Upon hearing this, Yu'er immediately asked the men, who admitted that they did owe money, but only ten taels of silver. How could it have ballooned to twenty taels in just two months? They couldn't repay the debt, and they certainly wouldn't sell their daughter to pay it back, which was why the situation was at a stalemate.
Yu'er immediately realized that these honest people had been cheated. She angrily said, "You are loan sharks, aren't you? Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning for cheating honest people? Now take these people to the yamen and let the yamen decide."
"Oh, little girl, you've got quite the nerve. We're doing business here, it's a willing buyer and a willing seller situation. Nobody's forcing anyone. Just because they don't want to pay doesn't mean they won't pay! Damn it, do you think we're easy to bully? Get lost, or we'll get rough with you!" the group of men shouted angrily.
Yu'er got angry and, instead of helping to pay the money, she only knew that they were unreasonable and bad people. Relying on her mediocre skills, she rushed up and started fighting with them at the slightest provocation.
The scene instantly descended into chaos. Everyone scrambled to get out of the way, but Mu Yunjin neither dodged nor helped; she simply stood there watching with an inscrutable expression.
It was easy for those men to deal with a little girl. Soon, Yu'er was covered in bruises and couldn't hold on any longer. When Yu'er was in a difficult moment, she looked back at Mu Yunjin and saw that he was still standing there, not offering any help. Her heart turned cold in an instant.
Is this the person who wanted to spend his life with her? She's already in trouble, how can he just stand by so calmly? Does he like her? Does he really like her?
A blow came crashing down on Yu'er's jade-like forehead. Yu'er's eyes reddened; the bitterness and despair came so suddenly that she didn't even have time to resist before she had no chance to fight back. But the expected pain didn't come. She only felt a cold wind sweep past, and she was pulled into someone's arms. The wind whistled in her ears as she spun around. Opening her eyes, the handsome profile before her shattered all her despair in an instant.
"Yun Jin..."
Mu Yunjin covered the iron rod with one hand and shielded Yu'er behind her with the other. With a forceful movement, she snatched the iron rod away, kicked the person in front of her to the ground, and looked coldly at the group of furious people.
If it were the same enthusiastic and positive Mu Yunjin from before, he would have immediately stepped in to help those in need. But the Mu Yunjin of today is a fragmented version of himself, cruelly and brilliantly shattered by reality. All of Mu Yunjin's passion and enthusiasm are gone, cruelly extinguished by Mu Yunhe and buried in hell by Luo Zhiheng's words. His spirit died along with his mother's flesh and blood being devoured by dogs. He has lost his heart, his passion, and his sense of justice.
He wouldn't concern himself with this matter that had nothing to do with them. Even watching Yu'er impulsively rush in to argue and fight with them, Mu Yunjin felt it was utterly foolish. Yu'er was an idiot, getting involved in such a thing. He wanted to leave, but his feet stiffened, stubbornly remaining where he was. He wanted to sneer at Yu'er's stupidity, but his gaze was cold and piercing, wanting to destroy those scumbags. He didn't want to meddle, but his hand still forcefully caught the iron rod that was about to strike Yu'er's forehead.
What's wrong with him? How could he offer unwarranted protection to someone he's using?
"Hmph, another busybody. Tsk tsk, we at the bank aren't afraid of trouble. Come on, brothers, let's go and beat him up." The group was clearly angered by Mu Yunjin's cold and noble appearance, and they roared and charged forward, brandishing their clubs.
Mu Yunjin pushed Yu'er aside and rushed in, her cold demeanor and aura carrying a resolute edge that kept strangers at bay.
"Be careful!" Yu'er exclaimed, her icy hands and feet instantly warming up. He wasn't indifferent; he really did care about her. This thought made her want to cry with emotion.
Mu Yunjin dealt with this group of people with ease. His attacks were swift, accurate, and ruthless; his battlefield experience far surpassed that of these lowly soldiers. In no time, he had them sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.
Too lazy to pay attention to them or meddle in their business, Mu Yunjin took Yu'er's hand and left.
Yu'er wanted to comfort the terrified victims, so she kept looking back. But when she turned around, she saw a persistent man pull out a dagger and swing it at Mu Yunjin. Yu'er was horrified and instinctively pushed Mu Yunjin away, raising her hand to shield him from the back.
Mu Yunjin turned around abruptly, and what he saw was Yu'er disregarding everything to take a knife for him. The sharp dagger struck Yu'er's slender arm, and blood splattered instantly, staining Yu'er's sleeve and his eyes red. 12.
Shock, horror, disbelief, and madness flashed across Mu Yunjin's face. Almost before Yu'er could cry out in pain, Mu Yunjin had already kicked the man in the chest. The heavy kick caused the man to vomit blood.
"Yu'er!" This seemed to be the first time Mu Yunjin had called her name so intimately and urgently. The anxiety and guilt on his face were genuine, as was the slight trembling in his arms as he held her.
Yu'er's face was deathly pale, but she laughed without a care or dignity, looking at Mu Yunjin with joyful eyes: "You feel sorry for me?"
Mu Yunjin's arm stiffened. For a moment, he didn't even have the courage to meet Yu'er's bright eyes. He felt his whole body stiffen, and with his eyes lowered, his voice was cold and hard: "Can you stop being ridiculous? Do you know how dangerous this is? Can they hurt me? Even if they did, I'd be fine. How can you be the same?"
Yu'er said unhappily, "How is it different? You're fine when you're injured? I'll be heartbroken and worried when you're injured. I'd rather you be in pain than see you in pain. Yun Jin, I want you to always be well."
A storm seemed to be brewing in Mu Yunjin's lowered eyes. He gritted his teeth, the words choking him, but he couldn't say them. After a long while, he said in a cold voice, "Go to the clinic to get bandaged up."
The two remained silent after leaving the clinic, continuing in silence until they reached the alleyway leading to the General's Mansion. A few more steps and they would be at the mansion; the guards there would surely spot Mu Yunjin, so he couldn't go any further. They stopped there, Yu'er feeling both anxious and sad.
Mu Yunjin remained silent with a cold expression. She didn't know what she had done to anger him. This side of him frightened Yu'er, yet she couldn't bear to let go. She didn't want to be separated from him, but she couldn't abandon her pride and tell him. She could only numbly walk forward, but then suddenly stopped and cautiously asked him, "Tomorrow... shall we meet there again?"
She wanted to ask if they would still find witnesses to witness their private engagement tomorrow. She wanted to ask, Mu Yunjin, do you still want her?
Mu Yunjin looked up at her, his gaze dark and unfathomable. It was as if there was a whirlpool swirling in his eyes, something struggling. She was caught in a tug-of-war between the two sides, neither of which could be brought to a standstill. He was conflicted and hesitant. Looking at Yu'er's expectant and cautious face, Mu Yunjin felt a fire burning in his chest, scalding, burning, and painful.
Promise her! Isn't this what you wanted? Tomorrow, as long as Yu'er lures Luo Zhiheng out, he can control Luo Zhiheng and take revenge on Mu Yunhe.
Reject her! What right do you have to take advantage of such a kind and passionate girl? Mu Yunjin, what's wrong with you? Have you gone mad? Are you even yourself? This woman truly loves you, she's fearless and passionate for you, how can you bear to hurt her? Even if you don't love her, how can you bear to hurt her?
Mu Yunjin stood frozen in place, his brows furrowed into a knot, his fists clenching and unclenching tightly at his sides, remaining silent for a long time.
Yu'er's heart sank little by little, and the hope in her eyes dimmed little by little. She lowered her head, muttered "I understand," and turned to leave.
Mu Yunjin blurted out, "See you tomorrow!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Mu Yunjin felt as if something inside him was breaking, and the pain spread. He almost fled in panic.
Chapter 1 is here, Chapter 2 will be coming soon. Hua Sha has to go out on errands today, so Chapter 2 should be quick. Love you all, please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets!
431 Are you sincere? (Bonus chapter for 67,000 recommendation votes)
Updated: 2013-11-10 14:29:22 Word Count: 3325
Mu Yunjin fled in panic, but Yu'er stared blankly in the direction Mu Yunjin left. It took her a long time to come to her senses before she let out a scream, covered her face, stomped her feet on the spot, and then happily ran into the General's Mansion.
Luo Zhiheng walked out of the alley on the other side. The sound of her footsteps hitting the ground struck her eardrums. She had seen Yu'er and Mu Yunjin's conversation and expressions. She had originally thought that Mu Yunjin would not agree to tomorrow's matter after seeing Mu Yunjin's hesitation. However, if Mu Yunjin gave up on tomorrow's matter now, she could forgive and forget.
After all, there's still room for maneuver; Mu Yunjin hasn't done anything terribly wrong. As long as Mu Yunjin has a change of heart and no longer harbors any other intentions, they can pretend nothing ever happened.
Unfortunately, selfishness and hatred prevented Mu Yunjin from giving up this opportunity to strike them down. Luo Zhiheng sneered. Li Fangfei clearly deserved to die, although her final fate was tragic. How could Mu Yunjin blame all the mistakes on Mu Yunhe and her? She had thought Mu Yunjin had truly calmed down, let go of the past, and seen the true nature of things, but she hadn't expected his madness to be even more terrifying than that of Prince Mu.
At dusk, Luo Zhiheng was in her room listening to Xiao Xizi vividly imitating Luo Ningshuang's miserable state when she was jealous. She laughed so hard she almost fell over. She could imagine what would happen if that self-righteous woman, Luo Ningshuang, forced her to do something wrong.
"Your Highness, Princess Yu'er has arrived." The wet nurse entered with a smile, carrying a teapot, followed by Yu'er, whose pale face could not hide her joy.
Luo Zhiheng waved affectionately and said, "Yu'er is here. Come and sit down, and listen to Xiao Xizi tell some jokes."
"I heard you laughing outside, sister. You're in such a good mood, so I'm happy too. Can you come out and play with me tomorrow?" Yu'er didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point, looking at Luo Zhiheng with anticipation.
Luo Zhiheng's smile deepened as she asked, "Why do you want to go out and play? Where are you going?"
Yu'er blushed shyly, but said firmly, "It's just to go to a very nice place. After listening to what you said, sister, I think it makes a lot of sense. So I think I should go back to see Father and Mother. Before I leave, I want to go out and play with you for a day. Please grant me your request, okay?"
Silly Yu'er, you're so foolish. You've been used as a pawn by that bastard Mu Yunjin, do you even realize that? Don't you feel anything at all? Do you really trust Mu Yunjin that much?
Luo Zhiheng remained silent, her smile almost fading as she struggled to eat. She knew Yu'er wasn't involved, and Yu'er was unaware of the situation. But if Yu'er knew, would she still be so eager for her to go with her to see Mu Yunjin? Yu'er, the sister Heng'er you admire is the target of Mu Yunjin's revenge. You are now Mu Yunjin's accomplice!
Luo Zhiheng really couldn't bear to tell Yu'er about this. Mu Yunjin didn't care about the innocent and naive Yu'er, but she did. Mu Yunjin didn't care about hurting Yu'er, but she had to consider her feelings.
Yun Zhejin walked happily. "Sister, please promise Yu'er, okay? Please." Yu'er shook Luo Zhiheng's arm coquettishly, pleading incessantly.
Luo Zhiheng suddenly asked a question that seemed unrelated: "Yu'er, if one day someone wanted to harm my sister and kill her, do you know what you would do?"
Yu'er was taken aback, then nervously grabbed her wrist and asked, "Has something happened again? Is someone trying to hurt you, sister?"
"Don't be nervous, I just suddenly thought of it and asked. If that day comes, Yu'er, what will you do?" Luo Zhiheng smiled and patted her, asking persistently.
Yu'er's face was serious, and she said firmly, "Kill him! Sister is a good person, and she is Yu'er's good friend. The person who wants to harm sister must not be a good person, so sister doesn't need to be afraid. No matter what, Yu'er will always stand by sister's side, just like when Her Majesty the Empress came, and will protect sister together with everyone. Although Yu'er's ability is insignificant, Yu'er will never back down or be afraid."
Everyone in the room laughed and praised Princess Yu'er for her courage and skill.
Only Luo Zhiheng couldn't laugh; her eyes were swollen. Yu'er was just a child at heart; she would open her heart to anyone who was kind to her. So what if you angered her? You might be hated for life by her straightforward nature.
But with Yu'er's words, Luo Zhiheng knew she wouldn't refuse her. To have a true friend in one's lifetime is a blessing beyond measure; to have a friend willing to go to great lengths for you is a fortune earned through ten lifetimes. She was fortunate to have such a blessing; how could she squander it like that scoundrel Mu Yunjin?
"Come find me when you leave tomorrow," Luo Zhiheng agreed with a smile.
Seeing that Luo Zhiheng agreed and didn't ask where they were going, Yu'er was happy and relieved at the same time. She was imagining that after tomorrow, she would be Mu Yunjin's woman, not a nameless stranger, but his fiancée who could be his wife.
The next day, Yu'er came to find Luo Zhiheng early in the morning and specifically asked Luo Zhiheng to wear a red dress. Luo Zhiheng dressed up and left the general's mansion without any servants.
Xiaoyang Mountain is indeed a place with excellent scenery. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with steep and unique peaks. The mountains on all sides look like the shapes of four fierce beasts. There is a long lake that flows all year round and never freezes in winter. There is a maple forest where the red and yellow maple leaves fall on the ground and the water, which is extremely beautiful and makes the place look like a scene from a painting.
Luo Zhiheng smiled as she watched Yu'er's delighted expression upon seeing this. Yu'er spun around on the spot, then returned to Luo Zhiheng's side, excitedly taking her hand and saying, "Sister, wouldn't it be wonderful if people could get married here? To have such a beautiful scene in one's most unforgettable memories would be worth dying for."
Luo Zhiheng's smile faded slightly. She secretly tightened her grip on Yu'er's hand, and sensing Yu'er's excitement, Luo Zhiheng felt only anger.
"Yu'er, you brought me here not just to fantasize about your future, right? Although this place is beautiful, it's just scenery. How do you know this place can be a place for eternal memories? Sometimes, the most beautiful memories are the ones that hurt the most and the most." Luo Zhiheng said meaningfully.
Yu'er was taken aback, and said awkwardly, "Sister, what are you saying? This isn't where I'm most hurt. I asked you to come here today because I have a surprise for you."
"Oh?" Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow, looking on with anticipation. She was probably just surprised.
Footsteps approached from behind, rustling on the dry maple leaves. Yu'er turned around, her face instantly lighting up with surprise, and she ran towards them like a happy little bird.
Luo Zhiheng slowly turned around, her gaze cold as she looked at the tall, handsome but gloomy-looking man. A hint of mockery and sarcasm finally appeared on her full lips.
Looking at Luo Zhiheng's expression, Mu Yunjin's arm, which had been holding Yu'er, stiffened. Then, she coldly let go of it, her gaze meeting Luo Zhiheng's with a stark and unyielding intensity that seemed to spark.
"Why are you so late? Look, I brought my sister with me." Yu'er exclaimed happily, then noticed Mu Yunjin's strange expression. His gaze towards Luo Zhiheng was cold and ruthless. Yu'er was startled and quickly pushed him, "What's wrong with you? Why are you looking at your sister like that?"
Mu Yunjin ignored Yu'er and instead asked Luo Zhiheng, "You already knew?"
Her lack of shock, surprise, or even the slightest astonishment told Mu Yunjin that Luo Zhiheng had long since discovered his scheme. This woman could still shock him so much even now.
"You're making so many moves, it's hard for me not to notice," Luo Zhiheng sneered.
Seeing the deep-seated hatred between the two, Yu'er's expression changed slightly, as if she had sensed something, but she didn't have the courage to pay attention. She quickly said, "Yun Jin, what are you doing? Didn't you ask your sister to be our witness? You'd better be more polite to my sister Heng'er, or I'll not marry you."
"Sister Heng'er, actually, the reason I've brought you here today is to ask you for a favor. I'd like you to be a witness for Yun Jin and me, to witness our mutual love and our vows of marriage. We're just waiting for Yun Jin to ask my father and mother for my hand in marriage, and then I can stay in the Mu Dynasty forever. Sister, you'll agree, won't you?" Yu'er asked expectantly.
Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow, her smiling eyes sweeping over Yu'er before turning into a piercing gaze on Mu Yunjin's face. She sneered, "That's a question for you, Mu Yunjin. If he genuinely wants me to be your witness, if he truly wants to be with you, if he truly likes and cherishes you, then even if I, Luo Zhiheng, am adding a generous dowry, I would gladly be your witness. But Mu Yunjin, are you sincere?"
Luo Zhiheng's words were sharp and piercing, each sentence aimed directly into Mu Yunjin's eyes, eyes that were bright enough to see through all filth.
Yu'er's expression changed, the smile on her lips faded slightly, and her gaze turned to Mu Yunjin, still filled with anticipation. She wanted to know what Luo Zhiheng had said: "Mu Yunjin, do you truly want to marry her?" 12.
Time ticked by, and Mu Yunjin stood ramrod straight, hands clasped behind his back, his face cold and hard. Luo Zhiheng's aggressive pressure made him hesitate for a moment. He looked at Yu'er, at her expectant face, unable to utter a word for a long time. Then he saw Yu'er's face turn pale inch by inch under the bright red maple leaves. He heard his heart pounding wildly, and a strange pain spread through his chest. Reluctance struggled, but he heard his own heartless voice, each word, each tearful lament, destroying that brief, false, and beautiful love: "It wasn't true! I was never true to you!!"
Second update! Please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets! Group chat, muah!
432. Advice! Forgiveness! Brother!
Updated: 2013-11-11 13:17:55 Word Count: 7564
Yu'er's face turned deathly pale in the sunlight. She stared blankly at Mu Yunjin, as if she didn't recognize him. She glanced back at Luo Zhiheng, her eyes filled with fear, then suddenly looked at Mu Yunjin, grabbed his arm, and demanded, "What are you saying? What are you saying again? Mu Yunjin, what's wrong with you? You didn't say this to me yesterday! You said you liked me, you said you wanted to be with me. You said you'd have my sister be our witness, you said you'd marry me! Why has everything changed? Why are you saying such heartless things now? Mu Yunjin, what's wrong with you? Tell me!"
Mu Yunjin's face was hard and cold, his gaze shifting uncertainly as he looked at Yu'er's face before finally looking away. What could he say? What could he possibly say in his defense? No matter how much he said, it would be in vain; no matter what he did, he couldn't erase the fact that he had used her. Since that was the case, he might as well stop explaining.
Mu Yunjin ruthlessly pushed Yu'er away, the force so great that Yu'er fell heavily to the ground. Then he quickly attacked Luo Zhiheng, the speed and suddenness of his attack startling both Yu'er and Luo Zhiheng.