111 When we are together, we have nothing to fear!
Updated: 2013-06-18 12:39:19 Word Count: 4598
Mu Yunhe was still blaming himself for his incompetence, but Luo Zhiheng's words made him want to strangle her again: "Wouldn't there be a lot of rewards for first place?"
If so, how rich must Luo Ningshuang be, having won the championship nine times in a row? How come she's still so poor? And Luo Ningshuang, who has always only wanted to show off her personality in front of the world, is now, for the first time, willing to try her luck to see if she can get first place. The key question is, what are the rewards for first place?
She didn't care about her reputation or the shameful word "virginity," but she cared deeply about the reward. A surge of anger rose within Mu Yunhe, but it was quickly replaced by a profound sense of powerlessness. He gritted his teeth and said, "What do you care about most? Are you blinded by greed? I seriously doubt that if someone tried to bribe you to buy me, you'd sell me out too!"
“Of course I will…” Luo Zhiheng’s mind went blank for a moment. Seeing Mu Yunhe’s face turn ashen, she changed her tone, fawningly massaging Mu Yunhe’s legs, and said in a melodious yet stern voice, “Of course I will kill the person who dared to buy you without mercy! No one can tarnish my pure, flawless, wise, brave, handsome, and invincible little Hehe…”
Mu Yunhe felt extremely uncomfortable with her hypocritical and exaggerated words. Especially the affected and exaggerated "Little Hehe" coming from her mouth, which was so nauseating! He put on a stern face and demanded, "Don't call me 'Little Hehe' anymore, it's disgusting."
Luo Zhiheng nodded hurriedly, but didn't take it to heart at all. She continued to massage his legs in a fawning manner, and then asked, "So tell me, is there any reward?"
Mu Yunhe said irritably, "I don't know!" 12.
"How could you not know? You deliberately didn't tell me!" Luo Zhiheng immediately turned hostile, telling him to go to hell with flattery! Her delicate fingers pointed at Mu Yunhe, the red and swollen marks on them still shining brightly, burning Mu Yunhe's eyes.
Mu Yunhe's sharp and agitated aura weakened, a dull ache settling in his chest. He was annoyed by her swift and undisguised change of expression, and frustrated by the injury on her hand. In the end, he could only give in. He glared at her fiercely, unable to understand why he, who was always so proud, had repeatedly been defeated by Luo Zhiheng. And yet, he kept fighting, only to be defeated again and again; he seemed trapped in a vicious cycle. Luo Zhiheng didn't need to say anything; her feigned change of expression easily shattered his patience and indifference.
This woman is definitely his nemesis!
"No one knows exactly what the prize for the annual First Talent Competition is, but there is indeed a prize. However, the competition has a rule that the prize for first place cannot be made public. Anyone who reveals their prize will be hunted down by the competition organizers! It's a dangerous and alluring written test! Participants not only need to have the ability but also the courage, otherwise they'll just embarrass themselves. As for the prize, many people speculate that it's definitely... very generous." Speaking deliberately sarcastically, Mu Yunhe coldly glanced at her, seeing her eyes gleaming, and felt an urge to strangle her. Couldn't she be less superficial and blunt?
"There was a reward, and Luo Ningshuang was still pretending to be very poor. I just saw her take back some things that should have been mine, and she acted like she was going to die. Sure enough, that woman is too scheming and stingy." Luo Zhiheng had actually noticed some clues in Luo Ningshuang's previous words and actions. Although she couldn't be sure that Luo Ningshuang stole her university, Luo Ningshuang was definitely an insider.
Since she was in the know, her failure to report it and her inaction completely offended Luo Zhiheng, which is why Luo Zhiheng confiscated Luo Ningshuang's belongings as punishment.
But now it seems that Luo Ningshuang is very wealthy. Even without the support of the General's Mansion, Luo Ningshuang would definitely be successful anywhere. But over the years, no one has made a big deal out of Luo Ningshuang being the number one talent for nine consecutive years. Although she has a good reputation outside, there is no word about this, which is very strange.
Mu Yunhe then gave her the answer: "The First Talent Competition is as mysterious as the power behind it. The prize for first place is unknown and cannot be revealed. They also have a strange rule: participants are not allowed to use the First Talent Competition for publicity or to flaunt it, otherwise they will be hunted down. Moreover, they kill without any concealment, mercy, or mercy! They are as ruthless as bandits. However, even if everyone doesn't say it on the surface, this Talent Competition is actually a prestigious event. Some women's marriages have become incredibly successful overnight because of the competition."
When Mu Yunhe said this, his expression turned strange, mocking, and somewhat desolate.
Luo Zhiheng noticed and immediately extinguished her burning desire for money. Like a submissive wife, she continued to massage his legs and said softly, "Don't be upset. I participated in this competition not for my own advancement, but to fight for our survival. There are too many dangers around us. We never know when someone will suddenly appear, saying who they are and what kind of hatred they have against us, and then there will be all sorts of traps, crises, and deaths. We can't guard against them all."
Luo Zhiheng's gaze suddenly sharpened, and even her tone became serious and solemn: "Rather than letting people think we are weak and easily bullied, it's better for me to stand up and show them our strength, so that those restless people won't dare to make any moves easily. Let's use this as a warning to buy ourselves some time and eliminate the enemy one by one! Mu Yunhe, this time, it is still a critical moment for our fate. I need you to go through this with me wholeheartedly. Are you willing?"
Mu Yunhe raised his eyes, his usual emotions gone, replaced by a deep and clear gaze. The woman in his eyes, though mischievous, hateful, and fickle, was the one who truly wanted to live with him. He knew that beneath her playful and mischievous exterior lay a shrewd mind; every decision she made was purposeful, and that purpose was so alluring and made his…heart pound. So, what reason did he have to refuse?
If we walk with him, there will be hope for the future, and light for tomorrow. He will no longer be alone in the darkness, counting his deaths!
His large, well-defined hand uncontrollably covered hers. It felt soft and cool to the touch. In the sweltering summer heat, her hands were icy cold. It turned out that she could also be nervous.
His mood suddenly became faster and happier. It seemed that Luo Zhiheng's rare nervousness made Mu Yunhe feel very present, a sense that he was also needed by Luo Zhiheng.
"Alright! I'll be with you. All demons and monsters will make way for you. If they won't, we'll charge through them together, fight our way through. We'll always be together. That way, we won't be afraid, we won't be daunted!"
He heard his clear, gentle voice, slow and rhythmic, leaping powerfully in his chest, speaking with a firm yet eerie intensity. It was a vow-like declaration, filled with a powerful, exhilarating force that made one's blood boil! So intense!
Luo Zhiheng smiled, and her exquisite face also showed a gentle smile because of Mu Yunhe's rare recognition and heartwarming words.
They looked at each other, their eyes filled with each other. Their hands were clasped together, conveying a sense of mutual support.
Something seemed to have changed between them. The once sharp edges had been gradually smoothed out as they supported each other. Perhaps they weren't yet gentle, but they were no longer painful to the touch.
Luo Zhiheng began her intensive preparations, but before that, she had to understand the competition process, rules, and past competition items. Because of the uniqueness of this competition, the topics were not fixed each year. Although it was called "music, chess, calligraphy, and painting," participants were required to be proficient in all kinds of arts, but the competition would only select a few of them for testing.
Luo Zhiheng's various abilities made Mu Yunhe want to yell at her to get out of there and stop embarrassing herself in front of him! 15460330
How can there be such a useless woman? She can't even do the most basic needlework that a woman should know. She's so arrogant when she's hitting people with a stick, but how come she struggles so much to hold a needle?
Luo Zhiheng was not only bad at needlework, but her cooking skills were also... shockingly bad. She almost set the kitchen on fire, which scared her so much that her nanny quickly pushed her out and said carefully, "If it really doesn't work, we can build a simple kitchen in the yard."
Luo Zhiheng slunk back to her room. Mu Yunhe wore an expression that said, "I knew this would happen," and sneered at her, "Failed again, huh? You might as well give up. Going there with someone like you will only make you look worse." His completely contemptuous attitude only spurred Luo Zhiheng on, making her even more determined. Putting down her spoon and picking up her paintbrush, this time her posture was truly impressive. Even Mu Yunhe, seeing her holding the brush and standing before the desk, felt a beautiful harmony between humanity and nature.
However, as soon as Luo Zhiheng finished a painting, Mu Yunhe immediately turned hostile, threw the book in his hand at Luo Zhiheng, and roared, "You're simply ruining a tortoise!"
Luo Zhiheng nimbly dodged left and right, her little face like a little kitten's, pouting her rosy lips, and with a smug and disapproving look, she shook a delicate white finger and said, "No, you should say that it is an honor for this turtle to have landed on my drawing paper!"
"Why don't you just die? You're so narcissistic!" Mu Yunhe was powerless and desperate. She gritted her teeth and collapsed onto the bed. How could someone be so narcissistic as to be so clueless? With her appearance, going out wouldn't be to participate in a competition, it would be to embarrass herself!
A sly glint flashed in Luo Zhiheng's eyes. She raised an eyebrow triumphantly, turned, and put down her drawing. But out of the corner of her eye, she caught a sharp glimpse of a dark shadow flashing past the window, a mocking smile playing on her lips. She understood, but her subsequent preparations, employing every trick in the book, only resulted in an even more inhumane, horrific, and tragic end.
When Luo Zhiheng finished playing the Demonic Melody and looked at Mu Yunhe with expectant eyes, Mu Yunhe, weakened by the demonic music, lay on the bed, barely clinging to life, and gave her his final assessment: "You are utterly useless, utterly incompetent, unlearned, and utterly incompetent. Besides that inexplicable, tooth-ache-inducing confidence, what else do you have? What can you do?"
Luo Zhiheng, however, was not discouraged at all. She acted completely nonchalant, as if first place was hers for the taking, her arrogance truly making one's blood boil. She even shamelessly said, "Don't worry, we're just cramming at the last minute. There's only one day left, and this last-minute effort is bound to be ineffective. You might as well let me rest properly. Just wait and see me suddenly become like a god, shining brightly, and utterly crushing them on the field!"
Mu Yunhe was both amused and exasperated. Where did she get such a good attitude? How come she doesn't know how to worry?
"How about this, tell me about the competition again, like how it was in previous years?" Luo Zhiheng fawned over Mu Yunhe again, glancing at the abandoned zither before leaving, her face showing a look of wasted time, a typical spoiled brat who was lazy, incompetent, arrogant and conceited.
It's almost unbelievable that anyone would consider her an opponent. It's as if being an opponent to someone as utterly useless as her would be a desecration! It's as if Luo Zhiheng is destroying her own image, and she continues to do so ignorantly. Who would take someone like her seriously?
Mu Yunhe's lips twitched, his eyes filled with a deep desolation. He was genuinely worried about Luo Zhiheng. These past few days, Luo Zhiheng had been diligently trying to improve his health. He knew she was concerned about what might happen to him while she wasn't by his side, so even though he was anxious, Mu Yunhe dared not put more pressure on her. But Luo Zhiheng's poor performance left Mu Yunhe, who had never witnessed a woman's talent, feeling utterly helpless.
"I don't know much about the talent competition, but I've told you everything. Do you want to practice dancing some more?" Mu Yunhe was unwilling to give up. If she was going to do it, she should do it well. At the very least, the little princess of the young prince of the Mu family couldn't be so useless. Otherwise, where would her husband's face be?
Luo Zhiheng waved her small hand and said loudly with great enthusiasm, "Don't worry, if things really don't work out, I still have kung fu, right? Whoever is my opponent, I'll make her fight me. If she dares to beat me, I'll beat her until she admits defeat."
Mu Yunhe was speechless. He gripped her hand tightly and warned, "You're not allowed to do anything reckless. All the women who can participate in the First Talent Competition are not from ordinary families. If you cause trouble, I might not be able to help you."
"Alright, alright, why are you worried about everything? Let me get some sleep, my back aches. Once I get first place, I'm going to sleep for three days and three nights straight." She jumped onto the bed, and soon fell silent.
Mu Yunhe was speechless for a long time. Who was this person? But he was tired from following Luo Zhiheng's antics these past few days, and soon fell asleep. Yunhe should search for ability.
During these past few days, they practiced in various ways, leaving their room wide open and making no attempt to hide anything from others. As a result, news of Luo Zhiheng's various embarrassing and incompetent acts quickly spread. Not only did the people in this courtyard know about her stupidity, but even Consort Li knew.
Second update! We've reached 11,000 words now. I'll continue updating, and there will be an extra chapter today! My darlings, let's rise up! Haha! Your support, your recommendations, your comments, and your monthly tickets are all sources of motivation for me! Group kisses!
112 A cunning transaction: Who really benefited? (Midnight Update)
Updated: 2013-06-18 14:49:12 Word Count: 6627
"Is she really that... despicable?" The question was phrased as a question, but the belief and schadenfreude in the tone were genuine.
Consort Li lay on a soft chair, fiddling with her finger cots. Her alluring eyes held a cold smile as she glanced at the kneeling old woman. Her sharp gaze made the old woman tremble, and she quickly prostrated herself on the ground, saying respectfully, "Your Majesty, it's like this. This servant has been watching them for the past three days. They never try to hide anything. The little princess set the small kitchen on fire, painted only a turtle, broke a needle while doing needlework, and her playing the zither was...unbearable to listen to."
Consort Li laughed heartily, then wore an expression that said, "I knew this would happen." When she proposed marriage to Luo Ningshuang, she hadn't ignored Luo Zhiheng, but Luo Zhiheng was known as the General's Mansion's lucky star, the most beloved young lady. Their statuses were different, and Luo Zhiheng was born arrogant and unruly, with a notorious reputation for promiscuity. Not only would she be difficult to control in the Prince's Mansion, but it would also give the impression that she didn't want Mu Yunhe to prosper. Therefore, she chose Luo Ningshuang.
But she also understands Luo Zhiheng. Is someone who doesn't study and has no skills really useless? Mu Yunhe, your description is so accurate. However, your wife does have one redeeming quality: she's incredibly naive. So naive that even though she's clearly nothing and incompetent, she still thinks she's invincible. Does she have to be so arrogant?
How ridiculous! Why would she even bother with someone like that? She's not even worthy of carrying her own niece's shoes. She's not worth worrying about.
But Consort Li immediately frowned. Although Luo Zhiheng was not a threat, three days had passed and she still hadn't managed to get an invitation. This was a failure in itself. No matter how powerful Consort Li was, or how much she controlled the Prince's mansion, no one outside the mansion gave her any face. Moreover, she was wary of the power of that race.
She dared not act rashly because of her guilty conscience, the overwhelming power of those people, and the words of Madam Wang from that day. She could have easily killed any woman participating in the First Talent Competition and seized the invitation, but now she couldn't. The inability to obtain the invitation made her feel wronged and defeated. How could Li Fangfei be a failure?
Now that she has an invitation in front of her, she naturally wouldn't risk doing anything unnecessary.
"Hua Kai, go and fetch my treasure box," Consort Li suddenly said. She remembered Luo Zhiheng's greedy nature and the boxes Luo Zhiheng had brought back a few days ago, which she heard contained her mother's jewelry and such. Perhaps the simplest way to make that fool Luo Zhiheng willingly hand over the invitation was to use such a greedy person.
The treasure box was brought out and opened, brightening the room. Consort Li rummaged through it, each item inside priceless, and she was reluctant to part with any of them. But in the end, she took out a pair of phoenix hairpins inlaid with yellow gemstones from the Western Regions, and a necklace made of exquisite warm jade, before closing the box. She then placed the two items in two very beautiful boxes, rose, and straightened her clothes. This was a matter she had to handle personally.
To further enhance her niece's prestige, to ensure her son's future wife's family would be more prestigious, to ensure her future life would be more worry-free and stable, and to suppress the princess once, she had no choice but to put on a smiling face in front of that fool Luo Zhiheng.
She was unwilling to accept it! Consort Li walked out, raising her face to the sun. She was unwilling! Back then, the Princess Consort had outshone all the other beauties, leaving her far behind, and because of her status as the champion of the First Talented Woman, she firmly occupied the Princess Consort position that should have belonged to her.
She lost her virginity before marriage to a prince. At that time, she thought that with her family background, beauty, talent, the prince's affection, and his promises, losing her virginity before marriage was nothing, and the position of princess was hers for the taking. But who could have known that Lady Tong would appear out of nowhere?
She had already missed out on the most important thing, how could her son's wife be suppressed by Tong's wife? How could she stand by and watch this terrible cycle continue? Because she couldn't become a princess in the talent competition, her daughter-in-law had to use her status as a participant in the talent competition to suppress Luo Zhiheng and suppress Tong's daughter-in-law!
She would absolutely, positively not allow that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to coexist in the Prince's mansion under the guise of participants in the Talent Contest!
After Mu Yunhe fell asleep, Luo Zhiheng opened her eyes, glanced at the mess of the zither, chess, calligraphy and painting in the room, smiled, and then looked at the wide-open door, her eyes full of sarcasm.
You know how to infiltrate the enemy, but do you think I don't know how to create confusion? I may be useless, but all I have is the cunning to avoid harming others while also being harmed myself!
Consort Li, do you know how much I've been looking forward to this competition? Do you know that you, Consort Li, are also a fierce tiger in my scheme to intimidate others?
She seemed to be in a meditative state, her mind filled with the knowledge she had acquired over the past few days and Mu Yunhe's description of the competition. She wasn't completely unprepared; although she couldn't know everything about the competition, she at least had to arm herself with the right mindset and abilities!
This competition came too suddenly, and she didn't have much time to prepare, but it was still manageable. However, preparation isn't something that can be done in a day or two, but fortunately, this female bandit came from a respectable family. What do respectable families know? She knows them all, except for needlework and cooking, of course, because in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, a respectable family like her no longer had the privilege of peacefully learning needlework and cooking.
In a turbulent country, a time of war, where rotting corpses littered the land, and where burning, killing, looting, and demons roamed freely, she had no choice but to shed her finery and mount a warhorse! To protect herself from becoming a screaming plaything beneath the demons, she had to use her delicate hands to pick up piercingly painful knives and spears.
Yet, she was also a cultured, refined, and well-mannered bandit. Moreover, she had a foreign tutor who had returned from studying abroad. She was eager to see how women could roam freely in this era, and she longed to know if she could truly dominate.
The fear she felt upon first arriving in this unfamiliar era, the terror of being burned at the stake as a ghost, the fear that her inexplicable possession would one day be exposed—she was afraid of everything and always wanted to leave herself an out. That fear is now gone forever.
She had no way out. For survival, for Mu Yunhe, the man who evoked such pity, for the loving elder, the Princess, for her seven bowls of food and her wet nurse, for pride, for the arrogance and defiance in her bones…
She has too many concerns and things she can't give up! So let's set a goal and charge forward. Leave no way back, and there will be no regrets! We will surely fight our way out!
Her eyes held a gentle gaze that quietly fell on Mu Yunhe's slightly rosy face. Without the harm of those poisons and with the nourishment of food, his complexion was getting better day by day. Although he was still very weak and in danger, she was not afraid. As long as the two of them worked together, they would definitely get better. She was sure she could find a way to completely cure Mu Yunhe.
That death knell that forbids me from living past twenty must be broken!
"Your Highness, Consort Li has come to visit," the old woman outside the door whispered.
Luo Zhiheng's eyelids lifted sharply, a cold, sharp gaze flashing across them. She deliberately waited a moment before slowly speaking, "Please come in." (The question was asked by a woman named Ling Suo.)
Luo Zhiheng has now made the courtyard very secure, making it difficult to enter or leave. Of course, some people with ulterior motives can still come and go as they please, but Consort Li's visit this time must have a purpose, and this purpose forces her to abide by Luo Zhiheng's rules, because she doesn't want to anger Luo Zhiheng. Therefore, she must wait for her announcement before she can enter.
The only thing that could make Consort Li lower herself to such a degree is probably that invitation!
A mocking smile flashed across her lips. Consort Li had already entered, seemingly oblivious to the mess scattered on the floor and table. She walked straight to the bed and said gently, "Have I disturbed your rest, you two? You two are so affectionate, I'm afraid you'd be sad even if you were apart for a while."
Consort Li took a seat without being invited, her raised eyebrows still conveying her superior attitude. As she looked at them on the bed, their clothes disheveled, a faint smile played on her lips.
Even if they lie in the same bed, what difference will it make? In the end, Mu Yunhe can't complete that important human act. Even if Luo Zhiheng wants to be a real woman, it's impossible! How tragic, Luo Zhiheng will probably have to live a life of widowhood for the rest of her life.
Luo Zhiheng lay shyly on her side next to Mu Yunhe, gazing lovingly at his sleeping face. Her gaze, filled with undisguised affection, revealed a deep and unyielding love: "Yes, I can't be separated from him for even a moment. I never knew before that there would be a man who would make me so attached and so infatuated. As long as I can be by his side, even if I have to be a vegetarian for the rest of my life, I would be happy."
Consort Li's lips twitched, and she subconsciously touched her face. Luo Zhiheng's answer was too strange. Could it be that she had seen through her thoughts just now? Of course, Consort Li did not believe Luo Zhiheng's words. What woman could spend her whole life with a man who was impotent? If she could not taste that wonderful feeling, it would be a loss for her to live a woman's life.
“You’re so good to the young prince, it makes me, as an elder, happy to see it. Let’s speak quietly so as not to disturb his rest,” Consort Li said with a smile. Then she got straight to the point: “I didn’t come here for anything important. I heard you’ve been having a hard time lately, haven’t you? Actually, that first talent competition isn’t that big of a deal. Did you go just for fun? Let’s not even talk about whether you’ll even place in that competition. Just look at yourself now. If you go, not only will it be very hard and tiring, but you’ll also have to be separated from the young prince for long periods every day. Do you think it’s worth it?”
Luo Zhiheng tilted her head, her big eyes revealing a bewildered expression.