Taiping Rift 393. Mu Yang's Death

"Because I am from Prince Ding's Mansion!"

This sudden change made everyone stunned. At the moment when Mu Yang was distracted, Mu Lie, who was originally sitting in his arms, had already flown up and rushed towards Qin Feng. However, because everyone was shocked by this sudden change, none of the guards around Mu Yang could stop him, and he fell beside Qin Feng. As a father and son for these few years, Mu Yang realized that he didn't know this son at all, at least he didn't know that he had such a good Qinggong.

Mu Lie stood beside Qin Feng, smiling and waving the dagger in his hand, "Godfather, how is it?" Qin Feng patted Mu Lie's head in appreciation, making Mu Lie smile happily. Qin Feng's praise was not only a father's praise for his son, but more importantly, a Qilin leader's praise for a future member. Mu Lie, who regarded becoming the youngest official member of Qilin as his lifelong ambition, was naturally very happy.

Mu Yang painfully covered his abdomen which was oozing with blood, and bent down on the horse's back. He looked at his son who was very familiar but seemed strange not far away in disbelief, "Lie'er...you..."

Mu Lie looked at Mu Yang and sighed helplessly, then said faintly: "Don't you understand yet? I am not your son."

"What?!" Mu Yang shook his head in a daze. He felt that everything in front of him was absurd. He even thought that he was too tired these days and had hallucinations. After a while, he raised his head and looked at Mu Lie and said, "You are not Lie'er... Then who are you? What did you do to Lie'er?" Mu Lie said, "I am indeed Mu Lie, but... your son is not called Mu Lie. Back then, you didn't even ask what name Yao Ji gave the child?"

Mu Yang couldn't hold on any longer and finally fell off the horse. The guards around him quickly supported him and glared at Mu Lie beside Qin Feng. Mu Lie shrugged innocently. Seeing Mu Yang's face pale because of pain and shock, Mu Lie felt a little reluctant. To be honest, Mu Yang has been really good to him in these years. Although he was assassinated several times by his wife, who in the rich family doesn't have some shameful private affairs? It's a pity that the Marquis of Muyang's Mansion offended someone who shouldn't have been offended. As early as when they arrived in Chujing, Prince Ding had already decided the outcome for the Marquis of Muyang's Mansion. The peaceful days of the past few years have been earned.

"You...you are from Prince Ding's Mansion?" Mu Yang asked through gritted teeth, "Where is my son?"

Mu Lie nodded and said, "Yes, where is your son... I don't know either, and even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you." Mu Yang stared at him and said, "He is from my Muyang Marquis's Mansion! Could it be that the Ding Wang Mansion would not even let go of a newborn baby?" Thinking of this possibility, Mu Yang's heart shuddered. Maybe his son had died a long time ago, and the one he had loved and doted on all these years was just a spy planted in the Muyang Marquis's Mansion by the Ding Wang Princess?

"If it wasn't me who stayed in the Marquis Muyang's Mansion all these years, your son would have been killed by your wife." Mu Lie pouted and said unhappily. If it was really the former Yao Ji and a child who knew nothing who returned to the Marquis Muyang's Mansion, I'm afraid that child would have died countless times. Mu Lie felt a little resentful about Mu Yang's accusation.

Mu Yang was stunned for a while, and suddenly laughed out loud. He looked at Mu Lie and said, "Did you pass on the deployment and secrets of the previous battle with Lu Jinxian? Prince Ding's Mansion is really amazing... Even a child can..."

Mu Lie pursed his lips and smiled, but did not answer him.

Mu Yang was a little dizzy from the excessive bleeding. Perhaps he realized that he could not escape this disaster today, so he simply stopped trying to hold on. He waved his hands to break free from the support of his subordinates, and let himself fall to the ground. After resting for a while, Mu Yang opened his eyes and asked, "How is Yao Ji? Even if you are not her son, she has been good to you in the past few years. You can't even..."

Mu Lie was a little embarrassed and didn't speak. In fact, he originally hoped that Mu Yang would not ask this question. Not knowing anything would mean less pain. It would also save Yao Ji from having to deal with the current situation. Unexpectedly, Mu Yang still asked it. Mu Lie raised his head to look at Qin Feng, who looked at Mu Yang calmly.

A clear female voice came from behind the crowd, "Let me tell you."

The Mohist soldiers made way for them, and Yao Ji walked out from behind, looking at Mu Yang calmly. Mu Yang looked at Yao Ji in front of him, dressed in white, with a white fox cape that made her look even fairer and more beautiful, completely different from her previous glamorous appearance. Although she had taken off the luxurious clothes of the Marquis Muyang's mansion, she looked more peaceful and beautiful, and it was obvious that she had not suffered much in the past few days. Looking at the woman in front of him foolishly, Mu Yang finally squeezed out a smile. Seeing the situation in front of him, what else is there to not understand?

"Why? Yao Ji... ahem, why do you have to do this..." Yang looked at the woman in front of him in pain, as if the knife Mu Lie had just stabbed him with was not as painful as Yao Ji's appearance. Yao Ji looked at him calmly and said, "Do you remember the letter I left when I fled with my child?"

Mu Yang was a little confused, and it took him a while to remember. He nodded and said, "I remember... you said that you didn't want to see me and the people from Mu Yang Marquis' Mansion again in this life. But then you came back with Lie Er, and I thought..."

Yao Ji's smile was somewhat bitter. "You have never taken my words seriously. You understood it when I brought Lie'er back that year. Don't you understand it now? I brought Lie'er back not because I figured it out, but because I am a spy in Prince Ding's mansion. From the day I came back, you should have been on guard against me."

Mu Yang loved her very much, Yao Ji always believed it. But Mu Yang never listened to her seriously, so Mu Yang never doubted her intention of suddenly appearing in Mu Yang Marquis's mansion with the child. He just thought that she had suffered enough outside with the child, so she came back naturally.

"You...you hate me so much?" Mu Yang said in a miserable voice.

Yao Ji shook her head, "No, I don't hate you." I just don't love you anymore. "Prince Ding's Mansion and the princess saved my life and my child. Mu Yang, I just want my child to live safely and happily in this world. Even if..." Even if I have to sacrifice you, I will do it.

A mouthful of blood spurted out of Mu Yang's mouth. He raised his hand to stop the guard who wanted to support him. He shook his head and laughed bitterly: "Yao Ji... I never thought..." I never thought that the Muyang Marquis's Mansion would be destroyed in your hands. Looking at the clear sky with dark clouds, Mu Yang's eyes were distant and empty. I still remember that when I was a young man with high spirits, I rode a horse and leaned on the sloping bridge, and the whole building was full of red sleeves. He rode past Qingchengfang and happened to see a gorgeous woman with light makeup and lazy look sitting by the window, with tired eyes. From then on, he fell into the soft red and couldn't get up.

But now this woman, dressed in white and with a cold look in her eyes, is no longer the stunning dancer who danced in the Qingchengfang. And he is no longer the elegant and suave young man.

Mu Yang suddenly laughed up to the sky, as if he had never laughed so freely in his life. However, the people who heard his laughter did not show any joy on their faces, but instead looked gloomy and sad in their solemn expressions.

"Yao Ji, come here... I have a few questions to ask you." Mu Yang looked at Yao Ji steadily.

Yao Ji nodded and walked forward slowly.

"Mom, don't!" Mu Lie shouted anxiously.

"Yao Ji!" Qin Feng frowned. Mu Yang was at the end of his rope at this time. No one knew whether he would take Yao Ji with him. Yao Ji looked back and smiled faintly, "It doesn't matter." Seeing her indifferent smile, Qin Feng felt a little depressed and frowned, but did not speak to stop him.

Yao Ji walked up to Mu Yang and squatted down, "What do you want to ask?"

Mu Yang looked at her, "Are you really not afraid that I will kill you?" Although he was seriously injured, it was not difficult to kill the powerless Yao Ji at such a close distance. Yao Ji looked calm and indifferent. Mu Yang smiled bitterly and asked in a low voice: "That child..."

"The child is in Licheng, he is doing well." Yao Ji said.

"Did Prince Ding take the child away?" Mu Yang asked with a little hope. Perhaps he still didn't believe that the woman in front of him would betray him. Perhaps she had to do it for the sake of the child? Unfortunately, he had to face the cruel reality. Yao Ji shook her head slightly, "No, I asked to come here on my own initiative. I don't hate you, but the Marquis Muyang Mansion has left my mother and me with no place to stay in the world. The only place I can go to is the northwest... but it has a grudge against the Marquis Muyang Mansion. Prince Ding wants to destroy the Marquis Muyang Mansion and make the old marquis miserable. And I want my child to live safely under the protection of Prince Ding's Mansion. It's that simple."

"Prince Ding..." Mu Yang closed his eyes in pain. The Marquis of Muyang Mansion had no grudge against the Prince of Ding Mansion, but that year, my father attacked the Princess of Ding under the order of the late emperor, which brought great disaster to the Marquis of Muyang Mansion. In recent years, those who attacked the Princess of Ding, Mo Jingqi died, most of the powerful people in Xiling died or were injured, the Prince of Zhennan Mansion almost lost his descendants, and the Prince of Beijing Ren Qining's country was destroyed and his family was ruined. Why was only the Marquis of Muyang Mansion able to escape? It turned out that... Prince Ding had already started to take action against the Marquis of Muyang Mansion, but they just didn't know it.

The glory of the Marquis of Muyang Mansion, which my father valued most in his life, will be branded as a traitor and a thief after their death. The Marquis of Muyang Mansion will be extinct from now on, and the only heir... is wandering outside, and they have never even seen him. However, they treated a spy of unknown origin as their only heir and cherished him for several years. Prince Ding's revenge... is indeed cruel!

"Father... Father is not dead yet, right?!" Mu Yang came back to his senses from his chaotic thoughts, grabbed Yao Ji and asked. If Prince Ding arranged all this just to take revenge on the Muyang Marquisate, then he would never let his father die so early.

Yao Ji sighed slightly, looked at Mu Yang's anxious eyes, and nodded gently. Mu Yang Hou is indeed not dead yet, but Yao Ji knows that no one can save Mu Yang Hou. His ending has long been determined, and it will definitely not be more comfortable than Mu Yang now.

How could Mu Yang not understand what Yao Ji understood? He was also an extremely intelligent person. He knew so many things and connected everything in just a moment. From the moment Yao Ji and Mu Lie were kidnapped, it was a trap set up entirely for Mu Yang Hou Mansion and perhaps Mo Jingli.

"Prince Ding... good trick..." In the end, Mu Yang could only smile bitterly.

"Yao Ji." Qin Feng said in a deep voice. They have made a lot of noise here. If they delay for too long and Zhao Lian's army finds them and rushes over, they will be in trouble. Yao Ji nodded, stood up and walked silently behind Qin Feng. Mu Yang's eyes fell from Yao Ji to Mu Lie standing next to Qin Feng in a complicated way, and finally shook his head, "Mu Yang will take the blame for the Muyang Marquis' Mansion. I beg Prince Ding and Princess to spare my father's life."

No one present responded. It was not so easy to overturn what Prince Ding had decided. The fact that Prince Ding had endured for so many years to harass Marquis Muyang's mansion and did not kill the old Marquis Muyang with a sword that year was enough to explain the problem. I'm afraid that even if the princess herself pleaded for mercy, it might not work. Qin Feng said in a deep voice: "I will tell the prince what you said. No one can influence the prince's decision. However... Marquis Muyang will not die for the time being." The prince still wanted to see the old Marquis Muyang, so he would naturally not let him die. Of course, if he committed suicide, that would be another matter.

Mu Yang finally sighed in silence and said, "I think too much. Yao Ji... take care..." Before he finished speaking, Mu Yang's eyes, which were blurry due to excessive blood loss, suddenly opened and he pulled out the long sword from the guard beside him. A flash of blood passed by, and Mu Yang stared into the distance, gradually losing his luster.

Yao Ji closed her eyes and didn't look at the man lying in a pool of blood behind her. She turned around and walked back. Mu Lie glanced at Qin Feng and turned around and followed him. Qin Feng glanced at the situation in front of him and ordered in a deep voice: "Go and bring out Marquis Mu Yang... and send Mu Yang's body to him."

Even the iron-blooded Black Cloud Cavalry soldiers nearby couldn't help showing a trace of pity when they saw this. They could only sigh in their hearts that the old Marquis Muyang had provoked someone he shouldn't have provoked.

On a quiet and deserted hillside, Yao Ji sat alone, staring at the still somewhat desolate scenery in the distance. Mu Lie came over and sat beside her, silent.

After a long while, Yao Ji smiled faintly and said, "Why don't you go with them?" The war is raging now, and Qin Feng and others can't stay here for too long. Mu Lie shook his head and said, "My foster father said that there is nothing for me to do later, so I will stay to protect you."

Yao Ji was unwilling to leave with the army, and Qin Feng did not force her. He just left someone to protect her secretly, and Mu Lie also stayed. What happened next was a fierce battle on the battlefield. Even if the Mohist Army was short of people, it would not let a child go to the battlefield. Looking at Mu Yang who was dejected by Yao Ji, Mu Lie sighed and said, "If you want to cry, cry, I won't tell anyone."

In fact, he also wanted to cry. He was an orphan since he was a child. Although he was taken care of by the Ding Palace and did not suffer any grievances, he was still not as happy as a child who was loved by his biological parents. Mu Yang had been his adopted father for several years and was really good to him. No wonder his teacher said that the most important thing for a craftsman is not martial arts or ability, but to have a heart as hard as iron. He was like this, needless to say how sad Yao Ji was.

Yao Ji smiled faintly and said, "I had predicted the current ending several years ago. What's there to cry about?"

Mu Lie looked at her and asked softly, "Did you just hope that Mu Yang would kill you?" Yao Ji remained silent, but Mu Lie knew that he was right. He quickly grabbed Yao Ji and said, "Don't be upset. Don't forget... you still have a son. You still have me, don't I also call you mother? You... do you blame me for stabbing Mu Yang?"

Yao Ji shook her head, touched his little head, and said, "Silly boy, no matter what you do...it will be the same in the end. You don't have to worry about me, I will go back to Licheng and watch you and your brother grow up safely." Mu Lie was relieved and asked, "Will you bring your brother back?"

Yao Ji shook her head, "As long as he grows up safely, it's fine. Besides...his adoptive parents have taken care of him for so many years, why should I bother him again? Why...you don't want to support me in the future?" Mu Lie shook his head quickly and said, "How could that be? Don't worry, I will definitely take care of you and your adoptive father until you grow old! Uh...if you want to see your brother, I will bring him back for you."

Looking at the child who was looking at her cautiously, Yao Ji's cold heart could not help but feel a little warm. She leaned against Mu Lie with a faint smile and hummed a little song. The soft and moving little song was even more lingering and sad in the cold spring. Yao Ji looked at the setting sun in the distance, and tears quietly streaked down her face...

In the camp of Lu Jinxian of the Mohist Army, Lu Jinxian looked at the woman in white sitting next to him with a happy face and laughed loudly, "Everyone says that Qilin appears and disappears like a ghost. Today, I have also witnessed the ability of the Mohist Army. I admire you."

This time, Lu Jinxian was able to break through the blockade of more than 100,000 troops with very few casualties, and Qilin really played an indispensable role. If the secret guards of Prince Ding's mansion had not received the news of the Chu army, Lu Jinxian would have been confident that he could get through, but he would have inevitably lost a lot of troops. Not to mention, today he suddenly received a message from the princess, asking him to immediately attack the Chu army's western army camp. Originally, he was still a little worried, after all, the difference in the number of the two armies was too great, and a head-on attack was not a good idea. But he didn't expect that in the middle of the battle, not only did Princess Ding bring people to reinforce, but the Chu army itself also ran away inexplicably.

After withdrawing his troops and returning to the camp, he listened to the princess' explanation and realized that in just a few days, the princess had devised such an interesting plan to cause chaos in the Chu army.

After hearing what Lu Jinxian said, Ye Li smiled helplessly and said, "This is not something I came up with." Mo Xiuyao's plan was to provoke chaos in the Chu army, but it was actually more for dealing with the Muyang Marquisate. Therefore, from the beginning, this was prepared for the Muyang Marquisate. Mo Jingli could only say that he was caught in the crossfire. However, such a thing naturally could not be told to his subordinates. It would be better if fewer people knew about the Duke Ding's revenge.

Lu Jinxian said: "Now Yun Ting is holding back Mo Jingli's army at Hangu Pass, I'm afraid we have to hurry up." Yun Ting only has a few hundred thousand troops, and the terrain outside Hangu Pass is not particularly favorable to the Mo family army. If Mo Jingli is determined to fight with a few hundred thousand troops, Yun Ting is really in trouble.

Ye Li nodded and said, "What the general said is very true. While the Western Army has just encountered trouble, morale is low and people are uneasy. We must send troops to resolve this as soon as possible."

"However, Lei Tengfeng is also here, I'm afraid it's not easy to solve." Lu Jinxian frowned. If there were only Zhao Lian's 200,000-strong army, the Mohist army would naturally win. But Lei Tengfeng's 100,000-strong Xiling army is also here. It's okay to fight slowly, but they don't have time.

Ye Li shook her head and said, "Lei Tengfeng won't fight us to the death here." Lei Zhenting didn't send Lei Tengfeng here to help Mo Jingli fight with the Mo family army.

"General, Princess, Commander Qin is back." The guard reported outside the tent.

Lu Jinxian nodded and said, "Please let Commander Qin in."

Qin Feng opened the tent and came in, saying in a deep voice: "I have met the princess and the general."

Ye Li glanced at Qin Feng and asked, "Mu Yang..." Qin Feng said respectfully, "Mu Yang has committed suicide. The Chu army general Gao Ming surrendered and I brought him back."

"Gao Ming?" Ye Li frowned slightly. He had no impression of this person.

Behind her, Zhuo Jing reported, "He is an old minister of Mo Jingli. He has been following him since Mo Jingli was the King of Li. However, after Mo Jingli ascended the throne, he has been suppressed by Mu Yang and is at odds with the Muyang Marquisate. I'm afraid he has played a big role in the incident at the Muyang Marquisate this time."

Ye Li frowned slightly and said, "Lock him up first, and bring him back to the prince for disposal later."

Lu Jinxian's heart moved, and he said, "Princess, since this person is Mo Jingli's confidant, he should know a lot of the secrets of the Chu army."

Qin Feng said: "Gao Ming has already said that as long as the princess spares his life, he is willing to tell us everything he knows."

"It's not difficult to spare his life." Lu Jinxian nodded and said, "But Princess, this man cannot be used." Traitors are always not so popular. Especially traitors like Gao Ming who like to take advantage of others' misfortunes and whose methods are crude.

Ye Li nodded and said, "General, what you said is very true. Zhuo Jing, you go and do it."

"Yes, I'll take my leave." Zhuo Jing said respectfully.

"Yao Ji, didn't come back?" Ye Li asked softly, looking at Qin Feng's empty back. Qin Feng nodded and said, "She wanted to relax, so I left a few people to protect her. Mu Lie was with her."

Ye Li nodded and said, "Let her be. This matter is embarrassing for her." As a woman, she would never let Yao Ji face such a thing. But as a wife, she could not stop Mo Xiuyao from setting up such a situation. Because in her heart, no matter how much she sympathized with Yao Ji, it would never exceed her feelings for Mo Xiuyao. Not to mention, Mo Xiuyao's hatred for Muyang Marquis's Mansion was only because of her. Even if she could forgive, she would never forcibly erase Mo Xiuyao's hatred for them. She was no longer the soldier who always looked at things from the standpoint of fairness and justice in her previous life. She was the princess of Dingguo Palace and the wife of Mo Xiuyao.

"Thank you, Princess." Qin Feng said in a deep voice.

－－－－－－－A side note－－－－－－－

Would Mu Yang kill Yao Ji? Of course not. Would Yao Ji commit suicide for love? Of course not. So, the love between Yao Ji and Mu Yang is a tragedy in itself. In fact, Feng doesn't hate Mu Yang, nor does he hate Yao Ji. Mu Yang is the most normal man of that era, so he can only be a tragedy in the novel. Yao Ji is not wrong, she doesn't hate Mu Yang, nor does she hate Mu Yang Marquis's Mansion, but to her, her son is more important than the love that has already faded~Jiang Zi~Love you guys~