Chapter 46 Severance (Revised Author's Note) "I once had feelings for you..."
The Heavenly Emperor had been trying to decide on the candidate for the heart-examination for several days, but had not yet made a decision. Mu Qingheng was an important criminal, so the examiner had to be at least the son of a local lord.
However, in the testimony presented by Mu Qingheng, he repeatedly requested that Mengmeng serve as the verification officer. The Heavenly Emperor considered it for a long time and finally asked Mumeng for his opinion.
Mu Meng agreed without much hesitation.
She didn't care. Even if she met Mu Qingheng, she wouldn't feel scared or sad. In her eyes, it was just a way to share her father's burdens.
Guided by the jailer, Mu Meng walked all the way to the door of Mu Qingheng's cell.
She had imagined that Mu Qingheng, having fallen from the Crown Prince to a prisoner, would surely be a far cry from his former glory, and would appear somewhat disheveled and miserable. But when she saw him for the first time, she was still stunned.
His appearance could hardly be described simply as wretched and miserable.
He huddled helplessly in the corner, his pale, handsome face covered in cold sweat, his hair damp and clinging to his cheeks and neck in strands. His body was covered in blood, some dried and some still flowing.
He seemed to have just experienced a desperate nightmare, or a cruel death by a thousand cuts; his eyes were somewhat empty, but more than that, they were filled with a cautious, ingratiating look.
Mu Meng glanced at it twice, then turned to look at the jailer.
The little princess's calm, silent glance left the two jailers somewhat at a loss.
The round-faced girl said somewhat guiltily, "Your Highness, His Majesty instructed that we should not disturb him with anything other than presenting our confessions, so we took the liberty of not saying anything..."
The long-faced man chuckled awkwardly, bowed, and said, "Actually, this person wasn't like this before. He was always fine, but the Princess came by the other day. Not long after she left, this demon was somehow possessed and became like this. We also felt that since the Princess was able to enter, it must have been with His Majesty's permission. She was also seeking revenge, so..."
Mu Meng turned his head back to look into the cell: "You two talk too much. I didn't say anything. Open the door."
Mu Qingheng had just endured a long period of inhuman torture, and the excruciating pain still lingered. He looked as if he had been pulled out of blood and sweat.
He remained unsure whether the dazed scene before him was real or an illusion until he heard the sound of the iron lock on the door rattling and the soft footsteps of someone stepping lightly on the haystack, at which point he suddenly realized what was happening.
I wasn't hallucinating when I heard Mu Meng arrive.
Seeing Mengmeng's figure was not just a dream.
She really came, right in front of me.
Even though she didn't smile at him, seeing her and truly feeling her presence gradually eased the heart-wrenching pain. The effects of the Shattered Soul Dream wore off little by little, and Mu Qingheng regained some clarity of mind.
He moved his lips:
Mengmeng, you've arrived.
Mu Meng frowned slightly. Mu Qingheng was indeed very weak. She saw Mu Qingheng call his name, but his voice was so low that it was almost inaudible.
She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she almost felt that Mu Qingheng hadn't made a sound at all.
However, these were not her concerns, and she didn't want to stay here any longer. She just wanted to get things done quickly and go back to report to her father.
Mu Meng walked straight up to Mu Qingheng, squatted down, and took out a dagger from his sleeve.
Mu Qingheng stared at Mengmeng without blinking. From the moment he woke up, he knew that every glance was one less. It was a great blessing for him that Mengmeng could be his verification officer.
Mu Meng didn't stare at Mu Qingheng's face; instead, she looked at his chest, where his clothes were torn, the tattered strips of cloth soaked through with blood, and the skin beneath looked as if it had just been injured.
Mu Meng slowly drew the dagger from its sheath. She hadn't heard from Mu Qingheng for the past two days, so she didn't know if he knew the purpose of her trip. She explained, "The Heavenly Clan is strict in its investigations. Your testimony needs to be verified. Your stone heart is the most direct evidence, so we need to open it up to examine the heart."
After she finished speaking, she pointed the tip of the knife at Mu Qingheng's chest.
Mu Qingheng showed no reaction, and even a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Even if Mengmeng held a sharp knife to his heart, he would still feel happy.
At least, she was still willing to appear in front of him.
At least, this moment belongs to just the two of them, whatever they do is fine. As long as they're not with Yun Jiuyan, Sheng Yuanting, or Yue Liutian.
As long as I'm with him, I'll do anything.
A faint light flickered in Mu Qingheng's eyes. He didn't even feel any pain from the blade cutting his skin—this slight pain was insignificant compared to the despair he had repeatedly endured.
Mu Meng's knife strike was swift and steady. She had no intention of showing pity to Mu Qingheng, so she did it without hesitation; however, she also had no intention of torturing him, and was too lazy to inflict any more pain on him.
She simply and calmly cut open his heart.
After the stab, Mu Meng was momentarily dazed, and suddenly remembered that in his previous life, Mu Qingheng had also returned from the battlefield with a severe knife wound to his heart.
She burst into tears at the sight of him, feeling a deep empathy and heartache. Without hesitation, she mobilized all the power of her Red Heart Pill, just to help her brother heal his wounds instantly and suffer less.
Who knew that the world would change so drastically? The solemn palace had become a dark prison, and she could now cut open his chest with a knife without any emotion, and her heart was completely unmoved.
The world changes, and things are no longer the same.
Mu Meng quickly recovered from her daze, almost imperceptibly. She gently parted the skin on one side with the tip of her knife to examine it closely, but couldn't help frowning.
Mu Qingheng's heart—shouldn't it be made of stone?
Why is it like this? Bright red and soft, it's clearly a normal and ordinary fleshy heart.
Seemingly sensing Mu Meng's confusion, Mu Qingheng smiled slightly and gently took the dagger from her hand—he was very careful not to touch Mu Meng's slender white fingers.
Mu Meng didn't ask any questions, but watched his actions in silence.
Mu Qingheng plunged the tip of the knife into his heart and slowly sliced it open. As his heart was gradually torn apart, Mu Meng finally saw the bandit stone deep inside, emitting a faint black aura.
Heart of stone raw meat...
Mu Meng glanced at him a couple more times, then slowly raised his eyes to look at Mu Qingheng: "Your heart is not a whole stone."
Mu Qingheng looked at her tenderly. She was squatting in front of him, petite, even shorter than him when he was kneeling. Moreover, the two of them were so close that if he used lip reading, he would definitely see her empty mouth.
He didn't want her to see it.
Thinking of this, Mu Qingheng simply smiled and shook his head.
Since he didn't say anything, Mu Meng didn't press him further. In any case, she didn't want to get involved in these matters. She was just making this trip on behalf of her father, and she would present whatever she saw. As for what mysteries were involved or what her father would do, that was none of her business.
Mu Meng took back the dagger, stood up and was about to turn and leave when suddenly his sleeve tightened.
She turned around and saw Mu Qingheng gently pinching her sleeve with his hand.
Seemingly feeling that his hands were unclean, he immediately withdrew them when she stopped and turned around.
Those eyes seemed to speak volumes, conveying endless longing and yearning, while also revealing a deep sense of worry.
He slowly opened his lips: Mengmeng, I have something important to tell you.
This time, Mu Meng was truly certain that Mu Qingheng was not just barely able to make a sound, but that he hadn't made any sound at all.
Perhaps it was due to suffering from too much pain that damaged her voice.
Since the task was to decipher his lip movements anyway, Mu Meng didn't get too close, but stood at a distance. "What is it?"
To conceal his true intentions, Mu Qingheng kept his movements subtle, only managing to speak slowly: "The person who harmed you in your past life was not me, nor was he one of my subordinates. This person has impersonated me; you must be careful."
Mu Meng stared into his eyes, which were clear and bright, like a handful of ice and snow filled with sincere concern.
She blinked slowly, then turned her head to ponder.
Actually, when she overheard those people's discussion in the Demon Realm that day, she had a slight doubt in her mind—maybe the person who killed her in her past life really wasn't Mu Qingheng, but probably one of his subordinates.
Mu Meng thought for a moment and asked, "How can you be sure that person is definitely not your subordinate?"
Mu Qingheng curved his lips into a smile, a smile that held a hint of his former charm: They would never dare to impersonate me.
Although he only said this one sentence, Mu Meng's mind was already working faster than before. After thinking about it carefully, he understood that in his previous life, Mu Qingheng was so arrogant and all-powerful that his subordinates naturally dared not disobey him. Even in this life, the biggest thing those people did was to exploit Mu Qingheng's weaknesses. So many people didn't even dare to mention killing him, which shows how deep their fear and apprehension were.
Even if we take a step back and assume that it was really his subordinates who acted this way, since they obtained her Red Heart Pill, they should have the ability to fight Mu Qingheng, so why bother using his face?
Seeing that Mu Meng hadn't responded for a long time, Mu Qingheng thought that she had no trust in him at all and that he didn't believe a word she said now. He couldn't help but lean forward: Mengmeng, believe me, I will never lie to you.
As soon as he moved, all four iron chains made a crisp pulling sound.
You can even clearly see the details of the chains rubbing against the flesh and blood at the collarbone.
Mu Meng nodded under his fearful gaze: "I understand."
He confessed to all the crimes except this one. But in reality, at this point, there was no need for him to fabricate any lies, especially not lies that would be of no use to him.
She wasn't entirely irrational; she wouldn't stubbornly disbelieve every word Mu Qingheng said without analyzing it.
I was just thinking that if what Mu Qingheng said was the truth, then in my past life... he didn't kill me with his own hands.
Although the chasm between them has not disappeared, at least the heaviest stone in her heart, the one that caused her the most heart-wrenching pain, can now be removed.
Mu Meng squatted down in front of Mu Qingheng again. She finally looked at his face properly and realized that he had been suffering far more pain than he had imagined.
Mu Qingheng hadn't expected Mengmeng to approach him again and look at him so intently. For a moment, he was almost overjoyed. He carefully suppressed his excitement, his body stiffening, unsure of what to do, so he obediently remained motionless as she gazed at him.
After a long while, Mu Meng slowly said, "Mu Qingheng, we have both been reborn. Those who died in our previous lives are still alive and well in this life. Perhaps I will gradually let go and stop hating you. Because hating someone takes up all your energy, and you are not worth it."
“I don’t know what judgment Father will ultimately deliver, nor do I know if Sister will kill you directly. But in any case, this is probably the last time we’ll see each other. There are some things I feel I should tell you.”
She spoke earnestly and calmly, her clear, black and white eyes shining even brighter in the dimly lit cell, her gentle gaze clearly reflecting his figure.
In an instant, Mu Qingheng's heart was overgrown with barren grass.
Like an animal's instinctive warning when facing danger, a premonition that wasn't even as accurate as the slightest rustle of wind, an inexplicable sense of panic enveloped his heart—
“Although you deceived me in my past life, I really did have feelings for you. Before I learned those cruel truths, I planned to tell you as soon as I saw you that I wanted to try to be with you. I had already written a letter to my father, explaining my feelings to him, and I planned to go to see him with you. But I didn’t have time.”
“That Mengmeng is dead, not because of the dissection of her heart, nor because of the Endless Cliff. The moment she learned the truth, she died along with her heart and that unfulfilled heartbeat.”
Mu Qingheng's face suddenly turned deathly pale.
Countless bitter feelings surrounded him from all directions like a tidal wave, threatening to overwhelm him in an instant.
Mist... Mist...
She—she once loved herself…
She learned everything on her way to confess her feelings to him.
Happiness was once just a step away from him.
Mu Qingheng suddenly felt breathless. He wanted to say something more to Mengmeng, but she had already stood up, as if she had discarded the last hindrance on her body, and left with light steps and no regrets.
That petite, slender figure vanished from sight in a flash. The person who should have hated him most looked at him with utter indifference, as if he were looking at a complete stranger. Her nonchalant attitude made it seem as if, from that very moment on, they would drift further and further apart, like opposite ends of a celestial river, never to meet again in this lifetime.
She resolutely severed ties, and light and warmth went with her.
Mu Qingheng chased after him in a daze, as if possessed, but after only two steps on his knees, he was firmly pulled back by the iron chains.
He pushed forward with all his might, but all he heard was the cold, merciless clanging of the chains.
After an unknown amount of time, he slowly stopped. His handsome profile was filled with loneliness. His heart felt as if it were being torn apart by the claws of a wild beast. The pain gradually seeped into his bones and spread throughout his body. The heart-wrenching pain seemed to be returning—but he chuckled softly.
He smiled, slowly raising his head, and two lines of clear tears swiftly slid down the corners of his dark, lifeless eyes.
...
Mu Meng wrote a statement herself and then carefully and thoroughly explained it before the Heavenly Emperor. She said whatever she saw, without asking a single question about the reasons or the aftermath.
While waiting for his father's reply, Mu Meng realized something was wrong. His father was staring at the testimony in his hand, taking far longer than he usually did to read it; even reading it five times would have been enough.
"Father?" Mu Meng couldn't help but remind him to come back to his senses.
"Oh, Father understands. Mengmeng, thank you for your hard work, you can go now," Tiandi said, forcing a smile and waving at her. Mu Meng bowed and withdrew, but after taking only two steps, Tiandi suddenly called out to her, "Wait—"
Mu Meng turned around, "Is there anything else, Father?"
"You don't need to worry about this anymore, Mengmeng. Let your father handle these matters."
Originally, Mu Meng hadn't intended to pry further. She knew best whether there were hidden circumstances surrounding Mu Qingheng's case or whether he was innocent. His evil deeds were notorious, and she had already made up her mind about his final fate.
She gently agreed and left. The Heavenly Emperor read the black paper with white characters in his hand again from beginning to end, his gaze lingering on the words "stone heart grows flesh" for a moment longer, before finally closing his eyes abruptly.
*
A rainy night. Thunder rumbles across the sky.
A bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the entire room. The Heavenly Emperor suddenly opened his eyes, sat up abruptly from the bed, and gasped for breath.
His forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his eyes trembled slightly with surprise and uncertainty. He looked out the window and stared for a long time before slowly getting out of bed.
He walked to the bookshelf in the side cabinet, slowly squatted down, and skillfully drew an ancient incantation with his finger. A sealed cabinet made a soft "click" sound.
The Heavenly Emperor frowned slightly, his expression grave. He reached out and placed his hand on the ring of the cabinet door, pausing for a long time before slowly pulling it open. He then took out a scroll that had been carefully stored inside.
The palace was dimly lit, with only a few lights. The Heavenly Emperor slowly unrolled the scroll. A bolt of lightning flashed, and the room was suddenly illuminated. The scroll in his hand was suddenly lit up.
The people in the picture are clearly visible in every detail.
Green mountains, clear waters, and fellow travelers.
The Heavenly Emperor gently placed the scroll on the table, let out a long sigh, and gazed at it silently for a long time before reaching out his hand, past himself in the scroll, straight to the right, and touching the tall, upright man standing beside him in the painting.
Those eyebrows, those eyes, were exactly the same as the person in my dream.
He was exceptionally handsome, with long, dark eyebrows and red lips, his striking good looks and heroic spirit making the surrounding scenery pale in comparison.
After gazing at the sky for a long time, Tiandi murmured softly, "Your son looks just like you."
He closed his eyes, his hand clenching into a fist in his sleeve, his voice dark and somber, "Why do you always haunt my dreams like this? You're a father too, and your son has always wanted my daughter dead! So what if his heart, though hardened by love, has turned to him... So what if I know his instincts would never harm Mengmeng again... Can I really just let my daughter marry him without any qualms? Impossible... Impossible..."
“This is not what I wanted to see… I know you are unwilling, but I have tried my best, I have thought of countless ways, but I really am powerless to save his life…”
The Heavenly Emperor slammed the scroll shut with a "whoosh" and quickly put it back in its place. He sat alone for a long time, when suddenly a thunderclap boomed in the sky, and his expression turned serious.
After frowning and pondering for a moment, a glimmer of hope gradually appeared in his eyes. He made a decision silently, and a moment later, a piece of paper as thin as a cicada's wing slowly appeared in his palm.
There were faint, dark patterns of incantations on the paper.
The Heavenly Emperor opened the window and tossed the paper into the sky.
Three days later, at night, the Heavenly Emperor took back the paper. Unlike before, there was a little bit of crimson cinnabar in the lower right corner of the paper.
For a fleeting moment, a faint smile appeared on his usually stern face, and he let out a long, relieved sigh. After a few deep breaths, he picked up his pen and wrote the execution order.
The deposed Crown Prince of the Celestial Clan, Mu Qingheng, is of demonic lineage and harbors rebellious intentions. For years, he has colluded with the demons to plot against the Eldest Princess, committing numerous evils and deserving of death. He is to be executed immediately. Considering the enormity of his crimes, he should be the first to be punished. Three days later, he will be thrown into the Endless Cliff. All the ministers of the Celestial Clan should take this as a warning.
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