Bone Painting Coroner

Don’t want it? 

Jing Rong stepped through the door and asked, “Do you know why it’s called ‘The Miscellaneous Chronicles of the South’?”

She shook her head.

“It’s because it’s a messy collection of miscellaneous poems with neither rhyme nor reason to it.”

Ji Yunshu remained suspicious.

Jing Rong reached out, took the book from her hands and casually flipped through it with disdain. “What you didn’t understand in here are just useless things. Even though it is an ancient tome, the ancients had many strange notions and different interests; ‘The Miscellaneous Chronicles of the South’ is also very poorly organized. If you read it, it would not only hurt your head but also be a total waste of time.” As he finished speaking, he tossed the book uncaringly on the table.

Ji Yunshu wondered if that was true. She pursed her cherry-red lips. “Is it? But this book was personally given to you by Miss Mu Jin. She is full of wisdom and widely read; any book she gifts would logically be a good book.”

“Any book that you can’t understand is a waste of time; it’s no different from an ornament.” His reply was direct and accompanied by a deeply sincere expression in his fathomless eyes.

These were blatantly romantic sweet-nothings! Ji Yunshu rolled her eyes. With no more energy to argue, she could only swallow her words back down. As she averted her eyes, her gaze landed on his hand, swathed in bandages. She narrowed her eyes and pouted her lips. “How is the wound on your hand? Is it better now?”

“It’s much better.”

“I heard from Mo Ruo that the medicine was from Miss Mu Jin. It seems to be pretty effective.” She spoke lightly, without much inflection, and added, “I didn’t expect Miss Mu Jin would also know medicine.”

Jing Rong bit the inside of his lower lip and sat down on the pear blossom chair. Twirling his injured hand in the air, he asked, “Did you come especially to ask about my injured hand?”

“No!” She blurted out a lie and pushed the bowl of medicine towards him. “I was just dropping off medicine to you while on my way. It’s chilly today, so quickly drink up while it’s still hot. Mo Ruo said that the time and temperature when you drink the medicine is important; it’ll be more effective the earlier you drink it.”

Jing Rong glared at the bowl of medicine and a smile grew on his face. He had no intention of drinking it. “Mo Ruo’s prescription is simply too bitter. He purposely chose to give me something bitter; even if I drink it, it would just be for general nourishment and wouldn’t help my hand.” With that excuse, he pushed the bowl back towards her.

“Good medicine is bitter,” Ji Yunshu immediately replied, again pushing the bowl towards him and sourly adding, “Even though Miss Mu Jin has been taking care of you the past couple of days, you can’t stop taking medicine even with a beauty next to you.”

Pfft. Jing Rong laughed. This girl has been hiding her jealousy all this while. He didn’t intend to continue teasing her. Gesturing at his surroundings, he asked, “Take a look, is Miss Mu Jin here? If she’s not here, how can she be taking care of me?”

She was certainly neither in the room nor the courtyard! But, who knew if she were on the way here? Ji Yunshu worried at her lips without replying.

Jing Rong pushed himself up and explained, “Miss Mu Jin has been visiting often these days, but she hasn’t been with this prince; she’s been accompanying Lang Po.”

Eh? What was that supposed to mean? Ji Yunshu stared at him in confusion.

The smile on Jing Rong’s face faded into a stern expression. “This prince has been busy with yamen affairs. And with that assassination attempt, I’ve been worried about both you and Wei Yi; where would I find the time to craft poems or debate philosophy with others? That young lady might be stubborn, but she’s of good character. Other than being kind to others, she’s also easygoing. Unfortunately, this prince is not interested. It doesn’t matter how brilliant the blooming flowers are; if it isn’t the one this prince likes, this prince would naturally not pick it. So, Lang Po has been distracting her from coming into the courtyard. It’s hard on Lang Po – on one hand, he’s blocking her for me, on the other he has to listen to her songs and poems – his ears must have grown calluses by now.”

Poor Lang Po. 

His words surprised Ji Yunshu. She frowned. “But Mo Ruo said…”

Jing Rong interrupted her before she finished speaking, “Didn’t I already say that rascal Mo Ruo has bad intentions? You still trust his words?”

Oh! Ji Yunshu’s eyes widened slightly as she finally realized that she’d been played by both Mo Ruo and Tang Si. She was still too green compared to those wily foxes.

To her surprise, Jing Rong lowered his head to look straight into her almond-shaped eyes and held her chilly hands. “Yunshu, this prince has never hidden his intentions over the past half a year. You couldn’t still be unclear about them, right? There shouldn’t be any doubt that, in this life, this prince will not tolerate any woman beside him, apart from you.”

The depth of feelings and sincerity he expressed were irresistibly charming.

She opened her mouth and replied in a small voice, “I’ve never doubted you; I’m clear about how well you treat me.”

“Then why are you still mad at me?”

“Am I?”

“It’s all written on your face.”

She felt a little guilty. She couldn’t deny that her heart had been feeling as uncomfortable about the situation as the muggy weather had been. She turned away, refusing to reply.

Looking at her pout, Jing Rong grinned, but it disappeared again in a split second. He let go of her hands and turned his gaze towards the fine drizzle outside. His back to her, he walked towards the doorway, speaking in carefully measured tones, “Actually, I knew that you’ve been troubled these few days. Since Wei Yi was injured, you felt guilty and pained; I should have gone to comfort you immediately and stayed beside you and Wei Yi, but I didn’t. You may call me cold or heartless, but Yunshu, I’m even more scared than you are, because I’m the one who should feel guilty! From the beginning, the only one Jing Yi wants to eliminate is me. I’m terrified that if I look at Wei Yi and his injuries, I would turn into a cold-blooded killer like Jing Yi.”

Ah! Yes, he was terrified! He was afraid that if he saw Wei Yi lying unconscious and covered in blood, he would lose his last trace of compassion towards Jing Yi. He would then harden his heart and kill him. Wouldn’t he really turn into Jing Yi then?

Ji Yunshu was shocked. Her heart pounded as she gazed at that strong, steady back. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out.

Jing Rong turned and continued speaking, “That’s why Mo Ruo has been bringing news about Wei Yi. I’m relieved that he’s doing well. Yunshu, I promised you that I will not become a second Jing Yi and I’ll keep my word. Therefore, even after this incident, I still choose to give him another chance. However, I can’t guarantee if this will be the last time.” In his eyes, lay a steely resolution.