Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 119
Looking into the distance, one sees a continuous range of towering mountains stretching between heaven and earth. The Tiandu Mountains, lacking delicate beauty, are full of masculine energy, a beauty that is breathtaking and refreshing.
A raindrop fell on the stone with a "plop," and Zi Jin paused for a moment before looking up at the sky.
A raindrop landed on Xiaobai's hand. He frowned, stood up, looked behind him, and was suddenly startled: "Get down!"
Startled by the sudden roar, Zi Jin nearly fell over. She quickly grabbed the large rock and looked behind her. There she saw Xiao Bai, who usually had a calm and peaceful expression, staring at her with wide, terrified eyes.
Xiao Bai held his breath and stood still, afraid that he would make a sound and startle the person sitting on the cliff rock again. He suppressed his fear and coaxed softly, "It's raining, come down quickly."
Zi Jin glanced at the raindrops that were dripping faster and faster, stuck her tongue out at Xiao Bai, and quickly walked over and jumped off the big rock.
Xiao Bai unconsciously sighed, picked up the bamboo basket beside him, walked over with a gloomy face, dragged Zi Jin under the big rock, turned his back to her, and stood in front of her.
Zi Jin tugged at Xiao Bai's sleeve guiltily: "Are you angry?"
Xiao Bai stood stiffly in front of Zi Jin, his eyes filled with confusion but also anger. He stared blankly at the rain pouring down outside the boulder.
Why are you suddenly angry?
Xiao Bai silently turned around and saw that the rain had splashed Zi Jin's feet. He then leaned back, completely separating Zi Jin from the rain.
"Let's stand side by side, you'll get wet if you do that."
Xiao Bai didn't turn around or speak, but the anger in her gentle eyes hadn't subsided.
"Come in here." Seeing Xiaobai stiff and trembling slightly, Zi Jin tugged at Xiaobai's sleeve, only to be flinched away by the usually mild-mannered Xiaobai. Zi Jin shrank back fearfully, not daring to say another word.
As darkness fell, a torrential downpour began.
Outside the small courtyard where Zi Jin lived, Prince Anle leaned out of his carriage and frowned at Jin Yu on horseback in the rain: "Why is no one here?"
"Earlier, His Majesty and the young master went into the mountains to gather herbs. They were probably caught in the rain and couldn't get back. I suppose they should be back once the rain stops," Jin Yu replied loudly in the rain.
King Anle frowned, looking at the raindrops that seemed to hurt even when they hit a person, and asked in a cold voice, "Is anyone following them?"
"Yes, I have already instructed two people to protect you in secret."
"Have everyone get ready, follow the markers, and prepare to welcome the Emperor back to the palace," Prince Anle said coldly.
Jin Yu looked at Prince Anle with a troubled expression: "Your Majesty... the rain is too heavy right now, and the mountain road is steep and slippery..."
“You know the mountain road is steep and slippery. If… something were to happen to my brother, could you bear the responsibility?” Prince Anle interrupted Jin Yu’s words sharply.
Jin Yu turned around and shouted to the people behind him, "Withdraw all three hundred men who are surrounding the village, prepare to depart, and welcome me back to the palace!"
The group abandoned their horses and walked, while the only carriage trudged forward through the mud.
Inside the carriage, Prince Anle stared coldly at the person opposite him: "Have you remembered what I said?"
Yu Luo slightly raised her eyes, her eyes filled with struggle: "This... I'm afraid it's not appropriate."
Anle Wang's lips curled into a sarcastic smile: "Stop pretending to be innocent in front of me. You've already fallen for my brother, isn't it a bit too late to feign kindness now?"
Yu Luo suddenly looked up: "Your Highness is mistaken. The Emperor treats me like a precious treasure, so I should reciprocate with sincerity."
"Ha! Treat you like a precious treasure? If he knew that person was the little mute, he probably wouldn't even bother to look at you. The success or failure of this matter has little to do with me. If you insist on being loyal to the little mute, I have nothing to say. But have you thought about the consequences of deceiving your brother?" The mockery in Prince Anle's eyes deepened.
"Why did Your Highness speak so hurtfully? Your Highness clearly knows that this was not my original intention. If Your Highness hadn't forced me, how could I have..."
“You’ve been relentlessly pressuring her?! That day at Liuranting, you clearly had the chance to acknowledge the little mute girl, you clearly had the chance to tell her the truth, but what did you do? When the little mute girl called you, how did you react? If you hadn’t refused to acknowledge her… would she have been so desperate?!” Prince Anle opened his eyes wide and said sternly.
"I...I was just scared at the time, seeing my master like that...I...I didn't know what to do..."
"Put away that pitiful look on your face. I am not your elder brother! Since you didn't acknowledge me that day, there's no need to acknowledge me today. Whether you want to be an elder brother or a little mute, you can decide for yourself. I won't force you this time." King Anle slowly closed his eyes and said wearily.
A lifetime of love and hate, hard to understand, reincarnation begins again. The bamboo grows without heart, a reflection in a mirror, a glimpse of the moon in the water—how long can such beauty last? (Part Six)
How much can a mirage last? (VI) The torrential rain continued unabated.
Sitting on his horse, Dugu Xihui glanced at the small courtyard where Zi Jin lived, then looked at the procession on the mountainside in the distance, and said to Lou Shuo, "Dismount and spread out to follow."
Following behind Dugu Xihui, Jun Chi silently dismounted and squatted down, his face pale.
Dugu Xihui frowned as he looked at Jun Chi, who was squatting down: "Brother Chi has been running around for several days without stopping. Why don't you wait here for a while?"
Jun Chi bit his lower lip tightly, thought for a while, and then nodded.
Dugu Xihui and his five hundred guards abandoned their horses and dispersed in a large, concealed manner before heading into the mountains.
The rain was getting heavier and showed no signs of stopping.
Zi Jin tilted her head and saw that Xiao Bai's clothes were mostly wet. No longer caring whether he was angry, she pulled him to stand inside.
Xiao Bai turned his head and glanced at Zi Jin, the fierceness in his eyes long gone. He leaned back, blocking Zi Jin's way, unwilling to stand next to her.
"Let's stand side by side. You're all wet, and it's chilly..." Zi Jin suddenly covered her mouth and sneezed twice.
Xiao Bai turned around and stood face to face with Zi Jin. He pursed his pink lips tightly, his face showing displeasure, and subtly took Zi Jin's hand.
A wave of warmth spread from her palms, instantly making her feel much warmer. A fleeting smile played on Zi Jin's lips as she looked at Xiao Bai, who was facing her: "Xiao Bai still can't bear to part with me."
Xiao Bai turned her head to the side and said, "I told you to wait, but you insisted on following me..."
Zi Jin wrapped her arms around Xiao Bai's waist and buried her face in his chest: "I'm not afraid. As long as I can be with you, I'm not afraid of anything."
Xiao Bai pulled Zi Jin's hand back unhappily and placed it on her chest: "The rain outside is cold."