"You mean, use this incident to sow discord between Luo Zhiheng and her sister? To make them fight over the dowry? And thus damage Luo Zhiheng's reputation?" Consort Li asked.
Hua Kai nodded, then offered a sinister suggestion: "Not only that, but as long as everyone knows how despicable and shameless Luo Zhiheng is, not even giving her own sister a way out, such a person has no humanity or morality whatsoever. She's selfish, evil, and unkind. What right does she have to be the young prince's wife? Not only will her reputation be ruined, but she might not even be able to face living anymore. Wouldn't that give us a legitimate and unavoidable excuse to divorce Luo Zhiheng?" Bai Bai was lost in her wild fantasies.
A reason to divorce Luo Zhiheng!
Yes, since she disliked Luo Zhiheng and wanted her dead, the best revenge was to divorce her! And all she lacked was a reason to do so! Since she couldn't kill Luo Zhiheng, she could only make her leave. As long as Luo Zhiheng left the palace, it would remain hers, and no one could defy her!
And what could be more humiliating and devastating to a woman than being divorced and thrown out of her husband's home? She refused to believe that Luo Zhiheng could be so shameless as to live on after being divorced and becoming a discarded wife. At that point, wouldn't she be able to do whatever she wanted with Luo Zhiheng?
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Having figured out the key, Consort Li clapped her hands, her eyes gleaming with a wolfish malice, her face twisted with excitement. She personally helped Hua Kai up, patted her hand, and laughed, "Hua Kai is so clever, she actually came up with such a thing. She is truly my good girl."
"Your Majesty flatters me. It is Huakai's responsibility to share Your Majesty's burdens." Huakai lowered her head shyly, concealing the disdain and sneer in her eyes.
Consort Li affectionately pulled Hua Kai to discuss the details, emphasizing the need for careful planning and execution of this matter, thus setting aside her true favorite maid.
Luo Zhiheng happily returned to the courtyard, with people carrying the one hundred taels of gold and the seal of the Loyal and Brave Lady behind her. However, the wet nurse could not appear unhappy and came forward to greet her with concern, saying, "Miss, don't worry, the wet nurse will take care of everything. She will definitely not let you have any mishaps in the Prince's Mansion. We will never need to use the title of Loyal and Brave Lady."
Luo Zhiheng was taken aback, then realized that her wet nurse had already received the news. However, the wet nurse was clearly unhappy, with a worried look between her brows. Luo Zhiheng understood; the wet nurse had obviously also seen the hidden meaning behind this title that could follow her for life. However, the wet nurse's thoughts were completely opposite to her own. She was overjoyed, but the wet nurse was almost driven to despair.
This is what women of ancient times are like, truly ancient women, different from this woman who has seen foreigners, seen foreign devils embracing courtesans and kissing in the street. She is conservative yet open-minded, but the wet nurse is a true woman of ancient times. In the eyes of the ancients, a woman was probably destined to follow her husband for life. Was being divorced a death sentence?
Luo Zhiheng didn't believe in that; she was determined to pave a bright future for herself.
Luo Zhiheng didn't explain much to the nanny. Once inside the room, the difference in light and darkness became immediately apparent. The gentle gaze was gone, and the dim room felt so stifling, almost suffocating. Luo Zhiheng gritted her teeth; she was determined to make this room completely bright!
She happily packed everything up, but suddenly felt like something was missing. She blinked and looked at Mu Yunhe. Why was this guy so quiet today?
"Mu Yunhe?" she called softly, but there was no response. Luo Zhiheng squinted at the bed, but the figure on it remained motionless. Startled, Luo Zhiheng quickly went over and gently nudged Mu Yunhe's body: "Mu Yunhe, what's wrong?"
Her hand was suddenly grabbed by a large, icy hand. Although her hand was soft, his hand was as thin as a rake. Luo Zhiheng's heart trembled because of the cold hand. It was a hot summer day, but at this moment she could no longer feel any warmth.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?" Luo Zhiheng touched Mu Yunhe's forehead with her other hand, but he grabbed it, leaving her with no choice but to sit down on the edge of the bed.
Mu Yunhe's hoarse voice was filled with undisguised desolation and mockery: "I never expected that he would also want to interfere in my life. He really can't stand me, can he? Now I'm here to reward you. Is he preparing to banish you?"
Huh? Luo Zhiheng's eyes widened. Clearly, Mu Yunhe also knew about the imperial edict. But she didn't understand Mu Yunhe's meaning. Was this... a suspicion that the emperor wanted to make him unhappy?
Mu Yunhe's stiff body seemed to move slightly. His dull eyes blinked slightly, finally focusing on Luo Zhiheng. A light, unlike anything Luo Zhiheng had ever seen before, flickered in his eyes, full of determination and vitality. He took her hand and said solemnly and resolutely, "Don't be afraid. Even if I, Mu Yunhe, am no better than a man, my wife is my own. No one can interfere with who I choose as my wife! I didn't care before, but now that we... cough cough..."
He started coughing violently as he spoke, his face turning deathly pale in the dimly lit room, but the determination and anger between his brows were something Luo Zhiheng had never seen before.
"Don't rush, speak slowly." Luo Zhiheng quickly helped him up, letting him lean against her chest. His head rested on her shoulder. This intimate and close posture showed how naturally and tacitly they had become. She soothed him and, seeing that he was feeling a little better, went to get him a glass of water, but Mu Yunhe grabbed her tightly, preventing her from moving.
Mu Yunhe looked up at her with difficulty, his eyes filled with guilt and unwavering resolve: "Don't worry, I will never let you be homeless and despised. As long as I, Mu Yunhe, live, you, Luo Zhiheng, will always be my queen, and no one will allow you to be abandoned!"
He spoke solemnly and resolutely. His eyes, untouched by worldly affairs, were so pure they were breathtaking. In those pure eyes lay deep remorse and apology, as well as the unwavering commitment of Mu Yunhe to keep his word, a brightness and openness that could not be ignored!
They had no love for each other; it was only the chains of fate that bound them together. They each took what they needed, so they cooperated. They supported each other, because that was how they could survive in adversity and desperate situations!
They... were originally two completely unrelated people, their fates ultimately diverging. If that day truly comes and they are still fortunate enough to be alive, then he will still be the high and mighty prince, while she will inevitably be a discarded woman who leaves gracefully. Because this is Luo Zhiheng's choice, her hope.
But at this moment, seeing Mu Yunhe so furious yet so solemnly promising because of the emperor's obviously cryptic reward, Luo Zhiheng was at a loss.
Lowering her eyes, she suddenly dared not show her joy and anticipation in front of Mu Yunhe. If she revealed even the slightest bit of happiness in front of this man who was so determined to protect her, she didn't know if it would hurt him.
Although he was usually domineering, aloof, sullen, and sharp-tongued, in crucial moments, he always thought of the interests of those around him first. He wasn't a selfish man; in fact, one could say Mu Yunhe didn't even know what selfishness was. He was a bright pearl, but unfortunately, illness buried him in a corner of the world, and no one could see his goodness, his kindness, his compassion, and his simplicity!
Luo Zhiheng was fortunate enough to witness it, but she was filled with guilt. She gritted her teeth, unable to express the panic that was spreading in her chest because of Mu Yunhe's protection at this moment.
Mu Yunhe was unaware of Luo Zhiheng's thoughts. He only saw the unpleasant expression on the face of the girl he could rely on, her stiff body, and her unspeakable sorrow. His heart ached as if it were being stabbed.
She had been kind to him, and although they were mutually supportive in their hearts, she had given more than he had. Given his current incapacitated body, the tasks of charging into battle would inevitably fall entirely on Luo Zhiheng, and for this alone, Mu Yunhe felt deeply indebted to her.
Although he sometimes disliked her cunning, mood swings, and wailing, none of this could erase the hope and help that Luo Zhiheng brought to him at a crossroads in his life.
For the first time, Mu Yunhe looked into her eyes with great seriousness. His large, cold hands, though seemingly weak, gripped hers tightly. His voice, though faltering, carried a resounding authority: "Believe me! I will never let you down. No matter what the future holds for me, this family and you will never be abandoned!!"
He wouldn't divorce her! He wouldn't abandon her! She would always be his wife! This was the only guarantee he could give to the woman who had shared his joys and sorrows and never abandoned him in his most difficult times! No one could make him a heartless man. Even if they had no feelings for each other, she was still his benefactor. No one could make Mu Yunhe a shameless and ungrateful scoundrel! No one could make him inflict such cruel blows and humiliations on Luo Zhiheng! Not even the Emperor!!
"Mu Yunhe!" Luo Zhiheng's voice was a little hoarse, and his voice startled her.
Mu Yunhe interrupted her, smiling at Luo Zhiheng for the first time. The smile on his handsome, pale face was like an untouchable, proud snow lotus, pure and white, ethereal and breathtakingly beautiful, almost unreal. He said, "Mu Yunhe, will you make a promise to Luo Zhiheng? There will never be divorce between us, only widowhood!"
Even if I die, you will still be Mu Yunhe's wife, the rightful little princess of the royal palace. Even if Mu Yunjin inherits the title, he will still have to call you sister-in-law. As long as you remain strong as ever, no one can make you leave this royal palace!
Luo Zhiheng, all I can give you is this empty title, but one that can protect your reputation from being scorned by others...
Chapter 1 is here! There will be one more chapter today. Please vote, leave comments, I'm begging you on my knees, I'm begging you cutely, haha, group kisses!
101. Would you like to come to bed and sleep?
Updated: 2013-06-13 12:08:16 Word Count: 3390
Luo Zhiheng's throat tightened, and she couldn't say a word. She knew that this misunderstanding was huge. She originally thought that after they had used each other, they could part ways cleanly. Who knew that Mu Yunhe would be such a stubborn man.
However, it cannot be denied that Mu Yunhe was able to set aside his prejudices to protect her at a critical moment and give her such a weighty and precious promise. If Luo Zhiheng were not the Luo Zhiheng who had died once, if Luo Zhiheng were a true woman of this era, she would definitely have nodded in gratitude and agreed.
But unfortunately, she isn't!
She was a female bandit who had seen the world and was used to a free and unrestrained life. She couldn't possibly be confined to the palace and only see this one patch of sky for the rest of her life.
But at this moment, facing Mu Yunhe, who was so simple-minded and straightforward, only caring for her and afraid that she would worry about the future, Luo Zhiheng was speechless. She hadn't expected that an imperial edict would elicit such a strong emotional response from Mu Yunhe; Luo Zhiheng was both flattered and troubled.
The future seems so uncertain!
“Luo Zhiheng, don’t be afraid. Trust me about this. I will definitely protect you.” Mu Yunhe saw her changing expression and thought she still didn’t believe him, so he became a little anxious. However, he was calm and didn’t show it too much. His eyes darkened slightly, and his hoarse voice contained a chilling ruthlessness as he said, “He’s using me as a pawn, wanting you to leave me and then kill me. But if he had used a different method, I might not have resisted. But he’s using methods to humiliate you. I won’t let him do that. Just trust me.”
Luo Zhiheng was speechless. Mu Yunhe was treating the emperor like an enemy. But on second thought, it made sense. The emperor's actions clearly showed his dissatisfaction with Luo Zhiheng, but because Luo Zhiheng was protecting Mu Yunhe, even if he wanted to divorce this unqualified royal daughter-in-law, he wouldn't be too cruel.
Luo Zhiheng understood the meaning behind the emperor's reward; it was essentially a way of giving her a little something in advance so that when he later found an excuse to divorce her, he wouldn't lose face too much. However, because Luo Zhiheng's thinking differed from others, she was happy to be able to leave and treated the imperial edict as a valuable thing, while in the eyes of others, it was a death warrant.
"Luo Zhiheng, do you believe me?" Mu Yunhe was filled with intense frustration and unease. His first reaction after learning about this was that he couldn't let Luo Zhiheng down. Then came anger and anxiety. Although Luo Zhiheng could be quite annoying at times, he couldn't ruin her life.
"Yes, I believe you." Luo Zhiheng replied with unusual gentleness. The two leaned against each other, he in her arms, she wrapped her arms around his chest, and said softly, "But these are all just your guesses. Let's not worry about things unnecessarily, okay? Maybe things... aren't what you think? They have no reason, how could they just divorce me like that?"
Luo Zhiheng's words were somewhat against her will. Heaven knows how much she wanted to leave this place, but she dared not say it now, for fear that Mu Yunhe, who was so eager to scheme for her, would die of anger.
Mu Yunhe fell silent, nestled quietly against her. This brief moment of peace, her soft body, her sweet scent, miraculously calmed the anger and inexplicable unease in his chest. His eyes cleared, and after a long while, he said, "You're right. Perhaps I've been worrying unnecessarily. Let's put this matter aside for now. I will give instructions that anyone who dares to discuss this matter or bring up the reward for the Loyal and Brave Lady will be severely punished!"
"Mm." Luo Zhiheng wanted to put him on the bed, but Mu Yunhe looked at her coldly. For a moment, Mu Yunhe didn't want to leave her arms.
Seeing that Luo Zhiheng hadn't abandoned him out of disgust, he felt a little better. However, he also felt helpless because he seemed to be relying on her too much. With a cold face, he didn't say what he wanted to say.
"Little Princess, should this room still be cleaned?" Xiao Xizi asked timidly as she entered.
Luo Zhiheng glared at her: "Clean up! Why aren't you cleaning!"
"But the young prince..." He refused to move. Xiao Xizi was almost in tears.
Luo Zhiheng turned around and saw Mu Yunhe looking at them with a cold expression. Luo Zhiheng really wanted to laugh out loud. No matter how changeable she was, she couldn't compare to Mu Yunhe. One moment he was so innocent and pure that it made people feel sorry for him, but the next moment he was so cold and inhuman that it made people hate him!
"The room needs cleaning, but it'll be ready soon. Shall I help you up so you can rest in another room?" Luo Zhiheng said gently. She couldn't just turn her back on Mu Yunhe after he had defended her so much.
Mu Yunhe also felt guilty for the grievance Luo Zhiheng had suffered earlier, and now that Luo Zhiheng, a rare and gentle woman, had come to comfort him, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. Although he was very averse to getting out of bed and going outside, and even felt a strange sense of panic, he couldn't let Luo Zhiheng see any of this.
"Hmm." He gave a cold snort, completely different from the warm-hearted and straightforward man he had been just moments before.
Luo Zhiheng suppressed a laugh and carefully helped him up. Xiao Xizi put shoes on him, but Mu Yunhe kicked him. He looked at Luo Zhiheng with a cold expression: "You put them on for me." 1525261211.
Luo Zhiheng pouted, but still knelt down to put his shoes on. Only then did a smile flash across Mu Yunhe's eyes.
When she helped him up, Mu Yunhe almost fell. Luo Zhiheng's eyes instantly turned ashen. She knew that Mu Yunhe hadn't done it on purpose; he was genuinely too weak to stand.
Xiao Xizi tried to help him up, but was frozen in place by his sharp gaze.
Luo Zhiheng then instructed, "You don't need to worry about it, I'll support you. You hurry up and get everything sorted out."
Luo Zhiheng draped Mu Yunhe's long arm over her shoulder, then wrapped her arms around him as if she were being affectionate. She put one arm around his waist and held his hand on her shoulder with the other. After helping him stand up, Luo Zhiheng almost burst into tears.
How come this kid is so tall?
Luo Zhiheng was a mischievous and playful girl with a well-developed physique. Standing at around 1.65 meters tall, she was practically a giant among women in ancient times. Her figure was slender and supple, yet beautiful and well-proportioned.
Mu Yunhe, who had been lying down, only stood with Luo Zhiheng during the wedding ceremony. At that time, Luo Zhiheng's face was covered and she couldn't see him. Now that she could see him, Mu Yunhe was more than a head taller than her, and she could only barely reach his Adam's apple.
How tall is this man?! Even his illness didn't stop him from growing taller, and with that outrageously handsome face, if he were healthy and a bit more muscular, who knows how many women he would charm.
Luo Zhiheng was a little distressed. The main problem was that even though he was thin, he was tall, and his bones were incredibly heavy. He was completely leaning on her, as if he were carrying a bronze statue. Luo Zhiheng even swayed when he walked.
Mu Yunhe entrusted all his weight to Luo Zhiheng, watching her struggle to help him walk out, her expression like a pitiful little puppy, which he found adorable. Although it was tiring, she didn't say much. Their skin was pressed together, so intimately close, that Mu Yunhe unconsciously smiled, his gaze softening considerably.
As they approached the door, Luo Zhiheng suddenly said to the maid, "Quickly, bring an umbrella, open it, and shield the young prince from the sunlight."
Mu Yunhe was well-read and knowledgeable, and he knew that sudden exposure to light after a long period of darkness could severely damage the eyes. He was used to reading in a dimly lit room, and usually no one would notice this detail. But she had thoughtfully considered it. Mu Yunhe himself didn't realize that his gaze towards her had softened even more. It seemed that this fluffy little head before him wasn't so unpleasant after all.
The oil-paper umbrella shielded him from the not-so-strong sunlight, preventing people from catching a glimpse of Mu Yunhe's unparalleled beauty, and further concealing the obvious gentleness and charm hidden beneath his icy demeanor. Zhizhi has a keen eye for men.
Luo Zhiheng was the only one who could and dared to look at his face, but because she didn't look up, she missed the smile that had just appeared on Mu Yunhe's face.
The room was quickly tidied up, and it was already getting dark. Luo Zhiheng then helped Mu Yunhe back to his room, doing the hard work. After shooing everyone away, the two of them secretly ate dinner. They both ate very happily because this dinner was their first meal together after they had independently taken control of the small courtyard and established their own little space. It was very meaningful.
Since then, Mu Yunhe no longer rejected Luo Zhiheng's transgressions. On the contrary, he even expected Luo Zhiheng to serve him with a sense of righteous indignation. Even though he had some strength now, he still asked Luo Zhiheng to feed him.
After eating and resting for a while, it was time to sleep. Luo Zhiheng's emotions were very conflicted today, sometimes happy and sometimes conflicted. Surprisingly, she didn't sit on her bed and drool over Mu Yunhe's big bed, which made Mu Yunhe feel a little uncomfortable.
Seeing that Luo Zhiheng had changed into her nightgown and was about to lie down on the soft couch to rest, Mu Yunhe hesitated for a long time before finally unable to resist whispering, "Do you... want to come and sleep on the bed?"
Luo Zhiheng stumbled as she lifted her foot to step onto the stool. She turned around in surprise and asked, "What did you say?"
A flush of heat flashed across Mu Yunhe's fair, translucent face, and a hint of annoyance flickered in his eyes. He abruptly closed his eyes and said in a somber voice, "It's nothing!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Luo Zhiheng practically rushed over, jumped onto the bed, and lay down next to him!
The two locked eyes instantly. Mu Yunhe's cold demeanor couldn't hide his astonishment and disdain, while Luo Zhiheng didn't care. She smiled like a little fox who had just eaten meat and said matter-of-factly, "Don't glare at me. You asked me to come here, so you can't go back on your word! We pinky swear!"
Looking at her smugly raised little finger, Mu Yunhe gritted his teeth. Could he have fallen for her trick again?
Second update! Hooray! Please leave comments and votes! Please support Huasha, everyone! Love you all! *kiss*