Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 195
Zi Jin suppressed the waves of dizziness and finally steadied herself. She slowly turned her head to look at Yu Luo, whose face was filled with panic and pleading, and a relieved smile appeared on her face. She slowly walked forward, bent down, picked up the veil from the ground, and carefully draped it over Yu Luo's shoulders, saying softly, "I originally intended that even if I gave you my life, I would not use him to repay this debt, but now it seems that he is willing. Although it is not my choice, I have fulfilled your request. So, let it be... let it be. From now on, I owe you nothing, nor do I owe him anything."
Zi Jin slowly withdrew her hand, smiled gently at Yu Luo through the veil, turned around little by little, and walked towards the entrance of the main hall. When she reached the entrance, she lightly touched the ground with her toes, took off into the air, and disappeared from everyone's sight in the blink of an eye.
The grand music in the hall began again, as if that person, that person who left with a smile, had never been there at all.
Sikou Xunxiang stared blankly at the door, a heavy sense of unease and fear gripping his heart. When his gaze brushed past Qi Yongyue in the corner of the hall, he stiffly withdrew his eyes, seemingly listening intently to the eunuch's imperial edict, accepting the congratulations of the crowd as if nothing had happened.
A figure stood in the corner of the towering city wall, his desolate and lonely appearance completely out of place with the festive atmosphere of the city.
"Master..." Jin Yu stepped forward lightly and called out softly.
"Um...cough cough...cough cough..." King Anle's face was unusually pale. He turned around and quickly covered his mouth with the silk handkerchief in his hand.
"Don't worry, Master. The young lady has already taken the horse you prepared, and she should be leaving the city by now." Jin Yu was about to step forward, but was glared back by the sharp eyes of Prince Anle.
After catching his breath, King Anle put the silk handkerchief back in his hand, turned around, and stared intently at the wide-open city gate, afraid of missing anything.
Jin Yu thought for a while and finally spoke: "Your Majesty need not blame yourself too much. His Majesty and Consort Luo did not complete the final step before issuing the imperial edict..."
Before Jin Yu could finish speaking, the faint sound of galloping hooves could be heard from the city gate. King Anle had no time to pay attention and hurriedly leaned out of the city wall to catch his breath.
A white horse shot out of the city gate like an arrow. King Anle leaned over the city wall, staring intently at the person in blue on horseback. For a long time, until the person and the horse disappeared into the horizon, King Anle reluctantly withdrew his gaze. He slowly turned around and walked down the city wall step by step, never looking back again.
Brother and she didn't take that final step. Did I help you in a way? Wait a little longer... Before long, when I'm gone, brother will... I've done all this. Could you... could you blame me a little less?
The swift steed, galloping like lightning, blurred her vision, with only the howling wind whistling in her ears. Her eyes stung, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Zi Jin wiped her tears repeatedly with her sleeve, but the tears wouldn't stop. She desperately spurred her horse, refusing to look at the bustling, joyous city, refusing to see the smiles on everyone's faces, wanting only to escape as quickly as possible, to escape without wasting a single second.
Love and hate leave no trace, deep affection is hard to wait for; the descendants of the gods, three generations of marital entanglements, when will they again sing the lament of old age? (Part Two)
When shall we play the Ballad of White Hair (Part Two) Outside Rouge Valley, at the Shili Slope Wine Shop.
After trying many different wines, the jujube wine from Shilipo is still the most pungent and intense. The wine smells wonderfully of jujubes, but when you taste it, it's like being burned or cut by a knife, a bitter and spicy experience that can bring tears to your eyes.
Zi Jin sipped her wine, her eyes red-rimmed, a strange smile on her face. The smile seemed carefree, like letting go, like relief, yet tinged with sadness.
Although it was only early morning, the tavern was already full. Zi Jin sat alone at a table, while the other tables seemed to have been arranged to be occupied, as if they were waiting for something.
Each glass of strong liquor stung my heart, yet it couldn't warm the emptiness in my chest.
Now, lost and alone, she wondered how the old man would ridicule her when she returned. Zi Jin shook her head and smiled, glancing at the already bright sky. It was time to go back; at least the old man would be there with her, and perhaps her master's wife would be too. Drinking alone here only made her feel worse.
"Do you think they need any more people today?" a burly man in coarse clothes asked the old man beside him.
The old man shook his head: "Let's wait and see. They're offering such high pay for such easy work as cutting bamboo. Where else can we find something so cheap?"
The burly man in rough clothes shook the wine in his bowl: "They've been cutting bamboo for three days straight. They should have finished cutting all the bamboo by now. I'm afraid they won't be coming today."
The old man stroked his beard and looked at the burly man in rough clothes: "There's nothing in Rouge Valley except lots of forest. Although they've been logging for three days, they'll never be able to clear it completely. That soldier said their master wants to raze all the bamboo in Rouge Valley to the ground..."
Upon hearing this, Zi Jin's expression changed slightly. She quickly took out all the loose silver from her pocket, threw it on the table, mounted her horse, and galloped off towards Rouge Valley.
In no time at all, Zi Jin entered the outer perimeter of Rouge Valley. What kind of scene greeted her eyes? The once vibrant green bamboo in the valley had all been felled, and there was not a sound of insects or birds to be heard.
Zi Jin dismounted in a daze and walked step by step into the valley. Suddenly, she quickened her pace and ran like the wind towards the bamboo house. Wherever she passed, there was only desolation and not a single bamboo stalk in sight.
Please, please, please be alright!
The bamboo house deep within the bamboo forest was exposed to the eye without any cover.
Zi Jin stopped and carefully approached the thatched hut step by step. Her face, which should have been flushed from running after drinking, turned pale instantly, and her heart was pounding wildly.
Outside the bamboo house, Cheng Qingsong was nailed to a wooden cross, his body covered in wounds and on the verge of death. Two thick, long silver chains were fastened to his collarbones, gleaming dazzlingly in the morning light.
A figure in moon-white robes strolled out of the bamboo house, meeting Zi Jin's bloodshot gaze.
A smug yet gentle smile played on the man's lips: "Did you miss me?"
Zi Jin's eyes were bloodshot as she said calmly, "Release him. The grudge between you and me is none of anyone else's business."
The man slowly walked out of the thatched hut and sat not far from Cheng Qingsong: "I just ascended the throne yesterday, and I'm here to visit Jin'er today. Isn't Jin'er happy?"
"Jun Lin! Don't drag innocent people into our feud!" Zi Jin desperately suppressed her overwhelming anger.
Jun Lin glanced at Zi Jin, a cruel glint in his eyes: "Innocent? Am I not innocent? Wasn't I innocent enough before? Why has Jin'er never shown me even the slightest pity?!"
Cheng Qingsong, who had been unconscious, slowly raised his head and frowned when he saw Zi Jin standing opposite him: "Who told you to come back? Get out of here! If you weren't here, they would never have hurt me... Hiss!..."
Before Cheng Qingsong could finish speaking, Jun Lin suddenly yanked on the silver chain.
"Stop!...What exactly do you want?" Zi Jin said through gritted teeth.
Jun Lin glanced at Zi Jin, a faint smile appearing on his lips. He tossed the iron chain in his hand away, and Cheng Qingsong shuddered, gritting his teeth to suppress a cry of pain. Zi Jin took a sudden half-step forward, but seeing Jun Lin's restless hand, she finally dared not move.
Jun Lin smiled calmly and said, "What do you think I want, Jin'er? He not only saved my life but is also my teacher. Of course, I should thank him properly and take good care of him until his old age."
"Let him go! Do whatever you want with me. This is between us, don't involve the people around me!" Zi Jin said coldly.
"Release him? Release him... How can I hold onto my Jin'er again?" Jun Lin straightened his sleeves and said softly.
Zi Jin stared intently at Jun Lin and said in a deep voice, "Let him go, and I'll go with you."
Jun Lin lowered his hand from adjusting his sleeves and smiled lightly at Zi Jin: "I can't let him go, I can't let him go. If I let him go, how will my Jin'er behave?"
"What exactly do you want!" Zi Jin gritted her teeth and shouted angrily.
Jun Lin laughed and said, "How about it? Doesn't Jin'er know? Of course I've come to take Jin'er away. As for Master, of course I can't treat him badly. I'll let him and Jin'er enjoy happiness with me."