Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 106
More than a month later, the emperor and empress were finally able to get out of bed with difficulty.
Empress Yanzai was overjoyed and, in gratitude for the heavenly grace, granted a general amnesty.
A lifetime of love and hate, hard to understand, reincarnation begins again. The bamboo grower is heartless, searching for him a thousand times across the crowd. (Part 7)
Searching for him among the crowd, crossing the river a thousand times (seventh day) until the afternoon, after days of rain, the sky was a clear blue, and a breeze carried the faint fragrance of lotus from afar. The excellent sunshine shone warmly on people, giving them a feeling of languid comfort.
Zi Jin stared motionlessly at the Xuan paper on the desk, quietly grinding the inkstone, slowly picking up the brush, and carefully writing each stroke. However, she seemed dissatisfied with her writing, and her brushstrokes became more and more rapid, with ink stains falling from the desk one after another.
After a long while, Zi Jin threw down her pen and slumped into her chair in despair. She stared blankly at the only piece of Xuan paper left on the table.
Xiao Bai no longer wanted to come; the nightly waiting had become a series of bizarre dreams. The deep sense of loss and fear in her heart was burning her to the point of madness; even the most beautiful companionship had been strangled in her dreams.
Zi Jin silently watched the palace servants bustling in and out of the window. Weiyang Palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, filled with a festive atmosphere. Every palace servant who passed by wore an excited and happy smile.
"Xiaoshuang, what's going on outside?" Zi Jin stared intently at the outside.
Xiao Shuang looked at the busy crowd outside the window, her eyes shining with joy: "The Emperor and Empress of Yao Kingdom arrived in Tiandu the day before yesterday, and have already toured almost every part of the palace in the past few days. The Empress of Yao Kingdom is fond of lotus flowers, and coincidentally, the lotus flowers of our Weiyang Palace have long been famous throughout the world in the previous dynasty. The Emperor of Yao Kingdom dotes on the Empress and would not want to spoil her enjoyment, so he specially invited our Emperor to hold a banquet by the waterside pavilion of Weiyang Palace tonight."
"Your Majesty... Yaoguo?...Will the Prince attend the banquet tonight?" Zi Jin lowered her eyes and asked casually.
Xiao Shuang smiled enigmatically: "Of course, Your Highness and the King of Yao have grown up together since childhood, so their relationship is naturally extraordinary."
"Growing up together since childhood? Your Majesty of Yao Kingdom?" Zi Jin turned to look at Xiao Shuang in confusion.
“Young master is from Yue Kingdom, so naturally he wouldn’t know. The King of Yao Kingdom, Dugu Xihui, was about the same age as our prince back then. The two of them grew up together in our palace.” Xiao Shuang’s lips curled into a smug smile.
Zi Jin glanced sideways: "Dugu Xihui? We grew up together?"
"Yes. The birth mother of Yao Guo's ruler, Dugu Xihui, is our prince's aunt."
Zi Jin lowered her eyes, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her fingers gently traced the piece of cold jade that had never left her side since she put it on: The world is so small after all; no wonder back then…
“Young Master Jinyang? Didn’t you hear me call him Dugu Xihui that day? Young Master Jinyang has no grudge against me, but Dugu Xihui and I have an irreconcilable feud, so it won’t make a difference if you’re involved.”
Dugu Xihui looked down at west Le, who was lying on the ground, and a faint contempt appeared in her beautiful eyes: "Since childhood, you have never been able to beat me, and now you have been defeated by me again."
"Dugu Xihui, you treacherous and despicable man! I saw your despicable nature from childhood, but it's a pity that person was deceived by your gentle appearance for their entire life!"
"You're still as ruthless towards me as you were when we were children, but today I won't hold it against you. I'll also tell you a secret... Although I've given that person to you, that person is no longer the one you're waiting for..."
"Young Master! Young Master!" Xiaopu gently shook the dazed Zi Jin, her eyes filled with anxiety.
Zi Jin turned her head blankly, frowned, and looked at Xiao Shuang: "Um... Xiao Shuang, I want to sleep for a while."
"Young Master, Old Master Fang will be here soon..." Xiao Shuang saw Zi Jin, whose face was ashen, slowly close her eyes and lean back in the recliner, and couldn't bear to say anything more.
"Let the old gentleman come again tonight. I'm tired and want to sleep for a while," Zi Jin said weakly, leaning back in her recliner with her eyes closed.
"Well, then Xiaopu... I'll have someone tell the master later that the young master should go to sleep." Xiaoshuang gently draped the thin brocade quilt over Zijin's body and said softly.
Zi Jin squinted, watching Xiao Shuang close the door and leave. When she opened her eyes again, the weariness from before was gone, replaced by an unsettling light. She stared blankly at the busy crowd outside the window, a strange expression on her face. She carefully rubbed the jade pendant in her hand, her fingers repeatedly scraping the patterns on it.
In this life, I only wanted to live according to my own heart. According to my heart, I couldn't wait to come to Chen Kingdom. According to my heart, I trusted and pitied Dugu Xihui. According to my heart, although I was wary of west Le, I was certain that he would not harm me.
Since arriving here four years ago, all I have truly possessed and truly owned is this one life. Though I am by nature cold-hearted, I am not malicious at heart. I never wanted to show my true colors, I only wanted to live peacefully in this world, but why are they so aggressive?
They shouldn't... they shouldn't have tried to kill themselves. Did they really think they understood nothing and knew nothing after all the scheming and fighting? Even if they didn't want to know or understand, the vivid and strange dreams they had every night would vaguely tell them about those past events they didn't want others to see.
I didn't want to get entangled with them, to be confrontational, but why...why wouldn't they spare such a lowly and cowardly person's life? Is this retribution? Is this retribution for taking advantage of someone else? Is this retribution? Is this retribution for betraying Jun Lin? Is this...retribution? ...But! Even if it is retribution, it shouldn't be like this! I've never had any intention of harming anyone; I only wanted to protect myself. If there truly is retribution in this world, why should it befall such an innocent person?!
Injustice! Injustice! Heaven is unjust!
It was pitch black outside the window, but red lanterns shone brightly in the distance, making the shores of Weiyang Lake as bright as day. There were even more palace servants coming and going than in the afternoon. The willow trunks along the shore were wrapped in dazzling red silk, and it seemed as if the sound of a zither could still be heard drifting by.
"Has the young master woken up?" Xiao Shuang tiptoed in and lit the palace lanterns.
"Xiaoshuang...it's so lively outside..." Zi Jin turned her head slightly and said softly.
"Young Master, His Highness has ordered... that you are not allowed to leave the palace gates tonight," Xiao Shuang said with a troubled expression.
"Um……"
"Young Master, Elder Fang is already waiting outside. Shall we invite him in? His Majesty will be finishing his dinner soon, and the old gentleman is worried that the Emperor might miss his medicine for the day..."
"Come in." Zi Jin slowly stood up, a wave of dizziness washing over her. She took two steps back and steadied herself against the desk.
Xiao Shuang quickly stepped forward and helped Zi Jin walk towards the outer room. Once inside, Zi Jin sat comfortably in a chair, pulled up her sleeve, glanced at her arm covered in needle marks, and a dazed smile appeared on her lips.
Soon, Mr. Fang entered, carrying his usual medical kit. Looking at Zi Jin's pale face, he resisted the urge to take her pulse, fearing he might lose the will to administer acupuncture. He deftly opened his kit, took out the three essential items, and nodded and smiled at Zi Jin.
Zi Jin gave a fleeting smile, and Mr. Fang dared not look up at her again.
As the needle was inserted, Zi Jin shuddered in pain. The glaring, bright red blood trickled slowly from the syringe. Zi Jin felt icy cold all over, trembling slightly. A strange smile suddenly appeared on her lips, followed by a audible laugh. Her face was pale and numb, as if she were already dead.
Xiaoshuang and Mr. Fang couldn't bear to watch any longer, so they silently turned away. No one knew what words of comfort they could offer.
Zi Jin suddenly stood up, knocked over the jade bowl, and ran towards the palace gate like a madwoman.
"Young Master!" Old Master Fang and Xiao Shuang were shocked and chased after him at the same time.
Zi Jin ran towards Weiyang Lake like a madwoman, the silver needles still in her hand, blood flowing down her path. She ran as if oblivious to everything, trying to reach the crowd gathered in the distance.
"Assassins! Assassins!" someone shouted, and Zi Jin was blocked by those with knives.
Zi Jin suddenly turned around and ran towards Liu Ran Pavilion in the center of the lake. The crisscrossing corridors blocked some of the pursuers. Four glass palace lanterns were lit in Liu Ran Pavilion, and only a few women were playing the zither inside. As soon as Zi Jin, covered in blood, ran in, she frightened the zither players and they scattered in all directions.