307 The battle has escalated! Will Ah Heng fall for someone else?
Updated: 2013-09-05 14:32:56 Word Count: 7694
But there was no rush to start surgery. Besides, he needed to deal with this little woman who dared to anger him. He couldn't believe this rude and unruly girl was capable of so many shocking things.
Mu Yunjin was extremely shrewd, and his expression didn't change much. In the blink of an eye, he smiled slightly and said, "But isn't your sister also my sister? Alright, let's not talk about those unhappy things. My father sent me back this time. He learned about what happened in the Southern Dynasty and ordered me to come back immediately to escort you back to your country. It's no longer safe here."
Mu Yunjin still felt uncomfortable. When had his father ever valued Mu Yunhe so much? Although he was very caring at home, the fact that he was willing to temporarily halt the war to bring him back to personally escort Mu Yunhe showed how much he valued him.
But besides being the eldest son, what else does Mu Yunhe have to offer that's worth valuing? Is his health truly cured? After being ill for so many years, can he really be cured so easily? Although Mu Yunjin didn't believe it, he dared not ask. Asking such a question would be a serious matter for him. It would symbolize resentment and malice.
After all, Mu Yunhe was his younger brother, and of noble status. But he never felt that he was inferior to Mu Yunhe in any way. Apart from not being born to the princess and not being the heir apparent, he had almost nothing else to offer. He didn't care about the title and position of the heir apparent of the Mu King, but everyone compared the two brothers. Over time, it seemed that this struggle was inevitable, which Mu Yunjin found very frustrating.
He was a man, and he longed to achieve great things himself, to have everything he possessed in the future earned through his own hard work and battles, rather than relying on his father's protection—that would be a disgrace to a capable soldier like himself. However, if Mu Yunhe were gone, it would be only natural for him to inherit his father's title.
But now it seems that the family no longer needs him to shoulder the burden.
Mu Yunjin was somewhat happy, but due to his status and the years of scheming between his mother and the princess, he could not express it.
Mu Yunhe glanced at Luo Zhiheng and said with a slight smile, "Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you, brother? Aheng and I won't be able to return for a few more days. If you're busy, you can leave first. We can come and go back as well."
Mu Yunjin noticed the lingering displeasure on Mu Yunhe's face and knew it was because of the unpleasantness between him and Luo Zhiheng. She was even more puzzled; did this younger brother value Luo Zhiheng a little too much? Had this imposter/substitute actually gained an irreplaceable place in Mu Yunhe's heart?
“Your health is weak, so it’s only right that you wait a few more days. Since I promised Father I would escort you home safely, I must keep my word. This is a military pledge, and as a soldier, my brother cannot change it. I must do it, unless I die,” Mu Yunjin said with a half-smile, half-seriousness.
He truly made the pledge, and he did so before his father, in front of the entire army. When Mu Yunjin first made the pledge, he felt wronged and mocking. He didn't think Mu Yunhe needed to make such a solemn military promise; this child was placing Mu Yunhe in a position that even soldiers should bear. Wasn't this overestimating Mu Yunhe?
However, her father forced her to sign a military pledge, saying that if Mu Yunhe suffered any injury or accident, Mu Yunjin would have to pay with her life. It was this excessive emphasis and exaggerated concern that inevitably caused Mu Yunjin some psychological imbalance. Therefore, when Mu Yunjin first entered, her entire demeanor was off.
But now that his younger brother was right in front of him, he naturally felt a little calmer. He thought that perhaps his father cared about his son and was worried about Mu Yunhe's poor health, which was why he had acted so strangely.
But Mu Yunjin had no idea that the secret report his father received clearly revealed Mu Yunhe's other identity—an identity that even his father, Prince Mu, was so shocked that he couldn't sleep at night.
Divination priest! 17037609
Those four large characters caused the usually stern and sharp-tongued Prince Mu to change his expression in shock. For several days, he was like a lost soul, unable to understand how his son, who had always been weak and had never stepped out of the house, had suddenly become the most sought-after, most mysterious, and most respected priest.
This pledge was not only made by Mu Yunjin to Prince Mu, but also by Prince Mu to the Emperor. Because this pledge no longer contained a father's love for his son, but a soldier's commitment to his country.
The title "divination priest" instantly gave Mu Yunhe a glorious and transformative image in people's minds.
He who obtains Mu Yunhe will obtain the world!
This statement is absolutely true! Therefore, when the father and son made their pledge, what they were protecting was not just Mu Yunhe, but an entire beautiful land! A world that could very well be unified again! This is the meaning of their faith.
Of course, Mu Yunjin didn't know this, because Prince Mu couldn't let this matter out; it was top secret. It was best to keep Mu Yunhe's identity a secret until most people knew it.
A hint of mockery flashed in Mu Yunhe's eyes. No wonder his father was willing to let Mu Yunjin come back in person. It turned out that it wasn't for him, but only because of his status as a priest.
"Then I'll trouble you, brother. Please make yourself at home. Ah Heng, help me back to my room to rest." Mu Yunhe didn't have much to say to Mu Yunjin. He was petty and didn't like what Mu Yunjin said about Luo Zhiheng. He also didn't like the way Mu Yunjin looked at Luo Zhiheng.
Luo Zhiheng quickly helped him up, made a face at Mu Yunjin, and said arrogantly, "You better go back to where you came from, and don't let me see you again, or I'll beat you every time I see you, and scold you every time I beat you!"
Mu Yunjin was born into nobility; he had never been treated like this before. He was also a hot-blooded man, and upon hearing this, he sneered, "A shrew like you only knows how to beat and scold. Only Yunhe is patient enough to tolerate you. If it were me, I would have divorced you long ago."
"It's a pity it's not you!" Luo Zhiheng and Mu Yunhe said almost in unison, but one was sarcastic and the other was cold.
Luo Zhiheng smiled sweetly at Mu Yunhe, her stubborn temper flaring up again. "You, Mu Yunjin, don't you like me? Well, I'll make you furious!" she thought. She clung to Mu Yunhe in a soft, coquettish manner, smearing the grease from her hands and mouth all over him, and said in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Do you despise me? Will you divorce me?"
Mu Yunhe's cold and stern face was instantly shattered like a dark, cloud-covered sky by fragmented light, and in the blink of an eye, it shone brightly, clearing the sky: "I don't mind. I'd rather divorce myself than abandon you. Don't listen to other people's nonsense."
Luo Zhiheng's eyebrows danced with delight, she snorted coldly, and glanced contemptuously at Mu Yunjin. Seeing his unpleasant expression, she laughed even harder: "So am I a shrew?"
"You're a rich woman." Mu Yunhe chuckled, thinking of Luo Zhiheng's greedy, money-grubbing, and money-guarding ways.
Luo Zhiheng's face stiffened for a moment, then she smiled proudly and arrogantly, saying something that was sure to shock: "Then you should divorce me, and then I'll marry you. That way you'll be mine. Don't worry, my family doesn't have that many messy, irrelevant, meddlesome, foul-mouthed, shameless, and despicable relatives. No one will keep telling me to divorce you. I'm a rich woman, I'll take care of you. I guarantee I'll raise you to be plump, beautiful, and adorable. That will make those dark, rotten mules furious."
Mu Yunjin instantly felt not just furious, but utterly bewildered.
What kind of awful woman is this? How can her mouth be so foul and vicious? She insults people without using any vulgar language, and her spiel is absolutely infuriating!
Mu Yunhe smiled and said without any resistance, "Okay."
"Yunhe, are you crazy! This woman's gone mad and you're going mad too? What kind of bewitching drug did she give you? We've only been gone for a few months, and you've already been corrupted by this woman?" Mu Yunjin cursed angrily, unable to bear it any longer.
"Hey! Watch your mouth, or I'll chop you up with a knife!" Luo Zhiheng slammed her hand on the table and roared fiercely, "What do you mean by 'going bad'? My little Hehe is doing so well now. Who do you think you are? How dare you lecture us? That's ridiculous."
"Show me some respect! Don't think I won't discipline you just because you're a woman," Mu Yunjin said sternly. He had had enough of this seemingly idiotic, and indeed truly idiotic, crazy woman. Placing her next to Mu Yunhe was a mistake; she was a jinx, corrupting the perfectly good Mu Yunhe.
Luo Zhiheng, as always, acted unreasonably, angrily shouting, "Are you going to hit me? Hahaha, that's hilarious! You actually want to hit me? What right do you have? What right do you have?!"
Her voice was so shrill, almost like a scream, and she kept repeating the same sentence, giving off the image of an unreasonable madwoman.
She ruined her image for one purpose only: to infuriate that damn Mu Yunjin!
With a loud crash, Mu Yunjin, enraged, slammed the table shut and stood up abruptly, pointing at Luo Zhiheng and shouting, "I've never seen a crazy woman like you! Can't you have any manners? You act like this in front of Mu Yunhe too, are you asking for trouble? Don't think that just because Yunhe spoils you, everyone else has to spoil you and tolerate you. Don't you even know what kind of person you are! You're truly a lowlife, born of a mother but without any upbringing."
"Shut your dog mouth! You think you're noble? Does your nobility allow you to insult other people's races and social status? You have manners? Does your manners mean attacking the weak and looking down on minor nobles? You're a soldier? I think you're a disgrace to the military! You may have the iron will of a soldier, but you don't have the benevolence of a soldier! You don't deserve to wear that uniform!" Luo Zhiheng was also furious. She suddenly stood up on the stool, glaring down at Mu Yunjin and roaring.
Mu Yunhe stood between the two men, not stopping them, but with a furrowed brow.
Seeing that Luo Zhiheng dared to challenge him, Mu Yunjin was instantly enraged. His eyes and brows were filled with hostility, but he raised his head and was no less imposing than Mu Yunjin. His voice was like thunder: "You have no right to comment on whether I am qualified to wear this military uniform! Did I attack you? You were the one who harbored strong hostility towards me from the beginning. You were the one who looked down on me first. Did I look down on the minor nobles? Or are you also feeling guilty and thinking that you minor nobles are lacking in manners? Am I wrong? You clearly have no upbringing, you were born without manners, so naturally you are also lacking in manners!"
With a snap!
The sound was almost eerie. A fragrant breeze swept over Mu Yunhe's head and left a slippery trail on Mu Yunjin's face, but what it left behind was a burning pain!
He was actually hit?! And slapped by a little girl he utterly despised?!
"How dare you!" Mu Yunjin instantly flew into a rage, his thunderous fury rising to the heavens. His two tiger-like hands, brimming with anger, swept over, and his large, veiny hands reached out towards Luo Zhiheng, intending to grab Luo Zhiheng's slender neck.
Luo Zhiheng was not afraid at all. She even drew her cane from her waist and struck Mu Yunjin's hand hard. Mu Yunjin dodged it warily, but was still hit on the little finger by the cane. In an instant, the pain turned into numbness, and the entire little finger lost all feeling.
Luo Zhiheng rebuked her with a righteous indignation and a cold expression: "What right do you have to talk about my mother? It is said that the dead should be respected. My mother never harmed you when she was alive. Even if I was wrong, even if I was ill-mannered, you have no right to talk about her! My mother is gone, but she is still my mother. I will not allow you to humiliate my mother!"
"You have manners? Does having manners mean you can hurt others by tearing open their wounds? Does having manners mean you can slander and humiliate their deceased ancestors? Does having manners mean you can bully others, use your power to bully the weak, and use guns to oppress the vulnerable? Go to hell! What kind of bastard are you? You don't know how to be modest, you don't know humility, you're unwilling to back down, and you're arguing with this crazy girl you call yourself. Are you even a man? You're a disgrace to the Mu Royal Family."
"Even beggars on the street know to be filial to their parents and to care for the young, but have you done that? You were born and raised by a mother, but how did she raise such a thing as you? Oh, and your mother isn't any better! She's just as ill-mannered! You scoundrel! Today, I'll stand up for your equally pathetic, disgusting, and ill-mannered mother and teach you, her equally ill-mannered son, a lesson!"
After Luo Zhiheng finished her furious roar, she drew her battle sword and slashed at the stunned Mu Yunjin.
She struck without hesitation, driven by rage; if Mu Yunjin didn't dodge, he would surely die.
But Mu Yunjin wasn't stupid. Although he was stunned by Luo Zhiheng's sharp tongue and those seemingly plausible words, he was a little slow to react because these words sounded interesting, but in the end, they all brought up his mother and crushed him.
Mu Yunjin nimbly dodged and raised his sword to defend himself. Sadly, although his sword was forged from fine iron, it was no match for the power of Luo Zhiheng's century-old War God Sword. Luo Zhiheng cleaved Mu Yunjin's sword in two with a single, effortless strike.
Mu Yunjin stumbled backward, her face filled with horror: "What kind of knife is that?!" It can actually cut through iron like mud?
Luo Zhiheng's eyes flashed, and she sneered, taunting, "Oh, you didn't know that, did you? It seems you're nothing special in Prince Mu's eyes. This knife was given to me by Prince Mu; it's a treasure from your Mu family. Tsk tsk, how pathetic. Prince Mu didn't give you such a fine knife, but gave it to me instead. It's clear that in Prince Mu's heart, our little Hehe is more important than your outstanding son."
Mu Yunjin's pupils contracted, and a subtle twitch appeared on his handsome, stern face. Although he longed to create his own glorious legacy and empire, he also valued his place in his father's heart. Undeniably, Luo Zhiheng's words had indeed stung Mu Yunjin.
"Hmph! So what? If I want it, Father will give it to me! You're here lecturing me, but what about yourself? You still open your mouth and humiliate my mother!" Mu Yunjin said coldly. He glanced at Mu Yunhe, who stood there without showing the slightest tension or concern, as if he hadn't noticed that the two of them were already at each other's throats.
He was puzzled by Mu Yunhe's attitude, but he didn't want to lose face. He told himself to ignore this crazy woman and not to lay a hand on her, otherwise, it wouldn't be easy to say if he really hurt Luo Zhiheng. But Luo Zhiheng had that ability to get people's tempers pushed to the limit.
"For those despicable people who don't deserve respect, my principle is: curse them without hesitation!" Luo Zhiheng had absolutely no goodwill towards Consort Li, and even hated her because of her repeated actions. The fake doctor, the various false accusations and injustices—they were all true! Mu Yunhe almost lost his life at Consort Li's hands, and that was absolutely true! If a murderer like Consort Li, a vicious and vile woman, could be considered cultured, then murderers would be paragons of morality.
"Luo Zhiheng! How could you speak of your elders like that? My mother also loves Mu Yunhe dearly, treating him like her own son. Aren't you afraid of divine retribution for speaking like that?" Mu Yunjin was furious, and her suppressed anger suddenly erupted.
"Hmph, treat him as her own son? Mu Yunhe's mother is still alive. Why would she, a concubine, need to treat the proper master as her own son? Don't you think your words are inappropriate? Or have you already considered your mother as a princess, and you as the crown prince, while our Mu Yunhe is an illegitimate son? Only in this way can your 'treating him as her own son' be appropriate. Otherwise, your words will be suspected of having ulterior motives! Mu Yunjin, how dare you! You actually want to harm Mu Yunhe, just like your mother?" Luo Zhiheng questioned her bluntly.
Mu Yunjin's expression changed several times, finally settling on a grim black: "Luo Zhiheng, you're courting death!"
"Looking for death? You should be careful what you say. Besides, I won't be the one punished by heaven. Tell your mother to be careful and not to go out when it thunders. If you do too many bad things, you might really be punished by heaven." Luo Zhiheng raised her small face, and her contemptuous gaze could kill Mu Yunjin.
"Fine! You've got guts! I don't hit women, but since you're so ungrateful, I won't hold back. Yunhe, don't blame me for bullying her. You saw what she did. You're not feeling well, so I'll teach this brat a lesson for you!" Mu Yunjin was truly enraged, her hair standing on end, and she pounced forward like a tiger.
Luo Zhiheng was prepared; they were bound to fight sooner or later. The feud had started months ago. Luo Zhiheng held grudges, but she was also magnanimous. As long as the hatred wasn't irreconcilable and the other party showed good behavior, she could let it go with a smile.
But Mu Yunjin's involvement is unacceptable! Because Mu Yunjin is the direct murderer of the ancient Luo Zhiheng, the one who killed her. She's also the reason Luo Zhiheng is here. But Mu Yunjin is too lucky; she killed someone and no one knows. With her identity—possessed by a ghost—she can't tell anyone. Luo Zhiheng only feels disgust for Mu Yunjin.
Luo Zhiheng had only one attitude towards Mu Yunjin: out of sight, out of mind; if she saw him, she would absolutely not get along with him.
The two exchanged blows. Mu Yunjin, being a man who had fought on the battlefield for many years, naturally possessed great strength and martial arts skills. Although Luo Zhiheng could also write about martial arts, compared to the exaggerated martial arts of ancient times, she was far from proficient. However, she had the advantage of having a weapon in her hand.
So during their fierce fight, countless tables, chairs, benches, and porcelain items shattered, but the two remained evenly matched, locked in a stalemate.
Mu Yunhe stood to the side watching, a strange flame burning in his eyes.
This was a side of Luo Zhiheng he had never seen before—so vibrant, so passionate.
The Luo Zhiheng of the past also had anger and passion, but she never displayed them so vividly and unrestrainedly. In other words, his Aheng was somewhat restrained in front of him. But in front of Mu Yunjin, she was not.
Although the two were enemies, Mu Yunhe still disliked this feeling very much. His Aheng, no matter what kind of person she was, should belong only to him.
His eyes were deep and unreadable, but his impatient expression revealed that he disliked other men having contact with Luo Zhiheng.
With a bang, Luo Zhiheng slashed at Mu Yunjin's arm with her sword. The hard armor was cracked by her sword, and Mu Yunjin was also injured by the sharp sword.
He kicked Luo Zhiheng's wrist before she could retract it. Luo Zhiheng clutched her wrist and staggered back a few steps, her face turning deathly pale with pain.
Mu Yunjin's boots are combat boots! They have steel plates in the front for concealed weapons.
"Aheng!" Mu Yunhe's expression changed drastically. He rushed over and hugged Luo Zhiheng. Seeing her arm trembling with pain, Mu Yunhe was furious: "Mu Yunjin, are you going to kill her?! You're so thick-skinned, yet you actually hurt her!"
Mu Yunjin was also surprised that he had kicked Luo Zhiheng, but Mu Yunhe's questioning made him very dissatisfied. He had been slashed and was bleeding profusely, but Mu Yunhe couldn't see that. He had only kicked Luo Zhiheng once, and now Mu Yunhe was going to settle scores with him? 199.
"Are you a vixen? How could you bewitch Mu Yunhe, who is indifferent to everything, to this extent? You are indeed a vixen! In that case, I should kill you, so that you won't bewitch Mu Yunhe into not being able to distinguish right from wrong." Mu Yunjin said viciously.
A hint of mockery flashed across Luo Zhiheng's pale face, but instead of stubbornly refuting her, she collapsed into Mu Yunhe's arms, panting and sobbing, "Little Hehe, it hurts so much! That bad man even called me a vixen! I want to kill him!"
Her voice was weak and soft, but her eyes held a hint of guilt and fear, making her appear fragile and terrified. It was a sight to behold, and anyone would have thought this little girl was just bluffing.
"Hmph! You might not have the ability to kill me," Mu Yunjin sneered.
Mu Yunhe's sharp gaze suddenly fell upon Mu Yunjin, and a powerful, cold, and oppressive aura emanated from Mu Yunhe, instantly enveloping Mu Yunjin.
Mu Yunjin's expression changed. In that instant, he felt that the person standing in front of him was no longer the Mu Yunhe who could barely walk, but a mountain, a sacred mountain that carried the most ancient aura! He couldn't even contend with it.
"If Aheng is alright, then so be it. But if Aheng is in trouble, even if you are my father's eldest son, I will not forgive you!" Cold and ruthless words flowed from his thin lips, each word seemingly engraved with the most ruthless and resolute intent, making people feel uneasy and tormented.
Mu Yunhe helped Luo Zhiheng leave. Luo Zhiheng was as soft and delicate as ever in his arms. Her pretty little face was on Mu Yunhe's neck. Her eyes looked over his shoulder at Mu Yunjin, who was so angry that his face had turned green. She winked playfully and triumphantly, wrinkled her little nose, and mouthed: "Silly idiot!"
"Damn it! I actually fell for this brat's trick!" Even the usually composed Mu Yunjin was furious at this moment, kicking over a rickety table and roaring.
This was clearly an attempt to sow discord between the brothers. Mu Yunjin instantly sensed that Luo Zhiheng was dangerous, cunning, and had some ulterior motive. Otherwise, why would she try to drive a wedge between him and Mu Yunhe?
Narrowing his eyes, Mu Yunjin thought to himself: I must get rid of Luo Zhiheng as soon as possible. I originally wanted to wait until I returned from the battle to deal with this imposter, but now it seems that I will have to do it sooner.
Luo Zhiheng returned to her room humming and whining all the way, but immediately perked up, wrapping her arms around his neck and giggling, "Little Hehe, wasn't I amazing just now?"