"How about I let you check my wardrobe? Look around, and if there are any torn clothes in the wardrobe, take them out and look carefully to see if any of my clothes are missing?" Luo Zhiheng said eagerly.
"Luo Zhiheng!" Mu Yunhe's voice came out somewhat urgently.
Luo Zhiheng knew he was worried about her, but since she dared to say such a thing, she must have made thorough preparations. At the very least, she wouldn't be foolish enough to send herself in.
The officials exchanged glances, and it seemed that this was the only way. This woman was indeed a noble person, and the rumors that she was not favored were probably false. Judging from how the young prince always spoke up for the young princess, it was clear that the young prince cared about her very much.
"Alright, then we'll have to offend the little princess," the official said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.
Luo Zhiheng waved her hand and said, "Don't be nervous. I asked you to search because I have a clear conscience. You need to understand that my lack of resistance doesn't mean I'm admitting guilt. I didn't kill anyone. As for who killed them, be careful that resentful ghost doesn't come looking for you in the middle of the night." Seeing that some of the maids and servants in the courtyard had changed their expressions, Luo Zhiheng continued to smile, "Listen carefully, you can search, but if you don't find them, you must leave immediately. If you dare to harass me again, I'll have her throw you all out of here one by one."
Luo Zhiheng pushed the maid forward and calmly looked at the officials whose expressions had changed. Wasn't this a very fair deal?
The group began searching, thoroughly examining the entire house, even looking under the bed where they could hide trash, but still found nothing. Luo Zhiheng did indeed have a bright red dress like that, but it was safely and undamaged in the closet, and the fabric didn't match the evidence. Did this rule out Luo Zhiheng as the murderer? Not really, but they also hadn't found any evidence of Luo Zhiheng's murder, had they?
So the officials had to slink away, constantly apologizing and bowing to Luo Zhiheng.
Luo Zhiheng magnanimously stated that she wouldn't hold a grudge against them, but in reality, she was quite bothered. The reason she dared to let them search was because Luo Zhiheng was certain that Consort Li wouldn't have had time to tamper with anything in such a short period. She thought about it carefully; she was in this room almost all the time, and no one else could touch her things because her cabinet was locked. Consort Li wouldn't be so foolish as to put her things in Mu Yunhe's cabinet; that would be too obvious a frame-up.
Mu Yunhe has been just as vigilant lately as she is, making sure no one enters without her knowledge. Therefore, there's only one possibility: Consort Li is merely staging a deceptive framing. She doesn't actually need to find another damaged garment belonging to Luo Zhiheng; she only needs a reason to get rid of Luo Zhiheng, creating an opportunity to strike against Mu Yunhe.
Therefore, Luo Zhiheng boldly concluded that Consort Li had not tampered with her room or belongings at all. Sure enough, that was indeed the case. If she hadn't been bold and meticulous, she would have missed many details and loopholes, and might very well have been led by the nose by Consort Li.
Back in her room, Luo Zhiheng felt exhausted. Looking at Mu Yunhe on the bed, she saw that he was also looking tired. Although this battle of wits was exciting, it was too passive. She had to find a way to turn the situation around. If she continued to be passive, she would have murderous impulses!
During dinner that evening, Consort Li came to the door with a smile, expressing her belated concern and sympathy: "You two must have been terrified, right? You two are really something, why didn't you send someone to inform me for so long? You've never encountered anything like this before, so it's understandable that you were frightened. I'll have someone bring you two cups of calming tea later to help you calm down."
Mu Yunhe disdained dealing with Consort Li, but Luo Zhiheng enjoyed it, especially since she could also take advantage of the situation while dealing with her, which made her even happier.
She affectionately entwined her arm around Consort Li's, and because of the close proximity, a strong fragrance of pollen filled her nostrils, almost making Luo Zhiheng sneeze. She barely managed to hold it in. Luo Zhiheng wondered to herself, why was Consort Li dressed up so extravagantly and smelling so sweetly when the prince wasn't home so late at night? Who was she trying to impress and who was she trying to smell?
Sensing Consort Li's slight struggle, Luo Zhiheng gripped her even tighter, smiling sweetly, "I was really frightened today. I was so scared that I didn't even know to ask Consort Li for help. I was so stupid. Consort Li should be very familiar with these kinds of things, right? Why is the Prince's mansion so unsettled? My heart is so broken. It would take at least a thousand or eight hundred taels of silver to soothe my wounded heart. Consort Li is always kind, please comfort my fragile heart."
Is she... openly asking for favors?!
Consort Li was utterly stunned! This was the first time she had ever encountered someone like this… Consort Li didn't know what words to use to describe Luo Zhiheng. Thick-skinned? But "thick-skinned" was an understatement. Because both of them knew they were secretly vying for power, only short of openly tearing apart their facades, but there would be absolutely no such intimate gesture between them.
Luo Zhiheng is the kind of person who can be fighting tooth and nail with you one moment, and then act all innocent and charming in front of you the next, like two completely different people. Ironically, this slippery Luo Zhiheng seems to have no one with a good temper, leaving her completely helpless. Even such a meticulously crafted scheme failed to trap Luo Zhiheng, let alone ultimately kill Mu Yunhe.
Damn it! What a waste of a good game! Consort Li was truly unwilling to accept this. The game should have been a complete victory, so why did it end up as a stalemate where only one piece was captured and the rest couldn't be moved? Or is this seemingly carefree Luo Zhiheng also a master strategist? No, no way, how old is she? I refuse to believe that I, the Princess Consort, can't outmaneuver this little brat!
With a kind smile on her face once more, Consort Li gently patted Luo Zhiheng's hand and said, "I'll have the accountant bring five hundred taels of silver later to help you two calm your nerves."
What a composure in the face of both honor and disgrace! A thousand waves of excitement surged in Luo Zhiheng's eyes. Since you're willing to pretend and tolerate it, then this old lady will play along to the end! She smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Consort. Such generosity is truly befitting of someone in charge of the household."
Consort Li's smile stiffened. Was this an insult, implying she was merely the steward of the Prince's residence? Having already felt the pinch of giving away a large sum of money, Consort Li was far from allowing Luo Zhiheng to act so arrogantly.
It's past midnight! I've already updated 27,000 words today! I've been working on this all night, so many words left! Should I take them, everyone? Leave a message for me! It's the first day of my new book's release, I'm begging for subscriptions! I'll beg for subscriptions on an infinite loop a thousand times! Say you love me, and I'll give you another 3,000 words or more!
085 If you don't leave, I'll steal it! Tear that cold, apathetic state into something warm and inviting!
Updated: 2013-06-06 20:15:27 Word Count: 4657
Consort Li couldn't see Mu Yunhe's face clearly in the candlelight, but he just lay there, giving off a cold feeling. He hadn't been like that before, so why was it so obvious now? Could it be that he was about to die? But Luo Zhiheng was lively and energetic, showing no signs of worry.
After several exchanges with Luo Zhiheng, Consort Li dared not be careless and approached Mu Yunhe with a smile, wanting to see what was going on. But Luo Zhiheng subtly stopped her.
She suddenly grabbed Consort Li's wrist, stood in front of her, and exclaimed in amazement, "Wow! What a beautiful bracelet! I've never seen a bracelet with such a big pearl on it before. Consort Li, you're so lucky! This must have been a gift from the Prince, right?"
Consort Li couldn't figure out what Luo Zhiheng was up to, but the sight of her greedy eyes disgusted her. No wonder she was from a third-class noble family; such petty and unsophisticated behavior. But she couldn't be too direct, yet still wanted to show off, so she smiled and said, "Yes, this was brought back from Jiangnan by the Prince two years ago. It's hard to find another string of these in the entire capital."
Luo Zhiheng's eyes were practically sparkling with excitement. Holding the chain in one hand, she said with a sweet smile, "Then His Highness must have given Consort Li even more treasures, right? There must be even more beautiful jewelry. His Highness is so good to you."
Consort Li was already on fire. A charming smile appeared at the corner of Consort Li's eyes. She said with infinite pride and deep meaning, "You children don't understand the feelings between me and the prince. No matter where the prince goes, he always thinks of bringing me back gifts. When you are our age, you will know how much you care about each other."
Luo Zhiheng's smile remained unchanged, and she said obediently and cutely, "Since that's the case, Consort Li, please give me this bracelet to play with. I really like it so much. You also said that you can't find another one like this in the entire capital, so I won't look for it. Consort Li is an elder, and she has the Prince's exclusive favor and has received so many gifts from the Prince. Is it alright to give this one to Heng'er?"
This is... an open demand? No, this is blatant harassment! Taking advantage of being a junior, she's acting like she's begging for something from someone else? How could she even open her mouth like that? How could she have the nerve? They're enemies! How can someone so brazenly demand things from an enemy? What's even more infuriating is that Consort Li discovered that Luo Zhiheng's words were all traps! With just a few words, she had completely ensnared her.
If she didn't give it, the younger generation would say she was stingy, especially since she still had many gifts from the Prince. If she did give it, Consort Li would be giving away more than just a valuable piece of jewelry; she would be losing face! But she found herself in a difficult position in front of Luo Zhiheng! That hateful little bitch dared to openly compete with this Princess Consort!
As for the bandit Luo Zhiheng, you should never presume to understand her logic and methods. The more impossible you think something is, the more likely she is to do it. What's so special about asking the enemy for treasure? She can be all smiles in front of you one second, and the next she'll rob your entire family!
"Consort Li, are you reluctant to give it to Heng'er? But Heng'er really likes this bracelet. Otherwise, Heng'er will trade it with your own treasure. Don't be so stingy. Didn't you say that the Prince dotes on you and has given you countless gifts? Why would you care about such a small thing?" Luo Zhiheng pouted, speaking sweetly while looking Consort Li up and down.
Consort Li was furious. She had never seen anyone so shameless, but she had to maintain her dignity. She could no longer suppress a forced smile and said, "Here, take it. Consider it a small gift. You're such a child, yet you dare to speak so sarcastically. Be careful... be careful the young prince doesn't like you anymore."
Luo Zhiheng happily accepted the bracelet, cherishing it dearly. Then, with a smile, she looked at Consort Li's ears, noticing a pair of gold earrings inlaid with rubies. The earrings swayed slightly as Consort Li spoke, sparkling and dazzling.
She squinted, like a little cat eyeing its favorite treat, and slowly stretched out her delicate, white hand...
Consort Li instantly became alert, her hair standing on end. She quickly took several steps back, no longer thinking about checking on Mu Yunhe's condition, only wanting to leave as soon as possible. This Luo Zhiheng was simply a bandit! She would stare at anything that looked good, and then shamelessly start asking for...
Consort Li was completely outmatched by Luo Zhiheng, not because she lacked presence, but because she was defeated by Luo Zhiheng's unique combination of greed, shamelessness, and mischievous, vibrant energy. If she spent any more time with Luo Zhiheng, Consort Li estimated she might face a financial crisis. She couldn't afford it, and even if she could, it would be for someone she truly valued, not for Luo Zhiheng.
"It's getting late, you two should get some rest. I'll be leaving now." Consort Li turned and left before Luo Zhiheng could speak.
Luo Zhiheng pretended to be reluctant to leave and followed her closely, saying, "Consort Li, please stay a little longer. I really love your sparkly outfit. Please stay a little longer; I haven't had enough of looking at you yet." 129.
Consort Li, her face ashen, quickened her pace, supported by her head maid. A cold smile played on her lips: "If we don't leave now, you little bandit will probably rob me of everything when I leave. Damn it, why did I come wearing so much fine jewelry? That pearl bracelet is incredibly expensive, and I stole it from that slut! And now, years later, her daughter-in-law has stolen it from me! It's unbelievable!"
"Your Highness, are we just going to leave like this? Luo Zhiheng clearly did it on purpose. If we leave, won't she make a fool of herself?" the trusted maid muttered indignantly.
"Hmph, what do you know? If I don't leave soon, that bandit will rob me of everything! Damn it! He dares to play the thick-skinned card with me! Fine, I'll play along to the end!" Consort Li's eyes gleamed with malice, and she gritted her teeth.
Once Consort Li had completely left, Luo Zhiheng excitedly rushed to Mu Yunhe's bedside, handed him the extremely beautiful bracelet, and gently nudged him, who seemed to be asleep, asking ingratiatingly, "Hey, is this thing very valuable? Do you know anything about appraising antiques? Help me take a look!"
Mu Yunhe ignored her. At this moment, a surge of violent emotions roared within him: Kill this woman! Strangle her, tear her apart! How shameless! How could a woman be so thick-skinned? Although Mu Yunhe knew that this was Luo Zhiheng's way of deliberately getting rid of Consort Li, and although he agreed with Luo Zhiheng's bloodless approach, couldn't she be less greedy?
Mu Yunhe should have praised Luo Zhiheng's quick wit, but instead, her greedy face made him feel nauseous. He both wanted to praise and beat her up. She had clearly done something to help the enemy, but she managed to make it seem like she actually coveted the treasure, and helping the enemy was just a side effect…
That feeling made Mu Yunhe, who was inherently proud, feel extremely contemptuous and disgusted. He didn't even want to look at Luo Zhiheng, because in his eyes, the nude photos were full of the stench of money, and he was an absolute scoundrel!
"Can you even do this? Open your eyes and stop pretending to be dead! Quickly help me see if this thing is worth anything!" Luo Zhiheng also has a super skill that can dazzle people: nagging! She's very willing to nag her trusted friends and family. If she wants something and can't get it, she'll try to steal it. If she can't get it, she'll nag until the other person is so frustrated they want to commit suicide. In the end, they'll compromise and help her get it, and the nagging will end.
Now, she was using her soft, bubble-like voice, as if enveloped in sunlight, to whine and chatter endlessly in front of Mu Yunhe. If she were to act coquettishly with her father, he would have long since devoted himself to serving her like a slave, even resorting to murder and robbery. But she forgot that the person in front of her was Mu Yunhe, who disliked her quite a bit and was abstinent and reserved. Acting coquettishly and pestering her wouldn't work; on the contrary, it would backfire.
Suddenly opening his eyes, a chilling light seemed to burst forth from them, shooting out like a bolt of lightning and piercing into Luo Zhiheng's delicate skin. She screamed and pointed at Mu Yunhe, roaring angrily, "You ambushed me!"
Mu Yunhe's forehead veins throbbed. He finally understood that all her previous composure, elegance, intelligence, and calmness were just a facade. The greedy and foolish girl in front of him was the real Luo Zhiheng!
Mu Yunhe gritted his teeth and roared, "You lied to me!"
If I had known you were such a despicable person, I would rather die than associate with you! That way, I could have maintained a relatively clean life, at least I wouldn't have been tainted by the stench of money! But alas, fate is cruel, and it didn't allow him to use his divine eye to see through this brat's true nature!
Mu Yunhe was a quintessential ancient man, and having spent years confined to his secluded inner quarters, devoid of friends and detached from the world, he was naturally cold, repressed, ascetic, and rigid at heart. He valued his reputation highly, not the kind of purity a woman should possess, but the most basic integrity and dignity of a human being. Luo Zhiheng's blatant act today had crossed Mu Yunhe's moral line.
"Get out of here!" Despite the throbbing urge in his forehead, Mu Yunhe roared with his remaining rationality. If she didn't get out of there, he was afraid he would have this mercenary girl thrown out.
Luo Zhiheng was quite perceptive. Seeing the signs that Mu Yunhe's icy face was about to turn into a boiled shrimp, she immediately became fully alert, cautiously retreating while wearing a fawning smile: "Are you unhappy? Is it because I didn't get a gift back for you? It's alright, Consort Li, come again, and I'll keep asking."
"Shut your dog mouth!" Mu Yunhe's teeth were chattering.
Cold sweat dripped down Xiao Xizi's forehead. He was truly impressed by this young princess. She dared to use such despicable methods, and yet they worked perfectly on someone as ruthless and petty as Consort Li. Was this what they called "prescribing the right medicine for the illness," striking the snake at its vital point? But seeing his master so enraged by the young princess that his veins bulged, Xiao Xizi's heart trembled as he quietly moved back, silently praying: "Please don't let her splatter blood on me..."
Luo Zhiheng gritted her teeth, her slender, white fingers pointing fearlessly at Mu Yunhe's nose. The bright pearl bracelet in her hand dangled in her palm. She angrily said, "Speak more politely. If I'm a dog, then you're just listening to dog talk. Aren't you also a dog? If you keep talking like that, don't laugh at your brother, we're the same kind of people!"
"That is..." Mu Yunhe's roar shattered instantly, his gaze fixed on the bracelet. All his anger and pride dissipated at this moment. Dark, soft seaweed floated in his gloomy eyes, one by one, moistening his sharp corners of his eyes, softening all his sharp edges, leaving only a gentle and jade-like appearance!
Oh my gosh, did you all like it? I've finished updating with over 30,000 words today! Please subscribe, leave comments, and vote! I haven't slept all night and need to go to bed now. My period is acting up, I'm so tired. I love you all, my darlings! Please leave comments and votes!
086 The tragic and painful memories that were stirred up!
Updated: 2013-06-06 20:15:28 Word Count: 10310
Mu Yunhe seemed to hear the innocent voice of his childhood echoing in his ears again. The memories buried in the darkness were awakened by the appearance of the pearl bracelet, but they were still so bitter, humiliating and infuriating!
The memory of that bracelet softened Mu Yunhe's gaze for a moment, but then a dark storm, like a demon descending upon the world, swept over him! He suddenly used all his strength to snatch the bracelet and, like a madman, threw it away violently. With a series of cracking sounds, the bracelet slammed against the wall and landed on the ground.
"Are you crazy!" Luo Zhiheng stared in disbelief, then ran over and picked it up with a pained expression. Luckily, the bracelet was sturdy and not broken, but she was still heartbroken. She looked up, wanting to yell, but seeing Mu Yunhe struggling to get up and seemingly determined to rush over, as if he wouldn't give up until the bracelet was gone, Luo Zhiheng had only one thought: grab the precious bracelet and run!
"I'm not talking to you, you lunatic!" Luo Zhiheng grabbed the terrified girl and ran out quickly.
Behind him came Mu Yunhe's weak roar: "If you're so capable, then don't ever come back!"
After a brief argument, Mu Yunhe lay exhausted on the bed, but his usually calm brow remained furrowed. Despite his extreme fatigue, he couldn't fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he was reminded of the humiliating memories of his childhood.
He suddenly opened his eyes, and his pale face was framed by a pair of scarlet, hate-filled eyes.
"Crazy..." Luo Zhiheng muttered as she sat at the courtyard gate with her maid. The light from the lamp shone softly in the night, illuminating her face gently. She couldn't help but murmur in fascination, "What a beautiful treasure! That guy actually wants to destroy it. He's burning money."
"Miss, what if the young prince..." The maid swallowed hard, feeling a little guilty.
"Won't he be furious? Don't worry, that guy doesn't look like a good person either. Haven't you heard the saying that evil people live for a thousand years? As long as Mu Yunhe isn't a good person, he definitely won't die so early." Luo Zhiheng said completely unconcerned.
"Cough cough!" A cough startled Luo Zhiheng and her servant. The two quickly stood up when they saw a group of people carrying lanterns approaching.
"Mother! Why are you here so late?" Luo Zhiheng asked somewhat guiltily.
The princess seemed not to have heard Luo Zhiheng's outrageous words, and still smiled gently as she took her hand, saying, "You came to check on me because you were worried. You... are you angry with Yun He?"
Madam Hu chuckled to herself, “Your Highness, they’re not angry at all. Young couples don’t hold grudges after a fight. Our little princess is kind-hearted and lively. She just needs to coax our little prince for a bit, and they’ll be inseparable again in no time. So you don’t need to worry about that.”
Is this telling Luo Zhiheng not to be stubborn, to know when to advance and when to retreat, and to coax Mu Yunhe? Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the words, but on the surface she pretended to be aggrieved and said: "This matter is really not Heng'er's fault. It's just that the young prince suddenly lost his temper, and Heng'er didn't know why."
"Oh? Yunhe lost his temper? That's quite unusual. Tell me about it." The princess smiled and led everyone into the house, but instead of entering Mu Yunhe's room, she went to another room, lit the lamps, and as everyone sat down, Luo Zhiheng told the princess what had just happened without embellishing anything.
Mrs. Hu was already laughing so hard she almost fell over, panting as she said, "Oh my little darling, you're so adorable! That kind of wicked person should be treated like this, see if she dares to bother you with her evil intentions again."
The princess chuckled and asked, "So what bracelet did you snatch from her that made Yunhe so angry?"
"Here it is." Luo Zhiheng showed the bracelet to the princess.
To everyone's surprise, the princess's expression changed drastically upon seeing the bracelet. Meanwhile, Hu Mama, who was standing nearby, glanced at it and was stunned for a moment before suddenly kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly to Luo Zhiheng. Her kowtows were sincere, her voice trembling with gratitude: "Your Highness, you are truly a benefactor to my young lady! This old servant is so grateful to you! This old servant kowtows to you, on behalf of my young lady and the young prince, to express our gratitude!"