Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 97
"Your subordinate is foolish and stupid, please punish me, Your Highness." Jin Yu bowed down and kowtowed deeply.
“What’s the use of punishing you? If it weren’t for the fact that the little mute girl has the Emperor’s aura on her… I… wouldn’t have thought that even in his current state, the Emperor still couldn’t forget her.” A mocking smile appeared on the corner of Prince Anle’s mouth.
Jin Yu raised his head and carefully glanced at Prince Anle, whose eyes were tightly closed: "Your Highness...why not tell the Emperor the truth? The Emperor has been heartbroken all his life because of that person. Now...Your Highness has used the Emperor's trust...to deceive the Emperor with Miss Yu Luo...how can you bear it?"
"How dare you! What kind of thing are you! How dare you lecture me!" Prince Anle kicked Jin Yu in the chest.
Jin Yu clutched his chest, staring in disbelief at the Prince Anle standing above him, blood welling from the corner of his mouth.
"Don't forget who your master is now! What right does that person have to receive the Emperor's favor? She wasn't qualified before! And she's even less qualified now! The Emperor is already satisfied with Yu Luo. If anyone dares to reveal this secret, I'll make sure they never speak again!" A sinister glint flashed in the narrow eyes of Prince Anle.
"From the moment that person bestowed Jin Yu upon the Prince, the Prince became Jin Yu's only master. From that day on, Jin Yu has never been disloyal to his master. Jin Yu only pitied the Emperor's devoted love, yet the Prince used her in this way. Not to mention that the Prince and the Emperor are siblings, the Emperor has always been very fond of the Prince, so the Prince should not..."
"Shut up! I know what I'm doing! Everything I've done is for my brother's good! You don't need to say anything more!" Prince Anle glared and retorted sharply, "Go and fetch Elder Fang."
"Your Highness! This is absolutely unacceptable. Miss Zi... the young master is already in poor health. If you insist on going your own way, I'm afraid..."
"The old man once told me that if a person takes a small amount of fresh blood every three days, and if he nourishes himself properly, there will be no problem." King Anle's lips curled into a cruel smile, a smile that extinguished any remaining worry.
Jin Yu looked at Prince Anle in shock and exclaimed, "Your Highness, you mustn't! The old gentleman has his reasons for saying those words. Although Your Highness has treated him with great courtesy, the old gentleman's heart is not in this; he longs to travel the world, but Your Highness has been holding him back. The old gentleman naturally wants to heal the Emperor as soon as possible so he can leave this world. But the young master is too weak to withstand it..."
"I have no idea when Jin Yu secretly learned medical skills?" King Anle smiled charmingly, his eyes flashing with cold light.
“Jin Yu doesn’t understand medicine, but he knows that even a strong person can’t withstand three days of blood draws. The prince knows the young master’s health better than Jin Yu does, so why would he be so eager for quick results?”
“Yes! I am just too eager for quick success! I cannot tolerate her getting even a little bit closer to my brother! Not even a little bit! If my brother wakes up soon, he will not remember her! Then, my brother will be able to stay with Yu Luo in peace. What’s wrong with that?! Besides, if it weren’t for her, how could my brother have become like this… My brother saved her with his life, and she repaid him with her blood. What’s wrong with that?” Prince Anle stared at Jin Yu without moving, his eyes filled with an unyielding determination.
"Jin Yu... I'll go and invite the master." Jin Yu lowered his head and knelt on the spot, speaking softly.
Your Highness, do you know... that His Majesty willingly sacrificed his life and soul? If he knew... how you treated someone he cherished more than life itself, how heartbroken he would be...
"Go to the Repentance Room to receive your punishment when you return. I don't want to see you for the time being!" King Anle nodded slightly and whispered his instructions.
"Thank you for the punishment, Your Highness." Jin Yu kowtowed lightly, then got up and walked towards the door.
The morning breeze of late spring, though slightly chilly, already carried a hint of summer. Many flower buds were already forming on the interlaced lotus leaves of Weiyang Lake. Groups of palace women were busy on the shore.
"What are they doing?" After breakfast, Zi Jin stood outside the gate of Weiyang Palace, stood on tiptoe to look into the distance, and turned to ask Xiao Shuang.
Xiaopu lowered his head and tidied up the things on the table, casually replying, "Both the Emperor and the Prince dislike the fragrance of lotus flowers, so there are no lotus flowers blooming in any of the waters and lakes in the palace."
"If you don't like them, why plant lotus flowers? Wouldn't it be better to plant water lilies?" Zi Jin asked, puzzled.
"Young master, you may not know this, but although His Highness dislikes lotus flowers, he has a special fondness for lotus leaves, especially those from Weiyang Lake. Xiaoshuang often sees His Highness alone, gazing at a lake full of lotus leaves in a daze..."
"Xiaoshuang! Stop talking nonsense!" Xiaoshuang was interrupted by Xiaopu's stern voice before she could finish speaking.
Zi Jin completely ignored Xiao Pu's anger, secretly shrugged, and made a face: A pervert is a pervert, even his hobbies are different from others.
"Xiaopu and Xiaoshuang greet Your Highness."
Zi Jin turned her head with a smile, but was lifted into the air, quickly entered the door, and slammed hard to the ground.
"What are you doing! It hurts so much!" Zi Jin jumped up quickly, glaring at the dark-faced Prince Anle.
Prince Anle's narrow, peach-blossom eyes were bloodshot. He was breathing heavily, his gaze sharp as a blade, as if he wanted to devour Zi Jin alive: "You wretch!"
"You! west Le, that's enough! What do you want to do!" Zi Jin jumped up and shouted back. For so many years, no one had ever cursed at her, not a single one.
King Anle calmed his anger, took a few deep breaths, and sneered, "I've been too good to you. With your looks, you think you can turn things around!"
"Explain yourself clearly," Zi Jin said coldly, rubbing her sore arm.
"I have nothing more to say to you. Guards!" King Anle raised an eyebrow, turned around, and called out softly.
Four eunuchs walked in from outside the door. One of them, carrying a rope, slowly entered and said, "Your Highness."
"Tie her up properly, tie her up tightly!" King Anle said fiercely, his hand unconsciously playing with the jade pendant in his hand.
"What...what do you want! Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!...Let go!" Zi Jin took several steps back, but was firmly held down by the two men and dragged to a chair. Zi Jin struggled desperately, but she couldn't break free from their strength. "Xile! Xile! Xile, what do you want to do!"
The four men worked together to securely tie Zi Jin to the chair, but despite her struggles, she couldn't break free. She glared angrily at Prince Anle's retreating figure: "Xile! You have to tell me, why is this happening?!"
Prince Anle's face was cold and gloomy, only his fingers, which were playing with the jade pendant, trembled slightly: "Mingzhi Consultant! Let Old Master Fang in, and guard the door well. No one is allowed to enter!"
"Yes." The four eunuchs bowed and left.
A moment later, an old man with white hair and beard walked in carrying a small box. He bowed slightly to the back of Prince Anle and went straight to Zi Jin's side to feel her pulse.
The old man's face was ruddy, and his small eyes gradually narrowed into slits: "A fine pulse! A fine pulse! This child has been fed a large amount of precious medicinal herbs since birth, a rarity in the world. In my entire medical career, I have never seen such a precious medicinal person! Good! Good! Good! Your Highness's four years of effort have indeed not been in vain! In less than three months, I will definitely be able to make the Emperor fully recover!"
Zi Jin stared wide-eyed at Prince Anle's retreating figure, and timidly said, "Xile...you wouldn't..."
"Please, Mr. Fang," Prince Anle quickly interrupted Zi Jin, closing his eyes and speaking softly.
The old man smiled slightly, slowly pulled open Zi Jin's sleeve, tied a rubber band-like object tightly around Zi Jin's arm, and then took out a half-inch-long hollow silver needle from the box beside him and inserted it little by little.
Zi Jin cried out in pain. The Prince of Anle's hand trembled slightly. He closed his eyes tightly and did not turn around.
The old man quickly untied the rubber band, and blood dripped out from the hollow needle. The smile on the old man's face grew wider and wider.
Zi Jin snorted coldly and turned her face away. "It's just voluntary blood donation, isn't it? It's not like I've never donated before. Is it really that big of a deal?"
King Anle never turned his face away. His slender fingers rubbed the jade pendant in his hand as if he wanted to polish it into a flower.
Blood dripped slowly until the small, emerald-green bowl was full. The old man carefully placed the bowl on the table, then pulled out the silver needle. He took a white cloth from the box, wiped it gently, put the needle away, and bowed, saying, "Your Highness is all set. Please take this blood to the Emperor quickly and have him drink it."
Zi Jin sat there, feeling dizzy and her ears ringing. She cursed herself for being so weak. She had donated so much blood in the past and was fine, but this time she couldn't even handle a small bowl of blood. She couldn't faint, she couldn't faint, she couldn't let west Le look down on her.