Chapter 1295: Do You Really Understand? (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

absurd!

absurd!

absurd!

Extreme emotions brewed within her, instantly transforming into a raging fire of fury and resentment. The queen grabbed Mei Meng by the collar with one hand and scrambled forward until she tripped and fell to the ground amidst the chaos. With her other hand, she drew a round dagger from her pipe, its tip pressed against Mei Meng's neck!

Heavy breaths sprayed onto Mei Meng's face, her ferocious features reflected in his eyes: "Mei Jinghe! If you want integrity, go get it! As a subject, what right do you have to make decisions for me? Are you truly my subject, or am I your puppet? Yes, you are magnanimous, you are noble, you have lofty aspirations, you regard life and death as fleeting clouds, you value integrity above all else, but don't use me as your sacrifice!"

Facing Mei Meng's unwavering gaze, her current emotional outburst only made her seem like a joke, like an unreasonable fool!

This realization fueled her inner fire even more.

The round dagger pierced Mei Meng's neck, leaving a small, bright red mark.

The two of them paid no attention to their minor injuries.

The queen unleashed the pent-up resentment that had accumulated in her heart over the years. If she didn't speak out, she felt her soul was being suffocated by immense pressure. Mei Meng's one-sided expectations tore at her soul from all sides: "Jing He, am I truly your lord, your friend, or merely a stepping stone for your righteous deeds, a sacrifice you use for your martyrdom? Have you, even for a moment, truly considered me your lord? Jing He, tell me, do you even possess such a thing as sincerity?"

Mei Meng was the one who pulled her out of the mire.

She was naturally moved to tears, and now, recalling that scene, it all seemed like a fleeting dream. No one in this world would wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to another without expecting anything in return; there was always a price to pay that an ordinary person couldn't afford. Reason told her that Mei Meng wanted something from her! And the price might be so high that she simply couldn't repay it!

But she had no other choice at the time, so she had to agree.

She thought that as a princess who was used as a bargaining chip by her father and brothers to win over military generals and who became a sacrifice in the struggle between her father, brothers and her husband's family, she had nothing that truly belonged to her or was under her control.

What could Mei Meng possibly want from her?

If you agree, life can still move forward.

If he doesn't agree to Mei Meng's request, he doesn't know how many times his father and brothers will use him as a bargaining chip in the future, and how many so-called male concubines will end up in his bed.

She made up her mind and agreed.

Mei Meng indeed helped her devise a plan to escape the quagmire.

Having reached this point, she was actually content, but she didn't dare to ask Mei Meng, who could oversee everything, for permission. Before, her life was in the hands of her father and brothers; now, Mei Meng dictated her destiny. She could only stop when Mei Meng stopped.

Mei Meng pushed her onto a path she had never imagined.

Power is readily available.

From a princess of a fiefdom to a regent's advisor, and then to replacing the puppet ruler, she stood in the same position her father and brothers had once held. Standing in this position, she could achieve almost any wish except for immortality. The king then thought of Mei Meng and wanted to ask her what she desired.

Mei Meng's answer was the same as always.

Fame, fortune, and wealth?

But these are all just fleeting illusions; she only wants to seek the Dao.

The king was aware of the conditions for Mei Meng to achieve perfection in the way of the scholar, and for a time he was filled with anxiety, but he was still confident that Mei Meng would not harm him. As time went on, she completely took control of the Qi Kingdom, and the civil and military officials in the court went from initially doubting her to being completely convinced of her worth.

With these ministers around, Mei Meng was no longer the irreplaceable one to the king. On the contrary, Mei Meng hadn't yet adapted to the change in their status; whether she was the princess of yesteryear or the king now, the attitude towards her remained exactly the same…

The king was slightly displeased.

She keenly realized that Mei Meng did not see herself as a subordinate, and did not treat her like a subject serving a lord...

The two still have feelings for each other, so this little unpleasantness is not worth mentioning.

The rift won't disappear just because its owner isn't paying attention; it will only become more pronounced over time—the king finds himself increasingly at odds with Mei Meng, who doesn't value his interests. Many of the reform measures are even infringing on his own interests.

She began to have doubts—

Did Mei Meng truly pledge allegiance to her?

But she really didn't want to part ways with Mei Meng.

As long as it didn't fundamentally harm her, she was willing to sacrifice her own interests and take a step back for Mei Meng. However, the more she retreated, the more Mei Meng pressed forward. It was like a clam accidentally swallowing a grain of sand, which tormented her soft flesh constantly, causing her unbearable pain. She couldn't abandon the sand and could only choose to endure it.

The patience of water mussels is rewarded with pearls that bring joy to humankind.

Her patience only earned her Mei Meng sending her to the altar.

Are you loyal to me, or to your own code of honor?

The king asked the question, trembling.

The answer was already clear in her heart, but she still wanted to hear the real answer from the person in question! A masochistic emotion churned and burned within her, giving her an impulse—to stab and kill Mei Meng!

Listening to the person above her shouting and questioning, Mei Meng waited for them to calm down before slowly saying, "I thought we should at least share the same ideals—you and I have similar experiences, have endured the same pain, we should grow the same fruit, have the same direction, stand at the same height, despise our common enemy, and consider life and death as nothing more than external things."

Compared to the suffering they endured, death was nothing but a joke.

If death can become a mockery of suffering, why not?

When Princess Wang was heartbroken, there was still Mei Meng who was willing to lend her a hand. But what about Mei Meng herself back then? Mei Jinghe was a famous flower that her brother's family had carefully nurtured for many years. It is undeniable that her brother doted on and indulged her, but this brother-sister relationship had a major premise—the famous flower had to stay in an expensive flowerpot specially prepared for the famous flower.

She can't go anywhere except for this flowerpot.

Despite the fertile soil providing a constant nourishment for this flower, Mei Meng still felt herself withering away. No matter how she explained to her brother, how she pleaded, or how she articulated her inner pain, in his eyes it was nothing but her melodramatic whining, and even more so, her self-degradation. She was the prefect's sister; he could get her any man she wanted, and treating Lü Jue like a plaything was just a matter of her word. Yet, she insisted on falling for a mere plaything?

Why should you be tempted?

The prefect's sister falls for a male slave?

Where does Mei Meng put her brother's dignity?

I can be moved because I am a human being!

The elder brother flew into a rage: "That's still unfair to a slave!"

So what if I'm attracted to a slave!

The elder brother coldly retorted: "What right do you have? Can Lü Jue clothe you in fine silks and satins, or ensure you never have to lift a finger? Everything you have now is given to you by me! Just like these flowers you're raising, how can they survive like this?"

He swept the flowers that Mei Mengzhen cherished to the ground with a flick of his sleeve.

The porcelain basin shattered, and dirt flew everywhere.

The once vibrant and beautiful flowers have fallen into the mud and debris, stained with dirt, their petals and leaves withered and dying.

Mei Meng felt that she herself was on the verge of death.

Am I just a flower you grow?

The elder brother sneered: "You should be grateful that you share the same mother as me and are entitled to be pampered, instead of being humiliated by others outside!"

From that day on, Mei Meng felt as if her soul had left her body, and she could only stand as a third party, quietly watching her body slowly decay from the inside out. Death was so close to her; Mei Meng could embrace it with just a slight reach.

Until one day I woke up—

The thought instantly became clear.

She's a poisonous spider; she's the one who poisons others!

How could she sit idly by and wait for death when fate was playing such a cruel trick on her?

She staggered along a dark, rugged, unfamiliar path, a chilling wind blowing, and mocking laughter echoing from all sides. It seemed as if some monster in the darkness stretched out countless hands to drag her down into depravity. How could she not be afraid?

She found someone like her on this road.

The joy I felt at that moment almost burst my heart.

Mei Meng carefully pulled her along, and that ever-present loneliness finally stopped haunting her. Even if she later discovered that the other person was on a different path, it didn't matter; the other person would eventually understand.

To this day, the other party says: "You were just being delusional."

Mei Meng was stunned by those four words, her head spinning. She didn't even notice the warm, sticky blood staining the back of her collar; that stinging pain was nothing compared to the agony of her heart being torn apart. Her voice was dry as she said, "You once contemplated suicide..."

This life has already been abandoned once.

"Those were the days, but I don't want to die now!" the king said, enraged and embarrassed. "Mei Jinghe, do you even understand? Why should I be allowed to die at your behest? I am the ruler of a nation, the ruler of Qi! My life is more precious than yours, more precious than anyone here! Why should I die? Even if I lose to Shen Youli and become a prisoner, I can still enjoy wealth and honor, instead of becoming a dead ghost praised by posterity!"

These empty titles are hardly worth her risking her life for.

She didn't want to die, she couldn't bear to die, she didn't want to die!

By what right do you use me as a sacrifice for your martyrdom?

Tears fell onto Mei Meng's face and eyelids.

The king, choking back tears as he confessed his dark and cowardly nature, could barely hold the round dagger in his hand: "Mei Jinghe, have you ever shown me even a shred of loyalty? I am merely a puppet in your hands, saved by you, yet forced to pay the price of being manipulated. What is the fundamental difference between you and my father and brothers, you and the old patriarch of the Cui family, you and Cui Zhishan… what is the essential difference between you all? You disregarded my wishes and made choices for me, claiming it was for my own good."

But you are the ruler...

The conflict doesn't lie in life or death, but in identity.

Mei Meng hoped that she, as the ruler of the country, could demonstrate courage and boldness no less than, and perhaps even surpassing, that of most male rulers. She wanted future generations to know that a monarch is merely a position!

Courage and integrity are not qualities that belong to any one person alone.

As long as you have the ambition to soar to great heights, you can always escape the mire.

Unfortunately, the king's ideas differed from hers.

Seeing Mei Meng's dazed yet still stubborn expression, the king sneered: "Yes, I am the king. Does Jing He remember the saying, 'When the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject must die'? You have never considered me your true sovereign, so what right do you have to expect me to be your sovereign? Mei Jing He, I now demand you commit suicide. Will you agree?"

When Qi Cang arrived, the scene was a complete mess.

Mei Meng slumped to the ground, her hair now much whiter than before, as if all her energy had been drained away. She sat there like a puppet, blood trickling from her neck, her gaze unfocused. A familiar round dagger lay at her feet, but its owner was nowhere to be seen.

Qi Cang was not surprised by this.

Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.

He once said that Mei Meng was similar to Yan An, and Zheng Qiao had also questioned Yan An back then about whether he was using her as a martyr.

Alas, isn't this a kind of cycle?

You should have gone solo back then!

Qi Cang began to offer hindsight advice.

Going it alone can save you a lot of trouble.

Mei Meng moved her stiff limbs. She turned her neck; the blood that had flowed out had dried and clung tightly to her skin, and the stab wound on her neck was healing under Wen's gentle care. She smiled bitterly: "It's tough."

It's still harder than climbing to heaven.

Qi Cang asked, "Why did you choose her?"

Mei Meng numbly replied, "[The right person appeared at the right time, so it was her. Unfortunately, it was all wishful thinking on my part.]"

Not everyone wants to die a heroic death.

The ruler of Qi was in the prime of his life, still caught up in worldly affairs.

Mei Meng closed her eyes: [I know.]

So, what are your plans?

"Let her go. She can go her own way, and I'll go mine." Mei Meng struggled to her feet, then looked at Qi Cang. "You escort her away, and afterwards, go into seclusion. If you haven't finished watching the show, go find some other entertainment."

Mei Meng doesn't plan to leave.

She had already planned her own fate.

Qi Cang frowned, displeased, and said, "Are you trying to kick me out?"

What level is Mei Meng at that that she dares to mess with him?

What, not looking for fun anymore?

[Hmph, you're just a source of amusement, aren't you?]

Mei Meng staggered to regain her balance, leaving Qi Cang with a weak and powerless back view and a single sentence: "Do as you please."

Staying means certain death.

This was something that not only Mei Meng knew, but the soldiers also knew.

The king, who had been arranged to infiltrate the ranks of deserters, was well aware of this.

She looked back into the distance, gritted her teeth, and resolutely turned her gaze away.

Mei Meng, you'll regret this!

Nothing in the world matters except death.

To sacrifice one's life for so-called morality is something only a fool would do.

The praise of future generations is worthless to her! There is hope only in life; in death, there is nothing!

And I won't regret it; I was right!

Aside from Mei Meng and a few others, no one else knew that the King of Qi and the leader of the allied forces had disguised themselves as deserters and left the battlefield. This news couldn't be revealed to anyone. If it got out, morale would inevitably collapse. Mei Meng arranged for her trusted confidants to impersonate the King and keep the news tightly under wraps. On the eve of the final battle, Kang Kingdom was once again besieged on all sides, and a barbecue that night added to the chaos.

Mei Meng ordered the scholars to remove the sound barrier.

A familiar hometown tune drifted softly into the camp.

Mei Meng listened for a while and said, "[The singing is good, but it's a pity there's no accompanying music. Someone, bring me my purple bamboo flute.]"

Due to his busy political career in his early years, Mei Meng has not played the flute for a long time.

This instrument is in excellent condition, its tone as mellow and gentle as I remember. The first note it produced spread a distant and desolate sound, resounding through the clouds. At some point, a bright and clear bili (a type of reed instrument) joined in.

Shen Tang listened quietly to the music.

[From somewhere, a reed flute plays, and all the soldiers on campaign yearn for home.] She looked up at the waning moon above the valley and said, [They're preparing to fight us to the death tomorrow. Indeed, reinforcements haven't arrived, and they're out of ammunition and supplies. If they don't fight now, they'll have no chance.]

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