“He’s exalting me,” he said.
Somehow, Jiang Suizhou felt that his laughter was bursting with contempt, as if…
It was as if his legs were healed and he disdained these people who were guarding him.
Jiang Suizhou was shocked by his thoughts and hooked his lips. He took it that he was eager for Huo Wujiu’s recovery, so much that he looked at everything so.
When the sky in the horizon was bright, the honor guards began to move.
Although the Hou Zhu said he was going out hunting, he was actually making excuses to go sightseeing. Attendants and eunuchs surrounded the convoy. With the armored honor guards carrying flats, the convoy marched unhurriedly.
They left Lin’an and traveled all the way north along the official road. After traveling for a long time, they seemed to have not gone far.
“How long will this journey take?” Near noon, Jiang Suizhou swept the brocade curtain of the carriage to the side and asked Meng Qianshan outside.
Meng Qianshan answered, “Your Highness, according to the current distance, I think it will be nightfall before we reach Tianping Mountain. But a front guard just sent word that we either not stop for rest for the whole day or will have to spend the night midway and arrive tomorrow.”
Jiang Suizhou raised his eyes to look at the sun hanging high in the sky, responded and lowered the carriage curtain.
He sighed once he retreated into the carriage.
“What a bother,” he complained.
Huo Wujiu glanced at him, “What?”
Jiang Suizhou leaned back. The Prince’s carriage was, of course, comfortable and luxurious. Even Huo Wujiu’s wheelchair was more than enough to fit inside. The seat he was sitting on was also quite spacious and comfortable, with tea and snacks on the side table.
However, his body was suffering from the rich man’s disease.
“Sitting for a long time makes my body unwell.” He moved the soft pillow behind him and sighed.
“It will take another half day,” Huo Wujiu said.
“No.” Jiang Suizhou said. “I got up early this morning, and the carriage is shaking so much, giving me a headache.”
Huo Wujiu raised his eyes to look at him.
The man in brocade and fancy robe with chiseled eyebrows was sitting askew in a soft splendor. His brow was wrinkled, resenting his aching body and headache. He truly was pampered.
For Huo Wujiu, it was normal for him to ride horseback for days on end. If the situation was severe and he couldn’t ride horseback, it was common to walk in the rain, snow and sand with injuries. How could there be a chance to resent this and that or the effort?
If it were Huo Wujiu a year ago, and someone said such a thing in front of him, he would have single-handedly cast him out of the carriage.
But at this moment, he thought to himself, Sure enough.
After two or three hours of journey, it was really inhumane to keep rocking like this without giving people a chance to breathe.
He raised his hand, took out two soft pillows on his side, plugged them beside Jiang Suizhou and said, “It’s still early. Take a nap for now.”
Jiang Suizhou leaned on the soft pillows. He wasn’t that sleepy, however, so he chatted with Huo Wujiu instead, “To be honest, you must be tired from sitting in a wheelchair all day.”
Huo Wujiu had no idea what could be tiring about sitting, but since Jiang Suizhou said so, Huo Wujiu went along with him and said, “I’m fine.”
Jiang Suizhou then said, “The doctor who’s been treating you these days is only capable to this extent. Don’t worry, Gu Changyun has been ceaselessly searching for doctors. Although there are no results for the time being, we can always find someone who can cure you in a year and a half.”
Huo Wujiu was a little curious.
“Why are you so sure?” he asked.
Jiang Suizhou replied, “What?”
Huo Wujiu continued, “About healing me.”
He paused, then added unhurriedly, “On that day, Jiang Shunheng watched my execution with his own eyes. He didn’t let them stop until the imperial doctor and the executioner said that my legs will forever be lame.”
He paused and then said, “How can you be sure that they will be cured?”
Jiang Suizhou was momentarily choked.
It was one thing to know about it and another to hear Huo Wujiu describe it to him.
That was clearly a bloody and deeply agonizing past, but Huo Wujiu mentioned it so lightly. It was as if he was not the one who endured such punishment that day, or the one who was sitting in a wheelchair now.
Jiang Suizhou did not speak for a while.
Just as Huo Wuju’s inquiring gaze fell on him, Jiang Suizhou raised his eyes to look out the window and spoke gently.
“If this Prince says I can cure you, then I can cure you,” he declared.
There was no expression on his face, but Huo Wujiu could gauge the determination in his eyes.
It was not the determination to win, but the firmness to accomplish something, even at any cost.
Huo Wujiu couldn’t help but clench his hand on his knee.
Jiang Suizhou continued speaking.
“There are countless doctors in the world. Not all of them are in the Imperial Hospital, and not all treatment methods are found there. What’s more, Jiang Shunheng has done all sorts of evil. Not everything will go his way,” Jiang Suizhou said.
Huo Wujiu stared at him.
He wanted to tell him that in fact, he had already achieved what he had tried so hard to do long ago.
If he hadn’t sacrificed himself and damaged his health to find a doctor for him, Li Changning and Wei Kai wouldn’t have entered the manor so early, and his legs wouldn’t have been cured in advance, without the slightest disability.
However, he couldn’t speak of it for the time being.
Back then, he just thought all this was none of his business. They were not involved in any way, so there was no need to be frank.
But now, he wanted to establish a relationship with him. It was just that because of those momentary thoughts that day, he began to worry that his dishonesty would be classified as deception.
He had always been decisive in attacking and cutting someone down, but this simple thought made his lips and tongue pressed in his teeth. He wavered to and fro, unable to voice it out.
For a moment, only a faint “hmm” remained, fleeting, and drowned by the clatter of the wheels.
