L'hibiscus comme peinture - Chapitre 103
"Didn't Prince Jin tell you?" Prince Zhongwu asked with a startled expression, but quickly calmed down, stroking his pale beard, seemingly lost in thought, and sighing softly.
"What did you say?" Ao Jun finally turned around, her unfathomable eyes fixed on the Prince of Zhongwu, and said calmly. Her voice remained flat, as if she were talking about something unrelated to her, but her clenched fists revealed her nervousness.
"Yesterday, Prince Jin suddenly asked me for my hand in marriage, saying he wanted to marry Ying'er and would take good care of her and love her for the rest of his life. I was furious and scolded him on the spot, asking him why he had refused so resolutely when I asked the Emperor for a marriage decree, causing Ying'er great heartache." Prince Zhongwu seemed to still be angry, slamming his hand on the table as he spoke, his wise eyes constantly watching Ao Jun's reaction.
"And then?" Ao Jun remained motionless, her voice flat and devoid of any emotion, giving the impression that she didn't care at all, that the words of the Prince of Zhongwu had no effect on her whatsoever. But a glance at her bloodless face revealed the profound impact those words had on her; her fingernails dug into her palms, drawing blood, yet she seemed oblivious. She was enduring, struggling to control her escalating emotions. She wanted to know what had really happened.
"Alas, later, he and Ying'er knelt down together and begged me to explain their feelings. He said he truly loved you and wanted you to be his queen, which is why he did what he did. But after spending these few days together, he found that he couldn't let go of Ying'er, and they even consummated their marriage. So he asked me to marry Ying'er to him, so that you could marry him at the same time." King Zhongwu sighed helplessly. Seeing Ao Jun's restrained expression, a trace of reluctance flashed quickly in his wise eyes, but it was quickly concealed.
Ao Jun's carefully controlled thoughts collapsed at this moment. Her heart shattered into pieces, bleeding profusely. Her bleeding hand clutched her chest, and her unfathomable eyes became unfocused. The words echoed in her ears: "They actually consummated their marriage..." Ouyang Jinxuan, you really betrayed me? You really got together with Cheng Wuying.
"Grand Tutor Mo, are you alright?" Prince Zhongwu stood up with concern, his face tense as he tried to help Ao Jun. He was genuinely worried and felt a pang of pity. Seeing Ao Jun like this, he kept asking himself: Was what I did right?
"It's nothing. What happened next?" Ao Jun stopped the Prince of Zhongwu from helping her up, biting her lip and speaking coldly and indifferently. She wanted to hear more.
"Alas, I was so angry that I slapped him, but he still wouldn't give up. Ying'er also begged me to let them be together, saying she was willing to share a husband with you and be a concubine, only asking to be with Prince Jin. I'm old now, and as long as Ying'er is happy, I don't care anymore, so I've already agreed to their request. Now I want to ask you for something." Prince Zhongwu closed his eyes and sighed helplessly. He closed his eyes because he didn't want to see the person in front of him pretending to be strong when he was clearly heartbroken.
"What is it?" Ao Jun's voice had become weak.
"If Ying'er ever does anything wrong in the future, please forgive her. I hope you two can get along well," King Zhongwu said sincerely. His words seemed both true and false.
Ao Jun remained silent, stood up with difficulty, and walked out with heavy steps under the worried gazes of Yue Ying and King Zhongwu. Her mind was in complete chaos, and she was unable to think at all. Her heart ached so much that she felt nothing, as if something was about to surge up.
She didn't know how she got back to the Crown Prince's tutor's residence. The moment she saw Yelü Ying, she wanted to laugh, but she couldn't. A sweet taste rose in her throat, and a mouthful of blood surged up. Under Yelü Ying's worried and anxious gaze, she spat out a mouthful of blood. Her forced strength collapsed, and she fell into darkness.
In the darkness, she saw Jin Xuan and Cheng Wuying embracing lovingly, saw Jin Xuan tenderly caring for Cheng Wuying, saw Cheng Wuying pregnant with Jin Xuan's child, Jin Xuan resting his face happily against her belly, listening to the baby's cries, while she was merely an outsider. Jin Xuan didn't look at her again, occasionally glancing back, but his gaze was no longer filled with affection, but with guilt and indifference. No, Jin Xuan, you can't do this to me... No...
"No..." Ao Jun woke up crying from her sleep, two lines of tears streaming down her cheeks. She seemed to have become more prone to crying.
"Jun, you're awake?" Yelü Ying, sitting by the bedside, hugged Ao Jun with a relaxed expression and said happily. Jun had finally woken up. Although the doctor said that she was just upset and had nothing serious, he was still worried and had to stay by her side.
"Yelü Ying, what are you doing here?" Ao Jun's unfocused gaze gradually returned to focus. She raised her misty eyes and asked in confusion.
"You suddenly vomited blood and fainted, which startled me. My lord, please don't scare me anymore, okay?" Yelü Ying held Ao Jun tightly and asked nervously, as if Ao Jun might leave him at any moment.
"I'm fine." Ao Jun turned her head away, refusing to look at Yelü Ying's affectionate yet worried eyes. The scene she had witnessed at the Prince Jin's residence, everything she had heard, Ying'er's words, and the old prince's words—scene after scene flashed before her eyes like a revolving lantern, tormenting her wounded heart once more. She didn't want Yelü Ying to see her weak, didn't want him to see her in such a wretched state. In his eyes, she should be the proud and awe-inspiring Mo Jun.
"Jun, stop hiding and come with me! Since it was Ouyang Jinxuan who wronged you, why should you linger?" Yelü Ying turned Ao Jun's face towards him, held her still, and said affectionately, his eyes burning as if he wanted to see right through her.
"I don't know what you're talking about?" Ao Jun denied it outright, avoiding Yelü Ying's gaze. Why did Yelü Ying still treat her with such deep affection after she hurt him like this?
"Don't hide it from me, Mo Yueying has already told me that Ouyang Jinxuan has gone too far. My lord, I had already made up my mind. If you really love Ouyang Jinxuan so much, and if Ouyang Jinxuan can really give you happiness, I am willing to let go. But now, he has betrayed you. A man like that is better off without. My lord, come with me! I, Yelü Ying, swear that I will only love you and cherish you for the rest of my life. I will never have another woman. I will not go back to the Cangliao Palace. Let's find a secluded paradise and live a happy life, okay?" Yelü Ying no longer smiled wickedly, but smiled sincerely, firmly, and affectionately, looking at Ao Jun as if he were intoxicated by the beautiful blueprint he had envisioned.
"Yelü Ying, why are you doing this to me? What have I, Ling Aojun, done to deserve such deep affection from you?" Aojun said emotionally, her eyes glistening with tears.
Undeniably, at this moment, in this situation, Yelü Ying's words deeply moved her. She was confused about the man she was destined to betray. She understood her own heart; Jin Xuan was her true love, yet he had betrayed her. Yelü Ying, betrayed by her, remained devoted. What should she do? She could never share a husband with Cheng Wuying, nor could she bear to see another woman in Jin Xuan's arms. If that were the case, she would choose to leave without hesitation. Should she really go with Yelü Ying?
"Because you are worthy, because I have fallen in love, deeply in love, hopelessly in love, to the point of being ingrained in my bones." Yelü Ying slowly approached Ao Jun, his red eyes gazing at him affectionately, his tone firm yet moving.
As Ao Jun watched the handsome face before her slowly lower and approach, she knew what he wanted to do, but she didn't want to refuse Yelü Ying, this devoted man who left her feeling helpless yet heartbroken.
Seeing that Ao Jun did not refuse, Yelü Ying was overjoyed. His sexy thin lips touched the rose petal-pink lips he had longed for, gently tracing their perfect shape and tasting them. Ao Jun responded passionately, but her heart was filled with bitterness. At this moment, she was still thinking of Jin Xuan. She was truly hopeless.
Upon receiving Ao Jun's response, Yelü Ying was even more excited. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss, a furious shout rang out.
"What are you doing?" Jinxuan exuded coldness, but his deep eyes were blazing with fire. He strode in with a furious rage, his fiery gaze fixed on the man and woman embracing and kissing deeply on the bed, his heart aching.
Upon hearing the noise, the two on the bed immediately separated, but without panic. Ao Jun glanced coldly at Jin Xuan, then turned his head away, not wanting to look at the person in front of him. Yelü Ying stood up with a wicked smile, met Jin Xuan's gaze, and lightly licked his lips in front of him, as if savoring the kiss just now.
"Jun, shouldn't you explain this to me?" Jin Xuan took a deep breath and asked in a cold voice. Why can you still be so indifferent? Why won't you speak? Are you feeling guilty? As long as you explain, I will believe you. I can tell myself that this is just a misunderstanding.
"There's nothing to explain," Ao Jun replied coldly, still not looking at Jin Xuan. Why should she explain? He was the one who should explain. He was the one who betrayed her first. He had already consummated his marriage with Cheng Wuying, and now he was questioning her about kissing another man. Humph, wasn't this a case of double standards? Humph, she wasn't one of those women from ancient times bound by the three obediences and four virtues. Besides, she had just done it willingly, so there was even less to explain.
“You…” Jin Xuan didn’t expect Ao Jun to answer him so coldly. He stared straight at her, unable to understand why she had suddenly become like this. Had something happened?
Just as she was about to walk past Yelü Ying and approach Ao Jun to ask her for clarification, Yelü Ying stopped her.
"Your Highness, what brings you here?" Yelü Ying said with an evil smile, acting as if he were the host.
"Get out of the way." Jin Xuan didn't even glance at Yelü Ying, his gaze never leaving Ao Jun, and said coldly. What kind of attitude was that? As if he were Jun's husband. Humph, he was Jun's husband, it was only natural for him to come here, and this man was a woman in her room late at night, doing such a thing, and he didn't even question him, but instead he questioned him. Humph... The scene of the two of them embracing in the morning, and the scene of their kiss just now, uncontrollably flashed through his mind, and his anger intensified.
But Yelü Ying wouldn't budge an inch, looking at Jin Xuan with a wicked smile, his eyes full of provocation, and the two faced off again.
"Your Highness, what brings you here?" This time it was Ao Jun who spoke, her address of "Your Highness" clearly defining the boundary between them. Ao Jun slowly got out of bed, coldly staring at Jin Xuan. She had decided to face the situation. If Jin Xuan truly couldn't let go of Cheng Wu Ying, then she was willing to let go and allow them to be together. But to share the same man and the same love with another woman was absolutely impossible. She would rather be a broken jade than a whole tile.
"Your Highness? What is it? Ling Aojun, I want to know what happened. Why have you avoided me for so many days? Why are you so cold to me? Why did you let a strange man stay in your room so late? Why... why did you do such a thing with him? Why did you betray me?" Jin Xuan was enraged by the address "Your Highness" and the cold words. His anger surged to his head. He bypassed Yelü Ying's obstruction and rushed to Aojun, roaring angrily. Damn it, their tones were so similar. He really seemed like an unwelcome guest who had ruined their plans.
Looking at the enraged Jin Xuan, Ao Jun sneered inwardly, and cold words escaped her lips...
Kyoto Chapter 73: The Wedding Plan
Looking at the enraged Jin Xuan, Ao Jun sneered inwardly, and cold words escaped her lips...
“Nothing happened. It’s not that I’m avoiding you, but I’m just busy with official duties. Prince Yelü has just arrived at Longxuan, and as the official 'accompanying' him, I naturally have to do my duty. Why am I being cold to you? I’ve always treated people this way. There’s no such thing as being cold or indifferent. Besides, Prince Yelü is not a stranger to me. I don’t feel anything is wrong with him being here late at night. As for betrayal, I don’t know where Your Highness got that idea. It seems Your Highness has no right to interfere with what I do!” Ao Jun looked back at Jin Xuan fearlessly, cold and distant, treating Jin Xuan as a complete stranger.
"This official? My lord... do you know what you're saying?" Jin Xuan took a step back in disbelief, but still gripped Ao Jun's shoulders tightly, frowning as he asked. What on earth happened? Why is everything different now? My lord, why have you suddenly become so unfamiliar?
“I know,” Ao Jun said coldly.
"Your Highness, did I hear that? So, may you move on? There should still be people waiting for you in your residence, right?" Yelü Ying leaned against the wall, adding fuel to the fire.
"Your Highness, please return." Ao Jun shook off Jin Xuan's hand, resolutely turned around, and said coldly. Ouyang Jin Xuan, I'll grant your wish...