Jun Huailang smiled and said half-jokingly, “Why wouldn’t I dare? Could it be that Her Ladyship’s departed soul is so stingy that she won’t even let people sit on her swing?”
Fuyi hurriedly followed him while chanting, “Amitabha, Amitabha,” repeatedly saying, “Young Master, you mustn’t say things like that!”
Jun Huailang smiled until the corners of his eyes curved, walking straight ahead.
After passing several palace buildings, a dazzling sea of red maple leaves appeared before them. It was currently the season when the maple leaves were at their most beautiful. A vast expanse of red, almost as though it had caught fire, suddenly appeared before the two of them, and Fuyi quietly sucked in a breath.
“It’s so beautiful!” he whispered.
Jun Huailang smiled. “Not afraid of ghosts anymore?”
Fuyi smiled shyly. “Young Master, please don’t tease this servant!”
As he spoke, the two of them walked into the maple grove.
Just then, faint laughter and conversation came from ahead.
Jun Huailang looked up and saw several young palace maids gathered together and playing around. The swing in the maple grove was unmistakably there as well.
The swing was old, and the paint on it had become mottled. One young palace maid stood on it without the slightest restraint, slowly rocking back and forth. Several other palace maids were sitting in the maple grove, actually cracking melon seeds and laughing as they chatted.
What palace did these maids belong to that they could be so idle?
Jun Huailang could not help looking around. Within a radius of several zhang, there was only that dilapidated palace where someone had died. The entrance was desolate, covered with dust and fallen leaves, but it was not locked.
Was someone living here after all, or not?
Jun Huailang found it rather strange.
Just then, one of the palace maids spotted him and nudged her companion. Several palace maids hurriedly stood up. Seeing that his clothing was refined yet he was an unfamiliar face, they exchanged glances before offering a somewhat scattered salute.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
Jun Huailang was only focused on the palace building with its tightly closed doors and casually said, “I’m not a prince. I’m just…”
At that moment, a heavy, muffled sound rang out, mixed with the sharp creaking of rusted hinges.
The mottled, heavy vermilion gate was pushed open from within.
Jun Huailang froze.
He actually saw Xue Yan walking out alone.
He carried a wooden bucket. After pushing the door open, he walked to the well beside the entrance. A eunuch was sitting by the well. Seeing this, he showed not the slightest intention of going over to help. Instead, he moved aside, as though afraid of touching him.
Xue Yan seemed not to notice. His steps were somewhat awkward as he slowly walked to the well and bent down to lower the wooden bucket.
He stooped, and Jun Huailang happened to see a patch of dark bloodstains on his back, already soaked through his robes.
The scene from that night before the steps of Yongle Palace immediately appeared in Jun Huailang’s mind.
Only a few days had passed since then.
Those palace staves could break a person’s bones. Even if Xue Yan had been fortunate enough not to damage his muscles or bones, he must have been severely injured.
The sound of those staves striking flesh still seemed to echo beside Jun Huailang’s ears.
Xue Yan skillfully filled the bucket with water and began hauling it upward. Beneath his robes, the clear lines of his strong, athletic shoulders and back were visible.
But new bloodstains immediately seeped through his robes, spreading over the original dark stains.
Clearly, his wounds had split open again.
Yet the palace maids and eunuchs beside him acted as though they had not seen anything. They continued doing whatever they were doing. The only exception was the few palace maids standing where they were, whose gazes remained fixed on Jun Huailang.
No one cared how badly he was injured.
Not even a single person treated him as a master of the palace.
Even if the person before them had been a stray dog with a broken leg, these people might not have been quite so cold.
Jun Huailang could see that every time Xue Yan exerted himself, the wounds on his back were pulled open, causing more blood to seep out and making his shoulders and back tremble almost imperceptibly.
Suddenly, his hand slipped.
The bucket abruptly dropped downward, making a sudden, ear-piercing noise.
Jun Huailang was startled.
When he came back to himself, he somehow found that he had already walked up to Xue Yan. His hand was pressing down on the wooden handle in Xue Yan’s hand.
Jun Huailang froze, only then realizing what he was doing.
…What am I doing?!
No matter how difficult Xue Yan’s circumstances were right now, this was not something he, a person who had been Xue Yan’s enemy in his previous life, should be meddling in!
But when he lowered his eyes, he could see Xue Yan’s hand gripping the handle.
The veins on the back of his hand were faintly visible. His fingers were long and strong, yet carried an unnatural pallor.
Jun Huailang inwardly scolded himself for his soft-heartedness and reluctantly thought that this would be the only time. Next time, he absolutely would not act on such an impulse again.
“Move aside.” He did not even raise his eyes and spoke coldly.
Xue Yan had not expected this young master, whom he had not seen for several days, to appear in such a secluded place. His gaze paused, carrying a trace of surprise.
The young master seemed to particularly like wearing blue-green colors.
Today, he wore a crab-shell-green cloak. The color was clean and pale, particularly complementing his exquisite yet aloof face.
He stubbornly turned his face to the side, his expression cold and his voice fierce. Clearly, he had come to help, yet he insisted on putting on an unwilling expression.
Xue Yan truly had not expected him to meddle in his affairs.
He needed to draw water to clean his wounds and prevent them from becoming infected and festering. This level of pain was nothing to him. It was nowhere near enough to prevent him from moving.
Such a small matter did not need to be entrusted to someone else. He had long since grown accustomed to doing everything alone.
It was merely somewhat more difficult than usual, causing his wounds to split open again. He would have to return and bandage them again, which was somewhat troublesome.
He had not expected that this little young master with a glutinous-rice filling of a heart would actually develop some compassion.
Xue Yan found it rather novel. A hint of interest surfaced in his eyes.
He gave a faint “Oh,” and released his hand.
Instantly, the heavy bucket lost all resistance and dropped with a loud splash.
Jun Huailang had never drawn water before. Caught completely off guard, he could not hold it back. The wooden handle in his hands was dragged around and spun several times with a clattering sound, violently pulling Jun Huailang along with it.
He struck against the edge of the well and was dragged straight toward the opening.
Jun Huailang’s foot slipped. He even forgot to cry out.
The force suddenly sent him plunging toward the well.
An unfathomably deep darkness filled his vision. A chill surged upward, wrapping around him and violently pulling him down.
Suddenly, a long, powerful hand grabbed his arm and pulled upward, firmly dragging him back.
When he came to himself, the terror of death gradually receded, and his numb body slowly regained its senses.
That hand had gripped his arm so tightly that it hurt. His elbow seemed to have struck the edge of the well, sending sharp, throbbing pain through it.
Fuyi cried out in alarm and ran over.
Xue Yan easily pulled Jun Huailang backward, taking him away from the edge of the well before releasing him.
“Young Master, are you all right? Did you hit yourself anywhere?” Fuyi hurried over to examine him.
The moment he touched Jun Huailang’s arm, Jun Huailang hissed and instinctively pulled his arm back.
Fuyi hurriedly rolled up his sleeve.
A frightening bruise had formed across his slender, pale arm. Because it had scraped heavily against the edge of the well, the skin had broken and tiny traces of blood were seeping out.
Fuyi cried out in alarm.
Beside them, Xue Yan raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
This little young master’s skin was actually so delicate. He had only bumped it once, yet such a large bruise had appeared.
He really had been raised among embroidered silks and jade, more delicate than porcelain.
Immediately afterward, he saw the little young master lower his sleeve somewhat awkwardly, covering the wound.
Then his expression turned cold, and he looked sideways at the eunuch beside them.
“Are you blind? The palace pays you a monthly salary so that you can sit here enjoying the shade?”
He had been born with an air of nobility and elegance. When he became angry, his appearance was noble and cold, frightening the eunuch into trembling as he hurriedly knelt before him and begged forgiveness.
Xue Yan, however, seemed to see a little peacock that had finally recovered from its fright. It shook its tail feathers and arrogantly raised its chin slightly, once again revealing that haughty expression.
He had always believed that all living beings in the world were ugly.
Even if they wore a layer of human skin, their insides were all demons and monsters.
Yet for the first time, he found someone rather interesting and pleasing to the eye.
Even… somewhat cute.
It was like when a little peacock shook its tail feathers, its plumage lightly brushed against him, happening to sweep across his heart and gently stirring up the faintest trace of an itch.
Gone in an instant.
Meanwhile, Jun Huailang stood there with a cold and composed expression, but inside, he was extremely embarrassed.
Helping the enemy from his previous life was one thing. He could simply regard it as a momentary impulse.
But not only had he failed to help, he had nearly caused a disaster and had even been saved by the mortal enemy who had taken his life in his previous existence.
That made him exceptionally embarrassed.
Jun Huailang reluctantly steadied himself and looked at the palace attendants who had finally come back to their senses and were now kneeling on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.
He said coldly, “Even if I am not a prince, if something had happened to me here today, none of you would have escaped. Much less His Highness the Fifth Prince. No matter how little favor he receives, if something happened to him today, which of you would have a life left by tomorrow?”
Jun Huailang’s words were not false.
No matter how much the Emperor disliked Xue Yan, he was still a legitimate prince.
If he died or became disabled, even if the Emperor did not wish to pursue the matter, with the court historians watching, the government and the people alike would never agree.
It was merely that Xue Yan’s life was exceptionally tenacious. No matter how he was tormented, he simply would not die.
Hearing this, the palace attendants all trembled like sieves.
Jun Huailang found it laughable and continued, “The conflict between His Majesty and the Fifth Prince is a matter of the imperial family. What does it have to do with you? Your only duty is to serve your master. Otherwise, if even the slightest mistake occurs, none of you will be able to keep your heads.”
The group of palace attendants knelt on the ground, their earlier arrogance completely gone. They could only repeatedly kowtow and agree.
Jun Huailang had no intention of entangling himself with them any further.
In any case, Xue Yan would soon be moving to Consort Shu’s palace. All he needed to do was find out who had tampered with things.
He coldly ordered one of the attendants to hurry to the Imperial Medical Bureau to summon a physician. He then instructed the attendants to quickly draw water and bring it inside before turning around to leave.
But unexpectedly, he collided with Xue Yan’s gaze.
Amber-colored pupils.
The color was clearly pale, yet they were bottomless.
Jun Huailang once again remembered the embarrassment of failing to help just now and nearly falling into the well.
He thought, I should leave quickly. Let’s just pretend today’s incident never happened.
But before he could turn around, Xue Yan had already stepped forward.
Jun Huailang could not dodge in time. Xue Yan grabbed his arm, then rolled up his sleeve, exposing the frightening injury once again.
Jun Huailang hurriedly tried to pull his arm back.
But Xue Yan was using almost no force at all, yet Jun Huailang could not break free.
He could only let Xue Yan hold his arm.
Then he saw a slender hand land on his wound. Xue Yan searched for the exact spot slightly before relaxing his strength and pressing down.
The unexpected pressure made Jun Huailang cry out in pain.
His touch was extremely precise, landing directly in the center of the bruise. He kneaded it several times with perfectly measured force.
Before Jun Huailang could say anything, Xue Yan raised his eyes and looked down at him.
“Nothing to worry about. The bone isn’t injured,” he said.