Chapter 82: Zhixi's cold rejection
The capital city was still wrapped in damp and cold air after the rain, but Xiao Jin didn't even take a break. He had people carrying boxes full of rare treasures and blocking the door of Yunzhi Villa early in the morning.
When the rosewood box was opened, the dazzling jewels made it hard to open one's eyes - there was a mutton-fat jade hairpin that was once a tribute from the Western Regions, with a lotus carved on the head. It was the one that he casually said "suits you" when Yun Zhi was not married; there was a necklace made of South China Sea pearls, each one round and plump. It was the item he had given to Shen Qingyue to make her happy, and she had quietly put it away; there was also a copy of "Female Commandments" framed with gold thread, with his annotations on the title page, saying "Women should be so gentle."
"Tell your young lady," Xiao Jin said, standing beside the box. Although he had changed into a new brocade robe, he couldn't hide the bloodshot and haggardness in his eyes. "These are all the things she loved back then, and now I have found them all for her. As long as she is willing to see me, not only these, but I can also move everything in the entire Duan Palace to her."
The messenger looked at the box full of treasures, then saw the expectation in Xiao Jin's eyes, sighed, and turned back into the courtyard. A moment later, she came out empty-handed, with only a folded piece of paper in her hand.
"Your Highness, our young lady said she doesn't want these things and asked you to take them back." The maid handed over the note, her voice low. "The young lady also said that you threw her a jade hairpin back then, and even giving her ten now wouldn't be enough to replace her feelings. You gave her the pearl necklace to please Miss Shen, and you made her read the 'Instructions for Women' to make her 'obedient.' Every one of these things is stained with her grievances, and she feels sick looking at them."
Xiao Jin's fingers, gripping the note, suddenly tightened, and the paper instantly crumpled. He stared at the box of treasures, as if seeing clearly for the first time—what he thought were "thoughts," turned out to be nothing but thorns piercing Yun Zhi's heart. His Adam's apple rolled twice, and his voice trembled slightly. "If you go back and tell her, just say I know I was wrong, and these things are my apology, and they have nothing to do with what happened back then. I just want her to come out and talk to me."
The maid didn't move, but just shook her head: "Your Highness, the young lady said that if you continue like this, she will move to Doctor Xie's clinic. Then you won't be able to see her even if you block the door of the clinic."
"Xie Heng! It's Xie Heng again!" Xiao Jin suddenly raised his voice, the bloodshot in his eyes becoming even darker, as if he was about to spit fire. "She can't leave him like that? What on earth am I inferior to that Xie guy?"
His roar attracted passers-by, and some of them secretly peeked in and pointed at him - everyone knew how crazy Prince Duan was in front of the palace gate a few days ago, and now he was blocking the girl's door to give her a treasure, like a madman who couldn't get what he wanted.
Xiao Jin noticed the gazes from all around him, and his expression turned even uglier, but he didn't leave. He waved his hand, and had the guards carry the box to the corner. "I've left the things here. She can take them whenever she wants. I'll wait here until she's willing to see me."
This wait lasted for the better part of a day. The sun rose from the east to the top of his head, then slowly set in the west. Xiao Jin stood in the corner, like a statue, staring intently at the gate of the other courtyard without even a sip of water.
It wasn't until evening that the gate to the villa finally opened. Xiao Jin's eyes lit up, thinking it was Yun Zhi coming out, but it turned out to be Xie Heng. He was wearing a long blue cloth gown and carrying a medicine box, obviously having just finished taking Yun Zhi's pulse.
"Prince Duan." Xie Heng's eyes turned cold when he saw him, but he still maintained basic politeness, "This is not a place for Your Majesty to come. Please go back."
"Why should I go back?" Xiao Jin took a step forward, almost getting in front of Xie Heng, his tone filled with jealousy. "I'm here to look for my people, what does this have to do with you? You're just an outsider, so stop meddling in other people's business!"
"Outsider?" Xie Heng sneered, his eyes full of mockery. "How dare you say that, Your Highness? When Zhi'er was pregnant with your child and you personally brought her the abortion medicine, why didn't you say you were hers? When Zhi'er knelt at the gate of the palace and begged you, and you asked the guards to drag her away, why didn't you say you were hers? Now that she doesn't want to see you, you remember that you're hers?"
Every word hit Xiao Jin like a slap in the face. He opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found that he couldn't utter a single word - everything Xie Heng said was a fact that he couldn't deny.
At this moment, the door to the other courtyard opened again, and Yun Zhi's voice came out, calm and without a ripple: "Brother Xie, it's cold outside, come in. Don't waste your breath on irrelevant people."
Xie Heng responded, turned and walked into the yard, closing the door as well, completely locking Xiao Jin and his jealousy out.
Xiao Jin stared at the closed door, his fists clenched until they crackled, his nails digging into his palms, blood seeping out. He couldn't accept this, truly couldn't! He was clearly a prince, clearly more powerful than Xie Heng, so why wouldn't Yun Zhi even look at him? Why would she rather stay with an imperial physician than see him?
The next morning, Xiao Jin changed his approach. He had the Jingzhao Yin come personally, saying, "Your Majesty has ordered that the Yun family be rehabilitated and that we need to discuss this with Miss Yun Zhi."
Jingzhao Yin, holding the imperial edict, stood at the gate of the villa, feeling a sense of trepidation. Who didn't know the grudge between Prince Duan and Miss Yunzhi? He wasn't here to deliver the edict, but to be used as a pawn. But Prince Duan was pressuring him, so he didn't dare not come.
After the maid went in to report, Yun Zhi finally came out. She was wearing a plain cloth dress, her hair tied up in a simple bun, and no jewelry, yet she looked even more aloof than those noble ladies covered in jewels.
"Your Excellency, Jingzhao Yin." Yun Zhi nodded slightly to the Jingzhao Yin, her tone calm, "I wonder what your Majesty's wishes are. You may wish to speak here."
Jingzhao Yin was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect her to not even let him in. He cleared his throat, opened the imperial edict, and read a few official sentences. It was nothing more than saying that the Yun family's title would be restored, Yun Zhi would be allowed to return to the Marquis' Mansion to live, and he also mentioned that she would be given the title of "County Lady".
After reading the imperial edict, Jingzhao Yin hastily added: "Miss Yun, this is all what Prince Duan fought so hard for in front of His Majesty. Prince Duan is thinking about you in his heart, you see..."
"Your Excellency, there's no need to say more." Yun Zhi interrupted him, her eyes devoid of gratitude. "Your Majesty is willing to restore the Yun family's title, and I am grateful. But I don't want the position of County Master, and I won't return to the Marquis's house. As for Prince Duan's 'struggle', please tell him that I, Yun Zhi, would rather live in this shabby villa for the rest of my life than accept his favor."
She paused, looking at Jingzhao Yin's embarrassed expression, and continued, "Also, don't use His Majesty's name to convey orders in the future. I know this was his idea, to use his power to force me to submit. Tell Prince Duan that his tricks won't work on me, and it will only make me feel more disgusted."
After saying this, Yun Zhi turned and walked into the courtyard, not even giving Jingzhao Yin a chance to speak. Jingzhao Yin stood there with the imperial edict in hand, looking at the closed door, and could only smile bitterly - this Prince Duan must have really angered Miss Yun, and he didn't even give His Majesty face.
When the news reached Xiao Jin, he was in his study, going through old accounts. Hearing Yun Zhi's words, he slammed the account book to the ground, scattering the pages. On it were the records of the Yun family's execution.
"Disgusting?" Xiao Jin chuckled, his laughter filled with self-mockery and madness. "I fought for her title and sought rewards for her, and yet she calls me disgusting? Xie Heng only treated her illness and spoke to her for a few moments, and she treated him with such kindness. I offered my wholehearted compensation, but she refused to even look at me!"
He became more and more excited as he spoke, and suddenly kicked the bookshelf. Several books fell and hit his feet, but he seemed not to feel anything. He just stared out the window in the direction of Yunzhi Villa, and the madness in his eyes became more and more intense.
At this moment, in the courtyard, Yun Zhi was sitting on the porch reading a book. Xie Heng came over with a bowl of freshly brewed ginger soup and placed it next to her. "It's windy outside, drink some ginger soup to warm yourself up. Don't get angry with Xiao Jin, it's not worth it."
Yun Zhi raised her head, took the ginger soup, and her fingertips touched the warm wall of the bowl. A hint of tenderness finally appeared in her eyes. "I'm not angry, I just think he's ridiculous. He thought he could make up for it with these things, but he didn't know that some damage can't be repaired from the beginning."
She took a sip of the ginger soup, and the warmth flowed down her throat, but it couldn't warm the coldness in her heart. She looked outside the yard, and saw Xiao Jin's figure still wandering around the corner, like a child who couldn't find his way home, persistent and pitiful.
There must be something hateful about a pitiful person. How cruel he was back then, how ridiculous he is now. She will not soften her heart and turn back because of his pity - some roads, if you take the wrong path, it is wrong, there is no turning back.
As the night deepened, Xiao Jin still wandered outside the courtyard, repeating "Zhi'er, I was wrong" over and over again. His voice was hoarse and particularly piercing in the silent night. The lights in the courtyard remained on for a long time, not going out until late at night. The courtyard was so quiet that it seemed as if it had never heard the roar outside.
The more frantically he pestered her, using all his power and wealth to win her back, the calmer she rejected him, without even a ripple. This stark contrast, like a blunt knife, bit by bit cut into Xiao Jin's heart, pushing him to the brink of despair. For the first time, he discovered that the cruelest revenge wasn't beatings or scolding, or hatred, but complete disregard, denying him even the chance to atone for his sins.
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