"I'm a man! How can a man be a wife? You're the wife! You bastard, all you can do is pull this stunt. I'm not buying it, you heartless woman!" The Poison Saint was still struggling and roaring fiercely.
The king said in a sinister tone, "If you keep making a scene, I will execute you on the spot. You know I'm shameless enough to let those male favorites see just how good their queen's figure is."
The Poison Saint fell silent immediately, staring at him stiffly, his face flushed red, his chest heaving violently, clearly furious.
The moment Luo Zhiheng was suddenly pulled into Mu Yunhe's arms, she finally snapped out of her daze. She looked at Mu Yunhe blankly and stammered, "Am I dreaming? Was that a woman? And that woman called a man her wife? How could this be?"
Mu Yunhe didn't care about what was going on with the Prince; the Prince had always been an eccentric person. He didn't hate the Prince now because the Prince hadn't harmed Luo Zhiheng, but he still loathed the Prince because if it weren't for the Prince, there wouldn't have been so much trouble.
"Who cares?" As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Yunhe showered Luo Zhiheng's face with a series of light and urgent kisses, from her forehead to her cheeks. He murmured, "It's finally alright. Aheng, I missed you so much. I'm sorry."
"Why are you saying sorry?" Luo Zhiheng hugged him, a moment of reassurance making her want to cry with happiness. It had only been a few days apart, yet she missed him so much.
"I shouldn't have left you alone. If I had asked you that day, perhaps none of this would have happened today, and perhaps I wouldn't have hurt and embarrassed you." Mu Yunhe felt extremely guilty, her clear eyes filled with tears, like a child who had done something wrong. She lowered her head slightly, and her gentle voice became soft.
Luo Zhiheng cupped his face in her hands and asked, "If you had asked me that day, and I had told you that I hadn't lost my virginity, would you have believed me?"
“I believe you!” Mu Yunhe answered without hesitation.
"Even though you clearly saw how disheveled I was, you still believed me?" Luo Zhiheng asked, her voice rising slightly. She glanced at the princess, who was sitting there in a daze.
"I will believe whatever you say!" Mu Yunhe answered firmly. He was afraid that Luo Zhiheng would not believe him, so he took her hand and said, "Aheng, do you believe me? I will believe whatever you say, even if it is a lie, because I know that you will not harm me."
"Mu Yunhe..." She couldn't say anything more; it was all stuck in her throat. All she could do was hug him tightly. With those words from him, all the confusion and grievances she had felt these past few days seemed insignificant.
How could she not care about what others said? The princess was not just anyone; she was someone she genuinely wanted to treat well. She always thought that she had come to this strange world without her mother and father, and that she had met the princess, a gentle person like a mother, here. She was willing to treat her well. She frequently defended the princess, not seeking any great reward in return. Perhaps it was just a psychological comfort. She used the filial piety she hadn't had time to show to her mother on the princess.
It's a pity that the princess dealt her a cruel blow! This blow might not be fatal, but it was deep, making her never dare to trust others easily again. Her soul was only eighteen years old, and such a severe injury inevitably caused her confusion, but she dared not show it. Perhaps even the slightest vulnerability would cause her to collapse and never rise again.
But Mu Yunhe is still here, his love is still here, and he doesn't despise or abandon him. Mu Ran thinks of Mu Yunhe's promise in the past: never to abandon him. He said it then, and he has done it today, even better and more thoroughly.
Luo Zhiheng felt fortunate, at least in this world that left her feeling lost, there was still Mu Yunhe, willing to protect her, and whom she was willing to protect in return. For the two of them to grow old together like this wasn't such a bad choice.
The princess sat there blankly, feeling as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. Her ears were ringing. She didn't know what had gone wrong, but the sudden reversal of events before her eyes terrified her.
If the King of the World is not a man, but a woman, then the story of Luo Zhiheng being raped by the King of the World must be false and self-defeating. All her previous words now seem so ridiculous and ironic; she slapped herself hard in the face. She had pushed the mother-son relationship to the brink of collapse.
But how did the Prince become a woman? How did Luo Zhiheng suddenly transform from a discarded woman into a praiseworthy wife? Mu Qingya, her good daughter, has truly ruined her life! If she had arrived a day later, if she had held back a little longer and not revealed this matter, then things wouldn't have turned out this way between her and Mu Yunhe, and Luo Zhiheng would still be that obedient and filial daughter-in-law.
The princess was instantly plunged into despair. She wasn't stupid; she knew it was all too late, all over.
People are indeed praising Luo Zhiheng, showering her with compliments, but their praise and recognition come too late. These opportunists only disgust Luo Zhiheng!
"That's great! Mother, Luo Zhiheng is alright now, isn't she? She won't be cursed by these vile people anymore, right?" Princess Yu stood beside the Empress, excitedly waving her arms and shaking her mother's arm. Her red and swollen eyes from crying finally showed a smile.
A faint smile finally appeared on the Empress's pale face, though it was forced: "Yes, no one can wrong her anymore; she is innocent. Yu'er, you must remember, some things cannot be done as you wish. We must respect the facts and not distort them, for distorting them not only distorts the facts but also our own humanity. If a person cannot even uphold their most basic conscience, then what value does that person have in living?"
"Yes, Mother, don't worry, Yu'er will remember." Princess Yu nodded solemnly, but when she saw Bai Mingyue standing below the stage, her little face instantly darkened: "I hate this person! Is he really Father's son? Mother, Yu'er doesn't want a brother like this, it's so shameful."
Princess Yu had been crying for two days over her fate. With Bai Mingyue's arrival, Mu Qingya's status was no longer simply that of a concubine, but a concubine with a son, which posed a significant threat to the Empress's position. Although Princess Yu was naive, she wasn't stupid. She knew that Bai Mingyue was likely to vie for the throne, which would endanger her mother. Therefore, she was convinced that Mu Qingya harbored treacherous ambitions.
"She can't even give birth to a son herself, so she has to find someone else's. What a disgrace!" Princess Yu cursed under her breath, unable to contain her anger.
The Empress's actions didn't teach Princess Yu a lesson, because Princess Yu herself didn't know how to face Bai Mingyue and the Emperor. This whole affair happened too quickly; before she could even process it, another piece of news arrived that made her blood run cold.
If Bai Mingyue is truly the emperor's son, then at eighteen, he's a year older than Yu'er, meaning he must have been conceived after she arrived in the Southern Dynasty. So, was the emperor having an affair with a woman outside the palace even after marrying her? The empress suddenly smiled coldly and ironically. The man who had just told her he fell in love with her at first sight could still sleep with another woman while in love at first sight—how cheap and fragile that love was! Could the emperor's words still be trusted?
Bai Mingyue was equally shocked. He couldn't believe that he, an imposter, had suddenly become a genuine prince.
The shocks were too numerous, and everyone fell into silence and fear amidst these successive shocks.
Mu Qingya glared fiercely at the two people embracing below, finding them an eyesore. Why could they embrace so brazenly? Why could they stand firm and remain unshaken? Why couldn't she take revenge? Was she wrong? She only wanted justice for her dead son; she only wanted fairness for herself.
"You've ruined everything!" The entire Mu family has wronged her; it's only natural she wants them dead. Why is it so difficult? Luo Zhiheng—it must be this scourge that's ruined everything! From the moment Luo Zhiheng entered Mu Yunhe's life, nothing has gone according to her plan. This is wrong, and she won't allow it. Luo Zhiheng has broken her rules, so she must die!
She will not let Mu Yunhe be happy, nor will she let Luo Zhiheng have a fulfilling life; she will make them suffer to the point of wishing they were dead!
"Hahaha!" Mu Qingya suddenly burst into laughter. Her laughter was sharp and cold, making everyone's hair stand on end for a moment.
"Mother, has she gone mad?" Princess Yu was startled and whispered behind the Empress.
The Empress watched Mu Qingya's crazed figure with a heavy heart. Mu Qingya had completely changed, becoming so evil and insane, and would never come back.
"What are you laughing at!" Luo Zhiheng demanded sharply.
Mu Qingya looked down at them with a sinister gaze, and said loudly and triumphantly, "So what if you are innocent? It's already spread throughout the world that you, Luo Zhiheng, are a slut. Everyone knows that your reputation is ruined. Do you think you can salvage it?"
"So what if it can't be salvaged? Do you think I care? If I really cared about that damn reputation, I wouldn't be standing here right now!" Luo Zhiheng said contemptuously.
"Don't you care about your reputation? Then do you care about Mu Yunhe? Unfortunately, even if you do care about Mu Yunhe, it's useless now, because you and Mu Yunhe are completely unrelated! You are no longer husband and wife, have you forgotten? You wrote the letter of divorce yourself, you ended this marriage yourself. You can never be together again. Luo Zhiheng, even the heavens won't let you be together. You've divorced yourself, and now you want to enter the Mu Prince's mansion? Don't even think about it!" Mu Qingya laughed wildly.
Bai Mingyue's eyes lit up, and he quickly looked at Luo Zhiheng. Since she hadn't lost her virginity and was still a clean woman, and now had no relationship with Mu Yunhe, she was free to marry as she pleased. He could take this opportunity to marry Luo Zhiheng. He firmly believed that with his current noble status as a true prince, and the fact that he didn't mind that she was already a divorced woman, as long as Luo Zhiheng wasn't stupid, she should happily marry him. After all, for a woman who had been married twice, finding a man better than him was as difficult as climbing to heaven. In this way, it would actually benefit him, saving him a lot of trouble.
Everyone froze, then remembered the letter of divorce. Their expressions turned strange, and they secretly lamented the pity of the loving couple. Even if they were to reconcile in the future, their on-again, off-again relationship, coupled with the doubts and obstruction from their families, would likely make their future extremely difficult.
"Sister! Why do you insist on making things difficult for Aheng and us? Can't you just let us go? What did Aheng do wrong to deserve your relentless pursuit? She has sacrificed so much for me, don't you understand yet?" Mu Yunhe questioned with dissatisfaction.
"Don't call me 'sister'! If you're still my brother and still consider me your sister, then leave this woman right now. She's a jinx! How can you still protect her like this? Can't you see she's been embarrassing me all along? Can't you see she's been going against me? This kind of woman doesn't deserve to stay by your side!" Mu Qingya coldly and angrily rebuked.
"I didn't see anything! All I saw was you constantly making things difficult for Aheng, constantly humiliating her and making her feel ashamed! You've been the one constantly confronting her! Since you won't let me call you 'sister,' then I won't. I'll grant your wish. Besides, I don't want a vicious sister anyway." Mu Yunhe's face darkened completely. He was no longer going to protect this hard-won family bond. He had carefully tried to maintain it, but Mu Qingya kept destroying it. Why should he stoop so low?
Mu Qingya sneered coldly, "Well, well, you really are something! Mu Yunhe, have you forgotten how good I was to you? When you were little, I always thought of you when I had something good, but now that I've chosen someone good, a woman has made you so ungrateful? You even abandoned your own sister for this woman who has ruined your reputation, Mu Yunhe, aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning!"
"Enough, Qingya! How could you curse your brother like that?" the princess suddenly said, her face full of anger.
"Are you biased towards Mu Yunhe? You called it a curse just because of one sentence? Is Mu Yunhe's body really that weak? Or did Mu Yunhe do something shameful and immoral? Otherwise, why are you so afraid of being struck by lightning?" Mu Qingya's cold words were full of sarcasm and a strange hatred.
Upon hearing this, the princess felt a chill run up her spine, her body stiffening. She was suddenly startled, remembering Mu Qingya's unusual hostility towards Luo Zhiheng. Could it be that Mu Qingya was targeting Mu Yunhe? Did she want to make Mu Yunhe unhappy?
She had done wrong and shady things, but Mu Yunhe hadn't. Was Mu Qingya clearly taking her anger out on Mu Yunhe? Was she still resentful about what happened back then? But why vent her anger on Mu Yunhe? Mu Yunhe knew nothing, understood nothing. If that was truly the case, the princess would be left with nothing but despair and sorrow.
"Mu Qingya! What's wrong with you? You treat your sister-in-law so coldly, how can you be so cruel to your own mother?" Mu Yunhe scolded. No matter how bad the mother is, children shouldn't go too far, right?
"Is it excessive? Ask your mother if what I said is excessive. Besides, I don't have a sister-in-law. Luo Zhiheng is no longer your wife. You are single now. I will immediately choose a good woman for you to be your wife. How about Bai Mingzhu from the Bai family? It would be perfect to strengthen the kinship between us in the Southern Dynasty!" Mu Qingya laughed loudly. As long as she could make Mu Yunhe unhappy, she would do anything to make him unhappy.
"Whether I am Mu Yunhe's wife or not is not for you to decide! As for Bai Mingzhu, I'm afraid there's no hope for her. You are so averse to women being impure, and so protective of the Mu family and Mu Yunhe's reputation. Surely you, in your noble status, wouldn't choose a woman who would strip naked in broad daylight and be seen by everyone to marry Mu Yunhe? If you do that, wouldn't you be tearing your own face off and trampling on it?" Luo Zhiheng's melodious voice was filled with schadenfreude and sarcasm.
At this moment, she was truly glad that she had plucked Bai Mingzhu's hair and hung it on the back door of her house. This matter could not be kept secret, and the Bai family would definitely make a move. As long as someone investigated, they would definitely find out the truth. Therefore, she was not afraid of Mu Qingya's sinister intentions.
"What did you say?" Mu Qingya was stunned for a moment, naturally not believing her words, and sneered, "You think your lies are flawless when you slander others? The eldest daughter of the Bai family is pure and innocent, how could she do such a thing?"
"Pshaw! Bai Mingzhu is pure and innocent; she was just seen naked. If you don't believe me, just ask your eldest son if his sister is in trouble." Luo Zhiheng was confident and could also take advantage of Bai Mingzhu.
"Bai Mingyue, tell me, what exactly happened to Bai Mingzhu? You mustn't hide anything!" The Emperor preemptively questioned Mu Qingya, his voice filled with authority. He knew Mu Qingya wouldn't get a clear answer if she asked, so he was doing Luo Zhiheng a favor, hoping to ease her mind and make his next move easier.
Bai Mingyue was afraid of the emperor. Even though this man might be his biological father, he still dared not be presumptuous. Moreover, he wanted to please Luo Zhiheng, so he answered truthfully: "Just a few days ago, the servants in the house got up and found a naked body hanging at the back door. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be my elder sister, Bai Mingzhu."
"Who saw it?" the emperor asked instinctively. If it was a woman who saw it, that would be fine, but if it was a man, then Bai Mingzhu's life would probably be over. 170.
Bai Mingyue hesitated for a moment, worried that the emperor might actually send someone to investigate, so she dared not lie: "It was discovered by the servant who guards the back door of the house."
These words caused an uproar in the audience.
These words tarnished Bai Mingzhu's reputation, leaving Bai Mingzhu with two choices: marry the servant who saw her body, remain unmarried for life, or, even if she did marry, these words would prevent her from finding a good husband. Her life was ruined by her brother's words. Bai Mingyue's cold-heartedness was truly chilling; a prince with such a man in his position would likely produce another scoundrel.
Luo Zhiheng was also surprised. The Bai family had quite a presence. They even had someone specifically watching the back door? But she didn't care, because Bai Mingzhu deserved it.
Mu Qingya's face twisted instantly. Wasn't this tantamount to Luo Zhiheng refuting her with a single sentence? It was as if Luo Zhiheng had trampled her face and words into the ground once more! Damn bastard!
"So, you still want Bai Mingzhu to marry Mu Yunhe? I'm afraid you can't, otherwise how can the noble Mu Royal Mansion and the noble Mu Qingya still have the face to live?" Luo Zhiheng said sarcastically.
"If Bai Mingzhu isn't good enough, there's always Zhuge Hualuan! Zhuge Hualuan is the daughter of the Painting Saint, with both talent and beauty, she's more than a hundred times better than you, Luo Zhiheng, she's worthy of Mu Yunhe!" Mu Qingya was already pushed to the limit. She, who had always had everything go smoothly, had never encountered such a troublesome situation and person before.
Luo Zhiheng waved her folding fan, speaking venomously with an air of elegance: "Tsk tsk, if Mu Yunhe were your son, even if Zhuge Hualuan were the best, I doubt you would even consider marrying him. Would you be willing to let your son marry a woman with a missing arm and such a depraved character? What good is high status if her morals are completely corrupt? She's like a mad dog barking wildly, nothing but disgust and contempt. What's the point of someone like her living? She might as well die. At least after a hundred years, her body will decompose and contribute to the land, becoming fertilizer. That way, she didn't live a life in vain."
Some people were amused by her mischievous and quirky appearance, while others were left speechless by her dry humor. Naturally, there were also people who disliked her quite a bit.
"Luo Zhiheng, watch your mouth! How dare you humiliate my daughter like this? You're nothing but a discarded wife now. Even with one arm missing, my daughter is more than a match for Mu Yunhe, because Mu Yunhe owes her! You know better than anyone who cut off my daughter's arm!" A loud voice suddenly rang out, though it was a woman's voice, it was rough and forceful.
Luo Zhiheng was startled and quickly and weakly threw herself into Mu Yunhe's arms, saying in a coquettish voice, "Oh dear, you scared me to death! Where did this tigress come from? Little Hehe, you should chase the tigress away quickly, or I'll lend you my cane and you can cut off one of the tigress's arms too."
"As you wish." Mu Yunhe had lost all his temper, smiling as he gently stroked her soft, long hair, like a loyal dog, agreeing to whatever she said.
Luo Zhiheng immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling.
"You two shameless bastards! You are the adulterers! You are no longer husband and wife, yet you dare to be so affectionate in broad daylight and in public! Let me teach you a lesson!" The woman's furious words rang out, and even the painting master's reprimand could not stop her.
The woman was undoubtedly Zhuge Hualuan's mother. Out of the corner of Luo Zhiheng's eye, she saw a tall woman dressed in grassland attire stand up and walk out from behind the Painting Saint. The Painting Saint couldn't stop her. Although the woman was tall and had a rough voice, her face was stunningly beautiful. As she walked, she angrily shouted, "You two shameless bastards, daring to harm my daughter! Today, I will cut off both of your arms so you'll know what pain really is!"
"Like mother, like daughter, they're practically identical." Luo Zhiheng shook her head and rubbed her forehead. As the unexpected obstacle approached, she sneered, her hand suddenly resting on her waist, and she strangely pulled out her cane.
Swish, swish, swish!
The slender cane spun rapidly in her hand, the sudden burst of light blinding. Mu Yunhe abruptly raised his eyes, his gaze sharp and cold, and with lightning speed, he grabbed the tip of the cane and yanked it out! The two didn't even exchange glances, yet their coordination was flawless and their teamwork impeccable.
When the light finally dimmed a bit, Zhuge Hualuan's mother suddenly lowered her hand that had been shielding her from the bright light, but her expression changed drastically in an instant. There was a sharp, long knife pressed against her neck. At the other end of the knife, Mu Yunhe stood tall and had a cold look in his eyes, while he was still half-holding Luo Zhiheng, who was full of mockery.
The two were like immortals who had descended to the mortal world for love, leaning on each other and fighting side by side.
"Try taking another step. Your daughter has experienced the sharpness of this knife. Do you want to try it too?" Luo Zhiheng smiled like a pampered little fox, her smugness mixed with playfulness and a touch of arrogance, so beautiful it was infuriating!
"Don't be so arrogant! It's just a broken knife, just like you, a discarded wife of a wealthy family. Neither of them are presentable!" the woman said angrily.
Mu Qingya quickly said, "Luo Zhiheng, are you trying to go back on your word? It's impossible for you to overturn your actions in front of so many people! I can give you a chance. Leave now, and as long as you never appear in front of Mu Yunhe again in this lifetime, I will not kill you."
Luo Zhiheng scoffed and said slowly, "Pshaw! I am Mu Yunhe's rightful wife, not the slut you're talking about! Who are you talking about? Do you have the right to make me leave? I am an innocent and virtuous woman, yet you are forcing me to leave my husband. Mu Qingya, you are probably the most vicious woman in the world!"
"A legitimate wife? That's in the past! Now you're just a discarded wife that Mu Yunhe divorced! The divorce papers are still in your hands, are you trying to deny it?" Mu Qingya was almost driven crazy by Luo Zhiheng, and she roared.
"A letter of divorce? You don't mean this, do you?" Luo Zhiheng feigned surprise and took out a piece of paper from her bosom. She opened it, and there it was the letter of divorce she had written herself that day. Seeing Mu Qingya excitedly stepping forward, Luo Zhiheng laughed and said, "So what if there's a letter of divorce? The person on it isn't me. I'm still Mu Yunhe's wife, always have been!"
"What? Impossible! It clearly says on there that you've been divorced." Mu Qingya couldn't help but quickly step down the stairs, snatch the divorce papers from her hand, and then laughed arrogantly, "The three words 'followed by the letter' are clearly written on it, how dare you deny it!"
Suddenly, Luo Zhiheng snatched the knife from Mu Yunhe's hand and swiftly and deftly brandished it across the bluestone ground. As the dust and sand settled, the three characters "Luo Zhiheng" were clearly and deeply etched into her face. She arrogantly declared, "Oh dear, I'm so sorry, I'm so inexperienced and made a mistake. The name on this paper isn't mine; these three characters on the ground are my real name! Sorry to disappoint you, but Luo Zhiheng and Mu Yunhe are still husband and wife!"
Mu Qingya was instantly stunned, as if struck by lightning!
Chapter 1 is here. Hua Sha will continue writing Chapter 2 to annoy Mu Qingya. Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets. Happy Qixi Festival, my darlings!
Chapter 253: Forcing Mother to Kneel! (Bonus Chapter for 35,000 Recommendation Votes)
Updated: 2013-08-13 16:33:13 Word Count: 3571
That day, Luo Zhiheng personally wrote a letter of divorce, clearly stating Mu Yunhe and Luo Zhiheng's names. Today, the letter remains the same, but its meaning has completely changed. According to Luo Zhiheng, this different name alone is enough to render the letter worthless!
Mu Qingya was naturally unwilling, and even disbelieving. She didn't believe that things would develop exactly as Luo Zhiheng said. She had always been able to keep things in her grasp. Over the years, hadn't the Emperor been in her hands?