When the news of the destruction of the concentration camp reached the capital, the entire court was shocked.
Mu Jingrui and Shangguan Yue both had livid faces.
"Is there any news about Princess An Ning?"
Xiao Yujue certainly understood the feelings of Mu Jingrui and Shangguan Yue at this moment.
Shangguan Wanning is the apple of their eye.
"No...no..." The soldier who came back to report was sweating profusely and answered tremblingly, "When the government officials arrived at the concentration camp...it was already a scorched earth. All the patients in the concentration camp were found in the nearby mountains...no one survived..."
The four words "no one survives" pierced into Mu Jingrui's heart like a sharp blade.
He hated himself for not being more resolute and not allowing Shangguan Wanning to leave the capital.
Nowadays, rumors are spreading among the people and misinformation is spreading.
People were saying that the concentration camp was destroyed because all the patients in the camp had contracted an infectious disease, and the imperial court killed everyone to prevent the disease from spreading further.
"Your Majesty, I want to go to the concentration camp to investigate the truth of the matter."
Mu Jingrui made the request in the court.
In fact, at this critical juncture, Xiao Yujue did not want Mu Jingrui to leave the capital.
He always felt that this matter was not that simple.
However, Xiao Yujue understood how much Mu Jingrui cared about Shangguan Wanning, and forcing someone to stay with him might not necessarily keep his heart.
"Approved." Xiao Yujue ordered at the same time, "I grant you the right to act at your discretion and mobilize any local troops at any time."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Mu Jingrui couldn't wait to turn around and leave. When he looked at Shangguan Yue, he gave Shangguan Yue a reassuring look.
This gave Shangguan Yue a little more comfort.
Mu Jingrui rushed to the concentration camp without stopping, but it had been surrounded by people sent by the government.
As stated in local memorials, the concentration camp was already in ruins.
Mu Jingrui checked the nearby terrain and went to the government charity cemetery to identify the charred body.
His heart was trembling violently. He couldn't tell whether Shangguan Wanning was there among so many mummies.
Mu Jingrui's face was pale and expressionless, and he didn't say a word from beginning to end.
This made the accompanying prefect and his officials somewhat at a loss. No one knew what this black-faced god-like Prince Zhennan was planning.
Mu Jingrui stood in front of the mummies for a whole day, and the feet of those accompanying him were numb from standing so long, but no one dared to raise any objections.
"Your Highness, someone outside... has sent a wedding invitation."
The bailiff walked in cautiously, his voice sounding particularly loud in the silent charity cemetery.
A sharp light flashed in Mu Jingrui's eyes.
This frightened the prefect so much that he trembled. He rushed forward and snatched the bright red wedding invitation, and scolded: "You blind thing... don't you see where you are? Get out!"
The bailiff was eager to do so, so he slipped away.
The prefect turned around and saw Mu Jingrui looking at him. He swallowed and threw the wedding invitation away.
When the invitation was raised in the air, Mu Jingrui saw the name on it.
He leaped up and caught the wedding invitation in mid-air.
The name written on it made his pupils dilate involuntarily.
"Sun Jinyao, Shangguan Wanning has concluded a good marriage, and sincerely invites Mu Jingrui to attend the banquet alone."
The time is tonight.
Mu Jingrui closed the wedding invitation and asked, "Where is Wutong Manor?"
The prefect was slightly stunned.
"Wutong Manor... twenty miles east of the city is Wutong Manor. But... it has been abandoned for a long time. The previous owner was confiscated and exterminated by the previous emperor, so it became a haunted house..."
"Prepare the horses."
Mu Jingrui didn't care about all that, whether it was a haunted house or not. He only knew that if he could save Shangguan Wanning, he would give it a try even if it was to the underworld.
When Mu Jingrui arrived at Wutong Manor, the sun was setting.
He led the horse and stood at the gate of Wutong Manor.
Red satin was wrapped around the high-hanging plaque, and a dazzling red "囍" character was pasted on the door.
An evening breeze blew, and the red silk swayed gently in the breeze, which actually added a bit of desolation and weirdness.
Mu Jingrui pushed open the door of Wutong Manor, and what came into view was still the festive decoration.
However, the fallen leaves all over the ground add a sense of desolation.
Mu Jingrui walked in slowly with a sword in hand, and a familiar flute sound came from the front hall.
He came to the front hall and saw Sun Jinyao wearing a groom's suit.
The flute sound stopped abruptly.
The two looked at each other.
A faint smile appeared on Sun Jinyao's lips.
He put the flute aside, stood up and stood proudly.
"Are you surprised that I didn't die?"
"It was a bit of a surprise for sure."
"I invited you here today because I wanted to treat you to a glass of wedding wine. I think... if I let you send Ning'er off to marry, it will save us a lot of trouble in the future."
"Where is Ning'er?"
"When the auspicious time comes, I will let you see the bride. Before that, I think you and I should make things clear."
Mu Jingrui also agreed with Sun Jinyao's statement.
Shangguan Wanning had been engaged to Sun Jinyao. If she hadn't thought that Sun Jinyao was dead, perhaps...
"After tonight, Ning'er will be my wife. I will take her far away and no longer care about the affairs of the martial arts world or the court. I hope the prince will stop pestering my wife."
Mu Jingrui frowned slightly, but his mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts.
"Ning'er loves me. Don't force her. What do you want me to do in order to give up Ning'er? As long as you say it, I can do it."
Mu Jingrui was well aware of Shangguan Wanning's feelings for Sun Jinyao.
He could kill Sun Jinyao with one sword, but...
He had to admit that Sun Jinyao and Shangguan Wanning had also experienced life and death, and even if there was no love between men and women, there was a brother-sister relationship.
"Unless I die... I won't give up on her."
Sun Jinyao's attitude was very firm, which gave Mu Jingrui a headache.
"No room for negotiation?"
"No."
"Then there's nothing to say." Mu Jingrui has never been a servile person, "Sun Jinyao, if you insist on doing this, don't blame me for being ruthless with my sword."
Sun Jinyao smiled lightly, without any hurry.
"I know that you love Ning'er as much as I do. Unless it's a matter of life or death, you absolutely don't want to be separated. Since neither of us is willing to compromise, then... let God decide."
Sun Jinyao stared at Mu Jingrui and said with a smile: "Do you dare to bet with me?"
"How do you want to bet?"
"I think that if any of us wants to spend the rest of our lives peacefully with Ning'er, only one of us should die. So..."
Sun Jinyao pointed to two cups on the table. "Here are two cups of wine, one is poisoned and the other is not. Let's each choose one, and leave life and death to fate. Whoever survives can marry Ning'er, grow old together, and stay together forever."
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