Luo Ningshuang was also extremely shocked. What kind of noble status? The Emperor's status was so noble that it couldn't be the throne, so it must be the position of Crown Prince? Did the Emperor intend to make Bai Mingyue the Crown Prince? Then wouldn't she become the Crown Princess if she married Bai Mingyue?
Bai Mingyue had also mentioned the Crown Prince's consort to her, but at that time, Bai Mingyue had promised her to Luo Zhiheng. She was filled with resentment. But now that her identity had been exposed, she had no better way out than to marry Bai Mingyue. If Bai Mingyue was indeed the Crown Prince, then she could humble herself and wait until the Emperor died and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, then she would become the Empress, the mother of the nation.
Then she can suppress and control Luo Zhiheng!
Even if she becomes the Crown Princess, she can still deal with Luo Zhiheng. With power and wealth, what kind of expert can't she find? Any one of them could easily destroy Luo Zhiheng.
Luo Ningshuang was frantically thinking about her future revenge. She felt that if she couldn't get Mu Yunhe for the time being, she could marry Bai Mingyue instead. At least that would give her some time to process things before she could think of a better way to deal with Luo Zhiheng.
As for Xia Beisong, her reason for taking him away was entirely because Luo Zhiheng had married him in her past life, and they were so happy together. Therefore, she wanted to take him away in this life so they wouldn't continue that happiness. But now it seems Luo Zhiheng has fallen in love with Mu Yunhe and doesn't care about Xia Beisong at all. So what does she still care about Xia Beisong for?
So Luo Ningshuang fell silent, and she no longer fiercely resisted marrying Bai Mingyue.
Because of the Emperor's promise and the mysterious gift of identity, Bai Mingyue and Luo Ningshuang, who were vain and power-hungry, fell silent. Their lack of resistance meant they agreed.
The pharaohs felt utterly ashamed; how could the Mu Dynasty have produced such a scoundrel?
"Since they have no objections, then this matter is settled. The bridal sedan chair will return to pick up Luo Ningshuang the day after tomorrow. Please take good care of her these next two days." The emperor made the final decision. He then said to Luo Zhiheng, "I have something to discuss with you. Do you have time?"
“She doesn’t have time.” Mu Yunhe stepped forward, blocking the emperor’s view and hiding Luo Zhiheng behind him. His expression was cold. This man had once been his brother-in-law, but his relationship with his sister had been so unpleasant. Mu Yunhe disliked this emperor, so his tone was naturally unpleasant: “Please don’t do so many pointless things in the future. Luo Zhiheng is not just anyone. You are the emperor, and it’s clear that you can’t just see whomever you want whenever you want. You’d better remember your place.”
Mu Yunhe's words were extremely impolite. If anyone else had said those words, the emperor could have beheaded them in a fit of rage. But since it was Mu Yunhe who said them, the emperor could not show any anger.
Because Mu Yunhe was a diviner, a member of the mysterious Divination Palace, he knew he couldn't afford to offend him. His desire to cultivate a relationship with Luo Zhiheng was partly because Luo Zhiheng was supposed to stay in the Southern Dynasty and serve it, and partly to gain Mu Yunhe's help.
A diviner priest is someone who inspires excitement, admiration, and respect.
"Your Excellency has overlooked this. I know the identity of the young princess, and naturally I would not dare to overstep my bounds. I have a very important matter to discuss with the young princess. This matter concerns the well-being of the people and also the identity of the young princess. Does Your Excellency not wish to know what the young princess's identity is?" The Emperor spoke politely and respectfully, his respect for Mu Yunhe was self-evident.
Mu Yunhe frowned, glancing at the pharaohs, who were equally bewildered. Luo Zhiheng was from the Mu Dynasty; what special status could she possibly have? And even if she did, what did it have to do with the Southern Dynasty? 19.
"You're overthinking it. I'm from the Mu Dynasty. My identity is Loge's daughter. What other identity could I have?" Luo Zhiheng said coldly.
The emperor glanced at the pharaohs, a chill running down his spine. Luo Zhiheng's words had reminded him of his carelessness. How could he have been so careless? He had almost blurted out something he shouldn't have: Luo Zhiheng was Loge's daughter, and Loge was the successor of that other person. Loge's roots were now in the Mu Dynasty. If the Mu Dynasty knew Luo Zhiheng's identity beforehand, it would be difficult for him to bring her back. How could those old bones of the Mu Dynasty let go of such a lucrative prize on their territory? Moreover, this wasn't just any prize; it concerned the very existence of their people.
The emperor's mind raced with complex emotions, but he finally smiled and said, "I will tell you about Luo Zhiheng's identity at Bai Mingyue's wedding the day after tomorrow. I guarantee you won't regret it after hearing it. Do you know how many years the people of the Southern Dynasty have waited for you to appear? I think that once they know who you are, they will love you even more, and these rumors will naturally be nothing."
Finished writing! Time to go eat hot pot! Hehe, I love you all, my darlings! Please give me your recommendation votes, comments, and monthly tickets! Monthly tickets are being doubled, so please give them your all! I'll try my best to update more often.
296 We are all of the same origin, why are we so eager to harm each other? The farce of bestowing titles!
Updated: 2013-08-31 12:10:51 Word Count: 7745
The farce ended there, and Luo Ningshuang, looking disheveled, followed the others into the Shiwang Palace. If Luo Zhiheng hadn't said she was worried Luo Ningshuang might cause more trouble and needed to be kept under control, the Shiwang would never have allowed her to step into the palace.
The pharaohs looked very ugly. This was utterly shameful. In their eyes, Luo Ningshuang's actions today should warrant immediate execution. How could there be such a shameless and arrogant person?
"Luo Zhiheng, I have something to say to you." Having been abandoned by everyone, Luo Ningshuang still dared to speak to Luo Zhiheng with such righteous indignation. Her face made no attempt to hide her disgust and anger towards Luo Zhiheng. Looking at Luo Zhiheng and turning around, she angrily demanded, "Why are you treating me like this?"
Luo Zhiheng sneered and said, "How have I treated you?"
"You didn't give me any face in front of so many people. I'm not married yet. How could you treat me like this? I'm your sister, not your enemy! How can you live with yourself after ruining me like this?" Luo Ningshuang questioned him right away, displaying her righteous indignation, lack of reason, and willingness to retaliate to the fullest.
"Luo Ningshuang, don't go too far! Don't you know who's disregarding family ties? When you slandered Heng'er in front of so many people, why didn't you say anything? Does your reputation matter, but Heng'er's reputation is worthless? You're shameless! You even impersonated Heng'er to ruin her. Did you ever think about the fact that Heng'er is your own sister when you did that? Now you're talking about your own sister? Is a sister a person, but an older sister should die?" Murong Qianxue angrily accused. She had truly met her match today; this person was utterly despicable.
"I'm talking to Luo Zhiheng, you have no right to speak!" Luo Ningshuang said coldly and angrily. She didn't understand why someone as despicable as Luo Zhiheng could receive so much favor and affection. She should be the focus of everyone's attention and concern. She was reborn, and she deserved it!
"Watch your mouth! You're the last person here who has the right to speak! You keep saying you're sisters, but have you ever shown any respect for Heng'er? You keep calling her Luo Zhiheng like that. You can't even respect others yourself, so why should you expect others to respect you? Someone like you deserves someone like Bai Mingyue. One is an illegitimate child, and the other is a piece of trash. Both are worthless and despicable. They're both animals and scum!" Murong Qianxue was absolutely ruthless when she started cursing. She had a boorish ancestor.
Luo Ningshuang's face flushed and paled in turns. Seeing the group of imposing pharaohs staring at her with cold eyes, she felt a pang of fear. However, the thought that she was a reborn person gave her confidence. She directly and angrily questioned Luo Zhiheng: "Why did you force me to marry Bai Mingyue? Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed for treating someone like a beggar? If Father knew how you treated your own sister, so hastily and carelessly sweeping her out like trash, do you think he would forgive you?"
“I don’t know if Father will forgive me, but I know I did the right thing. I can’t let a woman who has lost her morals stay in the family. You know you’re not married yet, so how could you do such a thing? You’ve been pushing me relentlessly, pushing me to the brink, and I not only don’t blame you, but I’m also worried about and planning for your future. What’s wrong with that?” Luo Zhiheng said calmly, seemingly unmoved.
"Luo Zhiheng, don't go too far! I am the second young lady of the Luo family, and no one can change that fact! The way you treat me now will definitely damage your reputation!" Luo Ningshuang roared.
"How bad could it be? As long as you, my own sister, stop framing, slandering, and defaming me, I'll be thankful. Also, please don't be so self-righteous. You were the one who shamelessly did that unforgivable thing first. You were the one who framed me first. Am I not allowed to protect myself? Is it wrong for me to protect myself? This is simply unreasonable!" Luo Zhiheng sneered and turned to leave. She didn't want to waste her life dealing with Luo Ningshuang anymore.
"Stop right there!" Luo Ningshuang roared, shouting, "I only did that because I was terrified. I've never experienced anything like this before, being forcibly taken by a strange man. Do you know how helpless I felt? I only said that because you're my older sister. I didn't mean to hurt you. How could you frame me for something I didn't do?"
"What did you say?" Luo Zhiheng turned around abruptly, her beautiful eyes narrowing. She asked with a cold smile, "You framed me because you were afraid? Have you ever considered that I might also be afraid and troubled by these things?"
"But you're already married! Don't you have a husband who loves you? Doesn't he protect you?" Luo Ningshuang looked at Luo Zhiheng with some resentment, but she spoke with the same self-righteousness as always. She knew that everything was messed up, and it was futile for her to say anything more, but she just didn't want Luo Zhiheng to have an easy time. She was also confident because she was about to marry the future crown prince, and she felt that these people wouldn't dare to do anything to her, so she dared to be so arrogant.
"Have you ever considered the enormous blow and trauma your words will cause to my marriage? Your wishful thinking will inflict the most severe damage on my marriage. I might very well be kicked out of the Mu family because of your absurd reason! Your reputation is your reputation, but your life is precious. Does that mean my life, Luo Zhiheng's life, deserves to be trampled on by you? You are too selfish! Luo Ningshuang, what's wrong with your brain? Your logic is simply laughable!" Luo Zhiheng shouted angrily.
"But aren't you safe and sound now? Yet you've pushed me into the arms of a rapist! How am I supposed to live like this? I'll be facing the man who raped me every day. Luo Zhiheng, you have ulterior motives!" Luo Ningshuang cried out.
Murong Qianxue sneered, "How disgusting! You keep spouting such disgusting words. I don't think you're anything special. Otherwise, shouldn't you be terrified after what happened? You still have the courage to stand here and act unreasonably, and even yell at your own sister who's helping you. Do you think you still have the ability to subdue a tiger?"
"Luo Ningshuang, think whatever you want, but I just want to tell you that you can only marry Bai Mingyue now. If you didn't want to marry her, why didn't you argue with the Southern Dynasty Emperor just now? Your shouting and yelling at me is useless, because the person who can truly decide your fate is yourself, not me!" Luo Zhiheng said sarcastically.
"Isn't it because I was scared? Anyway, it's all your fault, it's what Luo Zhiheng owes me, you better remember that!" Luo Ningshuang roared unreasonably. She was determined to cling to Luo Zhiheng; this marriage was something she disliked and didn't want, and since she was unhappy, she naturally wouldn't let Luo Zhiheng be happy either.
Also, since she was going to marry Bai Mingyue anyway, she might as well go all out and make sure everyone present remembered that they owed her, Luo Ningshuang, a debt of gratitude, because they were the ones who pushed her into the fire.
She was the one who did something shameless, making so many people lose face, yet she still dared to righteously criticize others. Not only was Murong Qianxue unable to stand it, but even Elder Tong and the others were furious.
"Lock her up! I absolutely don't want to see a mad dog barking here anymore!" Old Master Tong said angrily, his face grim.
They are biological sisters, born of the same parents, and even twins, so why is one so outstanding while the other is so despicable? What's most tragic is that the despicable one is also so wicked and vicious, and most importantly, she has no brains at all. It's utterly ridiculous.
"You're in the wrong, aren't you? You know you owe me, don't you? You pushed a victim out and ignored her, and even made me jump into the fire pit. Every one of you here is a sinner! I will remember the hurt and offense you caused me today!" Luo Ningshuang roared. She seemed to have gone mad, so severely stimulated that she had lost her mind.
"Luo Zhiheng, I know why you pushed me to Bai Mingyue! Because Bai Mingyue likes you, he admires you! And you must know his feelings for you, right? You don't want Bai Mingyue's feelings, you think Bai Mingyue is in the way, so you schemed to push me to Bai Mingyue! You bitch, you're clearly a shameless, promiscuous bitch, yet you dare to pretend to be innocent! You framed your own sister, you made me wish I were dead, you don't deserve to be called a human being!" Luo Ningshuang's roar completely enraged everyone. 17111518
"You're spouting nonsense! Be careful, or I'll cut off your tongue!" Mu Yunhe roared angrily, his face turning ashen.
A hint of grievance flashed across Luo Ningshuang's face. She softly cried to Mu Yunhe, "I'm not talking nonsense! You must not know, right? When Bai Mingyue was possessing me and looking at me, the name he kept calling out was Luo Zhiheng! It was Luo Zhiheng! How could the two of them not have feelings for each other?"
This statement completely brought the atmosphere at the scene to a tense and oppressive climax!
Mu Yunhe's face was ashen, his chest heaving violently. He believed Luo Zhiheng, but he didn't believe Bai Mingyue. He still vividly remembered the way Bai Mingyue looked at Aheng at that banquet—a gaze filled with naked, possessive, and predatory interest! Now that Luo Ningshuang had said such things, whether it was true or not, he absolutely could not let Bai Mingyue go.
The mere thought of Bai Mingyue embracing other women while calling out Aheng's name made Mu Yunhe feel as if his internal organs were being burned by some unknown flame. He wished he could kill Bai Mingyue with his own hands immediately.
Seeing Mu Yunhe's expression, Luo Ningshuang knew he had taken her words to heart. She said confidently, "You know about this too, don't you? Bai Mingyue likes Luo Zhiheng, and Luo Zhiheng is getting rid of her burdens. She pushed me towards Bai Mingyue because she doesn't want Bai Mingyue to continue bothering her. And she's also afraid I'll get close to you; she's afraid I'll leave a place in your heart. Mu Yunhe, I like you so much. We should be a match made in heaven!"
"In the cycle of fate, our names should be engraved together. I like you so much, I love you so much. From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were the one destined for me. I wanted to marry you, but Luo Zhiheng interfered. She hurt me and she hurt you. You shouldn't love her, Mu Yunhe!"
Luo Ningshuang was nearly driven mad. She knew that if she confessed her love to Mu Yunhe in the army, she would never have another chance in her life. Marrying Bai Mingyue was never the outcome she wanted. She was going to make one last desperate attempt for her own happiness, hoping that perhaps she could move Mu Yunhe at this crucial moment. Even if she couldn't move Mu Yunhe, at least she could make Luo Zhiheng less perfect in his eyes. Sowing discord between them, filling their future with doubt and distrust—that would make her happy too!
"Is this woman crazy? She actually tried to steal her own sister's man? And she even dared to confess her feelings so shamelessly?" General Murong's lips twitched as he muttered to his sullen granddaughter.
Murong Qianxue was much more fierce. She bluntly said angrily, "She's not just shameless, she's utterly shameless! She's morally corrupt! I've never seen such a shameless woman!"
Luo Ningshuang's final, frantic outburst instantly provoked public outrage! 19.
"Enough! How dare you call me Mu Yunhe? I don't need your affection and love. I am your brother-in-law, that's an unchangeable fact. Furthermore, I don't want to be your brother-in-law. In the future, when you see me and Aheng, you can treat us like strangers, because we don't want to know someone like you." Mu Yunhe said coldly, barely suppressing his rage.
Mu Yunhe's attitude was clear and unwavering, which finally calmed the grim-faced crowd and allowed Luo Zhiheng, who had been on edge, to breathe a sigh of relief.
She wasn't worried that Mu Yunhe would actually believe or doubt her; she was very confident in their relationship. Her only concern was that Mu Yunhe's body wouldn't be able to handle it. After all, Mu Yunhe would definitely be angry about something like this, and she was afraid he might lose control of his emotions and hurt himself.
"Aheng, let's go, ignore this madman." Mu Yunhe pulled Luo Zhiheng away from Haizi Township, back to the room to see how he would torture her!
"Wait a minute, I'm going to die of anger if I don't vent my anger today," Luo Zhiheng said gently to Mu Yunhe with a smile. Then she slowly walked towards Luo Ningshuang, raised her hand under Luo Ningshuang's sinister and smug gaze, and slapped her hard, causing Luo Ningshuang to fall to the ground.
"You dare hit me!" Luo Ningshuang screamed in shock and anger, her mouth full of blood, as she covered her numb cheek.
"Well done!" General Murong couldn't help but shout.
"That's exactly what I'm going to do! You despicable thing! Even now, you still dare to hurt me? Do you really think I, Luo Zhiheng, am so easy to bully? Luo Ningshuang, you overestimate yourself and underestimate me! Remember this: Mu Yunhe is me, and you can forget about him forever. Bai Mingyue is yours. If you dare to say those outrageous things again, I'll personally cut your tongue out and feed it to the dogs, without anyone else's help!" Luo Zhiheng's eyes were vicious, and she exuded a powerful aura.
"Why are you treating me like this? We are sisters, but why do you always get the best, while I always get what you don't want?" Luo Ningshuang finally couldn't hold back her powerful anger. The anger accumulated over two lifetimes was such a strong resentment at this moment.
Luo Zhiheng was stunned by the sense of vicissitude and sorrow that seemed to have been accumulating for too long on Luo Ningshuang's body. She was slightly taken aback, and then asked in a cold voice, "Then I would also like to ask you a question: We are all of the same origin, why are you so eager to harm each other?"
We are all born of the same root, why are we so eager to harm each other?
Luo Ningshuang's pupils constricted, and she murmured those words, a bitter, throbbing pain in her chest. She really wanted to laugh coldly, but she couldn't. She knew very well that all this injustice didn't stem from Luo Zhiheng, but from fate and her father's love for her mother. Her misfortune lay in the fact that her birth caused her mother's death, so her father vented all his resentment on her. Luo Zhiheng herself was not at fault.
But this is also Luo Zhiheng's biggest mistake!
If it weren't for Luo Zhiheng, she would be Luo Ge's only daughter. Even if he disliked her, he wouldn't have tolerated her to this extent, ignoring her so completely and so urgently. In Luo Ge's eyes, she was truly as terrifying and repulsive as a monstrous flood. It was precisely because of Luo Zhiheng's goodness, this constant contrast, that she hated Luo Zhiheng so much.
Luo Zhiheng was the source of her suffering, therefore Luo Zhiheng was guilty. They were sisters born of the same blood, but precisely because they were born of the same blood, she deserved to die!
Luo Ningshuang still didn't think she was wrong. On the contrary, she felt that Luo Zhiheng was really hateful and despicable. She hurt her and yet dared to talk to her from the perspective of a victim.
"Keep an eye on her. She'll become a citizen of the Southern Dynasty the day after tomorrow. I hope this bride will be unharmed by then." Luo Zhiheng's voice was hoarse as she finished speaking and helped Mu Yunhe leave. She kept her head down the whole way, so she didn't see Mu Yunhe wink at Xiao Xizi.
Luo Ningshuang was imprisoned, but there was little laughter or joy in the palace. Everyone was stumped by Luo Zhiheng's last question. How tragic! They were clearly sisters, yet they fought so fiercely. There was unseen bloodshed between them. Even though they were born of the same root, it didn't mean they could be of one mind and one heart.
Xiao Xizi disappeared for a while before returning. She nodded to Mu Yunhe, who then had the time and mood to deal with Luo Zhiheng.
Meanwhile, almost as soon as Luo Ningshuang was locked in a sealed room, someone broke in and beat her severely. The beating was so intense that it caused her immense pain, yet left no visible marks. The most ruthless act was striking her pressure points, leaving her in excruciating pain and unable to scream.
After a full half-hour beating, the man left silently. Luo Ningshuang lay limp on the ground, covered in cold sweat, barely alive.
Time flew by, and the wedding day arrived in the blink of an eye. This was probably the fastest and simplest wedding ever held by any prince. The gift-giving ceremony was completed so quickly, and all the gifts from the Southern Dynasty were given to Luo Ningshuang as part of her dowry on her wedding day.
There was no music or singing, no festive decorations or celebrations on the streets. Instead, the people lined the roads to watch, pointing and whispering, and not a single person said a good word. In just a few days, Luo Ningshuang's heroic deeds had spread throughout the Southern Dynasty, and her name was preceded by many terms like unchaste, ruthless, vicious, and wanton.
In an instant, Luo Ningshuang's reputation was ruined, and it seemed unlikely that she could ever regain her honor.
The bridal sedan chair was very simple. Bai Mingyue reluctantly carried Luo Ningshuang into the sedan chair, then mounted his horse and rode off. Although this marriage was not what he wanted, the thought of the position and status that the Emperor was about to announce made Bai Mingyue unable to contain his joy, and he even felt a bit triumphant.
He couldn't help but glance back at Luo Zhiheng standing at the door, feeling a surge of excitement. Once he became Crown Prince and held power, he would find a way to get close to Luo Zhiheng. The day he ascended the throne, he would definitely snatch her away. Then, he would sell this wretched woman in the sedan chair to a brothel and let her fend for herself.
The group followed them into the palace, a place that held too many unpleasant memories for them. Though they were reluctant to come, they had no choice but to.
After all, it was a prince's wedding. Even though the time was short, the people who were supposed to come still had to come. Moreover, today was the day the emperor was going to announce the conferment of a title upon Bai Mingyue. Civil and military officials, wives and noblewomen, and influential figures were all present, making the wedding look much more grand and lively.
The emperor and empress sat high above in the main hall. The festive hall was quiet, and everyone was watching the bride who was being helped forward by Bai Mingyue. Their eyes were filled with disdain and contempt, and they were just looking for a spectacle.
An illegitimate son marrying a promiscuous woman—this could be considered a 'legendary tale'.
After the traditional bowing to heaven and earth, then to their parents, and finally to each other as husband and wife, the crowd began offering insincere congratulations. Bai Mingyue returned the greeting with a beaming smile. He and Luo Ningshuang both knew that the moment to announce Bai Mingyue's identity was about to begin, and that would be the most moving moment for them.
Luo Zhiheng watched coldly as Bai Mingyue and Luo Ningshuang, these two big troublemakers, got together. She could only hope that things would get worse for them. Don't blame her for being malicious; these two were just utterly disgusting.
"Silence! As you all know, Bai Mingyue is my son, but I have never bestowed a title upon him. Today, he is married and is now an adult. Although he has not accomplished anything, he is now married and it is no longer appropriate for him to live in the palace. Therefore, I have decided to bestow a title upon him." The Emperor's majestic voice rang out.
Everyone fell silent, eager to see what title would be given to Bai Mingyue. The scene became still and quiet.
Bai Mingyue subconsciously clenched his fist; he was holding Luo Ningshuang's hand. Both of them were secretly excited. Although they disliked each other, if they could obtain that position, they could treat each other a little better. Both of them had sweaty palms due to excitement and nervousness.