Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 201

Zi Jin slowly lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing all her emotions, her expression indescribably cold.

A flicker of anxiety flashed in Jun Lin's phoenix eyes. He roughly grabbed Zi Jin's hand and pressed it tightly against his chest: "Did you touch it? Did you touch it? Every single word you uttered was of you! I gave you everything I had, everything I could give, and why... why are you treating me like this! Am I not as good as him? In what way am I inferior to him! Tell me! Tell me!"

"Ouch...it hurts!" Zi Jin cried out softly as Jun Lin pulled her.

Jun Lin stared blankly at the swollen, bruised hand he was holding: "Does it hurt..." His voice trembled slightly as he picked up the medicine bottle he had just put down and gently applied the medicine to Zi Jin's hand.

Zi Jin shook her head: "It's nothing, it doesn't hurt much."

Jun Lin closed his phoenix eyes, pulling Zi Jin tightly into his arms: "Don't do this...don't do this...you said it hurts, you said it's okay if it hurts...I didn't know, I didn't know they would treat you like this...how dare they? How dare they? Don't dislike it, don't be indifferent, don't be annoyed, okay? I won't restrict your freedom in the palace. If you really get tired of it, I'll go out of the palace with you, okay? I'll give you whatever you like, I'll give you everything, okay? Don't do this...don't do this..."

Zi Jin slowly closed her eyes, raised her hand for a long time, and then gently placed it on Jun Lin's back, stroking his trembling body: "Don't think too much."

Love and hate leave no trace, deep affection is hard to wait for; the descendants of the gods, three generations of marital entanglements fill the river, watching the tide rise amidst wind and rain (Part 1)

Watching the tide rise amidst the wind and rain (Part 1)

The moon was bright and the stars were few; a cool summer breeze brushed against my skin, a feeling that was indescribably comfortable.

Perhaps I've been sleeping too much lately, because I can't sleep tonight. Back when I lived in Taiping Pavilion, I often envied the precious garden of Chaofeng Palace; now, my dream has finally come true. What does Taiping Pavilion look like now? Xibao is gone… Yuluo is gone too; is anyone still looking after Taiping Pavilion?

Faintly hearing the sounds of string and wind instruments in the distance, Jun Lin probably wouldn't be coming tonight. Although he had preserved some datura juice that day, one is bound to encounter ghosts if one walks too many dark roads; it's best to use hallucinations sparingly. He wondered if his master was locked up somewhere. Perhaps after the previous lessons, no matter how good he was to Jun Lin, he would be wary. But now, a direct confrontation was probably out of the question; he would have to think of another way.

Xiao Bai... Ha, I shouldn't be thinking about him, I shouldn't be thinking about him. He's someone else's husband now, why should I still think about him?

Zi Jin shook her head slightly, turned and walked towards the palace, but then froze in place as she glanced to the side. Under the moonlight, his face was exquisitely sculpted, pale, and he wore a long black robe. His expression was calm. He always stood quietly behind people, never overstepping his bounds, always without complaint or regret.

Jun Ying stared in a daze at the person dressed in red and wearing a lotus crown under the moonlight, as if he were in a dream.

"Jun Xiao... San"

Jun Ying suddenly snapped back to reality, her eyes slightly reddening: "Your Majesty... are you alright?"

Zi Jin chuckled lightly: "Sure, why not? What about you?"

Jun Ying approached step by step, staring intently at Zi Jin: "Jun Ying is good... always good."

As he approached, Zi Jin's expression changed slightly. She reached out and felt his pulse, her face gradually becoming serious: "What's wrong!"

Jun Ying tried several times to pull his hand back, but dared not use too much force, and ultimately failed to break free: "It's nothing, it was just an accident."

Zi Jin said, "Nonsense! This poison is at least twenty years old! It has already invaded the heart and lungs, and you still say you're fine!"

Jun Ying paused for a moment, then chuckled softly: "You're always like this, clearly concerned but unwilling to say it, and only ever harsh to me."

Zi Jin angrily retorted, "You!... How can you be so careless with yourself? You're seriously injured, causing your old poison to relapse, and you still drink alcohol so often! Do you really want to die?!"

Jun Ying raised his eyes, silently gazing at Zi Jin's face, his brows gradually furrowing: "Did Lin'er hit you?"

Zi Jin paused for a moment: "It wasn't him."

A bitter look flashed across Jun Ying's face: "It's Eyi, isn't it? Eyi is the daughter of the Prime Minister's eldest son. She's domineering, jealous, and ruthless. Back then, I was doing it for Jun Lin's future... but now... now I don't even..."

Zi Jin laughed and said, "It was just my own carelessness. It's not your fault. Jun Ying, you're still the same as before, always taking all the blame on yourself?"

Jun Ying stepped forward and reached out his hand, but met Zi Jin's startled gaze. His hand froze in mid-air, and after a long while, he withdrew it, a bitter smile appearing on his lips: "It's late, you should go to sleep early." After saying that, he turned and hurriedly walked towards the palace gate.

"Jun Ying..."

Jun Ying remained where he was, but did not turn around.

Zi Jin paused for a moment, then said, "Which palace do you live in now? I'll come visit you when I have time."

"……No."

Jun Ying strode out of the palace gate. As soon as he reached the corner, he grabbed the wall beside him, pressing his hand to his chest and coughing heavily. "Pfft!" A mouthful of blood splattered onto the opposite wall. He quickly covered his mouth, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with one hand. He swayed and leaned against the wall, but could not support himself and slowly fell to the side.

Two hands supported that weak and powerless body.

Jun Ying struggled in a panic, hastily and discreetly wiping the blood from her mouth: "You..."

Zi Jin stared quietly at Jun Ying's slightly panicked face, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with her sleeve, letting him lean against her and catch his breath: "How did you end up like this?!... How could this be..." Looking at Jun Ying's front of his shirt, which was soaked with blood, Zi Jin's eyes were filled with fear.

"What are you doing!" A familiar angry shout came from afar.

Zi Jin frowned slightly, lowered her eyes, and shouted at Jun Lin, who was rushing towards her from a distance, "Summon the imperial physician!"

Jun Lin was stunned for a moment. Only when he got closer did he see that Jun Ying's front was soaked with blood. He said urgently, "Quickly, quickly summon the imperial physician!"

"It's nothing..." Jun Ying tried to stand up straight, wiped his mouth, and waved his hand with a smile. "I felt a little nauseous in my chest, but I feel much better after throwing up."

Jun Lin roared in exasperation, "Hurry up and summon the imperial physician to send the Emperor Emeritus back to the palace!"

Qi Yongyue responded softly, stepped forward to help Jun Ying up, and respectfully said, "Please return to the palace, Your Majesty."

Jun Ying glanced back at Zi Jin, smiled slightly, and walked forward very slowly, step by step. Even with such difficulty walking, he still did not let Qi Yongyue help him.

Watching Jun Ying's retreating figure, Zi Jin felt an overwhelming sorrow welling up inside her, her heart aching with pain. She took a step forward, wanting to chase after him, but Jun Lin grabbed her and roughly pulled her into his arms. Zi Jin let out a soft cry and bit her lip tightly.

Jun Ying suddenly turned around, staring intently at Jun Lin with a face full of anger. After a long while, he let out a soft breath, slowly suppressing the anger on his face, and said in a low voice, "You... be gentle, she still has injuries on her hands." After speaking, he silently turned around and walked away with slightly unsteady steps.

Zi Jin gazed at Jun Ying's thin and lonely figure, her eyes reddening slightly. Jun Lin paused for a moment, then picked up Zi Jin and strode towards the Phoenix Palace.

Zi Jin clung tightly to Jun Lin, leaning against him in his arms: "How could he... how could he have become like this..." Her voice was already choked with sobs.

Jun Lin gently stroked Zi Jin's back, a hint of sorrow flashing in his phoenix eyes, his expression quite complex. He hugged Zi Jin and sat against the edge of the bed, speaking softly, "Back then, Father was ambushed by Sikou Xunle and seriously injured, triggering the poison that had been suppressed in his body... The poison had entered his heart and lungs... The imperial physicians were helpless... Don't cry... Don't cry, if you're worried about him, you can go see him later... I was wrong just now, I shouldn't have treated you like that... Does your hand still hurt?"