Luo Zhiheng seemed to understand something. Could it be that she had accidentally snatched something of extraordinary significance to the Princess and the others? Would that thing still be hers then? Bah, what was she thinking? Life was more important than treasure. Her face immediately showed humility and panic. She quickly stood up and kindly helped Hu Mama, saying, "What are you doing? How old are you? Kowtowing to me, are you thanking me or trying to shorten my lifespan?"
"My dear Princess, this old servant would never dare to think that way! This old servant just... just..." Mama Hu was already in tears, and she stood up with Luo Zhiheng's help.
Luo Zhiheng pursed her lips and, after sitting down, generously placed the bracelet on the table and pushed it in front of the princess. She smiled sweetly and said, "Mother, it seems you know about this. Then... why did the young prince get angry? Can you tell me? I'll know where I went wrong and promise not to do it again."
She found a good reason for her gossipy nature.
The princess picked up the bracelet with a slight tremor in her eyes, her eyes filled with remembrance, longing, and pain—the same expression on Mu Yunhe's face just now, one of hatred and shame.
Luo Zhiheng was secretly alarmed, but then she heard the princess murmur, "That child still remembers what happened back then. It seems that the hatred between him and his father is truly irreconcilable. Although I hate him too, he is still his father after all. Alas..."
"Let me tell you a story about this bracelet..." The princess smiled bitterly, her gentle voice opening a time tunnel in front of Luo Zhiheng's eyes, leading directly to Mu Yunhe's broken and aggrieved childhood!
——
"Mom, these beads are so pretty, can I play with them?" The five or six-year-old child, with his delicately carved jade bracelet, looked like a little fairy, his eyes full of joy as he gazed at the pearl bracelet on his mother's wrist.
At that time, the princess was still the one in charge of household affairs in the royal palace, a woman of unparalleled beauty and pride. But for this only son she had finally obtained, she was always willing to grant his every wish. So, without hesitation, the princess took off her bracelet and put it on little Mu Yunhe's wrist, gently instructing him, "He'er, be good, and never lose this bracelet, okay? This is your maternal grandmother's dowry for your mother, a very precious keepsake. It will be given to He'er's future wife."
At that time, Mu Yunhe did not know that a keepsake was something left behind after a person died, nor did he know what a wife was. However, he was very happy that his mother gave him this beautiful thing to play with, so the little boy nodded solemnly and promised that he would not lose it.
But the princess didn't know that this chain almost cost Mu Yunhe his life. It was also this chain that left a clear scar on Mu Yunhe's tender heart—dirty, ugly, and unjust! It was from that moment that little Mu Yunhe developed hatred, and the first hatred he ever felt was towards his father.
On the first night Mu Yunhe received the bracelet, his father, whom he had always admired and feared, burst through the door with a grim face, followed by Consort Li, who was in tears, and Mu Yunjin, who was older than him. The eyes of each of them were filled with contempt, coldness, disgust, and deep mockery.
His father's first words were a cold interrogation: "Yunhe, did you find a pearl bracelet?"
Such a stern question was frightening and bewildering to a five or six-year-old boy, but he was honest and respectfully greeted his father, only to be interrupted by Mu Yunjin's disdainful and provocative words: "Father actually didn't answer your question."
It was already late that day. Mu Yunhe lived in a separate courtyard. His mother was not there, but the person in front of him at that moment looked like a family of three. At that time, Mu Yunhe did not know what provocation was. His big eyes were already moist, and he said loudly, "I did not fail to answer Father's question. Mother said that when you see Father, you should pay your respects."
He's just a good child who listens to his mother. Is that wrong?
But Mu Yunhe's words not only failed to gain the prince's approval, but instead enraged him. He pointed at Mu Yunhe's nose and shouted angrily, "What kind of boy has your mother spoiled you into? How dare you talk back to your elder brother? When your father asks you a question, you don't answer quickly, you're acting like a girl, you're a disgrace to me! And how many times have I told you, you're not allowed to call her 'mother,' you have to call her 'Consort Mother.' Or is it that that woman only wants to be an ordinary commoner and disdains being my consort?"
Such a furious outburst from the prince was quite unfamiliar and terrifying to a small child. Mu Yunhe didn't understand the meaning behind his father's words at all, but he knew that his father was very angry. He shrank back in fear and couldn't help but take a few steps back. But then he saw the sarcastic smile on Consort Li's tearful face, and Mu Yunjin even gave a disdainful snort. Little Mu Yunhe froze.
"Your Highness, please calm down. Why get angry with a child? Yunhe is still so young, at the age when he should be obedient. The Princess Consort loves her son dearly, but it's not that I'm saying the Princess Consort is bad, but the Princess Consort shouldn't be educating the child like this. She's raised such a good child that even I, a young lady, have to be proper..."
Mu Yunhe vividly remembered what happened that day, and how he couldn't stand Consort Li speaking ill of his mother. That day, the little boy was both angry and ashamed, and he rushed up and shoved Consort Li, shouting, "You're not allowed to bully my mother! You're not allowed to speak ill of my mother!"
How could Consort Li, an adult, be hurt by a child? But that day, Consort Li was pushed by Mu Yunhe, crashing into the table behind her and collapsing there, whimpering. Mu Yunjin, who wasn't very old, was also terrified and cried loudly next to Consort Li.
Little Mu Yunhe was terrified. He stared blankly at the fallen Consort Li, his heart filled with fear. At that moment, he had only one thought: he didn't do it on purpose. 15384257
"You wretched child!" With the prince's roar, a slap followed, crisp and loud, leaving Mu Yunhe with the heaviest pain and humiliation in his memory!
Little Mu Yunhe fell to the ground, his tender cheek swollen high, a bright red handprint on his face, and even two of his teeth were knocked out, his mouth full of blood. But he stubbornly raised his head, glaring angrily at the prince and shouting incoherently, "She deserved it! Who told her to speak ill of my mother! I'm going to beat her to death!"
The prince was already dizzy with anger at his stubborn and sharp-tongued son. Hearing Mu Yunhe's fearless and unforgiving roar, he truly had murderous intent. At that time, the prince was in his prime, full of vigor and high spirits. He had no patience for children, and he really did raise his foot to kick Mu Yunhe.
"No!" His mother's heart-wrenching voice rang out. Mu Yunhe's eyes widened as he saw his mother suddenly appear before him. Her once rosy face quickly turned pale, and then his mother was kicked away.
Mu Yunhe will never forget that day—all the dangers, all the humiliations, and all the pain, not only his but also his mother's!
"Mother!" Mu Yunhe screamed and rushed over, but before her small arms could even lift, Mu Yunjin roared in a tearful and angry voice, "Father, look! It really was Mu Yunhe who stole my mother's bracelet!"
On Mu Yunhe's fair wrist was the pearl bracelet that the princess had personally put on him that afternoon.
Hearing Mu Yunjin's words, the princess who had been kicked away turned pale and almost transparent. She looked at the child who was accusing her so righteously with disbelief, and then looked up at the prince. The prince who had accidentally kicked her down had no remorse on his face, only disdain and anger!
The princess's eyes were filled with an overwhelming sadness and despair. She knew she had lost once again. Not to Consort Li, whose beauty was inferior to hers, but to Consort Li's place in the prince's heart, and to Mu Yunjin's favor with the prince!
Just because her marriage to the prince was an imperial decree, just because Consort Li and the prince had long harbored feelings for each other, just because her son was born late, must she be destined to lose everything? Must she keep making concessions? Must her son be framed and harmed by that mother and son?
While the princess was still stunned by grief, she suddenly heard Mu Yunhe's terrified and painful screams. She looked up abruptly and saw a scene that shattered her heart and soul.
The prince suddenly grabbed Mu Yunhe, completely disregarding the fact that Mu Yunhe was still a child with fragile bones. He grabbed the little child's arm, which was adorned with a bracelet, and lifted the child off the ground, coldly questioning, "Why didn't you answer when I asked you if you had found the pearl bracelet? Were you afraid, or did you really steal it?"
The word "steal" was like a bolt from the blue to Mu Yunhe, who had already received his education. His teacher had said that a gentleman does not steal; stealing is the act of a petty person, shameful, despicable, and something that, once done, means one is no longer a clean and good person. His teacher had also said that anyone who dared to steal would be punished, severely punished.
As a child, Mu Yunhe understood the word as shameful, repulsive, and fearful. He struggled fiercely, his voice already trembling with tears, but his watery eyes stubbornly refused to let the tears fall: "Father, I didn't steal anything! This was given to me by Mother! I didn't steal anything!"
He repeatedly emphasized that sentence: the child had only one simple thought in his mind: he did not steal anything, he did not want to be punished by the teacher, and he did not want to be hit with a ruler!
However, the prince did not listen to his explanation. The prince was furious. He obviously believed what Consort Li and Mu Yunjin said. His purpose in coming here was only to find Consort Li's lost items. The reason why he asked Mu Yunhe if he had found the bracelet at the beginning was because he was already convinced that Mu Yunhe had stolen it. As a prince, he would never allow himself to have a son who would steal.
Whether this matter is true or false is unimportant to the prince, because he trusts Consort Li and Mu Yunjin. One is a woman he has wronged yet loved, and the other is his intelligent and beloved son. If he doesn't trust them, why should he trust the princess, this hypocritical woman?
Seeing that Mu Yunhe was stubborn, the prince became even angrier and yanked the bracelet off. The bracelet had been wrapped twice before it was put on Mu Yunhe's slender wrist. The prince's brute force almost tore off a layer of Mu Yunhe's delicate skin. Mu Yunhe, in pain and fright, finally burst into tears.
Five- or six-year-old children love pretty toys. No matter how strong their minds are, they are still just children; they are afraid of pain and timid. Mu Yunhe is exactly like that.
"Your Highness! How could you treat Yunhe like this? He is your son too! That bracelet is clearly mine. Why did you assume Yunhe took someone else's things without even asking him? He's just a child. He's been with me all day. How could he go to Consort Li's place to steal her things?" The princess argued vehemently. She couldn't believe that the prince could be so confused as to not see something so obvious.
But the prince remained unmoved, instead looking at her with a mocking and cold gaze.
At this moment, Consort Li stood up delicately, tears streaming down her face, and cried, "Your Highness, please don't be angry. The Prince is certain that Yun He stole my things. Today, when I was playing in the back garden with Yun Jin, I accidentally lost my bracelet. This bracelet is really important to me; it's my mother's keepsake. Because it's so precious, I never dared to wear it. Today happens to be the anniversary of my mother's death, so I took it out of my dowry and put it on." 129.
Consort Li's words left the princess dumbfounded, her eyes filled with disbelief, resentment, and anger!
Consort Li moved away from the prince, and from an angle where he couldn't see her, she spoke to the princess in a sorrowful yet gentle voice, with a mocking smile: "If this thing weren't so precious and important, I could even give it to Yunhe to play with. But... please, Your Highness, understand my longing for my mother. Please don't argue with the prince. I won't blame Yunhe. Otherwise, how about I exchange something else with Yunhe for it?"
This is... a complete distortion of the truth!! Consort Li is shameless enough to use the Princess's things and affairs to frame the Princess's son and slander them. Consort Li even used this matter to further alienate the Princess and her son from the Prince, to the point that the wound can never be healed!
"Why are you wasting your breath talking to her? This whole thing is her son's fault. He's so young and he's already so bad at studying. He even dares to steal. What will he do when he grows up? Like father, like son. You can only raise a scoundrel like him!" The prince pointed angrily at the princess and said without any mercy.
The prince, already heartbroken by his own son's 'stealing', left no room for the mother and son, uttering hurtful words. But in the blink of an eye, the prince placed his large, kind hands on Consort Li, pulled her into his arms, and gently scolded her: "You're too kind! Can this be treated with kindness? If this child isn't properly educated, he'll be a menace in the future. It would be better if I killed him now than let him grow up to be a menace."
"Your Highness! Please don't say that. How could I let you kill your own child for my sake? Wouldn't you be ridiculed in court afterward? I'd rather suffer myself than see you unhappy and gossiped about." Consort Li finished speaking righteously and then collapsed into the prince's arms, sobbing, "But I really didn't lie. That bracelet really was left to me by my mother, but Your Highness actually said it was hers. I..." Yun He began to speak.
"Alright, alright, I know you weren't lying. Don't let your imagination run wild anymore. Be good. Look how scared Yun Jin is. Our little man is crying like a little kitten." The prince teased, completely different from the angry, ruthless man he had been just moments before.
The princess's heart grew even colder. At this moment, in front of the prince who had already determined that she and her son were guilty, it seemed that nothing they said would be right! How could he be so biased? How could he be so cruel? The princess's hatred and despair almost ignited her remaining rationality, making her want to rush up and fight that hypocritical and despicable Consort Li to the death!
But she still has Yunhe! She still has Yunhe to protect. If she really hurts Consort Li, the prince will not forgive her, and then Yunhe will definitely be implicated as well!
That day, the princess had to use the little bit of reason she had left to suppress the humiliation, the anger, and the hatred!
But little Mu Yunhe didn't know how to hold back. His big eyes were red and he was crying his heart out, but he still shouted defiantly, "I didn't steal your things! The bracelet is my mother's, it was left by my grandmother... it's not yours, it's not! You're lying, and liars are punished!"
Consort Li suddenly left the prince's embrace, looking at Mu Yunhe with a shocked, incredulous, and sorrowful gaze. She cried out in anguish, "How could this be? How could you, a mere child, have learned to turn around and bite the hand that feeds you? Heavens! How could this be? How could a child from our royal palace be like this? Even if you like my bracelet, you shouldn't use my words to frame me. You child..."
"Li! Don't go too far!" The princess struggled to her feet and walked step by step toward Mu Yunhe, but her eyes were filled with rage as she looked at Consort Li.
Consort Li seemed terrified by the princess's appearance, trembling and pale-faced as she burrowed into the prince's arms.
Of course, the prince would not allow his beloved concubine to be harmed. Moreover, he loathed the princess and was furious at Mu Yunhe's words. Consort Li was right; such a young child dared to lie and speak so readily, even daring to imitate others in front of him. It was truly hateful!
"You've gone too far! I respect you as my princess consort, bestowed upon you by the Emperor, which is why I appointed you to manage my household. But look at yourself now! Do you even resemble a matriarch? You've raised such a fine child to this state, daring to lie so blatantly, to talk back to your elders, and even to hit them before! Do you still deserve to sit in the position of princess consort? Do you still deserve to be Yunhe's mother? Do you still deserve to manage the household!" The prince's stern rebukes grew louder and stronger with each question, as if the princess consort was truly unforgivable.
The princess stopped, looking at the prince, who was completely deceived by Consort Li, with an irredeemable gaze. Suddenly, she burst into laughter, a laugh both sorrowful and mocking. Pointing at the prince for a long while, she said frantically, "Your Highness, one day you will regret your words and actions today! If you continue to protect this woman in your arms and believe in her unwaveringly, then this woman will become your grave sooner or later!"
The prince's eyelids twitched violently. Because of the princess's treasonous words, because of the curse-like resentment in those words, he roared, "Tong Shi! Watch your words and actions, or I will cripple you!"
"And your son! Guards, give Mu Yunhe twenty strokes of the cane! This time, I'll teach him a lesson and show him what he should and shouldn't do. If he dares to lie or steal again, I'll personally chop off his hands!" the prince said fiercely.
No woman dares to defy him or curse him. Today, a princess has appeared, and she is obviously doing this because of Mu Yunhe. And Mu Yunhe has made a mistake again today. Very well, he can now openly deal with this brat!
Upon hearing the mention of twenty strokes of the cane, the princess's face paled, losing all color. She stopped explaining about the bracelet, as it was pointless. If Consort Li was the type to covet anything she found, then there was no point in arguing with such a short-sighted person. Even if that thing was important, it wasn't as important as her son.
The princess finally lowered her proud head, her eyes reddening, and said fiercely, "Your Highness, Yunhe is still a child. Please have mercy and let him go. If you are truly angry, then I am willing to accept the punishment in my child's place. But I still maintain that right and wrong, justice and fairness, reside in the hearts of the people. Even if people don't know now, Heaven knows. I know my child. Yunhe is kind and innocent by nature; he would never steal anything, nor would he lie. I swear to Heaven today, my son did not steal anything. Whoever lies will be struck by lightning!"
Consort Li's eyelids twitched violently, her heart pounded, and her face turned extremely pale. Mu Yunjin, on the other hand, was completely bewildered. Only the Prince, upon hearing the Princess's vow, felt a surge of anger and shock in his eyes. People in ancient times were superstitious about oaths, especially the Princess's rather harsh one. But even if the Prince had doubts about the truth of the matter, he wouldn't pursue it further, because that would be tantamount to contradicting all his previous words and actions, a self-inflicted slap in the face.
Therefore, the enraged prince issued a vicious order and uttered insulting words that day, all because of a pearl bracelet pointed at the young Mu Yunhe: "Beat this thief for me, and if he ever does it again, he will be severely punished!"
The young child's tender hands were forcibly gripped, and with each strike, twenty strokes of the ruler landed on Mu Yunhe's hands without fail. The child's heart-wrenching cries failed to soften the prince's heart. Years ago, on this very night, Mu Yunhe had been accused of theft by his own father, beaten until his palms were red and swollen, the skin torn and bleeding. The beatings had instilled hatred in him, extinguishing all his filial piety towards his father!
First update! There will be another update today, so please leave comments and votes! These are my motivation! *kiss*
087 Caught climbing into bed!
Updated: 2013-06-06 20:15:29 Word Count: 4505
As Luo Zhiheng listened to the princess recounting the humiliating and unjust events of the past in such a gentle and calm voice, a surge of hatred seemed to rise within her, stirring within her the sense of loyalty and justice that she had never lacked during her bandit life.
Bandits aren't necessarily heartless, but a young lady from a respectable family who becomes a bandit, spending her days and nights with men in the martial world, can't possibly lack the kind of courage and loyalty that men have for those who would die for their confidants.
"In the end, my Yunhe fainted from crying and from the pain, collapsing into my arms with tears streaming down her face and blood on her hands." This is the only sentence in all of the princess's memories that carries emotion, yet that emotion is so heavy, so painful.
"Am I a useless mother? I can't protect my child, and because of his dislike for me, the prince doesn't even love Yunhe. How unfair is that to him?" The princess laughed self-deprecatingly, her hand trembling as she stroked the bracelet.
Luo Zhiheng felt a bit stifled. The thought that Mu Yunhe had such a tragic childhood, and his intense reaction just now, made her realize that he had done the right thing. However, she also realized how vengeful Mu Yunhe was. She would have to be more careful in the future, or Mu Yunhe's hatred would be a lifelong thing.
Luo Zhiheng asked cautiously, "Then Mother, don't you hate it?" To be able to describe such a painful past in such a calm voice, anyone would hate it as much as Mu Yunhe.
The princess pressed down her temple, her eyes filled with sorrow as she sighed, "How could I not hate? Knowing that my son was innocent, I hated the prince, hated Consort Li, hated the people who held me back from protecting Yunhe. I hated so many people, so I did so many wrong things, and then the sins continued, and retribution was inevitable. Because of hatred, I did things that I would never regret, to the point that I almost lost my beloved son..."
At this point, the princess stopped speaking. Only she knew that the deliberate framing and harassment by Consort Li years ago had fueled her anger, leading to her actions that were the very culprit behind her son's lifelong suffering, confining him to his sickbed forever. Was this retribution? But why wasn't it directed at her? She was the one who committed the wrong.
If she were to truly hate someone now, the person she should hate the most would be herself, because she was the one who harmed her only son.
Luo Zhiheng, being quite perceptive, didn't ask about the events of that year. Instead, she rolled her eyes and asked, "Was the young prince's illness... caused back then? What exactly caused the young prince to have such an illness? Was the young prince healthy before?"
She genuinely wanted to know the cause of Mu Yunhe's illness; it was better than making wild guesses without knowing the reason.
But the princess's face stiffened, and she said with a flicker in her eyes, "Yunhe used to be very healthy and very cute. It wasn't that injustice and suffering that made Yunhe like this. Alas, this matter has been over for many years, and it's pointless to bring it up again."
It's obvious they don't want to talk about the cause of Mu Yunhe's illness! Is there something they can't say, or is there another hidden reason? 129.
Luo Zhiheng didn't ask any more questions, but this matter had left a mystery in her mind, and she thought that it would be solved sooner or later.
"But it's also a blessing in disguise," the princess said with a hint of sarcasm. "Yunhe's father has never loved or cared about him. Even though Yunhe is the only legitimate son in the royal family, the prince values Mu Yunjin more. It was because of that incident that the prince started to pay attention to Yunhe. Later, I don't know why, but the prince valued Yunhe more and more. However, because of the hatred in his heart, the father and son were always at odds. Yunhe always managed to make his father so angry that his face turned ashen. Later, when Yunhe's health deteriorated, his father cared about him even more."
Luo Zhiheng remained silent. Anyone who is wronged would feel resentment, even if it's by their closest family members. Even if many years have passed, just thinking about it would still make them feel awkward and sad.
"This bracelet is very important to me, but since that woman tricked me into taking it, I won't take it back. Since you're the one who asked for it back today, you can keep it. After all, I originally intended it for my future daughter-in-law years ago. But don't wear it too often, lest Yunhe sees it and throws a tantrum." The princess smiled gently and personally put the bracelet on Luo Zhiheng's wrist.
As she listened, her voice warmed. Luo Zhiheng keenly sensed that through this conversation and the bracelet, the princess seemed to have changed her attitude towards her, as if she had become a little closer.
Seeing the princess's lingering gaze on the bracelet, Luo Zhiheng understood. The princess wasn't indifferent to her mother's heirloom at all; it was just that it had been taken away for so many years, and under such circumstances, it was inevitable that she felt awkward. But because Luo Zhiheng had inadvertently snatched it back, the princess was naturally overjoyed. So, Luo Zhiheng had used the bracelet to gain the princess's favor.
People think highly of her, so she has to live up to their expectations. Besides, she's also angry. She's protecting Mu Yunhe and the Princess, so she can't just watch them suffer. Of course, she won't let herself suffer either. So, as for Consort Li, she needs to think carefully about how to manipulate her like Consort Li manipulated this mother and son back then, leaving them with no way to express their suffering...
Touching her chin and licking her lips, Luo Zhiheng's eyes gleamed with cunning, and the smile on her face was utterly chilling.