Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 156
Outside the window, light snowflakes drifted down in a flurry, and the wind seemed to be blowing from an unknown direction...
Unresolved emotions and inescapable demonic obstacles; karmic retribution—when will we meet again? Parting leaves fall in the wind, the zither strings break. (Part Five)
Parting leaves fall, wind blows, and the red strings break (Part 5) At midnight, Bao Xian pushed open the door and entered Zi Jin's bedroom: "Master, you're up."
Zi Jin turned over and went back to sleep. The music had been disturbing her mind all day and had only just stopped. Why couldn't she let people sleep?
Bao Xian called out a few more times, but seeing that Zi Jin was still not awake, he took two steps forward to the bedside and said, "I'm sorry, Bao Xian." After saying that, he wrapped Zi Jin in the quilt, carefully picked her up, and walked towards the door.
They quickly exited through the hidden door, where a nimble carriage was already waiting. Inside, thick fur cushions were laid out. Bao Xian carefully placed Zi Jin on them, pulled the brocade quilt up, and used cotton pillows to protect Zi Jin from bumping against the carriage walls. Seven or eight small hand warmers were placed beside the first layer of brocade quilt. Once everything was ready, Bao Xian handed a soft pillow and quilt to Wu Tong, who was sitting beside him, and whispered, "Wu Tong, get some sleep too. Don't put pressure on your back injury; sleep face down."
Wutong took the things, her face full of joy: "Mmm!"
Bao Xian smiled, handed the hand warmer he had left behind to Wu Tong, and blew out the candle in the carriage: "Keep your voices down, don't wake the master. I'll hurry, you guys go to sleep."
"Mmm." Wutong covered her mouth and nodded repeatedly. After watching Baoxian leave the carriage, she smiled and hugged her pillow, then lay down.
In the darkness, Zi Jin turned her face and looked in the direction of Wu Tong: "They hit you."
Wutong was startled: "Miss, you're awake."
"I don't know. I feel like I'm sleeping, but I also feel like I'm always awake," Zi Jin said casually.
"Little Sister... is she still angry with Wutong?" Wutong asked timidly.
Zi Jin hugged a hand warmer and said, "Why should I be angry with you? I'm not angry at all; on the contrary, I should thank you."
“But His Highness the Crown Prince was so good to Miss. Back then, Miss stayed at the ‘Pleasure Pavilion’ every day. His Highness the Crown Prince knew what Miss was doing, but he not only didn’t mind, he even proposed to Madam at that time. Madam didn’t agree then because of Miss’s wishes, but Madam has seen His Highness the Crown Prince’s feelings for Miss these days… In fact, Madam is also doing this for Miss’s own good.” Wutong said softly.
Zi Jin pondered for a long time: "You stay at the pleasure house every day?...When did you see Jun Lin at the Yu family's residence?"
“A month ago… um… on the third day of last month, His Highness the Crown Prince arrived. The Madam was very happy and gave everyone in the manor a reward of two taels of silver,” Wutong said happily.
"So, Jun Lin arrived not long after we returned from Bu Ri Valley." Zi Jin's voice betrayed no emotion.
"Don't you know, Miss?" Wutong asked, puzzled.
Zi Jin chuckled softly, "I know, I know... I know everything now... Wutong, Baoxian is a good person... You two are a good match."
A long silence fell over the carriage before Wutong finally spoke, "Miss, do you think Brother Bao likes Wutong?"
Zi Jin said, "I don't dislike it."
After a while, Wutong continued, "Wutong and Brother Bao grew up together since they were little. When Wutong was five years old, she was taken in by the Madam and was very scared... At that time, Brother Bao, who was seven years old, stayed with Wutong, took care of her, and taught her to recognize medicine, literature, and martial arts, until Brother Bao was sent to the palace... Wutong has been waiting for Brother Bao to come back. Every year when Brother Bao comes back, Wutong is so happy... Miss, do you think Brother Bao likes Wutong?"
Zi Jin slowly closed her eyes: "Wutong... leave the Yu family with your Bao-gege... the world outside is vast and wide... the two of you... won't be afraid or get lost..."
Wutong looked in Zijin's direction and remained silent. The carriage moved slowly and steadily, and for a moment the carriage was quiet. After a while, long, even breathing could be heard coming from Zijin's direction.
Yesterday's events brought a day of silence to the bustling Yu family. This morning, the Yu family was in chaos again. The news that Miss Yu had run away from home spread like wildfire.
Jun Lin, who had been keeping to himself and refusing to see anyone, only learned of the news in the afternoon. He frantically searched the Yu family's house from top to bottom, but still couldn't find the person he had missed so much in just one day.
After calming down, Jun Lin returned to Zi Jin's Yangxin Garden and sat blankly in a chair facing the embroidered bed. His once domineering phoenix eyes were like a nearly dried-up lake, filled with a despairing silence, like sorrow, like bitterness, and like resentment.
Madam Yu stood outside the door, silently watching Jun Lin for a long time, before walking in lightly: "Your Highness, please don't be heartbroken. Jin'er must be ashamed of you to act this way... If she didn't have you in her heart, she wouldn't have done something so outrageous."
Jun Lin stared motionlessly at the embroidered bed: "She knows everything... She must be angry with me, that's why she went with Si Kou Xun Le... She must not want to see me again... that's why she left."
Lady Yu stepped forward: "Your Highness, how could you think like that?... Jin'er knows she has done wrong and is unwilling to face her disloyalty to Your Highness, which is why she treated you so resolutely. Yesterday, Your Highness played the zither all day, and Jin'er... that silly child stood outside Your Highness's garden the whole time, not even drinking a drop of water. It must have been that Sikou Xun Le... Jin'er harbors resentment, but dares not tell Your Highness..."
Jun Lin looked up in a daze: "Really?"
Lady Yu lowered her eyes and said sadly, "Now that Jin'er has done such a thing to offend His Highness... my Yu family should not make excuses... let the marriage be called off, it's just that my Jin'er is not blessed enough."
Jun Lin suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "No! Jin'er did not do it willingly! I don't blame her! I don't blame her! But does she still want me? Does she still want me? If she really wanted me... why did she leave without a word? I have always followed Madam's wishes, treating her with utmost love and deference, and I have never... lost my temper with her. I have made so many concessions, how could she still leave without a word?"
A glint flashed in Madam Yu's eyes: "Your Highness, do not panic. Jin'er has been unable to bear being treated well since she was little. As long as Your Highness continues to treat my Jin'er the way the old woman instructed, Jin'er will definitely repay Your Highness with sincerity."
"But where did she go?... Will she... never come back?" Jun Lin asked absentmindedly.
Madam Yu smiled slightly: "This girl seems shrewd, but she is not. This time she took Bao Xian and Wu Tong with her when she ran away. Your Highness, please wait a little longer... I will definitely receive the news by tomorrow and will inform Your Highness then."
“Really!” Jun Lin raised his eyes and stared intently at Madam Yu.
Madam Yu's smile deepened: "Really... However... Your Highness still needs to make the necessary preparations. I'm afraid... we'll have to close the net ahead of schedule this time."
Mount Kunming is covered in snow all year round, and behind the mountain lies a long, narrow valley. Mount Kunming blocks the sunrise from entering the valley, which is called "No Sun Valley".
Within the “Bu Ri Valley” lies a villa of the Yu family called Xi Mei Garden, a place where the Yu family sought refuge during a turbulent period.
"Haha... Run! Where do you think you're going!" Zi Jin, dressed in a blue leather robe, ran under the plum tree, chasing after a purple figure.
"Ouch! Miss, you..." Wutong, dressed in a purple cotton robe, was hit in the face by a large snowball.
"Hahahaha... Wutong, the way you look... is just... hahaha... I can't take it anymore... I'm dying of laughter." Zi Jin clutched her stomach and burst into laughter.
"Miss, you're cheating." Wutong's eyes were filled with grievance as she looked at Zijin with a face full of tears.
Bao Xian stood under the eaves, quietly watching Zi Jin laughing incessantly in the garden. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, and her emerald eyes were full of tenderness: "Master, dinner is ready."
"What should we eat tonight?... I'll go check first!" Zi Jin looked up at the darkening sky, patted the snow off her hands, blew on her hands, gave Bao Xian a meaningful look, then glanced at Wu Tong, and quickly ran towards the front hall.
Bao Xian stood there blankly, and when she saw Wu Tong following behind her, she smiled gently and put the hand warmer she had been carrying in her arms into Wu Tong's hands: "Warm your hands."
When Baoxian and Wutong returned to the front hall, the servant said that Zijin had casually taken a steamed bun back to her room and told Baoxian and Wutong to have a meal together before she left.