Today, Sun Yunyun's seemingly ridiculous and insane actions shocked and frustrated Mu Yunhe. Mu Yunhe could no longer describe his feelings. Wasn't Sun Yunyun's resolute decision also a sign of her true love for Luo Zhiheng? But Sun Yunyun's obsession was too deep, so deep that she had lost her mind, and madness accompanied her constantly, as extreme and dangerous as her personality.
Is this really love? Does Sun Yunyun truly love Luo Zhiheng, or is she simply clinging to her convictions and strong-willed personality? No one can see clearly anymore; only Sun Yunyun herself knows the truth.
Regardless of Sun Yunyun's mindset, if she knew that Aheng was still alive, it would definitely cause a huge uproar. Mu Yunhe hardened his heart and said coldly, "You've always insisted on loving Aheng, mainly because you believe Aheng is a man, right? Fine, I'll show you now whether Aheng is a man or not!"
Mu Yunhe opened the clothes of the person in the coffin, revealing a scarred chest. Although it was scarred, it was definitely a woman's body.
"Come and take a look, see clearly, and then don't say I lied to you!" Mu Yunhe said coldly.
Sun Yunyun scrambled to her feet. Even at that moment, she firmly believed that Luo Zhiheng was a man. But when she leaned over the coffin and saw the scene inside, she was completely stunned, her eyes filled with disbelief and terror. She screamed, "No! This isn't real! How could she be a woman? This isn't his body!"
"You mean I deliberately killed Aheng just to deceive you? Or did I know you would come, so I made up a story about a female corpse to fool you into thinking it was Aheng's body? Do you really think I'm afraid of you? Why would I go to such lengths just to deal with you?" Mu Yunhe sneered disdainfully.
But what he said made sense, and Sun Yunyun wasn't stupid, so she naturally understood the logic. She was truly dumbfounded, and then frantically ripped open the woman's clothes, trembling as she touched her all over, before finally stepping back, her legs trembling. She was deeply shocked; the things she had always believed in crumbled instantly, and Sun Yunyun completely collapsed.
She ran out like a madwoman and left the priest's mansion.
Mu Yunhe felt no relief whatsoever. As long as Sun Yunyun was alive, he would never have peace. Aheng would return to his side one day. Sun Yunyun was a ticking time bomb.
"Xiao Xizi, have someone follow Miss Sun. No matter what she does, as long as she doesn't try to kill herself, we don't need to worry about her." Mu Yunhe couldn't bear to watch an innocent life die.
The King's hoarse voice sounded from behind: "Why do you do this? Aheng is already gone, why must you let her know the truth?"
One more chapter today! Don't think Sun Yunyun is just a minor character; she's in this chapter because we'll need her later. As for the ultimate plot, Hua Sha loves playing with thrillers and plot twists. Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets!
510 Conflict! Perfect teamwork!
Updated: 2013-12-22 16:33:54 Word Count: 6841
Mu Yunhe certainly couldn't tell Prince Shi that Aheng was still alive. If he didn't make Sun Yunyun give up on her now, she would become a problem later. He said coldly, "Whether Aheng is alive or not, she can only be my woman, Mu Yunhe's woman. No one can covet my Aheng. I won't allow it!"
The King was unsure whether to praise Mu Yunhe or feel regret and sorrow. Heartbreak was inevitable; Luo Zhiheng's departure was too hasty and too sudden for her. It was like holding a lovely child in her arms, a child she could never have again in her lifetime, yet suddenly bestowed upon her by heaven. She truly loved this child, treating her as her own, though not to the point of doting on her to the point of obsession. But if nothing unexpected happened, Luo Zhiheng would be her heir, inheriting all her wealth, and of course, all the secret organizations under her control would also belong entirely to Luo Zhiheng.
But this unexpected event occurred, and it happened three years ago. She finally understood the feeling of suddenly losing her beloved daughter: despair, confusion, and fear.
The Queen was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Although she was strong-willed and had experienced many hardships, her grief made her look much older. She waved her hand and said, "I don't want to discuss Sun Yunyun's matter too much. He's just an insignificant person. Take me to see Luo Ningshuang."
Now that she knew about Luo Ningshuang's heinous acts, she could no longer remain indifferent. Even though Luo Ningshuang was also a child of the Silver Moon Kingdom's royal blood, that still couldn't soften her heart. Because Luo Ningshuang deliberately caused the death of Qin Yinheng's heir! That alone was unforgivable!
Mu Yunhe did not object and led the king to the water dungeon.
The cell was even more eerie and terrifying at night. A strong stench and a chilling atmosphere hit you the moment the cell door opened, along with the hissing of a giant python.
The King stood at the doorway, his gaze immediately falling upon Luo Ningshuang, who had been tortured beyond recognition. His eyes showed no pity; instead, a flicker of satisfaction crossed his gaze. For the women of the Silver Moon Kingdom, enemies deserved to die, deserved to be treated ruthlessly, even if that enemy was their own family!
Although she couldn't be as ruthless towards Emperor Xian, she felt nothing towards Luo Ningshuang; those who trample on others deserve to die!
Luo Ningshuang was in immense pain; she couldn't even die, that was a fact. Unable to sleep due to the pain, she naturally heard the loud noise of the door opening. Slowly raising her head, her eyes narrowed to slits, she made out the person in front of the door in the flickering candlelight. Luo Ningshuang opened her mouth in surprise, but as soon as she stood up and opened her mouth, a mouthful of cold air and a nauseating fishy smell rushed in, making Luo Ningshuang feel nauseous.
She then remembered that all her teeth had fallen out. Her lips twitched a few times, and her voice, filled with surprise and sorrow, was weak and urgent: "Auntie, save me!"
The King merely watched coldly, and Luo Ningshuang's heart sank. She thought she had seen a glimmer of hope, but the King's expression clearly indicated that he didn't want to care about her. Luo Ningshuang still wanted to fight for it, but when she saw Mu Yunhe walk out from behind the King, even her last bit of hope was shattered.
Mu Yunhe has arrived; the King must know what she's done. In that instant, Luo Ningshuang felt only fear, utterly devoid of any hope of seeking help. She lowered her head, deciding to ignore the two men.
But the King of the World clearly had no intention of letting Luo Ningshuang go. She said coldly, "Luo Ningshuang, are you Luo Ningshuang?"
Although he knew that Mu Yunhe wouldn't deceive him with such an absurd thing, the King still wanted to confirm it himself.
Ke Luo Ning Shuang had made up her mind to ignore them and not even speak.
The King's anger flared. What better proof could he possibly have? He interpreted Luo Ningshuang's silence as tacit agreement, because Luo Zhiheng would never be so rude as to ignore her. And if this person were Luo Zhiheng, she certainly wouldn't remain silent. Moreover, seeing the treatment Luo Ningshuang was receiving, the King was completely convinced that this person wasn't Luo Zhiheng. Because Mu Yunhe would never be willing to treat Luo Zhiheng this way.
In that instant, the King was filled with grief and rage, and roared, "Luo Ningshuang! You vicious woman! What kind of heart do you have? How could you be so wicked! Luo Zhiheng was your own sister, and you so cruelly plotted to kill her, and then you stole her man, reputation, and status. Are you even human?!"
The king was heartbroken. Did the royal family truly have no kinship? The two pairs of twin sisters in the Silver Moon Kingdom were equally noble but had different identities, so why did one of them turn into a madwoman?
Emperor Xian was like this, willing to do anything for fame, status, and power, even scheming against his own family. Luo Ningshuang was like this, killing her own sister to achieve her own goals. Is it truly a problem with the bloodline of the Qin Yin family? Why does such a tragedy occur in every generation?
Luo Ningshuang sneered, her voice hoarse with sarcasm: "You're asking me? Why don't you ask how the Luo family treated me? They've never given me fair treatment. Luo Zhiheng has always been their darling, their apple of their eye, showered with attention and care, while I could only watch from the shadows. They've never given me a single bit of warmth or affection. When have they ever treated me like family? Since they're unwilling to give me what I want, then I'll just have to take it myself. Why are you blaming me? Luo Zhiheng deserves to die; who else can she blame?"
"Beast!" the Prince roared in uncontrollable rage, wishing he could kill her with a single blow. She simply couldn't understand the thoughts of people like Emperor Xian, Luo Ningshuang. How could they be so strange? As Emperor Xian's sister, she had nothing of her own, just one step away from standing on a high and mighty position. She wasn't without her resentment and complaints, but those empty titles were nothing but fleeting clouds. What reason was there to fight for them?
Isn't she living a good life and thriving just the same? Even if Emperor Xian ascends the throne in the future, she will still be a princess, the most noble and extraordinary. Although Emperor Xian has lost his eligibility to succeed to the throne, everything is still uncertain, and she will continue to live her life as before.
In a sense, what's the difference between her and Luo Ningshuang? She couldn't do such a heinous thing, but Luo Ningshuang could.
The King closed his eyes tightly, unable to bear the sight of Luo Ningshuang's numerous wounds. Having confirmed the truth, he had no intention of staying any longer to confront this madwoman, Luo Ningshuang.
"Heaven is watching what people do. When you treated your own sister so cruelly, did you ever think this day would come? Do you think you're any better off than Luo Zhiheng, who died a quick death? At least when Luo Zhiheng died, many people who truly loved her would miss her and remember her. Mu Yunhe would be haunted by her memory. But what about you? After you die, you say you're living a life worse than death. Who will care about you? Who will save you?"
"If there is a next life, I hope you can see yourself clearly, see your emotions clearly, and not do anything foolish again." The Queen's words were a warning, and also a severing of all hope. She could not save Luo Ningshuang, because Luo Ningshuang had to die! Having done so many heinous things, she would not allow Luo Ningshuang to live.
Sensing that the King was truly gone, Luo Ningshuang suddenly looked up. The last glimmer of hope hidden in her eyes vanished, replaced by overwhelming despair that made her breath quicken. She could no longer hold back her cries and cried out, "You bunch of despicable people! Hypocritical scoundrels! You keep talking about being loyal and righteous, calling me heartless and insane, but what's the difference between you and me? You say I was cruel to Luo Zhiheng, but weren't you cruel to me too?"
“I’m dying now, no, I’m even worse off than dead! You’re my aunt, yet you turn a blind eye to my life and death. Not only that, you make sarcastic remarks. How are you any more noble than me? It’s not my style to leave someone to die, it’s the tradition of the Silver Moon Kingdom! You, the King, are just like that, so why pretend to be so noble and holy in front of me? It’s laughable that I was hoping you would help me out of consideration for our shared ancestry and bloodline. Now it seems I really overestimated the people of the Silver Moon Kingdom.”
"That's right, I am a beast! But if I am a beast, what are you? You are beasts just like Luo Zhiheng, who was born from the same mother! You, Qin Yinshi, are also a beast! Your Majesty, my good grandmother, she is the ancestor of beasts! Old beast!" Luo Ningshuang had gone mad. She was desperate and cursed wildly, her words incoherent and hysterical.
The King paused for a moment as he left, veins bulging on his forehead, but he ultimately refrained from turning back to tear open Luo Ningshuang's madwoman's mouth! The King's last shred of pity vanished completely at that moment, replaced by Luo Ningshuang's unrestrained mouth.
No matter how angry you are, you should never curse your elders!
The King's departure was thorough and resolute, which was what Mu Yunhe wanted to see. However, he could not tolerate Luo Ningshuang cursing Aheng. With a sneer, Mu Yunhe ordered, "Give her a Heart-Piercing Pill. I want to see her in excruciating pain."
The Heart-Piercing Pill, as its name suggests, causes excruciating pain throughout the body, as if the heart has been pierced. This pill won't kill, but it will torment the craftsman to the point of wishing for death. Its effects last only three hours, yet it can send one on a journey through hell!
"Yes, sir!" The subordinate immediately went to carry out the order. Mu Yunhe, who was slowly walking out, had just reached the door when he heard a heart-wrenching, miserable scream coming from inside.
When he came out, he saw the Prince standing in the courtyard, clearly waiting for him. Mu Yunhe pursed his thin lips, stepped forward, and said, "Is there anything else the Prince wants to say to me?"
The king turned around, his gaze troubled, as if hesitating, and asked hesitantly, "Could you... give her a quick death?"
Although Luo Ningshuang deserved to die, seeing her hanging there in such a miserable state, it was clear that Mu Yunhe was going to punish her severely. The King hesitated. Luo Ningshuang had made a grave mistake, and she didn't plead for her. She could have just killed her directly. Was it necessary to torture her like this?
Mu Yunhe's eyes suddenly darkened and hardened, and he said in an unquestionable tone, "No! What she did to Aheng is something that even dying a hundred times wouldn't be enough to atone for! I will not let her die so easily. Don't I know that death would be a relief for Luo Ningshuang right now? Your Highness, please do not interfere in this matter!"
Mu Yunhe had already said so much, and the King could not say anything more. Moreover, she did not want to speak up again. It was not worth it to plead for someone like Luo Ningshuang!
Another sleepless night, another night of those eyes staring intently at Mu Yunhe from his bedside. Mu Yunhe couldn't understand what this person was looking at. But this person was observing him, and he was also secretly observing this person. Although he couldn't see this person, he could sense their emotions.
The two seemed to have entered into an invisible and silent battle. Mu Yunhe didn't know if this person was aware that he had sensed his presence. All he could do was to get Luo Zhiheng away as soon as possible under this close surveillance, which left him with no freedom, and then find an opportunity to pull this person out of the shadows.
The next day, Mu Yunhe once again requested grain from the barbarians in the imperial court. This time, he directly invoked his identity as a diviner, using his status to pressure the emperor without giving him a chance to refuse. The grain had to be given, whether the emperor wanted it or not! This was the diviner's order.
This was the first time Mu Yunhe, who had served as a diviner for so long, had spoken out of his own authority, so blatantly abusing his power for personal gain. Yet the ministers were speechless and dared not utter a single word.
The emperor was naturally both helpless and shocked. Mu Yunhe's attitude puzzled and shocked him. He subtly probed, "Your Excellency is so concerned about this matter. Are you helping the barbarians, or are you helping a certain woman from the barbarians?"
The ministers laughed good-naturedly, but Mu Yunhe's cold voice quickly suppressed the laughter: "Help myself. That woman cannot stay in the Mu Dynasty. I will not allow Ruilin to stay in the Mu Dynasty. Give her food and make her leave immediately."
His blunt attitude stunned the ministers. The relationship between Mu Yunhe and Ruilin had been a hot topic of gossip lately, but judging from Mu Yunhe's current attitude, it was clear he had had his fill and was eager to get rid of her. A sense of relief and satisfaction finally settled in everyone's hearts. See? Even His Highness the High Priest isn't so detached from worldly affairs; can't you see he's cleaning up the mess of his promiscuous affairs?
The emperor was startled, thinking how close he had come to disaster! He had initially planned to take Ruilin into his harem; it would just be another woman. But what the emperor valued more were the barbarian warriors behind Ruilin. Fortunately, it was just an idea; he neither spoke of it nor acted on it, otherwise he would have walked right into the line of fire, especially since he would have run into Mu Yunhe.
The emperor was willing to do Mu Yunhe a favor. Although it was a year of famine, he could still provide grain to the barbarians. However, after some bargaining, he finally gave them enough grain to get through the winter. Of course, this "get through the winter" only referred to the winter itself; there would be no grain in the autumn. Fortunately, the barbarian population was not large.
With the grain secured, Mu Yunhe finally felt a sense of relief. He arranged for people to immediately gather the food, equip the supplies as quickly as possible, and assign his most elite soldiers to escort it. In times of famine, grain is more precious than human life, so encounters with ambushes or bandits are inevitable.
Having made all the arrangements, Mu Yunhe finally had a legitimate reason to visit Luo Zhiheng at the General's Mansion.
On the way to the General's Mansion, Mu Yunhe's heart was restless, wishing the carriage would go faster and faster. He missed Luo Zhiheng terribly after only one day without seeing her. But he dared not show it too obviously, dared not let his emotions fluctuate too much, for fear that the person following him would notice something.
Upon arriving at the General's Mansion, Mu Yunhe walked in leisurely, only to be greeted by Luo Zhiwu's livid face. Mu Yunhe's eyes flickered, but his expression remained nonchalant: "Young General Luo, where are you rushing off to?"
Luo Zhiwu was naturally there to play along with his act. She sneered, "What are you doing at my house? You're not welcome here. Please leave immediately."
Seeing Luo Zhiwu's bulging veins, Mu Yunhe found it extremely amusing and said casually, "I'm only here to tell the woman in your manor that I've already gotten the grain she wanted, and it will be ready by the morning after tomorrow. Tell her to pack up and then quickly take the grain and leave."
Luo Zhiwu's expression changed, her anger rising rapidly, her fists clenched so tightly they cracked: "Mu Yunhe, don't push your luck! Ruilin is my person, whether she stays or leaves is none of your business, you have no right to restrict other people's freedom and movement! What right do you have to order her to leave? I will not let Ruilin leave, much less force her to leave under your pressure!"
Mu Yunhe sneered, "I can't keep someone I hate! Luo Zhiwu, don't push your luck. I hate this woman. I'm already being exceptionally merciful by not stopping you from keeping her. What right do you have to yell at me? If I get angry, I might just kill this woman. Let's see what you have to say when you're done!"
"I never knew Mu Yunhe could be so despicable and shameless!" Luo Zhiwu said angrily.
Mu Yunhe wasn't angry. He continued to speak condescendingly, "I was just stating a fact. Considering you're my brother-in-law, I'm warning you, don't go against me, or I'll make sure you never see your sweetheart again!"
"Go to hell!" Luo Zhiwu seemed to have reached her limit and roared, throwing a punch at Mu Yunhe's handsome face.
Mu Yunhe naturally wouldn't actually dodge; how could he get angry if Luo Zhiwu managed to hit him?
A punch landed heavily on Mu Yunhe's face. Ouch! Mu Yunhe cursed inwardly, thinking Luo Zhiwu was taking revenge. But his face was filled with disbelief and anger as he said, "Luo Zhiwu, how dare you hit me? Are you looking for death!"
"I'm asking for it! I'll take you down with me if I die! My sister is dead, and you still have the nerve to flirt with other women. Now that you've had your fun, you're going to dump her. You really are a wolf in sheep's clothing! I'll beat you to death!" Luo Zhiwu was furious and threw another punch at Mu Yunhe's chest.
Mu Yunhe was forced back step by step by the blows, groaning and his face changing color. After a moment, he put his hand on his waist and said angrily, "Luo Zhiwu, don't be shameless! I've been lenient with you time and time again, not so you could be shameless! Since you're so indignant on Ruilin's behalf, then you can get out of here with Ruilin!"
Luo Zhiwu was taken aback, then burst into angry laughter: "What? You want to drive me out of the Mu Dynasty too? Mu Yunhe, what gives you the right?"
"Just because I am a diviner!" Mu Yunhe said coldly.
Luo Zhiwu scoffed, completely disregarding Mu Yunhe: "Divination priest? Are you using your status to suppress me?"
"So what if it is? I'll show you that I can not only suppress you, but also make you wish you were dead!" Mu Yunhe said coldly.
"You dare!" Luo Zhiwu was also taken aback by Mu Yunhe's imposing aura, and she became somewhat genuinely angry and defiant.
"You'll see if I dare! The day Rui Lin leaves the Mu Dynasty will be the day you, Luo Zhiwu, leave too! Luo Zhiwu, you forced me into this, you can't blame anyone else." Mu Yunhe snorted coldly, glared at Luo Zhiwu with a gloomy expression, and then turned and strode away.
He genuinely didn't want to leave, but Luo Zhiwu had pushed the plot to this point. If he insisted on going in to see Luo Zhiheng, it would only give him away. After all, he disliked Ruilin so much, so why did he necessarily want to see Ruilin?
That damned Luo Zhiwu, he must have done it on purpose! He deliberately came out so he wouldn't let me go in and see Aheng; he deliberately started an argument with me so I couldn't stay in the General's Mansion any longer. Luo Zhiwu, you just wait!
Luo Zhiwu understood Mu Yunhe's frustration all too well, and it was precisely because she understood that she felt incredibly satisfied. Not only had she punched Mu Yunhe twice, but she had also angered him so much that he couldn't see Heng'er; today was truly a windfall. However, Mu Yunhe's caution suggested that someone was still following him.
Luo Zhiwu frowned. He was determined to follow Heng'er when she left the Mu Dynasty, naturally to protect her. But leaving Mu Yunhe alone to face that mysterious person of unknown identity seemed a bit unfair, didn't it? Heng'er would probably disagree if she knew. Indeed, it was the right thing for him to keep it from Heng'er.
Luo Zhiwu was caught in a dilemma, while Luo Zhiheng had already staggered out. She wanted to see Mu Yunhe and find out why Mu Yunhe had treated her this way!
My darlings, the update is here! I'm so sorry I can only update this much today. I woke up really early today, but I've been busy with all this getting ready to go out. I don't know why there's so much to do, it's all so chaotic and time-consuming. I haven't been out in so long, and it's the dead of winter at night, it's really tough. Maybe I'm too excited, because I can't seem to get into the writing flow, and I'm writing incredibly slowly, which is just making things worse! I'm so anxious, but it's time to go out now, I have to go. I'm so sorry, I'll definitely make up for the updates I missed today and yesterday. Please, my darlings, be understanding, considering how long it's been since I've been out and about. Love you all. Still, please vote, leave comments, and give me monthly tickets!