Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 210
“Lin’er… things have come to this. Your father only asks that you treat her well. Back then… Your father wronged her. You must not, you must not force her again…”
"My dear Lin'er, you must grow up quickly, grow up quickly... This world, all of this, and your father are all waiting for you to grow up quickly."
"Father's son, Lin'er, will finally stand above all others and look down upon the world..."
Tears streamed down her face as Jun Lin gripped the hand of the person on the bed tightly: "You resent Lin'er, don't you? The person you've guarded your whole life, the person you've protected your whole life, the person you've longed for your whole life, is imprisoned by Lin'er, and you're angry, aren't you? Didn't you say you loved Lin'er the most? Didn't you say you'd give Lin'er everything? Didn't you intend to leave everything you've had in your life to Lin'er? Why can't she be? Why can't she be? Can't you forgive Lin'er at all? Why... why didn't you even look at Lin'er one last time in the end? How could you just abandon Lin'er like this?"
Jun Lin's face was streaked with tears, like a lost child, his eyes vacant and filled with pain. He stared straight at the person on the bed, letting out a low sob: "Didn't you want Lin'er to stand at the highest place, overlooking the world? You said... that even keeping her by your side would be better than enduring this heart-wrenching longing and torment?... Didn't you teach Lin'er that? Why... why won't you forgive Lin'er, refusing to even look at her one last time, refusing to see her one last time..."
Xiao Wu turned her face away, secretly wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "The imperial physician once said that the Emperor Emeritus was kept alive with medicine every day, and suffered excruciating pain every day. Now... the Emperor Emeritus has passed away in his sleep. Since he left so peacefully... he must not have suffered at all. Your Majesty should take heed of this grief..."
Jun Lin's phoenix eyes were half-closed, his long eyelashes concealing the emotions within. He carefully straightened the clothes of the person on the bed, slowly and meticulously tidying their slightly disheveled hair. His hands stroked and stroked again and again, trying to transfer his warmth to the person who had grown cold and stiff: "Father loves her company so much... then let her stay with Father in this Moon Kingdom, with Lin'er... forever and ever, so that Father... Father won't worry about her every day, right?"
Around afternoon, Zi Jin woke up feeling hungry. She weakly got up, searched the house but couldn't find a basin or anything like that, shook her head resignedly, and hurried towards the well in the courtyard. When she got there, Zi Jin realized that there wasn't even a rope, let alone a bucket.
Zi Jin, disheveled and filthy, lay by the well, gazing at the bottomless depths, and finally realized how unrealistic it was to try and draw water.
Zi Jin looked up at the scorching sun, then licked her lips. She was thirsty, hungry, and hot, the suffocating heat making it hard to breathe. Suppressing her dizziness, Zi Jin stood up and surveyed the overgrown surroundings. Glancing to the side, she saw two bowls beside the gate, one containing water and the other a steamed bun. Zi Jin quickly picked up the water and drank it down in large gulps. She glanced at the slightly darkened bun, shook her head, smiled, and casually picked it up.
I never imagined that just one steamed bun could make me feel so deeply wronged. It seems I've been enjoying myself too much these past month. I remember back in Rouge Valley, I ate dry steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and drank plain water with Xiaobai every day, and I never felt wronged at all. But whenever I see him struggling to bite into his bun, I always feel like I'm the one who's wronged him.
Indeed, he had been raised in luxury since childhood, never experiencing hardship. Yet, ever since he came with me, he seemed to have been constantly suffering—in Shipai Village, and in Rouge Valley. Unfortunately, I hadn't understood his feelings then, always assuming it was the life I had longed for. I stubbornly believed that Xiaobai, like me, enjoyed that kind of life, never considering how someone accustomed to wealth and luxury could not endure it. Therefore, it's no wonder Xiaobai left as soon as he left Rouge Valley.
Zi Jin slowly took a bite, and a strong, sour smell assaulted her nostrils. She spat out the steamed bun in her mouth and vomited violently. After vomiting until nothing came up, Zi Jin threw the steamed bun, which looked like it had been stale for days, over the wall and shouted at the guards outside the gate, "This steamed bun is rotten! How can you eat it!"
After a long silence from outside, Zi Jin gritted her teeth and shouted angrily, "Are there dead people outside?!"
"What are you yelling about! What are you yelling about! Eat it or don't, it's up to you! Who has time to care about you right now!" came an impatient echo from outside the door.
Zi Jin stared at the courtyard gate for a long time with eyes full of anger, then kicked the two bowls aside in a huff and went into the house in a huff.
At midnight, the bustling capital city, which had been noisy all day, appeared strangely desolate on this starless night.
On a high slope outside the city, Prince Anle reined in his galloping horse, turning back to gaze longingly at the pitch-black capital city. His expression of deep longing seemed to want to etch the city into his mind and heart. After a long while, he abruptly withdrew his gaze, grabbed his whip, and lashed his horse sharply. The horse neighed loudly and shot off like an arrow, shattering the silent night sky.
Brother, you've always been so good to Le'er since we were little. I'm afraid I can never repay you in this lifetime. Brother, you must take good care of yourself from now on.
Le'er has been mischievous and willful since childhood. But no matter what, her brother always protects and spoils her. So this time, her brother will spoil her one last time, and please don't come after her. This is the path Le'er insisted on taking, and whatever the outcome, she hopes her brother won't blame anyone, especially not himself.
Brother, back then you said you would give the empire to Le'er, but what Le'er really wanted to tell you was that Le'er didn't want the empire, Le'er didn't want to live in this palace. This empire was taken from her by Father and you, it was never what Le'er wanted. Le'er wanted to ask you... could Le'er exchange this empire for her?
Le'er once thought she was the person who hated her the most in the world... until that day... when she saw her standing by Weiyang Lake, covered in blood, searching for her, Le'er realized that perhaps, perhaps, she had liked her a long time ago. Perhaps it was at the Nalan Family Temple, perhaps at Bihu Lake, perhaps even longer... Le'er had fallen in love...
Brother, Le'er doesn't have long to live. She might not live to see you rescue her, so Le'er is going to find her. Even just one more look at her, just one look. Le'er always thought that the reason she didn't let her brother leave was because she couldn't bear to leave him, but now that she's gone, Le'er realizes that the person she worries about most in this world isn't her brother, but her.
Countless times, Le'er prayed to heaven that if there were an afterlife, she could be brothers with her brother again. Then, Le'er would be his older brother, protecting him, spoiling him, and indulging him for life. But ever since Le'er realized she loved her, she no longer thought that way. Le'er didn't want an afterlife with her brother, nor did she want to be brothers with him again. Because if that were the case, Le'er would have to give way to her brother, and Le'er didn't want to give her away to him, not even for a single day.
Brother, in this life, I'm giving the little mute to you. In the next life, please don't appear. In the next life, let the little mute stay with me forever, forever, forever, okay? Because, because I need a lifetime, a lifetime to make up for the wounds the little mute suffered for me. Maybe one lifetime isn't enough, there will be a next life, and the life after that. Brother, you must cherish this life, because in the next life, and the next life after that, there will be no place for you in the little mute's next life.
Brother, don't be afraid. If Le'er rescues the little mute girl, she will definitely send her back to your side. In the future, I will definitely treat her well, and I will treat her well for Le'er's sake as well.
Love and hate leave no trace, deep affection is hard to wait for; the descendants of the gods, three generations of marriage and resentment fill the river, watching the tide rise and fall amidst the wind and rain (Part 7)
Watching the tide rise amidst the wind and rain (Part 7): The Weiyang Palace in the morning light exudes a faint tranquility and elegance.
Sikou Xunxiang, who was fast asleep on the bed, had his brows furrowed and a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead. His exposed hands were tightly tearing at the quilt covering him. Suddenly, he sat up abruptly, his eyes wide open, staring blankly at the person opposite him.
After a long while, he gently touched his chest, which was aching unbearably and overflowing with panic and worry. He glanced out the window at the vibrant Weiyang Lake bathed in the morning light, trying several times to suppress the strange feeling in his heart. But the anxiety only grew stronger, his heart throbbed with pain, and he felt an indescribable feeling churning and surging in his chest like a tidal wave, almost making him want to cry out in pain.
How could this be, how could this be… The last time my amber bracelet broke, it was the same, the same pain that almost suffocated me… Jin’er, Jin’er, Jin’er… Please don’t be hurt, please don’t be hurt… How can I bear to part with everything you’ve given me? If you dare… if you dare to abandon me like this again, this time… even as a ghost, I will never let you go…
"Your Majesty!!" Jin Yu rushed in.
Sikou Huanxiang suddenly stood up and rushed out in a panic: "What happened? But... but something happened to her?"
Jin Yu quickly handed over a letter, paused for a moment, and said with difficulty, "Master left a letter and ran away."
Upon hearing this, Si Kou Xunxiang froze, took the letter, and with trembling hands opened it and quickly read it.
Instantly, Sikou Xunxiang's eyes filled with sorrow and despair. He staggered back several steps, only regaining his footing by grabbing the long couch behind him. He gasped for breath and cried out urgently, "Jin Yu, hurry! Send someone to chase after them! Le'er is about to do something foolish!"
Jin Yu lowered his eyes and said, "News came from the city gate that last night at midnight, the master led eleven hermits out of the city, and not a single steed in the palace was left. I'm afraid we won't be able to catch up."
Sikou Xunxiang's grief subsided slightly, and he solemnly said, "Urgent dispatch! Quickly intercept the Prince and his entourage at the border!"
Inside the Imperial Study of the Moon Kingdom.
Dressed in a plain white prince's robe, Jun Chi knelt upright before the desk, gazing earnestly at the person on the dragon throne: "Your Majesty's refusal to let her see Father Emperor one last time is bad enough, but now that Father Emperor has been peacefully buried, how long will Your Majesty keep her imprisoned?"
Jun Lin, holding a scroll, glanced at the person kneeling below and said coldly, "Don't think that I'm truly letting you out. If it weren't for my father... I would never have let you out. I would have kept you imprisoned until you were old!"
A look of urgency flashed in Jun Chi's eyes: "If Your Majesty truly wishes to imprison someone to vent your anger, then I am willing to return to the abandoned palace."
Jun Lin sneered, closed the book in his hand, stood up, walked to Jun Chi's side, and whispered with a smile, "What? Is your brother feeling sorry for her? Would you rather cut off your own flesh and bleed than see her suffer for you?"
Jun Chi glanced at Jun Lin and said through gritted teeth, "Your Majesty has misunderstood. My relationship with Jin is merely that of siblings, not what Your Majesty thinks."
Jun Lin suddenly turned around and laughed loudly: "Good! What a brotherly and sisterly bond! She's for you, and you're for her. How deep your affection is!"
Jun Chi said urgently, “Your Majesty, she cannot endure the days in the Cold Palace. If you are angry, you can vent your anger on your younger brother. Why torture her like this? You must know that she has been weak since childhood. These days the weather is hot and humid. I am afraid she cannot bear such suffering.”
Jun Lin choked, a hint of surprise flashing in his phoenix eyes, and a trace of melancholy and worry creeping between his brows.
Seeing Jun Lin's expression soften, Jun Chi continued, "My father's body is not yet cold. If his spirit in heaven knew that Your Majesty treated her this way, I don't know how painful it would be for him."
Jun Lin stood frozen in place, the melancholy and worry in his phoenix eyes instantly turning into guilt and anger. He turned abruptly and roared, "Stop talking! I'm going to keep her by my side! I'm going to keep her by my side until the day I die!"