Quick Transmigration: What to Do When the Male Supporting Character You Saved Becomes Obsessed with

Chapter 145 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (49)

She exuded an aloofness that seemed detached from the world, and her entire being was as calm as an ordinary person.

Wearing a monk's hat, you can see the hair at her temples; she practices Buddhism while keeping her hair.

The brown Buddhist prayer beads on my wrist have been worn for years, gleaming with a delicate luster.

She was beautiful even without makeup. Although she was older and fine wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes and brows, it did not diminish her beauty. Standing there, she seemed to resemble a Buddha.

"Amitabha, why have you come so early today?" the Empress asked, as if she were casually greeting a child, without any excitement or joy at seeing her after so long.

"Leave the palace as soon as possible and return home as soon as possible." Ji Shumin's tone was harsh, as if there was an icy river between the two of them.

Lu Liruan, standing to the side, felt a chill run down her spine. There was not a trace of motherly affection between the Empress and Ji Shumin.

The Empress ignored Ji Shumin's words, turned her head, and looked at Lu Liruan seriously and calmly: "Is this your Crown Princess?"

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Lu Liruan bowed.

"Don't be nervous. This is my first time meeting you, and I don't have any gifts," the Queen said softly, turning to walk towards a cabinet.

Open it and take out a cloth bag.

She handed it to Lu Liruan: "I'll give this to you."

Lu Liruan was at a loss, unsure whether to accept the gift. Logically, she should accept the Empress's gift with gratitude, but Ji Shumin's attitude made Lu Liruan very concerned.

Compared to their first meeting and the fact that she knew nothing about the Empress, Lu Liruan cared more about Ji Shumin's thoughts, especially if it displeased him...

Ji Shumin felt Lu Liruan's gaze, nodded, and said in a calmer tone, "Take what Mother gave you."

"Thank you, Mother." Lu Liruan accepted the gift with both hands, opened it, and found a silver hairpin inside. The hairpin was exquisitely designed, with a design of butterflies and flowers.

The silver butterfly's antennae and legs are exquisitely detailed and lifelike, and the patterns on the petals are also incredibly realistic. It's clear that the beauty of this hairpin lies not in its material, but in the craftsman's skill.

The hairpin was very well preserved, and Lu Liruan thought it was precious. She had heard that when the Empress left the palace, she took almost nothing with her, saying that she was afraid of disturbing Qingxiu's heart to pray for the royal family.

Lu Liruan had heard a general outline of the Empress's past from Madam Gao, and then heard almost everything from the Dowager Consort.

The Empress Dowager speaks in a pleasant and captivating way. Everything she says is neither against the rules nor involves secrets, and it all sounds like a story to be told.

Lu Liruan now understood the Empress Dowager's intention. She knew that Lu Liruan would eventually meet the Empress, so she had warned her in advance not to break any taboos.

As for the reason of seeking seclusion, Lu Liruan thought that the Empress was heartbroken and did not want to see anything in the palace.

But what about Ji Shumin?

In the Empress's eyes, was Ji Shumin considered a "thing" in the palace?

Lu Liruan sensed that Ji Shumin was also looking at the silver hairpin. His expression faltered slightly, but then quickly turned into a subtle and gloomy mockery.

"Why did Mother give something made by my elder brother to my Crown Princess?" he said quietly.

The Empress, who had maintained a calm expression since meeting them, was visibly surprised upon hearing these words.

"How do you know..."

"How could I, as your younger brother, not recognize your skills, Your Majesty? I didn't expect you to have improved so much. Tsk tsk tsk, it's truly exquisite." Ji Shumin praised ambiguously.

"According to Mother, my elder brother must be pure of heart and have no distractions to be able to create such exquisite objects without any worries, right?"

Ji Shumin's words were flattering, but Lu Liruan could clearly hear the hint of sarcasm and barbs in them.

"Min'er." The Empress interrupted him without any emotion. The mother and son looked at each other, and Ji Shumin's resentment seemed to be overflowing. He clenched his fists and pressed them against his legs.

Lu Liruan had never seen him lose control so easily after just a few words. She wanted to take his hand as usual, but the Empress was still present, and she was anxious.

The Empress noticed the connection between the two. She looked at Lu Liruan, then looked down at Ji Shumin: "Min'er, after all these years, can't you still let go?" The Empress sighed.

"Amitabha Buddha, your obsession..."

"Is my obsession too deep? Every time you see me, you say this." Ji Shumin interrupted her, finishing the sentence himself.

"And then what? You still want to persuade me to let go? Let go of what? How can I let go? Let go of these two legs of mine, or let go of this life?" Ji Shumin suppressed his anger, his words like sparks flying from burning embers.

"In your eyes, when will you hear the news of my death, and then kneel before the Buddha with pity, count your prayer beads, and hypocritically sigh, 'He has finally let go,'" Ji Shumin said, his words sharp as knives.

Lu Liruan was anxiously watching from the side. Ji Shumin's mood had been off since yesterday, but Lu Liruan did not expect him to erupt so suddenly. In fact, he was so excited that his eyes were red and he had a bit of a hysterical look.

Compared to the still calm empress, he appeared even more mad.

"Why do you utter such lies? Min'er, how could you let go?" The Empress shook her head gently, as if she hadn't noticed his madness.

"What, do you think I won't die, or that I can't die?" Ji Shumin's nails dug into his palms, his chest filled with uncontrollable rage, wishing he could destroy everything at this moment.

The contrast between the two sides was quite strange.

Lu Liruan felt uncomfortable standing to the side. Although the Empress looked calm, Lu Liruan felt that she was more like a cold observer.

This attitude could drive anyone who interacted with her crazy, yet she remained compassionate and calm, making the other person seem even more insane.

Gaslight effect.

A word came to Lu Liruan's mind.

"Your Highness." Lu Liruan called to Ji Shumin in a low voice. Regardless of whether they were in front of the Empress, Lu Liruan squatted down beside him, placed her hand on Ji Shumin's tense forearm, and patted it gently.

"Your Highness, His Highness is not feeling well," Lu Liruan said respectfully.

"That's why I hope he can cultivate his character. Getting angry and upset all day long will only make his health worse. As the Buddhist saying goes..." The Empress clasped her hands together and recited a passage from a Buddhist scripture.

"Your Majesty, I do not believe in Buddhism."

After Lu Liruan finished speaking, she smiled slightly and said, seemingly humble yet somewhat embarrassed.

It means: I don't understand.

"Oh? Before the Crown Princess was married, did she not worship Buddha with her sisters in the family?" the Empress asked.

Buddhism is prevalent in this dynasty, advocating a way of life that emphasizes living peacefully, following the natural order, and cultivating virtue for the next life.

The way of education.

Lu Liruan knew that this trend was inseparable from the rulers' desire for the common people to be content with the status quo.

What is thought to be faith is actually a manipulated and guided faith; Buddhism has always had this effect throughout history.

Lu Liruan did not know why the Empress was so devout. In Lu Liruan's view, only those who have desires that cannot be satisfied in this world will seek the transcendence of Buddhism.

“None of my sisters believe it either,” Lu Liruan said with a smile. “Perhaps we sisters are too dull to understand the way of transcendence.”

After Lu Liruan finished speaking, she fell silent. The Empress frowned at what she said, but could no longer respond with Buddhist teachings.

After all, Lu Liruan seemed cheerful, but she was completely unresponsive to reason.

While Lu Liruan was talking to the Empress, Ji Shumin gradually recovered.

He could feel Lu Liruan's hand gripping his arm tightly, as if trying to transfer strength to him. This thought miraculously calmed Ji Shumin down.

This was something he couldn't have done before.

Now, just a few moments later, when he heard the Empress's emotionless and flat words again, the surging anger that had just risen within him dissipated quickly, like a mud ox sinking into the sea.

Being understood, being cared for, and having someone firmly express: "I understand you, I know how you feel..." is the best way to break the ice.

The atmosphere felt a little strange.

Lu Liruan has always been sensitive and attentive to other people's emotions, especially after training with Ji Shumin, she is very perceptive.

When he first met the Empress, she didn't even notice him. She wasn't some detached, otherworldly being, but rather someone who looked down on everyone with an air of superiority and disregard.

Now that she can see herself, Lu Liruan thinks: the Empress may no longer like her as her daughter-in-law.

Although she made no comment.

Lu Liruan didn't care. She looked at Ji Shumin, and suddenly, as if remembering something, took out a small porcelain bottle from her pocket: "Your Highness hasn't taken any medicine today in order to see the Empress. Does the Empress have any plain water here?"

"Please do as you please." The Empress pointed to the table, glancing at the medicine bottle in Lu Liruan's hand.

In front of her, Lu Liruan slowly poured out a pill. She wasn't lying; Ji Shumin hadn't taken his medicine today.

Before leaving, Xiao Xizi stammered and begged Lu Liruan to take the medicine with him.

His Highness usually takes his medicine in the afternoon, but today he has been traveling long distances and is worried that Ji Shumin might feel unwell, so he can take his medicine whenever he wants.

Lu Liruan walked over calmly, poured a glass of water, tested the temperature, and then gently handed it to Ji Shumin: "Your Highness, please take your medicine first."

When the two looked at each other, Ji Shumin lowered his head and gave Lu Liruan a playful look, while Lu Liruan, with her back to the Empress, glared at him.

Ji Shumin relaxed, curled the corners of his mouth, raised his chin, and gestured for Lu Liruan to feed him the medicine.

Normally, Lu Liruan wouldn't be this nice to him. She would push him out to sunbathe and then chatter on and on about whether he was getting heavy.

Ji Shumin could sense from her feigned complaints that Lu Liruan was quite pleased with his slightly heavier appearance.

Lu Liruan placed the medicine in her palm and brought it to his lips.

Ji Shumin reached out, his lips brushing against Lu Liruan's warm palm, causing Lu Liruan to tremble slightly.

After finishing her water, Lu Liruan placed the cup back on the table before gracefully returning, her face bearing a gentle and dignified smile befitting her status as the Crown Princess.

"Thank you, ma'am."

These words made the Empress frown slightly. She and the Crown Prince were mother and son, but the Crown Princess's polite and courteous manner made it seem as if the two of them were closer, while the Empress was an outsider.

Lu Liruan was deliberately putting on an act.

"How is Min'er's health?" Only then did she become concerned about Ji Shumin's health.

After his earlier enthusiasm for getting to the bottom of things, Ji Shumin leaned back in his wheelchair with a calm and somewhat lazy expression, without saying a word.

“You need to take medication every day,” Lu Liruan thoughtfully answered for him.

“Amitabha Buddha, all karmic obstacles have their causes and effects. It is better to start cultivating early to end the suffering in this life.” The Empress sighed, her expression full of compassion, and picked up a few more beads from her Buddhist prayer beads.

"Your Majesty, is Buddhism really that miraculous? If it could allow His Highness to not need to take medicine..." Lu Liruan looked at the Empress with great eagerness, as if she wanted a definite answer.

"Qin'er is much better now." The Empress was taken aback and said.

Qin'er? Ji Shuqin, the eldest son of the emperor who lived in a temple with the empress.

Lu Liruan stopped asking questions.

The Empress glanced at Ji Shumin, who was only concerned about Lu Liruan, and sat back down beside the Buddhist altar: "Min'er, I have something to say to you."

Does this mean I should leave?

Lu Liruan did not linger, but curtsied and said, "Then I will go out first."

Before leaving, Lu Liruan raised an eyebrow at Ji Shumin, as if to say, "Don't cause any more trouble."

It was unclear whether Ji Shumin had truly grasped her intentions. He lowered his eyes, and Lu Liruan sensed that he seemed to be in a good mood.

Ji Shumin never liked being served by a large group of people, and his trip up the mountain was also quiet and deserted. Apart from the carriage driver, there were only a few palace maids and eunuchs accompanying him.

They were not in the backyard at this moment; not a single person could be seen in the Zen temple where the Empress resided.

The building here has a Zen-like feel. Looking out through the circular openings in the corridor, one can see the misty back mountain scenery, giving one a sense of "a world within a flower".

Lu Liruan did not disrespect Buddhism. Personal beliefs are a personal matter, and others should maintain a sense of awe. That's why Lu Liruan said those things earlier.

It is because the Empress's words are vague, and she uses empty words to summarize everything in order to cover up her indifference and falsehood.

If you're going to rely on spiritual practice without taking medicine, then you might as well not eat and just rely on spiritual practice.

Lu Liruan admitted that she was also somewhat angry, and it was no wonder that Ji Shumin was provoked; it was truly infuriating.

Just as Lu Liruan was breathing in the fresh, slightly cool air, she heard footsteps behind her.

Turning around, I saw a slender man dressed in moon-white clothes, with his hair tied up only with a blue ribbon, standing there with a gentle and elegant expression.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Lu Liruan stepped back and curtsied.

The man spoke, his voice refined and gentle: "How did you know I was the First Prince?"

“This is the Empress’s residence. Only the First Prince can come and go as he pleases,” Lu Liruan replied.

"You must be Min'er's Crown Princess." Ji Shuqin looked somewhat similar to Ji Shumin.

Ji Shumin's appearance was aggressive, with deep-set features and eyebrows and eyes that were as beautiful and sharp as a fine brush painting. His eyes revealed a sharpness and the aloofness of a superior.

Ji Shuqin, however, appeared very scholarly. When he smiled, his eyes did not squint, and he spoke slowly and deliberately. His whole demeanor was indeed like that of someone raised in a Buddhist temple, serene and content.

"Yes."

“Min’er hasn’t come for a long time. As his elder brother, I was unable to attend his wedding,” Ji Shuqin said with some regret.

"Empress Dowager also misses Min'er." Seeing that Lu Liruan did not respond, Ji Shuqin said this again.

"Her Majesty the Empress has a motherly heart," Lu Liruan echoed, looking respectful, as if she had already forgotten what had just happened.

Ji Shuqin didn't notice anything amiss: "A few days ago, Mother was thinking about Min'er, but she..." He didn't finish his sentence.

Lu Liruan didn't press the matter further, but instead changed the subject: "Just now, the Empress Dowager gave me the hairpin that you made, my brother, as a gift... I wonder if this is proper etiquette?"

As she spoke, Lu Liruan took out the hairpin and handed it to Ji Shuqin for him to see.