Mu Rong’s eyes instantly deepened, devoid of any light, like a dark night of biting cold, yet upon hearing Yun Xiao’s later words, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Even this simple action of raising an eyebrow was damnably handsome.
Yun Xiao blinked, gazing at him and thinking to herself, did she just pick him up? It felt like a dream. She reached out and pinched her cheek hard. This incredibly childish gesture caused the surrounding cold and bloodthirsty Mu Rong to relax slightly.
“No, I am of royal blood…”
Mu Rong slightly lowered his eyelids, his exquisite features veiled by a layer of mist, hazy as smoke. But upon closer inspection, one could still discern the deep sorrow leaking from the upturned corners of his eyes.
Although he made no grand gestures, he evoked a sense of heartache.
He spoke word by word: “I am of royal blood, Xiao’er.”
Yun Xiao was stunned. She raised her eyes. She remembered her father once saying that the late Emperor had only two children: the Crown Prince and Prince Lin. If Mu Rong was a child of the royal family, could it be?
Her eyes widened in an instant, her pupils constricting. The immense tidal wave surging in her heart was indescribable, rising higher and higher, and she held her breath at its peak, only to let it fall abruptly.
“You say you are of royal blood, so who is the fake one?”
Yes, Mu Rong, Shangguan Yao, and Shangguan Lin—one of these three was a fake, not of royal blood. Furthermore, she had never heard of the Empress Dowager having two imperial princes.
Could it be that the current Emperor was the fake one? This was too terrifying. Did her father know about this? It seemed he was kept in the dark. Why was a regent, a Crown Prince, replaced with a counterfeit, and they couldn’t discover it?
“Mu Rong, what exactly is going on?”
So, Mu Rong was the true Emperor. Then who was the current Shangguan Yao? He bore a striking resemblance to the Empress Dowager, making it certain he was also her son.
Was he someone else’s child? Yun Xiao suddenly recalled the scene of catching them in the act that night. Could Shangguan Yao still be Ye Qing Tian’s son? Then his surname would be Ye.
There was nothing more horrifying than this. If the current Shangguan Yao was Ye Qing Tian’s son, then she could understand why he targeted people from the Yun Wang Manor, as well as the old officials in court, and even dealt with Shangguan Lin.
Because he was fake, his throne was stolen. Anyone who steals something fears others finding out; he was guarding against potential future events.
Mu Rong, with his martial arts so profound, was actually framed and dared not reveal his true appearance. Then, could the person who harmed him be…?
“Could the one who harmed you be the Empress Dowager?”
Good heavens, Yun Xiao patted her chest, hoping her guess was wrong. But in an instant, Mu Rong was enveloped by dark, gloomy clouds. With flashes of lightning, malevolence filled the air. He abruptly stood up, rushed to the window, and looked up at the moonlit night outside.
She could see his body trembling slightly.
A person as cold as ice, as bloodthirsty as a demon, had such immense pain hidden within. It turned out that what the eyes saw was not necessarily the truth.
Just like Mu Rong, who would have known that the bloodthirsty Palace Master of Shenlong Palace was actually the Lord of Dong Qin, their true master.
Thinking of the grief that must be overwhelming Mu Rong at this moment, as dense as a heavy rain, Yun Xiao had already leaped from the bed. Forgetting the pain on her lips, she rushed to the window, embraced Mu Rong’s waist from behind, and her gentle, pained voice rang out.
“Mu Rong, don’t think about it. You still have me. I’m here with you.”
Mu Rong’s cold thoughts, first frozen atop a snowy mountain, held not a trace of warmth. He felt the biting cold all over; his body was cold, his blood was cold, his breath was cold. He was like an ice sculpture.
Only his breath existed, proving he was still alive.
He felt as hollow as a mummy from an ancient world, yet when that small body pressed against him, he suddenly felt a wisp of warmth. Slowly, the snow-covered heart began to melt.
His misty, cold gaze withdrew from the boundless sky. He turned back and tightly held the person in his arms. xxs
“Xiao’er, thank you. Never leave me. I… I cannot bear this pain anymore. This pain is more terrifying than death.”
Those who have experienced such hurt will understand that sometimes death is not frightening; it is only a moment. But what is terrifying is not dying, but being tormented endlessly.
“Mm,” Yun Xiao instinctively nodded, burying her face in his embrace, giving him warmth. She was grateful that she could do this for him now; at least he still had her.
The night was serene. The pale moonlight cast a faint, hazy aura upon the two of them, making everything around them seem ethereal, while only the two of them were truly real.
Mu Rong suddenly picked up Yun Xiao and leaped out the window. With a few bounds, they had landed on the roof of the small building.
The two sat at a height, looking up at the stars in the sky. The stars seemed so close, as if within reach. A few wisps of light clouds rolled and unfurled gently, leisurely and content.
“Xiao’er, I’ll play you a tune.”
“Okay.” It wasn’t the first time she had heard him play. In Qingfeng Pavilion, she had also heard him play a melody that was very beautiful.
Mu Rong drew a piece of jade flute from behind him. In the night, it emitted a vibrant green light, revealing the flute to be a rare treasure.
He slowly brought it to his lips.
In an instant, an ethereal melody arose, resonant and melodious under the moonlit water.
This melody seemed capable of cleansing the soul, calming a restless heart, and finally turning it to peace. It was much like a lullaby. The gentle breeze felt like soft hands stroking her cheek.
The nimble music was like adorable spirits leaping from his lips and teeth, dancing before her eyes.
The song ended, and Mu Rong became completely composed. He turned his head to look at Yun Xiao.
At this moment, Yun Xiao had lightly removed the human-skin mask from her face, revealing her true appearance. Their eyes met, and tenderness filled their deep pupils.
Mu Rong’s voice, in the night, was deep and magnetic, slow like the murmuring of a stream.
“When I was little, I really liked her. She was very beautiful, like an immortal who didn’t eat human food. But this immortal didn’t like to smile, and had no expression all day. Yet I still liked her because she gave birth to me.
Whenever the eunuchs and palace maids said that the Crown Prince looked exactly like the Empress, I felt a deep sense of joy. But as I grew a little older, I vaguely knew that she didn’t like me. The more it was like this, the more I wanted to win her favor.
I did whatever she liked, and disliked what she disliked. She liked me to be smart, so I became learned. She liked me to learn martial arts, so at thirteen, I bid farewell to my father and went to Qingfeng Mountain to apprentice myself.”
Mu Rong’s voice pierced through the night, traveling far, as if sinking into a scene from the past.