Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 154
The Emperor and Empress, who had been sitting by the bedside, showed a fleeting look of worry. Upon seeing Zi Jin wake up, they abruptly stood up and tossed a gold-inlaid jade plaque onto the bed: "This is the military tally of 100,000 elite troops in the Northwest. Although it's not all of them, it's enough to protect your power and life... Don't let him fool you again." After saying this, they turned and strode away.
Zi Jin stared blankly at the Emperor and Empress's departing figures, quietly picking up the military tally. A strange sense of loss and pain flashed through her heart. She had come specifically for the military tally, and although it wasn't all the military power, she had still managed to obtain it. Why did she feel so distressed?
A small figure in blue rushed in and hugged Zi Jin's neck tightly: "You scared me to death... You wouldn't wake up, and my brother looked so scary. He wouldn't let me come see you... You just lay there and wouldn't wake up no matter how much I called you... I was so scared..."
The person in her arms had the unique sweet scent of a young boy, which calmed Zi Jin's heart. A rare look of peace appeared on her face as she gently stroked Si Kou Xun Le's trembling back: "Le'er, don't be afraid, I just slept a little longer."
Sikou Xunle slowly released Zi Jin. Her swollen eyes, swollen from crying, struggled to open. Her face was devoid of any of its former arrogance and ferocity, filled instead with grievance, helplessness, and a trace of fear: "Don't abandon my brother, and don't abandon me either. I...I...I know I'm not as good as you...but even if I'm ruined...uncurable...you can't abandon us...you two like this...I'll be scared...scared..."
"Le'er, don't panic or be afraid... I will never abandon you and your brother." Zi Jin was unusually patient today, gently comforting Si Kou Xun Le.
Sikou Xunle raised his head and stared at Zi Jin, his swollen eyes filled with malice and gloom: "If you dare to break your promise, I—Sikou Xunle—will make you wish you were dead!" As soon as he finished speaking, Sikou Xunle bit Zi Jin's shoulder hard until his mouth was full of the taste of rust before he released his mouth.
"Hiss..." Biting her lower lip to stifle a scream, Zi Jin narrowed her phoenix eyes and stared at Si Kou Xun Le...
Empress Yanzai fell seriously ill, during which time she received meticulous care from Consort Linde. The Empress was overjoyed and soon recovered. She then bestowed the Northwest Military Seal upon Consort Linde, thus establishing the Zi clan's unshakeable position in the court.
From this incident, the officials realized that the Empress and the Empress Dowager Sikou no longer shared any affection. The Chancellor Sikou's serious illness and the Empress Dowager Sikou's fall from grace all indicated that the Sikou clan's power was waning and they could no longer be relied upon. Many officials defected, some remained hesitant, and only a small number remained loyal to the Sikou clan.
After the Weiyang Palace was closed for ten days, the Sikou Emperor and Empress, upon resuming court, resolutely made a do-or-die preparation, exposing the Sikou family's long-hidden ambitions and beginning to vigorously seize power.
By this time, a large amount of political power had fallen into the hands of Consort Linde. The Empress and the Emperor, abandoning their previous gentle and benevolent ways, brought the ruthless methods of the Sikou clan to their extreme. Although Consort Linde was favored by the Empress, her political experience and methods were no match for the Empress and the Emperor. For a time, the Empress and the Emperor held a clear advantage, ruthlessly executing many ministers who had defected to the Zi clan or remained on the sidelines.
As a result, the ministers were filled with anxiety and risked their lives to petition the Empress, but the Empress ignored the matter and simply let it go.
The Empress's complete indulgence of the Empress's actions only emboldened them, and within a short time, a third of the power in Yaochen Kingdom fell into the hands of the Sikou clan. To prevent the Sikou clan from swallowing them up, the court officials began forming factions, plunging the court into chaos and disorder.
Midsummer of the sixteenth year of the reign of Emperor Yaochen, 532
The Empress was nineteen years old; the Empress Dowager was twenty-four years old; Zi Yinfeng was seventeen years old; Dugu Xihui was eleven years old; and Sikou Xunle was eleven years old.
Unresolved emotions and inescapable demonic obstacles; karmic retribution—when will we meet again? Parting leaves fall in the wind, the zither strings break. (Part Four)
Parting Leaves, Farewell to the Wind, Crimson Strings Broken (Part Four) Zi Jin rubbed her head and slowly sat up. A chill swept over her, and she stared blankly at her naked upper body. She abruptly pulled the blanket up to cover herself, only to see a completely naked man lying beside her. When she saw the man's face, Zi Jin's mind went blank. She quickly checked the bed and herself; there was blood and filth on the bed, but she felt no discomfort on her body. Zi Jin pounded her head hard: How could this be? Last night…
Zi Jin glanced at the scattered wine pot, the extinguished charcoal fire, and the overturned bronze incense burner on the ground. After pondering for a long time, she glanced at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, picked up her undergarment from the corner of the bed, and slowly put it on before lying back down. She looked at Prince Anle's unguarded sleeping face, a strange smile playing on her lips, and closed her eyes again.
A small figure, curled up asleep outside the door, was awakened by the sound of scattered footsteps. Opening her eyes, she groggily saw a group of people approaching the round doorway. She looked at the sky, then suddenly jumped up, pushed open the door, and ran towards the house: "Little...little...sister...ah!..."
A piercing scream not only startled the sleeping Prince Anle and Zi Jin, but also alerted the crowd that was about to enter the round gate.
Anle Wang suddenly sat up, his narrow eyes filled with confusion. He stared blankly at Zi Jin, who was curled up in a ball with sleepy eyes, and then very slowly pulled back the blanket. When he saw the marks all over his body and the bloodstains and filth on the bed, he was stunned. He slowly turned his palm over and saw a new wound. Slowly, a ripple appeared in his eyes.
Zi Jin, still half asleep, pulled at the blanket to wrap herself up tightly, turned over, and went back to sleep.
Prince Anle smiled as he looked at Zi Jin's unguarded sleeping face, then suddenly turned his gaze to Wu Tong, who had barged in, and said coldly, "Get out!"
Wutong's eyes widened in nervousness: "No, no, no...it's...husband...husband..."
"Get out!" The voice was already filled with anger.
Zi Jin waved her hand dismissively: "Don't make a sound..."
"Bang!" The door was pushed open forcefully, and the first thing that came into view was Madam Yu's worried face, followed by the person behind her: "What happened?"
Wutong stared at the people behind Madam Yu, her eyes widening: "Little... Sister...they...they..."
The crowd rushed in, but when they saw the scene on the bed, their expressions turned even more distorted, and they stood frozen in place.
Without a second thought, Prince Anle quickly turned around to block the still-sleeping Zi Jin, meeting the gazes of the crowd without fear. Old Madam Yu, Jun Lin, Dugu Xi Hui, and his brother were all present.
With such a commotion, Zi Jin could no longer pretend to be asleep. She sat up, glanced outside through the gap blocked by Prince Anle, and then slowly picked up her clothes from the corner and began to put them on one by one without any hesitation.
“You!...You scoundrels!” Madam Yu pointed in the direction of Zi Jin and Prince Anle, speechless for a moment.
Zi Jin got dressed and jumped out of bed. Only then did Prince Anle calmly put on his clothes and stand up as well.
“Hehe…” Dugu Xihui let out a low laugh at an inopportune moment, “Madam, please don’t be angry. Our Prince has had a hidden illness since childhood… They… have no chance.”
Prince Anle, who was buttoning up his clothes, looked up at Dugu Xihui and smiled brightly: "Heh...is that so? You can check it out."
Si Kou Huanxiang, whose face was covered by a veil, swayed back and forth: "Le'er..." But once the words were out of his mouth, he didn't know what he wanted to say.
Jun Lin, his face ashen, took a few steps forward and grabbed Zi Jin's hand: "Speak! Why is this?!"
Zi Jin flung Jun Lin's hand away: "It was just a drunken lapse in behavior, Your Highness, why be so angry?"
"Drunk and disorderly conduct?! You! How dare you... You actually did this... You!" Looking at Zi Jin's indifferent appearance, Jun Lin trembled and couldn't speak.
Lady Yu turned to Sikou Xunxiang and Dugu Xihui and said, "You should all go back now."
Sikou Xunxiang, behind the veil, paused slightly before saying, "Le'er, come back with me."
“Brother, now that the little mute is mine, you should think about what kind of betrothal gifts would be appropriate.” Prince Anle, dressed in a single-layered robe with a wide-open collar, revealed various marks that were clearly visible to everyone. He casually found a chair, sat down, and said with a smile.
Upon seeing the marks and bruises on Prince Anle's body, Dugu Xihui's amber eyes held a strange complexity. He seemed to ponder for a moment, then quickly stepped forward and pulled up the quilt, exposing the bloodstains and filth on the bed to everyone. Dugu Xihui was stunned for a moment, glanced at Prince Anle, gave a heavy "humph," and swiftly walked out of the room.
Si Kou Xunxiang was obscured by the veil, standing motionless without any reaction.
Jun Lin's heavy breathing echoed throughout the room. He pulled Zi Jin towards the door, and this time Zi Jin did not struggle and followed Jun Lin's steps.
Madam Yu glanced at the Si Kou brothers, her face unfriendly, and walked out of the room.
Sikou Xunxiang stood there for a long time, then asked, "Le'er, are you... all better?"
Prince Anle slowly stood up, walked to Sikou Xunxiang's side, and whispered in his ear, "Brother, it turns out I only have feelings for the little mute."