Chapter 1 Siblings
Mu Meng slowly opened her eyes.
The delicate fragrance of herbs lingered in the air, and before me stood a magnificent bed curtain woven with gold brocade. The mattress was soft, and the room was warm enough to be a little too hot.
She kicked off the covers twice and rubbed her eyes groggily.
The hushed sounds of conversation outside gradually drifted into my ears:
"Shouldn't His Highness be waking up soon?"
"It should be soon. Sigh... When His Highness the Crown Prince returns in triumph, if he sees that the young prince is still not fully recovered, who knows how heartbroken he will be."
"How can I not feel heartbroken? My precious little sister, whom I've always doted on, has been hurt like this. I never even dared to say a harsh word to her."
"Yes, I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince was furious and slaughtered the entire Yunze region, killing them all without a single survivor. It was truly gratifying! These scoundrels coveted our young princess's Red Heart Pill and dared to poison her!"
"The young prince is the crown prince's darling, no wonder he's so furious... But I've heard that the Yunze rebels are quite strong, and the crown prince seems to be seriously injured."
Is my brother injured?
The injury was quite severe...
Mu Meng was fully awake. She sat up abruptly in bed, and without bothering to put on her shoes properly, her small, jade-white feet stepped directly onto the ground and took a few steps outside.
"Lingwei, has brother returned? Where is he injured? Is he in Changjin Palace now?"
Lingwei was startled and waved for the two maids to go about their business. She then helped Mumeng back to the bedside and said, "Your Highness, why did you come out like this? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold? Your health has just started to improve, so you should be even more careful now."
She smiled again and said, "His Highness the Crown Prince has already returned to Changjin Palace. I heard that he sent several physicians back with him, so even if they are injured, he should be able to handle it."
Mu Meng frowned, her pure eyes still filled with worry: "That won't do either, I'll go take a look."
"Your Highness, please don't worry. His Highness the Crown Prince is also concerned about you. He just came to deliver a message. He has been working day and night and needs a moment to tidy up before he comes to see you. You are ill, so it's best not to wander around."
Looking at Mu Meng's pretty little face, Lingwei couldn't help but sigh. The little prince was exquisitely beautiful, with snow-white skin, red lips, and picturesque features. She was like a piece of glass, with her cloud-like black hair falling to her slender waist. She was incredibly charming and gentle.
However, still being ill, she looked rather pale.
Not to mention His Highness the Crown Prince felt heartbroken seeing her, she felt extremely distressed as well. Their little princess was beautiful and adorable, with a well-behaved and sensible nature. In addition, she was born with a supreme treasure in her body, and the entire Heavenly Clan doted on her.
Those from Yunzejing, who attempted to steal treasures and kill, truly deserved to die.
Lingwei suppressed her anger and turned to pour Mu Meng a glass of water, but in the blink of an eye, she couldn't sit still anymore.
"No, I'd better go and see for myself to be at ease. Yunzejing dared to attack me, so he must have made some preparations. My brother is going to suffer some losses on his own. He never takes his injuries seriously. If they are serious, I can heal him as soon as possible."
"That's absolutely not allowed!" Lingwei waved her hands anxiously. "Your Highness has just recovered and must rest. His Highness the Crown Prince will be here in no time."
In her anxiety, she knelt down, sobbing, "You're not fully recovered yet. If your illness worsens, the Heavenly Emperor and Empress will hold you accountable, and I won't be able to explain it to His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Lingwei knelt down, and the maids behind her followed suit, kneeling down in a dense mass, looking earnestly at Mu Meng.
Mu Meng had a headache: "Ugh—get up quickly." Seeing everyone looking aggrieved, she rolled her eyes and waved her little hand: "Okay, okay, I'll go back to lie down, alright?"
After saying that, she turned around, climbed onto the bed, and lowered all the bed curtains.
Mu Meng quietly approached the curtain, listened intently for a while, and after Ling Wei and the others had left, her eyes lit up. With a wave of her hand, a sleeping "Mu Meng" lay down beside her.
Mu Meng nodded in satisfaction, peeked out through the gap in the bed curtains, and seeing that there was no movement, turned around with a smile, pinched the tip of "Mu Meng's" small nose, patted her shoulder, and slipped out of the window on the other side of the bed.
She went and returned quietly, so as not to make things difficult for Lingwei and the others.
Anyway, she was going to see her brother, and he would only be happy to see her and wouldn't have the heart to blame her.
*
The Changjin Palace is very close to Mu Meng's sleeping quarters, but its style is quite different from other palaces of the Celestial Clan—it contains no gold, silver, or jade, and is built of pitch-black blue stone. The palace is covered with a thin layer of frost all year round, giving it an inexplicable sense of coldness and loneliness.
Ke Mumeng practically grew up here, and everything here feels incredibly familiar.
She quickened her pace, walked through the corridor, and just as she reached a short distance from the gate of Changjin Palace, the gate suddenly opened from the inside, and a touch of elegant white caught her eye.
The man was tall and slender, with his black hair piled high, his face handsome and beautiful, his skin pale, his long eyebrows dark and sharp, and his thin lips deep in color. He was like a painting in rich and vibrant colors, encompassing all the beauty in the world.
However, he exuded an overwhelming pressure, so powerful that ordinary people dared not approach him casually.
However, Mu Meng smiled upon seeing this.
"elder brother!"
She waved with delight, her bright eyes curving into crescents, and she opened her arms, rushing into the man's embrace like a swallow entering the forest.
"Brother." Mu Meng nuzzled against the broad chest of the person in front of her and called out again.
"What happened? Who wronged me and made me feel so aggrieved?"
A clear and familiar voice came from above.
His voice was gentle and deep, with a hint of teasing laughter, like the clear, melodious sound of jade colliding. Just hearing it made one think of all his wonderful qualities.
Mu Meng suddenly smiled, looked up, and still clung to the person with her arms, saying, "Brother, why did you take so long?"
Mu Qingheng held Mu Meng firmly in his arms and pinched her soft cheek: "So you were upset because you missed your brother. I was just about to come see you, Mengmeng. You're still sick, why aren't you staying in your bedchamber?"
Speaking of this, Mu Meng didn't have time to act cute with her brother. She frowned and carefully examined the body. Sure enough, she could smell a faint scent of blood on Mu Qingheng's body. She immediately became anxious and said, "Brother, are you badly injured? Where are you injured? Let me heal you."
Mu Qingheng said gently, "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."
He naturally untied the cloak belt, draped the thick cloak over Mu Meng, and held her petite body protectively in his arms: "It's windy here, let's go inside first."
Mu Meng naturally agreed, and Mu Qingheng led him back.
It wasn't far to begin with, but when Mu Qingheng led Mu Meng to the palace gate, his smiling gaze sharpened slightly, and he quickened his pace subtly—he placed his hand on the door, staring intently at the eye behind the crack in the door with a gloomy expression.
With his thin lips slightly parted, he silently uttered two words: Get out.
The eyes disappeared in a flash.
Mu Qingheng calmly pushed open the door and strolled inside.
Mu Meng followed closely behind him. Her brother had never liked being served closely, and the hall was empty, which made her feel sad.
She glanced around, then asked hesitantly, "Brother, were you healing your injuries just now? I didn't see any medicinal herbs here."
Mu Qingheng smiled and said, "It's just a minor injury; there's no need for spiritual medicine."
"How can that be?" Mu Meng's eyes widened slightly. "You...you're doing this again."
She rolled her eyes and sighed softly, "Fine, you don't take care of yourself, so I'll have to worry about you. Sit down and let me take a look."
It's really no good for my brother if no one takes care of him. If it weren't for her, he probably wouldn't even bother to take his medicine.
Mu Meng waited naturally for Mu Qingheng to sit down obediently. He often fought on all sides, and treating his injuries and feeding him medicine was a habit he had always done. But today, Mu Qingheng hesitated and did not do as he was told.
"Mengmeng, you're not fully recovered yet, you should go back and rest early. I promise you, I will take good care of your injuries."
Mu Qingheng gently stroked his sister's soft cheek, a faint smile in his eyes.
Mu Meng was stubborn: "You're the best at coaxing people, no way. Brother, is it because you're seriously injured this time that you don't want me to see you, so you don't want me to worry?"
Mu Qingheng did not answer immediately, as if he was thinking. His face was hidden in the shadows, and his expression was indistinct.
The candlelight flickered, revealing only the smooth lines of his jaw and the slight movement of his Adam's apple.
"elder brother?"
Mu Qingheng gave a soft "Mmm": "Okay."
He sat down, his clean, slender fingers pinching a corner of his shirt, pausing briefly before slowly unbuttoning it.
His movements were somewhat stiff and hesitant, which made Mu Meng frown and feel even more uneasy.
Mu Qingheng's body was tall and slender, extremely strong and powerful, with smooth and beautiful muscle lines. However, this beauty was ruined by the hideous wounds on his body—the skin and flesh on his left shoulder were rolled up, deep enough to see the bone, and extended all the way to his chest.
His chest was a bloody mess, and the damage to his heart was barely visible.
Mu Meng had only thought that her brother might be seriously injured, but she never expected it to be this serious. Tears welled up in her eyes immediately: "How did you get hurt so badly? Brother, you must be in a lot of pain."
Her voice trembled slightly, with a soft sob in it. She looked so aggrieved that anyone who didn't know better would think she was the one who was hurt.
Mu Qingheng's pupils flickered slightly as he looked up.
The little girl's eyes were moistened with a thin layer of tears, making her pupils appear even clearer.
She was still in a daze, staring intently at her wound, feeling so heartbroken she was about to cry.
Mu Qingheng patted her little head and parted his thin lips slightly: "It doesn't hurt."
As he was about to put on his clothes, Mu Meng suddenly reached out and placed her palms together on his left shoulder, a soft, misty light emanating from beneath her hands.
Threads upon threads, extremely gentle.
"Mengmeng!" Mu Qingheng frowned and tried to scold her, but it was too late. In an instant, the hideous, bloody wounds on his body had completely healed without a trace.
A smile returned to Mu Meng's eyes: "Brother, you're so badly injured, how can I not care? Are you still in pain?"
Mu Qingheng frowned slightly: "This is utter nonsense. How can you use the power of the Crimson Heart Pill so casually?"
"I'm not being silly. What's wrong with the Red Heart Pill? It's not casual to use it to heal my brother."
After Mu Meng finished speaking, her watery eyes seemed to still be filled with lingering fear. She added, "Brother, your injury was so close. I just checked it, and thankfully it didn't damage your heart. If it had been half an inch lower, it would have been dangerous."
Mu Qingheng looked up at her.
Under the lamplight, her radiant face seemed to be coated with a holy light, her eyes were brimming with tears, and she looked at him with lingering fear, as if she were looking at some precious treasure.
He asked slowly, "The heart meridian?"
"Yeah, that was close."
Mu Qingheng didn't say anything more. His long eyelashes drooped slightly, and he slowly reached out and touched his chest, stopping at his heart.
His fingers were clean and long, with distinct knuckles; every movement he made exuded an indescribable elegance and nobility.
My brother looked a little tired.
Mu Meng's eyes were full of tears. Indeed, he had returned from a long battle, dragging his seriously injured body for a long time. He deserved to rest.
Thinking this, she said softly, "Brother, you should rest early. I'll come see you again tomorrow, okay?"
As Mu Meng spoke, she took Mu Qingheng's little finger and gently shook it, her eyes filled with intense affection.
A smile spread across Mu Qingheng's lips as he gently stroked her delicate cheek: "You're such a good girl."
...
Mu Meng walked several dozen steps, looked around, and slowly stopped.
The cold wind made her face even paler, and she frowned. Suddenly, she bent over and vomited a pool of blood.
With his chest heaving, Mu Meng quickly composed himself, took a moment to regulate his breathing, and then slowly exhaled.
Mu Meng glanced at the dark red blood on the ground.
This is not good. With such a strong scent, my brother will notice it as soon as he goes out.
She rolled her eyes slightly, made a hand gesture, and with a wave of her hand, the pool of blood disappeared instantly, leaving the ground spotless as if nothing had happened.
Mu Meng leaned closer to sense it, a smug smile playing on her lips. She glanced back at the palace standing in the night before turning and leaving.
*
Inside the Changjin Palace.
Mu Qingheng sat there for a long time, his other thumb unconsciously rubbing the little finger that Mu Meng had just touched.
Suddenly, Mu Qingheng raised his hand and conjured a water mirror in front of him, clearly reflecting his image.
He watched expressionlessly as he took off his clothes again.
With his other hand, he drew a dagger from his waist and, without hesitation, slashed open the spot where Mu Meng had just tenderly comforted him.
His skin was torn open, and blood gushed out. He wiped the blood away with a cloth.
Inside his chest, there was no strong beating heart; instead, a pitch-black stone was embedded there.
Mu Qingheng pursed his thin lips and stared intently.
In the mirror, some light pink fleshy growths had already sprouted on his hard, rugged heart of stone.
Mu Qingheng remained expressionless, the sharp tip of the knife aimed at his heart, scraping away the raw flesh piece by piece.
Not a single bit can be left.
It really hurt a bit here just now.
When everything was cleaned up, Mu Qingheng's gaze was even colder than before.
Like wild beasts of the deep forest, cold as ice and steel, utterly devoid of human compassion.
Mu Qingheng casually stopped the bleeding, put his clothes back on, and suddenly a woman in black emerged from the shadows behind him.
She knelt on one knee, trembling as she pleaded for forgiveness: "Master, I was careless; I thought only you had left and returned..."
Mu Qingheng said, "It's alright. You dodged in time and saved your life."
His voice was extremely cold, like the ice on a snow-capped mountain that had stood for years.
Yu Da broke out in a cold sweat, responded softly, then hesitated, her gaze turning hesitant: "Master, although Mu Meng is physically weak, she does possess the Crimson Heart Pill, and her spiritual power should not be underestimated. If she had just..."
Mu Qingheng smiled, his tone icy: "There's nothing to be nervous about. She didn't even see through my treacherous heart, let alone notice you."
He turned around and his gaze fell on the cloak beside him.
He had draped that over Mu Meng's shoulders in front of the palace gate, and she had just carefully folded it and placed it here.
The cloak no longer had such a cold and hard aura; it had been imbued with her faint, sweet fragrance.
"Master, your subordinate—"
Mu Qingheng slightly raised his hand: "Wait."
He pointed to the cloak, his voice low and cold: "Burn this thing."
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