After My System Went Bankrupt, I Found My Happy Ending with the General - Chapter 44

After the monthly exam concluded, Luo Chuchen was quite satisfied with his performance.

Especially regarding the Classics course, which had given him a headache before the exam, the essay topic happened to be one he had discussed with Ji Yuanzhou.

As a result, he wrote swiftly, leaving ample time for the subsequent painting techniques section.

After the exam, Luo Chuchen returned to his residence and planned to send an invitation to Ji Yuanzhou, asking if he would like to visit the suburban stream they had previously mentioned for some sketching.

Just then, Jiang Fu hurriedly knocked and entered, delivering a letter from Chu Yuanzhu.

In the letter, Chu Yuanzhu instructed Luo Chuchen to take advantage of the upcoming ten-day holiday and visit the Hongjing Temple outside the city to renew the eternal lamps for his parents.

Originally, Chu Yuanzhu had intended to accompany Luo Chuchen up the mountain to renew the lamps.

He had thought he would return a few days earlier, but his departure was delayed. Realizing that the renewal date at Hongjing Temple was approaching, he had no choice but to ask Luo Chuchen to go alone this time.

Jiang Fu, having been forewarned by the steward, had already prepared the carriage and incense offerings for the trip to Hongjing Temple.

After Luo Chuchen’s parents passed away unexpectedly, their coffins were sent back to the ancestral tomb in Yunzhou for burial. While Luo Chuchen was still studying at Shifang Academy, he would visit their graves every year.

The placement of their memorial tablets and eternal lamps at Hongjing Temple was likely his grandfather’s idea.

Early the next morning, they set off for Hongjing Temple.

Hongjing Temple was located on Hongjing Mountain, not far outside the capital. Luo Chuchen had a strong impression of this temple as a child, his parents would visit every year to pray for his health.

This was Luo Chuchen’s first time visiting, however.

The carriage could only go as far as the foot of the mountain. Luo Chuchen alighted and began ascending the stone steps.

The incense offerings at Hongjing Temple might not have been as abundant as he had imagined, as there were only a few pilgrims along the path paying their respects.

They soon arrived at Hongjing Temple. Luo Chuchen explained his purpose to the young novice at the entrance and was led to a side room in the temple.

After waiting for a while, a monk in kasaya robes emerged. After confirming Luo Chuchen’s identity, he guided him to the meditation hall where his parents’ memorial tablets were enshrined.

With a heavy heart, Luo Chuchen knelt silently on the cushion and bowed three times.

He had been reborn into this world, and the Marquis and his wife had truly raised him as their own son. Although he had long experienced life and death, from the moment he first received the tragic news from the capital, to witnessing his parents’ burial when their coffins arrived in Yunzhou, and then visiting their graves year after year, Luo Chuchen had grieved countless times.

At one point, he even considered abandoning his mission altogether.

After all, since transmigrating into this world, the Marquis and his wife had been the ones who treated him the best. He once questioned the purpose of hiding in Yunzhou, far from the capital, and striving so hard to complete tasks just to prolong his life.

This turmoil of emotions led to a severe illness. After recovering and waking up, he learned that his grandfather had cared for him day and night. Filled with guilt, he realized he should still cherish his own life.

Luo Chuchen secluded himself in the meditation hall for half an hour.

When he emerged, his eyes were still red. Shechuan promptly handed him a handkerchief and a cup of hot tea.

The renewal of the lamps and incense offerings for the new year had already been arranged by Jiang Fu and Shechuan with the temple monks.

After resting at the temple for a while and partaking in a vegetarian meal, Luo Chuchen began his descent down the mountain.

Perhaps due to the emotional toll of the earlier memorial, as Luo Chuchen walked down the stone steps, he missed a few steps and stumbled.

His twisted foot hit the ground hard, sending a sharp pain shooting through it.

Luo Chuchen gasped sharply, not even having time to cry out in pain.

“Young Master!!” Jiang Fu and Shechuan hurriedly gathered around.

Lifting his robe and removing his boot to examine his ankle inside the sock, they found it already badly swollen he had sprained his foot.

Yet they had only covered about a third of the descent, with roughly the time it takes to burn a stick of incense still left to reach the foot of the mountain.

The mountain path was steep. Though Jiang Fu was relatively sturdy, supporting him all the way down would likely prove difficult.

Luo Chuchen, the Marquis of the household, had guards at his disposal. However, since he usually traveled only within the city for his daily studies and had Liang Jue accompanying him whenever he went elsewhere, it hadn’t occurred to him to bring any guards on this trip outside the city.

Sitting on the stone steps, Luo Chuchen gritted his teeth but remained surprisingly calm. “Jiang Fu, hurry back up the mountain and ask the monks for a basin of cold water and a cloth. The sprained area needs a cold compress.”

This was thanks to the time he had spent day in and day out with Ji Yuanzhou.

Ji Yuanzhou came from a family of physicians and was quite talkative. In their daily interactions, he had shared many tips on handling injuries and emergencies.

Recalling what Ji Yuanzhou had told him, Luo Chuchen gently pressed around the painful area near the injury.

But he didn’t dare apply too much pressure inexperienced as he was, pressing the wrong spot could worsen the situation.

Jiang Fu had already rushed back up the mountain, while Shechuan stayed by his side.

Shechuan was full of remorse. “It’s all my fault. The path is so steep, I should have been supporting you on the way down.”

Luo Chuchen smiled gently. “If you were holding me and I missed a step, wouldn’t we both go tumbling down together?”

Shechuan quickly protested, “Aiyah, aiyah, Young Master, don’t say such things! That would never happen, never!”

In less than a quarter of an hour, Jiang Fu hurried back down, carrying a basin of water.

Unexpectedly, he was followed by someone no one had anticipated.

Liang Jue, dressed in casual attire, strode swiftly alongside Jiang Fu as they descended.

A young novice monk trailed some distance behind them.

Luo Chuchen looked up in surprise. “Brother Jue, what are you doing here at Hongjing Temple?”

Liang Jue pressed his lips together and replied succinctly, “His Majesty is in the rear courtyard discussing Zen with the abbot. I’m part of the retinue and happened to run into Jiang Fu asking the monks for water.”

He stopped on the step below Luo Chuchen, crouched down, and gently touched the swollen ankle.

“Not too bad it’s not serious.”

Jiang Fu had already soaked the cloth in the cold spring water from the wooden basin. Liang Jue naturally took the cloth, lifted Luo Chuchen’s calf with his other hand, pressed the cold cloth against the swollen area a couple of times, then gently wrapped it around the ankle.

Liang Jue asked, “Is the carriage waiting at the foot of the mountain?”

Jiang Fu replied, “Yes, it is.”

Liang Jue nodded, then bent down once more to check the injury. Afterward, he pulled down Luo Chuchen’s trouser leg and pulled the cotton sock up just below where the cloth was wrapped.

Standing up, he handed the wooden basin to the young novice behind him, gave a few quiet instructions, and then walked back.

“I’ll take you back.”

Liang Jue didn’t ask for Luo Chuchen’s opinion. He simply stepped forward, bent slightly, and effortlessly lifted him by the waist and under the knees a classic princess carry.

Luo Chuchen’s breath hitched, and he nearly choked on air.

More shocking than being princess-carried for the first time in either of his lives was the realization: “But isn’t the Emperor still at the temple? You’re leaving just like that?”

Liang Jue said, “It’s fine. I left plenty of guards behind and already informed His Majesty before leaving. I’ll return later.”

Luo Chuchen said, “Then just take me to the carriage at the foot of the mountain. You should return early so as not to delay your official duties.”

Liang Jue finally lowered his head to glance at him, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, revealing a disapproving expression.

“I’ve told you before to bring guards when you go out. In a situation like today, would you have waited until the pain subsided and then hobbled down with Jiang Fu and the others supporting you?”

He was quite fierce.

Luo Chuchen’s initial nervousness from being carried immediately dissipated. Even though he was in the wrong, he couldn’t resist retorting, “It wouldn’t have been impossible.”

Liang Jue: “…”

With a sour expression, as they rounded a corner on the way down the mountain, Liang Jue suddenly tossed Luo Chuchen upward.

The sudden loss of support made Luo Chuchen let out a startled cry, and he hastily wrapped his arms around Liang Jue’s neck.

Once he regained his composure, Luo Chuchen poked Liang Jue’s chest with a dark expression and said, “What are you doing?”

Liang Jue replied stiffly, “Nothing.”

Luo Chuchen: “Even more childish than me.”

Despite carrying someone, Liang Jue descended the mountain swiftly and steadily. Luo Chuchen felt no jostling at all and soon found himself in front of the carriage.

Contrary to Luo Chuchen’s suggestion, Liang Jue boarded the carriage with him and accompanied him back to the city.

Once inside the city, Liang Jue instructed the coachman, “Head to Hongfu Street, Jichun Hall.”

Noticing Luo Chuchen’s curious gaze, Liang Jue explained, “If we wait to summon a physician after returning to the residence, it’ll waste a lot of time. Since you’re familiar with Xiao Ji, we can go directly to Jichun Hall and have his father examine you. It’s just a few steps away anyway.”

Luo Chuchen muttered, “You even know his family runs Jichun Hall?”

Liang Jue glanced back at him, his expression unusually strange for a moment, but he replied calmly, “It wasn’t hard to find out. Besides, when it comes to your new friends, shouldn’t you learn about their family backgrounds?”

Luo Chuchen let out an “oh” and defended himself, “He told me all that when we first met. I just didn’t expect you to know too.”

At Jichun Hall, the physician bandaged his sprained ankle and prescribed some topical ointments before Luo Chuchen was sent back to his residence.

And so, with just a single day off, he was unable to attend the painting academy.

The physician at Jichun Hall said the injury was quite severe and required two weeks of rest.

Luo Chuchen had no choice but to accept it. Lying on his bed, he calculated that by the time he recovered, it would be almost New Year’s.

He wrote several letters requesting leave and had Jiang Fu deliver them to his instructors at the painting academy, explaining in detail the circumstances of his leg injury.

Thus began his days of resting at home, living the life of a carefree idler.