Updated: 2013-11-22 13:25:08 Word Count: 7753
The group of people walking towards him were people Mu Yunhe had never seen before. They exuded a wild and reckless aura, as well as a restrained and powerful strength. They were all very handsome. When Mu Yunhe saw them coming towards him, his eyes flickered, but he didn't pay much attention to them. Because in this life, he was afraid there was nothing left that could make him care about or be concerned about.
But in the instant he passed that group of people, the person who brushed past him felt strangely familiar. A strange feeling, like an electric shock, shot straight up from his tailbone to his heart. He turned around abruptly, and the words just slipped out: "Miss, please wait. Have we met before?"
This was the longest sentence Mu Yunhe had uttered in the past three years, or perhaps, the most urgent and emotional of the very few sentences he had spoken in those three years. His voice was low and hoarse, his tone slightly disordered, the dryness of his vocal cords, which had been parched for a long time, sounding unpleasant.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, he froze. What was wrong with him? How could he say such a thing to a stranger? But he still turned around, his gaze fixed on that petite and elegant figure with a puzzled look.
Upon hearing his words, Luo Zhiheng burst into tears. Three years of separation, three years of longing, three years of resentment—all were tangled together in his single sentence, throwing her heart into turmoil. But her resolve for revenge was unwavering, and her broken heart could not be mended with a few words. Luo Zhiheng let her tears flow, slowly turned around, and quietly gazed at his face so close to hers.
The two were so close that she could almost see Mu Yunhe's trembling eyelashes when she turned around, but she didn't speak. The two were separated by a short distance and a veil, so they couldn't see each other's faces, but they could clearly feel the unwavering gaze between them.
Heaven knows how much strength Luo Zhiheng used to resist rushing over to him, to hug him, to question him about why he hadn't looked for her or found her for three years! She hated him so much, waited for him so desperately, and firmly believed that he would come, but time and time again, disappointment cruelly told Luo Zhiheng that he wouldn't come, that he couldn't come.
She clenched her fist tightly in her sleeve, her fingers cracking as she felt a sharp pain in her chest, as if it were about to explode. Looking into Mu Yunhe's cold, indifferent eyes, a surge of rage, mixed with hatred and anger, erupted completely.
"I don't know you!" Her words were cold and resolute, a hint of coldness and a capriciousness unknown to others, spoken in her uniquely calm yet already furious manner.
Mu Yunhe suddenly felt a sense of shattering as if frozen by something. His pupils constricted and locked onto Luo Zhiheng. This voice was unfamiliar to him, somewhat low and hoarse, yet also a bit arrogant. It was neither the reserved gentleness of a woman from the Central Plains, nor the cheerful and lighthearted voice of the woman he remembered most vividly. Instead, it was a languid and sexy husky voice.
Mu Yunhe knew that just by hearing the voice, he wouldn't recognize the person in front of him, or even have ever seen them before. But where did this inexplicable sense of familiarity come from? Could it be someone he had met before? Just how many things had he forgotten?
He chuckled self-deprecatingly. Had he been too tired lately? Otherwise, why did he always have these inexplicable feelings? Ignoring the sudden unease that her words had stirred in his heart, Mu Yunhe said coldly, "In that case, I apologize."
He raised his cane and turned around without hesitation.
Luo Zhiheng stared intently, a surge of rage rising within her at his attitude. He didn't recognize her?! He didn't even recognize her at first glance!!
Luo Zhiheng knew perfectly well that she had made many changes—whether in appearance, image, or voice—that she was no longer the person she used to be. The current Luo Zhiheng was reborn, and this body bore almost no resemblance to the Luo Zhiheng of the past. Moreover, she was covering her face, so it was not surprising that he couldn't recognize her; it was understandable and forgivable.
However, Luo Zhiheng still couldn't suppress the anger and sorrow in her heart!
The man she loved most, the man she had never forgotten even in her deepest pain, was someone she never recognized when she reappeared before him as time passed. That desolation emanated from the depths of her heart. Luo Zhiheng's unwavering resolve and ruthless desire for revenge, along with all her defenses, were shattered by Mu Yunhe's cold turning away, leaving her almost completely broken.
Mu Yunhe, what am I supposed to do? Have you forgotten me? Or have you truly come to believe that imposter is me? Have you accepted that vile imposter, Luo Ningshuang, in your heart? Have you compromised? Have you really forgotten me so easily?
Mu Yunhe, how can I not be angry with you after seeing this? How can I not feel even more resentful and sad? How can I possibly, how can I possibly dare to acknowledge you as my father after seeing this?
Luo Zhiheng's heart was completely shattered. Her hatred intensified, fueled by resentment towards Luo Ningshuang, who had caused this situation, as well as her anger, resentment, and hesitation towards Mu Yunhe. All of this made Luo Zhiheng afraid to take another step. She was in so much pain, and the person who had caused her that pain must be in a hundred times more pain than she was.
Her bleeding hand, her fingers almost broken again from self-inflicted pain by resentment and despair, trembled as she wiped away the tears that had slid down her chin. She raised a smile, a deathly, beautiful smile like a black mandala of love, and murmured silently: "Since you don't recognize me anymore, then let this game of revenge be even more brutal. Mu Yunhe, you must feel the same pain as me, otherwise how can you understand the pain of being right in front of me, yet not daring to acknowledge me, lacking the confidence to do so?"
Mu Yunhe, starting today, I will let you know that Luo Zhiheng has not only changed her face and body, but also her personality!
"Master?" The Bear King cautiously looked at Luo Zhiheng. Her hand was bleeding, and his expression changed drastically. He forgot to control his voice and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Why is she bleeding? Doctor, quickly get a doctor to come and take a look at Master!"
"No need. Just let me feel the pain. How can I learn my lesson if I don't feel pain?" Luo Zhiheng coldly stared at Mu Yunhe's back. Her voice wasn't loud, but the chill in her languid demeanor was like that of a female ghost crawling out of hell, so sinister and wicked.
She turned abruptly and got into the carriage, no longer having any desire to take another look at this familiar city.
Upon hearing her words, Mu Yunhe stopped in his tracks once again, his brows furrowing slightly. He couldn't understand how a stranger could affect his emotions. Almost uncontrollably, he turned around again and saw the carriage speeding away, along with a handsome man exuding an air of wickedness, staring at him with a gloomy expression.
Mu Yunhe's gaze swept over the man indifferently, without fear or surprise, as if his gaze had merely swept over him in a hurry. His indifferent appearance revealed his contempt to the bone, as if nothing and no one could enter his eyes.
The wolf king watched the man slowly leave with a gloomy expression. This man looked indifferent and ethereal, untouched by worldly concerns. In worldly terms, he was gentle and refined, like a celestial being. As he walked among the crowd, people around him couldn't help but shift their gazes from these strange people to him. Their eyes were filled with infatuation, awe, and respect.
This was a man that the Wolf King found extremely dangerous. The Wolf King considered himself powerful enough, but the man, who appeared to have no martial arts skills or internal energy fluctuations whatsoever, gave the Wolf King a feeling of being suppressed on the soul. Just one casual glance from him was enough to send chills down the Wolf King's spine.
But the Wolf King clearly sensed that this man was a completely powerless cripple, so weak he was on the verge of death! How could a cripple give him such a strange feeling? And how could he cause such a huge fluctuation in that dead woman's usually calm emotions, to the point that that pain-averse woman even broke her own fragile fingers!
The wolf king instantly became highly vigilant and wary, even though he didn't know why he needed to be wary of that man. He just couldn't stand the man!
Many foreigners arrived in the capital. They were dressed in strange and gorgeous, colorful clothes. Surprisingly, there was not a single ugly person among them, not even a fair one. They were all handsome men and beautiful women. This news gave the people of the capital, who were suffering from the growing number of refugees and displaced people and the famine, something to talk about and temporarily made them forget their troubles.
They had been in the capital for two days, but the emperor had shown no intention of summoning them, leaving them to fend for themselves. This began to cause suspicion and uncertainty among Xiong Wang and his straightforward, honest men.
To the barbarians, the Mu Dynasty was a celestial empire. Their leaders had to bow down to the emperor of the celestial empire when they came here. If anyone from the barbarians dared to come without the emperor's permission, they would be committing a crime. In such a case, if the emperor of the celestial empire were to become angry and punish them, the barbarians would be in deep trouble.
This conclusion was reached by Xiong Wang and his companions over two days after arriving in the capital, based on various opinions and their own deliberations. Upon reaching this conclusion, Xiong Wang and his group became somewhat uneasy. They had come to ask for grain and pleaded with the Celestial Empire not to demand it, as they themselves were starving. If the Celestial Empire were to launch an attack at this time, the barbarian lands would surely perish.
Moreover, the person who came this time is the chieftain of the barbarians, the leader of the barbarians. What if the chieftain is in danger if the emperor of the Celestial Dynasty really attacks him?
The Bear King was furious: "If I had known it would be like this, I would have just stayed home and waited to die. It would have been better than coming here and then being left here doing nothing."
The Wolf King glanced coldly at Luo Zhiheng, who was resting with her eyes closed. He suppressed the urge to tear this audacious and brainless woman to shreds and said in an unfriendly tone, "We should do as I say, start a war, and fight them. It's better than living under someone else's roof, suffering humiliation, and having to watch their faces! Although the wilderness is poor, the men of the wilderness are all brave and fearless. Let's go back now. Even if we starve to death or die in battle, we won't beg them!"
"Yes, let's go back now, we're not going to put up with their humiliation here." The Bear King jumped up high, agreeing with the Wolf King for the first time. Everyone looked at Luo Zhiheng, waiting for her to say something so they could go home immediately.
But Luo Zhiheng seemed to be asleep, lying quietly with her eyes closed. Her broken finger had been reattached. The secret arts of the wilderness were originally mysterious and precious treasures, but they were being used on Luo Zhiheng all the time.
"Have you noticed that Master's mood has been off these past two days? He seems to be lacking energy?" the demones asked cautiously in a low voice.
The bear king scratched his messy head vigorously and nodded憨憨地: "Yeah, I can feel it too. Does Master miss home too? Then let's hurry back."
The wolf king's face was grim as he thought again of the man who had caused Luo Zhiheng such emotional turmoil. Her recent negative mood might be related to that man.
Luo Zhiheng spoke lazily at this moment, her expression unreadable: "Have you finished talking? Then listen to me. We came to the Mu Dynasty without informing them first, so their emperor must be dissatisfied or even angry. At this time, they have a reason to deal with us. But since I decided to come, how could I not be fully prepared?"
Everyone's eyes lit up as Luo Zhiheng finally lazily opened her eyes. Her beautiful pupils sparkled with the pure light of rubies in the sunlight, breathtakingly beautiful: "Great undertakings require the right timing, location, and people. We lack the right location, but we can have the right timing and people. Right now, we are in the midst of two consecutive years of severe drought, and the people are suffering terribly. Although they are not yet destitute, they are not far from it. How could the emperor and ministers of the Mu Dynasty not be anxious?"
"At this moment, when food is most scarce, even if they don't want to give us food, they will definitely not attack us at this time."
Seeing that Luo Zhiheng spoke with absolute certainty, the Bear King, that slow-witted idiot, asked naively, "Then why?"
Luo Zhiheng shifted her posture and slowly said, "We entered the capital with great fanfare, making it known to everyone along the way. I doubt anyone in the world doesn't know we've arrived in the Mu Dynasty. When I submitted my identity documents, I clearly stated that I, the leader of the Barbarians, have come personally with my people. The leader of the Barbarians is equivalent to the monarch of a country. Now, the Mu Dynasty probably knows that there is an emperor from another country among those who came. With such a grand display, the emperor of the Mu Dynasty will only be more wary and dare not act rashly."
"Because if I were to suffer even the slightest mishap in the Mu Dynasty, it would be a matter between the two countries. Although our Barbarian Lands are a vassal state of the Mu Dynasty, we are still a country. If something happens to me on the territory of another country, would you let it go? Would my people let it go? If things go wrong, it could lead to war. And the people of our Barbarian Lands are all warriors, and they are also sentimental and impulsive. It is foreseeable that if I really die here, war between the two countries will be inevitable!"
"But now is the time when food is most scarce. What does war need most? Not just troops, but also provisions! People are displaced, countless have starved to death, and the drought continues. Who dares to squander food? Even if the Mu Dynasty is a powerful nation, it is impossible for them to use scarce provisions to feed their army when disaster is raging. So I am certain that they will not be foolish enough to start a war against us, making food even scarcer. These are all interconnected links; pulling one will affect the whole situation. The emperor of the Mu Dynasty is a veteran of the military; he understands this better than anyone else. Therefore, we are definitely safe. This is the right time and the right people. Heaven is on our side, so there is nothing to worry about."
Luo Zhiheng spoke clearly and concisely, and she analyzed and considered all the advantages, disadvantages, and chain reactions with a broad perspective and strategic vision. This insight and analytical ability truly amazed those few barbaric natives.
Even the clumsy bear, the Bear King, understood perfectly and exclaimed excitedly, "Master is wise! Now I understand! Hahaha, that means we're not completely without leverage. At the very least, we can help the Mu Dynasty. If you don't want to fight, hurry up and give us our food!"
"We can't say that. We still can't break ties with the Mu Dynasty. It's not just us who are starving. The Mu Dynasty, as a great power, is also facing numerous crises. It looks like next year won't be a good year either. I'm afraid our journey to seek grain won't be smooth sailing." Luo Zhiheng interrupted the Bear King's simple and beautiful fantasy.
"Then what do they mean by delaying our summons? Do they think they can just ignore our leader like this?" the demoness snorted in dissatisfaction.
"It's just a show of force. They know they can't touch us now, otherwise it would only make things worse. But they're angry that we acted first and informed them later, so they're leaving us hanging for a few days, intimidating and warning us. The Mu Dynasty is angry," Luo Zhiheng said sarcastically.
"Then what do we do? Just cower here like cowards? They'll really think we're afraid of them!" the Bear King roared, baring his teeth.
Luo Zhiheng laughed, but her emotions remained relatively calm: "Then let's go out for a stroll. Not only should we go out, but we should go out in a grand and arrogant manner, so that they all hate but fear you. That way, we might be able to get the food and leave this place as soon as possible."
"They hate us? If they hate us, how can they be afraid of us?" the demoness asked, puzzled.
Luo Zhiheng patiently explained, "You must unleash your savage and ferocious abilities to show them that our barbarian warriors, regardless of gender, are fearless and bloodthirsty. This way, they won't dare to provoke you, but they will genuinely despise and fear you. On one hand, they won't dare to act rashly against us, and on the other hand, they want us to leave here as soon as possible. Then they will summon us as soon as possible so that we can quickly discuss the matter of food."
The wolf king's eyes lit up. He thought this was a great idea, and it would also allow them to vent their frustrations from the past two days.
The Wolf King thought Luo Zhiheng was really smart. In the wilderness, this woman was just a lazy bum in his eyes, who did nothing all day and was good for nothing. But since she came to the Mu Dynasty, Luo Zhiheng had changed and had some shining qualities. Especially her words today, her analysis of the right time, place and people, made the Wolf King, this soft woman, look at her with new eyes.
Mischief, chaos, and cruelty are simply the nature of barbarians. Their rampant and tyrannical behavior is their true nature. Having been out for two days straight, they were outsiders, unfamiliar with the Mu Dynasty, and it was only natural for them to travel. But they were terrifying. They would eat and drink whatever they liked, taking whatever they pleased, giving money when happy, and glaring when unhappy. Their glare instilled fear in others. Although they were handsome, their physiques were incredibly strong, and coming from a barbaric and bloodthirsty land, the small-statured people of the Mu Dynasty were immediately terrified.
For two days, news of the wickedness and savage arrogance of these barbaric visitors spread through the streets and alleys. They publicly maimed someone who had offended them, and the crowd dared not speak out. But in reality, the person they beat was a scoundrel who had harassed respectable women; however, they would not explain this, their aim being to make people perceive them as villains. 173.
However, just two days later, news finally came from the Mu Dynasty royal family, summoning the barbarian envoys to the palace the next day to meet the emperor, who then hosted a banquet for the barbarian leaders and their entourage.
Luo Zhiheng's move was incredibly effective, greatly increasing Xiong Wang and the others' confidence in her. They thought their female leader was truly clever; she could enter the palace tomorrow, get the grain, and go home.
Luo Zhiheng, however, was not as carefree as they were. She had returned to the Mu Dynasty with hatred and a mission. Balancing her personal hatred with her responsibility to the people was a difficult choice for her. If she obtained the food quickly, she would inevitably have to return to the wilderness with them. But what about her hatred? She had already set foot on this land; she couldn't simply slink away like that.
But if they could get food sooner, those lovely and pitiful children and people in the wilderness could have enough to eat sooner.
The next day arrived in a daze. Luo Zhiheng did not dress up in her finest attire, but instead wore the magnificent and unique clothing that had been passed down from the leader. The clothing made her momentarily unable to distinguish between male and female, and she still wore a golden mask on her face. Even now, she still finds it difficult to face her.
Whenever she sees this mask, she is reminded of her ugly face, ruined by insurance fraud. On one hand, she feels a sense of satisfaction, finally free from having the same face as that vile woman, Luo Ningshuang. On the other hand, she feels hatred because Luo Ningshuang caused her so much pain.
She hadn't seen the group of women before. Carrying the beauties she intended to present to the emperor, Luo Zhiheng once again arrived at the place where she had disappeared three years ago. In front of the main gate of the palace.
The traces of that war, its bloodshed and tragedy, are no longer visible here, nor do they betray her blood and tears. Time truly can whitewash reality, and years can indeed conceal ugliness.
Luo Zhiheng smiled coldly, suppressing all her feelings of guilt and defeat. Today, she was the one who had been reborn as a proud queen! Those who could hurt her in the past would never have the chance to hurt her again this time!
Led by the eunuch, Luo Zhiheng walked to the outside of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the banquet was being held. At this moment, the sun was setting outside, and this meal could be considered an evening banquet. The lights inside were already on, making it very bright. The palace was still magnificent. From the outside, one could hear the lively conversations and clinking of glasses inside. It was a scene of peace and prosperity. How could one tell that this was a year of disaster that was causing the people to suffer?
A hint of sarcasm flashed across Luo Zhiheng's bright eyes as she awaited the emperor's summons amidst the constant announcements.
"Summon!" A clear and authoritative male voice suddenly rang out, and the lively scene inside instantly fell silent.
When the moment came and she had to face many familiar people—family, friends, and enemies—she remained calm and walked into the main hall with light steps and a slightly slow pace.
A red carpet stretched from the entrance of the magnificent hall to the high seat on the throne. Low tables were neatly arranged on both sides of the spacious hall, where ministers in official robes sat in orderly rows. Pairs of eyes and gazes were all directed at Luo Zhiheng, who had just entered the hall. Her arrival was clearly ill-intentioned!
Luo Zhiheng's lips curled into a wicked and flirtatious smile, her red lips appearing exceptionally sexy beneath the dark gold mask. She walked gracefully down the red carpet, her spine straight, exuding charm yet maintaining her pride. The complexity of her softness and strength made her seem like a woman who could seduce one to the bone at first glance, but upon second glance, one felt that she possessed a sinister and wicked aura that could bewitch the heart, yet somehow made one dare not harbor any thoughts of desecration or romance.
Everyone could tell at a glance that she was a woman, simply because after dressing up, Luo Zhiheng put on a pair of earrings—fiery red hollow blood jade phoenixes! The pair of phoenixes swayed back and forth on her earlobes as if spreading their wings and taking flight, making her appear even more noble, mysterious, and charming.
She walked through the crowd of people, her eyes catching glimpses of the noticeably older Tong Lao and General Murong on her left. A hint of nervousness still lingered in her otherwise hardened heart. Would they recognize her?
However, Luo Zhiheng was clearly overthinking things. The two men looked at her with only wariness and coldness. Luo Zhiheng breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing what to feel. Wasn't she just trying to be eaten by them? It was normal for them to look at her like that.
"The chieftain of the barbarians, Ruilin, greets His Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty." As the leader of a nation, Luo Zhiheng was not required to kneel or bow. She simply bent her waist and lowered her head slightly, yet her demeanor was still graceful.
Luo Zhiheng was still bowing, but the person above did not speak to her to rise. Luo Zhiheng sneered, "Your throne was saved with her blood, and now you dare to give him a hard time? Fine, we'll remember this debt."
The wolf king and his men behind him had already turned their cold gazes toward the emperor. The guards around him immediately stepped forward to protect him, their expressions serious. All the officials also tensed up, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense.
After a long silence, the emperor finally spoke calmly: "Rise. I am truly unworthy to have the chieftain of the barbarians pay his respects to me. After all, the chieftain of the barbarians is quite formidable; he dared to act first and report later, which greatly surprised me."
Luo Zhiheng stood up, not looking up at the emperor; she simply disdained to look. She said lazily, "Of course you deserve to be emperor. You are the provider for all the people of this desolate land, their heaven. I am merely representing your people who are far away to pay homage to you. Isn't that perfectly natural? Does Your Majesty only love the people around you, and not those far away?"
After Luo Zhiheng finished speaking, everyone present changed their expressions drastically. This female leader had quite a temper and was very bold. She actually dared to embarrass the Emperor.
Chapter 1 is here! There will be more updates today. Love you all! Please vote, leave comments, and give me monthly tickets!
455 Ice and Fire, Clashing Head-to-Head! (Bonus chapter for 34,000 comments)
Updated: 2013-11-22 17:37:12 Word Count: 3471
Luo Zhiheng's words sounded delicate and gentle, with a unique charm and elegance, but upon closer examination, they were truly aggressive, especially since she was targeting the young and impetuous emperor of the Mu Dynasty. This was a direct confrontation, and Luo Zhiheng was in danger.
The originally cheerful atmosphere in the hall suddenly dropped several degrees. Luo Zhiheng still didn't look at the emperor, whether out of fear or something else, but she stood there with a spineless look, and soon she leaned against the strong man behind her without regard for propriety or etiquette.