Luo Zhiheng's heart clenched. King Mu, standing there, must have heard everything she had just said. But the next moment, Luo Zhiheng straightened her back, raised her head, and met King Mu's gaze. In the hazy, indistinct light, they couldn't see each other clearly, but Luo Zhiheng could feel King Mu's sharp and domineering gaze, coming from above, an aura of suppression and intimidation.
Luo Zhiheng was not to be outdone. Even though she was standing at a low position and looking up, she did not give people the feeling of being inferior. On the contrary, she had a kind of aloof and proud attitude, as if "wherever I stand, that place is the peak and the clouds".
The gazes of the old man and the young woman locked, creating a formidable atmosphere of fierce confrontation, like two titans locked in battle. Facing Prince Mu, Luo Zhiheng held her own, displaying remarkable composure and equanimity. Her earlier display of power, sharp wit, and piercing words intimidated not only Mu Yunjin, but also the hidden heroes lurking in the shadows. In everyone's mind, this woman was no ordinary person!
First update! I'll be updating 13,000 words today, making up for yesterday's update, so there are two more updates today. I'll keep working hard! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets! Group chat kisses!
374. What a ridiculous memorial tablet! What a despicable prince! (Bonus chapter for comment #26500)
Updated: 2013-10-07 17:06:49 Word Count: 3392
After a long standoff, an invisible tension permeated the two, a sense of fierce competition and mutual antagonism between them.
"Bring her to see me." After a long silence, King Mu spoke first, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared from the pavilions and towers.
The soldiers immediately split up in an orderly fashion, and someone stepped forward to lead the way, bowing his head and not daring to look at Luo Zhiheng, respectfully saying, "Please follow General Mo this way, Little Princess."
Luo Zhiheng slowly exhaled, her small face composed and calm.
Let's go! Who's afraid of who! For Mu Yunhe, we'll fight!
Luo Zhiheng walked straight past Mu Yunjin, who was still in a daze. The moment she passed, Mu Yunjin seemed to collapse, staggering and almost falling. The people around him panicked and tried to support him, but his gaze was fixed on Luo Zhiheng's back. Luo Zhiheng didn't even pause for a moment.
Mu Yunjin's gaze quickly dimmed. His arms trembled, and his mouth opened and closed several times, but in the end, he couldn't utter a single word. He was too ashamed to say anything. Luo Zhiheng had already determined his guilt, but upon reflection, was Luo Zhiheng wrong? Probably not; his actual situation was exactly as described.
It's laughable that he was always caught up in the situation, yet remained oblivious to his own circumstances. He monopolized all of his father's favor and attention, and in his moment of glory, he didn't remember anything about Mu Yunhe, nor did he ever think to remind or advise his father to show more care for Mu Yunhe.
At that time, he never even considered whether Mu Yunhe needed a father's love. He didn't care, never valued him excessively, and neglected Mu Yunhe. Yet, in the end, he developed such an arrogant, conceited, and selfish nature. Or perhaps, without realizing it, he had already learned to be as ruthless as his mother?
Luo Zhiheng didn't care about Mu Yunjin. He had a father who cared about him so much, did he need anyone else's pity?
They were led to the front of an impressive courtyard, and then the lieutenant left. The wet nurse stepped forward and pushed open the courtyard gate, revealing a vast courtyard before them. Even before dawn, they could clearly see the pale and desolate atmosphere of the courtyard.
Luo Zhiheng's pupils constricted. White silk ribbons were everywhere in the courtyard—on the doors, windows, and along the corridors—everywhere that could be hung was adorned with these distinctive white ribbons. They were for the dead.
Luo Zhiheng's forehead veins throbbed twice, and her anger was about to burst out.
This is Mu Yunhe's father, the man the princess longed for her whole life. In the end, he's here mourning a woman who committed many evils? Keeping vigil for her? He's decorated a courtyard like a dead body, and he's left here alone. Even though everything seems normal from the outside, this place is filled with Mu Yunhe's unique emotions and feelings.
So what about the Princess Consort? What does she mean in Prince Mu's eyes and heart? Is she really not even as good as a real person? 197.
"Since you're here, why don't you come in? Are you afraid?" Prince Mu's voice came from the room. The door was open, and you could vaguely see figures moving around inside. There was candlelight in the room.
Luo Zhiheng didn't show much expression and walked inside. Since she was already there, she wasn't afraid of anything. 17129739
But when Luo Zhiheng reached the doorway and could finally see everything inside, she paused, her eyes filled with deep mockery and contempt. As she began to walk, she said coldly, "The prince is indeed a man of deep affection and loyalty, actually staying here alone, missing and protecting her. This truly broadens my horizons."
Luo Zhiheng's words were filled with sarcasm and mockery. This was because the room had been set up as a mourning hall. A large character for "mourning" stood out eerily against the white cloth. Prince Mu stood tall and imposing before the white cloth, his back to Luo Zhiheng; she was unaware of his expression.
Luo Zhiheng stopped behind Prince Mu and saw an incense burner on the table in front of him, behind which was a memorial tablet. After seeing the words on the tablet, Luo Zhiheng finally couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward...
"Are you going to kowtow to her to see her off?" Prince Mu seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. As soon as Luo Zhiheng moved, he spoke, his tone a mixture of mockery and coldness, with an eerie and sinister undertone.
Luo Zhiheng paused, then sneered three times: "Kowtowing to see her off? Does she even deserve it? What kind of despicable and filthy thing is worthy of my seeing her off?"
"If not, what are you doing here?" Prince Mu seemed unperturbed and did not blame Luo Zhiheng for her rudeness, and asked coldly as before.
"I just wanted to see what kind of scoundrel could have bewitched the wise and powerful Prince Mu, to the point that he wouldn't even care about the life or death of his wife! Now it seems it was her. Is she truly a lingering ghost? She committed all sorts of evil deeds and showed no respect for hierarchy while alive, and even in death she still doesn't know how to behave, using her spirit to seduce the prince? How dare such a despicable person be worthy of the title 'wife'?" Luo Zhiheng's anger, fueled by the words on the memorial tablet, finally erupted.
She knew she had to respect Prince Mu, even if he was unethical, unreliable, and so infuriating and disappointing. But his status was undeniable, and Luo Zhiheng had to at least leave herself some leeway. She reminded herself that even if this man was utterly wicked, he was still Mu Yunhe's father. She couldn't afford to offend him too much, and she shouldn't speak recklessly.
But if she could still hold back at a moment like this, then she wouldn't be the female bandit Luo Zhiheng! She would have truly lost the boldness, the inability to be wronged, the outspokenness, and the fearless bandit spirit that Tu Fei should have.
Look at what's written on those ridiculous memorial tablets.
My beloved wife, Li Fangfei!
Beloved wife? Ha, that's utterly ridiculous!
Luo Zhiheng laughed sarcastically, "I really didn't know when Prince Mu's wife died. How could she receive such deep affection and love from Prince Mu? Your deceased wife should be able to see clearly now, unlike that woman who is clearly the legal wife, who is desperately waiting for her husband, but can never get a glance from him. Being Prince Mu's wife, I really don't know if it's a blessing or a tragedy!"
At this moment, Prince Mu finally turned around slowly, his eyes filled with gloom, his face haggard, a stark contrast to the person he had seen just a few days prior. It was clear he was truly heartbroken. But the more heartbroken he was at this moment, the more his cold-heartedness and cruelty were revealed!
"What do you know? This position as my wife is something I owe her! I couldn't give it to her while she was alive, I couldn't fulfill her wishes, but after she dies, no one can stop me from giving her what belongs to her!" Prince Mu's voice was chillingly cold, and his gaze was equally terrifying, so violent, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Luo Zhiheng, filled with intense hatred, wishing he could kill Luo Zhiheng to vent his anger.
"You owe her? Then don't you owe the Princess Consort? Don't you owe Mu Yunhe? Prince Mu, what kind of heart do you have? Is it all twisted to the side? Or do you have no heart at all? Since you love Li Fangfei so much, why did you marry the Princess Consort? And after marrying her, you don't treat her well. At least on the surface you should treat everyone equally, then the Mu Royal Mansion wouldn't be in this state today."
"Luo Zhiheng! How dare you! Is this how a junior should speak? Do you believe I will kill you?!" Prince Mu seemed to have been struck on a sore spot, instantly erupting in rage. Tearing away his carefully feigned composure, Prince Mu was like a raging beast.
Luo Zhiheng said without the slightest fear, "Even princes are subject to the law. You made a mistake, and people can't even talk about it? How domineering Prince Mu is! Kill me? You'd better have the ability."
"Hahaha! As expected of a descendant of the God of War, you certainly have spirit. But do you really think that a descendant of the God of War is still so rare a hundred years from now? I have already ordered the news to be kept under wraps. At the very least, the news that you are a descendant of the God of War will not be spread or spread throughout the Mu Dynasty. Even if the Emperor and the others find out, it doesn't matter. If I want your life, no one can save you," Prince Mu said coldly.
He said this not because he feared the title of descendant of the God of War, but simply because the title was more readily accepted than that of a diviner. The common people might not know the diviner, but they knew the renowned God of War. The God of War's prestige was deeply ingrained in people's hearts, so revealing Luo Zhiheng's identity would actually benefit her future.
He really wanted to kill Luo Zhiheng today. He had resentment in his heart, and he had to vent it.
"Do whatever you want. Do you think I care so much about being a descendant of the God of War? Don't underestimate me. What I, Luo Zhiheng, want to do is not something I need to rely on anyone's power for. I came to see you for only one purpose: to ask you to see the Princess, even just once. But now, I've changed my mind. Someone like you is completely unworthy of a devoted person like the Princess waiting for you. You can spend the rest of your life clinging to your wife's memorial tablet." Luo Zhiheng finished speaking with utter disdain and turned to leave.
"The soldiers of the eagle's edge." Prince Mu's cold, sinister voice suddenly rang out behind Luo Zhiheng: "When you came to negotiate with me that day, were you certain I would agree? Do you want to know, when Mu Yunhe knows you were determined to leave him, that you never truly loved him, that you were merely using his status to save your own life, that you made a deal with me, and that all your current sacrifices are not without genuine feeling, but simply your best effort to fulfill this deal, that you are wholeheartedly protecting him in exchange for your own freedom? Do you think, when Mu Yunhe knows all this, he can still wholeheartedly believe in you, care about you, love you, and remain devoted to you?"
Luo Zhiheng suddenly stopped in her tracks, her face changing color dramatically!
There's one more update today, this chapter is to make up for yesterday's second update. Hua Sha will keep working hard, love you all! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets! My darlings, please also support the romance novel finals voting, our shrew is number 21!
375 Give me a whack, I'll stab you back! (Bonus chapter for 59,000 recommendation votes)
Updated: 2013-10-07 19:54:10 Word Count: 3254
Turning around abruptly, Luo Zhiheng's ever-changing emotions vanished in an instant, replaced by indifference. She didn't even offer a fleeting expression, coldly saying, "What are you saying, Prince Mu? Does the dignified Prince Mu have become so despicable as to resort to past events? Or does Prince Mu think your words today will cause me any trouble?"
Prince Mu looked coldly at Luo Zhiheng and said, "You are very clever and courageous. I must say, I admire everything you have done for Mu Yunhe. But that doesn't mean I can tolerate you interfering in my family affairs, or even instigating Mu Yunhe to kill his own family! Your appearance did save Mu Yunhe, but it also disrupted Prince Mu's life. You shouldn't exist. You are a menace, and I finally admit it."
"Although you do not possess the beauty and allure of a femme fatale, you have now reached the point where you can use your words to bewitch and seduce people! Therefore, you cannot live. I will not allow you to live."
The situation has changed drastically. "What a huge accusation! Just like that, it's been pinned on Prince Mu's lips. Should I, Luo Zhiheng, kowtow and thank you? Thank you for elevating me so much? You've actually handed me over to the high position of a femme fatale?" Luo Zhiheng laughed instead of getting angry, and then said sarcastically, "Actually, if Your Highness wanted to kill me, you didn't need to go to such lengths and make up so many excuses. It's pointless. I may not be very talented, but I can guess a bit of what Your Highness is thinking."
Luo Zhiheng met Prince Mu's fierce gaze, her smile particularly cold and contemptuous: "Isn't it just that you want to take revenge on Mu Yunhe? You know his identity is different from before, and you can't openly poison your own son, nor can you bear to really kill your own son for a woman. Even tigers don't eat their cubs. I should sing a praises to Your Highness."
"But you're not reconciled. You're not reconciled to Consort Li dying like this. You're not reconciled to being humiliated in front of everyone by your own son without doing anything. So you want to use me to make Mu Yunhe suffer, right? The prince knows that Mu Yunhe cares about me and that we're close. You want to use this as a way to cut off his lifeline. You want Mu Yunhe to suffer heartache from now on and experience what you're going through, right?"
"I must say, Your Highness's idea is brilliant, and your calculations are well-thought-out. You're ruthless enough to cause your own son such heartache; you're a truly cruel person. It's just a pity that you misjudged the feelings between me and Mu Yunhe. Your plan may cause Mu Yunhe unbearable pain and make him hate me temporarily, but believe me or not, it won't be long before he forgives me. He will understand that it was all in the past, something I did in the past, and he has no reason to blame or resent me, because I am not a prophet. At that time, I did not know that I would fall in love with him in the future."
Prince Mu was usually unsmiling, but this time he was truly enraged, which was why he showed his emotions. However, at this moment, he was also shocked by the girl's quick wit and clear mind. His expression changed almost constantly, but the shock in his heart was just as great.
She was incredibly perceptive and sensitive that day. He only needed to say a few words to extract a lot of useful and accurate information from them, which was truly remarkable.
"Even so, what can be done? What I want to do is not to trap Mu Yunhe in a painful siege forever. I just want him to understand what it feels like to have his love brutally killed. He is young and proud, and inevitably impetuous. He has done wrong, and he doesn't even realize it. I am his father, so how can I watch him continue to make mistakes?"
"Your presence by Mu Yunhe's side will only make him more arrogant and rude, to the point where he loses all his willfulness. Therefore, you must leave Mu Yunhe completely. By the time Mu Yunhe realizes what's happening, I will have already dealt with you. Luo Zhiheng, you have no chance with me. I don't want you as my daughter-in-law, and Mu Yunhe has no power to resist!" Prince Mu was quite cunning, but he was also straightforward, making his conspiracy sound so righteous, domineering, and ruthless.
He was a ruthless and vicious figure, truly cruel, vicious, and heartless. His cruelty and viciousness were on full display at this moment. He sought revenge for a mere concubine, a woman who had committed numerous evils and killed so many of his children, and even went so far as to harm his own son.
Are men like this rare in the world? Or are they one in a million?
A surge of rage and murderous intent flashed through Luo Zhiheng's mind. Prince Mu, a veteran of countless battles, was naturally more sensitive than ordinary people. Almost the instant Luo Zhiheng's murderous intent arose, Prince Mu's cold voice rang out: "Don't let your fragile murderous intent show in front of me! You should believe me, if I wanted to, even if you had a wet nurse with magical powers by your side, I could still take your life!"
"Should I thank Your Highness for sparing my life at this moment?" Luo Zhiheng sneered.
"You don't need to thank me. I only want you and Mu Yunhe to suffer. I won't kill you today. I will make you and Mu Yunhe taste the pain together. You know what I'm going to say today, but you can't be honest with Mu Yunhe because even if you do, he will still be in pain. Your explanation might not be useful. Besides, Mu Yunhe's mother is dying right now. If you were to be honest with him now, it would only add fuel to the fire and make things worse. It wouldn't make Mu Yunhe understand; it would only make him suffer more." Prince Mu inexplicably started analyzing Luo Zhiheng's current situation.
Luo Zhiheng smiled through gritted teeth, but in her heart she felt helpless. Prince Mu was indeed ruthless!
He knew perfectly well her current situation; she absolutely could not reveal the past to Mu Yunhe. To speak now, just like what Prince Mu had said, would only add fuel to the fire. It would only push her relationship with Mu Yunhe to the brink of collapse. Mu Yunhe was currently in the most chaotic and painful period, and she absolutely could not allow this matter to become another source of suffering for him.
What Prince Mu was saying to her now was mockery and provocation. He was enraging her, and at the same time, causing her pain; he was mocking her for knowing she couldn't speak out, yet still living in constant fear. That feeling must have been unbearable. Prince Mu's move was indeed ruthless; Luo Zhiheng now felt like she was in deep trouble.
"I can understand if you hurt me, but Mu Yunhe is your own son. How can you bear to make him suffer like this?" Luo Zhiheng said angrily.
Prince Mu said coldly, "How can I not bear it? He can make his father so embarrassed and heartbroken, can't I teach him a little lesson? How can one grow without experiencing setbacks? This will tell him not to easily trust women."
Luo Zhiheng was speechless! This was the first time she had witnessed the true meaning of shamelessness; someone could actually justify their selfish revenge in such a grand and righteous way.
Luo Zhiheng suddenly laughed in anger: "Yes, I forgot. Prince Mu is a cold-blooded and ruthless person. How could he possibly understand human emotions? The fact that he can so easily talk about the life and death of his wife without any emotion is enough to show how cruel and heartless he is."
"Perhaps I'm wrong. You can still feel such pity for a woman who killed so many of your children and grandchildren. Prince Mu is truly a man of great compassion and righteousness. I admire you to the core," Luo Zhiheng said with a hint of sarcasm.
Prince Mu was not angry. His expression remained unchanged as he slowly turned to look at Consort Li's memorial tablet, as if murmuring, "My only wife is Li Fangfei. Mu Yunhe's mother... I never made any promises to her! She couldn't see clearly. Her life and death are her own fate. She couldn't think straight, and I have no responsibility to pay the price for her fate."
Upon hearing this, Luo Zhiheng was completely stunned, as if struck by lightning, speechless and dumbfounded.
Is this... really something a person would say? Does anyone talk like that?! It's a good thing she came today. If Mu Yunhe had come in person and heard these words, wouldn't he have been so angry he'd vomit blood on the spot?
That Prince Mu is simply inhuman!!
Sensing Luo Zhiheng's burning anger, Prince Mu suddenly laughed and said sarcastically, "You still have time to get angry over other people's affairs? Think about yourself. If I really meet Mu Yunhe, that will be the beginning of your misfortune."
Luo Zhiheng was taken aback, her mood inexplicably becoming irritable and annoyed.
It's not appropriate for her to discuss this with Mu Yunhe right now. The princess is on her deathbed, and Mu Yunhe can't afford any more setbacks. But Prince Mu might bring this up at any time, and what he says will definitely be biased, ambiguous, and extreme. Mu Yunhe will surely be furious.
She could only tell Mu Yunhe herself, but definitely not now; at the very least, she had to wait until Mu Yunhe's emotions had stabilized. This was her previous thought. 17129634
But now that Prince Mu is pressing her relentlessly, determined to destroy her and Mu Yunhe, she can't wait any longer. Even if speaking out now would be a huge blow to Mu Yunhe and make him angry, it's still better than having Prince Mu say it.
Luo Zhiheng made up her mind to go back and confess to Mu Yunhe immediately. While the princess was still alive and Mu Yunhe's emotions were still stable, she would not give that despicable man, Prince Mu, the opportunity to do something underhanded.
But Luo Zhiheng had never been pushed to this point before. Someone had dealt her a blow, so naturally she would retaliate with a sharp, ruthless cut! That's what you call reciprocity. If you've made her unhappy, then sorry, Prince Mu, you deserve to suffer the consequences. 19.
Suddenly, a smile curved her lips, and Luo Zhiheng's soft voice rang out...