Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 39

While Xi Bao was stunned, she reacted quickly and followed Jun Lin.

Beneath the Crown Prince's carriage, Jun Lin, without even glancing at the crowd behind him, dragged Zi Jin into the carriage. The woman who had been following closely behind the Crown Prince also wanted to get in, but Jun Lin gave her a sharp look and sent her to the Crown Princess's carriage instead.

Lowering the carriage curtain, Jun Lin trembled as he gently held Zi Jin in his arms, his phoenix eyes darkening as he gazed unblinkingly at Zi Jin's sleeping face.

Zi Jin subconsciously felt uneasy and snuggled against Jun Lin in a comforting manner.

Jun Lin suddenly tightened his arms, pulling Zi Jin into his embrace, his eyes filled with pain and struggle.

As they approached the palace gates, happy Bao, who had been following the carriage, heard Jun Lin's intermittent voice inside: "I won't let them... No one has the right... Zi... You have to believe me..."

After getting drunk, Zi Jin spent the most depressing summer of her life, as she could hear the snickers of palace maids and eunuchs wherever she went.

From that day on, Yu Luo refused to let Jun Chi and Zi Jin sleep in the same bed under any circumstances.

Jun'an subtly inquired of Zi Jin: "Do you need a maidservant to share your room?"

Zi Jin blushed furiously and nearly broke her neck from shaking it.

west Le went even further, clinging to Zi Jin all day long, asking her with a mixture of resentment and concern, "Where am I not better than Jun Chi? When will you welcome me into your family?"

Zi Jin was completely at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Whenever she was alone, Zi Jin was filled with remorse. Her lifelong reputation had been ruined by this drunkenness, and she was extremely annoyed that her body was so intolerant of alcohol.

Surprisingly, Jun Lin did not make things difficult for Zi Jin regarding this incident, and did not even mention it after returning to the palace.

For a long time afterward, Jun Chi dared not look Zi Jin in the eye, as if he were the one who had done something wrong.

Zi Jin was secretly annoyed: Brother! So what if you are as beautiful as Pan An? You are still in your immature stage. Even if I want to eat you, I will wait until you are fully ripe. Besides, I have never even dreamed of eating you.

In conclusion, Zi Jin remarked, "Snow in June? More wronged than Dou E!"

In the late winter of the sixteenth year of Xuanlong in the Yue Kingdom, Zi Jin was fifteen years old.

The Yue Kingdom army won a great victory and recovered all the lost cities. Emperor Xuanlong bestowed upon General Ziyin Fengyingyuan the title of Prince and granted him the salary of a prince.

In the early spring of the seventeenth year of Xuanlong reign of the Yue Kingdom, the national army returned in triumph. Zi Jin was sixteen years old.

Year after year, Zi Jin had lived in the dark and hopeless palace of the Moon Kingdom for four years. Finally, in early spring, news came that Zi Yin Feng had returned in triumph.

Zi Jin was overjoyed and looked forward to Zi Yingfeng's return to court every day.

The Imperial Garden looked exceptionally beautiful to Zi Jin this year; it would have been even more beautiful if this perverted princess hadn't been by her side.

"Little mute, come back to Chen Kingdom with me." Princess Xile raised her eyebrows slightly, a smile playing on her lips, and looked tenderly at the dark-skinned, thin, and plain-looking Zi Jin beside her.

Zi Jin frowned and changed her position to bask in the sun.

"What is it about the Moon Kingdom palace that you are so fascinated by? Could it be that you have taken a fancy to the women in the palace? But how many of these women can compare to me?" Xi Le glanced at Zi Jin coquettishly and continued, "Besides, I am already yours. If you are unwilling to marry me, I will die in front of that old emperor of the Moon Kingdom!"

Zi Jin shook her head helplessly. This kind of slanderous act was played out every day, and she was already used to it.

"The Crown Prince of Yue Kingdom bullies you because you are young and weak, the Second Prince has ulterior motives towards you, and the Third Prince will definitely be involved in this palace struggle. If you really miss that lovely palace maid, it is not unreasonable to take her back to Chen Kingdom. You should know that in this deep palace, only I am truly sincere towards you." Xi Le smiled enchantingly, her hands wrapping around Zi Jin's arms like vines.

Zi Jin rolled her eyes helplessly, thinking to herself: The day Zi Yingfeng returns in triumph will be the day I am free. If I go with you now, wouldn't that be like jumping from one dragon's den into another tiger's lair?

"Could it be?! You have feelings for that Third Prince?... That Third Prince is handsome, and you spend every day with him. Could it be that you have feelings for him?... But he's a man!" A glint flashed in west Le's beautiful eyes as she asked with a smirk.

Zi Jin rolled her eyes helplessly: Although Jun Chi is becoming more and more handsome every day, he is still only a fourteen-year-old child. I am not as perverted as you, Princess, okay?

Xi Le, when will you ever be normal? The first time we met, you were alone in the Nalan Nan tribe's ancestral temple, pretending to be a spirit. The second time, you refused to save the three princes who had fallen into the water. Being with you, you never know what your mood will be like next. With your unpredictable nature, who would dare to follow you?

west Le seemed quite pleased with Zi Jin's helpless expression, and said with tender affection, "I knew it. No matter how refined the Third Prince is, he is still a man after all. How can he compare to me? You will come back to Chen Kingdom with me."

“Princess, your words are illogical. The Moon Kingdom is Jin’s mother country. Why should Jin wander abroad for you?” The handsome young man had eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like deep pools, and a face like Song Yu. There was a faint displeasure and depression in his eyes. He wore a light-colored headband and a blue brocade robe with delicate patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs.

"Are you some kind of lackey? No matter where I and the little mute go, you always manage to follow us!" west Le raised an eyebrow and looked at Jun Chi, who was pacing over, with displeasure.

Jun Chi walked past her and sat down next to Zi Jin, brushed the messy hair off Zi Jin's face, and asked softly, "It's past noon, you must have been kept busy by that person and haven't eaten yet, right?"

Zi Jin raised her eyes and looked ambiguously at Yu Luo behind Jun Chi. Yu Luo blushed instantly, lowered her head and quickly said, "It's not what you think, Master. I just came with the Third Prince to look for you. You've been out for a long time, and I was afraid you were hungry, so I brought some pastries." Yu Luo awkwardly presented the pastries in the basket to Zi Jin.

Zi Jin casually picked up a piece of pastry, squinted her eyes as she ate it, and glanced at Jun Chi with a look that said, "You don't need to explain, I already understand."

Jun Chi turned his face away, his ears turning slightly red, and said embarrassedly, "Just eat your snacks."

west Le's gaze lingered among the three of them for a moment, then she stared at Jun Chi with a meaningful look, her smile unusually alluring.

Zi Jin accidentally caught sight of this smile, and her scalp tingled. She quickly turned her face away, ignoring west Le's smile.

The spring sunshine was unusually warm. Zi Jin finished eating, but west Le still showed no sign of letting her go. Helpless, she could only sit by the stone table and doze off.

west Le wasn't annoyed. She smiled as she looked at Zi Jin's sleeping posture and reached out to put Zi Jin's head on her shoulder, but Jun Chi stopped her halfway.

Even though Xile had a good temper, she couldn't help but lose her temper, but she was afraid of disturbing the person sleeping next to her, so she could only glare at that person resentfully.

Jun Chi turned his face away, ignoring west Le's fiery eyes, picked up the sleeping Zi Jin in his arms, and walked towards Taiping Pavilion, with Yu Luo following closely behind.

As west Le watched Jun Chi and Yu Luo leave one after another, she smiled and said, "After the little mute girl leaves with me, how about leaving Yu Luo with you?"

Jun Chi paused for a moment, but ultimately did not turn back. Yu Luo was stunned for a moment, then pretended nothing was wrong and followed Jun Chi.

After Jun Chi walked away, Xi Le's ever-smiling face instantly turned gloomy. She glanced at the spot where Jun Chi had turned the corner, a glint of malice flashing in her eyes: "Since you haven't fulfilled my wishes, I'll make all your efforts over the years come to naught! No one can stop me from taking her away!"

Judging by the time, Zi Yingfeng should be back in the next few days. Inside the study of Taipingxuan, Zi Jin, holding a bundle that had already been packed, grinned foolishly at the forty-odd short stories spread out on the table.

On each short raft, there is only one sentence.