An Jin’s expression remained unchanged, though Que’er seemed to tremble.
I shamelessly approached, grabbing his arm and shaking it. “Brother Jin, I didn’t want things to happen this way, but Yuanxiao was so badly hurt…”
An Jin still ignored me. Que’er made gestures at me, seemingly anxious.
I figured she wanted me to try harder, so I made a pained expression. “Brother Jin, my face hurts. Am I disfigured?”
He finally moved, pulling me back to the bed and pulling out a handkerchief to wipe my face with water, his movements initially aggressive but becoming gentle when touching my skin. Despite this, I kept inhaling sharply.
“Get to the point,” he said, cleaning my face and applying medicine, his expression suggesting he was grinding his teeth.
The point?
Didn’t he want to hear about my fight with the princess? I glanced at Que’er, who was silently lamenting.
“Brother Jin, I was wrong.”
“Wrong about what?”
“I shouldn’t have impulsively beaten the princess.”
Que’er coughed pointedly. An Jin glanced at her, and she immediately fell silent.
An Jin turned back to me, finally looking somewhat helpless.
“How did you end up at White Crane Plain?”
I stammered, “I-I went there to paint.”
“Why were you with the Crown Prince?”
I swallowed. “We-we coincidentally met.”
An Jin’s expression suddenly turned cold, and he immediately stood up and walked out, the door slamming shut with the force of his exit.
I was stunned. Que’er hurried over, “Madam, the master is angry.”
“I noticed,” I replied.
Que’er anxiously said, “Madam, don’t you understand? The master has long known you were that ‘young master’ and has been waiting for you to admit it yourself! The master is furious this time.”
The doctor was quickly summoned and examined me and Yuanxiao in turn. I only had some superficial injuries, with no damage to muscles or bones.
Yuanxiao’s injuries were slightly more serious, but not as bad as they appeared. With timely medication and proper rest, he would recover. The doctor looked at me with sympathy but gazed at An Jin with contempt, seemingly viewing him as a wife-beater who had even struck the dog.
An Jin ordered Que’er to collect the prescribed medicine and was about to leave without even looking at me.
I panicked and rushed to block the door, preventing him from leaving.
His pitch-black pupils were cold. “Move.”
“No!” I shook my head, smiling ingratiatingly. “Brother Jin, don’t go. I was wrong, truly wrong this time!”
He remained silent, motionless, just staring at me.
I felt uneasy under his gaze and called out more obsequiously: “Husband…”
His eyebrow twitched.
I then proceeded to pour out everything, starting from my first painting at thirteen, explaining how I secretly painted beauties, how the Eastern Palace had me paint for his dancers, and how I accidentally got into a fight with the princess. An Jin’s brow furrowed, then gradually relaxed, and then furrowed again.
“Why didn’t you consult me?”
I mumbled, “I was afraid you’d be angry about me painting and following you.”
He smiled ambiguously. “Do you think that’s why you could always steal paintings so smoothly?”
I understood the implication and stood stunned for a moment.
He sighed, his expression finally softening, reaching out to pull me into his embrace. “Silly monster. It’s fine that you like painting and consider it your career. But why didn’t you discuss something as dangerous as meeting the Crown Prince? Look at the state you’re in…”
Nestled in his chest, I couldn’t see his expression, only hearing his voice, which trembled slightly at the end.
“I am indeed angry. Very angry.” His chest heaved as if suppressing his emotions. “Not just at you, but more at myself.”
I hugged his waist, rubbing back and forth, trying to comfort him like Yuanxiao.
His hand gently patted my back. “I’ve been protecting you since childhood. When we married, I swore to protect you for life. But now… I still let you get hurt.”
I shook my head vigorously. “It’s my fault for being too self-confident, thinking I could solve every problem.”
“It’s my fault for not protecting you.”
“It’s my fault for being too impulsive.”
“My fault for being negligent.”
I quickly shook my head: “It’s my fault. I was wrong. Punish me however you want!”
An Jin looked down at me, his lips curving slightly. “Really anything?”
I was speechless, vaguely feeling I’d walked into another trap.
An Jin chuckled softly. “Remember, never go out alone in the future. If you must go out, tell me first, and it’s best if I accompany you.”
I nodded repeatedly, then cautiously asked, “What’s the punishment for hitting a princess? How will I be dealt with?”
An Jin thought for a moment.
“I remember a drunk who insulted the Eastern Palace was beheaded.”
I was dumbfounded. Just for cursing, he was beheaded? Then wouldn’t I be executed ten times over for hitting a princess? I’d probably be executed along with nine generations of my family… Thinking this, I despaired: “Brother Jin, let’s pack up and flee with our families.”
An Jin finally laughed, his eyebrows relaxing, looking incredibly delightful.
“What are you afraid of? I’m here.”
Chapter Fifteen: That is True Love
I don’t know what method An Jin used, but the scenario I had imagined of countless soldiers surrounding An Mansion and executing me a hundred times never materialized. Everything was calm, as if nothing had happened.
It was abnormal, too abnormal. Given the Seventh Princess’s personality, she should have complained to the Emperor or sought revenge personally after suffering such a loss. After I spent a long time restless with a puffy face, panda eyes, and a row of blue and purple bruises, An Jin finally couldn’t bear it and explained that he had reported the entire incident to the Emperor. The Emperor, being understanding, not only pardoned me for disrespecting the royal family but also placed the Seventh Princess under house arrest to reflect on her actions.
I felt slightly relieved but then wondered if the Emperor could truly be so magnanimous about such a matter.
An Jin was about to touch my face but, seeing the unhealed bruises, decisively changed to stroking my hair instead. “Don’t worry,” he said with a smile.
So I truly relaxed and recuperated with Yuanxiao, eating and sleeping well. My bodily injuries healed quickly, but the facial bruises and scratches were more troublesome. The first day I looked in the mirror after applying medicine, I almost wanted to die.
Although An Jin showed no outward signs, I felt he was somewhat disgusted by my multicolored pig-head face. One night with particularly good moonlight accidentally illuminated our bed. When he was on top of me, he shuddered at my face and resolutely flipped me over. Face down on the pillow, I was utterly depressed.
The father-in-law expressed deep sympathy for my situation, while my mother-in-law’s evaluation was brief: “Serves you right.”
To avoid worrying my family, I hadn’t returned home during my recovery. When my parents noticed my prolonged absence, they sent my older brother to check on me. Helplessly, I wore a veil to meet him, but he immediately pulled it off, saying there was no need for such mystery between siblings.
When he saw my face beneath the veil, he was stunned for a moment. I smiled at him, and he turned away, returning the veil to me, saying, “Sister, you’d better put it back on.” I was on the verge of tears.
