Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 37

Zi Jin picked up her pen and ink, pondered for a moment, and wrote against her will: "Childhood sweethearts and innocent playmates signify a pure and enduring affection. Doesn't that sound a bit like my relationship with my younger brother Jun Chi?"

A strange light flashed in Jun Chi's eyes. He quickly lowered his head and didn't look up for a long time. When he looked up again, Jun Chi's eyes were filled with gentleness. He turned his head and smiled slightly at Zi Jin, and asked softly, "Then would you like to give me this poem?"

Zi Jin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded.

Yu Luo, a smile playing on her lips, carried a basin of water into the room. She placed the basin on a shelf and gently tidied Zi Jin's clothes and hair.

The setting sun cast its light on Yu Luo's gentle and stunning face, making Zi Jin feel a surge of joy: Ah... if I could possess such beauty, I would have no regrets even if I died.

"Do you remember?" Yu Luo noticed that Zi Jin was distracted again.

Zi Jin suddenly snapped back to reality and looked innocently at Yu Luo: "You always give me instructions when I'm thinking about things, how could I possibly remember them?"

Yu Luo frowned slightly and shook her head helplessly: "After leaving the palace today, be sure not to cause any trouble. I have already instructed the Third Prince to keep an eye on you. As for the congratulatory gift prepared for the Second Prince, I have also given it to the Third Prince. The Second Prince building a residence outside the palace is a major event, and many people will surely come to offer their congratulations. A prince building a residence is not really related to us, but the Second Prince is different from others. He is not only the General's wife's nephew, but he is also engaged to the two young ladies, so the Emperor specially granted you permission to go. Remember, you must not cause any more trouble."

Zi Jin nodded repeatedly, while Yu Luo's hands and mouth were busy explaining various matters while tidying up Zi Jin's appearance.

It wasn't until the head guard who was protecting Jun Chi and Zi Jin left the palace urged them repeatedly that Yu Luo finally released Zi Jin.

Zi Jin and Jun Chi sat together in the carriage leaving the palace. The journey was incredibly dull. Zi Jin unceremoniously used Jun Chi's arm as a pillow and slept soundly.

Zi Jin wasn't really asleep; ever since she got into the carriage, she'd been lamenting her own lack of self-control. Back when she brought Jun Chi back, he was a head shorter than her. And now, in such a short time, he was already so much taller than her when they rode together in the carriage?

Yu Luo is becoming more and more beautiful each year, and her reputation as a beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky is well-deserved.

Fish falls day after day, month after month, year after year, feeding itself all sorts of tonics, yet why does it always look like an underdeveloped little brat?

Zi Jin rubbed against Jun Chi's shoulder impatiently and sighed sadly.

"Jin, are you not asleep?" Jun Chi tugged at Zi Jin's cloak and asked.

Hearing Jun Chi's question, Zi Jin felt another wave of despair wash over her. She didn't know when it had started, but Jun Chi had stopped calling her "brother" altogether. How tragic! How tragic!

"You...you like Princess Xile?" Jun Chi's uncertain voice rang in Zi Jin's ears.

Zi Jin slumped her head, rolling her eyes in exasperation: "I like her? Even if I did, I wouldn't dare like her. She's become so twisted, I want to live a couple more years."

"So, do you truly like Yu Luo?" As if noticing Zi Jin's reaction, Jun Chi hesitated for a moment before asking again.

Zi Jin suddenly sat up and scanned Jun Chi from head to toe like a scanner.

Jun Chi felt extremely uneasy under Zi Jin's inscrutable gaze. He explained, "I... I just saw you staring blankly at Yu Luo, so I thought you..." His voice trailed off, and before he could finish speaking, he could no longer hear what he was saying. He lowered his head sullenly.

Zi Jin, with a gossipy look on her face, pricked up her ears and stared intently at Jun Chi's shy and ambiguous expression.

"You... don't misunderstand, I have no improper thoughts about Yu Luo, I just saw you... so... I asked casually." Jun Chi suddenly raised his head, his cheeks already flushed red, whether from embarrassment or shyness.

Zi Jin squinted, feigning disbelief, thinking to herself: This is a classic case of protesting too much! I asked you what business you have with Yu Luo? I didn't expect you to be so young and already infatuated with Yu Luo's beauty.

But then again, I've been engrossed in watching Fish Fall for over two years, so how much more so would this little kid be? But isn't first love a bit too early for children in ancient times? Jun Chi is only a little over thirteen!

Jun Chi felt uneasy under Zi Jin's gaze, but was finally relieved when happy Bao said, "We have arrived at the Prince of Feng'an's residence."

Zi Jin and Jun Chi walked in at the same time, and from a distance they could see Jun Anxing with bright eyes and a faint smile on his lips, moving among the crowd with a dashing air.

"Third brother, Jin-di, why are you so late?" Jun'an's smile was always on his gentle and refined face, and his tone revealed both reproach and concern.

"I also wanted to come earlier, but Miss Yu Luo wouldn't let me go." Compared to Crown Prince Jun Lin, Jun Chi and Jun An had a much more harmonious relationship.

Zi Jin gave Jun An what she considered a fairly polite smile as a greeting.

Before long, Jun Chi and Jun An were surrounded by the crowd again. Although Jun Chi's speech impediment was not completely cured, he was still able to handle the crowd with ease, while also keeping an eye on Zi Jin's movements from time to time. He was extremely busy.

Zi Jin hated trouble the most, so she almost reflexively headed towards the less crowded areas. The architectural style of the Feng'an Prince's Mansion was not as grand and imposing as the imperial palace, but rather had a more delicate and refined feel, elegant and beautiful, reminiscent of the Jiangnan region.

Feeling a bit tired from walking, Zi Jin found a clean patch of grass, lay down by the pond, and gazed at the red koi fish in the water with a smile on her lips.

The setting sun bathed the lake in a golden glow, and the autumn wind blew, causing the willows to sway gracefully.

Zi Jin closed her eyes wearily, thinking that the pig-headed crown prince always thought too highly of himself, and he would always be the last to arrive at such a banquet. Since he wouldn't arrive, the banquet couldn't begin, and she still had some time to catch up on her sleep.

In her drowsy state, Zi Jin heard clear and pleasant voices.

"What's so good about her? In front of everyone, His Highness the Crown Prince actually carried her out of the carriage, leaving me, the rightful Crown Princess, behind. How can I swallow this insult?" A girl's uniquely childish voice rang out from not far away.

"Your Highness, there's no need to be angry. So what if that wretch is favored? She's still just a lowly concubine. His Highness won't even make her a secondary consort, so why should you get angry with her?" The voice sounded like that of an old woman in her forties or fifties.

Gossip has always been a favorite pastime of bored people!

Zi Jin was positioned perfectly hidden by a row of evergreen plants, and since she was lying there, no one would see her. At this moment, her eyes were shining brightly, she dared not breathe loudly, and her ears were almost perked up.

“Granny, you know perfectly well that since our wedding day, the Crown Prince has not shared a room with me… Even so, he hasn’t slept with that concubine Yunran either. Although I’m somewhat dissatisfied, I don’t hold any grudges. But for the past three months, the Crown Prince has been completely infatuated with that newly arrived concubine, indulging in revelry almost every night. Do you know how much it hurts me? On such a momentous occasion as the Second Prince establishing his own residence, he still has to bring that concubine with no title or status along. How can I be willing to accept this? Haven’t you seen the care and pity the Crown Prince showed her in front of everyone?”

"Your Highness need not worry. That vile woman has no official title and poses no threat to you. Not only do you have the Prime Minister's support, but you are also the Crown Princess's principal wife. His Highness is young and impetuous and prone to making rash decisions. Besides, he has always been very kind and caring towards you. If you were to break ties with him now, you would gain absolutely nothing!"

“His feelings for me are only superficial. I’m so afraid… so afraid… if that concubine gets pregnant with his child, will he not even want to look at me again?”

"Your Highness, rest assured, this servant will definitely not allow this to happen."

"I can only entrust this matter to Granny Yu now. Let's go back."

The girl's voice carried a faint sadness and relief. With such a beautiful voice, how could one imagine that she had such a heart?

A series of disordered footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Only then did Zi Jin dare to breathe loudly, her heart filled with even more horror. Judging from the voice, the girl was no more than sixteen or seventeen years old. How could she be so...? How could she be so vicious?

Zi Jin shook her head, shivered, grabbed a handful of the grass beneath her, and stood up angrily. Turning around, she met a pair of incredibly gloomy phoenix eyes, which frightened her so much that she slumped back down.

Zi Jin trembled slightly, her teeth chattering as she looked at the person not far from her: How long has he been lying here? How much of that conversation did he hear?