Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 214

After thinking for a moment, Granny Lu quickly took out the incense stick from the drawer in front of the dressing table and said with a smile, "I knew that this thing that you always carry with you must be very important to Your Highness, so this old servant put it away for you long ago."

Zi Jin took the incense, sniffed it lightly, and slowly breathed a sigh of relief. She leaned softly against the bed, staring blankly at the incense stick in her hand, her thoughts drifting away.

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 (X).

Watching the tide rise amidst the wind and rain (10) Chen Guoxia Yang Palace.

Si Kou Xunxiang gazed at the garden full of hibiscus flowers, a dazed smile appearing on his lips.

That's just how Le'er is. She always says she doesn't like her and how much she hates her, but in reality, she cares about her the most.

Back then, there were so many elegant and exquisite palaces in the palace, but Le'er didn't want any of them. Instead, she insisted on the desolate and dilapidated Xia Yang Palace. Although Le'er didn't say anything, she understood in her heart. At that time, he lived in the palace with her. Although he was the young heir of the Si Kou family and the emperor and empress's brother, he had no official status in the palace and would never have his own palace. No matter how desolate Xia Yang Palace was, it was given to Dugu Xi Hui by her. Dugu Xi Hui had what he didn't, so how could he be content? After Dugu Xi Hui fled the palace in the dead of night, Le'er occupied this palace that was even worse than the Cold Palace.

The hibiscus flowers blooming in this garden are all rare; I wonder how much effort Le'er put into nurturing these precious plants. Today, the magnificent Xia Yang Palace surpasses any other hall in the palace in terms of elegance and refinement; it bears no resemblance to its former desolate and cold appearance. If Le'er is so particular about even the smallest things, how could she truly be indifferent to her?

"Your Majesty, please accept my condolences."

Sikou Xunxiang turned around and smiled indifferently: "Miss Yuluo, is there anything you need?"

Yu Luo paused for a moment, then said, "I learned that His Majesty has not left this palace for two days, and I am extremely worried, so I came to see you."

Si Kou Xunxiang lowered his eyes and said, "It's nothing, I just remembered some things from the past."

Yu Luo said gently, “Your Majesty, please don’t be sad. You saw the prince’s expression then. He had a smile on his face, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, and a look of contentment and peace on his face. Your Majesty should know that there is no antidote for that rotting bone marrow and heart. Even if the prince were alive, he would have to suffer that heart-wrenching pain every day. For the prince, this is just a kind of relief.”

Sikou Xunxiang pondered for a moment before saying, "What is it, young lady? Please speak frankly."

Yu Luo paused for a moment, then smiled: "Your Majesty must not continue to be distressed... The new emperor of Yue Kingdom will be married in ten days. Your Majesty knows best who he will marry."

A hint of surprise flashed in Sikou Xunxiang's dark eyes, but he quickly lowered them and said, "Please continue, young lady."

Yu Luo smiled and said, "Back then, the Emperor pitied my background and, to repay the debt to my master, gave me everything I have today. I am grateful, but the Emperor should also know what I have been planning step by step for my beloved. If the Emperor still wants to welcome back my master, he should know what he needs to give up."

“I know everything you have to say, young lady.” Sikou Xunxiang nodded lightly, turned around, and glanced at the hibiscus flowers blooming exceptionally brightly outside the window: “I just wonder how he will treat you in the future, given how you have always been devoted to him since childhood.”

Yu Luo was taken aback for a moment, then smiled slightly: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. However, time is running out. Instead of spending your time thinking about me, Your Majesty should think about how to welcome back your master."

Sikou Xunxiang glanced at Yu Luo and said, "Tomorrow, I wish to see Lady Yu."

A glint flashed in Yu Luo's eyes: "Your Majesty truly lives up to your reputation as the number one talent, even being able to foresee the Lady's situation in Chen Kingdom. Your Majesty, rest assured, Yu Luo will make the arrangements."

The Imperial Garden of the Moon Kingdom.

The lush, vibrant flowers in the garden seemed to be gilded by the fiery sunset. Zi Jin, her brow furrowed, walked through the Imperial Garden, staring at the half-burnt incense stick in her brocade pouch. Tomorrow was the deadline she had agreed to meet her master's wife, but Jun Lin hadn't come to Chaofeng Palace since that day, and she had been turned away at the gate every time she tried to see him. How could she have forgotten something so important?

"What's bothering you, Jin'er?" A familiar yet aged voice interrupted Zi Jin's thoughts.

Zi Jin glanced sideways and saw a withered, thin old woman standing alone beneath a tall, vigorous old tree, leaning on a cane. As if all the remaining energy had been drained from her body overnight, her hair, as withered and split as winter grass, fell over her shoulders, and her deeply lined face was filled with depression and sorrow. Her once bright and piercing eyes were now cloudy.

That once youthful and captivating face... that once aged yet still dignified countenance...

"It's you!" Zi Jin exclaimed in surprise.

Madam Yu walked slowly and shakily to Zi Jin's side, gently stroked her long hair, and smiled lovingly, "Does Jin'er really not want to see me?"

Zi Jin took two steps back, looking wary: "Is there something you need?"

A moment of silence.

Madam Yu stiffly lowered her hand and smiled, "Is it alright? Can't I come to see Jin'er?"

Zi Jin looked around at the empty surroundings and, without thinking, quickly walked towards the woods.

Madam Yu shook the object in her hand and said softly, "Doesn't Jin'er want this key?"

Zi Jin suddenly stopped in her tracks, turned around to look at the key in Madam Yu's hand, and sneered, "How do I know if you're lying to me?"

"Now that Jin'er is trapped here, what else can I lie to her about?"

Zi Jin glanced sideways in thought, then said coldly, "What will it take for you to give me the key?"

Looking at Zi Jin's wary expression, Madam Yu gave a bitter smile. After a long while, she spoke again, "Has Jin'er visited Lin'er these past few days?"

Zi Jin turned her head away abruptly and said nothing more.

Madam Yu continued, "Since that day, Lin'er has been drinking all the time except for the morning court session. Yesterday, she drank so much that she vomited blood. Does Jin'er know about this?"

Zi Jin paused for a moment, then said firmly, "What does this have to do with me?"

“Jin’er is truly heartless. Do you still remember the time you were injured in Huaiyin City? ... Jin’er has had an unusual constitution since childhood, and that injury was quite serious. All the doctors in Lizhou and even Yue Kingdom were helpless... Lin’er was anxious and went crazy. She channeled her inner strength into you every day and shed tears every night.”

Later, through Jun Ying, I gave Lin'er a healing musical score. This score rapidly depleted one's internal energy. After much deliberation, I instructed Jun Ying to send experts from the Moon Kingdom to help Lin'er heal you. But Lin'er disregarded all this, refusing to rely on anyone, and played the score for fifteen days straight until you awoke. In truth, if you had been observant, you would have noticed long ago that Lin'er's martial arts were already severely damaged, and despite years of treatment, she had only recovered about 20%.

Do you know why Cheng Qingsong took you as his disciple? It wasn't because he saw your talent, but because he knew you possessed nearly thirty years of internal energy... Look... look at how Lin'er treats you. Can't you feel his heart at all? The imperial physician said that if you get angry, there's a risk of miscarriage. He clearly wants to stay by your side so much, but he's afraid of hearing you say hurtful things and getting angry and arguing with you. The only way he can control himself from going to you is to drink every day until he's drunk.

Zi Jin stood frozen in place, her heart filled with indescribable feelings. It would be a lie to say she wasn't grateful, but what good was gratitude? Her heart had never been with Jun Lin to begin with, and even if she treated him well, even if she wanted to repay him, it would only create more misunderstandings. She turned her face away, hiding the embarrassment in her eyes: "Madam, there's no need for this. Just say what's on your mind."

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 (XI).

(11) Zi Jin stood frozen in place, her heart filled with indescribable feelings. It would be a lie to say she wasn't grateful, but what good was gratitude? Her heart had never been with Jun Lin; even if she treated him well, even if she wanted to repay him, it would only create more misunderstandings. She turned her face away, concealing the embarrassment in her eyes: "Madam, there's no need for this. Just say what's on your mind."

Madam Yu shook her head and sighed, "I know that child isn't Lin'er's."

Zi Jin was slightly startled, then smiled and said, "I never said that the child was his."