L'hibiscus comme peinture

Chapitre 39

"Jun, how could you treat Zhiyang like this?" A gentle but reproachful voice rang out as soon as Ao Jun stood up. Then, Wei Ziqi walked over quickly with a frown and helped Zhao Zhiyang up from the ground.

"How did I treat him? I didn't kill him; that's already being polite," Ao Jun said cruelly.

“You…” Wei Ziqi pointed at Ao Jun, unable to utter a single word. He couldn’t believe that Jun would say such a thing. He had always known that although Jun appeared cold on the surface, he was actually very kind and reasonable at heart.

"Does the strategist really believe that General Zhao would do such a thing?" As a cold voice rang out, everyone saw Jin Xuan, dressed in blue, walk in, followed by several generals. They must have been discussing matters and had come over after hearing what had happened.

Jinxuan's arrival caused Yu'er to tremble involuntarily. Her eyes were fixed on the blue figure, not missing a single movement of his. The complex expression in her eyes was hard to understand.

Facing Jinxuan, Aojun was still a little nervous. After what happened last time, and with the appearance of Yu'er afterward, the two had not seen each other for many days. Now that he suddenly appeared, she really didn't know how to face him. Besides, with his intelligence, it would be difficult to deceive him.

A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, but her outward appearance remained as cold as ice, as if no one could affect her. Ao Jun glanced at everyone, finally fixing her gaze on Jin Xuan and said, "It's not a matter of whether I believe it or not, the facts are right in front of us."

Jin Xuan sneered, "The truth? Ha, may I ask the strategist, did you witness this with your own eyes? If not, judging General Zhao based solely on this Miss Yu'er's words is far too unfair to him, isn't it?"

As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Yu'er, a glance that caused a quick blush to flash across Yu'er's face. It was so fleeting that it went unnoticed, but Jin Xuan did. This was the Yu'er who had captivated Ao Jun. He hadn't paid much attention last time, but now he saw that she was indeed stunningly beautiful. However, Ao Jun truly loved this woman and wanted to share a bed with her. Just thinking about that scene made his heart suffocate.

"Unfair? Hmph, Yu'er wouldn't lie to me, what she said is the truth," Ao Jun sneered.

"Strategist, aren't you being incredibly foolish? This woman is clearly no good." General Hong began to speak up for Zhao Zhiyang, and the other generals echoed, "Yes! Strategist, don't let a bad woman ruin our friendship."

"Shut up!" Ao Jun grabbed General Hong by the collar, glared at the crowd, and roared.

General Hong and his generals stared in disbelief at the enraged strategist. Was this still the indifferent and aloof strategist Mo?

"Military Advisor Mo, stop! Release General Hong!" a stern voice commanded. Jin Xuan frowned. Jun's actions were excessive. She shouldn't be like this; it felt more like an act, a performance for those with ulterior motives. Looking at Yu'er, who appeared weak but whose eyes gleamed with an unknown light, he seemed to understand something!

"Hmph." Ao Jun snorted coldly, but still released General Hong. He then warned the crowd in a cold voice, "Don't let me hear anyone say another bad word about Yu'er, otherwise, I, Mo Jun, will not let them off."

"Hmph." Everyone glared angrily at the cold-blooded Ao Jun and the seemingly innocent Yu'er, and snorted coldly.

"Jun, you've gone too far," Wei Ziqi said gently again, his eyes filled with undisguised disappointment.

"Excessive? Hmph, Wei Ziqi, when did it become your place to lecture me?" Ao Jun sneered, glancing sideways at Wei Ziqi with utter contempt.

"You..." Wei Ziqi pointed at Ao Jun in disbelief, his finger trembling. Was this arrogant, haughty person really Jun? How could she treat him like this? He had been so ungrateful...

"If General Wei has nothing else to do, please leave with the others. No idlers are welcome here." Ao Jun turned her back and issued the order to leave, her tone so sharp it was unbearable.

A nobody? So, in her eyes, Wei Ziqi was just a nobody. Ha... How pathetic!

"Alright, Mo Jun, I, Wei Ziqi, have misjudged you. Generals, let's go." It was rare for the usually gentle Wei Ziqi to speak so sternly, and the person he admired was none other than the Jun he loved. It seemed he was truly enraged by Ao Jun.

Everyone angrily followed Wei Ziqi out of Ao Jun's tent, leaving only Jin Xuan staring thoughtfully at Ao Jun.

Ao Jun felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, but still said with a cold face, "Your Highness, you can leave now! Yu'er needs to rest!"

Jin Xuan ignored Ao Jun's order to leave, and said cryptically, "Do you really want to do this? Do you really want to become the target of everyone's criticism?"

"I didn't want to either, but they treated Yu'er like this, so they can't blame me," Ao Jun said, turning to Yu'er. In her heart, she thought: It seems he really saw through something; truly worthy of Ouyang Jinxuan. But now is not the time. Even if she doesn't say anything, with Ouyang Jinxuan's abilities, she believes he will soon understand.

Sure enough, "Fine, then you'd better watch yourself!" Jin Xuan's face darkened, and he flicked his sleeve before walking out of the tent without looking back. But as soon as he turned around, his gloomy expression was replaced by worry: Although I don't know what you're planning, since you're going to act, I'll play along. Just be careful not to get hurt; this Yu'er seems quite shrewd. But these words could only be spoken in his heart.

Four pairs of eyes followed the departing figure in cyan, each lost in their own thoughts.

Jinxuan, is your lonely figure worried about me? Don't worry, I will take good care of myself. You should also take good care of yourself. Don't get hurt again, and don't make me feel heartbroken again.

Why didn't you even glance at me the entire time? Why do you only see Mo Jun? She's a man, isn't she? Hmph, Mo Jun, from today onwards, you've become the target of everyone's ire. You'll probably have no place in the camp anymore, hahaha…

The Thirty-Eighth Palm: Late-Night Plea

In the still of the night, the dense forest, which should have been terrifying enough to deter anyone from entering, was now transformed by the presence of a white figure, seemingly a banished immortal. Because of her, the place no longer seemed frightening or eerie, but rather a unique and unusual sight.

"Haha... I didn't expect you to actually come to keep the appointment!" A hearty laugh broke the silence in the forest. Although it was said that he didn't expect it, his tone was certain that the person who came would keep the appointment, and there was also a hint of happiness in his voice.

Only the voice could be heard, not the person. The white figure remained in the same position and said calmly, "What brings Crown Prince Yelü here?"

"Haha... Strategist Mo, your words are too hurtful. Can't I catch up with you for a while?" As the mournful voice rang out, a yellow figure silently landed beside Ao Jun.

"It seems I have no chance to reminisce with the Crown Prince?" Ao Jun said, still not looking at Yelü Ying.

"I say, Strategist Mo, can you not be so heartless? I've missed you terribly for so many days, that's why I asked you to come out and meet me, but you won't even look at me." Yelü Ying looked at Ao Jun with a mournful expression, like a little wife who had been abandoned.

"I think I've only met you once before. We don't have that much of a relationship, do we?" The cold voice was already a little impatient. If she hadn't wanted to find out what Yelü Ying was up to, she wouldn't have wanted to meet such an evil person! She didn't believe that he had asked her out because he missed her.

Actually, she was wrong. Part of the reason Yelü Ying asked her out was that he genuinely wanted to see her. Seeing that she kept her back to him and spoke coldly, Yelü Ying became furious. He also thought of how she had taken care of Ouyang Jinxuan for two days and two nights without taking off her clothes when she was sick. Resentment, jealousy, anger... overwhelmed all his rationality.

"Yes! It can't compare to your 'friendship' with Ouyang Jinxuan." His resentful tone quickly turned sour, and his face put on his signature smile of thanks, but his red eyes were already showing signs of anger.

"Naturally, Jinxuan and I are on the same side, while the Crown Prince is our enemy." Ao Jun finally turned around, but her face was still as cold as ice.

"Haha...Are we enemies? You should know that there are no eternal friends or eternal enemies in this world. Today's enemy may be tomorrow's friend, and today's friend may be tomorrow's enemy." Yelü Ying said meaningfully. Seeing that Ao Jun finally turned around to look at him, he felt inexplicably happy, and the anger in his eyes quickly disappeared.

"Hehe... What the Crown Prince says is true, but I'm certain that Jinxuan and I can never be enemies." Ao Jun said firmly. Although there was always something strange between her and Jinxuan at the moment, and she felt uneasy whenever they met, she was certain that no matter what, she and Jinxuan could never become enemies. Once she had made up her mind about someone, nothing would change her mind, and this was her principle in doing things.

"Oh, so sure? If it were Yu'er who made you break off your friendship with Ouyang Jinxuan, then I wonder who the strategist would choose?" Yelü Ying raised an eyebrow and asked. The main reason he invited her out tonight was because of Yu'er; he didn't want anything to happen to the person in front of him, and he was worried about her.

"Hehe... With such a fierce incident happening in the Longxuan Camp, I, the Crown Prince, couldn't help but know. Is it worth becoming the target of everyone's criticism and ruining his future for a woman?" Yelü Ying spoke earnestly like an elder, but his eyes were filled with a smile, as if he were watching a good show.

"It's worth it," Ao Jun said firmly. Had Yelü Ying invited her here to test her? To see if she had fallen into his trap?

"You...hehe...I didn't expect Young Master Mo to be such a devoted person, no, more like a sentimental one! But will someone be heartbroken?" Yelü Ying said with a hint of surprise and sarcasm.

He hadn't expected her to answer so confidently that it was worth it. Was she really so infatuated with that Chi Yu? What about her relationship with Ouyang Jinxuan before? Was she bisexual? Should he say she was passionate or heartless? Regardless of whether she was passionate or heartless, it seemed he was the only one who mattered. Heh... He never thought that Yelü Ying would be ignored like this.

"I truly don't understand what Crown Prince Yelü means. But whatever it means, it's none of my business. Crown Prince, please tell me your purpose!" Ao Jun said impatiently, frowning. She genuinely didn't understand what he was talking about. Who was this "someone"? And shouldn't he be happy to hear her answer? After all, she had already fallen for his seduction. Why was he using such a sarcastic tone?

"The night is long, why the rush! You're in such a hurry to spend some time with your little Yu'er." Yelü Ying blinked and said ambiguously, but there was obvious sarcasm in his red eyes.