Hold His Hand

Taking a piece of preserved fruit into his mouth, Xie Chengze told himself not to think about things that would make him unhappy.

Lu Yanzhou is from the Lu family, and he came to him to avenge the Lu family. However, since he was going to die, he didn’t need to care about this. He just has to pretend not to know.

Besides…In order to gain his trust, Lu Yanzhou should be obedient to him. He should enjoy this.

After thinking about it, Xie Chengze leaned on the kang, half-closed his eyes, then he unconsciously fell asleep.

Seeing that Xie Chengze was asleep, Lu Yanzhou gently moved his body, trying to make him sleep more comfortably.

Xie Chengze’s two guards followed Xie Chengze into the house and stood not far away. They knew that their crown prince trusted Lu Yanzhou very much, so they didn’t stop him.

Lu Yanzhou took this opportunity to secretly check Xie Chengze’s pulse.

He has only studied traditional medicine for a short time, so he can’t judge Xie Chengze’s physical condition just by taking his pulse, but combined with Xie Chengze’s expression and the original owner’s memory, he know a lot of things.

Xie Chengze is not only suffering from his heart condition now, he is also anemic.

As for why Xie Chengze was anemic, the first thing that Lu Yanzhou thought of was the emperor who was obsessed with pursuing longevity.

King Rui asked the original owner to poison the current emperor to death because the current emperor made King Rui bloodletting.

Because of this, the original owner had the opportunity to poison the current emperor to death.

It’s just that King Rui got bloodletting, it happened later, Xie Chengze…was he bloodletting at this time?

Even if he doesn’t know that Xie Chengze has a heart condition, it’s well known that the crown prince is weak, but he still has his blood drain today!

Xie Chengze’s current pulse is very weak. Lu Yanzhou felt distressed by just checking his pulse.

After Xie Chengze lay down, Lu Yanzhou wrote a note and gave it to Chang Feng to let Chang Feng prepare the food.

What he asked Chang Feng to prepare was food that could replenish blood.

After finishing his job, Lu Yanzhou returned to the house and accompanied Xie Chengze.

Xie Chengze didn’t know how long he slept. He only knew that when he woke up, Lu Yanzhou was sitting beside him, reading a book.

On the contrary, his two guards were not there, they should have gone elsewhere…Lu Yanzhou’s room is not big, so it’s not a problem if they are all crowded in it.

Seeing that he was awake, Lu Yanzhou smiled and asked, “Brother Cheng, are you awake?”

“Sorry, I accidentally fell asleep.” Xie Chengze said.

“You should take a nap when you’re tired,” Lu Yanzhou said, “Brother Cheng, your body is the most important thing.”

Xie Chengze looked at Lu Yanzhou, and saw that the other party’s gaze was full of concern.

He knew it was fake, but Lu Yanzhou didn’t know that he had seen through everything.

Xie Chengze said: “I will.”

Lu Yanzhou continued: “You drank porridge before going to bed, do you want to go to the latrine?”

After finishing speaking, Lu Yanzhou picked up the chamber pot and handed it to Xie Chengze. Now that it’s cold, he doesn’t want to go to the latrine outside, so he prepares a chamber pot in the room.

As for why he handed it to Xie Chengze so skillfully…In the second life, he was used to helping Xie Chengze go to the toilet.

Xie Chengze was stunned.

As a prince, he had many people serving him, so there was no shortage of people who would bring him a chamber pot, but Lu Yanzhou would bring him…he really didn’t expect it.

If it were before, Xie Chengze would have blushed, but now he wants to test Lu Yanzhou: “I’ll do it myself…” Even though he said so, when he stretched out his hand, he seemed very weak and painful.

“What happened to your arm?”

“It’s nothing, I just got hurt.” Xie Chengze said.

“Let me hold it for you.” Lu Yanzhou immediately thought of Xie Chengze’s possible bloodletting.

Xie Chengze hesitated for a moment: “Then I will trouble you…”

“You’re unwell, it’s nothing.” Lu Yanzhou said.

Xie Chengze looked at Lu Yanzhou in disbelief.

In order to get revenge, to get close to him, Lu Yanzhou can even do such a thing?

Lu Yanzhou didn’t know what Xie Chengze was thinking. After helping Xie Chengze relieve himself, he said: “Brother Cheng, it’s snowing outside, why don’t you stay here today?”

If it were before, Lu Yanzhou would not mention such a request. The crown prince staying outside is quite troublesome.

However, Xie Chengze was very weak today, he couldn’t bear Xie Chengze to go back in the snow.

Heart problems cannot be ignored, what if Xie Chengze gets sick along the way?

If it were in modern times, Xie Chengze would already be hospitalized with his current situation!

If it were before, Xie Chengze would not agree to such a request. He being too close to Lu Yanzhou might make Lu Yanzhou become an easy target for King Rui…

Then, at this moment, Xie Chengze said: “Okay, I just have to trouble Jizhi again.”

After Xie Chengze agreed, Lu Yanzhou was overjoyed: “I’ll let someone prepare the food.”

“Just prepare whatever you want,” Xie Chengze said.

Lu Yanzhou smiled and didn’t answer. He had already asked Chang Feng to prepare the blood-enriching food, now he only needs to give instructions and someone will do it.

When he came outside, Lu Yanzhou ordered Chang Feng to cook, then told Xie Chengze’s guards about Xie Chengze’s stay today.

These two guards of Xie Chengze knew that Xie Chengze got bloodletting by the current emperor, and also knew that Xie Chengze had a heart condition, however, they didn’t know that Lu Yanzhou was from the Lu family because they were not around when Zhou Xueya reported to Xie Chengze before.

This also caused them to trust Lu Yanzhou a lot.

Before Xie Chengze fell asleep, Lu Yanzhou said that he would take care of him, so they went to the next room to rest.

Seeing that it was getting late, they should actually remind Xie Chengze to go back but thinking of Xie Chengze’s body, they decided to ignore it.

Now that Xie Chengze is going to stay here, the two are even more happy. They only asked, “Where should our young master stay? Where should we live?”

“There aren’t many houses here, are you two okay with squeezing in Chang Feng’s room?” Lu Yanzhou asked, “As for Brother Cheng, he will sleep with me.”

Lu Yanzhou was worried about Xie Chengze sleeping alone, so he wanted to watch over him.

The kangs in the room are quite big, so it’s not really a big deal for 3 or 4 people to sleep on it. The two guards answer: “Okay, we’ll trouble young master Lu then!”

“No trouble.” Lu Yanzhou smiled at them, then said that he wanted to take care of Xie Chengze and went back to his house.

Seeing this, the two guards went to talk to Chang Feng, then asked Lu Rong who was leading someone to cook next to him, “Zhu jianiang, what are we having for dinner tonight?”

Lu Rong said: “We’re having pork stewed vermicelli.” In winter, it’s delicious, nice and warm to just cook it in a pot.

Of course only they ate this, what the crown prince ate was different. Her younger brother asked someone to get some blood-enriching food, and wrote a recipe for them to make it for the crown prince.

Duck blood vermicelli soup…Will the crown prince eat it?

Of course, the point is not this, the point is…Isn’t the crown prince trusting his brother too much? He surprisingly prepared to stay here!

And the crown prince’s two guards, why do they only think about food? They actually left their master’s side, thinking about what to have for dinner here!

Are they not afraid that their crown prince will be killed by her brother?

Well, her younger brother doesn’t want to kill the prince now, instead he wants to protect the crown prince, lest no one deal with King Rui.

Lu Rong made the food for the crow prince with her own hands, then couldn’t help but complain while eating, thinking that the crown prince was too naive.

At this time, Zhou Xueya came to Jingning Temple despite the wind and snow.

After he told the crown prince about Lu Yanzhou’s identity, the crown prince didn’t take it seriously but he couldn’t help worrying that Lu Yanzhou and Lu Rong would be angry and attack the crown prince.

Therefore, when he learned that the crown prince had come to Jingning Temple, he rushed over in a hurry.

After Zhou Xueya came, he was taken to the largest room here, which was also the main room for cooking and eating.

The room was steaming and very warm because of the cooking. Zhou Xueya shook off the snow on his body, and saw the crown prince’s two guards eating pork vermicelli stew.

These two people are eating while talking to Chang Feng: “Eating this kind of hot food in winter is still the best, it’s delicious, hot, and comfortable to eat! Those small plates of food will get cold before reaching, it won’t taste as good.”

“Yes! But this pork vermicelli stew is nothing unusual. My young master had someone build a stove yesterday, it’s said that the stove under the charcoal fire can be used to boil, and then with the soup base with large bones, you put the meat slices of cabbage or something into the boil soup, let it cook then eat it, that is the best!” Chang Feng said what Lu Yanzhou had said before to the two guards.

There are two people beside Lu Yanzhou, one is Lu Tao and the other is Chang Feng.

Lu Tao is from the Lu family, and he knows Lu Yanzhou’s identity very well. Lu Yanzhou is afraid that he will show some trace, so he doesn’t let him show up in front of Xie Chengze.

However, Chang Feng was the servant Lu Yanzhou found in Jiangnan and he didn’t know Lu Yanzhou’s identity, so he called Xie Chengze’s guard brothers.

Zhou Xueya: “…” Where is his crown prince? Why didn’t these two guards stay by the crown prince’s side, instead they mixed with Lu Yanzhou’s servants?

Furthermore, Lu Yanzhou’s little servant boy also smiled so happily at the two guards and put the meat slices into the guards’ bowls.

“Young master Zhou.” The two guards greeted Zhou Xueya with a smile.

“Crown…It’s too cold today…Where’s your young master?” Zhou Xueya asked.

“Our young master is in Young Master Lu’s room.” The two guards said.

These two actually let his highness to stay with Lu Yanzhou…Zhou Xueya didn’t know what to say.

At this time, Lu Rong had already finished the dishes. There were too many dishes, she was worried that she couldn’t finish them, so she said immediately: “Are you here to find young master Cheng? I’ll take you to him, you can help me get something.”

Zhou Xueya froze when he saw Lu Rong.

For this young lady from the Lu family, he felt both guilty and defensive.

However, Miss Lu, who he was guarded against, handed him a food box and a bag of things for him to carry, then she took a tray and walked outside.

Seeing this, Zhou Xueya hurriedly followed.

When the two came to a hut, Lu Rong called out, then Lu Yanzhou came to open the door.

Seeing Lu Yanzhou, Lu Rong said, “I’m here to deliver the food. By the way, this young master zhou is here to find young master Cheng.”

Lu Yanzhou let the two of them enter the house, then quickly closed the door and went to see Zhou Xueya.

Lu Yanzhou knew Zhou Xueya. The original owner had this person in his memory.

This person is Xie Chengze’s companion. His relationship with Xie Chengze has always been very good, but in the original historical trajectory, after Xie Chengze dealt with Han Shengchang, this person had a big fight with Xie Chengze, and after that, Xie Chengze arranged for him to stay away from the capital.

At that time, many people around Xie Chengze left Xie Chengze, that’s why the original owner could kill Xie Chengze.

Although Xie Chengze’s death was mainly the original owner’s fault, Lu Yanzhou felt that it was also wrong for Zhou Xueya and the others to part ways with Xie Chengze because of Han Shengchang.

However, Lu Yanzhou didn’t show anything. He took the food and put it on the table, then asked Zhou Xueya if she had eaten, then asked Zhou Xueya to stay and eat together.

Zhou Xueya wanted to stay and observe Lu Yanzhou, so he immediately agreed: “I haven’t eaten yet, I’ll trouble brother Lu.”

“No trouble, no trouble, you are Brother Cheng’s friend so you’re also mine.” After Lu Yanzhou finished speaking, he asked Lu Rong to stay for dinner.

This will also allow Lu Rong to develop a relationship with Xie Chengze.

Seeing that Lu Yanzhou treated Lu Rong very affectionately, Xie Chengze felt that he was blinded by his love for Lu Yanzhou before.

Lu Yanzhou took in many people, but he only treated Lu Rong differently, why didn’t he notice something was wrong?

Of course, Lu Rong is Lu Yanzhou’s cousin, so it’s normal for Lu Yanzhou to behave like this.

The food is placed on the table, so they can’t sit on the kang to eat. Xie Chengze got up and was about to get off the kang when Lu Yanzhou hurriedly said, “Brother Cheng, you don’t need to get down, you can just sit on the kang, I will move the table to the side of the kang.”

Sitting on the kang is so warm, Xie Chengze can’t be allowed to come down to eat.

Thinking of this, Lu Yanzhou saw that Xie Chengze was only wearing thin socks, and Xie Chengze’s shoes were not warm at all.

Lu Yanzhou hurriedly found a pair of new cotton boots, and said to Xie Chengze: “Brother Cheng, your shoes are not warm enough, you should wear these cotton boots. Don’t worry, I haven’t worn these shoes yet.”

As he said that, Lu Yanzhou had already started to help Xie Chengze get dressed.

Xie Chengze didn’t stop him, and let Lu Yanzhou put on his shoes. After he put on his shoes, Lu Yanzhou also found the sheepskin cloak that Xie Chengze had worn before and covered his legs.

Xie Chengze felt very warm.

Zhou Xueya saw it and felt very warm.

He was cold all the way and he also came here on horseback, but no one asked him if he was cold, however, someone wrapped the crown prince, who had been sitting on the kang in his house, tightly.

After finishing all this, Lu Yanzhou moved the table to the side of the kang to make it easier for Xie Chengze to eat.

“Brother Cheng, I think you have a bad complexion and lack of energy and blood, so I asked someone to make this duck blood vermicelli soup, which can replenish blood.” Lu Yanzhou took a bowl of vermicelli soup for Xie Chengze as a staple food, “You should also eat some of the other dishes. You must take good care of your body.”

Zhou Xueya was worried before that there might be some poison in these dishes, but when he entered the room, he saw Lu Yanzhou being so attentive to Xie Chengze…

There should be no poison in the dish?

After all, Lu Yanzhou and Lu Rong will also eat.

Xie Chengze had already started to eat at this time. Zhou Xueya couldn’t help but sigh – the crown prince is worthy of being the crown prince, he can eat the food given by his enemy so calmly!

“Brother Zhou, this place is simple, and there are not many things that can be entertained.” Lu Yanzhou looked at Zhou Xueya again at this time.

Zhou Xueya said: “It’s already very good. Before I came, I thought I would have to eat vegetarian dishes here.”

Lu Yanzhou smiled: “Brother Zhou thinks too much.”

After talking to Zhou Xueya, Lu Yanzhou didn’t care about Zhou Xueya, and his mind was on Xie Chengze.

He was either picking up food for Xie Chengze or asking about Xie Chengze’s taste, he didn’t have a moment to spare.

Xie Chengze didn’t refuse and ate with a smile.

Lu Rong: “…” Her brother is really flexible! He can do this and that, no wonder King Rui felt that he was sincere to King Rui, and the crown prince was also seduced by his younger brother.

It doesn’t matter regarding King Rui, but the crown prince…

Lu Rong, who already knew from Lu Yanzhou that Xie Chengze was bloodletted to make alchemy, felt a little sympathetic to Xie Chengze at the moment.

This crown prince is too naive, too easy to bully!

Zhou Xueya: “…” His highness’ methods are really not simple! This Lu Yanzhou was from the Lu family, he had an enmity with his highness but he was subdued by his highness, and took such good care of his highness!

Do they still remember the hatred of their family being wiped out?

Zhou Xueya felt that Lu Yanzhou and Lu Rong were a little too kind.

Alas, back then the old man of the Lu family gave up the country to the late emperor, and now Lu Yanzhou is like this…The Lu family is too easy to bully!

When Zhou Xueya was eating with Lu Rong, he looked at Lu Yanzhou and Xie Chengze from time to time.

Lu Yanzhou and Xie Chengze only cared about eating by themselves. When Xie Chengze was full, Lu Yanzhou asked, “Brother Cheng, I have learned a little bit of massage, do you want to try it?”

Lu Rong and Zhou Xueya: “…” They don’t think they should stay here.

Zhou Xueya and Lu Rong, who felt that they didn’t fit in with the atmosphere here, quickly ate up the rest of the food, cleaned up the table and left.

There was one more person…Lu Rong asked Chang Feng to squeeze in with the others, then asked the two guards to live in Chang Feng’s room with Zhou Xueya.

Zhou Xueya hadn’t lived in such a dilapidated house for a long time, but since the bedding was all new, he could get used to it.

He felt that he still knew too little about Lu Yanzhou, so he asked Xie Chengze’s two guards, hoping to learn something from them.

Xie Chengze’s two guards did not hide anything and told what they knew about Lu Yanzhou.

Seeing that Lu Yanzhou took in the elderly and children, the two admired Lu Yanzhou very much. They always felt that Lu Yanzhou was very kind to Xie Chengze: “Young master Lu really treats his highness as a friend, and his highness also likes him. By the way, today he also gave his highness a waterwheel.”

The two guards talk in detail about how Lu Yanzhou delivered the water wheel twice.

There is such a thing?

What on earth was Lu Yanzhou thinking. After researching the waterwheel, he actually dedicated it to the prince?

Is he really serving the people wholeheartedly regardless of past grudges?

While Zhou Xueya couldn’t figure it out, Lu Yanzhou and Xie Chengze had went to sleep.

Xie Chengze didn’t expect that Lu Yanzhou would sleep with him, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that it was nothing.

Anyway, he was looking forward to it.

Lying on the side of the kang, probably because he slept too much during the day, Xie Chengze couldn’t sleep.

Hearing the breathing around him slowly becoming steady, Xie Chengze turned his head to look at Lu Yanzhou. Looking at him…he leaned closer to Lu Yanzhou.

Lu Yanzhou woke up when he noticed movement around him, and asked in a daze, “Are you thirsty? Do you want a drink?”

As he spoke, he reached out to the water cup beside the bed—it’s easy to get thirsty when sleeping on the kang, and he was also a little thirsty.

Xie Chengze just watched as Lu Yanzhou brought the water glass to his mouth…He was indeed a little thirsty, so he drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing this, Lu Yanzhou poured himself another cup and drank it down, then said to Xie Chengze, “Let’s continue to sleep.”

Xie Chengze: “…”

Xie Chengze just lay down with Lu Yanzhou.

Lu Yanzhou soon fell asleep again, but Xie Chengze still couldn’t fall asleep.

The night was so dark that he couldn’t see Lu Yanzhou’s face clearly, but he could hear Lu Yanzhou’s breathing.

After hesitating for a moment, Xie Chengze stretched out his hand and touched Lu Yanzhou’s face.

As a result, as soon as his hand touched Lu Yanzhou’s face, Lu Yanzhou woke up again, of course he was still a little dazed: “Are you going to relieve yourself?”

Before Xie Chengze could speak, Lu Yanzhou picked up the chamber pot from the ground.

Xie Chengze: “…”

After using the chamber pot, Xie Chengze lay down again. He didn’t know what happened, he fell asleep quickly this time.

When Lu Yanzhou woke up the next day, Xie Chengze hadn’t woken up yet.

Xie Chengze used to put some rouge on his lips to cover up his pale lip color, but yesterday Xie Chengze ate a lot and washed his face before going to bed, so the rouge was gone long ago.

Because of this, he was lying there with a pale face at this moment, looking extremely fragile.

Lu Yanzhou touched Xie Chengze’s cheek with his hand, then got off the bed lightly, and added some firewood to prevent Xie Chengze from getting cold.

After finishing all this, Lu Yanzhou quietly left.

As soon as Lu Yanzhou left, Xie Chengze opened his eyes.

When Lu Yanzhou touched him, he woke up, but he didn’t want to open his eyes. Now that Lu Yanzhou is gone…Xie Chengze rubbed the center of his brows with his hands.

Lu Yanzhou was really kind to him. If there was no enmity between them and Lu Yanzhou really loved him, that would be great.

However, that’s impossible.

With the big enmity between him and Lu Yanzhou and they have only met a few times, how could Lu Yanzhou really love him as he showed?

Xie Chengze lay down for a while, then he heard the door open.

He looked towards the door expectantly, but instead of seeing Lu Yanzhou, he saw Zhou Xueya.

Zhou Xueya closed the door, came to Xie Chengze’s side, and said in a low voice: “Your highness, you and that Lu Yanzhou…Is Lu Yanzhou trustworthy?”

Xie Chengze said: “Don’t worry, Lu Yanzhou has a deep affection for me, he will not hurt me.”

What?! Zhou Xueya looked at Xie Chengze in shock.

Xie Chengze smiled: “He likes me, can’t you tell?” If what he understands is not wrong, this is exactly what Lu Yanzhou acts like.

Since Lu Yanzhou acted like this…he will just tell people like this.

Zhou Xueya thought about it carefully, it really seemed like this, but Lu Yanzhou and Xie Chengze were both men…

Xie Chengze said: “You don’t have to observe him anymore, he likes me and is reluctant to hurt me.”

Zhou Xueya said: “Yes.”

Zhou Xueya is in a trance now, so Lu Yanzhou…likes his highness, he doesn’t want to take revenge anymore?

He felt something was wrong, but Lu Yanzhou did act like that, and most importantly, his highness would not lie to him.

Still confused, Zhou Xueya saw Lu Yanzhou come back with a basin of hot water, greeted him, then Lu Yanzhou even started to wash his crown prince’s face and hands.

Only the old eunuch beside the crown prince can be so meticulous.

Zhou Xueya began to believe the crown prince’s words.

After taking care of Xie Chengze, Lu Yanzhou said, “It snowed all night yesterday and the roads are frozen. Do you want to stay with me for a few days?”

Xie Chengze agreed straight away: “Okay.” His work is almost done, so it’s okay to leave for a few days.

As for his father’s side…His father knew about his physical condition, he just said that he was recuperating outside the city.

Xie Chengze decided to stay for a few more days. Lu Yanzhou was very happy when he heard this.

He went out with the wash water and poured it out. By the way, he asked Lu Rong to buy chickens and ducks. If there were pigs and sheep, she could also buy them.

There are so many people here, they can finish it all!

After speaking, Lu Yanzhou gave Lu Rong another pile of bank notes.

These bank notes were given to Lu Yanzhou after Han Shengchang’s incident, and King Rui got the job of presiding over the spring exam. However, Lu Yanzhou hadn’t had time to give it to Lu Rong.

The amount of bank notes is not small, so Lu Yanzhou said again: “By the way, you can go to the city again and buy some medicinal materials. Brother Cheng needs to take good care of his body…”

Zhou Xueya who saw this scene: “…”

He knew which bank King Rui’s money was stored in, so he specifically inquired about it. He also knew that King Rui had given Lu Yanzhou a lot of money recently.

Then Lu Yanzhou used it to take in the poor people.

Well, it’s also used to support the crown prince too.

King Rui has always been poor, if he knew about this, he wondered if he would be pissed to death.

T/N: I found that Zhu jianiang sound a lot better than Zhu’s wife or whatever so imma just leave it as Zhu jianiang from now.