Ignoring Luo Zhiwu's rudeness, Mu Yunhe ordered his men to leave with the coffin. He walked to Luo Ningshuang's side, and the chill emanating from him seemed to vanish in an instant. He even smiled and comforted Luo Ningshuang, saying, "Don't worry, I will definitely help you find the real Luo Ningshuang. After all, she is your own sister. Although you two don't get along, and I also despise her, as long as you ask, I will not kill her for the crime of deceiving the emperor."
Luo Ningshuang's pupils constricted, trying to avoid Mu Yunhe's voice, words, and gaze, but she couldn't escape. Terrified and desperate, she felt almost suffocated by Mu Yunhe's feigned ignorance. Her mind screamed wildly: What did Mu Yunhe want to do? What was he trying to do? Why was he torturing her like this? He might as well have killed her too!
But even if you kill her, your Luo Zhiheng will never come back, never ever!
Luo Ningshuang was nearly scared out of her wits by Mu Yunhe. Her nerves were stretched to the limit, and the slightest disturbance could cause her to completely break down. Psychological warfare is always more powerful and successful than physical coercion. Mu Yunhe had only just made his move, and Luo Ningshuang was already on the verge of collapse. Her fear only fueled her self-inflicted terror, and her nerves began to tremble.
The grave-digging incident caused quite a stir, with all sorts of rumors circulating. The most sensational part was that the coffin containing Luo Ningshuang, which was unearthed from the Luo family's ancestral grave, did not contain Luo Ningshuang's body! Luo Ningshuang's body had vanished! Mu Yunhe not only did not deliberately stop it, but also intentionally spread the news, and made the rumors spread even faster.
Only in this way can the hidden forces be motivated to take action.
Mu Yunhe never believed that someone like Luo Ningshuang could plan such a huge and intricate conspiracy. There must be someone behind her. If she wasn't thoroughly found and destroyed, it would not only harm him and Luo Zhiheng, but could also endanger the entire Mu Dynasty.
All the people of the Mu Dynasty are innocent. Now, in this year of famine, they are even less able to withstand the ravages of war, which would be like adding insult to injury. Therefore, it is necessary to lure out the person hiding in the shadows as soon as possible. But can someone who has been able to remain silent and dormant for three years be easily lured out?
Upon returning to his residence, the Prince came to see him and asked bluntly, "Is the person in that coffin really not Luo Ningshuang?"
Because Luo Ningshuang was the granddaughter of the Silver Moon Kingdom's emperor, the King of the World, despite his dislike for her, still felt compelled to show concern. Moreover, he immediately sensed something amiss; no one knew how Luo Ningshuang had disappeared, whether she was still alive, or if someone had captured her to coerce the Silver Moon Kingdom or Mu Yunhe. They were now practically exposed, and everything had become extremely passive. The powerful Queen of the World, once again indulging in conspiracy theories, darkened everything and preferred to be meticulously prepared and on guard.
Mu Yunhe didn't hide anything: "It's definitely not him, and through the coroner's examination and my own deductions, I already know who this person is."
The king raised an eyebrow: "The person in the coffin? Who is it?"
"Flowers bloom!" Mu Yunhe said coldly.
The King of the World knew about Hua Kai, but it took him a while to remember. He immediately thought of the day more than three years ago when Mu Yunhe and Luo Zhiheng had just returned from the Southern Dynasty.
——
"It's her?!" Luo Zhiheng was also shocked. She looked at Mu Yunhe in disbelief, then had an expression that said something but she didn't know what to say.
After finishing his conversation with the Prince, Mu Yunhe rushed to the General's Mansion. He knew what Luo Zhiheng was shocked about, so he said, "The mansion was in chaos during that time. The Prince's Mansion was burned down, and I also burned down many properties under Prince Mu's name. The Prince's Mansion had to be rebuilt, but at that time I was seriously injured and struggling to survive. You...she was also in a coma and it was not suitable to build the Prince's Mansion. So the Emperor allocated a mansion for us to live in."
"But that was the most chaotic time. No one was paying attention to a prisoner. Later, the secret guards reported that Hua Kai had disappeared and the secret room had been blown up. Although I sent people to investigate, there were no results. I figured he was just a man who was being tortured to death, so I just let it go."
"Who would have thought that someone would have her back then, and would have brought her out to die in place of that bastard?"
"How can you be so sure it's her?" Luo Zhiheng was still puzzled and asked again, "If she wanted to find someone to take her place, anyone would have been fine. Why did she have to go to such lengths to find Hua Kai to die in her place?"
“On the day I burned down the Prince’s Mansion, Hua Kai didn’t die. She came out with Consort Li, but Hua Kai’s face and hair were burned. We later caught Hua Kai at the Li family’s residence. When we imprisoned her, we tortured her severely because we wanted to find out what secrets Luo Ning Shuang had to hide. I gave the order that if she didn’t talk, we would break her fingers and toes. These injuries match the coroner’s description of today very well.” Mu Yunhe glanced at Luo Zhiheng and handed her a glass of water.
He continued, "So I'm pretty sure this scapegoat is Hua Kai. But how could she just find anyone to die in her place? The only people she could find were servants in the General's Mansion, and they had to be women of similar age, height, and build to her. That's very limiting. Back then, when you... the General's Mansion was changing staff, most of them were old women, over thirty, and it would be impossible to hide it. Finding someone wouldn't be easy. Besides, such a big thing happened in the General's Mansion, there would definitely be investigations afterwards. It wouldn't stand up to scrutiny and would be too easy to expose. So she would never find a scapegoat in the General's Mansion."
“Hua Kai is about the same age as her, and their height and build are similar. She can quickly think of someone similar to herself, someone she knows well, and preferably someone who would be willing to die for her. Doesn’t Hua Kai fit the bill perfectly?”
Hua Kai was extremely loyal to Luo Ningshuang at that time. Even under severe torture, he did not utter another word, which shows his loyalty to Luo Ningshuang.
"But if Hua Kai might be willing to die for her, why would she give Hua Kai poison?" Luo Zhiheng asked, puzzled.
"Hua Kai was already mentally unstable at that time, but she was mostly faking it. Besides, Hua Kai was taken to that courtyard. She was disfigured and no one could recognize her, but how could she not recognize others? Chun Nuan, who was by Luo Ning Shuang's side, was Hua Kai's own sister. Luo Ning Shuang was determined to deal with Chun Nuan. Tell me, at the crucial moment, would Hua Kai be loyal to her master or biased in protecting her own sister?" Mu Yun He stood up, crossed the table, and lifted Luo Zhi Heng's face with his large hand. Their noses were almost touching. He said in a very soft and mellow voice, "If I had to choose, I would rather die for the one I love than choose to be loyal to my master."
Luo Zhiheng's lips curled slightly as she slapped his hand away, ignoring the ambiguous and teasing tone in his words, though inwardly she was delighted. She feigned a cold tone and said, "You're being indecent!"
Mu Yunhe finally showed her first genuine smile in days, a smile that was truly refreshing and radiant. The man sitting opposite her looked at her with undisguised infatuation in his deep eyes: "I'm only unserious with the person in my heart. With others, I'm very serious and don't smile."
Luo Zhiheng was somewhat attracted to his frivolous and roguish manner. His beautiful phoenix eyes were upturned at the corners, sparkling with life, and his gaze was full of love, making Luo Zhiheng's heart flutter. She snorted and changed the subject: "So, according to you, Hua Kai was taken away and saw Chun Nuan being tortured by Luo Ning Shuang, so she refused to obey Luo Ning Shuang's arrangements and was forcibly poisoned to death? That makes sense. Luo Ning Shuang is quite capable, managing to do things so flawlessly."
Despite saying this, Luo Zhiheng knew very well that this wasn't due to Luo Ningshuang's abilities, but rather the schemer behind her, the true mastermind. It was all meticulously planned by that bastard. Luo Zhiheng thought for a moment and realized that the rumors outside were deliberately spread by Mu Yunhe to alert him. She should tell Mu Yunhe that Mu Yunsheng was the real mastermind, and that Mu Yunhe should be most wary of Mu Yunsheng.
Before she could even think of what to say, Mu Yunhe said unhurriedly, "Luo Ningshuang doesn't have that ability. Such a meticulous and comprehensive plan is not something that stupid woman could come up with. But it doesn't matter, we should be able to lure the snake out of its hole soon. I can't wait to meet this venomous snake that has been lurking for so long."
A smile flickered in Luo Zhiheng's eyes. This was her man! He could discern the subtle clues and understand the underlying strategies. Although he was initially on the defensive, he could definitely create opportunities to turn the tide and seize the initiative. Seeing Mu Yunhe's composed demeanor, Luo Zhiheng felt that anything she said would be superfluous; he had already thought of everything, hadn't he?
But Luo Zhiheng was still curious. How exactly did Mu Yunhe determine that there was someone behind Luo Ningshuang? She asked him, and Mu Yunhe looked at her as if she were an idiot, but his eyes were full of laughter: "From the moment I confirmed that there was a flower in that coffin. To be able to get the flower out of my secret room so cleanly and efficiently, leaving me with no clues, is not something an ordinary person could do. If Luo Ningshuang doesn't have this ability, then the person behind it is probably someone from the royal family circle."
Luo Zhiheng really wanted to applaud Mu Yunhe. He was indeed clever. However, this also showed how much Mu Yunhe was upset and angry about being kept in the dark for three years. The faster he acted, the more anxious he was to find out who was responsible for this, and the more it proved how intense his anger was.
Luo Zhiheng stared at Mu Yunhe with a sweet smile, almost lost in thought. When she came to her senses, she found herself tightly embraced by Mu Yunhe and placed on his lap. She glared at him, pushed him away, and angrily demanded, "What are you doing?"
Mu Yunhe remained silent, pressing her small head tightly against his chest, showering her ears and the crook of her neck with delicate kisses. She wore a mask, and he didn't ask her to remove it, but simply didn't want to kiss the cold mask. His kisses seemed to carry the heat of an impending volcanic eruption, intense and somewhat breathtaking, lingering hotly on her soft skin.
She shifted restlessly, her breathing becoming labored, and her eyes gradually welled up with tears. She bit her lip, not wanting to make a sound, nor did she want to let him take advantage of her like this. Three years of emptiness had passed; they were each other's most familiar yet strange bodies. Luo Zhiheng trembled, as if some pain was creeping through her unconsciously. She frowned and struggled uncontrollably.
"Don't move! Be good and don't move, okay?" Mu Yunhe was unusually forceful, growling in her ear as he held her in his arms, passionately kissing her ear and lips. His large hands moved downwards, with a mixture of caution, eagerness, and trembling, clumsily slipping under her skirt, finally touching her long-lonely secret base.
Luo Zhiheng stared wide-eyed in shock, anger, and shame. Realizing what he was about to do, she struggled violently. But his hands were magical, and his fingers were imbued with a cooling magic. With just a few light or heavy, fast or slow touches, she felt her heart ignite, her body break out in a sweat, and her body quickly went limp.
First update! La la la, making up for yesterday's regular update today! Lazy Hua Sha will keep working hard. I love you all! Please vote, leave comments, and give me monthly tickets! *covers face* Little Hehe, you're so evil! Little Hehe smiles wickedly at you all and says, "Beauties, wait for me! See you in the next chapter."
496. Flattery! Truth and lies intertwined! (Adding a chapter from yesterday)
Updated: 2013-12-14 18:02:24 Word Count: 3606
Luo Zhiheng was flustered because what Mu Yunhe was about to do was both embarrassing and frightening. After all, she hadn't had any deep contact with him for three years, and her body was extremely delicate and fragile. She was worried, yet she couldn't resist the feeling of having lost three years.
Being held in his arms, kissed by him, and loved by him—that was her unique right in this life, something every woman longs to receive from the man she loves. She was no exception.
"No, don't do that..." she whimpered softly, her nostrils flaring, her voice dripping with seductive charm.
Mu Yunhe's breathing was heavy, yet incredibly gentle. He kissed her chin, his lips parted to her soft lips, his breath and tender coaxing filling the air: "Be good and don't move, make my baby comfortable. I'll do a good job, be good, be good, I miss you..."
Luo Zhiheng had never been treated like this before. A slight pain, a deep sense of satisfaction, and intense stimulation made her heart pound erratically. All she could hear was Mu Yunhe's heavy, hot breath and his increasingly urgent longing. In her moments of blank, floating pleasure, she could hear his low, alluring "I miss you"...
Happiness was like nectar-covered tendrils, weaving through Luo Zhiheng's limbs and soothing all her pain and torment. She gradually calmed down in his arms, too shy to open her eyes, her little face hidden in his embrace, her ear tips pink, her body still trembling slightly.
Mu Yunhe's large hand was reluctant to leave her warm place, so it lingered there comfortingly. His breathing was also irregular. It was the first time he had done something like this, and he felt flustered, apprehensive, and excited all at the same time. But he was afraid that he would do it wrong, afraid that his strength would hurt her delicate skin, and afraid that his clumsiness and inexperience would make her angry and dissatisfied.
Ingratiation, such blatant ingratiation!
Mu Yunhe felt no sense of inferiority whatsoever. All his debts could not be repaid by simply satisfying her physical needs once. He owed her too much. He wanted to experience all the pain she had gone through, to feel all her pain, and to apply the word "empathy" to them.
The first time he did that kind of thing for a woman, he felt like a young woman getting married. He was afraid he wouldn't do it well, so he stayed home anxiously for a long time. He carefully examined himself, trimmed his nails neatly, just so he wouldn't hurt her.
As Mu Yunhe stood up, he could sense that things were different between them. He was afraid that this real sense of unfamiliarity and distance would drive Aheng away from him. He desperately wanted to confirm that Aheng would still stay with him, that Aheng hadn't changed at all. But he didn't dare to pounce on Aheng directly.
Mu Yunhe felt tears welling up inside him countless times. She was clearly his woman, his own wife, yet he had to tread carefully, afraid to provoke her. The slightest movement from her would send him trembling and halting all his movements. This was the first time in his life he had served someone, and he was practically bursting with rage, his nose bleeding profusely. She moaned contentedly, and he could only watch the delicious meal before him, unable to eat it. He was so frustrated!
Fortunately, judging from her expression just now, she didn't rule out the possibility of being disgusted by my touch. She must have felt quite comfortable just now, right?
Mu Yunhe's voice was hoarse, his ear tips already burning red before he even asked, and his voice lowered even further: "Is there anything uncomfortable?" He wanted to slap himself. What he really wanted to ask was whether she was comfortable after he had been with her. If she was comfortable, could he be comfortable too? He was getting hard and it was hurting.
So comfortable! How could it not be comfortable? The handsome man was serving her so meticulously, she felt so comfortable that she almost bled from all seven orifices and her bones felt like they were shattering again! She had never known that a man's slender fingers could be used like this! Mu Yunhe, you're quite something. Three years have passed, and you've learned quite a few flirtatious tricks, haven't you? You've mastered such methods of pleasing women with ease? You're amazing!
Luo Zhiheng was being a classic case of crossing the river and then burning the bridge; she had just finished eating and immediately turned her back on him.
Where did her innocent and pure Mu Yunhe go? Which bastard taught him so many tricks? With such a charming way of pleasing women, which woman could escape Mu Yunhe's grasp? What's most hateful is when exactly did Mu Yunhe learn these tricks? And on whom have they been used?
Mu Yunhe shivered for no reason, feeling a bit cold and uneasy. A murderous aura locked onto him, and he immediately looked down. He saw Luo Zhiheng smiling with red lips and white teeth at him, but that smile looked vicious no matter how you looked at it.
Luo Zhiheng looked at him with a questioning gaze. Mu Yunhe was a little confused. He hadn't done anything, had he? Although they hadn't said it directly, Luo Zhiheng's identity was already beyond doubt. Everyone understood. His only purpose in not directly announcing Luo Zhiheng's identity was to protect her and wait to find and eliminate the mastermind behind this.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Mu Yunhe, who was originally quite assertive, immediately became weak when Luo Zhiheng became assertive.
"Pretty skilled, huh? Looks like you've had your share of women enjoying happiness." He sneered, his voice sinister and somewhat menacing.
Mu Yunhe felt utterly wronged. He lifted her soft little body up slightly and said with a fierce expression, "Explain yourself! What do you mean by 'quite familiar'? I'm clearly clumsy. This is the first time I've ever served a woman like this. Don't be ungrateful!"
Luo Zhiheng suppressed her laughter and remained silent. Mu Yunhe became agitated when he saw her silence and said through gritted teeth, "You heartless little thing, you've just eaten and drunk your fill and are now torturing me, aren't you?"
He's been busy investigating what happened back then these past few days and hasn't had time to see her. If he didn't know her true identity, he could have tolerated it, but now that he knows, he can't help missing her. These past few days, he seems to have been thinking too much. He wanted to make her feel better, please her, and ease his longing, but she not only doesn't seem to miss him at all, but she even dares to doubt him.
Seeing Mu Yunhe's increasingly sour expression, Luo Zhiheng knew it was time to stop while she was ahead, but she still grabbed Mu Yunhe's chest and asked, "It's been three years, you've been together day and night, have you ever touched her?"
Mu Yunhe's face darkened completely: "Am I such a casual person in your eyes?"
"It's not that you're promiscuous, it's that woman is too promiscuous!" Luo Zhiheng corrected her righteously. Luo Ningshuang's long history of promiscuity was truly unbelievable.
Mu Yunhe gritted his teeth: "She's been in a coma for three years. Do you think she'd let me do anything? Besides, what interest could I have in a living dead person? She's not you."
Luo Zhiheng finally let him go, but she was already very tired. After being rubbed and massaged, she really couldn't handle it anymore. She stayed in his arms and didn't want to move. Smelling his pleasant scent and his murmurs, Luo Zhiheng felt drowsy.
Mu Yunhe cherished this rare moment of quiet sweetness between the two, but wasn't Luo Zhiheng neglecting him too much? His brother had already raised his flag high and waved it in front of her, yet she completely ignored him, and kept rubbing her soft, bouncy little bottom against him. It was going to be a disaster.
She really doesn't care about him anymore! Mu Yunhe thought resentfully.
It was late at night, and Mu Yunhe couldn't let Luo Zhiheng be in danger. He had been making too many moves lately, which had attracted attention from many parties. Luo Zhiheng's courtyard in the General's Mansion was now strictly guarded and was temporarily safe, but he couldn't let anyone with ulterior motives find out about Ruilin. He couldn't stay here overnight, and he had to make it seem like he was meeting with Luo Zhiwu.
He gently placed Luo Zhiheng on the bed. The warm blankets were cozy and cozy, and Luo Zhiheng snuggled comfortably under them, falling into a deep sleep without showing any sign of lingering or yearning for Mu Yunhe's embrace. She was completely different from before; now, Luo Zhiheng could do without him.
Mu Yunhe felt a tightness in his chest and looked at her with hatred. He wanted to grab her and ravage her, but he couldn't bear to. In the end, he kissed her hard before leaving amidst her impatient groans.
Mu Yunhe went to Luo Zhiwu's study. Luo Zhiwu was lazily drinking wine. When she saw Mu Yunhe enter the room, she said, "You've finally had enough of being so affectionate. You still want me to be your shield. You, the High Priest, are really something."
Mu Yunhe wasn't angry. He sat down and drank a few cups of wine with Luo Zhiwu. Then he put down his cup, stood up, and said, "Thank you for today. The things I need to do next will be even more dangerous, so I won't be able to come to the General's Mansion as often. I might not come at all. Keep an eye on Ruilin and don't let her leave the General's Mansion. I will take care of the food she needs. No matter what happens in the future, keep it from her if you can. If you can't keep it from her, at least keep an eye on her. Just tell her that I will definitely protect myself for her sake."
Luo Zhiwu said seriously, "Is the person behind that coming out soon?"
"I don't know yet, but I reckon he won't be lying low for long. I need to let people know how much I dote on this 'Luo Zhiheng,' and on the other hand, I need to make a big fuss about Luo Ningshuang's faked death, so that everyone behind it knows that I'll soon discover this imposter Luo Zhiheng. They've put so much effort into arranging this imposter, this brilliant pawn, and they certainly won't give up easily if they haven't used it yet. They'll definitely take action. I estimate they'll come looking for the imposter, and that will be the opportunity," Mu Yunhe analyzed methodically.
Luo Zhiwu couldn't help but admire Mu Yunhe's meticulous thinking and keen judgment. He grasped everything so quickly, made a swift move, and while seemingly calm, he was actually pressing forward step by step. If he were the one hiding in the shadows, he probably would have fallen into the trap by now and couldn't wait to rush to his death.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Ruilin. You be careful too." Luo Zhiwu knew that danger would be lurking around her from now on, and she became worried. If anything happened to Mu Yunhe, she was afraid that Heng'er would also be in trouble.
Luo Zhiwu personally escorted Mu Yunhe to the gate of the General's Mansion. The two exchanged a few intimate words at the gate before Mu Yunhe left by carriage. Luo Zhiwu then sent someone to escort Mu Yunhe home and watched him walk away from the gate. This act created the illusion that Mu Yunhe and Luo Zhiwu had a long conversation inside the General's Mansion.
The very next morning, the High Priest personally took his "beloved wife" out to seek medical help, taking meticulous care of her along the way, fearing she might be unwell. The people in the streets and alleys who witnessed this were filled with envy, and rumors spread once again: the Lady Protector of the Nation was disfigured, yet the High Priest still doted on her.
497 The turbulent waves beneath the rumors!
Updated: 2013-12-15 13:20:47 Word Count: 8092
For three consecutive days, Mu Yunhe went out early and returned late, taking Luo Ningshuang everywhere to seek out and consult all the famous doctors in the capital. He worked tirelessly and without complaint, all in order to cure his 'beloved wife's' face. This sincerity and demeanor made him the ideal husband in the hearts of countless women. Mu Yunhe was already quite popular, but this time he made women even more madly in love with him. The men in the capital were almost out of luck.
Married men are constantly nagged by their wives about how good Mu Yunhe is to them, and how well he treats them. These comparisons and criticisms damage their self-esteem and pride. Unmarried men dream of finding a husband like Mu Yunhe. Families with fiancés have already sent messages hoping their sons will emulate him. Unmarried men seeking wives are often asked by potential partners, "If I grow old or lose my beauty, will you treat me like His Excellency treats his wife?"