath and said in a shocked tone, "You wouldn't... leave the prince here, would you?"

Sui Yan patted his shoulder and gave him an admiring look: "Young man, you are really smart. You guessed it right at the first try."

Jun Jingxing clasped his fists towards him and praised him sincerely: "Zhuangshi, you are so brave."