Mu Yunhe ignored Luo Zhiheng's strange tactics and ate elegantly, but his hands and arms lacked the sustained strength to hold chopsticks. After a short while, he felt his hands go numb, but he stubbornly refused to say anything, though his expression grew increasingly grim. He was terrified of appearing unable to even hold chopsticks in front of Luo Zhiheng; he would despise himself for that.
"I'm full." Just before the chopsticks slipped from his hands, Mu Yunhe suddenly put them down and said.
Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow in surprise: "You didn't eat much. How could someone your age only eat a few bites? Are you feeling unwell again?"
"Hmph, very well," he said, feigning indifference. Mu Yunhe turned his face away from her, afraid she would see the embarrassment on his face.
Luo Zhiheng's eyes darkened, and she immediately put down her chopsticks and said, "I'm full too. Let's go out and exercise. Today's task is to walk around the yard."
Mu Yunhe's face grew even colder, and he said firmly, "I refuse!"
He was sitting there, his body trembling slightly. How could he possibly have the strength to walk another lap? What if he collapsed in front of Luo Zhiheng? Would he still have any face left?
Luo Zhiheng let out two arrogant sneers and said fiercely, "You have no right to refuse, Mu Yunhe. Have you forgotten that I'm a very selfish and cruel person? But don't worry, my goal isn't to torture you to death, but to torture you until you're reborn. Come on, let's go together." 15898332
She grabbed Mu Yunhe's wrist, seemingly oblivious to the trembling in his hand. Without turning around, she pulled him up, half-hugging and half-carrying him, as if forcing him to leave. She also shifted most of Mu Yunhe's weight onto herself, so Mu Yunhe was unaware that as his body trembled, Luo Zhiheng's heart was also shaking.
"Luo Zhiheng, what is this? Forcing me to compromise under your unreasonable demands?" Mu Yunhe secretly hated himself for not being able to break free from the power of Luo Zhiheng, a woman, but at the same time he also hated his own weakness. His whole body was radiating an extremely cold aura.
This time, Luo Zhiheng didn't confront her head-on. Instead, she softened her attitude and pitifully said, "Why don't you come for a walk with me? We just ate, so let's help digest our food, okay?"
Mu Yunhe almost fainted from anger.
Digesting food? He'd only eaten a few bites! Did he need to digest it?! But this damned woman was too cunning. She knew he was more responsive to gentle persuasion than force. The moment he hardened up, she immediately softened. The moment she put on that pitiful look, he could only suppress his discomfort! Mu Yunhe endured for a moment, but ultimately couldn't hold back, internally roaring in imitation of Luo Zhiheng's words…
This is going to give me internal injuries sooner or later!
Even though he was unwilling, Mu Yunhe was still 'forced' to go out by Luo Zhiheng. Luo Zhiheng did not show any sign of helping Mu Yunhe, and instead kept scolding him for this and that. The two of them moved slowly in the yard like snails.
Mu Yunhe's face was like a thousand-year-old block of ice, so cold it almost seemed to emanate chilling air. He stiffly followed Luo Zhiheng's movements. The servants in the courtyard were so frightened they retreated three feet.
Luo Zhiheng, however, smiled brightly, which was strange. Wasn't she the one who cried her heart out yesterday?
It took them almost half an hour to complete the loop. They walked and stopped frequently, spending most of their time arguing in the sun. However, it was always Luo Zhiheng who was making a ruckus, while Mu Yunhe kept a tense expression and didn't say a word, and it was unclear whether he was even listening to her.
The envoys from the Silver Moon Kingdom seem to have a particular fondness for setting out early in the morning; they've sent someone again now. They want to see Luo Zhiheng.
When Luo Zhiheng heard that the people who had just announced Mu Yunhe's death yesterday had come again, the feeling that rose in her heart was no longer hope, but resistance and rejection. She didn't want to see those people, fearing that they had even worse things to tell her.
After hesitating for a moment, she decided to go and see him. She helped Mu Yunhe back to his room and settled him in. Just as she turned around, her hand was grasped by Mu Yunhe's large, cold hand. She turned back and met Mu Yunhe's long, clear eyes.
"Don't always make things difficult for yourself. I'm already content with what I have now. Ah Heng, we don't have much, so let's not waste our time together. As you said, every extra day we have, we must live happily. Whether it can cure my illness or not, don't be too fixated on it." Her gentle words carried immense power. Mu Yunhe was worried that Luo Zhiheng would become too fixated on prolonging her life and lose herself in the process.
"I understand, don't worry. I'll be back soon." Luo Zhiheng smiled gently, bent down and kissed his still damp forehead before leaving.
Mu Yunhe's gaze followed Luo Zhiheng's retreating figure until she disappeared from sight. Only then did he conceal all the emotions in his eyes, opening and closing his large hands repeatedly. After a long while, he said in a deep voice as if he had made up his mind: "Xiao Xizi, bring me pen and ink. I want to... make a will!"
With a loud crash, the words "Will" startled Xiao Xizi so much that he knocked over the tea tray and knelt down with a thud, utterly terrified: "Master!!"
"Stop talking nonsense and go get it, otherwise Ah Heng will be back soon, and then there probably won't be time to write a complete will." Mu Yunhe closed his eyes, as if murmuring or telling Xiao Xizi, his voice was very soft, but full of a heavy sense of vicissitude. Xu Zhiren was blind.
Xiao Xizi, her face pale, wiped away her tears as she went to get her pen and ink.
Mu Yunhe clutched his chest, trying to suppress the irregular beating and dispel the suffocating feeling, as if he were about to suffocate. His vision blurred, and he seemed to have lost all his energy. He chuckled bitterly and whispered, "Aheng, the only thing I can do for you is leave you a fortune that will ensure you a comfortable life. As for anything else, please forgive me, I am powerless to do anything more..."
When Luo Zhiheng walked into the front hall, she felt her eyelids twitch suddenly, her heartbeat became irregular, and she stood there motionless as if in a daze. She touched her chest blankly, and the sudden dull pain made her gasp for breath.
"What's wrong with you?" Madam Wang was standing in front of the hall door at some point, looking at Luo Zhiheng with a strange expression.
Luo Zhiheng subtly lowered her hand and walked inside, smiling calmly, "It's nothing. May I ask what brings Madam Wang here today?"
Seeing that she looked unwell and had been so sad yesterday, yet could still smile today, Madam Wang realized she was a very rational and strong-willed person. It wasn't in vain that Madam Wang had helped her this time.
"I told our Prince about Mu Yunhe's situation, and of course, I also told him about yours. The Prince was furious to learn that this was your wish as champion, and that Silver Moon Kingdom had failed to fulfill it. He said that Silver Moon Kingdom would never break its promise, and perhaps he has a way to save Mu Yunhe, but he wants to see you first. Would you be willing to see our Prince?" The Lady of the Palace had truly given Luo Zhiheng another glimmer of hope!
"Yes! I can go see him right away!" Luo Zhiheng said without hesitation.
Madam Wang's expression turned somewhat strange: "It's alright to meet him, but you should also be prepared, our Prince... has a rather difficult temperament. And the Prince... is very fond of beautiful women!"
Luo Zhiheng's expression changed rapidly!
First update! There's another update today, haha, it's part of the guaranteed update list, and today's guaranteed update is still 10,000 words! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets! Don't worry, my darlings, just follow Hua Sha's storyline. Hua Sha will definitely straighten things out, and everything will be alright for Aheng and Xiao Hehe. Love you all!
167 A difficult choice! What about Ah Heng?
Updated: 2013-07-11 14:18:21 Word Count: 3617
"He loves beautiful women, which means Luo Zhiheng might suffer a loss if she goes?"
Seeing Luo Zhiheng's unpleasant expression, Madam Wang said with a wry smile, "Of course, this is your own decision. Although our Prince is a bit... not quite righteous, he is still capable. If the Prince wants to accomplish something, it will certainly not be difficult for him. Think it over carefully. For you, going to see the Prince now is like opening up a new path. There may be hope, but there will definitely be losses. If you don't go to see him, Mu Yunhe will lose two years of his life."
Luo Zhiheng stood there stiffly, never imagining that one day she would encounter such a formidable dilemma. She was truly caught in a crossfire. On one side was her own innocence and reputation; on the other, Mu Yunhe's life and death. Both were precarious and uncertain, yet both were crucial. If she made a choice, she would inevitably lose one.
Why was she a bandit in her past life? Because bad people came. Those foreigners forced them to stay away from their homes, and the streets were filled with corpses and blood. Few women were able to die with clothes covering their bodies. And she, while on the run, was almost captured and violated by those devils.
So his family went up the mountain to become bandits. Kind-hearted scholars cannot protect themselves and will only be trampled and humiliated by others. So they must take precautions to protect themselves. That's why she has always had a strong personality, simply because she uses a tough and heavy shell to protect her fragile and soft heart.
Now, could she sell her body for Mu Yunhe? Just thinking about this possibility made Luo Zhiheng feel an urge to commit suicide out of shame and indignation.
How could she possibly be forced to submit to someone? How could she possibly endure being treated like a plaything, trampled upon, and abused? How could she possibly accept being defiled?
But by resisting, she was essentially blocking a path of hope for Mu Yunhe. She couldn't bring herself to extinguish Mu Yunhe's hope for life.
A difficult choice! Luo Zhiheng felt like she was about to collapse, torn apart by two terrible emotions, both physically and mentally.
"If you find it difficult to decide, you can discuss it with the Princess. That way, even if something does happen, you'll be doing it for Mu Yunhe, and the Princess will know that, so she'll definitely be lenient and won't pursue the matter. Of course, you don't have to sacrifice so much for someone else. But it's also possible that the Prince will do nothing, and you'll be fine," Madam Wang said slowly.
Luo Zhiheng's palms were sweating, and her brows were furrowed in worry. Before she could make a decision, the princess's voice rang out behind her: "There's no need to discuss it anymore. I absolutely disagree!"
For some reason, Luo Zhiheng suddenly felt a sense of relief, but this was quickly followed by an overwhelming feeling of guilt. She didn't even dare to look at the Princess: "Mother..."
The princess came over, took her hand, and said solemnly, "Silly child, you shouldn't even hesitate about this kind of thing. You absolutely cannot agree. How important is a woman's reputation and integrity? You are the daughter-in-law of the Mu Prince's Mansion, the future Grand Princess and head mistress, and Mu Yunhe's wife. You represent not only yourself in Jiujiang, but also the entire Mu Prince's Mansion, Mu Yunhe, and even the face of the royal family. This kind of thing absolutely cannot be associated with you in the slightest."
"But what about Mu Yunhe?" Although the princess said this mostly out of consideration for the royal family and Mu Yunhe's reputation, it was still better than encouraging Luo Zhiheng to go to her death.
"There's always a way. If things really come to a dead end, there's nothing I can do. We've been through this for so many years, and we're prepared for that day to come. Heng'er, don't be afraid. Your mother would never do anything that would make you hurt your son to fight for Yunhe's future. Besides, Yunhe would never agree to you going," the princess said affectionately.
Luo Zhiheng's eyes reddened, her heart filled with sadness and unease. She remained silent, lost in thought.
"I don't know why Madam Wang came to say these things to Heng'er, but what you said today really disgusted me. I have always respected Madam Wang, but from today onwards, the Mu Prince's Mansion will no longer welcome Madam Wang's visits. I won't see you off." The Princess said firmly. She wouldn't be polite to someone who had devised a scheme to ruin her daughter-in-law's reputation. Luo Zhiheng was Mu Yunhe's wife; if Luo Zhiheng's chastity was ruined, then even if Mu Yunhe died, he wouldn't be clean.
At this moment, the princess was decisive and ruthless; no one could harm her son in any way!
Madam Wang wasn't angry; she just gave Luo Zhiheng a deep look before leaving the front hall.
Luo Zhiheng was still struggling with her inner turmoil, her mind filled with the image of Mu Yunhe. She wondered if she'd been kicked in the head by a donkey. The moment Madam Wang left, she had a real urge to shout out, "She's willing to see that prince!"
But would shouting it out really solve anything? She might lose a lot. She might save Mu Yunhe, but what if people misunderstand that she made a deal using her body? How could she face anyone after that? Would Mu Yunhe still forgive her?
The difficulties Luo Zhiheng faced were beyond the comprehension of others. But she had no choice but to make a decision: Mu Yunhe had to be saved! Meeting that prince might not necessarily result in any loss; if she was careful and agile, she might have a chance of success, right?
"Where can I see your prince?" Luo Zhiheng suddenly asked, her tone filled with desperation.
The princess was stunned and said in disbelief, "Heng'er, are you crazy?!" 14.
“Mother, I’m not crazy. I’ve just thought it through. Mu Yunhe can’t wait any longer. I can’t waste a single moment. If I go today, I might not find any hope, but maybe it’s a turning point that can save Mu Yunhe’s life. Although that prince is… well, how can we know it won’t work without even trying? Besides, I will protect myself. I want Mu Yunhe to live, and I don’t want to give up this opportunity because of my cowardice and selfishness. Mother, this is my decision, and I won’t regret it no matter what. So please, with the same unwavering desire as me for Mu Yunhe to live, support me, okay?”
Luo Zhiheng spoke earnestly and frankly, her face bearing a forced smile. That forced smile finally brought tears to the eyes of the princess, who was also a mother.
The princess embraced Luo Zhiheng tightly, crying out in anguish and trembling, "You silly child! Why did you do this? How long have you been with Yun He? Why are you willing to put yourself in danger for Yun He? Heng'er, how many lifetimes will we, your mother and I, owe you?"
Luo Zhiheng smiled wryly. Yes, how had she become so saintly? Sacrificing herself for others—how could she, Luo Zhiheng, actually do something so foolish? It was practically laughable, but she did it anyway, and willingly at that. A voice inside her seemed to be saying: For Mu Yunhe, I'm willing!
She forced a stiff smile and thought, "It's nothing. If something really happens to me, I can just consider it an act of charity. Once Mu Yunhe recovers, I'll commit suicide, return this body to him, and continue being a wandering ghost."
"Miss Luo, are you going to see our Prince with me?" Madam Wang asked, turning around, seemingly not at all surprised by Luo Zhiheng's final choice.
"Yes, I'm going to see him, but not to beg him, but to make a deal. I won't accept his favor for nothing. If he really has a way to cure Mu Yunhe, then I can pay him." Even in so many passive and desperate situations, Luo Zhiheng still managed to fight back; she wouldn't let herself remain passive forever. And now, when she spoke of paying a reward to the king of the mysterious and wealthy Silver Moon Kingdom, although she felt a little guilty, she also had some confidence.
With the Mu family mansion and her dowry, it's not impossible for them to take a gamble.
The princess's eyes lit up. If her son could be saved, she certainly wouldn't give up. With this idea in mind, the princess immediately said, "Yes! We can negotiate with your prince. The Mu Prince's Mansion can meet his demands as much as possible, as long as he can find a way to treat Yunhe."
Madam Wang burst into laughter: "What need does our Prince of Silver Moon Kingdom have that you can satisfy? Do you know why Silver Moon Kingdom is called Silver Moon Kingdom? Silver Moon means full moon, representing abundance and no shortage! Silver Moon Kingdom is just like that, it lacks nothing! It lacks nothing! As long as we want it, it will have it! As for Luo Zhiheng, the fact that His Highness the Prince made an exception to meet you personally is because of your outstanding performance on the day of the finals. Otherwise, no matter how beautiful you are, how could you compare to one of His Highness the Prince's concubines?"
Madam Wang spoke without a trace of sarcasm or arrogance; her laughter was simply a straightforward and sincere description of the facts.
Luo Zhiheng felt relieved. At this moment, she was so happy to hear such words. She was not as good as a concubine of someone else, so as long as that prince was not very thirsty, he would not take a fancy to her. So what did she have to be afraid of?
"Take me to see your prince." Luo Zhiheng was completely anxious this time.
Madam Wang nodded: "Alright, let's go now. I can tell you very clearly that the prince you are going to see today is a powerful prince of the Silver Moon Dynasty! As long as it is on earth, there are very few things that this prince can't do if he really wants to. We've given you the opportunity; it's up to you to seize it."
A surge of joy welled up in Luo Zhiheng's heart. The princess was also happy, but there was still half a worry. She didn't want Luo Zhiheng to go alone, but the madam insisted that Luo Zhiheng not take anyone with her. As soon as Luo Zhiheng left, the princess immediately went to Mu Yunhe's courtyard. Her face was pale, and she lingered in his room for a long time without leaving.
Mu Yunhe had noticed that something was wrong with his mother long ago, but he thought it was still because of what happened yesterday. However, his mother had been restless for a long time and kept looking towards the door, clearly waiting for someone.
"Mother, who are you waiting for?" Mu Yunhe asked abruptly. 15898332
The princess's expression changed, and she hurriedly raised her cup to drink tea to cover up her embarrassment, saying, "I... I wasn't waiting for anyone. I just wanted to stay here with you."
Mu Yunhe frowned, then suddenly said, seemingly casually, "Where did Aheng run off to again? Why isn't he back yet?"
The princess's hand holding the teacup trembled, and the teacup fell to the ground and shattered.
His mother's probing answer sent a chill down his spine. He sat bolt upright, his eyes flashing coldly as he demanded, "Mother, where is Aheng?!"
Second update! No extra chapter today, will be posted tomorrow. A friend of mine is coming over today, and I have to entertain her. Ugh, I've been so busy these past few days, but I can't help it. Please understand, everyone! Still asking for recommendations, comments, and monthly tickets!
168 A mad and vicious scheme! A handsome man in purple!
Updated: 2013-07-12 13:53:27 Word Count: 1835
The princess couldn't answer, nor could she tell Mu Yunhe where Luo Zhiheng had gone, as that would only make Mu Yunhe anxious as well.