Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 188
"Hehe, Your Majesty is so generous! From today onwards, Qi Yongyue will be Your Majesty's personal bodyguard. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." A triumphant smile appeared on Qi Yongyue's lips.
"Your Majesty! How can the young lady understand if you do this..." Jin Yu was shocked and hurriedly said.
Si Kou Xunxiang turned his head slightly, a smile playing on his lips as he murmured, "...How come we can't even pass this small test?"...I know her feelings...but I still want to hear them with my own ears...
Qi Yongyue turned to look at Sikou Xunxiang: "The king is quite confident, isn't he?"
"Jin Yu gave the order to prepare immediately and leave the city before nightfall." After saying this, Si Kou Xun Xiang picked up the jade bottle on the table, turned around and went into the inner room.
With the moon shining brightly and the stars few, a small group of people walked slowly along the path outside Qingzhen, taking advantage of the bright moonlight.
A dark figure darted to the front of the line in a few swift movements, blocking everyone's path with one hand.
Jin Yu, who was leading the way, squinted as he sized up the man in black under the moonlight: his eyebrows were tightly furrowed, his eyelashes were long, his eyes were slender and phoenix-shaped with upturned corners, his nose was small, his lips were tightly pursed, and his reddish-brown hair was tied into a neat bun. His complexion was not fair but unusually smooth and healthy, giving him a dashing and energetic look.
In just half a year, that timid and dull girl has blossomed into such a beautiful young woman. I wonder what the prince will think when he sees her...
Jin Yu remained silent for a long while, which made Zi Jin quite impatient: "Are you going to fight or not? If not, then quickly return the person!"
Jin Yu snapped back to reality, turning to look at the carriage behind her. She had come alone to demand someone? Should she fight? ...Should she fight? Could she win?
Inside the carriage, as if hearing Zi Jin's voice, the pale-faced Prince Anle suddenly opened his eyes, struggled to get up, but was pressed back down by a pair of hands.
Sikou Xunxiang wiped the fine beads of sweat from Prince Anle's face with his sleeve: "Le'er has just taken his medicine and cannot get up yet."
"You want to go with her?... Is that it?" Prince Anle grabbed Sikou Xunxiang's hand and asked urgently.
Sikou Xunxiang carefully wiped the cold sweat from Prince Anle's forehead, without even lifting his eyelids: "I'm not leaving."
After a while, the carriage behind him did not react. Jin Yu slowly turned around and glanced at Zi Jin in front of him: "Miss, please go back. My master does not want to see you."
Zi Jin sneered, "Hmph, what a joke! He wouldn't want to see me? You must have been holding him under house arrest. Quickly return him to me... otherwise..."
Jin Yu, sitting on his horse, looked at Zi Jin, who had a confident expression, and said, "How about it? You..." Before Jin Yu could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a numbness all over his body and fell silent instantly.
Zi Jin slowly drew the golden whip from her waist and said coldly, "No matter what... if you don't return it, I'll take it back myself."
Inside the carriage, Sikou Xunxiang smiled as he listened to the conversation outside. When he heard that Zi Jin was about to make a move, he frowned slightly, then got up and walked out of the carriage, only to be pulled by someone's sleeve.
“Brother…” Prince Anle looked at Sikou Xunxiang, who was about to get off the carriage, with eyes full of fear.
Sikou Xunxiang patted Prince Anle's hand reassuringly: "Don't be afraid, Le'er, I'll be right back."
King Anle seemed to consider it for a moment, then slowly lowered his hand.
The area outside the carriage was in chaos. Although Zi Jin was confident in her superior skills, she had no practical experience whatsoever. Facing the onslaught of the crowd, she gained no advantage whatsoever. Gradually, Zi Jin lost all patience and seemed determined to force her way in.
In the darkness, Qi Yongyue looked mockingly at Zi Jin, who was already overwhelmed. Although she had a good master, she had only been with him for half a year, and her personality was too impatient... In the end... she did not achieve great things.
Sikou Xunxiang slowly pulled back the carriage curtain and jumped down hastily. Zi Jin, who was about to charge, took advantage of the moonlight to see the person beside the carriage and instantly withdrew the golden whip in her hand. The crowd, who had only surrounded the carriage without attacking, stopped their attack when they saw Zi Jin stop, and surrounded the carriage to protect it.
Across the crowd, Zi Jin and Si Kou Huan Xiang stared at each other for a long time before Si Kou Huan Xiang slowly looked away: "You... go."
Zi Jin's heart, overflowing with joy, instantly sank to the bottom. Her lips moved, her mind filled with questions and confusion, but she didn't know what to ask. Like a lost child, she murmured, "Xiao Bai..."
Si Kou Xunxiang's body stiffened slightly, and then he turned around slowly.
Seeing Sikou Xunxiang about to turn and get into the carriage, Zi Jin felt an overwhelming surge of anger. She quickly took two steps forward, and the guards, who had already slightly lowered their swords, instantly raised them, all pointing them at Zi Jin. Zi Jin tightened her grip on the golden whip, cautiously looking at the crowd, and coldly smiled, "Don't waste time, come at me all at once."
"Stop!" Sikou Xunxiang suddenly turned around, but didn't even look at Zi Jin. He glanced indifferently at the guards around him: "Let her go."
"You don't want to come with me?" Zi Jin asked urgently from where she stood.
Si Kou Xunxiang slowly raised his eyes and silently stared at Zi Jin opposite him.
Zi Jin stared wide-eyed at Si Kou Huanxiang's every move. After a long while, Si Kou Huanxiang finally couldn't resist Zi Jin's expectant gaze. He pursed his pink lips tightly, abruptly turned his face away, and gracefully got into the car.
"Xiaobai!" Zi Jin called out urgently, her voice filled with undisguised grievance.
Si Kou Huanxiang paused for a moment as he lifted the carriage curtain: "You...go back..."
Zi Jin stood there, stunned, watching Si Kou Xunxiang's figure disappear behind the carriage curtain, and watching the procession slowly move forward in the darkness.
Prince Anle lifted the carriage curtain a crack and looked at Zi Jin, who stood there in a daze, feeling an indescribable bitterness and reluctance in his heart. He glanced slightly at Sikou Xunxiang's indifferent profile under the lamplight, and felt an indescribable anger and frustration: "Why did you leave her here?"
Si Kou Huanxiang slowly opened his eyes: "Le'er said that Yu Luo gave birth to a boy... I will go back to face the promise I made back then... How should I take care of her?"
Prince Anle was slightly taken aback: "Brother, it's not..."
Sikou Xunxiang smiled gently at Prince Anle and said reassuringly, "What is it? If that's what Le'er says, then it is. Whatever Le'er wants, I will give it to her. Le'er just needs to focus on recovering."
As the group gradually disappeared from sight, Qiu Baifeng, hidden in the shadows, looked at Zi Jin, who was still standing there in a daze, and a hint of pity flashed in her eyes. She slowly walked out and gently patted Zi Jin, saying, "Girl, don't be sad... He probably has his reasons..."
"Ha!" Zi Jin suddenly snapped back to reality and sneered, "What hardship can't you tell me?"
Qiu Baifeng was speechless for a moment. Although she didn't know why, the two of them had gone through life and death together and escaped from somewhere. They had lived together for half a year and, although they were not husband and wife in name, they had already lived as husband and wife. What was there to hide about such feelings?
Zi Jin gripped the golden whip tightly, her whole body radiating a fierce aura and her eyes filled with murderous intent, before turning and walking into the darkness.
Qiu Baifeng was startled and grabbed Zi Jin, coaxing her, "Girl, don't act rashly. Let's go back and talk to your master first, and then we'll make a decision."
Zi Jin frowned slightly as she looked at the hand that Qiu Baifeng was holding tightly. She looked up at Qiu Baifeng's nervous expression and knew that her actions just now must have caused Qiu Baifeng to misunderstand. She found it amusing: "What did Master's wife think I was going to do?"
Looking at Zi Jin's softened eyes, Qiu Baifeng said, "The way you were just now..."
"Hehe... Master's wife, don't worry. I know what he's trying to hide. It's all my fault. If I had told him sooner... what if it was him... I'm angry that he doesn't believe me, but right now he's powerless and in his brother's hands... I don't know what he'd be like..." Zi Jin lowered her eyes little by little. How could someone as proud and arrogant as Si Kou Xunxiang be willing to pretend to be innocent forever? Did he resent her? No, he wouldn't. If he resented her, he wouldn't have been so careful in his pretense in front of her. What reason would he have to leave in such a hurry?
"Girl, girl, come back with me first and discuss it with your master." Seeing Zi Jin's absent-minded appearance, Qiu Baifeng said urgently.