Given Mu Yunhe's affection and warmth towards the girl, how could he possibly let her go? These words would surely have prepared Mu Yunhe mentally. If he were to say them now, even if it could strike Mu Yunhe, its impact would likely be far less significant and powerful than the sudden, unprepared blow.
What an amazing little girl!
He actually managed to turn the tables and then punched him. Truly worthy of being a descendant of the God of War; such calmness and wisdom are indeed inherited from his bloodline.
Unfortunately, they are now enemies. He wants the princess's body, and he wants the woman who made him taste despair for the first time back by his side! So, even his own son, he can be ruthless enough to hurt him!
"A reverse psychology tactic? You think you can provoke me into not speaking? Or do you think your relationship is so deep that even if I reveal it, I won't be afraid of any backlash? Luo Zhiheng, at such a young age, you're already so cunning and far-sighted. Do you think you can control the whole situation, control Mu Yunhe's heart? You overestimate yourself! I'm not afraid of your reverse psychology at all. You're not afraid? Then I'll tell Mu Yunhe that you used to be..." Prince Mu spoke slowly and contemptuously, but deliberately paused, looking at Mu Yunhe with a strange and unpredictable smile.
Mu Yunhe tensed up for no reason, feeling that what Prince Mu was about to say was not a good thing! He could also feel that the soft little hand in his palm was tightly gripping his big hand, her palm was covered in sweat, cold sweat, so cold that it almost seeped into his heart.
Prince Mu wasn't truly a fool or insane. If he didn't have keen observation skills, how could he lead his army to victory time and time again? Therefore, he could tell that the two children opposite him weren't unnerved either; at least Mu Yunhe was quite nervous. As long as Mu Yunhe was nervous, that was good.
Prince Mu sneered in a slow, soul-crushing tone, "Do you really think Luo Zhiheng loves you that much? While you were pouring your heart out to her, she was thinking about how to leave you! And not just for a moment, but every moment, she was scheming and using every means at her disposal. Her only goal was to leave you!"
Mu Yunhe froze, as if he had heard something unbelievable. Although his expression remained relatively calm, his pupils were already constricted. He subconsciously grabbed Luo Zhiheng, his thin lips pressed tightly together.
"Don't you believe me? Do you remember when I led the troops into battle? Do you know why I entrusted that national treasure, the staff, to Luo Zhiheng? Do you know why she was so loyal to you then and afterward? Mu Yunhe, you are my son. Even if you don't acknowledge it, my blood flows in your veins. You wouldn't be so foolish as to think that a woman would protect you so wholeheartedly without any ulterior motive, would you?" Prince Mu continued in a sinister tone. With each word he spoke, Mu Yunhe's gaze dimmed a little, and his smile deepened a little.
"Why?" Mu Yunhe could almost hear his own teeth grinding together.
“Because…” Prince Mu looked at Luo Zhiheng. If Luo Zhiheng told him the location of the princess’s burial at this moment, then he could let her go and let Mu Yunhe go!
However, Prince Mu was destined to be disappointed.
Luo Zhiheng stood beside Mu Yunhe, her face still bearing that calm smile, her eyes clear and bright, neither humble nor arrogant. 10.
Enraged by her treachery, Prince Mu's patience ran out. He suddenly spoke with a cold and contemptuous sarcasm: "Because she came to me before I went to war, offering to make a deal! The deal was that during my absence, she would do everything in her power to protect you and prevent you from suffering any harm! And the purpose of the deal was that if you returned unharmed, she could leave Prince Mu and leave you!"
The cold, harsh words left Mu Yunhe feeling utterly deaf and blind; the world seemed to darken, and all was utterly silent! 17690100
Second update! That's all for today's update. Love you all, my darlings! Please support Huasha! Huasha will be back in action as soon as she's recovered, but your support is crucial during this time. Still, please vote, leave comments, and give monthly tickets!
394. Going crazy!
Updated: 2013-10-19 15:33:00 Word Count: 6574
Mu Yunhe always believed that Luo Zhiheng was the only person he had left in the world, and he regarded her as his last hope and the entirety of his love. He truly loved Luo Zhiheng, and because he cared so much, he was afraid of losing her. He never imagined that one day he would lose Luo Zhiheng.
He never used fortune-telling techniques on Luo Zhiheng; those things were too powerful, and he was afraid they would hurt her. But he could sense that Luo Zhiheng's love for him was genuine. Her wholehearted protection and care for him were also real.
Mu Yunhe never doubted any of this. Even though Luo Zhiheng's protection seemed so abrupt and intense at first, he assumed it was a normal reaction from a woman after giving birth to a man at home. He never considered that perhaps it wasn't what he thought, but rather some other reason. Mu Yunhe, Yunyi.
For example, for oneself, for freedom! 17690090
That moment of deafness and confusion was when Mu Yunhe was at his most vulnerable. Prince Mu's words were like the sharpest knife, piercing Mu Yunhe's heart and causing him excruciating pain when he was at his weakest.
He believed in her, but he couldn't accept that Luo Zhiheng was determined to leave him, even though they had once. During their difficult beginning, he never thought of letting go of Luo Zhiheng. Even though he didn't know he loved her at that time, he used the little life he had left to promise her that he would never abandon her.
Back then, wasn't she still protecting him? Back then, had she already made a promise with Prince Mu? Back then, did Luo Zhiheng just watch his promise and accept it with a clear conscience, while secretly scoffing at it? Because at that time, Luo Zhiheng was about to leave.
Mu Yunhe stood there frozen, the world losing its color for a long time, so long that he thought he was about to suffocate, about to die. A slight tremor and a chill came from his palm, bringing Mu Yunhe back to his senses. He didn't know that his face was deathly pale, he didn't know that his eyes were bloodshot, he didn't know that there was a smile on his face, a strange and complex smile that no one could understand.
Luo Zhiheng slowly looked up at him, her gaze devoid of explanation, urgency, embarrassment, or sadness. She simply looked at him calmly, as if she wanted to see through Mu Yunhe's soul with such a serene gaze!
Did he believe her? He should have, because it was all true. But believing isn't the scary part; what's scary is that after he believed her, he wouldn't listen to her explanation. What should she do then?
Luo Zhiheng felt the large hand that was tightly holding hers slowly loosening, and her heart felt as if it had suddenly plummeted from the highest heavens, a feeling of weightlessness and sudden, sharp pain clenching within her. Just when she thought Mu Yunhe's hand would let go completely, the situation took an unexpected turn, and that large hand gripped hers tightly again, with a force that seemed to want to crush her.
She met his cold, cruel eyes without fear. There was no hurt in her eyes, only a vulnerability and hope that she herself did not know.
Mu Yunhe stared at her intently for a while before turning his gaze to Prince Mu, his voice colder than ever before: "Have you finished speaking?"
Calm, indifferent, cold. It was as if the man who had just been so desperate wasn't Mu Yunhe at all.
Prince Mu narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with irritation and anxiety. Did Mu Yunhe really trust Luo Zhiheng that much? Or was Mu Yunhe just putting on a brave face? How could someone who was so angry and sad just now regain his composure so quickly? Moreover, Mu Yunhe's murderous aura had chilled him to the bone just now, how could he be alright all of a sudden?
He was determined to strike at Mu Yunhe. No matter how pitiful the child was or how much he owed him, he would not let Mu Yunhe have an easy time today! He would not give up until he found out the whereabouts of the princess.
"You don't believe me?" Prince Mu asked coldly, then pointed at Luo Zhiheng and said, "When she came to me, she signed two documents. One was a dowry list, which she signed because she was worried that Li Fangfei would embezzle her dowry. The other was a written agreement to let her leave! She asked to sign and implement those documents herself."
"From the day Luo Zhiheng married into the Mu family, all she thought about was how to leave! She also had an affair with her cousin; they had an improper relationship. They had a secret agreement that Xia Beisong would take her away when he returned from the battlefield. A woman like that, focused solely on leaving you, is only protecting you for her own safety, waiting for an opportunity to escape!"
"The world is so vast, if she wanted to leave, wouldn't she have had the chance? Besides, with her personality, if she wanted to leave, who do you think could stop her? Yet she refuses to leave, insisting on using such dangerous methods to negotiate with me. Why do you think that is? Mu Yunhe, you consider yourself a smart man, don't you understand now? She doesn't have you in her heart. She wants to leave, but she wants to leave openly and honestly! Her heart belongs to another man. By leaving the palace and leaving you openly, she can be with other men openly and honestly! That's her true purpose!"
Prince Mu's words were like daggers, portraying Luo Zhiheng as an unfaithful woman who was not only married but also unruly and even plotting to have an affair. His accusations and slanders were not without reason; they were well-founded. He really wanted to destroy Luo Zhiheng without any mercy and with utmost cruelty!
If Mu Yunhe were easily swayed, if he had never been resolute, if he had always obeyed his father, then Prince Mu's words today would have been enough to make him kill Luo Zhiheng!
Distrust is more painful than killing her!
Will he believe it?
Luo Zhiheng remained silent, simply staring at Mu Yunhe. She could sense his stiffness and anger; she knew he was upset, and she understood he believed her words. Yet, she still didn't offer a word of explanation. Those who believed her would believe her even without explanation. Her only fear now was whether Mu Yunhe would stop believing her. That was the most terrifying and agonizing prospect for her.
Mu Yunhe truly believed these words; not only did he believe them, but he was absolutely certain of them. If he had any doubts before, and even suspected that Prince Mu was deliberately creating a charade to frame Luo Zhiheng, then when Prince Mu revealed those two written agreements, Mu Yunhe was completely convinced.
Luo Zhiheng kept a small, personal pouch. He didn't know what was inside, but every time they made love, even when she was exhausted and fully absorbed, she would carefully protect that pouch, not letting him touch it, let alone look at it. Mu Yunhe hadn't thought much of it at first, but what couldn't she do? Luo Zhiheng protected it so meticulously. Now that he thought about it, it must have contained that so-called evidence, right?
His feelings were indescribable; Mu Yunhe only felt exhausted and hopeless. Regardless of the past, Luo Zhiheng belonged to him; he had always believed that. He had never imagined anything could separate them except death, but now, perhaps those two pieces of paper could successfully destroy the hard-won relationship between them.
He didn't want it, he didn't want his love to be ruined! He especially didn't want Luo Zhiheng to leave him. They had just made vows of eternal love, swearing to heaven, swearing to his mother, but if it all turned out to be a joke, Luo Zhiheng, how could he bear it?
Mu Yunhe was almost out of his mind, but a sliver of composure and the tightly clenched fist in his hand kept him in check. He couldn't get angry, he couldn't lose his temper, at least not now! He couldn't let this man laugh at him and make a fool of himself. Didn't he want to make him suffer terribly? Didn't he want to crush him completely?
He succeeded! But he wouldn't let himself be complacent! So he had to endure the pain.
Mu Yunhe's mouth was almost chewed to pieces. As soon as he opened his mouth, blood rushed into his throat with his saliva. It hurt so much!
"Is there anything else you want to say?" Her soft voice sounded almost ethereal. Mu Yunhe's smile was alluring and beautiful, faint yet captivating, cold and sharp.
Prince Mu was truly stunned by Mu Yunhe's demeanor. His reason finally began to return slightly, and he stared intently at Mu Yunhe. He had never understood this child, and now he understood him even less. That unfathomable air put immense pressure on him. He even had the urge to give up.
But he still hadn't found out the whereabouts of the princess! The woman who had waited for him for so long, the woman he had owed a lifetime to, the woman who had finally shown him what true love was! He couldn't just let go like this. He had already missed too much, and he didn't want to, nor did he want to, continue to miss out in this lifetime.
"Why won't you believe me? Luo Zhiheng doesn't truly love you; she just wants to leave. I'm your father, I won't lie to you. Even though I made mistakes, your mother is dead, and the two of us are our only family left. I owe your mother so much, and all I want to do is repent at her grave. I just want to tell her that I love her, I've always loved her!" Prince Mu felt utterly powerless; words he could never say aloud were now uttered.
Mu Yunhe suddenly chuckled, a mocking laugh, sarcastic and contemptuous: "You dare talk about love? Do you even know what true love is? True love isn't something you can just talk about. You try every means to disgust and harm others, using their love as a stepping stone to achieve your goals. Do you think I, Mu Yunhe, am a fool? Even if everything you said is true, you've made me so unhappy, and I will absolutely not let you get away with it!" Mu Yunhe said fiercely, a ferocious look instantly spreading across his eyes.
"You better remember this: in this lifetime, I will never let you see my mother again! You can live in your own repentance! You, a person full of sins, do not deserve forgiveness! Now, please leave immediately!!" Mu Yunhe's brows were filled with ferocity; his impatience, coupled with his heartache, had already exploded. If he didn't leave now, he would face the consequences of his actions!
Perhaps Prince Mu noticed Mu Yunhe's displeasure, or perhaps he was truly in despair. He glared at him, held his gaze for a moment, then let out a heavy snort, turned around, and stormed off.
After Prince Mu left, Mu Yunhe suddenly grabbed Luo Zhiheng's arm and dragged her toward their room. He walked very fast, and Luo Zhiheng could not keep up at all. She was almost staggering and stumbling as he forcibly pulled her forward. Several times, Luo Zhiheng almost knocked over the decorations and rockery on the side.
Mu Yunhe had never treated her so rudely and barbarically before! Every time, he would carefully and considerately slow down his pace, accommodate her, and wait for her. He would never act like a madman and disregard her health by running wildly like that.
He was truly angry. Luo Zhiheng gritted her teeth and remained silent, stubbornly and diligently following his steps. Bitterness and helplessness filled her mouth. Her Yun He, even in his anger, still refused to let go of her hand. It was as if he wanted to crush her. If he hadn't been trembling and breathing rapidly, Luo Zhiheng would have thought he truly wanted to kill her.
Suddenly, she grabbed Mu Yunhe's arm with her other hand, so tightly that she felt his arm stiffen for a moment. However, his frenzied pace seemed to slow down.
A contented smile curved her lips, and her eyes, glistening with a delicate light, were filled with love.
He couldn't bear to see her suffer. That alone was enough. 102.
With a bang, the door was kicked open, and the wet nurse and Xiao Xizi Qiwan, who were following closely behind, were terrified and rushed forward, but none of them dared to say a word.
Mu Yunhe practically threw Luo Zhiheng into the room before stepping inside himself, then slammed the door shut behind him, completely blocking anyone outside.
Luo Zhiheng stumbled and bumped into the table, her elbow aching from the impact. The teacups and teapot on the table were knocked over and shattered on the floor. She felt a dull pain in her ribs and was panting heavily when, before she could react, she was suddenly lifted up and spun around until Mu Yunhe had forcefully flipped her over and pressed her onto the table.
They were pressed tightly together, without a single gap between them. She could feel his coldness and anger, and she saw the fierceness on his taut, handsome face. Gritting her teeth, she didn't rush to explain. If he was already out of his mind and had gone mad, no matter what she said, he wouldn't listen. Why should she hurry?
Mu Yunhe stared fiercely into her eyes, noticing the pain still etched on her pale face. His agitated heart grew even more frenzied, his already crumbling emotions crumbling ever more. He couldn't bear her calm and forbearance despite clearly having done something wrong. He suddenly leaned down, his thin lips fiercely attacking hers, the force bordering on malice—not a kiss, but a bite, a destruction!
Luo Zhiheng did not resist. He grabbed one of her hands tightly, and she climbed onto his shoulder with the other, trying to cling to him and accept his biting and destruction.
The pain in his lips was intense, but how could it compare to the pain in Mu Yunhe's heart? He was growing up, becoming stronger, yet he was still that innocent child, pure, transparent, fragile, and beautiful. He felt pain; he was more sensitive than others, and when he felt pain, it was a hundred times more intense.
They forcibly opened another wound on top of his existing one, causing him excruciating pain, as if his heart were bleeding. Perhaps his greatest suffering wasn't just the wrong and foolish things she had done before, but also the fact that his own father, completely disregarding his pain and dignity, gleefully stabbed him again, and afterwards rubbed salt into his wound. Handful after handful, laughing gleefully at his festering wound?
Is there anything more despairing than this in the world?
Mu Yunhe went berserk, not letting Luo Zhiheng breathe, not giving her a chance to breathe, and not even allowing her to escape. His teeth were like daggers with barbs, and at this moment he wanted nothing more than to destroy Luo Zhiheng, so he mercilessly injured her.
He was in so much pain, so terrified, so fearful—how could she remain detached and unmoved? If she felt pain, he wanted her to know the agony of being pierced by a thousand arrows!
But Luo Zhiheng didn't resist. Instead, she hugged him tightly, as if she wanted to cling to him to the death. Her tender mouth and fragrance were scarred by his hurt. The blood in her mouth stimulated Mu Yunhe's nerves and reason, finally making him a little bit sober from this crazy rage.
He opened his tightly closed eyes, revealing a desperate and sorrowful expression, like that of a trapped beast. It was an undisguised vulnerability and heartbreak, along with the love that made Luo Zhiheng's heart stop beating.
"How could you betray me? How could you betray me..."
Their lips met, the fury and savagery of before gone. He growled softly on her lips, repeating the same phrase over and over. Like a ferocious little beast, like a child lost and unable to find his way home. His words contained the unattainable, the heart-wrenching pain, the fear of facing reality, and also a fervent longing.
He hoped she would deny it; he didn't want to believe it. Why did this happen? They were one, husband and wife, they had made vows of eternal love, they had said they would stay together forever! She was his blossoming flower, his only one. She knew all this, so why did such a terrible thing have to happen? His mother was gone; was his only remaining daughter, Ah Heng, going to leave him too?
Or perhaps, one day, she will leave him?
Mu Yunhe's eyes widened suddenly, filled with a ferocious light that sent chills down Luo Zhiheng's spine. He abruptly grabbed her fragile neck, veins bulging on the back of his hand, and shook her violently as if he were a madman: "You lied to me! You actually lied to me! You loved me and protected me with all your heart, and when I promised you I would never abandon you, you were already planning to leave me! The vows I made to you, all the promises I made to you, all the good I did for you, when I loved and pampered you with all my heart, you accepted my love, enjoyed my tenderness, but in your heart you were thinking about how to leave me?"
"I love you with all my heart, I wish I could take your pain for you, I wish I could kill myself when you cry! But you're thinking of leaving me! You've been thinking about how to leave me? You've been thinking about how to leave me!!"
Mu Yunhe seemed to go berserk for a moment, gripping Luo Zhiheng tightly, roaring hysterically—a voice filled with grievance, anger, and sorrow, tinged with tenderness and disappointment from fragments of memories. He wanted to strangle her, to strangle her so she wouldn't leave him, would always be by his side, and wouldn't leave him once she was dead!
Luo Zhiheng couldn't resist. She couldn't even make a sound. Her face was turning red rapidly, her eye sockets were twitching, and her eyes were almost slowly bulging outwards. Blood diluted with saliva was flowing down from her open mouth, which looked equally shocking.
Mu Yunhe stared blankly at her miserable state as she was about to suffocate. If he exerted just a little more force, she would really die. She was really going to die!
The bloodshot veins in her eyes were spreading visibly. Mu Yunhe seemed startled, abruptly releasing his hands and gasping for breath, his chest heaving violently as he drew in the cold air, which felt like it would burst his lungs. His eyes were like those of a frightened rabbit, so panicked and helpless as he watched her gasp for breath, at the bloodstains at the corner of her mouth.
At that moment, Mu Yunhe thought that if she really died, he wouldn't live either, and would immediately follow her.
He truly couldn't bear Luo Zhiheng's betrayal and deception. But he also truly couldn't bear to let her die.
Luo Zhiheng slumped onto the table, gasping for breath. Without Mu Yunhe's restraint and pressure, her powerless body slid off the table. She had no strength left to struggle; she was dizzy, struggling to breathe, and her heart was pounding. For a moment, she truly thought she was going to die again.
Her body, about to fall to the ground, was suddenly grabbed and lifted up, pulling her into a familiar embrace in the next instant. His face was buried tightly in the crook of her neck, trembling, his cold voice low and shallow, stiff and stubbornly awkward: "I'll strangle you, I'll strangle you, I'll strangle you!"
Luo Zhiheng's eyes stung with tears. Although she was still breathing heavily, and felt as if she had just walked on the brink of death, she felt no anger or resentment. It was better to vent than to keep it bottled up. Once she vented, she could speak frankly and cleanly sever this unhappy relationship.
"If you were going to strangle me, why did you let go?" Luo Zhiheng patted his violently trembling back, her hoarse voice still conveying the danger she had just experienced.
Mu Yunhe trembled even more violently, holding her tightly and forcefully, his voice hoarse: "I can't bear to strangle you."
Luo Zhiheng's tears fell uncontrollably, and she hugged him tightly: "You can't bear to part with me, but you still want to strangle me?"