"Oh? Could it be that the barbarian chieftain is A-Wu's confidante? How come I've never heard of that? Yan Qing, have you heard of it?" the emperor asked casually, secretly glad that he hadn't revealed his intentions earlier. Otherwise, what would that have looked like? Stealing a woman from his own brother?
Yan Qing, who had been stunned into complete disbelief, was finally jolted awake by the emperor's words. He looked at Luo Zhiwu with a hint of suspicion, wondering when this young man had acquired a confidante. However, judging from the way he looked at Rui Lin, it was clear that he genuinely cared about that woman. No wonder his words had been so sarcastic earlier; it turned out he was dissatisfied with him because of a woman.
A man who values women over friends!
"Your Majesty, I have never heard of A-Wu having any confidante, but it seems so. In the past few years, apart from caring about his precious younger sister, this kid has never turned against me for anyone else." Yan Qing was ultimately on his brother's side, so he could let the unreasonable barbarian chieftain go for now.
"Ha! I think we should adjourn the court for today. It would be good for A-Wu and the chief to catch up." The emperor announced the end of the court session.
Mu Yunhe pulled Luo Zhiheng away, wanting to leave. He sincerely didn't want Luo Zhiheng and Luo Zhiwu to face each other. The way Luo Zhiwu looked at Luo Zhiheng was too strange, making Mu Yunhe very uncomfortable.
Luo Zhiwu, however, wouldn't let Mu Yunhe have his way. He blocked their path with a wicked grin, looking at Luo Zhiheng and saying, "What are you doing, little beauty? You've taken such good care of me, and I haven't even thanked you yet. But given our relationship, there's really no need for gratitude, is there?"
Luo Zhiheng felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing Luo Zhiwu, and seeing that Luo Zhiwu's gaze was straightforward, contrary to his frivolous and improper behavior, he felt that this older brother was to his liking. She smiled and said, "Of course, there's no need to thank me."
Mu Yunhe was so angry at her blunt reply that he almost fainted.
Luo Zhiwu seemed not to see Mu Yunhe's gloomy face, and tugged at Luo Zhiheng's sleeve, saying, "Come on, let's go have a couple of drinks."
Luo Zhiheng immediately retorted with displeasure, "How can you drink alcohol when you've just recovered? What's wrong with that old man, Poison Saint? Why did he let you out?"
Luo Zhiwu's smile deepened, and her voice became more casual: "It's not that old man's fault, I snuck out on my own. I heard that a girl went to court and was supposedly bullied. I figured I might have some ability to stand up for someone, so I rushed over. Little girl, you don't mind me, do you?"
Luo Zhiheng's smile broadened: "I don't mind."
"I find it disgusting!" Yan Qing interrupted coldly, glancing at Luo Zhiheng and glaring at Luo Zhiwu with dissatisfaction. "If you're going to back someone up, it should be me doing it, right? Aren't we brothers?"
Luo Zhiwu's mouth twisted, revealing her gleaming white teeth, and her tone was icy: "You're not my wife, not my sister, not my lover, so why should I back you up?"
Yan Qing is just too old-fashioned and serious. Luo Zhiwu's words made him so angry that his face turned white. He snorted and said coldly, "I don't care about you! I'll come to see you tomorrow. I'm leaving."
"Take care," Luo Zhiwu called out lazily. Before she could turn around, she was shoved forcefully, almost falling. Turning around, she saw Mu Yunhe, his face dark, pulling Luo Zhiheng's hand away. Luo Zhiwu said with a displeased expression, "Mu Yunhe, aren't you being too nosy? Is it any of your business if I hold hands with my confidante?"
Mu Yunhe glared at Luo Zhiwu with daggers in his eyes, his tone unfriendly: "I have no right to interfere with you, nor do I care to interfere with you, so you can leave here on your own. Goodbye."
After he finished speaking, he forcefully pulled Luo Zhiheng out. Luo Zhiheng turned around and spoke to Luo Zhiwu, clearly not wanting to leave her brother behind. Mu Yunhe was so angry that his lungs were about to explode. He pulled her hard and almost carried her out, threatening, "No matter what your relationship is, come with me right now."
Luo Zhiheng was quite happy with Mu Yunhe's behavior. The angrier Mu Yunhe was, the more he cared about her. However, when she saw her brother blinking his beautiful eyes, standing there all alone, swaying in the wind and rain like a pitiful flower, she couldn't bear it.
"Why don't you go first? I'll go with Luo Zhiwu." Luo Zhiheng still values her brother, who has just regained consciousness, more.
Mu Yunhe abruptly stopped, a dark aura emanating from his body. His gaze was sinister and terrifying, and he asked through gritted teeth, "Are you going to stay here with him?"
Without hesitation, Luo Zhiheng replied, "Yes, I can't abandon him." Although Luo Zhiwu's pitiful appearance, as if she had been abandoned, seemed like she was trying to be cute, Luo Zhiheng really couldn't bear to leave her brother behind.
Mu Yunhe glanced at Luo Zhiwu, and then at Luo Zhiheng's 'reluctant' gaze towards Luo Zhiwu. He felt as if he had swallowed a mouthful of bitter melon, the bitterness spreading between his lips and teeth, so bitter that he even had the urge to cry.
He asked himself, "Mu Yunhe, what are you doing? Have you gone mad? This woman doesn't belong to you, and she's destined to pass you by. Haven't you already given up on her? Haven't you already chosen Luo Zhiheng? Why are you still clinging to her like this? Why can't you let go of her? What right do you have to stop her?"
Mu Yunhe, you're disgusting!
Mu Yunhe even felt a strong sense of self-loathing. He stopped insisting, let go of Luo Zhiheng's hand, and turned away without saying a word. His back was stiff and desolate, just like before.
Luo Zhiheng felt sorry for Mu Yunhe, but her brother was really important right now; he was swaying! She rushed over to support Luo Zhiwu. Luo Zhiheng's voice was a little agitated because of Mu Yunhe's dejected departure: "Don't come out until you're fully recovered. What if something happens?"
"I was willing to risk my life to escort medicine for my sister, so you should know that nothing in this world is more important to me than my sister. Including myself." Luo Zhiwu's voice was light, seemingly casual, but her brief words brought tears to Luo Zhiheng's eyes.
She quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at Luo Zhiwu, but her heart skipped a beat because of Luo Zhiwu's words. Something was being torn apart between the siblings. However, Luo Zhiheng remained silent, so Luo Zhiwu didn't say anything more. She leaned on Luo Zhiheng's support as if nothing had happened and started talking about all sorts of things.
"I have indeed been to that desolate place before, but back then you weren't the leader, little girl," Luo Zhiwu changed the subject. Luo Zhiheng didn't even know if Luo Zhiwu knew something or nothing at all.
Luo Zhiheng still didn't dare to look up, but her voice carried a smile: "Since the chief made me the chief, I have the responsibility to make sure the people of the wilderness are well-fed and clothed. I know I'm not good enough, but I will try my best. If you hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid Yan Qing wouldn't have let this verbal battle go so easily."
Luo Zhiwu touched her chin with one hand and put the other around Luo Zhiheng's neck to lift her chin. The two walked out with their heads close together. Luo Zhiwu smiled ambiguously and said, "I'm afraid even without me, that kid Mu Yunhe would still protect you, right? It's my fault for meddling, but who can blame me for not liking that kid?"
Luo Zhiheng and Luo Zhiwu's eyes met. She saw wisdom in his cynical eyes and understood. She said with a mix of helplessness and melancholy, "We all have too many helpless situations, and he has his own helplessness. We can't blame anyone else. It's all just fate playing tricks on us."
A murderous glint flashed in Luo Zhiwu's eyes, and a deep sorrow spread through them. He closed his eyes tightly, and veins bulged from his forehead to the corners of his eyes, revealing his anger and his desperate attempts to suppress it.
He thought he could hide it well, he thought he could keep his emotions hidden, but damn it, he couldn't!
The precious child he held in his palm, from being unaware of human suffering to understanding sadness, melancholy, and resilience, how much transformation and hardship must he have gone through to be reborn as a different person?
The pain in his chest was suppressed and surging, and the surging hatred and anger were like a fire dragon about to burst out of its cage. He really wanted to kill someone!
"Are you feeling unwell?" Luo Zhiheng sensitively noticed the intense fluctuations in Luo Zhiwu's emotions. She nervously gripped Luo Zhiwu's hand, and her own hands and feet turned icy cold.
Luo Zhiwu raised her head and opened her eyes, not wanting Luo Zhiheng to see the pain and moisture in his eyes that he could no longer hide. She grinned exaggeratedly and said, "Little girl, you're not allowed to talk like that, you know? We're men, how can men be uncomfortable? That's something you women can do."
Luo Zhiheng couldn't understand Luo Zhiwu and asked, oblivious to her feelings, "Then why are you trembling all over?"
I'm so angry!
Luo Zhiwu gritted her teeth, not wanting to lose her temper with the girl. Damn it, why isn't the old man back? Otherwise, she could discuss with him whether they could quickly kill that wicked beast and avenge the girl!
"The Emperor's palace is really impressive. As soon as we came in, we felt its majestic grandeur, which made it hard to breathe. Don't those old guys get bored if they come here every day? Come on, let's go back and have a couple of drinks. I'm so hungry for it." Luo Zhiwu didn't let Luo Zhiheng see his face and half-forcefully carried Luo Zhiheng out.
"But you can't drink alcohol."
"It's okay, I won't die, don't worry. I'd die faster if you didn't let me drink."
"Then why don't we ask the Poison Saint?"
"Women are such a hassle, just ask away."
The brother and sister walked out, leaving behind their eloquent words in the golden hall. Their simple words concealed their deep affection. The two siblings understood each other perfectly without words, and Luo Zhiheng easily accepted her brother completely.
As the carriage drove away outside the palace gates, Mu Yunhe's tall figure stood in the shadows. His expression was obscured in the dim light, but his fists were clenched tightly at his sides, veins bulging on the back of his hands. He coldly watched the carriage disappear completely from sight before Mu Yunhe slumped against the mottled city wall and wearily closed his eyes.
Even with his eyes closed, he could still see the scene of the two of them embracing intimately. Luo Zhiheng kindly and considerately helped Luo Zhiwu into the carriage. She showed no arrogance in front of Luo Zhiwu, and was as gentle and well-behaved as a lady from a noble family. Mu Yunhe had never seen such a clever and lovely Luo Zhiheng before.
Is it only for the sake of the person she cares about and loves that she is willing to show her rare, unknown side? So that he has no right to participate in that side, nor is he qualified to yearn for it.
A sharp, heavy pain shot through Mu Yunhe's chest, and he panicked. The pain caught him off guard. He gasped for breath, pressing his hand hard against his chest, his hoarse voice barely audible in the air: "If the heart doesn't move, it won't hurt. Mu Yunhe, you've lost after all. You've lost to this heart!"
On a desolate cliff, Mu Yunsheng stood at the edge, his robes fluttering in the wind. He gazed at the misty, towering mountains and the sheer drop below, a cruel smile playing on his lips beneath his hood. "Things are getting more and more interesting," he said. "Luo Ningshuang is disfigured, Mu Yunhe barely reacts, Luo Zhiwu, who should be dead, is alive again, and now there's a barbarian female chieftain. Where exactly did things go wrong? The barbarian female chieftain…"
"Could it be because of this female leader? Could a female leader really disrupt all my plans? Who exactly is she? Don't let me find out who you are, or I will never let you go!"
484 A treasure in one's palm, a jinx!
Updated: 2013-12-08 12:18:31 Word Count: 7822
Luo Zhiwu raised her glass, her voice, tinged with drunkenness, sounding particularly disordered and wicked: "Come, drink this cup, and all your troubles will be forgotten. From now on, you are mine..."
Luo Zhiheng had a high alcohol tolerance, but today she was drinking with close friends and felt like she could drink a thousand cups without feeling like she was drinking too much. However, she felt warm inside because she was facing her family, her real family, not someone as heartless and crazy as Luo Ningshuang, who only thought about how to kill her and replace her family.
Facing Luo Zhiwu, Luo Zhiheng finally found a way out of her heart, which she had been unable to open up to all this time. All her bitterness and despair were released. Although she did not tell Luo Zhiwu, each glass of strong liquor seemed to carry a flame that could devour everything, burning away all her sorrows.
Temporarily setting aside her worries, Luo Zhiheng got completely drunk for the first time in front of her dearest brother. Her cheeks were flushed, and her squinting eyes glistened with tears, making her look both charming and beautiful. Leaning on the table, almost unable to hold her wine glass, she laughed foolishly and said, "Is it your... what? My darling?"
Luo Zhiwu also leaned onto the table, almost touching Luo Zhiheng's head. The two of them bumped foreheads like children, each trying to outdo the other. Luo Zhiheng was limp and didn't have much strength, and Luo Zhiwu couldn't bear to bully her. His large hands, heated by the strong liquor, felt exceptionally gentle and warm as they landed on Luo Zhiheng's head. Just like his voice at that moment, mixed with the heat of the liquor, it was intoxicating and deep: "Yes, she's my darling, my lifelong treasure, a precious gem that no one can bully."
Luo Zhiheng's eyes were almost wet with tears, blurring her vision. She looked up, trying to see Luo Zhiwu's face clearly, but his large hand was already in front of her, blocking her eyes. Only his voice still echoed in her ears, carrying a calming power: "I used to have a precious darling, but then I think I lost her. I was in a daze for several years. When I woke up from a dream, she seemed to have come back. It was like a dream, but as long as she comes back, I will never lose her again."
Luo Zhiheng's heart clenched. She had been in the Mu Dynasty for so long, yet she had always been so self-centered. At that time, she had never thought about finding her brother who had left home as a child. So she had no idea how wonderful those nearly four years of time should have been!
If she had her brother's companionship and protection during those days, perhaps she wouldn't have suffered so much pain later. It turns out that family love is the best healing elixir in times of sorrow.
"Can you tell me about your darling? About your past. Why do you cherish her so much?" She grabbed Luo Zhiwu's hand, rubbing against his warm palm like a cat, with a curious smile on her face.
Luo Zhiwu chuckled softly, her fingers occasionally stroking her cool mask as she drifted into memories: "When my mother was pregnant with my little sister, I was already ten years old. At that time, I eagerly awaited the birth of the child in my mother's belly. I grew up alongside that child, witnessing her grow from nothing to something in my mother's womb. Every day after school, I would read to the child in my mother's belly. My mother said that it must be a little sister, and that the little sister would like her brother to read to her. My mother said that the brother should protect the little sister, even before she was born. If he gets used to protecting her, he can better protect her when she grows up."
“Every day after I read to my younger sister, I also give her some boxing. My mother sings to her. My mother’s singing voice is very beautiful. Whenever my sister is naughty and moves around in my mother’s belly, she will become very well-behaved and quiet as soon as my mother sings. I always thought that our family of four would be happy forever. After my sister was born, my parents, my sister, and I would have a simple and peaceful happiness that would accompany us for the rest of our lives.”
“My dad and I would look forward to the birth of that little life every day. It felt like an eternity. Although the little one was very difficult and took a long time to come out, which made us feel even more anxious and impatient, we still looked forward to it as always. But I never expected that the day my sister was born would be a disaster.”
Luo Zhiwu's voice shifted from gentle tenderness to deep pain. Luo Zhiheng suddenly gripped his hand tightly, seemingly conveying some kind of strength and support silently. It took Luo Zhiwu a while to calm down, but her voice was no longer joyful, becoming increasingly cold and somber: "The weather was exceptionally bad that day, with torrential rain and a stifling, oppressive atmosphere. The child, who was supposed to be born in a couple of weeks, unexpectedly came out that day."
"Everything seemed chaotic, but thankfully the wet nurse was there to direct things in an orderly manner. But that day was really not a good day. My mother was in pain and pain, and the baby just wouldn't come out. The midwife examined the baby and confirmed that it was in the correct position, which meant that the baby should be easy to deliver. But it felt like something was blocking my mother's birth canal, and it kept delaying the delivery. The baby just wouldn't come out, and my mother just kept holding on."
"Later, the midwife had no choice but to keep making my mother get up and walk around. At that time, my mother was almost exhausted and could not walk at all. My mother kept bleeding. Finally, the thing blocking the birth canal was gone, and soon my mother gave birth to a girl. The little girl's face had turned purple from being suffocated, but her cries were very loud. Although the birth of this child was very dangerous, my father and I were very happy because this child was what we had been looking forward to every day."
"That day, Mother was also very happy. She asked Father to bring the little sister over to see her. We laughed and chatted. Father wasn't afraid of any custom about not being allowed in the delivery room for bloodshed. He stayed by Mother's side and said the name he had already thought of: Heng! It means the most precious treasure, a rare jade, a divine pearl, our family's treasure. And this character also has another meaning. Because Mother's name also contains the character Heng, Father said that this woman was their last child. He wouldn't let Mother get pregnant and have children again. One son and one daughter were enough for them in their lives. That character commemorates Father's love for Mother."
Luo Zhiheng froze. She had long known that the homophone in her and Qin Yinheng's names must have some other meaning, but only today did she realize that this character actually contained the deep affection of the Luo family patriarch for his beloved wife.
"But this word seems to have become our last tribute to our mother. We were so happy that day, but the happy time was so short. It was the first and last time that our family of four was truly together. Then all the happiness and beautiful hopes for the future were completely ended by a child who should never have been born."
Luo Zhiwu's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, her voice cold and hard, filled with hatred and sorrow: "Mother suddenly started bleeding again, and her stomach hurt terribly. At first, we all ignored Mother's stomach, but later when the pain started, we realized that Mother's stomach was still quite large. The midwife said that there was another child in Mother's belly, but when we saw doctors before, no one could tell that Mother was carrying twins. The midwife said that what had been blocking the birth canal was probably this child's little hands and feet. In other words, this unexpected extra child almost killed Heng'er and caused Mother so much suffering."
"She shouldn't have appeared! Who knows where she came from? No one ever expected or knew of her existence, no one ever rejoiced in her presence. On that day, her arrival seemed unbearable. I will always remember what happened after that day. Thunder and rain raged in the sky, streaks of lightning struck the tiles, the sky suddenly brightened, and then the heavy clouds in the sky seemed to be about to fall, making people's hearts more and more panicked."
"That child couldn't be born, and my mother was already very weak. She gritted her teeth and persevered, fainting several times, and was kept alive with ginseng. Although I was young at the time, I knew that if ginseng was used, it meant that the situation was probably very bad. My father's face was very frightening at the time. He didn't go out and just stayed by my mother's bedside. My sister and I were taken to the other room by the wet nurse, and we could still hear my mother's weak cries. I remember my sister was very well-behaved. She was so small and soft, with her eyes closed. I found it hard to imagine that there was such a lovely little life inside my mother's belly. I was a little dazed, but I was still hopeful."
"Time felt so long, like a lifetime. Then I heard my father's hysterical roar. When I rushed out, I saw my father holding my mother. It was the first time I had ever seen my stern and fierce father shed tears. I was terrified because I saw my mother bleeding profusely. The servants were frantically carrying out basins of bloody water. No matter how they wiped, they couldn't clean the blood. My mother's dress and the bedding were stained red. My mother lay on the bed, and no matter how my father called or begged her, she never opened her eyes to look at him again, just like she had done countless times before."
"Then I saw my father's eyes were bloodshot. His face was the most terrifying face I had ever seen in my life. Later, when I grew up, I learned that my father's expression that day was called ferocious. My father drew his sword and actually swung it at the newborn child being held by the servants. I was so scared that I forgot to stop him. The servants desperately held my father back."
"Later I learned that my mother died, leaving us so easily because of a difficult childbirth." It is said that men do not easily shed tears, but only when they are deeply saddened. Luo Zhiwu's voice was hoarse, and her body gradually grew cold. Her icy forehead pressed against Luo Zhiheng's forehead, trembling slightly. The most painful words were the ones he least wanted to face and say in his life, so they were very soft, yet very heavy.
"It's all because of that child who shouldn't have existed! She shattered our happy family of four in an instant, she made my poor little sister a motherless child from birth, and she almost caused Heng'er to die in the womb! If she had been born smoothly, maybe my mother wouldn't have been dragged to her death. But the midwives all said that my mother was already pregnant with her second child, and she had given birth to my sister before this one, so the second child should have been easy to deliver, but she just couldn't. It's as if this child was born a jinx, deliberately trying to kill my mother and Heng'er!"
“I have never hated anyone so much. That child, I really wanted to strangle her with my own hands! Although that child may not understand anything, she came to the wrong family. Our family does not welcome her. Maybe she did nothing wrong, but we just couldn't love her because her arrival constantly reminded my father and me that this child killed my father's beloved wife, killed my beloved mother, and caused Heng'er to have poor health since childhood. She is a jinx, a cursed star, a harbinger of misfortune!”
"After Mother's death, Father became extremely depressed and despondent, and was even bedridden for a time. If it weren't for Heng'er, Father might have followed Mother and my daughter in the subsequent memorial service. Because of our guilt towards Heng'er, and even more so because Heng'er was the daughter we had always hoped for, the daughter who would bring comfort to Mother, and the solace for our longing for Mother, we poured all our love into this child. As for the other child, because we hated her, we couldn't bring ourselves to love her, yet we couldn't really kill her, so we could only ignore her and forget her."
"Heng'er is truly the joy of our family. The reason my father treats her like his lifeblood is entirely because she is so smart. She has been clever and sensible since she was little. She can make my father happy when he is sad and misses his mother. She was very sensitive when she was young. Whenever my father's mood was not right, she would immediately act cute and charming, which always made my father forget about other things and only think about this lovely and lively daughter."
“My dad treated Heng’er like both a father and a mother. When Heng’er was sick, he would stay by her bedside day and night, doing everything himself. Heng’er was the only one in our family who could ride on my dad’s shoulders and play to her heart’s content. Anything Heng’er didn’t like to eat would never appear on the table. Gradually, our family lost its individual preferences; the three of us, father and daughter, had almost identical tastes. Because of this subtle influence, we all got used to Heng’er’s tastes for her sake, and we liked what she liked to eat.”
"Heng'er slept with me until she was five years old. I would take care of Heng'er after school. She has a slightly boyish personality, which is largely due to me. The little girl likes to sleep with her little bottom sticking up and she likes to hug my neck while sleeping. She won't be happy until she gets my face and neck covered in drool."
"When she was teething, she was always crying because of the discomfort. Such a little child has such a big temper. She would throw a tantrum at the slightest thing. She would put everything in her mouth, and she would cry if I didn't let her. Later, I had no choice but to run around several streets and finally found a small gadget that was suitable for a child to put in her mouth to chew on without hurting her. The gadget was delicate and beautiful, and Heng'er loved it and put it in her mouth to play with every day."
"She loves taking baths. Every day when I put her in the basin, she splashes around happily playing by herself. The little girl is naughty. If I'm still clean after her bath, she'll stay in the water and refuse to come out. She has to wet me herself before she happily crawls out with a big grin."
“Heng’er’s childhood was spent with me. At that time, I was just a kid. I was most afraid that Heng’er would be in danger or get hurt because of my carelessness. I grew up quickly in those years. I no longer had the right to play in front of Heng’er. My little sister was the center and the whole of my life.”
Luo Zhiheng listened quietly, her heart churning with a bittersweet mix of emotions, a complex blend of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Tears streamed down her face, yet she remained oblivious, unaware of any of this. Even if the real Luo Zhiheng were alive, she probably wouldn't remember these seemingly trivial yet actually warm and beautiful childhood memories.
"Father... How could General Luo entrust his daughter to you?" Luo Zhiheng pursed her lips and tried to smile, but tears still slid into her mouth, leaving her with a bitter taste.
Luo Zhiwu chuckled smugly, "How could I entrust the little girl to me? I went to great lengths to get the chance to take care of Heng'er. My father couldn't always stay home and watch over Heng'er, could he? So, when my father wasn't home, I played and went crazy with Heng'er, giving her all sorts of good things, firmly capturing her innocent and naive heart. Hehehe, then my father and I played dirty tricks, letting Heng'er choose for herself, seeing who she wanted to be with, and that person couldn't have any objections."
"I know my father won't go against Heng'er's wishes, so as long as we win over Heng'er, nothing else matters."