Chapter 9: Sent to the Fire Pit!
Mo Tong opened the door. Xiao Dong was standing outside. When he saw Mo Tong, he quickly stuffed the last bite of his snack into his mouth.
Tongtong led Chu Xiyin toward the left wing, with Xiao Dong following closely behind.
"Lord Mo, please reconsider!" It was Qi Yu's voice!
"I've made up my mind." Where had she heard that voice before? Chu Xiyin tried hard to recall the voices of everyone she knew. The voice was so familiar, yet at that moment, her mind seemed to freeze; she couldn't remember it no matter how hard she tried.
Mo Tong gently knocked on the door and called out "Dad" in a coquettish tone.
The familiar voice came from inside the door, "It's Tongtong! Come in quickly!"
Mo Tong led Chu Xiyin by the hand and pushed open the door, saying as they walked, "Father, I've brought Xiyin here!"
As soon as Chu Xiyin entered the room, she smelled a strong aroma of tea, which startled her. "Could it be—Mo Yun?" Could it be that he had also returned to this era? This is too strange! Was she dreaming? It's all the fault of those time-travel dramas!
Chu Xiyin walked silently behind Mo Tong with her head down.
“Young lady, look up.” Sitting directly in front of Chu Xiyin was a man in his fifties, holding a steaming cup of tea. The aroma of the tea was somewhat similar to West Lake Longjing.
Chu Xiyin was right; this man and Mo Yun were practically identical, except that the man wasn't wearing glasses, making him look much younger than Mo Yun.
The man stared blankly at Chu Xiyin, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
"You... your name is Chu Xiyin?" Lord Mo finally spoke.
Chu Xiyin nodded slightly. Even she had become much more gentle and refined in ancient times.
"Who is Chu Haishan to you?" As he said this, Mo Yun leaned forward slightly, as if he already knew the answer in his heart.
"My dad... my father!" How strange, how did Mo Yun know her father's name?
"Oh? You really are Lord Chu's daughter!" Mo Yun stood up, circled around Chu Xiyin, and carefully examined her.
Mo Yun stood facing Chu Xiyin, staring at her brow and said, "Even the beauty mark between your brows is exactly the same as your father's!"
"How do you know my father?" Even in modern times, Mo Yun and his father are strangers!
“Your father and I were old friends.” Mo Yun sighed and continued, “He was a rare pillar of the nation! It’s just that he was born at the wrong time, into this chaotic world, and he was too straightforward. He said some things he shouldn’t have said, which led to his imprisonment…” Mo Yun shook his head, put his hands behind his back, and sat back down in his chair, his eyes full of helplessness.
"My father is perfectly fine at home!" Chu Xiyin couldn't understand it at all. Her father was a civil servant who worked diligently all his life, never offending anyone. He neither harmed the people nor damaged the national interest. How could he possibly end up in prison? "Lord Mo, I really don't understand what you're saying! How could my father possibly end up in prison?"
Mo Yun looked at Chu Xiyin with surprise, then his surprise turned into endless pity. He said slowly, "Child, I don't know what happened to you. But it's better to forget some things! I think your father probably doesn't want you to remember those things either!"
Mo Yun looked at Mo Tong with affection, picked up her teacup, lowered her head, and slowly took a sip of tea.
"Please explain more clearly!" Chu Xiyin stepped forward and pressed. Since her father was involved, whether in modern times or ancient times, it was not something she could easily dismiss or simply let go of.
"Alright, don't ask any more questions. I'll tell you about this later. But, do you want to see your father?" Mo Yun said this without looking up at Chu Xiyin. He knew that Chu Xiyin would have to pay a price to see Chu Haishan. And he had already paid enough to achieve his goal.
This time, although Mo Yun was acting on Yi Yang's orders to select twenty young and beautiful women from within the Ziling Dynasty to present to him, he harbored ulterior motives. On one hand, these women were all women with deep-seated hatred for the Ziling Dynasty; their hatred for the dynasty and for Yi Yang far outweighed their concerns for their own safety. Therefore, they were all willing to offer themselves to Yi Yang. On the other hand, these women were mostly strong-willed and exceptionally intelligent, not the type to be easily coerced or lured. Therefore, placing these women around Yi Yang would be entirely beneficial to Mo Yun's grand plan.
Mo Yun had already gathered twenty girls, but a woman named Liang Siqi suddenly disappeared without a trace last night. This gave Mo Yun, who had planned to offer these girls to Yi Yang that night, a major headache. He had no choice but to order Qi Yu and Hua Shao to find a girl to fill in. However, what he didn't expect was that the girl Qi Yu and Hua Shao captured was actually the daughter of his old friend—Chu Haishan. Chu Haishan had been kind to Mo Yun and was now serving time in prison. If he knew that Mo Yun had sent his most beloved daughter to a hellish place, he would probably never forgive him for the rest of his life!
However, given his life experience, this girl is bound to be extraordinary in the future!
Two conflicting thoughts were raging within Mo Yun, leaving him deeply conflicted. He only hoped that Chu Xiyin could make a choice, and he would respect her decision no matter what.
"How can I see my father?" Chu Xiyin asked nervously.
Mo Yun remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "I will marry the Emperor!"
"That tyrant? No! I don't want to!" Chu Xiyin shouted, disregarding her image. She didn't want to marry the most perverted tyrant in history; she wanted to go back, to see her parents.
Chu Xiyin's shout stunned everyone in the room. Mo Tong stood beside Chu Xiyin, holding her tightly by the shoulder, looking at her with concern.
"The Fourth Prince has arrived!" Xiao Dong stood at the door, his childish voice breaking the silence of the room.
Chapter 10 Prince Yichuan
"Yi Chuan!" Chu Xiyin wondered if she had misheard! Would he also come to this dynasty? Or was he like Qi Yu and Hua Shao, just someone with the same name and appearance, who didn't remember her at all?
"Quickly invite the prince in!" Mo Yun instructed Xiao Dong.
As soon as Mo Yun finished speaking, a series of brisk and powerful footsteps came from outside the door.
"Mo Yun greets the Fourth Prince." Mo Yun respectfully bowed to the visitor and went to the door to greet him.
"Lord Mo, you are too polite." Though just a few simple words, the voice conveyed a deep, resonant quality. It's very similar to...
"Qi Yu greets the Fourth Prince!"
"Young Master Hua greets the Fourth Prince!"
"Mo Tong greets the Fourth Prince!"
"Moxi greets the Fourth Prince!"
Qi Yu, Hua Shao, Mo Tong, and Xiao west bowed to the newcomers one by one. Only Chu Xiyin kept her head down, seemingly lost in thought.
A long black robe flashed past Chu Xiyin's eyes.
Chu Xiyin was startled. A black heart-shaped birthmark! The prince had a black heart-shaped birthmark on his right hand, the same size as Yichuan's! That was Yichuan's unique birthmark! How come the prince also had such a birthmark? Could it be... another coincidence?
"Your Highness, please take a seat!" Mo Yun followed Prince Yichuan and led him to the seat he had just been sitting in.
The prince walked to a chair, sat down, and took a sip of tea. His melancholy eyes calmly surveyed his surroundings.
Suddenly, his gaze fixed on her.
Chu Xiyin felt his gaze, and she wanted to see if he looked like her. After hesitating for a moment, she disregarded etiquette and met his gaze.
The moment their eyes met, it felt as if time itself had turned back.
With that handsome face, that cold demeanor, and the melancholy that naturally flowed from his eyes, who else could this person be but Yi Chuan?
“Recently, neighboring small countries have been eyeing our dynasty covetously, taking the opportunity to cause trouble. First, the Peony Kingdom invaded, and then the Twilight Kingdom attacked, causing our people to live in fear and unease. If it weren’t for Your Highness personally taking up arms to quell the chaos, I’m afraid our dynasty would never have peace, and our people would never have tranquility!” Mo Yun said ingratiatingly.
“Yi Chuan…” Chu Xiyin blurted out.
The prince was slightly startled, completely unaware of Mo Yun's flattering words.
A sharp pain shot through Chu Xiyin's chest, a pain so intense that each breath felt like her heart was about to explode. She desperately clutched her chest, pressing her fingers against her heart to ease the pain. Yi Chuan! The man who left her! The man who left without even a goodbye! The man who only showed her his back! Now, he sat there high above, upright and dignified, watching her.
The prince stood up from his chair and walked straight towards Chu Xiyin.
"How dare you!" Mo Yun rebuked Chu Xiyin sternly.
Although Mo Yun knew that the Fourth Prince was always kind, the fact that that girl Xi Yin dared to address him by his full name was still a capital offense. Having spent many years navigating the officialdom, Mo Yun bowed slightly and explained to the Fourth Prince with a forced smile, "This girl is a relative from my hometown; she's young and doesn't know any better. I implore Your Highness to be magnanimous and not take offense!"
The Fourth Prince ignored Mo Yun's words and walked up to Chu Xiyin, staring straight at her.
After a long silence, he spoke gently, "You...know me?"
Hearing that warm voice, Chu Xiyin suddenly felt less pain in her chest. She slowly lowered her hands to her sides, silently gazing at the familiar yet unfamiliar man before her.
Suddenly, Chu Xiyin seemed like a completely different person; the sorrow in her dark eyes transformed into boundless indifference. "Your Highness's fame is renowned! Who in the entire Ziling Dynasty doesn't know you? Who doesn't understand you? I was quite presumptuous just now; please forgive me for any offense!" Her voice was so calm that even she found it unbelievable. She so desperately wanted to see Yichuan, and now, standing before her, so close yet so distant, he felt so distant and unfamiliar. Perhaps it was because she knew deep down that the man before her was not Yichuan, but merely an ancient prince who bore his resemblance!
A barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashed in the Fourth Prince's eyes.
When Chu Xiyin saw the desolation and loneliness in the Fourth Prince's eyes, for a moment, she felt that he was Yichuan, and for a moment, her heart softened. However, she was ultimately not a person of this world, she was ultimately going to leave, and he was ultimately not her Yichuan.
"Lord Mo, I have come here today to discuss important matters with you!" The Fourth Prince turned around and said to Mo Yun.
The moment Prince Yichuan turned around, Chu Xiyin felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of loss.
Mo Yun instructed the people inside the room, "You may all leave now!"
The moment she closed the door, Chu Xiyin couldn't help but turn around and glance at the Fourth Prince's back. Even his back looked very similar to hers!
Emerging from Mo Yun's room, Mo Tong took a deep breath, patted his chest, and said to Chu Xiyin, "Xiyin, you're really bold! You actually dared to address the prince by his given name! Luckily it's the Fourth Prince; if it were anyone else, your little head would probably be rolling on the ground by now!"
Chu Xiyin smiled but didn't answer. If that person really was Yichuan, she would rather die right now. If she died, would he be sad? Would he worry about her? Did he truly care for her?
Seeing that Chu Xiyin remained silent, Mo Tong assumed she was still shaken by what had just happened. She forced a bright smile at Chu Xiyin and said, "Don't worry! The Fourth Prince is a very kind person; he won't take this little thing to heart."
Chu Xiyin shook her head and said, "I'm fine. Tongtong, can you tell me about the Fourth Prince?"
Tongtong leaned her little face close to Chu Xiyin's and said mischievously, "I felt that the way you looked at the prince was strange in the room just now, and now you're asking me about him. Could it be..."
"Could it be something else?" Chu Xiyin asked, blushing.
"Could it be that you've fallen in love with the Fourth Prince at first sight?" Mo Tong let out a hearty laugh in Chu Xiyin's ear.
"Never mind, just pretend I didn't ask." Chu Xiyin waved her hand and walked past Mo Tong toward the front.
Mo Tong quickly grabbed Chu Xiyin's hand and said, "Don't be angry! I was just teasing you. Come on, let's go to my room to talk."
“Let’s go too!” Hua Shao caught up with Mo Tong in a few steps and put his arm around her shoulder.
Mo Tong flung Hua Shao's hand off her shoulder, rolled her eyes at him, and said, "We girls are having a private chat, what are you doing getting in on the scene? Go find somewhere else to play with Brother Qi Yu." Mo Tong pointed to Xiao Dong and said, "Hey, go play in Xiao Dong's room! He has lots of good food there."
Chu Xiyin smiled as she looked in the direction Mo Tong pointed, only to find Qi Yu staring at her with a serious expression.
Upon seeing Chu Xiyin, Qi Yu quickly averted his gaze, turning his eyes elsewhere. Though it was only for a brief moment, Chu Xiyin noticed a hint of guilt in Qi Yu's eyes. Why would he feel guilty?
Hua Shao tried to persuade Mo Tong, but Mo Tong didn't even look at him. Instead, he took Chu Xiyin's hand and walked towards his room.
Hua Shao shrugged, spread his hands, and rested one elbow on Xiao Xi's shoulder, saying, "Fine! These heartless women have abandoned us so cruelly, leaving us few lonely men here heartbroken! Ah! Women!"
Xiao west dodged to the side, and Hua Shao stumbled, almost losing his balance.
Back in her room, Mo Tong covered her mouth and chuckled. "That idiot Hua Shao! He's never serious, can't we just give him a nice look!"
"You like him, don't you?" Chu Xiyin teased Mo Tong with a smile, pretending to be casual.
Mo Tong, who had been laughing and joking just moments before, suddenly blushed and bit her lip shyly, saying, "No way!"
Chu Xiyin smiled meaningfully. After all, she was an experienced person, so how could she not see through the little girl's little thoughts?
"Fine, don't admit it. You don't intend to consider me a friend anyway," Chu Xiyin deliberately provoked her.
Mo Tong sat on the edge of the bed, twisting the sash around her waist with her two index fingers. After struggling for a while, she finally said, "I'm only telling you, but you're not allowed to tell anyone!"
Chu Xiyin nodded, smiling as she looked at Mo Tong, whose face was flushed.
"I...I do like him. However, he's a womanizer, entangled with countless women. I don't want to share him with other women; I only want him to belong to me alone. Xiyin, tell me, am I being selfish?" Mo Tong looked earnestly at Chu Xiyin, waiting expectantly for her answer.
Chu Xiyin walked to Mo Tong's bedside, sat down next to her, shook her head and said, "Love is inherently selfish. If you don't want to possess someone's love exclusively, it only means you don't love them at all." Chu Xiyin stroked Mo Tong's fair and tender little hand and continued, "However, love is mutual. If the other person doesn't love you, it's better to let go and let them find their own happiness."
At this moment, Yi Chuan's heartless figure flashed through her mind again. She had let him go, but was he happy now?