Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 148
Zi Jin lay helplessly by the hot spring, her face no longer as rosy as before. She stared intently at Bao Xian, who was constantly sprinkling medicinal herbs into the hot spring: "Bao Xian, why are you so angry?"
Bao Xian did not look up, continuing to work on her tasks: "Bao Xian doesn't know what Master is talking about."
Zi Jin tilted her head and looked at Bao Xian, who was pretending to be busy: "Just now, when the old woman said that you entered the palace at the age of twelve, you looked like you were about to die of anger."
"Master is pretending to be asleep?" Bao Xian suddenly looked up at Zi Jin, then lowered her head again. "Master is overthinking it." Her voice was much calmer than before.
"Yes, I guess I was overthinking it. I said much harsher things back then, but Baoxian didn't get this angry... I guess I was just overthinking it." Zi Jin leaned against the hot spring, looking a little tired, and said softly.
Bao Xian paused slightly as he sprinkled the medicine; the only sound in the large thatched hut was the gentle murmur of water.
“It’s different.” After a long while, Bao Xian’s slightly hoarse voice rang out in the room, but Zi Jin did not reply for a long time.
After an unknown amount of time, Bao Xian finally finished sprinkling all the medicine he needed, then bowed and stood to one side, silently watching Zi Jin, who appeared to be asleep.
Unresolved emotions and inescapable demonic obstacles, the cycle of cause and effect—when will we meet again? The vows of being like birds flying wing to wing, branches intertwined—made on that day. (Part Seven)
The wish of being like two birds flying together (Part 7) After several days of heavy snow, the weather in the mountain town did not clear up. Although it was noon, the sky was still gloomy, as if it was brewing an even bigger snowstorm.
Prince Anle looked at Sikou Xunxiang, who was wearing a bamboo hat, with a gloomy expression: "Brother, aren't you going?"
Si Kou Xunxiang was dressed in white, his silver hair and face completely concealed by the long white veil on his bamboo hat. He silently turned his face away, lost in thought.
“If you are worried about Consort Luo, then you should go back as soon as possible. Le’er can handle things here on her own.” Prince Anle said casually, picking up his teacup without making a sound.
Si Kou Xunxiang remained looking in the same direction, neither moving nor speaking.
“When we arrived, Le’er told me to stay in the palace. Now that Consort Luo is six months pregnant, it’s understandable that you’re worried. So, Le’er has asked Lou Shuo to prepare a carriage so that you can return to the palace at any time,” Prince Anle said, taking a sip of tea.
Sikou Xunxiang slowly turned his head: "Is Your Highness going to escort me back to the palace?"
Prince Anle put down his teacup, lowered his eyes and said, "How could you misunderstand my good intentions, brother? The child in the Empress's womb is your first child, so it is only right that you value it."
"What if I don't go back?" Beneath his veil, Sikou Xunxiang's voice was unusually cold.
Even through the veil, Prince Anle could still sense Sikou Xunxiang's piercing gaze: "I thought that you were unwilling to go to the Yu family with Le'er because you were worried about Consort Luo in the palace and longed to return. Could it be that Le'er has misunderstood?"
"If I don't go, neither can the Prince." The voice was cold and clear, leaving no room for negotiation.
"You!" Prince Anle suddenly stood up and shouted angrily, "If you're not going, why can't I go too?!"
"There's no reason why." Si Kou Xunxiang slowly turned his face and looked out the window.
Prince Anle sneered and took a few steps forward: "Now that you have a family, you have lost your original qualifications, so you want to block my way? We have been brothers for more than 20 years, and you are so resolute?!"
Si Kou Xunxiang gripped the table leg tightly, neither turning around nor arguing.
“I will not go with you! I will not return to the palace! If you try to force me, I will pretend that I have never had a brother like you!” Prince Anle turned around angrily and said coldly.
Sikou Xunxiang slowly turned his face away, silently watching the back of Prince Anle. After a long while, he sighed softly and said gently, "Le'er, why don't you understand?... Neither you nor I have the right to make any choices... What did you promise me when you came here? We agreed... that we would just come to take a look and not get involved in anything, but what you've done now is not as simple as just looking... She is doing well now and is the only heir of the Yu family. You should know clearly in your heart... We are no longer on the same path as her, so why force it? Come back to the palace with your brother."
Prince Anle's face was extremely gloomy. He suddenly turned around and said, "What a joke! I've walked with her for so many years in this life, how could we not be fellow travelers?! Are you jealous, brother?"
Sikou Xunxiang slowly stood up and stood by the window: "You and I will set off immediately and go back." There was no room for negotiation in his tone.
"I absolutely..."
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Yu family's carriage is already waiting outside the gate, saying they've come to pick up Your Majesty and Your Majesty," Jin Yu's deep voice sounded from outside the gate.
"Come in and answer," Prince Anle said coldly, suppressing his anger.
As soon as Jin Yu entered the room, he sensed the unusually low atmosphere. He tried his best to suppress the anxiety in his heart and stood with his head down, five steps away from Prince Anle and Sikou Xunxiang.
King Anle slowly sat back down, but his face remained indescribably gloomy: "Have you done everything I ordered?"
Jin Yu glanced down at Sikou Xunxiang and said in a low voice, "Everything has been taken care of... but..."
"Give the order to return to the palace immediately," Sikou Xunxiang's cold voice suddenly rang out.
Prince Anle suddenly stood up: "Go back yourself if you want! I'm not going back!"
“This time, you have no choice.” Sikou Xunxiang seemed unwilling to back down even a step further.
"My lord... there is something... I don't know if I should say it or not," Jin Yu stammered.
"Speak!" Prince Anle glared at Sikou Xunxiang's back, gritting his teeth as he spoke.
Jin Yu glanced at Prince Anle and then at Sikou Xunxiang, before speaking with difficulty: "Yesterday morning, the Crown Prince of Yue Kingdom prepared a large amount of betrothal gifts locally... At noon, he entrusted a local matchmaker to deliver them to the Yu family. Old Madam Yu was overjoyed and immediately betrothed the young lady to the Crown Prince of Yue Kingdom, setting a wedding date... I heard that when the betrothal was made... I heard... I heard that the young lady was also present at that time, but she showed no sign of resentment... After learning about this, King Dugu rushed to the Yu family early this morning... We..."
Si Kou Huanxiang, who had been standing facing the window, swayed and staggered, finally managing to steady himself by grabbing the table beside him.
Prince Anle's already displeased expression turned even uglier, his narrow, almond-shaped eyes narrowing dangerously into slits: "She actually dared to promise marriage!"
"The wedding date is set for the 18th of this month. The Crown Prince of Yue Kingdom doesn't want to make things difficult for you, so he seems to want to hold the wedding at the Yu family first, and then hold a grander ceremony back in Yue Kingdom... Considering that the wedding date is only a few days away... Master, do you want to..." Jin Yu forced herself to finish speaking.
"She dares! ...How dare she! ...How dare she...Imperial Guards!" Prince Anle was furious.
"My lord... there is no room for maneuver in this matter... we should listen to His Majesty... let's return to the palace immediately, so we won't see it again..."
"How dare you! You are the master, I am the master! Who gave you the right to speak here!" Prince Anle slapped Jin Yu across the face and said fiercely.
"Le'er, stop fooling around." Sikou Xunxiang turned around and looked at Prince Anle, whose face was already flushed with anger: "Jinyu, go and prepare the carriage."
"Brother! Are you still leaving at this time? I won't leave! I'd rather die than leave! I'll watch how she marries!" Prince Anle roared like a madman.
Sikou Xunxiang lowered his head and sighed. He walked to Prince Anle and straightened his slightly disheveled clothes: "You're so grown up, why are you still like a child?... I won't let you leave... I'll go with you... to send Jin'er off to her wedding."