Chapter 72

Outside the pavilion, the drizzle continued, and occasionally a gentle breeze blew, brushing against the handsome face. All of this seemed to have nothing to do with Zhu Lian, who was intently looking at the painting in her hands.

It was a simple landscape painting, a tranquil artificial lake, and a misty drizzle, with a solitary boat drifting. The empty lake surface, with only one small boat, the rain following the gentle breeze from south to north, conveyed a unique kind of loneliness, permeated with threads of hope and anticipation. The green dots on the shore added a vibrant touch to the solitude.

What a contradictory painting, but only by delving into it could one truly understand the painter's feelings.

Looking out over the lake, Zhu Lian changed to a fine brush, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she thought quietly. After a long while, she rolled up her sleeves and slowly wrote a poem in the blank space.

"Thinking of the nine rivers in my robe, the solitary boat drifts north. Holding something in my hand, how can I bear the hatred? The southern wind brings the fragrance of a hundred flowers. The drum beats rise, and the hero returns, unyielding and strong."

The poem, the person, filled Zhao Yougong's heart with sorrow, not for himself, but for all the men of the Song Dynasty. A woman knew about the solitary boat drifting north, yet the men of the Song Dynasty were still indulging in the pleasures of life, living in a dream.

"The drum beats rise, and the hero returns, unyielding and strong." What kind of heart must a woman have to write such words?

This ethereal beauty, seemingly delicate, had such a strong inner spirit.

A warm feeling came from behind, as if a wall was shielding her from the damp breeze. Zhu Lian's back trembled slightly, and she slowly turned her neck. Today, she had come to this Zui Xin Pavilion on a whim, so she hadn't dressed up, but her beauty was in her simplicity. The gemstone chain on her forehead shimmered faintly, like her skin, clear and translucent.

Holding the fine brush, Zhu Lian's brows relaxed, but there was a hint of surprise in her eyes. She had come here by chance and unexpectedly met him.

In fact, this wasn't the second time Zhu Lian had seen Zhao Yougong. Since their first meeting, she had started to pay attention to this man. The commotion on Carboxy Street was well-known, and every time Zhao Yougong went there, she would watch from a distance. Sometimes, even she didn't understand why she did this. Was it just out of curiosity?

After many days, Zhao Yougong was still as handsome and elegant as ever. If it weren't for that hateful smile, he would be the ideal husband that countless women sought.

Whenever she saw that smile, Zhu Lian would recall their first meeting. He had smiled the same way, but his words had been so domineering.

"Remember, I am Zhao Yougong!"

Zhu Lian remembered that name, and she doubted she would ever forget it. Some might fear this man, but she felt no fear, only deep curiosity and pity.

"Your servant, Zhu Lian, greets Your Highness!"

Putting down the brush, Zhu Lian slightly bent her waist and performed a gentle bow.

"Zhu Lian, why are you alone in the Han Garden on such a day? Are you here for the Still Water Poetry Gathering?"

Zhao Yougong placed the oil umbrella aside and sat on a stone stool, but his gaze never left Zhu Lian's face. This woman was too unique; she did nothing, yet she exuded a noble aura. Sometimes, one couldn't help but marvel at the greatness of the Creator, how could such a perfect woman exist?

Zhu Lian didn't avoid his gaze. She bent over and brought her face close to the painting, then blew gently, hoping to dry the ink faster.

"Still Water Poetry Gathering? Your servant truly doesn't know. Is the poetry gathering in the Han Garden?"

Zhu Lian's tone was sincere, which surprised Zhao Yougong. But then he realized that a woman as noble as Zhu Lian wouldn't care about such trivial matters.

"It's in the Han Garden. I came for the poetry gathering, but I ran into an enemy as soon as I arrived. I had no choice but to hide. Who would have thought I would run into a beauty!"

Zhao Yougong didn't hide his possessive desire. For a man not to be moved by a woman like Zhu Lian would be a wonder. And Zhu Lian? Faced with his naked gaze, she showed no fear, only continued to gently blow on the painting. The damp weather made it hard to dry, and her face turned pink from the effort, the gemstone chain on her forehead trembling, making her even more endearing.

"Ha, Zhu Lian, take a break, I'll help you!"

Without waiting for Zhu Lian to respond, Zhao Yougong puffed out his cheeks and blew hard. He thought he was doing a good deed, but after a few blows, he realized how foolish he was.

The ink had just been applied and hadn't fully soaked into the paper. To dry it, one needed to blow gently. Zhao Yougong's forceful blowing caused the ink to spread, forming several six-pointed stars. He had ruined a good painting with a few breaths.

Even Zhu Lian, with her calm and composed nature, couldn't help but feel angry. This was a painting she had just started, and the poem was not something that could be easily rewritten.

"Your Highness, you can't blow like that. Look, the ink has spread..."

"Ah... don't worry... don't worry, I'll wipe it for you..." Zhao Yougong felt guilty and was about to wipe the ink with his sleeve.

Zhu Lian was terrified. The ink spreading was already infuriating, and if he used his sleeve to wipe it, the painting would be ruined. In her haste, she reached for the painting, and in bending over, her forehead hit Zhao Yougong's head.

Forehead to forehead, the woman always suffered more, especially a delicate woman like Zhu Lian. Her forehead hurt, and the gemstone chain, which was usually beautiful, now became a culprit. The hard gemstone hit her forehead, causing her to wince in pain.

A series of events left Zhao Yougong dazed. Seeing the beauty's eyes misty and her forehead red, he felt a pang of guilt and leaned in, opening his mouth, "Does it hurt? I'll blow it for you!"

Blowing the painting was one thing, but a man leaning in to blow a woman's forehead was another. Feeling the warmth, Zhu Lian's face turned even redder, out of embarrassment.

"Your Highness, how can you do this?"

This prince was too bold. Zhu Lian pursed her lips and took a few steps back. The pavilion was small, and in a few steps, she was at the stairs. In her anger, she didn't notice and stepped into thin air, falling backward. The rain outside was heavy, and if she fell, she would be drenched.

Without thinking, Zhao Yougong supported himself on the table with his right hand, jumped forward, and caught Zhu Lian with his left hand as she cried out.

Holding the beauty in his arms, the fragrance filled the air, and Zhao Yougong couldn't help but inhale, praising, "So fragrant..."

"Slap" Zhu Lian didn't hold back, slapping the man's face and then breaking free, leaning against the stone table and glaring at Zhao Yougong. Her chest heaved, and her hair was disheveled, making her even more alluring.

"Your Highness..."

"Hmm, what? If you want to thank me, it's unnecessary. I am selfless and always ready to help, never expecting anything in return!"

Standing up, Zhao Yougong touched his right cheek and then winked, "Your hands are so gentle, I like it, I really like it..."

"You..." Zhu Lian turned away, angry. She didn't understand why the prince was so different from their first meeting. Had she misjudged him, or was the young prince always like this?

No, she had truly felt the complexity. But why was the young prince acting this way? When women faced indecision, they often followed their instincts, and Zhu Lian was no exception. Calming down, she turned back and asked softly, "Your Highness, does it still hurt?"

"Hmm?" Zhao Yougong was clearly taken aback, his brows furrowed, but he quickly recovered. Inside, he was far from calm.

Zhu Lian was actually concerned about him. Normally, she would have scolded and left.

Zhu Lian didn't know what Zhao Yougong was thinking, but in that moment, she had her answer. No matter the reason, the man standing before her was not the real Yongning Prince. He was wearing a mask, a mask to deceive the world.

"It hurts. Can you touch it for me?"

Zhu Lian smiled slightly, pretending not to hear, and tidied up the paper and brush on the table.

Seeing the beauty's effort, Zhao Yougong couldn't just stand by. He stepped forward to help, "Are you leaving, my lady?"

"It's almost noon, I must return. But a good painting was ruined by Your Highness!" Saying this, Zhu Lian's face showed a hint of anger.

"Sorry, sorry..."

Zhao Yougong laughed awkwardly. At this point, he could only admit his mistake.

"If Your Highness feels guilty, you can help me with something!"

"What?"

"I've heard that Kaifeng has many books. I want to see them. Can Your Highness agree?"

Zhu Lian's expression was calm, showing no emotion. Zhao Yougong's heart tightened, but his face showed joy.

"Of course, you can go whenever you want. But they are mostly legal texts. Are you interested?"

Faced with Zhao Yougong's question, Zhu Lian smiled but didn't answer.

Was she really going to Kaifeng for the books? Only she knew.

For the first time in years, she had met a man who made her heart flutter. If she let him go easily, wouldn't it be a waste?

In early summer, birds sang, and even the drizzle couldn't dampen their clear voices. Holding the oil umbrella, Zhao Yougong helped Zhu Lian into the carriage. As for whether Zhao Fugong would be angry, he didn't care. To win a smile from the beauty, it was worth the cost.

As noon approached, Zhao Fugong also escaped from the boat, found the carriage gone, and scolded Zhao Yougong.

"Where's the carriage?"

"I don't know. Maybe your horse went out to enjoy the spring!"

"Ling, you..."

"Ha ha!"

The laughter was sharp, but Zhao Fugong had no way to respond. This was her Ling, unruly and ignorant, but interesting.

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**End of Chapter**