Luo Zhiheng left without looking back, throwing the struggling eunuch into the water. However, they hadn't gone far when the eunuch's cries for help ceased. The wet nurse whispered in Luo Zhiheng's ear, "That eunuch was indeed following us yesterday; he rescued the little eunuch."
Luo Zhiheng snorted coldly; she knew everything perfectly well.
Princess Yu hurriedly returned to her palace, dismissed everyone, and excitedly opened her tightly clenched palm with a flushed face. On it was a small stick. She picked it up curiously and saw four words clearly engraved on the stick: "Blocking Clouds Outside the Palace!"
Second update! There will be an extra update today! Hua Sha will keep working hard. Love you all! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets. These are Hua Sha's motivation and passion, my darlings. Wait for me! The third update is coming soon!
195. Sisterly love, too, is a curse! (Bonus chapter for 24,000 recommendation votes)
Updated: 2013-07-21 22:36:39 Word Count: 3534
The princess blinked, examining the stick inside and out, but still couldn't understand it. She sighed in frustration, "What is this? I thought it was something fun. A stick and four words—what's this for?"
But the next moment she suddenly remembered what her aunt had said about Luo Zhiheng...
If you ever run into Luo Zhiheng, be careful. She always has a purpose in everything she says and does. Even if she smiles, don't easily assume it's just an ordinary smile. This woman thinks three steps ahead for every one she takes; she's very dangerous.
"According to my aunt, this woman wouldn't give me a stick for no reason, would she? Let's go find Mother!" Princess Yu didn't dare to delay. Her aunt's friend was her friend, and she had to take good care of her.
When Princess Yu handed the small stick to the Empress, the Empress glanced at it and fell silent. After pondering for a while, her expression changed, revealing a range of emotions that were hard to describe, such as anger, sorrow, or heartache.
The Empress murmured with a sorrowful expression, her voice filled with inexplicable sadness: "How can you resolve the hatred in your heart? What good will his arrival do? Will you truly be happy? What does it matter if you gain something or lose something? I simply cannot believe you could become so reckless. Qingya, what exactly do you want?"
"Mother? What are you saying? Quickly, see what this means! Is Luo Zhiheng in trouble? Shouldn't we help her? Didn't you behave well yesterday? Auntie said before that Luo Zhiheng is her friend and that we should take care of her. She's quite smart and knows to ask for your help when she needs it." Princess Yu said excitedly, clearly a caged canary that had been trapped for too long, craving excitement. Even the slightest novelty could arouse her strong interest.
"Yes, my daughter is the best. But we shouldn't interfere in this matter. If we interfere too much in what your Aunt Mu wants to do, she will be unhappy," the Empress said hesitantly.
Princess Yu immediately said unhappily, "Mother! Why do you always give in to her? She's bullying you, and she even allows her palace people to bully me! She makes Father dislike you and is always scolding me. I hate her so much! Why isn't that awful woman dead yet? I wish she would just die already! Father can still tolerate her, and you can still indulge her! If it were me, I would have punished her for the serious crime of bewitching the emperor long ago. How could I let her cause trouble in front of you and be so powerful?"
"Enough! What do you know, you little kid? If you dare to speak to your Aunt Mu like that again, be careful that your mother will teach you a lesson!" the Empress scolded sternly.
Princess Yu, her eyes red and choked with sobs, said indignantly, "Mother, all you do is criticize me! Every time that vile woman is mentioned, you defend her! What right does she have? Who's to blame for her son's death? It was her own carelessness, it has nothing to do with you. Why do you always tolerate her, defend her, and pity her? Look at what everyone inside and outside the palace is saying now! They say this palace belongs to Mu Qingya, she is the rightful Empress! And you are just a figurehead!"
The Empress, exasperated by her daughter's crying, said helplessly, "I don't understand matters concerning adults."
"Mother, stop trying to fob me off with that! It was Father who insisted on marrying you back then. Even though it was a mistake, didn't he still manage to marry Mu Qingya as he wished? Don't think I don't know, Mu Qingya has always hated you, as if you stole her Empress's position. And you've always felt guilty towards Mu Qingya. That's why you only gave birth to me many years after Mu Qingya had her son! After Mu Qingya's son died, you decided not to have any more children! I know all of this! But don't you think an Empress without a son is more pathetic than a Consort who lost her son and can't have any more children? Is Mu Qingya thanking you or being nicer to you? She only keeps taking Father away from you!"
"Kilometer Tree Luo, you!" Princess Yu roared, her agitated state devoid of reason, oblivious to her mother's sorrowful and pained expression. She continued to cry out, "How utterly shameful! I feel so ashamed! How could I have a mother like you, who only cares about loyalty and not about her own daughter? Mother, I hate you!"
Princess Yu burst out of the Empress's palace, crying and screaming, and the Empress couldn't stop her.
"Your Highness, should this old servant bring Princess back?" the old nanny asked softly.
The empress sat there stiffly, and after a long while shook her head, her face pale.
Anyone would be upset if their beloved daughter told them they hated her. But the love-hate relationship between her and Mu Qingya had been entangled for so many years. She had always firmly believed that their sisterly bond remained, but what had Mu Qingya done all these years? One thing after another, utterly insane!
Her self-anesthesia, her self-deception, her forbearance and heartache—couldn't they possibly bring back Mu Qingya's rationality and kindness? Had losing a son truly made Mu Qingya so absurd? But what exactly happened back then? If the young prince truly died in an accident, how could Mu Qingya's personality have changed so drastically? But if it wasn't an accident, why did Mu Qingya remain silent?
Such a contradictory person, such a person suffering intense pain. Every time the Empress could no longer bear Mu Qingya's madness, she would involuntarily think of that rainy night when Mu Qingya, having just lost her beloved son, held her and cried hysterically. In that cold rainy night, all memories froze, sealed in her heart. That scene was perhaps the reason she had indulged Mu Qingya for so many years.
In the end, she couldn't bear to sever this sisterhood that had lasted for so many years.
However, if she were to intervene and stop Mu Qingya's actions, given Mu Qingya's current extreme emotions, she would likely come to hate her.
On one side is her younger sister, on the other are her sworn sisters who were once as close as siblings, and on yet another side is Luo Zhiheng, who just helped her beloved daughter...
Family ties, friendship, and gratitude—these three emotions intertwined, creating a fierce competition within the heart of the most sentimental empress.
Finally, she gripped the wooden stick tightly and raised her voice, "Tell Yang Feng that I order him to immediately travel along the official road that leads to the palace to the residence of the Prince of Silver Moon Kingdom. If he encounters any palace or Silver Moon Kingdom carriages along the way, he must intercept them and investigate carefully. If the young prince of the Mu Dynasty is inside, remember to have Luo Zhiheng relay a message to him, telling him to wait patiently with the Prince. He cannot enter the palace without her personal permission! If he does not heed this advice, have Yang Feng tell Mu Yunhe that Luo Zhiheng's life will be in danger because of his easy entry into the palace!"
The old woman's face hardened, and she immediately agreed, but hesitated to leave. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Is this the right thing for Your Highness to do? Why not intercept her secretly? That way, even if the Consort suspects something, without real evidence, she won't dare to say anything about Your Highness, much less suspect you. It's much better than Your Highness doing this so openly. Isn't this just openly breaking ties with the Consort?"
A flicker of pain crossed the Empress's face, but it quickly replaced with an upright and honest expression. She said gently, "I'm not good at those schemes. Let's be straightforward. For so many years, Qingya has only harbored deep hatred for me. A little more wouldn't matter; it's better than making her live in fear and overthinking. If she's still the sister who understands and knows me, she should know that I'm not intentionally targeting her. If she truly no longer considers me a sister she can entrust her life to, then whatever I do will only fuel her suspicions and hatred. So why should I fear or hide anything?"15.
Of the three emotions, familial love and gratitude prevailed. Perhaps it was a victory of more than less, but it can hardly be considered a victory. After all, the Empress did not want Mu Qingya to make any more egregious mistakes, only to wake up in despair when it was too late to make a comeback.
People can make mistakes, but some mistakes should never be made. Once made, they will haunt you for life, leaving you with endless regrets and a lifetime of remorse!
She absolutely did not want her once innocent and carefree friend to grow old with regret and die with remorse one day!
Within the Imperial Guard, a man in armor led a contingent on horseback, galloping away. Just about a kilometer from the palace, they encountered a royal carriage. The young man, upright and unyielding, blocked the road, his voice authoritative and powerful: "General Mo, Yang Feng, captain of the Imperial Guard at the front gate, acting on the Empress's orders, may I ask if the carriage carries Prince Mu Yunhe of the Mu Dynasty?"
The eunuch driving the carriage ahead saw Yang Feng, and his expression changed drastically, becoming extremely sinister.
Mu Yunhe's excited expression at the prospect of seeing his older sister quickly cooled, and he raised an eyebrow without speaking. Xiao Xizi hurriedly replied, "It is indeed my master. What can I do for you?"
The captain said coldly, "Her Majesty the Empress has ordered that the young prince return to the Prince Shi's residence by the same route. Unless Princess Luo Zhiheng speaks to him personally, the young prince is not allowed to step into the palace, otherwise Princess Luo Zhiheng's life will be in danger!"
The eunuch's face changed, and he shouted, "Captain Yang, what do you mean by this? Why is it wrong for our Empress's own brother to enter the palace? The little princess is waiting peacefully in the palace, how can her life be in danger? You are talking nonsense, spreading alarmist rumors, and slandering our Noble Consort! What are your true intentions? You dare to say that this is the Empress's will? How could the Empress be so vicious? If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I will go to the Emperor to seek justice for our Noble Consort."
The commotion outside the carriage did nothing to ease Mu Yunhe's handsome face; instead, his expression grew increasingly grim, his gaze chillingly cold. The atmosphere inside the carriage instantly plummeted. The noise outside continued unabated when a man's elegant yet murderous voice suddenly rang out from inside the carriage: "Shut up! You, Yang Feng, answer my question. How is my queen consort right now?"
Yang Feng said, "I don't know, but Her Majesty the Empress is always kind and benevolent. There must be a reason why she would say such a thing. I urge you, Young Prince, to think it over."
Seven Bowls and Little Xizi stared expectantly at Mu Yunhe, eager to rush into the kiln and rescue their young mistress. Little Xizi hoped her master would calm down, as the little princess might lose her life if things went wrong; she needed to think carefully.
Mu Yunhe's aura was so chilling it could freeze a person to death. At this moment, he had lost all passion and anticipation, only a heart filled with icy coldness. His face contorted in a grimace for a fleeting moment, but he quickly regained his composure, though the bulging veins on his forehead clearly spoke of his current state of restraint and rage!
No matter how helpless, furious, or disbelieving he felt, Mu Yunhe would never gamble with Luo Zhiheng's life! Nothing was more important than Luo Zhiheng!
After a long pause, Mu Yunhe finally gritted his teeth and made a decision: "Return to the Prince Shi's Mansion!"
196 The Imperial Concubine in the Tent! A Scene at the Imperial Concubine's Palace!
Updated: 2013-07-22 12:40:08 Word Count: 7670
Despite the Imperial Concubine's efforts, she couldn't stop Mu Yunhe from leaving. Seeing Mu Yunhe resolutely depart with Xiao Xizi driving the carriage himself, the Imperial Concubine's people glared at Yang Feng. Yang Feng coldly snorted and personally escorted Mu Yunhe away.
Mu Yunhe returned to the Prince's residence, dismissed everyone, and then coldly said, "Secret Guards, come out."
Mu Yunhe ultimately didn't trust what others said. He needed to know everything about Aheng's secret guards; anyone who dared to harm Aheng shouldn't blame him for being ruthless. Not even the Empress of the Southern Dynasty!
Suddenly, a man in black appeared out of nowhere. He had been hiding and following Mu Yunhe. Mu Yunhe had given orders that the guards were not allowed to appear unless given specific instructions.
"What are your orders, Your Highness?" the guard asked coldly.
"Go to the Southern Dynasty palace immediately and find the young princess. I must ensure her safety. If anything happens to her, do not act rashly. If you cannot rescue her yourself, immediately find a way to inform me, and I will find a solution. But remember one thing: I want Luo Zhiheng to be safe and sound!" Mu Yunhe looked at the guard with a cold gaze, his aura reaching its coldest point.
"Yes." The guard left immediately.
Mu Yunhe leaned heavily against the chair, his handsome face contorted with anxieties, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his narrow eyes. He appeared calm and collected, but in reality, he was extremely nervous. The mere thought of Luo Zhiheng possibly being trapped in an unfamiliar place, in danger, sent chills down Mu Yunhe's spine.
Both groups of people in the palace immediately returned to report to their respective masters, but Yang Feng returned late, while the Consort's eunuch returned early to report.
In the magnificent palace, a long red carpet led from the entrance to the inner chamber. On the splendid bed, adorned with gold glitter, the bed curtains cascaded down, the crimson gauze and silk concealing the graceful figure within.
The eunuch who had swallowed the bird was now standing in the center of the hall, his expression sinister, and reported: "The people who went to fetch the young prince have returned, but the young prince did not come. Instead, he turned back halfway. It was the Empress who sent people to intercept him and used Luo Zhiheng's life to persuade the young prince to leave."
The woman inside the large bed did not move at all; only her breathing became rapid, followed by intermittent coughing. Her weak and delicate voice sounded like a beaded curtain about to break, evoking pity, worry, and tension.
"Does Your Highness wish to take your medicine?" The eunuch's cold voice finally seemed to be tinged with worry and tension. He couldn't help but take a few steps forward, but then abruptly stopped.
The Imperial Concubine's panting finally subsided. She gently waved her hand, her voice a mixture of tears and laughter, and said, "She actually stopped me. All these years, I thought she would always indulge me, but... in the end, there's a difference between close and distant relatives. She loves her younger sister more after all. What am I to her?"
"I'll help you kill the Empress!" the eunuch suddenly said, his voice filled with rage and malice, his murderous intent palpable.
"Shut up!" The gentle woman suddenly shouted, her tense voice filled with an unyielding ruthlessness: "You are not allowed to say such things again, and you are not allowed to touch her!" 158.
"But she's an obstacle for you. She's been Empress for so many years and hasn't helped you at all. If she were willing to help you, all those concubines would have died long ago, and those vile women wouldn't have been able to have children one after another. Why can't you have a child while they can keep getting pregnant and giving birth? It's not fair! It's all that vile Empress's fault!" The eunuch actually dared to contradict the Imperial Concubine, and he spoke with such righteous indignation.
"Nalan Daibai!" The woman lying on the bed suddenly sat up, only to fall back down again. Her sharp voice tore through her gentle demeanor, and her rapid breathing turned into a hoarse warning: "I'll say it again, if you still want to stay by my side, you must listen to me! You should know that in this world, the only people I, Mu Qingya, have left are Murong Qianchen and you. I will never allow the two people I care about most to kill each other! I can have my hands stained with blood, I can go mad with hatred, but I will never allow the two people I care about most to die because of me!"
The eunuch fell silent instantly, staring wide-eyed at the gloomy scene. His face, usually so eccentric, was filled with a complex mix of emotions: shock, bewilderment, nostalgia, or perhaps uncertainty about the past.
"How long has it been since you called my name? Hehehe, I've almost forgotten I even have a name," Nalan Daibai said with a sinister laugh, more unpleasant than crying.
"Nalan..." the Imperial Concubine murmured softly, "Don't hurt my sister. Please let me keep the last piece of pure land in my heart. I am destined to go to hell in this life, but I don't want to drag Murong Qianchen down with me."
"Then what about Mu Yunhe? What do you want Mu Yunhe to do?" Nalan Daibai suddenly asked.
The imperial concubine on the bed suddenly fell silent. When she spoke again, her voice was no longer gentle, but filled with a chilling ruthlessness that sent shivers down one's spine: "Of course I won't let him go! My suffering stems from him! Why was he even born? He shouldn't have existed in this world at all!"
“But the Empress is clearly on Luo Zhiheng’s side now. The Empress must have learned the news from Luo Zhiheng through some unknown means. The message from Consort Li from your maternal family clearly states that Luo Zhiheng and the young lady of the Murong family are good friends. Do you think the Empress will remain indifferent to what you have done? Do you think the Empress will favor her own sister or her adopted sister?” Nalan Daibai warned in a sinister tone.
"No one can stop me! Not even Murong Qianchen!" the Imperial Concubine suddenly roared through gritted teeth, as if making a vow.
"It doesn't matter if Mu Yunhe doesn't come. Didn't Consort Li say that Mu Yunhe cares a lot about Luo Zhiheng? If he just imprisons Luo Zhiheng like this, I don't believe Mu Yunhe can really endure it! If he doesn't come to see me for a day, I'll imprison Luo Zhiheng for a day; if he doesn't come for two days, I'll imprison her for two days; if he doesn't come for a lifetime, I can imprison her for a lifetime! I'm afraid Mu Yunhe won't have the chance to live a lifetime. What does a sickly person want for eternity?" Mu Qingya's gentle voice was filled with deep contradictions, still with a strange tone that was both crying and laughing.
She seemed to have a very contradictory emotion. On one hand, she hated Mu Yunhe so clearly, intensely, and irrevocably, but on the other hand, she seemed to want to cry. It was as if she was struggling between two very intense emotions, but hatred always prevailed.
“The World's Number One Talent Competition starts tomorrow. If she is kept imprisoned like this, I'm afraid the Silver Moon Kingdom will intervene,” Nalan Daibai had to remind Mu Qingya.
Mu Qingya said sarcastically, "A notorious champion who relied on joking around to get through the competition is probably unworthy of the title. Going there would only bring shame to the Mu Dynasty. I'm just saving the Mu Dynasty some face. Besides, if Mu Yunhe wants her to participate, he will naturally come to see me. Keep a close eye on Luo Zhiheng and don't let her contact anyone else. I underestimated her; she's a bit clever."
"Yes." Nalan Daibai pushed the order aside to make the arrangements.
Mu Qingya lay alone on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Suddenly, she reached under her pillow and pulled out three jade dolls—clearly jade statues of one girl and two boys. She gently stroked two of them, her expression shifting constantly, perhaps recalling something, but ultimately obscured by the blood-red bed curtains.
Luo Zhiheng's wet nurse had already made contact with the secret guards sent by Mu Yunhe. Both the guards and the wet nurse were highly skilled, able to do everything undetected. After learning that Luo Zhiheng was safe and sound, the guards wanted to take her away. Luo Zhiheng refused. 16022305
"I can't leave now. Who knows what trouble might come if I leave? When you get back, you must reassure Mu Yunhe and tell him that unless he sees me say it myself, even if my wet nurse tries to get him to the palace, he shouldn't come. If he comes, I'll be in danger. Also, tell him to trust the Southern Dynasty Empress and Princess Yu, but not completely. Besides the Empress and Princess Yu, he shouldn't trust anyone else." Luo Zhiheng spoke very tactfully, hoping that Mu Yunhe would understand.
"Alright." The guard didn't say anything more and left immediately.
"Miss, if you don't leave with him, what will happen to the competition tomorrow? It seems that the Imperial Concubine intends to keep you here long-term and has no intention of letting you leave at all," the wet nurse said worriedly.
"It's alright. If she still won't let me out tomorrow, do you think the Prince is a pushover? Besides, if she still refuses to see me or prevents me from leaving tomorrow, I'll have a legitimate reason to refute and accuse her. If I suddenly leave without saying goodbye today, especially in such an unspeakable way, we might not even leave the Southern Dynasty alive. Unauthorized trespassing into the imperial palace—that one crime alone is enough to have our entire family executed. Of course, we're from the Mu Prince's Mansion, so they can't convict us of that crime, but we probably can't escape being labeled as spies with impure motives and malicious intentions. So, for now, we can only wait," Luo Zhiheng said slowly, clearly having already thought of a plan.
The wet nurse was relieved. Before long, it was dinner time. This time, Luo Zhiheng didn't stand on ceremony. After the wet nurse checked several times, the two of them finally ate something. If they didn't eat, they might starve to death instead of being imprisoned.
——
"Is that what Luo Zhiheng said? Did she mention my sister?" Mu Yunhe asked incredulously.