After the Alluring Beauty Was Forced into a Political Marriage - Chapter 18

The Crown Prince dismissed the young eunuchs who had gathered upon hearing the commotion. He then violently dragged Shen Lianzhi, whose face was streaked with tears from the pain, to stand before him. Looking down with an air of overbearing arrogance, he said, “You know well what should be said and what should not.”

“If you speak of things you should not to people who should not hear them, do not blame me for being unkind!”

Shen Lianzhi hung his head low, biting his lower lip fiercely. He forced himself not to let out even a single pathetic sob in front of the Crown Prince.

Seeing that he remained stubbornly silent, the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes. He raised his leg and kicked Lianzhi sharply in the shin. “Are you a mute? Speak! Did you hear me?”

Wincing from the pain, Shen Lianzhi nodded and replied in a raspy voice, “I, I heard you.”

“Hmph, then get lost!”

Lianzhi fled almost in a panic. He even forgot to pick up the copy of the Classic of Poetry that had fallen to the ground. He ran all the way back to Changan Palace. Xiao Anzi, who was sweeping the front courtyard, was startled the moment he saw him. He hurriedly dropped his broom and rushed forward to meet him.

“Prince? What happened to you? Your neck, how did you get such an injury on your neck!” Xiao Anzi cried out in shock. “Prince, did someone bully you? I, I will go find the Prince Heir right now!”

“Xiao Anzi!” Shen Lianzhi raised his hand to block his path. His youthful, handsome face remained deathly pale from the lingering terror of the threat. Shen Lianzhi looked at Xiao Anzi and shook his head. “No one bullied me. Do not go to my cousin.”

“But, but,” Xiao Anzi’s gaze flickered obscurely toward the red and purple bruises on the boy’s slender neck. The finger marks were distinct. How could this possibly be nothing?

Lianzhi touched the marks with his fingers and said in a heavy tone, “It does not matter. It is just that I choked while eating and strangled myself. Anyway, do not ask, and do not tell anyone! You must not mention this in front of my cousin!” He gave the instruction sternly.

It was difficult to disobey a master’s word. Even though Xiao Anzi was frantic with worry, he could not get the truth out of him. He could only nod reluctantly and fetch some medicinal ointment to rub onto the bruises.

Lianzhi’s injuries could not be shown to others. The bruises on his legs were easy enough to hide, but the ones on his neck were troublesome. Had it been winter, it would have been easy; he could have simply worn a fur-collared coat. However, it was currently the height of summer. How could such clothing be worn?

With no other choice, Lianzhi could only grimace as he layered a thick winter coat over his thin summer garments. Changan Palace was filled with several large vats of ice to ward off the heat. The crystal-clear ice emitted a faint, cool mist, but Shen Lianzhi felt no coolness at all. Wrapped in that coat, he broke into a heavy sweat.

Just as he reached his limit and was about to take it off, he heard a palace servant at the door announce loudly, “This servant greets the Prince Heir!”

Startled, Lianzhi dropped his hand. He began to sweat even more profusely. As he sat there in a state of restless anxiety, Lu Jingce walked into the inner chamber with practiced ease, followed by a young eunuch carrying a food box.

“Lianzhi, I brought you some chilled almond curd. Taste it and see if you like,” Lu Jingce’s gaze fell upon Shen Lianzhi, who was wrapped up tightly. He asked in surprise, “Why are you dressed like this?”

“Cousin,” Lianzhi felt guilty and did not dare look at him. He kept his head bowed low and said in a muffled voice, “The weather is hot, and I was too greedy for the cold, so I accidentally caught a chill. I have been feeling a bit sensitive to the cold these past two days, so,”

Lu Jingce sat down naturally beside him. His obsidian-like eyes seemed to sweep over Lianzhi casually, lingering for a moment on his tightly wrapped neck before finally returning to Lianzhi’s face. The concern in his eyes seemed genuine. “I see. And here I am bringing you chilled curd.” He turned his head and waved his hand at the young eunuch. “Lianzhi has a cold, so he cannot eat this. Take it away.”

“Wait, wait!” From the moment they entered, Shen Lianzhi’s eyes had not left that food box. He felt as if he were roasting in a furnace. Since he could not take off his clothes, he craved that cold treat even more. He looked at Lu Jingce, his eyes curving in a pleading, flattering manner. “Brother Jingce, actually, my illness is mostly better. I am just a little sensitive to the cold. Eating a bit of curd will not hurt.”

Lu Jingce crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

Lianzhi affirmed, “Really!”

Amused by his eager expression, Lu Jingce reached out and affectionately pinched his cheek, then beckoned the eunuch to set the curd before him. As soon as the lid was lifted, Lianzhi caught the alluring sweet scent. Golden osmanthus jam rested atop the snow-white milk skin. One look was enough to make one’s mouth water.

Lianzhi held the spoon and stuffed mouthful after mouthful into his mouth. The icy, sweet curd melted on his tongue, making him instantly forget the stifling heat. He ate with such delight that he nearly abandoned all table manners.

“Lianzhi,” Lu Jingce called softly. “Slow down, be careful not to get it on yourself.”

Hearing this, Shen Lianzhi stopped. He let go of the spoon, thinking Lu Jingce meant his clothes. Just as he was about to wipe himself with a handkerchief, Lu Jingce stopped him again. “It is on your face. Look up.”

Confused, Lianzhi tilted his head up. He saw Lu Jingce’s hand coming closer and closer. A cool fingertip brushed the corner of Lianzhi’s lips, wiping away a non-existent trace. In the next instant, that same hand moved with lightning speed to hook the fur collar around Lianzhi’s neck and pulled it down firmly, exposing the swollen finger marks to Lu Jingce’s sight.

“Lianzhi.” Lu Jingce’s voice remained soft, but his dark eyes grew even more somber. “What is this?”

Lianzhi’s heart hammered against his ribs. He could only repeat the excuse he used on Xiao Anzi. “I, I accidentally choked while I was eating,”

Before he could finish, Lu Jingce let out a deep sigh. It was a sign of clear displeasure. “Lianzhi, it was not enough to lie to me once; you want to lie to me again? Tell the truth.”

Shen Lianzhi pursed his lips but did not answer the question. Instead, he asked, “Cousin, how did you know I was lying just now?”

Lu Jingce removed the thick coat from Lianzhi’s body and picked up the handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Lianzhi’s forehead. Although he was angry, his heartache for the boy prevailed. He said with a hint of helplessness, “If you were truly freezing, how could you be sweating this much? Tell me the truth. What happened?”

Lianzhi looked up at him. In this moment, Lu Jingce’s tenderness acted like a hook, pulling out all the hidden grievances and resentment he had stored away. He felt an inexplicable sadness, even more so than yesterday. He did not cry, but his nose stung with the urge. Shen Lianzhi threw himself into Lu Jingce’s arms, into the embrace of the brother he trusted wholeheartedly. “Brother Jingce, am I really a piece of filth that is neither man nor woman?”

“Because my body is different from ordinary men, do I, do I deserve to die? I,”

“Lianzhi.” Lu Jingce gently patted his soaked back and spoke to stop his self-deprecation. “Do you know that the Bodhisattva Guanyin is actually both male and female in one body?”

Lianzhi froze, looking at him with reddened eyes. “What?”

“Guanyin is both male and female,” Lu Jingce said with a smile. “This is actually an interesting story. There is no harm in telling you. When I was five, I went to Qingshan Nunnery with the Empress Dowager to pray for blessings. Before that, I had never seen a Buddhist nun. I had been to Bailong Temple once with my mother, where the monks were all men, so I thought all disciples of Buddha were male. I was young then and knew nothing.”

“The Empress Dowager led me to the Abbot, but when the Abbot spoke, it was a woman’s voice. I was shocked and could not help but ask, ‘Master, are you a man or a woman?'”

“The Master and the two disciples behind her all chuckled. They were all women. Only then did I learn that there are not only temples for monks, but also nunneries for nuns. At that time, we were standing before the shrine of the Great Bodhisattva Guanyin. I saw that Guanyin had a compassionate face and delicate features that made it hard to tell if the figure was male or female. I asked again, ‘Is Guanyin a man or a woman?'”

“The Abbot smiled as well and said, ‘The Great Bodhisattva Guanyin is both man and woman.’ As I grew older, I read many scriptures and learned that Guanyin is indeed androgynous. So Lianzhi, how could you be filth? You possess the body of a Bodhisattva.”

No one had ever said such a thing to Shen Lianzhi. He gazed blankly at Lu Jingce’s handsome face and asked in a daze, “Bodhisattva body? How could I have a Bodhisattva body? Why is what you say different from what they say? They all say, they say I am a freak who is neither yin nor yang.”

“Because only your cousin will tell you the truth,” Lu Jingce said, holding him lightly. “You do not need to listen to others. Lianzhi, do you know about immortals descending to the mortal realm?”

Shen Lianzhi nodded vigorously. The trope of immortals descending to earth was common in storybooks.

“Immortals descend to bring blessings to the people, but the people often mistake the miracle-working immortal for a monster. Some even beat the immortal to death and throw the body into the river. Such is the ignorance of the world.”

Shen Lianzhi understood only halfway. Lu Jingce ruffled his hair and suddenly gave a bright smile. “Lianzhi is a Bodhisattva who descended to the mortal world to undergo a trial. Immortals must always endure hardships during their trials. Therefore, the evil words of common mortals are nothing but passing clouds. Do not be afraid.”

“Is, is that true?” Such words were an immense comfort to Lianzhi. He no longer felt pain because of his physical form. “I, I have a Bodhisattva body?”

“Of course. I would not deceive you. Never.”

“Then,” Lianzhi asked a bit shyly, “What kind of trial am I here for?”

Lu Jingce looked at his blushing face and found it quite amusing. The Prince Heir had just turned sixteen and had begun to feel the first stirrings of romance, yet he was very disciplined and had no one in his heart. His views on love came mostly from the tragic tales of lovers in folk stories. However, in front of the youthful Shen Lianzhi, he still put on the air of an older brother and said with feigned maturity, “I am afraid it is a Trial of Love.”

“A Trial of Love!” Lianzhi was shocked.

“Yes, a Trial of Love, just like those written in books,” Lu Jingce smiled at Lianzhi, looking handsome and refined. He sat up straight and intentionally adopted a serious tone. “So, if Lianzhi has a sweetheart in the future, you must treat her with total devotion. You must not be fickle or unfaithful. If you fail to do so, you will not be able to return to the Nine Heavens!” Lu Jingce said with mock solemnity.

Shen Lianzhi looked at him in a daze. Lu Jingce was bathed in a soft light, looking as handsome as a fallen immortal. Sitting there, everything around him seemed to turn into a dreamlike reflection in a mist.

“I will not.” Lianzhi felt as if a string in his heart had been plucked, creating a melody as ethereal as a clear breeze kissing an icicle. “I will treat him with total devotion. I will do it.”

His gaze was so intense that Lu Jingce could not help but notice his eyes. They were as clear as water. For some reason, Lu Jingce’s heart suddenly felt a flash of heat. He lowered his eyelids slightly and raised his hand to cover Lianzhi’s eyes.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lu Jingce coughed twice and changed the subject. “Alright, back to business. How did the injury on your neck get there? And who said you were a piece of filth that is neither man nor woman?”

“Lianzhi,” Lu Jingce called his name in a deep voice. “No lying. You cannot fool me.”

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