Die Landschaft ist wie ein Gemälde

Kapitel 56

"His Majesty took a great risk back then, and never intended to take it back... If he finds out about this in the future, I'm afraid... Although Xipo can save her life, if it is used at the same time as Meihun, I'm afraid that person will go insane, or even lose all four senses, and suffer a fate worse than death... I urge Your Majesty to think twice before acting, lest you regret it in the future... it will be too late..."

“What’s wrong with me helping my brother get his things back?!… Since I dared to do this, I certainly won’t let my brother know. Otherwise, what would I do with that fish?… You know how many people died trying to get the Soul-Stealing and the Soul-Cherishing. How could I let them become useless trash?… Since I dared to give them to her, I certainly won’t let her go mad or lose all her senses.” Xi Le seemed to be persuading Jin Yu, but also seemed to be persuading herself.

"Master, if you only harbor hatred for her, how could you have continuously channeled your inner energy into her for over ten days... It's not too late to pull back from the brink now, don't wait until..."

"Shut up! I've gotten to where I am today because of the deep-seated hatred I have for her! Now that I've finally gotten what I've been waiting for, you're trying to stop me. What are you up to?!" west Le's face was contorted with rage and her expression was crazed. She slammed her hand on the table and shouted loudly.

"Your subordinate wouldn't dare," Jin Yu quickly lowered his head.

Zi Jin, holding a bowl of soup, slumped onto the table and fell into a deep sleep. In her hazy state, she felt someone standing beside her. She tried hard to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt as heavy as if weighed down, and she couldn't open them no matter what.

west Le reached out and moved the still-warm ginseng soup from Zi Jin's hand, frowned, and helped Zi Jin lie down on the bed, waiting for everything to be prepared.

Jin Yu, with an unusually complicated expression, walked in carrying a steaming bowl of medicinal soup and placed it on the table next to west Le.

west Le gently picked up the medicine bowl, took a graceful sniff, glanced at Zi Jin out of the corner of her eye, and smiled in an unusually alluring way: "Little mute, get up and drink your sweet soup."

Jin Yu walked to the table with a blank face, picked up the bowl of soup, and his eyes were full of struggle.

west Le picked up a spoon and fed the first mouthful of medicine to Zi Jin, her smile deepening: "Is it sweet? This herb only grows once every five hundred years, and it's exceptionally sweet and fragrant."

In her sleep, Zi Jin seemed to agree, licking the corner of her mouth.

"Master!" Jin Yu hurriedly carried the bowl of soup to west Le's side. "The kitchen said that this ginseng soup... she spent two hours by herself preparing it for you... Master, would you like to..."

west Le's originally gentle and tender face instantly turned gloomy and cold. She swept the bowl of soup away, shattering it into pieces on the floor with a "bang": "Hmph, she used to use these tricks to deceive her brother too!" After saying that, her slightly trembling hand suddenly threw down the spoon in her hand and poured the entire bowl of medicine into Zi Jin's mouth.

Zi Jin didn't resist and drank it all down. After finishing, she smiled, licked her lips contentedly, turned over, and went back to sleep.

Jin Yu slowly closed his eyes, unwilling to look at her any longer.

west Le stared blankly at the empty bowl in her hand, her face pale. Her expression was complex and hard to decipher. After a long while, she sneered and ran out of the room as if fleeing.

A gentle breeze rustled through the willow branches on the riverbank, and the warm sunlight made one drowsy. On the banks of the Huaiyin River, a single-story painted boat glided slowly across the water. A stunningly beautiful woman in a white dress leaned against the edge of the boat, her brows slightly furrowed and a smile playing on her lips, watching the gentle breeze and rippling water.

The young man in blue beside her had slightly dark skin and a thin build. His ordinary face was only distinguished by his bright and expressive eyes. The young man curiously looked around at the painted boats.

A faint smile played on west Le's lips as he sat up and gazed at the several ornate pleasure boats in the distance: "Little mute, how about we stay here tonight?"

Zi Jin drooped her head listlessly: It's strange, that drowsy habit comes on in a strange way and goes away in a strange way. It seems that after a good night's sleep, she is full of energy.

Zi Jin firmly believed that west Le had used his inner strength to save her, but when she asked Xi Le, he refused to admit it, only saying that he had recovered after taking the medicine. From that day on, Zi Jin began her miserable journey of taking medicine again. She was used to taking medicine, but then Xi Le said something that almost made her regret it to death: "Who told you to act impulsively and return the Soul Gathering Jade to him? You deserve to suffer today." If she had known that the Soul Gathering Jade was so powerful, she would never have removed it in a moment of anger.

"What is Xiao Jinjin thinking about?" west Le asked, leaning against Zi Jin and whispering in her ear when Zi Jin did not answer her for a long time.

When Zi Jin came to her senses, she found that the ship had already docked. She looked at Xi Le in surprise: "Chen Kingdom, Grand Elder, Princess, this journey that should only take half a month has taken you almost two months! It's almost the beginning of summer, and at this rate, you won't even reach Chen Kingdom next year!"

west Le smiled slightly and said, "It's getting late. Let's stop here on the prosperous banks of the Huaiyin River for today. I'll show you around and broaden your horizons."

Zi Jin looked around at the boats coming and going and the bustling buildings on the shore, and was slightly tempted: If she went, she was a wanted person and if she was caught, she might be subjected to all kinds of torture instruments. If she didn't go, when would she be able to visit this floating imperial city on public funds?

"Little Jinjin, do you know that the banks of the Huaiyin River are the most important transportation link of the Three Kingdoms? The prosperity here is even greater than that of the capital of the Yue Kingdom. Many of the scenic spots and luxuries here are beyond the reach of the capital of the Yue Kingdom. If you don't see the wonders of the Three Towers of Huaiyin, it would be a great regret in your life..."

"Your subordinate begs you to retract your order, Master!" Jin Yu had flowing, smooth black hair and a tall, slender figure, but his features were too ordinary. At an age when he should be young and impetuous, the maturity between his brows could not be concealed.

west Le was displeased that her words had been abruptly interrupted. She raised a brow and glanced sideways at Jin Yu kneeling before her, saying, "Are you the master? Or am I the master?"

Jin Yu lowered his head, his brows furrowed, and said, "Master, the capital has now sent the third urgent summons. You have been taking a roundabout route by water. If you don't hurry, you may not be able to reach the capital by the end of the month."

"Jin Yu! A servant should do what a servant should do!" west Le said angrily in a deep voice. After speaking, he grabbed Zi Jin, who was watching the show with great interest, and got off the boat.

Zi Jin looked at Jin Yu approvingly: "He dares to pull the tiger's mane; he's quite the character."

Jin Yu lowered his eyes, stopped arguing, and silently followed behind the two.

When west Le saw Jin Yu following, he immediately stopped and said coldly, "You don't need to follow. Just wait here." His tone was harsh and brooked no compromise.

Jin Yu suddenly looked up but met west Le's sharp, beautiful eyes. Helpless, he turned and went back to the ship.

Shops lined both sides of the street, and people came and went, some hurrying and some leisurely. The architectural styles here were diverse, ranging from the elegant sophistication of Jiangnan to the grand style of the North. Passersby occasionally glanced at Xi Le's beauty, but no one acted rudely.

Zi Jin subconsciously slowed down a step behind Xi Le and followed behind him, strolling along the main streets of Huaiyin City. They didn't encounter a single thug along the way, and the city's prosperity was truly greater than that of the Yue Kingdom's imperial city.

"This place belongs to the Yue Kingdom, but because it is the southernmost border of the three kingdoms, it was once a chaotic and corrupt place. Five years ago, the Jianghu organization Naminglou rose to prominence overnight, taking over 60% of the city's businesses. In five years, the leader of Naminglou has governed this place to the point that it rivals the capitals of various countries... This small building is one of the three buildings in Huaiyin City." Xi Le's eyes sparkled and a smile played on his lips as he stopped outside a simple and exquisite small building.

Zi Jin looked up and saw four large characters on the plaque above the door: "Gold and Jade Fill the Building." She turned around twice and carefully examined the small building: a two-story dilapidated house made of broken wood, is it called "Gold and Jade Fill the Building"? What would it be called if it were made of blue bricks? "Diamonds Studded in the Building"?

west Le noticed Zi Jin's disdain, smiled sideways, and pulled Zi Jin to go inside, but was blocked by the people guarding the side.

"This place has been reserved by my master. Please trouble you two to find another place," the gatekeeper said respectfully with a bow.

west Le frowned slightly, as if she hadn't heard the person speak. Without even raising her head, she pulled Zi Jin and walked straight in.

Seeing west Le's arrogance, the disciples were furious and were about to lash out.

Zi Jin was one step ahead of that person, tightly grasping Xi Le's hand and gently shaking her head: Your injuries are not yet healed, and this place is still within the territory of the Moon Kingdom, so keep a low profile.

west Le slowly turned around, giving the disciple a seductive smile, which startled the disciple slightly. west Le flicked her finger, and the disciple froze in place. Without turning her head, west Le entered "Golden Jade Pavilion".

Zi Jin reluctantly followed her inside, following the time travel rule: when eating out, always choose a restaurant with a history of trouble, so as to find the biggest trouble of all.

The inside and outside of the building are separated by just one door, yet the difference is like heaven and earth.

The floor was entirely paved with jade and glazed tiles, and the hall was bathed in golden light. Three fist-sized luminous pearls floated above the hall, surrounded by dozens of smaller pearls. Gold and jade inlaid reliefs adorned the beams and pillars. The stair railings, clearly made of centuries-old sandalwood, featured lifelike and exquisitely crafted reliefs, truly befitting the name "a hall overflowing with gold and jade."

The waiter, dressed in fine brocade blue attire, greeted them with a smile as they entered, saying, "Young Master Lou has been waiting for you two for quite some time. Please come in."

Zi Jin gave a wry smile and was about to explain when west Le saw through her intentions, rudely pulled her back, and followed the waiter upstairs.