Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 12
Zi Jin's smile froze, and she held onto Jun Lin's hand tightly, unwilling to let go. Suddenly, she lowered her head sharply and bit Jun Lin's little finger and ring finger fiercely and without restraint.
"Ah!!" A shrill scream came from Jun Lin's mouth.
Those who had not gone far, unaware of what had happened, all returned to investigate!
Zi Jin bit down with all her might, refusing to let go until she tasted the blood. Jun Lin's face was contorted in agony, and he stood there dumbfounded, leaving everyone else momentarily speechless.
Zi Jin took off running outside, grabbed happy Bao, and dashed towards Taipingxuan.
"You mute! I will never let you get away with this!" The Crown Prince covered his deep, bleeding wound and roared in hatred.
In the distance, Zi Jin's joyful laughter echoed in the air.
Zi Jin endured the pain on her face and deliberately let out a joyful laugh, which startled happy Bao.
Xi Bao timidly called out, "Master..." her voice tinged with joy.
This was the first time Xi Bao had heard Zi Jin's voice; he had always thought Zi Jin was mute. She had never uttered a sound before, yet today she was laughing loudly. How could he not be surprised and delighted?
After running non-stop back to Taiping Pavilion, Zi Jin was greeted by Yu Luo's gloomy face. Zi Jin's good mood completely vanished.
Although Zi Jin cannot be entirely blamed for this incident, Yu Luo tells her almost every day: Be careful in everything, forbearance is a double-edged sword, and if you suffer any injustice, come back and discuss it with her.
Today, Zi Jin not only got beaten up for sticking her neck out, but also publicly bit the Crown Prince. No wonder Yu Luo looked unhappy.
"This is not your fault, Master. It was my carelessness that caused you to bump into the Crown Prince's carriage. Please don't blame me." Even the palace maid Xibao, who was afraid of her master, spoke with trepidation.
Yu's almond-shaped eyes, sharp as knives, glared fiercely at Xibao, who shrank back in fright.
Zi Jin hurriedly stepped forward and pitifully tugged at Yu Luo's sleeve, grinning ingratiatingly, but the smile looked somewhat ferocious because it aggravated the injury on her face.
Seeing Zi Jin's pained yet ingratiating demeanor, Yu Luo's anger subsided considerably. He pulled Zi Jin up to apply medicine, but as soon as he took her hand, Zi Jin swiftly withdrew it. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that her hand was swollen like a freshly steamed bun, and the anger that had just subsided flared up again.
Upon seeing Yu Luo's face change from cloudy to the prelude to a downpour, Xi Bao immediately said, "Master's hand injury was caused by Zhou Taifu hitting him because he was a little late going to the study."
"Hmph!" Yu Luo snorted coldly, glared at Xi Bao, and then, with a gloomy face, pulled Zi Jin's arm and walked towards the bedroom. Although she was very angry, she still carefully avoided touching the injury on Zi Jin's hand.
Yu Luo took out the medicine and gently applied it to Zi Jin: "How many times have I told you, don't confront the Crown Prince head-on."
“What happened today was not Master’s fault. Blame me. If Master hadn’t protected me… there would have been no conflict with the Crown Prince.” happy Bao replied on Zi Jin’s behalf, her face full of guilt.
"What's the use of blaming you? Why can't you two use your brains instead of going head-to-head with that prince!"
Zi Jin's clear eyes carefully observed Yu Luo's increasingly gloomy face, and she timidly shrank her head, not daring to express her opinion.
Xi Bao retorted indignantly, "It's all the Crown Prince's fault for being so bullying. From the very first day Master went to the Imperial Study, he's been finding all sorts of ways to torment Master. From sawing off Master's desk and chair, making Master fall off while sleeping, to placing small snakes under Master's feet, and replacing Master's books with picture albums, making the Grand Tutor despise Master to the core, isn't every single thing he's done a way to bully our Master who can't speak out?"
Zi Jin tilted her head, thinking hard for a long time before finally connecting the series of unfortunate events to the Crown Prince. Even Xi Bao could see that the pig-headed Crown Prince was responsible for something so simple, yet she had been racking her brains trying to figure out the culprit. Clearly, her intelligence needed improvement. However, she couldn't fathom how a small slap in the Imperial Garden could make the dignified Crown Prince hold such a grudge. How could someone with such a narrow mind be fit to be the future ruler of a nation?
"The Second Prince has arrived!" A sharp voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.
Zi Jin and the other two hurriedly rose to greet him: "This servant greets the Second Prince."
"Hehe, get up, both of you." Jun An walked in with the twins Zi Feng and Zi Feng, and sat down in the main seat without any ceremony, with Zi Feng and Zi Feng standing on either side.
Jun An was always gentle and humble, a well-known gentleman in the Yue Kingdom. Jun An had gentle eyes and a humble smile that always graced his lips, making people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.
"My younger brother was injured today, and Mother asked me to bring some medicine over. When Zi Feng heard that my younger brother was injured, she insisted on coming to see him." Her tactful tone and caring words made her seem like a family member.
Zi Jin, her face covered in wounds, smiled unrecognizablely to express her gratitude and appreciation. In her heart, she thought to herself: The Second Prince's mother, Consort Li, is Zi Feng's aunt, so it's no wonder he spoke in such a tone.
"This servant, on behalf of my mistress, thanks Your Highness the Second Prince, the Imperial Concubine, and the two young ladies," Yu Luo said on Zi Jin's behalf, bowing respectfully behind her.
Jun'an paused for a moment after seeing Yu Luo fall, then smiled and waved, his voice becoming increasingly gentle: "We're all family, no need for such formalities."
In the blink of an eye, Zi Jin saw Jun An stare blankly at Yu Luo's appearance and thought maliciously: This little brat is so fond of good looks at only ten years old. Who knows what kind of lecherous king he will become when he grows up.
At this moment, Zi Jin would certainly not remember that when she first saw Yu Luo, her mouth was practically watering and she stood there dumbfounded for a long time.
He was just stunned for a moment, and he was given the title of "Queen of Lust"? Wouldn't she be called a "Lustful Demon" for her behavior?
"My little brother is really something, why does he never come to visit his sisters in the inner palace?" Zi Feng's soft voice carried a hint of coquetry.
These words flattered Zi Jin. When had her sister ever been so attentive to her?
Zi Jin looked at Zi Feng and grinned foolishly, her smile both silly and sinister, making people laugh.
"I will take good care of myself. If the Crown Prince bullies me again, I will go to the South Garden and tell my sister. My sister and Jun'an will definitely get justice for you!" It was clear that Zi Feng was an impatient person.
Unable to speak, Zi Jin could only continue to laugh foolishly, enduring the pain, her smile growing increasingly ferocious.
Zi Feng expressed his brotherly affection for a while, then left with the Second Prince, leaving behind a bottle of medicine.
Yu Luo watched them walk away, then stood there lost in thought for a long time. happy Bao then brought out the lunch that had been prepared earlier.
Yu Luo only came out of her meditation when Zi Jin pulled her to the table.
happy Bao glanced at Yu Luo's still gloomy face, dared not say anything, and ate in silence with Zi Jin, not daring to make a sound.
Xi Bao thought to herself: She entered the palace later than Yu Luo and was less talented than Yu Luo, so it was one thing for her to be afraid of Yu Luo. But her own mistress was also a mistress, yet she had to live according to Yu Luo's whims. How pathetic!
Then I thought: My master has a gentle and mild temper, yet he is extremely protective of his own. There aren't many masters like him, so I might as well be a little cowardly.
Everyone was probably very surprised to see the three of them eating at the same table. How could their master eat with his servants? Little did they know that Zi Jin had repeatedly used hunger strikes as a means to force Xi Bao and Yu Luo to stop referring to themselves as servants and to insist that the three of them dine together.
Although happy Bao was moved to tears, she almost kowtowed until her head bled in order to get Zi Jin to retract her decision. In the end, the two of them finally gave in to Zi Jin's wishes.
"The Mid-Autumn Festival is just a few days away. His Majesty has granted Your Highness permission to celebrate the festival with the royal family while the general is away on campaign. Your Highness must not cause any trouble on that day." After the meal, Yu Luo carefully applied medicine to Zi Jin and sighed.