Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 161

"Go get the ladder, I'll go down myself."

Bao Xian slowly turned his face and stared at Zi Jin for a long time. His emerald eyes were deep and unfathomable, making it impossible to discern his emotions. "Master, be careful. I'll be right back." Bao Xian leaped down from the roof, his lonely figure frightening.

Zi Jin stared blankly at Bao Xian's back, a deep sense of self-loathing flashing in her eyes.

Bao Xian carefully placed the bamboo ladder securely, quietly watching Zi Jin's retreating figure as she climbed down from it, her emerald eyes filled with unconcealed sorrow.

Zi Jin climbed down the ladder, glanced at Bao Xian, and paused for a moment: "Don't let me see you again these next few days!"

“Master…” Bao Xian gripped the ladder with one hand, lowered his eyes and said softly, “The weather is about to change in the next two days, Master, please be careful.”

"If you still consider me your master, then you are not allowed to secretly guard outside my door, and don't let me see you again in the next few days!" He repeated coldly without stopping.

"Baoxian... I understand." Only after Zijin disappeared around the corner did Baoxian slowly lower his hand that had been holding the ladder, scattering bamboo shavings all over the ground.

Zi Jin turned a corner, walked from the back of the house toward the main house, quietly looked around at the door of the main house, and then slipped inside.

"Who?!" A petite figure suddenly sprang up from the darkness and asked sharply.

Zi Jin slowly walked into the moonlight: "Me."

"Miss?" The petite figure looked at Zi Jin uncertainly.

Zi Jin slowly stepped forward, quietly and carefully gazing at the person in the moonlight who was exactly the same as her in figure and height: "Wutong, let's make a deal."

Unresolved emotions and inescapable demonic obstacles; karmic retribution—when will we meet again? Parting leaves fall in the wind, the zither strings break. (Part 7)

Parting Leaves and Wind, Red Strings Broken (VII) Wutong looked at Zijin with confusion. After a while, she regained her timid appearance and whispered, "Wutong doesn't know what Miss is talking about."

Zi Jin smiled lightly: "If Wutong tells me the whole plan, I will let Wutong and Baoxian live happily ever after."

"Miss... what plan are you talking about... Wutong doesn't know." Wutong lowered her head and said softly.

Zi Jin casually sat down on a chair: "Why should Wutong pretend to be confused in front of someone who understands?... Wutong clearly participated in the plan, didn't she?... Wutong has been busy all day in the cave in the back mountain, how could she not know?"

Wutong glanced at Zijin in surprise: "Miss... please don't make things difficult for Wutong, Madam will beat... Wutong to death."

"Really?...Would Wutong be afraid too? I doubt it...If Wutong were truly afraid, she wouldn't have done it that day." Zi Jin casually fiddled with the hem of her clothes.

"Little Miss, why...why do you say that about Wutong?"

Zi Jin suddenly looked up, staring directly at Wu Tong: "Heh... still pretending?... Who put 'Disturbing Thoughts' in the wine that day?! Who buried 'Yearning' in the incense?! Who lured Prince Anle here?! Who deliberately dropped my cloak in Prince Anle's courtyard, leading everyone to 'Garden of Mental Cultivation'? Wu Tong, are you still going to pretend to be confused in front of those who understand?"

Wutong suddenly raised her eyes, but there was no longer a trace of timidity in them: "That's right, it's me."

Zi Jin smiled slightly: "Wutong, you are very smart... I admire you."

Wutong looked at Zijin warily: "What do you want?"

Zi Jin smiled slightly: "I told you, I admire you, so... I'll let you and Bao Xian live happily ever after."

"Hmph, you think you'd be so kind? Even if you didn't know I'd hurt you, you might not be willing to let Brother Bao go." Wutong's eyes were full of suspicion and wariness.

“Wutong, you’re wrong. It’s not that I won’t let Baoxian go, but that Baoxian herself won’t let herself go… As for your plot against me… I know you’re doing this for Baoxian’s sake, so let’s just leave it at that… Besides, because of your plot against me… Madam’s plans had to be brought forward. In a way, I should thank you.” Zi Jin stared at Wutong with her dark eyes, not blinking for a moment as she spoke.

Wutong was slightly taken aback: "You really want to let me and Brother Bao go?... You'll just let us go so easily?"

"Hehe, tell me the specific plan and timeline... Once this matter is over, Baoxian will go with you."

"Come with me?" Wutong couldn't help but sneer. "Why should I believe you?" Her eyes were full of mockery.

"Just because Bao Xian is my secret agent, he has to listen to me!" Zi Jin suddenly stood up, a cold light flashing in her eyes.

"You... know what!"

“I know everything I need to know. Wutong, you need to think this through. In this world, only I can help you fulfill your wish… As for Baoxian… although I didn’t personally harm him to this state, if it weren’t for me… he wouldn’t be in this state… I know… Baoxian actually likes you… but he’s ashamed of his disability. If you don’t despise him and are willing to elope with him, I will do everything in my power to help you. Wutong, you need to know… Baoxian’s first half of life has been lived in the shadow of Anxi… now only you can lead her out of that shadow… You need to think this through carefully.” Zi Jin walked over and stood beside Wutong, speaking softly.

Wutong stood there, stunned: "Brother Bao...do you like me?"

Zi Jin shook her head and chuckled: "If he didn't like you, why would he be so nice to you? Bao Xian has always been cold and indifferent to people. Back when I, him, and... Yu Luo... were in Taiping Pavilion, he was only close to me."

"But what about Brother Bao..."

"What nonsense are you thinking? You probably don't know, but since ancient times, the secrets of the Nalan Nan tribe have been closer to their masters than to their own parents and siblings. If I were to sever the master-servant relationship with him, we would be strangers."

Wutong stared at Zijin with suspicion, but Zijin's eyes were open and honest, without the slightest hint of doubt: "Really?"

Zi Jin gave a bitter smile: "My dear Wutong, I've said so much, why don't you believe me?"

After pondering for a while, Wutong finally made up her mind. She opened the window a crack, glanced outside, and then resolutely took Zijin's hand: "Miss, come with me."

The two left the room, avoiding the night patrol, and hurried towards the back mountain. After walking for a while, they stopped at the entrance of a cave.

Zi Jin stared blankly at the inconspicuous hole: "This is..."

"This is the Thousand-Year Cold Cave." Wutong pulled Zijin along and walked into the cave.

As soon as they entered the cave, Zi Jin saw a luminous pearl the size of a bowl embedded in the wall of the narrow passage, casting a soft glow inside. Gusts of cold wind pierced her bones, and Zi Jin subconsciously pulled her robe tighter, quietly following behind Wu Tong.

After walking for a while, the passage gradually widened and became brighter, and a crystal coffin carved from ice suddenly came into view.

Wutong released Zijin and walked step by step onto the high platform, but Zijin refused to come forward. Wutong turned back and smiled slightly: "Miss, won't you go and take a look?"

Zi Jin paused for a moment, then followed Wu Tong's footsteps and slowly walked towards the high platform, stopping beside the ice coffin.

Inside the ice coffin lay a woman, the woman who often appeared in my dreams. She wore a bright yellow robe embroidered with dragons, a sash of brocade and glass, and a small dragon crown adorned her long, slender black hair. Her hands were clenched tightly, her skin as white as snow, her long, fan-like eyelashes, her slender phoenix eyes tightly closed, her nose delicate, her lips pressed together pale and cold, and a faint air of majesty emanating from her brows.