Hua Kai said sarcastically, "Kill me, and you will be utterly disgraced." She spoke with great resolve because she knew her master's character well—so loyal, so kind, and so devoted to those who served her. If she were to die, her master would certainly not let Consort Li off the hook and would definitely avenge her.
Consort Li was stunned by Hua Kai's words, feeling as if her throat had been choked, unable to utter a single word. After a long while, she managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Then what exactly do you want?" (This refers to the garden of the Emperor Dingzong.)
Suddenly, Hua Kai, filled with grief and almost spitting blood, roared angrily, "What can I do? I'm already like this, neither human nor ghost. What else do you think I can do? I'm still a young girl! I haven't even gotten married yet, and I'll never know what marriage is. You've ruined me! I wish you were dead!"
"Hmph." Consort Li gave a disdainful snort, but in her heart she was thinking of a countermeasure.
"But I know that even if you die, you can't make up for it. So I want you to meet all my conditions. I'm telling you, I want you to find me the best man, even better than Mu Yunjin. I want to marry this man, and he has to marry me willingly. If you can't do that, I'll commit suicide immediately, and you can just wait for the news to spread." Hua Kai shamelessly demanded.
"Hahaha! That's hilarious! In your current state, what man would want you? Especially someone as lowly as you, who actually wants to find a man better than Yun Jin? You're dreaming! This is an unreasonable request, and I will not grant it," Consort Li said loudly, though she was heartbroken.
She had completely broken ties with Hua Kai, only now realizing that Hua Kai was a treacherous and malicious person, and that all the kindness she had shown before was merely a ploy to gain her trust. Now she understood that only Linglong truly cared for her. It was a pity that she had listened to that despicable Hua Kai and sent Linglong to the kitchen to do odd jobs. Looking back now, Linglong probably couldn't have escaped the fire either.
"You won't agree? Fine, then you'd better prepare to run for your life." Hua Kai had gone mad; the disfigurement was too much of a blow to her, and she only wanted to torture Consort Li to death.
"You!" Consort Li was furious, but suddenly her eyes lit up and she said coldly, "Fine, you want a good man? Then I'll find one for you. What do you think of Mu Yunhe? He's much better than Yun Jin. He's the young prince of the Mu Prince's Mansion."
"Mu Yunhe? Hmph, a sickly man. You want to kill me?" Hua Kai roared angrily.
"Of course not! You don't know yet, do you? Mu Yunhe has become very different. I heard from Yun Jin that Mu Yunhe has now mastered some kind of martial art, and he's incredibly powerful. Moreover, he's recovered his health. The current Mu Yunhe is in top form. He can fight a whole group of people by himself. Besides, Mu Yunhe is handsome. You won't regret marrying Mu Yunhe," Consort Li quickly said with a smile.
Her change of attitude was too fast, and Hua Kai certainly didn't believe it: "Hmph, are you trying to kill two birds with one stone? You want to use me to get rid of Mu Yunhe? Do you think I don't know? Li Fangfei, you are really vicious. Even at a time like this, you still can't forget to scheme against others. But it doesn't matter, just remember, I will not be a widow, and I cannot die, otherwise, you will be buried with me."
"Of course I won't let you die. Besides, look how powerful Mu Yunhe was this time. He burned down such a big palace just like that. He's the one who calls the shots in the palace. You're guaranteed to make a profit by marrying him. So you agree?" Consort Li asked with a fawning smile.
On a psychological level, Consort Li was thinking that as long as Hua Kai and Mu Yunhe were together, no matter what, she would get them together and create a scandal. She would say that Mu Yunhe was so desperate that he wanted to sleep with a disfigured maid, a truly outrageous act. Once such rumors spread, even if Mu Yunhe had great abilities, he would be ruined. This would make people doubt Mu Yunhe's character and personality, and would also hinder his path to inheriting the throne. Moreover, once this matter was exposed, Lady Tong would certainly not let Hua Kai, that vile woman, live. Lady Tong loved her son very much; would she tolerate someone who damaged her son's reputation?
If Madam Tong were to take the initiative and kill Hua Kai, she could eliminate a major threat. And it wouldn't even be her doing the killing. Using someone else to do the dirty work was perfect for her. She could also kill two birds with one stone: eliminate Mu Yunhe, disgust Luo Zhiheng, and annoy Madam Tong. And after Hua Kai's so-called master finds out the truth, he won't bother her, since she wasn't the one who caused Hua Kai's death, was she?
Consort Li thought about it more and more and felt that the idea was feasible; it was simply too perfect.
Hua Kai thought for a moment. She was already ruined. What she said earlier was just to make things difficult for Consort Li. She knew that it was already good enough for her to be able to get married. How could she really ask for such a good man? But if she could marry Mu Yunhe, even if she was just a concubine, that would be good. It was something she couldn't even imagine.
The thought of Mu Yunhe's unparalleled handsome face and his identity made Hua Kai's heart pound uncontrollably. Her face also felt hot, and she didn't know whether it was the burning pain from the burns or shyness and joy.
"Can you really make me Mu Yunhe's woman?" Hua Kai asked coldly.
"Of course. No matter who you are or what your status is, you have served me for so long. How can you say you have no feelings for me at all? I know you are good to me. Even if you have another master outside, do you really think that your master treats you as well as I do? I really feel sorry for you. It was not my intention to hurt you like this. You know how terrifying it was when the fire was spreading. I completely panicked and couldn't see what was around me. How could I have known it was you? If I had known it was you, I would never have sent you to the front."
"Now I also want to make it up to you. If you can get better and be happy for the rest of your life, I would naturally be more than happy, so that I would feel less guilty. As long as you nod, I will make sure you become Mu Yunhe's woman, even if it means losing face. I know you are a good person. With you taking care of and serving him as Mu Yunhe's concubine, wouldn't I feel at ease?"
"Besides, you're someone I'm used to working with. I know you're a thoughtful and considerate girl, and Mu Yunhe is a good match for you. Moreover, Mu Yunhe's room has no other women besides Luo Zhiheng. How can that be acceptable? He's a dignified little prince, so he naturally needs wives, concubines, maids, and servants. This alone shows that Luo Zhiheng is not a virtuous wife."
"Don't worry, Luo Zhiheng is arrogant now. She's the prince's betrothed daughter-in-law, and I can't divorce her anytime soon. But if you can be patient, once you've captured Mu Yunhe's heart, and that jealous Luo Zhiheng starts causing trouble for you, I'll be able to help you legitimately. Then, the two of us can join forces to eliminate Luo Zhiheng. We won't need any other reason; just her jealousy will be enough to kick her out. Then, you'll be the only woman left by Mu Yunhe's side. As long as you work hard, and I help you smooth things over, the position of princess consort will be yours, won't it?"
"Even if not, if you're ambitious and quickly give Mu Yunhe a son or daughter, then you'll rise in status through your son, and the position of princess will be yours for the taking. It all depends on whether your family cooperates with me. Your future is entirely in your hands, Hua Kai. I truly care about you; think it over carefully." Consort Li spoke earnestly, analyzing the situation clearly and even offering many hypothetical scenarios. Under Consort Li's highly persuasive words, Hua Kai's future seemed incredibly bright. It was truly like a beautiful red lily in full bloom, impossible not to be tempted.
Hua Kai was naturally captivated by the beautiful landscape described by Consort Li. If things really turned out that way in the future, she would truly have turned misfortune into blessing. She had never imagined that she would marry a man like Mu Yunhe.
But her face... 17419958
Hua Kai's dreamy gaze shattered instantly, her eyes twisted in a grotesque grimace as she shrieked at Consort Li, "You're lying to me! You know perfectly well that I can't possibly win Mu Yunhe's heart! I'm ruined, my face is ruined! How could I possibly capture Mu Yunhe's heart? He'd probably be disgusted just looking at me. And where would the child come from? How could I gain status through the child? Even if I were with Mu Yunhe, who would want an ugly woman as a wife? They wouldn't even bother to glance at me! Li Fangfei, how dare you play tricks on me? Aren't you afraid I'll expose your shameful deeds?"
Consort Li's eyes twitched. She was extremely impatient, yet also quite shocked; Hua Kai's reaction was surprisingly quick. However, she composed herself. For the sake of her perfect plan, she condescended to kneel down and help Hua Kai up, saying kindly, "Good child, I'm just feeling guilty. I wanted to do my best to make it up to you, wishing I could give you everything good. Your worries are valid; it was my carelessness." 154.
"Don't worry, I'll have the best imperial physicians treat your injuries. They didn't say your face is really ruined. I remember Yun Jin once told me about a miraculous medicine in the Western Regions that specifically treats burns and stubborn scars. Just a tiny bit can remove them. With the Mu Prince's mansion's wealth, you can rest assured. I will definitely find a way to get this medicine for you."
"But you also need to be ambitious. To win Mu Yunhe's favor, you can't just rely on your looks. You can also use your body and your cunning. Sometimes, a woman's body is more effective than her face. If you can make a man infatuated with your body, he won't be able to leave you. Then, when the wind blows and the blankets are pulled over, who will be able to see what you look like?" Consort Li continued to deceive him.
Hua Kai believed it and was moved. If there really was such a magical ointment, then even after becoming Mu Yunhe's woman, she could still stay by Mu Yunhe's side, which would not be a dream.
"Are you really willing to help me?" Hua Kai looked at Consort Li with a questioning gaze.
"Of course, I swear!" Consort Li quickly raised her hand and said confidently, "Just leave this matter to me, don't worry. I will definitely make you Mu Yunhe's woman, and I will help you accomplish this in the next two days."
This matter must be done as soon as possible, lest things get complicated. When Mu Yunhe finds out he slept with an ugly woman, I wonder if he'll be so angry he'll vomit blood? And that Luo Zhiheng, it would be best if she left Mu Yunhe in a fit of anger, so that Mu Yunhe wouldn't have to go through all the trouble of figuring out how to deal with Luo Zhiheng.
"Alright, I'll give you a chance. If you can really do this well, I can find a way to find the master and ask him to completely cover this up, so you'll never have to worry about it again." Hua Kai appropriately gave Consort Li a sweet treat. She knew all too well about equivalent exchanges. Of course, she wouldn't genuinely help Consort Li; this handle was crucial for her survival. Later, she could consider telling Mu Yunhe about it to gain his temporary favor.
Consort Li's eyes lit up, and she smiled meaningfully.
You scoundrel! I'll make you regret offending her when she wipes you all out of this place.
I thought Hua Kai was ruthless, but I didn't expect that after sending away the worthless Mu Yunhe, this wretched girl would immediately fall for her foolishly. It seems Mu Yunhe isn't entirely useless after all; at least he can bewitch a wretched girl.
The two discussed it for a while, and it turned out they were scheming against Mu Yunhe at every turn. Consort Li shamelessly and recklessly used Mu Yunhe as a shield and a scapegoat, and even wanted to investigate Mu Yunhe's sexual affairs and his network of connections without any sense of propriety. She must have been kicked in the head by a donkey.
From that moment on, Hua Kai truly began to think about Mu Yunhe. Just thinking about Mu Yunhe's appearance made her blush and her heart race; she couldn't wait for the day she could become Mu Yunhe's woman to arrive.
They were completely unaware that the Li family had a pair of ears lurking and eavesdropping. Although they couldn't hear everything clearly, they still roughly knew what was going on.
After learning of Consort Li and Hua Kai's conspiracy, Luo Zhiheng and the others did not react or take any precautions. Instead, they waited peacefully at home for Consort Li to come to them.
First update! There's one more update today. Sorry for the late update; Hua Sha isn't feeling well. There's a voting section in the romance novel competition finals. Our "fierce woman" is number twenty-one. Please support her, my darlings, and vote! Ten votes per person per day. Love you all! Still asking for recommendation votes, comments, and monthly tickets!
347. If you want to enter, kneel down first! (Bonus chapter for 54,000 recommendation votes)
Updated: 2013-09-24 20:53:34 Word Count: 3348
From that moment on, Consort Li was no longer the hunter; the prey had become the hunter. Consort Li thought she was the hunter, but she didn't realize that the moment she arrived, she had already fallen into the hunter's trap.
Two days later, Consort Li personally visited the General's Mansion, requesting an audience with Mu Yunhe Luo Zhiheng. When she arrived, she sent word that she had come to apologize with a bundle of thorns on her back!
Upon hearing the servant's message, Luo Zhiheng immediately smiled, but her gaze was sharp and cold: "So Li Fangfei knows how to apologize with a bundle of thorns on her back? That's quite impressive. She knows the principle that you have to give before you can receive."
Mu Yunhe snorted coldly, his gaze turning icy as he said, "Let her in. I'm quite looking forward to seeing how she's going to force a woman into my life."
Luo Zhiheng's eyes flashed with a mischievous glint, and she raised her voice, "Wait! Since she's come to apologize with thorns on her back, she should carry thorns, otherwise how can she show her magnanimity, virtue, and sincerity as Consort Li? Besides, since Consort Li is so knowledgeable and reasonable in coming to apologize with thorns on her back, she must be fully prepared, right? In that case, wouldn't it be disrespectful for us juniors not to accept her? Let Consort Li apologize properly outside; if she's going to do it, she should do it properly. We can't invite Consort Li in too quickly, otherwise, how can it look like she's apologizing? Wouldn't that be slapping Consort Li in the face?"
"Hunter Li personally went hunting." The servant who delivered the message was dumbfounded. He was a newly recruited servant and only knew the man and woman before him as his masters. The woman was the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion, so naturally he couldn't afford to offend her. But why was the eldest daughter speaking like that? It didn't seem to show any respect for the woman outside at all.
"What? Do you have doubts about what I said?" Luo Zhiheng said casually.
The honest-looking servant looked bewildered and said, "I wouldn't dare. But the person outside who claims to be Consort Li isn't carrying any thorny branches. And she didn't say she wanted to apologize at the door. Wouldn't it be better not to let her in?"
Luo Zhiheng almost burst out laughing. The servant's naivety and slow reaction made her feel that there was still a glimmer of justice in this world. So she didn't blame the servant for his ignorance and recklessness, but instead feigned surprise and exclaimed, "What? She didn't carry any brambles? Didn't she say she came to apologize with brambles on her back? Then why didn't she carry any brambles? Or are you mistaken, you muddle-headed servant?"
The servant hurriedly said, "I absolutely did not misjudge Miss's mood. That lady was indeed not carrying any thorns, and she did not get out of the sedan chair; she remained seated inside."
"Hmph, you must be lying. Since Consort Li said she came to apologize with thorns on her back, she would never be so presumptuous and ignorant. You are uneducated, but Consort Li is a princess from the previous dynasty. Would she be uneducated? Would she not know what it means to apologize with thorns on one's back? What exactly do you mean by slandering Consort Li like this? If you don't explain everything to me clearly today, be careful I'll give you a good beating!" Luo Zhiheng slammed her hand on the table and stood up, shouting angrily.
The servant was so frightened that he immediately knelt down and begged for mercy, offering further explanations. However, Luo Zhiheng simply did not believe him and told the servant to go out and look again, insisting that he must see brambles. There must be brambles there. If not, she would allow the servant to ask Consort Li what she had come for.
The servant rushed out without a second thought. He was still young and straightforward, always wanting to get to the bottom of things and unwilling to suffer any injustice. So when the servant rushed out, he immediately circled around Consort Li's sedan chair and then invited Consort Li to get out of the chair.
Consort Li assumed that Luo Zhiheng had invited her in, and her tense expression finally relaxed. A smug smile spread across her face. She had thought that Luo Zhiheng and Mu Yunhe would keep her waiting for a long time, but now it seemed that they had done it so quickly, which showed that the two of them dared not offend her.
Consort Li alighted from the sedan chair with a leisurely air and began ascending the steps of the General's Mansion. The servant standing behind her could see everything clearly, but there was nothing there. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, but still, there was nothing. And the maidservant beside Consort Li wasn't carrying any thorny branches either.
The servant was furious. He'd been tricked! The young lady was so angry, and he'd even been scolded—all because of that lying woman. 17419965
"Halt!" the servant shouted fearlessly, his voice clear and bright: "You are not allowed to go in!"
Consort Li stopped, and just as she was about to turn around in surprise, the servant ran over and blocked her way, looking down at her with a righteous yet slightly disdainful tone, and asked, "What exactly are you here for?"
Consort Li looked displeased, but considering that they were in front of the General's Mansion, she knew she had to be patient. So she said, "Of course I'm here to see your young lady. Didn't you just go in to announce my arrival? Why aren't you moving aside? If you delay my meeting with your young lady, you'll regret it."
Seeing that this woman had lied to him, causing him to be scolded and almost beaten, and now dared to scold him again, the servant became even more furious and said, "You're lying! How could someone like you lie? Don't you feel ashamed?"
"How dare you speak to me like that! What kind of upbringing does the General's Mansion have? How can a mere servant dare to question a guest like this? Besides, when have I ever lied?" Consort Li had finally found a handle on the General's Mansion, and immediately spoke up, her voice filled with righteous indignation and heartache as she loudly questioned them.
“You do have them. You clearly said you came to apologize with thorns on your back. But why don’t you have any thorns on your back? Not only do you not have any, but even your servants don’t have any thorns on them. And you still say you’re not lying?” the servant questioned loudly, repeating everything Luo Zhiheng had said in one breath. His expression and tone were a perfect imitation of Luo Zhiheng’s, so lifelike that it was as if the scene was being reenacted. Consort Li felt as if she could see the contempt, sarcasm, and feigned surprise on Luo Zhiheng’s face when she said those words.
The servant was unaware that his honesty and naivety had become a weapon for Luo Zhiheng to use against Consort Li. But even if he knew, it didn't matter, as he also disliked Consort Li, a woman who lied.
Consort Li was humiliated. The servant's words clearly came from Luo Zhiheng's mouth. Wasn't this a blatant act of suppression, provocation, and sarcasm? It was a slap in the face for her!
Luo Zhiheng knew perfectly well that she would never actually apologize to them with thorns on her back, yet she still dared to say such a thing. Wasn't that forcing her to actually apologize with thorns on her back? Apologizing with thorns on one's back isn't just about carrying thorns on one's back; it also involves kneeling!
Luo Zhiheng is forcing her to kneel before them?!
Consort Li instantly exploded with rage, feeling as if her lungs were about to burst. She knew it wouldn't be so easy to see Luo Zhiheng; so this was what she was waiting for. What a Luo Zhiheng! Truly vengeful, subtly using her own words against her. She'd made Luo Zhiheng stumble badly over her careless remark!
That was a resounding and painful slap in the face!
Luo Zhiheng! Consort Li gritted her teeth and called out this name in her heart, her face changing color from pale to flushed. With a forced smile, she said, "After all, I am Luo Zhiheng's elder. If I really kneel, would they... dare to accept it? If others saw this, wouldn't they say that I, the one who is settling down, am making things difficult for the children? And who wouldn't think that these two children are ignorant, rude, and disrespectful brats who don't know their place?"
The servant shouted, "No way! The young lady said that since Consort Li has come to apologize sincerely, it would be disrespectful for them not to accept it. So they will accept Consort Li's apology and let her express her remorse before inviting you in. This way, they will fulfill your good intentions." 15.
Consort Li felt as if she had swallowed a hundred toads; she wanted to vomit, yet wished she could swallow her own tongue. Was this Luo Zhiheng human or a ghost? Was she actually waiting for her here? It was as if Luo Zhiheng had already calculated her next move, able to shut her down with every word, and so perfectly.
This is forcing her to kneel. It seems she won't be able to enter the General's Mansion unless she kneels down today. How is this any different from how she made things difficult for Mu Yunhe and his group back then? They weren't allowed into the Prince's Mansion unless they bowed their heads and knelt before her. But Mu Yunhe could burn down the Prince's Mansion in a fit of anger, and no one dared to blame him. She, however, couldn't burn down the General's Mansion in a fit of anger; if she did, she wouldn't escape punishment.
That's so unfair!
Consort Li was ultimately proud and arrogant, and she couldn't bring herself to kneel before the two people she hated so much, so she stormed off in a fit of anger.
But the servant wouldn't let her leave so easily, shouting, "Why are you leaving? You said you came to apologize with thorns on your back, but you didn't bring any thorns, nor did you kneel down to apologize. Do you have any sincerity at all? What do you take our General's Mansion for? Our young lady said she would invite you in after you apologized. How can you just leave like that?"
The servant's ignorance and fearlessness spurred him forward, nearly causing Consort Li to spit out a mouthful of blood. Meanwhile, Luo Zhiheng inside was already laughing so hard she was doubled over, tears welling up in her eyes, when she heard Xiao Xizi's vivid story.
Mu Yunhe's lips curled up, and he said affectionately, "You always have so many tricks up your sleeve. Humiliating her like this is probably more painful for her than beating or scolding her."
Luo Zhiheng wrinkled her nose, sneered a few times, and revealed her hidden sharp little tiger teeth: "How wonderful. This is called giving them a taste of their own medicine. Wasn't that how she made things difficult for us the other day? I want her to know that not only is it difficult to enter the gates of the Mu Prince's Mansion, but the threshold of my General's Mansion is just as high. It's not something a mere concubine like her can just walk into! Whether she can come in or not depends entirely on my mood."
Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow and grinned mischievously, "Go find a thick bramble branch and take it to that person. Tell her that I'm considerate of her age and poor memory, and that she forgot to bring a bramble branch when she went out, so I've brought her one ready-made. It wouldn't be good if she got a bad reputation for not keeping her word. Just tell her it's a token gesture, no need to take it too seriously. After all, she's an elder, and I know how to respect the elderly and care for the young."
348. He avenged his grudge so swiftly and discreetly!
Updated: 2013-09-25 18:08:33 Word Count: 7605
Xiao Xizi dragged out a thorny vine, and judging from his grimacing expression, you could tell how sharp it was. However, there was also a hint of excitement in his eyes.
He grew up in the Mu Prince's mansion, almost like Mu Yunhe, under the oppression and harm of Consort Li. It's truly a blessing from heaven that he has maintained a childlike heart all these years. However, Consort Li's years of tyranny have deeply poisoned Xiao Xizi, who has long since grown to despise her. He's just too young and cautious to dare to speak out against her.