Updated: 2013-11-12 18:43:36 Word Count: 7436
Luo Zhiheng's sudden visit didn't surprise Luo Ningshuang much. In fact, Luo Ningshuang seemed to have anticipated Luo Zhiheng's arrival. Her gaze towards Luo Zhiheng was wary and cold. She simply wanted to test how long it would take Luo Zhiheng to reach her courtyard. Now it seemed that Luo Zhiheng had indeed secretly had her every move monitored.
Luo Ningshuang, arrogant because she was reborn, always felt that the opportunity given to her by heaven must have some other meaning. She always believed she was favored by the heavens, superior to others, and destined for greatness. Therefore, she always looked down on everyone, outwardly appearing virtuous and kind, but inwardly she was utterly corrupted. Now, if she wanted to turn the tables, she could only seize this advantage of her rebirth. She refused to believe that knowing how things would develop in the future, she couldn't outmaneuver Luo Zhiheng.
"Is my sister trying to interfere in my family affairs? Even if I don't have the right to divorce Bai Mingyue, my sister still has no right to meddle in my family's business." Luo Ningshuang didn't back down at this moment, but instead said angrily.
Luo Zhiheng sneered inwardly. Was Luo Ningshuang trying to tell everyone that Luo Zhiheng was meddling in other people's business? Or did Luo Ningshuang think that Luo Zhiheng was really bored and willing to get involved in her messy affairs?
"You're overthinking it. I don't care what you do, but you're in the Mu Dynasty now, in the General's Mansion. Every move you make, every word you say, represents the General's Mansion, represents Father! Please consider the bigger picture and don't do anything outrageous. Divorce? What right do you, a woman, have to divorce your husband? I don't care what you do, and I can't control it, but please don't do anything that would embarrass Father on the General's Mansion's territory. As for your family affairs, if you really want to deal with them, then please go back to the Southern Dynasty. This is the Mu Dynasty, not your backyard!" Luo Zhiheng said sarcastically.
Luo Ningshuang's face turned pale and then red. She glared at Luo Zhiheng, clenched her fists, and suddenly laughed, "Sister, what you're saying makes it sound like this is your home and not mine. Aren't we twins? You've done so many shocking things, and Father never said it was shameful. Why should I be criticized by you just for fighting for my own rights? Your style of speaking and acting is still as domineering as ever."
Luo Zhiheng wasn't angry, nor did she bother with a verbal battle with Luo Ningshuang. Without even glancing at the two people beside her, she coldly said to Luo Zhiheng, "You'd better have some self-awareness. You're here in the General's Mansion as a guest, just like me. I, on the other hand, am the eldest daughter of this family and a member of the Mu Dynasty. Naturally, I can manage this family on behalf of the head of the family. But you are different. Please be aware of your place. Also, if you want to deal with the concubines in your harem, please don't defile this clean General's Mansion."
"What do you mean by that, sister? I am your younger sister, and that little aunt is bullying me. You, as my older sister, not only don't help me, but you also mock me like this. Is that fair to me? Or is it that you still dislike Shuang'er like you did when we were little, so you are targeting and making things difficult for Shuang'er in everything you do?" Luo Ning Shuang suddenly changed her sharp-tongued demeanor and became soft and aggrieved, like a pitiful little lamb being bullied, choking back tears.
Luo Zhiheng was a little confused. How could Luo Ningshuang, who was so powerful in combat, suddenly act like this? Was she possessed by a ghost?
While Luo Zhiheng was still unable to react, Luo Ningshuang suddenly knelt on the ground, grabbing her thigh and choking back tears, saying, "Sister, please forgive Shuang'er for what I did before, considering we are twins. Shuang'er knows I made a big mistake, but please understand that I have always lacked parental love. From childhood to adulthood, Shuang'er has lived in the shadow of my sister's excessive pampering. I really envy my sister for receiving our father's love and affection, and the care of her brother."
Luo Ningshuang spoke with tears streaming down her face, truly moving everyone who saw her. If Luo Zhiheng didn't know what kind of person Luo Ningshuang was at heart, she would almost have been moved herself.
Luo Ningshuang, however, wept bitterly and said, "When I was little, you could wear new clothes, and although I had some too, they were never as pretty or warm as yours. The servants were all people who treated people differently based on their status. In name, I was the master, but in reality, I had to live by the whims of the servants. You haven't experienced what I went through, so how could you understand how I felt?"
"Father and brother have always treated you like a precious treasure, the apple of their eye. You are their lifelong pride and happiness, while I am seen as a jinx, an omen of bad luck. They treat me as if I don't exist. Countless times I watched you laugh and play, hiding in a corner, secretly envious and hopeful. But every time I appeared, it only made Father's face turn cold and Brother's smile disappear. Do you know the fear and despair I felt then? I don't understand, why are we treated so differently when we are clearly sisters?"
"At that time, I gradually came to understand hatred. I hated my sister, but I also loved you very much because you are my own sister. When everyone else disliked me, only my sister truly cared for me. She always thought of me when there was something good to eat, and I was grateful to her. But I was young and ignorant back then, and I did some wrong things because of envy and jealousy. But could you please forgive me, sister, for the sake of my young age and our blood ties? Please let me go?"
Luo Ningshuang portrayed herself as a pitiful, helpless, and desperate bitter flower, leaving Luo Zhiheng no chance to speak. Every word she uttered was sincere, because it was based on her personal experience and her heartfelt feelings. Even if there were lies or resentment, her shrewd and skillful acting skills concealed them.
This scene portrayed Luo Ningshuang as someone who was so badly bullied by Luo Zhiheng that she had no choice but to lower herself and beg for mercy.
Luo Zhiheng was completely stunned. What was going on? Why did Luo Ningshuang suddenly change her attitude? Kneeling and begging was not Luo Ningshuang's usual style.
The authoritative voice that suddenly rang out behind her gave Luo Zhiheng the answer.
"What are you doing? What are you doing?!" The authoritative voice contained questioning, anger, and heartache; it was Her Majesty the Empress.
Luo Zhiheng understood in an instant. So Luo Ningshuang was using her as a stepping stone. Luo Ningshuang must have known that Her Majesty the Empress was coming, which was why she suddenly changed her mind. No wonder Luo Ningshuang wouldn't kneel before her and dared to cause such a commotion in the General's Mansion. It turned out she had come prepared and planned it all along.
Luo Ningshuang used this opportunity to utter seemingly secret and unspeakable words, aiming to make it appear as if she were casually mentioning them to the Empress. This would make her words more powerful and easier to believe. Luo Ningshuang must have known that the Empress would definitely come, which is why the previous scene unfolded.
Unexpectedly, after not seeing her for several months, Luo Ningshuang has become quite shrewd. She even knows how to manipulate and act now. However, Luo Zhiheng has always known the benefits of acting.
"Grandmother?" Luo Ningshuang looked at the Empress in shock, then turned pale and denied in a panic, "No, nothing happened."
How could Her Majesty the Empress not know what had happened? She had already learned everything on her way here. While she was furious at Luo Ningshuang's capricious nature, the snippets of conversation Luo Ningshuang had overheard about their childhood had touched Her Majesty's heart. What Luo Ningshuang said was true; she knew it, and she had investigated it herself.
Luo Ningshuang's childhood was unhappy, which led to her current extreme and problematic personality. Thinking this way, the Empress's gaze towards Luo Ningshuang softened a bit.
Seeing Luo Ningshuang's terrified denial, the Empress softened her voice and said, "Don't be afraid. Stand up and tell your grandmother what happened. Your grandmother will stand up for you. Women of Silver Moon Kingdom don't cry and whine, making themselves a laughingstock. If it's because of a man, then there's even less to worry about. To women of Silver Moon Kingdom, men are just playthings, so why bother?"
The Empress's bold words undoubtedly stunned Luo Ningshuang. Although she had lived two lives, she was not entirely clear about what kind of existence the Silver Moon Kingdom was. As a daughter of a military family, the idea of polygamy was deeply ingrained in her, so it was understandable that she was shocked by the Empress's words.
Clutching her wildly beating heart, she said, on the verge of tears, "Grandmother, it's not that I don't want to talk about it, but there are just too many things I don't know where to begin. My marriage is not happy, and I don't want to continue living with Bai Mingyue. Even if my reputation is ruined, even if I never marry again, I will leave this beast Bai Mingyue! Please, Grandmother, grant me this favor and let me leave Bai Mingyue. I am willing to serve you by your side for the rest of my life."
The Empress was slightly taken aback, not expecting Luo Ningshuang's attitude to be so resolute. She frowned inwardly, her sinister gaze fixed on Bai Mingyue and the other woman.
Bai Mingyue withdrew her gaze from Luo Zhiheng's face with a complicated expression, and carefully addressed the Empress, saying, "Your Majesty, I truly do not wish to have Luo Ningshuang as my wife. This woman is ruthless and vicious, and she even attempted to harm my offspring. Naturally, I cannot allow this. However, since Luo Ningshuang was personally betrothed to me by my father, the Emperor, this marriage cannot be left unresolved. I implore Your Majesty to grant me permission to take Luo Ningshuang back to the Southern Dynasty, and I request that my father personally issue an edict to divorce Luo Ningshuang."
Bai Mingyue was furious, and his words to the Empress, whom he greatly feared, were somewhat impolite. However, in his view, even if the Empress didn't give him face, she wouldn't disrespect the Emperor of the Southern Dynasty, right? They were both monarchs, equals. Thinking this, Bai Mingyue straightened his back, and his gaze towards Luo Ningshuang carried a hint of bloodlust.
The Empress's displeased gaze darkened, and she said casually, "This matter is a domestic affair of your Southern Dynasty, and I shouldn't interfere. However, male superiority and female inferiority are principles in your world. If we follow the principles of our Silver Moon Kingdom, then it wouldn't matter if that person divorced you. You, Bai Mingyue, shouldn't be too arrogant. You're bullying my granddaughter in my son-in-law's house."
The Empress's authority is still very strong, and this undoubtedly bolsters Luo Ningshuang's position. The Empress's words have brought joy to some and sorrow to others.
Luo Ningshuang looked delighted, Bai Mingyue turned pale, Luo Zhiheng was expressionless, and Chun Nuan was terrified.
"Alright, I don't want to interfere in your affairs anymore. As long as you don't harm my granddaughter, do whatever you want with her." After saying that, the Empress left. It was indeed a waste of a monarch's talents to handle such matters.
As soon as the Empress left, Luo Ningshuang immediately changed her tune, glancing at Luo Zhiheng with a smug look. She knew that if she wanted to do something, she could do it. She had plenty of ways to win over the Empress. Wasn't using Luo Zhiheng as a stepping stone the most convenient shortcut? Judging from the Empress's expression, she was also somewhat dissatisfied with Luo Zhiheng.
She knew that Her Majesty the Empress liked Luo Zhiheng more than her, how could that be! The Empress had to like her and dislike Luo Zhiheng! So she plotted against Luo Zhiheng, making the Empress sympathize with her first, so that the Empress would favor her more.
She quickly bribed a lowly old woman in the courtyard, meticulously scheming all day, and finally got things going according to her plan. That's more like it; she's a reborn person, naturally possessing many advantages and blessings over others. Manipulating people should be a piece of cake for her.
Luo Zhiheng couldn't bear to look at Luo Ningshuang's face; she felt like she was talking to a pig, not only disgusting herself but also lowering her status. She snorted coldly and left with her entourage. However, the vinegar brought to Luo Ningshuang for lunch that day was more sour, stronger, and plentiful than before. Luo Ningshuang wanted to smash the bowl, but was forced to swallow it all without spilling a drop. That same day, many more pieces of porcelain were broken in Luo Ningshuang's room. (The last sentence appears to be a fragment and doesn't translate directly.)
In the dead of night, Luo Ningshuang, still unwilling to give up, took advantage of the brief moment Bai Mingyue was out of the palace to bring Chunnuan to her room. She looked at Chunnuan with a sinister grin and said, "Scared now? Chunnuan, I didn't expect you to become even bolder after leaving me. You actually dare to provoke me? You really think you're so arrogant because of that bastard in your belly? You think you can get away with anything just because that bitch Bai Mingyue is protecting you? You've been with me for so many years, don't you know what kind of person I am? Offend me, and the consequences… you should know."
Chun Nuan was pale and swaying, one hand protecting her stomach and the other in a defensive posture. Her eyes kept looking outside, hoping that Bai Mingyue would appear soon and take her away. She didn't want to face Luo Ningshuang, that devil, even for a moment longer.
"What? Are you waiting for Bai Mingyue? No need to wait anymore. I've had someone give him a really strong laxative. You should be thanking your lucky stars that he won't die from diarrhea." Luo Ningshuang said with a sinister smile.
Chun Nuan's heart leaped into her throat. She looked at Luo Ning Shuang with extreme fear and stammered, "What...what exactly do you want to do?"
"What do you want to do? What do you think? I don't even have children, so why should you, you shameless woman, have children? Don't you know that your young lady has never had any herself, and if someone else has one, she will destroy it? Don't you understand your young lady's character? How dare you knowingly do this? Chunnuan, all those years of pampering you have been for nothing, and you still can't understand your young lady's heart." Luo Ningshuang said viciously. At this moment, she was even more arrogant and domineering. With the Empress backing her up, she naturally feared nothing. Even if she killed Chunnuan, if the Empress asked, she could just say that she was just a concubine, and the Empress probably wouldn't care.
"Miss! Please don't hurt this child! The child is innocent! I know I was wrong! I was forced into this! It was the Prince who forced me! You know perfectly well that I didn't want to be with the Prince. This child's arrival was an accident! Please forgive me, Miss! I'll serve you like a slave! Please spare this child!" Chunnuan immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, begging for mercy in terror.
Luo Ningshuang shook her head and laughed cruelly, "You really don't understand your mistress. How could I possibly let someone who makes me unhappy be happy? You are like that, Luo Zhiheng is like that, and Bai Mingyue is the same. Just because of your child, Bai Mingyue has such great hope! Do you know how much I hate Bai Mingyue? How could I let him lose hope? I want to shatter his hope with my own hands, I want to make Bai Mingyue utterly despair. How can a eunuch be allowed to have a child? A eunuch with his own son, isn't that a huge joke? Hahaha."
Chun Nuan was so frightened that her face almost turned pale. Her body swayed precariously, and she was still begging for mercy: "Please, Miss, have mercy! Please spare my child! Please, Miss, for the sake of how many years I have taken care of you, and for the sake of how many years my sister has been an undercover agent for you in the Mu Prince's mansion, please spare this child."
Chun Nuan kowtowed repeatedly, pleading incessantly, but Luo Ning Shuang was determined to kill this bastard child who had caused her so much humiliation and whom she disliked.
Holding a hairpin in her hand, she approached Chunnuan. The closer she got, the more Chunnuan retreated, her eyes wide with terror, her hands tightly protecting her stomach. But Luo Ningshuang's eyes were like the fangs of a python, already fixed on Chunnuan's belly, ready to poison the poor child to death.
Chunnuan was on the verge of collapse, but Luo Ningshuang continued to press on, her eyes filled with madness. She had once had children, but her children died in one accident after another—miscarriage, murder. She hadn't left behind a single child in her past life. She had longed for children back then, but later she became afraid and hated women with children, and hated the innocent smiles of those children.
"Don't worry, it won't work at all. Just once, this child will turn into a pool of blood and flow out. Then you'll be free. You can leave that devil Bai Mingyue with me. I'll find you a good home, and you'll have children in the future. What's the point of keeping this filthy little bastard?" Luo Ningshuang's voice was eerie, as if she were bewitching someone, but the sinister smile on her face never stopped.
Chunnuan finally screamed in despair. What mother could bear to kill her own child? Besides, Luo Ningshuang's words were utterly unbelievable. Had Luo Ningshuang gone mad? Her face was so狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious or hideous), like a demon. Chunnuan couldn't take it anymore and scrambled to her feet, running outside. Her terrified screams echoed throughout the General's Mansion.
"Where do you think you're going?" Luo Ningshuang grinned menacingly and pounced forward quickly. She brandished her hairpin, and the flickering candlelight cast an eerie and sinister light on her face, making her look as terrifying as a vengeful ghost.
As Chunnuan ran, she kept looking back. What she saw terrified her so much that she almost lost her mind. She lost her footing and tripped on the threshold, falling heavily forward.
If the fall had been solid, the child would have certainly died.
Luo Ningshuang also considered this possibility. She stopped and looked at Chunnuan with a mocking and expectant gaze, waiting for Chunnuan to miscarry and anticipating Bai Mingyue's expression when he learned that his only biological child had died. That expression would definitely be so interesting that she would want to cheer!
However, Luo Ningshuang's expectations did not come true. A ghostly figure appeared from the darkness and caught Chunnuan firmly in his arms, preventing her from falling. Then, Bai Mingyue's panicked voice rang out: "Chunnuan!"
"Who is it?" The anticipated scene was shattered from the very beginning, and Luo Ningshuang roared in fury.
The figure gradually became clear in the darkness. The wet nurse said coldly, "Greetings to the Princess Consort of Nan. What are you doing, Princess Consort of Nan? This child is your only child in this life. You are the wife of the Prince of Nan, and you are destined to have no children of your own. This child has been your child since birth. Princess Consort of Nan should cherish him. If you are not careful like this, there will be no one to take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days. Wouldn't that be a sad end?"
The wet nurse's words were quite scathing, subtly implying that Luo Ningshuang was also childless and that a divorce was impossible for her; she was destined to live a life of widowhood with the eunuch Bai Mingyue. This was a knife stabbing Luo Ningshuang in the heart, each cut drawing blood.
The nanny sighed inwardly, "The words our young master taught her are truly ruthless. Didn't you see how pale Luo Ningshuang's face was in the darkness, like a vengeful ghost? She was clearly furious."
"How dare you! I will have many children in the future. I am destined to have many children and grandchildren. I will not die alone. I will not!" Luo Ningshuang roared angrily. Wasn't she the one who died alone in her previous life? The wet nurse's words hit her right in the gut. It was not only painful, but also deeply etched in her heart.
Bai Mingyue held Chunnuan tightly, protecting her belly, and roared at Luo Ningshuang, "You vile woman! What is your crime!"
"Hmph, what crime have I committed? She almost fell because she wasn't standing properly, is that my fault?" Luo Ningshuang said shamelessly without any remorse.
"You scoundrel, I'll beat you to death!" Bai Mingyue was furious and terrified. This was his only child, his only child in his life, and he almost lost him.
After handing Chunnuan over to the wet nurse, Bai Mingyue rushed forward, grabbed Luo Ningshuang's hair, and began slapping her face repeatedly, more than twenty times in a row. Not satisfied, she then kicked Luo Ningshuang's pouting lips.
Luo Ningshuang was not to be outdone, but she was no match for a man's strength. After struggling and resisting for a while, she was defeated. The hairpin in her hand did cut several wounds on Bai Mingyue's body.
Bai Mingyue had indeed been suffering from diarrhea for a long time due to the laxatives that Luo Ningshuang had bribed. Although Bai Mingyue found it strange, he never imagined that Luo Ningshuang could bribe someone in the General's Mansion to do things for her so quickly. So, because of the diarrhea, he was careless and had no strength left. He pushed Luo Ningshuang heavily to the ground, and his pent-up anger and repression of the past few days exploded once again. His violent temper grew stronger, and he actually picked up a stool and smashed it down on Luo Ningshuang.
Luo Ningshuang screamed, but no one helped her. The stool smashed to pieces on her body, and Luo Ningshuang lay on the ground as if she were about to die, all the arrogance she had during the day gone.
Bai Niang watched calmly, showing absolutely no pity. Only one thought echoed in her mind: "Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish."
The young master's move was brilliant. He seemed to have been angered and left, unable to do anything, allowing Luo Ning Shuang to be arrogant and smug. But secretly, he controlled the overall situation and guided the development of events, leading the situation step by step to what it is now. Who would believe that if this were told?
Luo Ningshuang could be beaten, but not killed, otherwise it would be difficult to explain to the Empress. The wet nurse, seeing that things had gone far enough, slowly exclaimed in surprise, "Oh dear, what's going on? How did they start fighting? Hurry up, you bunch of fools, why aren't you stopping them?"
As soon as the wet nurse spoke, the servants who had been watching the commotion outside rushed in and pulled away Bai Mingyue, whose eyes were red with anger. However, no one touched Luo Ningshuang, and no one called for a doctor.
The wet nurse, however, spoke with righteous indignation: "What is Your Highness doing? Are you committing violence in our General's Mansion? What do you take our General's Mansion for? Why should we allow you to act so wildly? Although Luo Ningshuang is already Your Highness's wife, she is still a girl of our General's Mansion. How can we let you continue to beat her like this? Your Highness still needs to give our young lady an explanation. You know that our young lady is always soft-hearted and loves her younger sister. If she finds out what happened today, she will definitely not let it go."
Hearing the wet nurse's words, Luo Ningshuang felt the pain in her chest intensify, her throat tasted metallic, and she vomited a mouthful of blood. Had she been angered to the point of vomiting blood again by Luo Zhiheng?!
Luo Ningshuang felt dizzy and gritted her teeth, wanting to curse, but she couldn't utter a single word. She knew Luo Zhiheng was doing this on purpose—deliberately trying to make her vomit blood. Everything could have been prevented, yet she only spoke up after it had all happened. This hindsight was undeniably powerful, and although she knew Luo Zhiheng was toying with her, she couldn't refute it.
436 Stubborn Sun Yunyun! (Bonus chapter for 68,000 recommendation votes)
Updated: 2013-11-12 20:07:47 Word Count: 3382
Even if this matter reaches the Empress, Luo Zhiheng would likely have something to say, and it would be quite plausible. She could simply claim she was unaware of what was happening, and by the time she found out and sent people, the deed was already done. Then, the wet nurse could sternly reprimand Bai Mingyue and stop her actions—everything would be perfectly plausible and flawless. The Empress might even praise Luo Zhiheng highly.
Wrong! She made another mistake!
Was Luo Zhiheng truly superior, or was she simply no match for her? Luo Ningshuang clenched her fists in frustration. What enraged her even more was that after all this trouble, the bastard child in Chun Nuan's womb still hadn't been eliminated!
Luo Zhiheng, it's either you or me! I will never let you go!
Meanwhile, Luo Zhiheng was sitting on the wall outside Luo Ningshuang's courtyard, lazily being held in Mu Yunhe's arms. She watched the drama unfolding below with a smile, not stopping Mu Yunhe's large hands from wandering over her soft clothes.
"Is it pretty?" Mu Yunhe asked softly with a smile, tugging at her earlobe.
Luo Zhiheng's face was slightly flushed, her expression languid. She let out a moan as Mu Yunhe swallowed her breath, sucking on her soft flesh for a while before releasing her. Both of them were slightly out of breath. Mu Yunhe looked at her with bright, piercing eyes, full of love and doting affection.
Luo Zhiheng bumped his nose with hers and grinned maliciously, "It's alright, but nothing new. The last one was good, tsk tsk, she got beaten up so badly, I bet even her mother won't recognize her tomorrow. The pig's head look, hahaha."
Mu Yunhe adored her mischievous little face. How could someone be so openly wicked? He kissed her hard, then whispered against her cheek, "It's so late at night, and you dragged me along to be your guest on the wall. The cold wind is blowing, and you're being watched. Tell me, how much of a loss am I suffering? How are you going to make it up to me?"
Luo Zhiheng smiled sweetly, cupped his head and kissed him repeatedly, and whispered, "After we get back, you can do whatever you want with me, okay?"
Mu Yunhe's eyes suddenly lit up, somewhat alarmingly, and he exclaimed with delight, "We can't go back on our word later!"
"Hmph, believe it or not." Luo Zhiheng rolled her eyes at him, pinching his large hand that lingered inside her clothes through her fabric.
Mu Yunhe felt satisfied and started to cling to her, kissing and rubbing against her, murmuring, "Why did you keep that slut's child?"
Luo Zhiheng said meaningfully, "As long as Chunnuan is alive, she's a thorn in Luo Ningshuang's side. Luo Ningshuang will do everything she can to kill her. As long as Chunnuan lives, Luo Ningshuang will never be at ease. I don't want to see her happy. The more she suffers, the happier I am. I'm happy to keep that child around, even if it's just to annoy Luo Ningshuang. It will also make Bai Mingyue hate Luo Ningshuang even more. Didn't you see how Bai Mingyue just went for the kill? Next time, she'll be even more ruthless."