Ch18.1 - Suffering

When Sui Yan woke up again, it was already past noon.

The weather was sublime, and Jun Jingxing was sitting by a half-opened window, reading. When he heard the sound of Sui Yan’s movements, he turned around. 

As soon as Sui Yan woke up, he blearily reached out to fumble for the candied fruits in the small box on his bedside table without even opening his eyes.

Jun Jingxing was so amused by this sight that he laughed. He placed his book down and said, “Don’t eat it yet. You can have one after you finish your medicine.”

Sui Yan finally opened his eyes. His hand shrank back under the blanket, and he looked at the half-opened window as he complained, “It’s cold, the wind is coming in.”

Jun Jingxing handed over the medicine that had been heated on a small stove and replied, “Don’t act so pretentious. There are five or six charcoal basins in the room. If anyone else was here, they would have long died of heat. Keeping the window open can also air out the room. If you really think it’s cold, I’ll close it for you in a bit.” 

Sui Yan weakly nodded and held onto the bowl as he took small bites of his medicine.

Jun Jingxing looked at his lowered eyelashes and suddenly said, “The Third Prince came to see you when you were asleep.”

Sui Yan’s hands shook, and he nearly spilled his medicine.

Jun Jingxing stretched out his hand and firmly held onto Sui Yan’s wrist as he lightly remarked, “Why are you smashing things every time he is brought up? I spent a long time making this medicine, so finish it before you smash the bowl.”

Sui Yan froze. He still couldn’t think, so he obediently finished the medicine before fiercely hurling the bowl onto the ground.

The sound of shattering porcelain filled the room.

Sui Yan said, “Next time he comes, beat him up until he leaves.”

Jun Jingxing was calm and unruffled in the midst of this chaos. He watched Sui Yan, feeling amused. 

When he first came to the Sui Manor, Jun Jingxing had believed that this Little Young Master was a promiscuous youth enamored with beauties. He had felt terrified and contemptuous towards Sui Yan. However, after staying with him for the past few days, Jun Jingxing’s views had drastically changed.

How was this a licentious young master? This was clearly a child that hadn’t grown up yet.

All he thought about was playing around and eating sweets. Perhaps he didn’t even know what a courtesan is.

After Sui Yan gave those instructions, he waited for a long time but didn’t hear any response. He glanced up and was horrified to find that Jun Jingxing was staring at him with a strange gaze. Instead of the usual contempt, Jun Jingxing’s gaze was filled with benevolence, as if he was indulging a mischievous child. 

Sui Yan had seen this look in his father’s eyes when he was younger.

Sui Yan shivered and vigilantly asked, “What……what are you thinking about?”

Jun Jingxing shook his head, “Nothing, I’m thinking about you.”

As he spoke, he casually stuffed another piece of candied fruit into Sui Yan’s mouth. 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Sui Yan felt even more alarmed. In his previous life, he and Yuejian had been so busy causing trouble in the capital that they hadn’t had any time for relationships. However, he had noticed that Yuejian had always looked at him strangely.

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Jun Jingxing, “……” 

Jun Jingxing gritted his teeth and glared at Sui Yan as he thought, Was I blind just now to think that he was innocent and harmless?

Sui Yan looked down at his wrists. They were so thin that they could be circled with two fingers. He silently sighed and continued, “Many thanks for saving me.”

In his previous life, Sui Yan hadn’t had many years left to live after drinking that glass of Stigma. Three years after taking the poison, he coincidentally met Yuejian at the Fifth Prince’s Manor. Following that encounter, Yuejian took care of Sui Yan’s health. However, the poison had already entered his bones. No matter how good Yuejian’s medical skills were, Sui Yan could barely survive for another four years.

Sui Yan was thanking him so earnestly that Jun Jingxing felt uncomfortable. As he cursed himself for acting so cheap, he pretended to be calm as he replied, “It’s nothing. My father practiced medicine for many years, and he even spent some time at the Ministry of Health. Although I can’t completely detoxify the poison, I can ensure that you survive for eight to ten years.” 

Sui Yan nodded and didn’t say anything else emotional. He stretched his hand out and instructed, “Here, bring the rabbit over.”

Jun Jingxing was unaccustomed to how Sui Yan liked sweets and soft things. He frowned as he grabbed the rabbit that had been nestling by the charcoal basin by its ears and tossed it towards Sui Yan, “Why do you like things like this? As far as I know, only little girls like these kinds of small animals and eating sweets……Hey! Don’t let him into the blanket! Aren’t you afraid of it being dirty? What if there are bugs on it?”

Sui Yan played with the rabbit’s ears as he suggested, “We should give it a name.”

Jun Jingxing felt depressed, “Listen to me!” 

Sui Yan continued, “Let’s call it Yuejian, since you don’t use this name anymore.”

Jun Jingxing, “……”

As soon as he finished, Sui Yan called, “Yuejian. Come, Yuejian. Come into my arms.”

Jun Jingxing, “……” 

Jun Jingxing was so furious that he nearly dragged the rabbit out of the room and roasted it.

At night, Sui Xun was finally able to come and see Sui Yan.

Sui Yan weakly leaned on the bed and looked at Sui Xun, aggrieved, “Brother.”

Sui Xun looked at how Sui Yan had visibly lost weight and felt angry and distressed. He scolded, “You ran around outside without a cloak on such a cold day. What in the world were you thinking? Does being this sick feel comfortable?” 

Sui Yan stretched out a hand, feeling wronged, “Second brother, give me a hug, okay?”

Sui Xun, “……”

Sui Xun started to question his hearing.

Ever since Sui Xun had returned before the New Year, Sui Yan, who had always been stubborn and mischievous, had acted very obediently. Now, Sui Yan even dared to blatantly act spoiled in front of him. 

Was this person……still a little kid?

Sui Xun looked at him vigilantly as he asked, “Did you get into trouble again?”

Sui Yan took a deep breath and struggled to maintain his smile as he continued to act spoiled, “I didn’t. Hug me, just once.”

Sui Xun was still worried, “Or did you provoke the Third Prince today?” 

Sui Yan, “No, are you going to hug me?”

Sui Xun continued, “Wait……Did you smash something that the emperor bestowed……”

Sui Yan, “……”

Sui Yan looked at him expressionlessly as he said, “Elder Brother, I feel tired. Why don’t you go back first?” 

Sui Xun, “……”

Sui Xun finally believed that Sui Yan had only wanted to act spoiled. He thought for a bit before he awkwardly answered, “You’re not a little kid anymore, so don’t always act spoiled. Ahem……Since you’re still sick, then I’ll……then I’ll hug you.”

Sui Yan replied, “I don’t want to be hugged any more. Respectfully seeing Elder Brother off.”

As he spoke, he expressionlessly turned around, wrapped himself in his blanket, and fell silent. 

Sui Xun, “……”

Sui Xun’s face was gloomy as he left.

Jun Jingxing walked in and patted the blanket as he said, “He already left. Get up to take your medicine.”

Sui Yan lifted the blanket, his eyes red. 

Jun Jingxing asked, “What‘s wrong?”

Sui Yan shook his head. He accepted the bowl of medicine and took a sip. These past few days, he had drunk so much of this ridiculously bitter medicine that he had gradually gotten accustomed to its taste. Even though he still hated it, he could drink it.

When he finished the bowl of medicine that was so bitter his face had scrunched up and reached out to take a candied fruit, Sui Yan had a flash of inspiration. He suddenly thought of something, and his hand shook as the spoon he held clattered into the bowl.

Jun Jingxing looked at him, full of confusion, and stuffed a candied fruit into Sui Yan’s mouth. 

Sui Yan’s eyes widened, and he stared at Jun Jingxing as he painfully asked, “What did you tell me this morning?”

Jun Jingxing had no idea, “This morning? What did I say?”

Sui Yan murmured, “You said ginseng soup……will cause Stigma’s toxicity to act up……”

Jun Jingxing, “Yes, if it’s severe, it can take a life within moments.” 

Sui Yan’s pupils trembled as he seemed to figure something out.

In his previous life, he had sat far away from Duan Mingchong and didn’t know what he had eaten that night. However, Duan Mingchong seemed to have died within thirty minutes of Duan Ruwang’s toast.

It turned out that the bowl of ginseng soup was why the poison had taken effect so soon.

Sui Yan felt frightened as he thought about it. He pressed down on his chest as he gasped for breath. He felt like his lungs had been punctured by tiny needles, and black spots danced in his vision. 

Duan Zhisu……

Perhaps Duan Zhisu hadn’t known what poison was in the wine. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have prepared a bowl of ginseng soup for Duan Mingchong, since he would not gain any benefits if the crown prince died at his banquet.

But even if Duan Zhisu hadn’t known that the poison was Stigma, the glass of poisoned wine must have had something to do with him.

“Asking a tiger for its skin…..” Sui Yan gritted his teeth, “Did you even know how you died?” 

Jun Jingxing frowned, “What’s wrong?”

Sui Yan breathed lightly so that he wouldn’t faint from the pain. He was so angry that he couldn’t think clearly, “Go…..go to the side courtyard and call one of the attendants over.”

Jun Jingxing was observant, so he didn’t say anything when he heard those instructions. He quickly went outside and brought someone over, knowing that Sui Yan had something important to say. He then left the inner room and waited in the outer hall.

Sui Yan leaned on the edge of the bed and whispered, “Go investigate where Duan Zhisu’s poison came from, then check how many strangers have been in contact with him recently. In three days, let me know about everything you discover.” 

The attendant froze and didn’t react, “Investigate……the Third Prince?”

He remembered that Sui Yan seemed to have a good relationship with the Third Prince, so why was he suddenly secretly investigating these private matters?

Sui Yan slapped the edge of the bed and gritted his teeth, “Investigate him!”

The attendant didn’t dare ask anything else, so he accepted the order and left.