He had a loving and respected mother. In the past, Mu Yunhe could be said to have lived entirely for his mother. If it weren't for his mother's situation, Mu Yunhe wouldn't have dragged his frail and ailing body through such difficult circumstances to persevere and maintain his life.
At that time, for Mu Yunhe, living was nothing more than a struggle for survival!
Such a proud man was willing to prolong his life for his mother. Besides his perseverance and strength, his greatest reliance was his love for her and his gratitude. All of this stemmed from family affection.
But kinship is so fragile, unable to withstand the test of time and the temptations of conflict. When the truth was laid bare before him, it shattered Mu Yunhe's strength and destroyed his beliefs. In an instant, kinship was no longer his only support and reason, but a poisonous snake that he avoided at all costs, fearing to be tainted again.
So much time has passed since then, and Mu Yunhe has never seen the Princess Consort or even mentioned her. Perhaps the Princess Consort has realized her mistake, or perhaps the Prince has long since repented. But the damage has been done, and it cannot be erased by a mere confession or a few tears.
The more Mu Yunhe once loved his mother, the more pain he felt now. Perhaps "painful" wouldn't be the right word, but the repulsion was intense. Because only Mu Yunhe himself knew how guilty he felt. He always thought that he had caused the death of an innocent life, a child who might have once followed him softly, calling him "Little Uncle" with joy and sweetness.
But all of this was lost in the pond that year. He survived, but the child, weaker than him, died. The cycle of cause and effect dictates that even though he survived, he still had to pay the price. Mu Yunhe believed this was retribution. And he too would pay the price for his sins.
So his once most beloved mother has either been removed from his heart or buried deep within it. Thus, today, Mu Yunhe is as strong as iron, yet softens only for Mu Yunhe. Now, his heart belongs only to Luo Zhiheng; no one else can compare.
Both of them seemed to be thinking about Mu Qingya, their hearts heavy. They leaned against each other in silence, time flowing quietly by, the wheels of the cart creaking. Occasionally a gentle breeze would blow, bringing a touch of comfort, but also an unshakeable sorrow in their hearts.
Luo Erduo seemed unable to bear the sudden silence any longer. Tears welled up in her eyes, and as Luo Zhiheng was about to crush the bunch of grapes, she finally let out a desperate roar: "So you didn't hit Mu Yunhe to avenge me! Master lied to me!"
Luo Erduo looked at Luo Zhiheng accusingly, gritting her teeth and huffing and puffing. Her delicate face was full of heartache, as if Luo Zhiheng had done something to wrong her.
Luo Zhiheng raised an eyebrow, then hurled a bunch of grapes at her: "Eat up and shut your mouth."
Luo Erduo's little paws caught the bunch of grapes with lightning speed, and her anger vanished instantly. She happily nestled in the corner and ate them with great relish.
His absent-mindedness left Luo Zhiheng both amused and exasperated.
We'll arrive in the capital today. It's been months since we left. I wonder what the capital is like now. I'm afraid that once the Princess Consort leaves, the Mu Prince's Mansion will once again be under Consort Li's control. Going back now probably won't be too pleasant. Eliminating dissidents seems to have become Luo Zhiheng's mission.
When someone reported that they would be able to enter the imperial city in ten miles, everyone in the carriage was excited. After all, they had traveled a long way, and the journey had been filled with hardships and exhaustion. It turned out that there was indeed no place like home.
However, the carriage suddenly stopped, and a commotion arose ahead. Luo Zhiheng immediately became alert, her hand already reaching for her cane at her waist. She didn't look outside, but Xiao Xizi's voice came through, filled with joy: "Master, there are civil and military officials and soldiers ahead. They've already shown their tokens; they've come to welcome you."
Luo Zhiheng was somewhat surprised, then raised an eyebrow and said with a half-smile, "Tsk tsk, my husband's procession is quite grand now. People usually have a ten-mile-long red bridal procession for a wedding, but what's with your ten-mile-long military uniform? Does your royal uncle value you highly?"
Luo Zhiheng's words were laced with sarcasm and a cold laugh. Back when Mu Yunhe was so ill, there was still a fake doctor involved, yet the emperor didn't do much. Although the emperor didn't do anything, the matter of the fake doctor wasn't over yet. After all, the fake doctor came from the palace. Even if the emperor didn't bring him there, he was still inextricably linked to the palace.
It is absolutely true that someone in the palace wants Mu Yunhe dead.
Now they're making such a grand show of welcoming Mu Yunhe, clearly indicating their interest. How could they not know the old emperor's intentions? Humans are indeed so opportunistic. From this perspective, where is there any kinship to speak of?
Mu Yunhe's sarcastic expression softened as he stroked her long hair and said calmly, "She only cares about my empty reputation."
The diviner priests certainly possessed such charm. The Southern Dynasty emperor dispatched General Zhenguo to personally escort Mu Yunhe, while the Western Barbarian army trailed far behind, ostensibly to find the murderer and avenge Princess Aman, but in reality, they were there to follow Mu Yunhe—who wouldn't know that? And now, the Mu Dynasty emperor had his civil and military officials personally trek ten miles to welcome him; their purpose was self-evident.
Soon, the Prime Minister's respectful and devout voice came from outside the carriage: "This old minister has been ordered by His Majesty to lead all civil and military officials to welcome the young prince back to the capital. The young prince has had a long journey. Please accept the kneeling homage of the court officials. This old minister will immediately arrange for the army to escort you back to the capital."
Mu Yunhe could not refuse such a request, for these ministers represented the emperor's face and majesty. He released Luo Zhiheng from his arms, watching her adjust his clothes like a little wife. He smiled and raised an eyebrow, placing a loving kiss on her radiant smile before leading her out of the carriage.
The sun shone brightly outside the carriage, and the early autumn weather was still scorching hot. It was the hottest time of day at noon. The roadside was shaded by green trees. Looking up from the carriage, one could see a red carpet spread out ten miles away, with officials standing in rows on both sides, their official robes arranged from the largest to the smallest. On the outermost side, a majestic and iron-blooded army stood guard, and on each warhorse, a resolute soldier exuded a blood-red aura under the blazing sun.
The army was perfectly aligned from beginning to end, exuding a murderous aura. Their red uniforms resembled blood, and beneath each mask lay the patriotic and loyal souls. A single glance was enough to invigorate the spirit and fill one with reverence!
"It's the Slaughter Team! General Tong is here?" Luo Zhiheng exclaimed in surprise in Mu Yunhe's ear.
The Killing Squad is a joint army of Consort Li's maternal family and the Princess's maternal family, the Tong family, consisting of the Killing Squad and the Slaughter Squad. The Slaughter Squad is composed of Red Army soldiers and is commanded by General Tong. General Tong is, of course, Mu Yunhe's maternal uncle.
Mu Yunhe's lips curled up, his smile becoming more genuine than before.
Looking to the side, the burly man standing proudly on his horse at the very front was none other than General Tong! Although he wore a mask, his armor and the weapon in his hand clearly identified him.
The grand procession was filled with solemnity and reverence. The ministers knelt and bowed, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" three times, giving the young prince Mu Yunhe the highest honor and respect.
They were all shocked, excited, fearful, or incredulous, but none of them showed resistance or disgust. Because they knew what a diviner meant to the nation; perhaps the existence of a diviner was a second life for every person in this country. Who would turn their own life away?
So when they learned that Mu Yunhe was actually a member of the mysterious and long-lost Divination Palace, and even a Divination God, the Mu Dynasty was in an uproar! It was a wave of heartfelt cheers and pride, the excitement of everyone having a protective charm, and they couldn't wait for Mu Yunhe to return.
For this reason, the civil and military officials barely slept a wink, not a single day passed peacefully, fearing that Mu Yunhe would remain in the Southern Dynasty or that something unexpected might happen to him. Now that Mu Yunhe has finally returned, many veteran officials were moved to tears. It truly is a sign that Heaven has not forsaken the Mu Dynasty, sending a divine official closest to the gods; the Mu Dynasty's century of glory is now secure.
Of course, there were also those who were unhappy, or even terrified.
Take the Li family, for example. The Li family had tried every means to kill Mu Yunhe, and had even directly clashed with Luo Zhiheng. Now, Mu Yunhe was not only alive, but had also returned home in glory, protected by such a miraculous identity. It was a complete transformation. This change was a heavy blow to the Li family, and left the proud and arrogant members dumbfounded. They almost became cowards, hiding in their shells and discussing countermeasures at home.
Today, the Li family members have also arrived. They are the Li family patriarch and the head of the Li family, who confronted Luo Zhiheng in court that day, and the father of Consort Li.
They were now kneeling respectfully in the crowd, but no one knew what they were thinking. Luo Zhiheng's sharp gaze swept over and met the eyes of the Li family patriarch. Luo Zhiheng was smiling, but the Li family patriarch's face turned deathly pale.
You old bastards, I'm back! It's time to settle our scores.
Mu Yunhe was not reserved; he possessed an elegance, composure, and depth. Perhaps because he no longer concealed his identity as a priest, he appeared extremely dignified and noble. With one hand openly and honestly taking Luo Zhiheng's hand, he raised the other, silencing the crowd's fervent voices, and said calmly, "Rise, all of you. My beloved consort is tired. Quickly arrange for us to return to the manor. Do not disturb the people. You may all leave."
After Mu Yunhe finished speaking, without waiting for anyone's reaction, he led Luo Zhiheng into the carriage.
The King saw this scene through the rear window of the carriage and said with a faint smile, "The more I look at these two children, the more they seem like a match made in heaven. It's a good thing I tested them back then, otherwise, how could I bear to test them again now? Once you know, you will care, and once you care, you can't be heartless. Is this what family affection is?"
Seeing the Prince's gentle gaze and the unprecedented tenderness on his handsome face, the wet nurse was delighted. She chimed in, "Your Highness is right. The young master has been loved by everyone since childhood, and the General dotes on her to the core, never daring to be harsh with her. Now the young master is being rewarded. Although the beginning of this marriage was not good, the present and the future will surely be very good."
A flash of anger crossed the Queen's face. She naturally knew how Luo Zhiheng's marriage had started; Luo Ningshuang's little tricks couldn't have escaped her notice. Fortunately, things turned out well after a series of unexpected events. Otherwise, even if Luo Ningshuang were Heng'er's other daughter, she wouldn't have let her sister get away with such harm!
Seeing that the Prince's expression was not very good, the wet nurse smiled and said, "Fortunately, the young prince really loves his master now. Wherever the young prince goes, he holds his master's hand tightly. He looks just like the general used to hold his master's hand. They are very loving and care about each other very much."
The King raised an eyebrow and looked at the wet nurse: "Does Loge dote on Heng'er?"
The wet nurse said with a look of reminiscence, "He loved her very much. I have never seen a man treat a woman so well in my life. Although the general is a rough man, he is extremely tender towards his master. The kind of love he shows is that he would rather give his own blood and bones to this woman, just to provide her with a better life."
The King remained unconvinced and gave a noncommittal snort. He still harbored prejudice against Loge. If Loge truly cared for Heng'er so much, how could he have stood by and watched Heng'er die? Even if it was a difficult childbirth, Loge couldn't do anything about it, but to leave such a young child like Luo Zhiheng alone at home, being bullied by that wicked younger sister, was irresponsible of Loge.
Seeing this, the wet nurse was in no hurry to explain, but said with some sadness, "If Your Highness goes to the General's Mansion and sees the master's bedroom and the general's private room, then you will know that everything I said is true. It is not even one-thousandth of the love the general has for the master. Perhaps the young prince can give the young master the same kind of love."
The king's surprised gaze flashed, and he had already made his decision: "Then after entering the city, I will stay at the General's Mansion."
The carriage began to move forward, with civil and military officials lining the road to see it off. General Tong rode up and personally guarded Mu Yunhe's carriage. His armor reflected the sunlight, shining brightly into the carriage and making Mu Yunhe smile.
With a slender hand, Mu Yunhe lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. His uncle did not look at him, but was on high alert, his whole body tense. That vigilance was probably not only because of his identity, but also because he was his nephew, the pride of the Tong family.
Of all the people who came to greet him today, perhaps only his eldest uncle is truly sincere.
Thinking of this, Mu Yunhe called out softly, "Uncle."
Even though his mother was no longer a virgin, Mu Yunhe still liked his maternal grandparents.
The soldier on horseback visibly stiffened, but instead of immediately turning to look at Mu Yunhe with great care, he first glanced around warily before quickly glancing at Mu Yunhe and then looking away. That brief glance, though extremely quick, was filled with such a warm smile that Mu Yunhe felt incredibly comforted.
Luo Zhiheng tilted her head and looked at Mu Yunhe: "Are you happy?"
"Hmm, it's alright." Mu Yunhe hummed lazily, then picked her up again, resting his chin on the crook of her neck, his voice filled with broken laughter: "It feels so good to be home. But that home, let's not talk about it. Aheng, you'll be facing a bunch of snakes and scorpions when you go back, are you ready?"
Luo Zhiheng only asked one question: "If we don't go to war with the entire manor, what will you do?"
Mu Yunhe chuckled softly, slowly raised his head, and said matter-of-factly, "Naturally, I'll stand on your side and fight alongside you."
Luo Zhiheng smiled radiantly and began to gloat and be self-satisfied again: "That's enough. If we fight side by side, we will surely be invincible and unstoppable."
"And me too, I can hopefully help you all, and we'll definitely be invincible." Luo Erduo's happy voice came over cheerfully as she tugged at her little ears with a beaming smile.
Luo Zhiheng laughed heartily and vigorously rubbed Luo Erduo's fluffy little head.
The caravan quickly entered the capital. The people, unaware that they were under the protection of a diviner, leisurely went about their business as usual. But the next moment, the smooth road was blocked by two carriages, making it impossible to move forward.
Two beautiful young women alighted from each of the two carriages approaching from the opposite direction. Each had her own unique charm; one was proud and refined, while the other was aloof and beautiful, naturally attracting the attention of the people on the street.
The two men showed no awareness whatsoever of obstructing other people's carriages. Instead, they seemed quite pleased with the caravan on the other side. When someone shouted at them to move aside immediately, the two men were not afraid at all.
One of them shouted, "I'm here to pick up my cousin, my cousin is Prince Mu Yunhe."
Luo Zhiheng laughed, hooking Mu Yunhe's chin and asking, "Oh, when did you suddenly have a cousin? How come I didn't know? Is she your uncle's child? Was there some kind of arranged marriage between you two?"
Mu Yunhe smiled, put her finger in his mouth and gently bit it a few times before laughing, "If I had a cousin betrothed since childhood, where would you come from? Besides, my eldest uncle's daughter is already married, and I don't have a cousin."
"Then who is this cousin?" Luo Zhiheng asked in surprise. But the next moment, a slightly indifferent voice came from outside.
"I'm here to pick up Luo Zhiheng." The concise statement got straight to the point.
This time, Mu Yunhe raised an eyebrow: "Your friend?"
Luo Zhiheng shook her head in surprise: "I don't seem to have many friends. Except for Qianxue and Yu'er." 17281768
The two women were confused, and the people outside were equally bewildered. Hearing that the two young ladies were to greet the young prince and princess, and seeing that they had come together, they assumed they were guests of the young prince and princess. Not daring to be negligent, they immediately inquired about their names. However, neither of them gave a name, only saying that Mu Yunhe and Luo Zhiheng would know once they came down.
Mu Yunhe and the other man were naturally very surprised, so they came out to see what was going on, but when they saw it, they were both stunned.
Mu Yunhe felt disgusted, while Luo Zhiheng felt a chill run down her spine and felt even more disgusted.
What disgusted her was the one who was looking for Mu Yunhe, and what gave her the creeps was the one who was looking for her. The car was being punched.
The girl who saw Luo Zhiheng emerge suddenly broke into a breathtaking smile on her usually indifferent face. She practically jumped off the carriage and rushed towards Luo Zhiheng, lifting her skirt. In that instant, her gaze was truly fixed solely on Luo Zhiheng. Even though a handsome man who would make everyone scream was standing right next to Luo Zhiheng, it couldn't stop her from being drawn to Luo Zhiheng.
She stood beneath Luo Zhiheng's carriage, her face beaming with excitement and barely concealed joy, tinged with a hint of shyness, yet she resolutely tilted her head back and called out, "You're back!"
A thousand words, endless longing, yet upon finally meeting, all that remained was this simple sentence. The pain of longing was indescribable, the tenderness boundless, her gaze burning with irresistible intensity, while her words, at this moment, were clumsily laughable.
Luo Zhiheng was almost stunned by the girl's behavior and her overly passionate and direct gaze. Her heart pounded, and for the first time, she felt regret and self-loathing. She finally realized she might have gotten herself into trouble. Unwittingly, she had incurred the most unbelievable romantic entanglement ever!
Because the person in front of them was none other than Sun Yunyun!
During the first talent competition of the Mu Dynasty, she used opportunism, witty remarks, and lies to gain Sun Yunyun's trust. She lied, claiming to be a man, a male, and that she was framed by her sister to participate in the competition. Rather than saying she won against Sun Yunyun, it would be more accurate to say she deceived her.
This lie remained unexposed. Sun Yunyun, this seemingly aloof girl, was ultimately too naive, still believing she was truly a man and that she would part ways with Mu Yunhe. Now, seeing the unusual look in Sun Yunyun's eyes, Luo Zhiheng was truly on the verge of tears.
Good heavens! She truly didn't mean to deceive the heart of an innocent young girl! She couldn't afford such a romantic entanglement, much less wanted it! But how could she explain it to Sun Yunyun?
Seeing Luo Zhiheng's constantly changing expression, Sun Yunyun's heart, which had been pounding wildly with excitement, suddenly clenched. This rapid and sudden shift in her emotions caused a dramatic change in Sun Yunyun's mood, and her face turned deathly pale. Thinking that she had been too obvious and had upset Luo Zhiheng, she became uneasy.
She stammered cautiously, "I... I was just so happy to know you were back, so I couldn't help but come and pick you up. Did I cause you any trouble?"
It wasn't just a bother! It was downright harassment! Luo Zhiheng felt a chill run down her spine under Sun Yunyun's gaze, which seemed to be a mixture of anger, resentment, and sadness. She was on the verge of tears and didn't know how to react when Sun Yunyun lowered her head and said in a melancholy voice, "I thought we were already good friends..."
"Ah! Yes, we're friends, haha. I'm so happy to see you come to pick me up." Luo Zhiheng said with a slightly embarrassed expression and a forced smile.
Sun Yunyun was immediately delighted and was about to speak when she was violently shoved aside by a rude figure, and was about to crash headfirst into the carriage...
All that could be heard was the girl's melodious voice, devoid of apology or self-reproach. Instead, she looked at Mu Yunhe with a joyful and coquettish tone, saying, "Cousin, you're finally back! Xian'er missed you so much!"
Chapter 1 is here! There will be one more chapter today. Hua Sha will keep working hard! Regretful! Time to go out! So happy! I'm stubbornly begging for recommendation votes, comments, and monthly tickets! Haha!
329 A clash of wits, I'll crush you! (Bonus chapter for 51,000 votes)
Updated: 2013-09-15 11:12:56 Word Count: 3518