Mu Yunhe rudely interrupted Luo Ningshuang, shouting, "Don't call me Yunhe! You lowly, filthy, despicable slut, do you even deserve to call me by my name? You imposter, do you really think you can compare to Aheng? You overestimate yourself. You're nothing but a whore who's available to everyone! What right do you have to mention my Aheng? Aheng is a phoenix from heaven, and what are you? Just a pile of mud!"
"You killed my Aheng, you ruined Aheng's face, you left my Aheng with a life full of trauma and suffering, you forced Aheng and me to separate for three years, and you still want to harm my Aheng, you drove my Aheng to jump off a cliff! You vile woman! How can there be such a vicious woman in this world? Do you even deserve to call yourself Aheng's sister? You are not even as lowly, filthy, and disgusting as the lowest beast in the world!"
Luo Ningshuang was somewhat dazed by Mu Yunhe's insults, but deep down she felt resentful. Why was he inferior to Luo Zhiheng? Just because she lost today? Did that mean she had to be humiliated and cursed by Mu Yunhe like this? She refused to believe she was less than a dead person!
Luo Ningshuang, having gone all out, laughed maliciously: "Mu Yunhe, what are you so arrogant about? No matter how powerful you are, you'll still end up alone. What good is your love for Luo Zhiheng? She'll never come back, will she? She's dead, she died three years ago! You'll almost never see her again. But you might see her in your dreams, but by then your Aheng will definitely be an ugly monster, hahaha!"
Luo Ningshuang had already given up all hope; since she was doomed to die anyway, why should she suffer any more? She had already suffered enough for two lifetimes!
"You vile woman!" Mu Yunhe was furious. He swung his sword, and the sharp blade sliced off Luo Ningshuang's ear with a whoosh.
Luo Ningshuang was in so much pain that her whole body stiffened, her eyes widened, and she could barely breathe.
Mu Yunhe, his face contorted with rage, spoke slowly and menacingly: "Don't try to provoke me. I said I wouldn't let you die easily. Starting today, I will personally cut off one organ from your body every day. Today it's an ear, tomorrow a finger. I will cut off everything on your body without fail. Once I've cut off everything that can be cut off, I will start to eviscerate you! One organ every day. Then I will keep you in a vat, letting you watch as the things I cut off and eviscerate from you are soaked in wine in front of you, then fed to you to drink, and then made to eat. That will surely be delicious and pleasurable, right? You'll love it, won't you? But don't worry, even so, I will definitely not let you die, because your life and death are in the hands of my Aheng!"
Hearing this, Luo Ningshuang felt a chill run down her spine, so terrified she wanted to kill herself. But Mu Yunhe's last words sent a sudden chill down her spine, and she even screamed, "What do you mean?! Luo Zhiheng is dead! She's been dead for a long time!!"
503 A lifetime of scheming has come to nothing! What a mess!
Updated: 2013-12-18 13:33:42 Word Count: 7902
Mu Yunhe felt a great sense of pleasure in the face of Luo Ningshuang's madness and terror. He didn't mind telling Luo Ningshuang that Aheng was still alive now, because this would make Luo Ningshuang feel even more resentful and desperate.
Mu Yunhe approached Luo Ningshuang and said in a cold, low voice, "If Aheng were really dead, I would have been gone long ago."
"What do you mean?!" Luo Ningshuang stared wide-eyed in horror and disbelief. A deep resentment, intense jealousy, and envy emanated from her, making her radiate a palpable aura of bitterness.
She was shocked and incredulous by Mu Yunhe's words, but more than anything, she was unwilling to believe that it would be the result she had imagined. She couldn't believe that such an outrageous thing could really happen, but when Mu Yunhe said it himself, Luo Ningshuang still felt like she had been struck by lightning.
"It means my Aheng is not dead. She is alive and well, and we will be together forever, happily together. No one can separate us anymore. Your schemes, your treacherous plots, all your jealousy and resentment have come to nothing. You have lost everything, but my Aheng is still the most noble woman who stands at the very top, looking down on you like an ant! In this world, even the most noble woman, the Empress, cannot speak of nobility in front of Aheng, because I will give my Aheng the greatest dignity and nobility!"
"I won't let you die. Aren't you resentful that Aheng has everything? Aren't you scheming to possess everything Aheng has? Don't you want to own everything Aheng has? I will make you watch in ever-increasing pain as Aheng gains more and more each day, while you can only watch, only watch humbly, and get nothing! This is fate. My Aheng is destined by heaven, destined for wealth and love, while you can never be compared to my Aheng! You only deserve to suffer pain and torment!" Mu Yunhe said fiercely, painting a magnificent and spectacular future, full of beauty and wealth, but not belonging to Luo Ningshuang. He was skilled at attacking people's hearts, and these words easily ignited Luo Ningshuang's anger.
Luo Ningshuang coughed up a mouthful of blood, convulsing as she collapsed to the ground. She was filled with resentment, rage, and an unwillingness to believe it. Luo Zhiheng was clearly dead—that was an abyss! Luo Zhiheng had jumped right in front of her; there was no reason for her to still be alive. She simply refused to believe it!
But now, she was so frightened by Mu Yunhe's crazy and sinister appearance that she dared not say another word. She had always known that offending Mu Yunhe would not end well. She had also imagined what kind of disaster and fate she would face if this conspiracy were exposed. She had thought about it a thousand times. She even thought that if things were exposed, she would commit suicide immediately. But now, in front of the crazy Mu Yunhe, she did not even have the ability or right to commit suicide.
She simply couldn't believe that her fate in her second life could be even more tragic than her first. Heaven had given her a second chance at life; how could it allow her to live such a painful existence? She was still unwilling to accept it, but when Mu Yunhe ordered his men to take her away, she knew she was finished, utterly finished!
A lifetime of scheming, two lifetimes of hatred—has her second life come to an end just like that?!
The battle over there was nearing its end. The group of people saw Mu Yunsheng being brutally tortured to death by Mu Yunhe, yet they didn't offer any help. These elite warriors truly didn't care about their master, Mu Yunsheng! They were still putting up a desperate, death-defying fight, but it was as if they were indestructible. No, that's not quite right. They were covered in wounds but could still fight. However, if their vital parts were hit, they would still die, only their skin was thicker and tougher than normal people, making them more resilient and slower to die!
But that's unusual enough! There's something seriously wrong with this elite group!
Mu Yunhe frowned. He finally believed what Mu Yunsheng had said before he died. These people were not under his command, and judging from the strange things about them, they were puppets controlled by someone! And the person who could control the puppets must be someone of great importance! And this person was the real mastermind behind it all.
However, Mu Yunhe couldn't figure out who this person was for the time being. Back then, a great demon king died, which was the basis for Mu Yunsheng's arrogance. It was hard to guarantee that Mu Yunsheng wouldn't seduce another great demon king.
When the battle finally ended, General Tong counted the number of men and said with a heavy heart, "The losses were severe. The enemy had only thirty-two men, while we had sixty-seven. In the end, the enemy was completely wiped out, and we were almost completely wiped out as well. Only the three men I brought survived, and only two of the men you brought survived."
This is truly a devastating blow! The members of the Slaughter Team were all elite troops, trained by General Tong himself. The fact that almost all of them had been wiped out is heartbreaking for General Tong.
Mu Yunhe's heart sank. If the enemy was so powerful, then the abilities of the person hiding behind him were even more formidable.
"Uncle, don't mention this to anyone for now. Just pretend that everything that happened today never happened," Mu Yunhe instructed General Tong, setting aside these matters for the time being.
General Tong said in a deep, gruff voice, "Why won't you speak? You've suffered so much injustice and betrayal, Luo Zhiheng is dead, and such a huge conspiracy has been exposed. The truth can finally be revealed to the world. Why are you backing down? What are you afraid of?"
Mu Yunhe said, "This matter is not over yet. There are even more difficult people to deal with later. Making a fuss now will not be good for us and will alert the enemy. As for the throne, I don't care. My relationship with Prince Mu has long been dead in name only. Over the years, we have been like strangers when we meet. It's better not to mention it. But I always believe that he is doing it for the good of the Mu Dynasty."
Mu Yunhe did not explain to General Tong that Aheng was still alive. He was not sure if the person Mu Yunsheng mentioned was here. He could not risk Aheng. Even when he spoke to Luo Ningshuang just now, he spoke very softly, so that others could not hear him at all.
General Tong was indignant and felt even more aggrieved. He angrily said, "I've never seen a father like this before. What do you think your son is? How could you treat your son like this? I never thought much of Prince Mu back then, but your mother insisted on marrying him. She must have been blind. He's nothing but a hypocrite and a real villain! And you've been dragged into suffering because of him. If that bastard Prince Mu hadn't been so careless and listened to the words of that vile woman, you wouldn't have had to endure so much pain at such a young age, and you almost lost your life."
"And the throne. I never thought about it before, but now that I know, I can't help but want to fight for it for you. You belong there; no one is more suitable than you. Yunhe, don't blame your uncle for being nosy, but this matter is so big and important that that bastard Prince Mu actually took it upon himself to make decisions for you. What does he think he is? Who does he think he is? A murderer who killed his own grandson, a traitor who betrayed his own son—does he even deserve to be a prince?"
General Tong was furious, and Mu Yunhe wasn't entirely without anger either, but what could he do now that it had already happened? After all, that was his father who had raised him. Even if he was completely wrong, he couldn't bring himself to kill his father, could he? But he truly didn't care about the throne. All he wanted was Aheng. If Aheng had died back then, there would be no Mu Yunhe in this world. What use would it have been to win the throne then?
If Aheng were still alive at that time, given his personality and preferences, he would certainly not have liked him to inherit the throne. Once he becomes emperor, he will have too many things beyond his control. He can do what he likes as a diviner, but he cannot as emperor. With three thousand beauties in the harem, how could Aheng possibly endure it?
Although Aheng never truly confided her feelings to him, he sensed something in her. He knew Aheng preferred him having multiple wives and concubines, disliked him having other women besides her, and he only wanted Aheng. Mu Yunhe was never a man of lofty ambitions; for him, power and beauty were irrelevant—he only loved beauty!
"Uncle, there's no need to say anything more. Just keep this a secret. Don't worry about anything else; I have my own plans! But you must be careful during this time, pay attention to the people and things around you, and strengthen the security and defenses of the capital's palace. Mu Yunsheng's remaining forces have not been completely eradicated, and there will definitely be major operations to wipe out the remnants in the future. Also, you must explain today's events clearly to the Emperor when you return, otherwise, the fact that I mobilized a large number of secret guards and you mobilized the Slaughter Squad, and that so many people were lost, cannot be kept secret."
"Uncle, just say that you discovered Mu Yunsheng's remnants. Handing over Mu Yunsheng's body will only make the emperor happy. These elite troops have been exchanged for Mu Yunsheng's head, which has also eliminated a major threat to the emperor. I think the emperor won't care too much. As for the fake Luo Zhiheng, Uncle, don't mention it. I will deal with this imposter myself." Mu Yunhe gave his detailed instructions, displaying an irresistible attitude.
Seeing Mu Yunhe's insistence, General Tong couldn't say much. He was also suffering from a lump in his throat, feeling sorry for Mu Yunhe and thinking it was all too much for him. But he was even more worried about Mu Yunhe's emotions. Luo Zhiheng was Mu Yunhe's life, his very essence. Now that his lifeline was dead, Mu Yunhe seemed calm, but his frantic behavior just now was still chilling to behold. He feared that Mu Yunhe might be suppressing his feelings and develop an illness.
“Yunhe, if you have any unhappiness, you must vent it. Your uncle will do everything you said. Don’t worry about anything else. It’s true that she’s gone, which is very sad, but it’s alright. You think you’ve found the truth and avenged her, and her soul can find solace and peace. You’ve done your best. Try to think more positively about everything.” General Tong carefully advised, not daring to mention Luo Zhiheng’s name again.
Mu Yunhe smiled calmly. His Aheng was still alive, so he wasn't sad. Once he completely eliminated the person behind Mu Yunsheng and things calmed down, he would naturally welcome Aheng back and announce her identity to the world. Only then could this conspiracy truly end. But for now, he would have to wait a while before he could bring Aheng back.
But he couldn't wait to see Ah Heng. Things went surprisingly smoothly. He personally staged a scene of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, swallowing both the mantis and the cicada. But now it seems he is not the real oriole, because behind the oriole is a fierce eagle, and he is going to be the giant eagle.
The real battle has only just begun; the outcome of the fight between the eagle and the giant eagle remains to be seen.
No sooner had Mu Yunhe and the others left than a black figure appeared out of thin air on the blood-stained mountain path. The figure was hidden in the black mist, floating in mid-air, seemingly watching the direction Mu Yunhe had left. After a long, long time, a chilling voice finally murmured: "Finally, we meet again! This time, I will never let you go!"
After returning, Mu Yunhe placed Luo Ningshuang in a dungeon, a dark and damp water dungeon equipped with various torture instruments. Several giant pythons were also kept in the dungeon. Mu Yunhe suspended Luo Ningshuang above the dungeon, only three or four meters above the water. It wouldn't be easy for the water snakes below to reach her, but this scene was enough to terrify Luo Ningshuang.
Mu Yunhe took a thorough bath to wash away the stench of blood, changed his clothes, and headed towards the General's Mansion looking refreshed.
Meanwhile, the General's Mansion was in complete chaos. Luo Zhiheng's room was a mess, with porcelain shards scattered all over the floor. She was walking back and forth on the broken porcelain, making a crunching sound as she stepped on them, which was terrifying to hear and even more worrying to see.
Luo Zhiwu rushed over and saw Luo Zhiheng standing unsteadily, leaning on the table, panting heavily. Her expression was not visible, but her anger was genuine.
Luo Zhiwu was terrified and heartbroken. She rushed over and asked as she walked, "What's going on? Why are you so angry?"
"Don't come any closer!" Luo Zhiheng roared as she turned around upon hearing the voice. Her fingertips trembled as she pointed at Luo Zhiwu, and her voice trembled from her unsteady breathing: "You finally decided to come see me? Luo Zhiwu, you're something else! You actually tried to scheme against me? You even dared to fall for my trap! You're really too good!!"
Luo Zhiwu thought to herself, "This is bad! I've gone too far!" She quickly tried to calm her agitated little sister down, speaking softly, "Let's talk this out. Don't get angry. You're going to kill me! Be good and don't move. I'll have the servants clean up all this debris right away. Be careful not to get hurt."
"You still care if I'm hurt or not? That's ridiculous. Do you think I'm a caged bird? You put me in a fancy birdcage, gave me an expensive nest, and I'm supposed to be grateful and stay there? I have to be careful and schemed against if I want to go out, and I have to wait and wait to see you? Luo Zhiwu, is this how you treat me? Why don't you just kill me? Then you can lock me up for as long as you want!" Luo Zhiheng was furious and roared without restraint. Not only did she not calm down, but she also felt even more aggrieved.
Luo Zhiwu's blatant imprisonment and evasion only heightened Luo Zhiheng's already sensitive and anxious state of mind. She became increasingly uneasy and fearful. Just recently, she had even inexplicably felt palpitations and shortness of breath, waves of terror washing over her. That fear and intense unease told Luo Zhiheng that something was wrong!
She didn't know who was in trouble, but it must be someone extremely important to her! Considering Luo Zhiwu's attitude and avoidance, Luo Zhiheng almost immediately concluded that Mu Yunhe was in danger!
What was Mu Yunhe doing? Why was Luo Zhiwu stopping her from leaving? The more Luo Zhiwu prevented her from leaving, the more terrified she became. They had agreed to meet at noon, but it was already afternoon and Luo Zhiwu still hadn't come! What was he trying to do? Was he trying to force her to her death? Finally, Luo Zhiheng completely lost her temper and exploded!
The only way she could vent her anger was to smash up all the university buildings, then deliberately walk on the dangerous shards to scare the group of servants who dared to threaten her with death, and then force Luo Zhiwu out. She dared not act rashly; she was also afraid that if she really rushed out recklessly, what if she caused trouble for Mu Yunhe? So it was better to bring Luo Zhiwu over first and find out the truth.
Luo Zhiwu's face darkened. He was willing to tolerate Luo Zhiheng's unreasonable behavior, but he couldn't tolerate her not taking care of herself at all. So he said in a deep voice, "Don't talk nonsense! Can't you talk things out properly? Why do you have to make it like this?"
"I wanted to talk to you properly, but are you willing to let me? You won't even show your face! How am I supposed to find you?" Luo Zhiheng sneered twice and casually threw the teacup beside her, smashing it to pieces.
Luo Zhiheng wasn't satisfied, so she immediately turned around and walked to the other shelf, where many porcelain pieces were displayed. She continued to walk on the shards, the squeaking and occasionally the cracking sounds making one's scalp tingle and think how painful it would be if one of these things got stuck in one's foot.
Luo Zhiwu's eyelids twitched violently, and she shouted repeatedly, "Grandma, don't move around! Be careful not to prick yourself! Do whatever you want, I'm here now. If you have any complaints, take them out on me. Stop messing around, your foot, your foot!"
Luo Zhiwu was so anxious she was about to jump up and down. She stared wide-eyed at Luo Zhiheng pacing back and forth dangerously, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
Luo Zhiheng stopped standing on the shards, glancing sideways at Luo Zhiwu, and said, "Now you want to talk? Then tell me, what happened to Mu Yunhe? What happened to him!"
Luo Zhiwu choked. Luo Zhiheng was indeed perceptive, getting right to the point with just one question! But now she didn't know how to answer. She had thought everything would go smoothly. According to Mu Yunhe, he should be back around noon if all went well. But it was already afternoon, two hours had passed since Mu Yunhe said he would return, and there was still no sign of him. Luo Zhiwu was anxious and sent people out to investigate, but they found nothing.
He couldn't very well tell Luo Zhiheng the truth, could he? Mu Yunhe was extremely dangerous right now, so he had to be careful and not upset Luo Zhiheng.
"Don't overthink it. Mu Yunhe is a smart kid. What could possibly happen to him? I kept an eye on him when I went out on errands today, and he's perfectly fine," Luo Zhiwu said, seemingly unconcerned.
But Luo Zhiheng shouted, "Impossible! You're lying! If Mu Yunhe is alright, why are you afraid to let me go out? Are you afraid I'll hear something? Are you afraid I'll go to Mu Yunhe? To stop me, you even had these servants threaten to kill themselves. You knew I'd soften my heart, you planned it all out. You knew I wouldn't really bear to watch so many people die in front of me. If nothing's wrong, why would you use such a tactic against me?"
"Brother! Please, tell me what happened to Mu Yunhe? I'm afraid to go out easily, but for Mu Yunhe's sake, I truly don't care about the lives of these people, even if it weighs heavily on my conscience. If I weren't afraid that my appearance would implicate Mu Yunhe, and if I didn't want to find out the situation first, do you think the lives of these servants could really stop me? Telling me is helping me. If you don't tell me, don't regret it if something really happens later!"
Luo Zhiheng spoke with firmness and ruthlessness, while Luo Zhiwu listened with trepidation and admiration for Mu Yunhe's good fortune in marrying such a wonderful sister.
“I can tell you, but you can’t mess around, because I don’t know exactly what’s going on either. Actually, I promised Mu Yunhe that I would keep it a secret from you.” Luo Zhiwu rolled her eyes, looking helpless.
“Your sister isn’t that fragile and inexperienced, just tell me.” Luo Zhiheng walked over anxiously, and the journey made Luo Zhiwu’s heart pound with fear.
He exclaimed, "My little darling, don't move around! What if you get pricked?"
Luo Zhiheng stood still, right on a pile of shards. She chuckled inwardly. She wouldn't put herself in danger. She was so afraid of pain and easily injured; how could she not cherish herself? Besides, if she hurt herself at a time like this, how would she find Mu Yunhe? The little boots she wore were specially crafted in the wilderness, made with rare and exquisite materials—impervious to swords and spears, fire and water, and incredibly soft and breathable—made specifically for her.
However, we can't tell Luo Zhiwu, otherwise we might really scare him into telling the truth.
"Hurry up and tell me, or I'll stop smashing things and start stomping on this!" she said arrogantly, stomping her feet a few times as if to demonstrate.
Luo Zhiwu was so frightened that she quickly said, "Don't move! I'm telling you, Mu Yunhe has discovered that Luo Ningshuang is an imposter. He found out a series of problems, so he devised a play to lure her out. These past few days he's been busy deceiving people and pretending to be affectionate with Luo Ningshuang. He's afraid you'll be angry, so he hasn't dared to tell you."
"That's not all, is it? What other tricks does he have up his sleeve? The Seal Society's instigation? Is he planning to lure out that venomous snake today?!" Luo Zhiheng deduced what Mu Yunhe was going to do, and her expression changed drastically. She said hatefully, "How could you let him do this? Do you know how dangerous it is? The person behind this is no ordinary person. Mu Yunhe is not the same Mu Yunhe he used to be. He's no match for him!"
Luo Zhiwu's expression also changed, and she said, "Who exactly is the person behind this? Mu Yunhe has obviously already guessed it, but he didn't tell me, and you know, but you haven't told me either."
Luo Zhiheng's heart was completely focused on Mu Yunhe, and she couldn't possibly answer Luo Zhiwu's question. She just kept asking, "Has he come back? Where is he now?"
Luo Zhiwu shook her head, her face grim, and said, "He hasn't come back yet. It's completely different from the time he expected. He should have been back long ago, but there's been no sign of him. I'm worried that something might have happened."
Luo Zhiheng froze, almost losing her balance. Panicked, she tried to rush out, stepping on the broken pieces as she ran to the door. Luo Zhiwu didn't even have time to grab her before she was already past. But just as she reached the door, she bumped headfirst into someone who was also rushing in. The two collided, and the force of the impact sent Luo Zhiheng flying backward, staggering violently.
Mu Yunhe reacted swiftly, grabbing her. Seeing the shards of porcelain at her feet, his expression changed, and he rushed in even faster, grabbing her arm and pulling her into his arms. He roughly hoisted her up and took several steps back before angrily yelling at Luo Zhiwu, his face pale and breathless, "What kind of judgment do you have? How could you let her run around like that? What are you doing with all this shards? What if she gets hurt?!"
Mu Yunhe's barrage of accusations snapped Luo Zhiwu out of her shock. She said in an extremely unpleasant tone, "Oh, so you're still alive? You actually have time to come back and lecture your brother-in-law? What your brother-in-law owes you, does he have to be scolded for not watching over people?"
Mu Yunhe pursed his thin lips. He wasn't afraid of Luo Zhiwu, no matter how sarcastic she was. He was wrong for not keeping a close eye on Aheng!
Mu Yunhe carried the dazed Luo Zhiheng and turned to leave. Luo Zhiwu hurriedly chased after him, angrily saying, "Mu Yunhe, are you out of your mind? Where are you taking her? Did you get my permission?"
"Where I take her, I doubt I need your permission, right? Of course, out of respect for you, may I ask if you could prepare a clean room for us? I need to have a good talk with your confidante!"
Mu Yunhe visibly gritted his teeth at the words "confidante," but there was also a hint of a reminder in them.
Luo Zhiwu's expression changed again. He saw the warning and deep meaning in Mu Yunhe's eyes. His heart skipped a beat. Mu Yunhe had returned from his business but hadn't revealed Aheng's identity. Could something have gone wrong? Mu Yunhe was clearly telling him that he couldn't reveal Heng'er's identity yet.
Luo Zhiwu said with a nonchalant expression, "Since you've asked, I'll naturally be generous. Someone, take His Excellency the High Priest and my little confidante to the private room for a chat. Young Master has good taste; the woman I've taken a liking to, His Excellency the High Priest has also taken a liking to, so I certainly can't be stingy, can I?"
Luo Zhiwu saw a fleeting, subtle smile on Mu Yunhe's lips and knew she had guessed correctly. She feared that even the General's Mansion was no longer safe!
First update! Hehe, good morning! One more update to go! Hua Sha will keep working hard! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets! Mwah, my darlings!