Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Hateful (70+ Monthly Tickets)
Mu Lianhui was the apple of the Lian Family’s eye, and the only girl of her generation.
In her childhood, Madam Wu, feeling sorry for her loneliness, brought Jiang Yunuan into the mansion, and after the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion encountered upheaval, Mu Lianhui’s life also changed.
In the 13th year of Yong’an, the Old Marquis Mu and his three sons died one after another on the battlefield, and Mu Liankang, who went to receive their remains, disappeared. The court, in a bid to console them, awarded honors continually.
The Empress Dowager noticed that the adolescent Mu Lianhui was not in good spirits, fearing she would succumb to depression alone in the remnant family, she bestowed upon her the title of Lady Jiarou. Coincidentally, the Imperial Consort was going to Putuo Mountain to pray, and she wished for Mu Lianhui to accompany her.
Madam Wu was reluctant, but Mrs. Lian persuaded her, and eventually sent Mu Lianhui along.
That journey lasted more than three years.
After spending three years in the temple, Mu Lianhui comprehended Buddhist principles, was humble in demeanor, and having spent three years under the care of the Imperial Consort, acquired the graceful demeanor of a noble lady. Upon her return to the Capital, she outshone everyone.
This was only the Mu Lianhui seen in public. Du Yunluo didn’t know before, often associating with her, and even shedding many tears upon Mu Lianhui’s death, until the truth rushed in, making Du Yunluo realize the venomous heart concealed behind the humble and kind appearance.
Yet, what use is a venomous heart?
Du Yunluo hated Mu Lianhui, she wanted revenge, but she wouldn’t take action against Mu Lianhui.
Based on the previous life’s development, Mu Lianhui would drive herself to a dead end. Although she lived to over fifty, the last thirty years, Mu Lianhui didn’t have a single comfortable day.
The Royal Family’s lack of affection aptly sums up Mu Lianhui’s life.
Recollecting those palace intrigues and calculations, Du Yunluo felt an endless sense of lament.
The Holy Emperor is the blood son of the Empress Dowager Mrs. Bai, with a full-brother Prince Rui Li Xiang, but compared to Prince Rui, the Holy Emperor trusts more in Li Yuan, born to the Imperial Consort.
When the late Emperor was around, the princes vied for the throne, and the current emperor, while still a Crown Prince, gradually ascended the throne with Prince Cheng’s support, so amongst all the princes, Prince Cheng’s standing even exceeded Prince Rui’s.
The Holy Emperor trusts Prince Cheng, naturally, the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Consort are also close to him.
The Imperial Consort was fond of Mu Lianhui, so the Empress Dowager held her in high esteem, even arranging for Mu Lianhui to marry the Heir of Prince Rui, Li Luan.
Decades later, Du Yunluo learned, the Imperial Consort originally hoped Mu Lianhui could wed her own grandson, the Heir of Prince Cheng, Li Yu, but since the Empress Dowager had spoken, she habitually complied, fearing conflict, thus stayed silent and acted as if nothing happened.
Mu Lianhui was well aware of the situation; Li Luan and Li Yu didn’t matter to her.
However, the Holy Emperor’s trust in Prince Cheng didn’t imply the Crown Prince would continue trusting Prince Cheng’s lineage once he inherited the throne; the power of Prince Cheng and his heir Li Yu was too great, surely inviting the Crown Prince’s suspicion, and compared to Prince Cheng, allying with the Prince Rui Mansion, sharing the same mother with the Holy Emperor, was safer.
Mu Lianhui calculated it all, the Holy Emperor’s and Crown Prince’s thoughts, yet she overlooked Prince Rui and his heir Li Luan.
The Holy Emperor had not yet passed, and the Crown Prince ascended firmly in the Eastern Palace, when the Empress Dowager suddenly passed away.
Before the mourning period ended, Prince Rui’s army surrounded the Capital, directly threatening the Forbidden Palace.
Everyone thought a regime change was imminent, yet overnight, the situation transformed again.
Li Luan committed patricide.
With one hand on the Commander’s Seal seizing the Capital’s throat, and the other holding Prince Rui Li Xiang’s head, Li Luan knelt outside the city and surrendered.
The Holy Emperor was so furious he fainted, but with the mourning period for the Empress Dowager still ongoing, and Li Luan having committed patricide to quell the revolt, though he wished to kill Li Luan, he had to restrain himself.
Mu Lianhui pleaded with the Imperial Consort, pleaded with Li Yu, ultimately saving Li Luan’s life.
The legitimate son remained in the Forbidden Palace, while Li Luan and Mu Lianhui watched over the Imperial Mausoleum.
They watched over it for thirty years, until Mu Lianhui died there, never seeing her own son again.
Is it not tragic?
Truly tragic!
Is it not hateful?
Du Yunluo hated bitterly.
Mu Lianxiao died on the battlefield, Mu Lianhui also had a hand in it; Mrs. Zhou died in her chamber, it was also Mu Lianhui’s doing; she married Li Luan to elevate the second branch, allowing Mu Liancheng to inherit the title.
All the wicked ideas conceived by the Lian Family had Mu Lianhui’s involvement!
Mu Lianhui destroyed Du Yunluo’s life, and also sacrificed her own life.
After all the calculations were exhausted, in the end, regret was greater than satisfaction.
This time, she would still see Mu Lianhui marry Li Luan and eventually walk to the Imperial Mausoleum step by step.
However, Mu Lianhui could no longer successfully kill Mu Lianxiao, couldn’t kill Mrs. Zhou, nor help Mu Liancheng inherit the title.
After sacrificing everything and gaining nothing, she also had to endure the torment of guarding the Imperial Mausoleum, which was more unbearable to Mu Lianhui than anything else.
As for Li Luan...
Du Yunluo had seen Li Luan accompany Mu Lianhui back to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.
Li Luan’s peach blossom eyes, even when not smiling, carried a tender gaze, just standing there, he captured the surreptitious glances of the little maids, and Li Luan’s gaze always settled on Mu Lianhui.
Du Yunluo had envied that, but later she slowly understood, how could someone daring enough to commit patricide be truly gentle and harmless?
Prince Rui aspired to be Emperor, and Li Luan did as well, both father and son plotting for years, yet they hadn’t foreseen the sudden demise of the Empress Dowager.
With no brotherly love in his heart, Prince Rui measured others by his own standard. Without the Empress Dowager watching in the harem, the Holy Emperor wouldn’t spare his life, so Prince Rui, inadequately prepared, had no choice but to revolt, surrounding the Capital.
With enemies ahead and ambushers behind, who could have anticipated that Prince Cheng Li Yuan, having been absent from the battlefield for twenty years, along with his heir Li Yu, would break through enemy lines, rally tens of thousands from the Capital Camp, and orchestrate a siege with other regional troops, intending to wear down Prince Rui’s forces until they were fully exhausted.
With no hope of victory, Li Luan had only one option: patricide.
This is the Imperial Family.
The bloodbath made Du Yunluo’s brow throb with pain.
How would a patricidal Li Luan care for the young son’s life in the Forbidden Palace? His decades of immobility were merely the court’s tight grip suppressing him.
Recalling the past, those familiar faces flickered through her mind repeatedly, and Du Yunluo felt somewhat fatigued. She sighed lightly, leaning against Du Yunru to exhale a slow breath.
Du Yunru, unaware of those miscellaneous thoughts, attributed it to Mu Lianxiao, and laughed: "The Princely Heir has only gone to the dock, a half-month round trip, and yet you sigh so. If he weren’t gone, could you see him anyway?"
Du Yunluo smiled faintly.
She knew Du Yunru had misunderstood, but she couldn’t say anything, so she changed the topic: "Second Aunt’s been gone a long time, I wonder when she’ll return."
Mentioning the Miao Family piqued Du Yunru’s curiosity: "I was so preoccupied with your matters, I forgot to ask, why did Aunt Nine from the Miao Family come suddenly?"
Du Yunluo pouted, leaning in to whisper in Du Yunru’s ear.
Du Yunru’s mouth twitched, gasping several times before exclaiming, "Simply outrageous!"
This was a reproach directed at the Zhao family and their young nephew.
