SWHCBB 80

Chapter 80: You Hurt Me Just Now

By the end of his recounting, Jiang Chuang was already trailing off, his words broken and scattered, stopping and starting again.

Wen Jue could hear the exhaustion in his voice and softly coaxed him, “If you’re sleepy, go ahead and sleep. Get some good rest, tell me the rest after you wake up.”

Sure enough, Jiang Chuang’s voice fell silent. Holding Wen Jue in his arms, he slowly closed his eyes and drifted off.

Listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing, Wen Jue found a comfortable position to nestle in his embrace and shut his eyes as well.

He had lost too much blood, and after those days of unconsciousness filled with terrifying nightmares, he was completely drained. Before long, he too had fallen asleep.

But even this sleep was not peaceful. Not long after dozing off, Jiang Chuang suddenly jolted awake with a gasp and cried out, “Zhiyu!”

He sat bolt upright, forgetting that someone was in his arms, and tugged on Wen Jue’s wound in the process. Wen Jue was startled awake by the pain.

“What’s wrong? I’m here,” he said, wincing through the discomfort.

Only then did Jiang Chuang relax. He leaned down and placed a kiss on Wen Jue’s forehead. “It’s nothing. I just thought you were gone. Go back to sleep.”

But seeing Wen Jue frown slightly, he was startled again. “Does the wound hurt badly?”

Wen Jue looked at him, aggrieved. “You hurt me just now when you sat up.”

At that, Jiang Chuang scratched his head in frustration and immediately got ready to get out of bed. “Alright, I’ll sleep somewhere else for a few days. You’re still recovering, and I’m too clumsy. I’ll only end up hurting you again.”

“No.” Wen Jue grabbed his sleeve insistently. “I want you to hold me while I sleep.”

Before Jiang Chuang could refuse, he added, “If you don’t hold me, I won’t sleep well. See? I was unconscious and you didn’t stay with me. No wonder I had nightmares! Just be careful, don’t startle awake again or move too much and tug my wound, and it’ll be fine.”

“We’ve been married this long and never slept apart. Are you really going to sleep in another bed just because of something so small?” Wen Jue feigned anger, reproaching him.

It was a little unreasonable, but Jiang Chuang loved him like this, unguarded and speaking his mind. He immediately laid back down and pulled him into his arms, begging for forgiveness. “Alright, alright, we’ll sleep together! It’s my fault. I’ll do my best to be a worthy pillow for Your Highness so I don’t disappoint your favor!”

Wen Jue curved his lips in a smile and snorted softly, “Good that you know!”

How could he sleep without Jiang Chuang? He didn’t even need to imagine, he knew Yunchuan would end up sneaking over in the middle of the night to check on him anyway.

____

The two of them unusually slept in late, until the sun was high in the sky. Even then, it was the noise outside their door that woke them.

Through the door, they could hear Yuan Xiang and Changning whispering.

“Has His Highness woken up yet? I’ve reheated this chicken soup three times already. If I heat it again, the meat will be too tough, I’ll have to make a new one.”

“Not yet. Why don’t you wait till he’s up before reheating it? All that trouble, plus I was the one who killed that chicken, and you haven’t even offered me a bowl.”

“What do you know? I want His Highness to have warm soup as soon as he wakes. I added a lot of medicinal herbs, if you drink it, what if you get too energized? Chen Lin isn’t here, who’s going to help you burn off that energy?”

“I’m done talking to you. You’re always right, huh?”

“Because I am right!”

Jiang Chuang dug at his ear and wanted to go back to sleep, only to see Wen Jue slowly waking as well.

Scowling, Jiang Chuang muttered, “Don’t you think this household has gotten way too unruly? They’re out there chattering right in front of our door.”

Wen Jue gave a tired laugh, stifling a yawn. “It’s not their fault, we’re the lazy ones. The sun’s already getting harsh, and we’re still asleep.”

Jiang Chuang pinched his cheek. “Fine. So, are you getting up to wash up, or going back to sleep? Bai Yuan will probably come by later to check on you again.”

“Let’s lie here a while longer.” Wen Jue hadn’t had a real rest like this in a long time. For now, he didn’t have to think, didn’t have to worry. He could just take it slow. This was the seventh day, he had been ‘cut off from the world’ for a full seven days, and yet everything was still proceeding in an orderly fashion.

His sister didn’t need him to keep moving forward. Their enemies wouldn’t take advantage of a few days of inattention to destroy him.

Still, he had to admit. Zhuge Qing’s plan had been ruthless and effective, taking down everything in one stroke. If someone like him were on the enemy’s side…

Wen Jue suddenly remembered the dream. In it, Zhuge Qing had served the Third Prince with all his cunning, but still met a tragic end. Yet it was because of Zhuge Qing that the Third Prince had been such a thorn in his sister’s side.

Was it really just a dream…?

Before Wen Jue could think further, the steward’s voice came from outside the door.

“Changning, has His Highness and the General woken yet?”

“His Highness was gravely wounded, of course he needs more rest. What’s wrong?”

“The Grand Princess Chenyu sent a calling card, says she’ll be arriving shortly. Should we wake the General? We’re not fit to host her on our own.”

Changning’s voice held neither surprise nor panic. “Got it. You go make preparations, I’ll call them shortly.”

“Much obliged!”

Jiang Chuang and Wen Jue exchanged a look. Wen Jue said, “We’d better get up.”

Jiang Chuang quickly added, “I’ll get up. You don’t have to. Your sister knows you’re injured, she’ll be heartbroken if you force yourself.”

Wen Jue smiled sheepishly, thinking to himself: That’s not necessarily true.

“I’ve been lying down so long I’m dizzy. A walk will do me good. Yunchuan, help me get dressed.”

He still remembered what his sister had said at the city gates before he left, and what he had promised in return.

And yet, he’d still ended up hurt. She was probably angry.

After getting dressed, Wen Jue called out loudly for Changning to come in. Changning had been waiting outside for some time and finally entered, stepping quietly to stand behind him, gazing at his reflection in the mirror.

“Your Highness…” Changning’s lips quivered, and he couldn’t hold back the tears as two drops slid down his face. “You scared me to death.”

Wen Jue remembered the image from his dream, Changning dying under a flurry of blades. His eyes grew hot, and he lowered his gaze to hide the redness, his voice soft and gentle. “I’m sorry. It was my fault.”

Whether the events of that dream had been real or not, he owed Changning an apology.

He also wanted to speak for the Wen Jue in that dream, to finally say: I’m sorry for dragging you to your death.

Changning quickly wiped his tears. “It wasn’t Your Highness’s fault, it was those damned assassins! Enough of that, let me braid your hair. It’s neat and convenient!”

“Alright.” Wen Jue looked up at the blurred figure in the mirror, the corners of his eyes curving with a faint smile. He now knew what Changning looked like. Zhuge Qing too. It was just a shame, he still hadn’t seen Yunchuan’s face clearly.

But then again, he never had, not even once. Maybe in the dream, it had been a figment of his imagination, born of what he believed in his heart. Maybe it wasn’t their real faces at all.

That dream, Wen Jue thought, had been too tragic.

Better not to tell Yunchuan. No point dredging it all up again and hurting both of them.