Chapter 49 Threat [VIP]
Chapter Summary: "What about Xu Luchuan?"
"My marriage?" Liu Shiyu suppressed her anger and glared at him. "Uncle, are you now interfering in my private affairs?"
The light of late afternoon was no longer as dazzling as at midday. Yet, that dim light still shone in front of the hall, illuminating Tang Sheng'an's turned face. He retorted, "Yuan Zhang, from the moment you became the Protector Princess of Shao Yuan, your marriage was no longer a private matter."
"You should have understood long ago."
“I don’t understand.” Liu Shiyu’s anger subsided, replaced by disappointment and indifference. “If that’s the case, then I will return this title to you.”
Upon hearing this, Tang Shengan angrily rebuked, "Nonsense!"
He then turned to Liu Shiyu, his voice tinged with reproach.
"Liu Shiyu, do you know how much the Tang family sacrificed to get you into this position? How can you give up so easily?"
"Did I ask for all of this myself? Wasn't it all imposed on me by you?" Liu Shiyu was tired of their constraints. She wanted to live with dignity. "How many people did the Tang family sacrifice for that path to the throne? Those who sacrificed themselves for it are not worth mentioning in your eyes, are they?"
"And I... am no different from them back then."
"But Tang Shengan, you better remember this! My surname is Liu, not Tang. Don't even think about controlling me."
After Liu Shiyu finished speaking, he was about to leave in anger when Tang Shengan suddenly shouted loudly and arrogantly, "What about Liu Zhizhou? The Tang family sacrificed so much so that Shaoyuan could have an emperor who could protect all people and bring prosperity for thousands of years. Compared with that, what are their sacrifices and yours?"
Liu Shiyu stopped and sneered, disagreeing.
Before she could retort, Tang Shengan spoke up again: "Besides, your marriage to Shangming Marquis was personally arranged by your father."
As expected, that person was Wei Jingshan.
"I will not get married."
Liu Shiyu was absolutely determined; she was not only rebelling for Xu Luchuan, but also for herself.
Clearly, the Tang family wouldn't give her that option, but Tang Sheng'an wouldn't confront Liu Shiyu head-on either. He would use virtue as a constraint to bind Liu Shiyu once again.
He walked over calmly, stood next to Liu Shiyu, and said in a low voice, "You don't have to marry her."
"But I must remind you, Wei Jingshan is no longer the lackey that the Tang family used to order around. He now holds military power, and the Northern and Southern armies are the lifeblood of Nanjing and the safety of the emperor. The slightest mistake could plunge Shaoyuan into utter ruin."
"And you are the one who can balance everything."
"He only wants you."
Tang Shengan's threat startled Liu Shiyu for a moment. But she didn't change her mind. More than two years ago, she had been forced to compromise in the same way. Now, she would no longer let them manipulate her. She was a living, breathing person, and she deserved to live for herself.
"Then please tell your uncle that even if I die, I will never marry Wei Jingshan."
After uttering these resolute words, Liu Shiyu turned and left without giving Tang Shengan any further chance to argue.
Tang Shengan did not stop her again. Gazing at Liu Shiyu's departing figure, he suddenly spoke: "Yuanzhang, she has really changed... She is no longer that little girl who could be manipulated at will. Now that things have come to this, Xiaoshan, what are you going to do next?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Jingshan emerged from a hidden spot behind the hall with heavy steps.
Today, he took off his favorite golden armor, specially changed into a simple outfit, and even tied his hair up in a high bun.
But to my surprise, I received this reply.
But Wei Jingshan did not give up. He clenched his hands behind his back and stood beside Tang Shengan, suppressing his displeasure, and said, "Young Master, there is no need to worry. I will handle the rest. You can just focus on celebrating His Majesty's birthday."
Wei Jingshan spoke calmly, but his eyes held a chilling arrogance.
Tang Sheng'an silently gazed at the person beside him whom he had watched grow up, feeling increasingly unable to understand him. In truth, his conversation with Liu Shiyu just now was entirely true; if Wei Jingshan were to fall from grace one day, Shao Yuan would indeed be plunged into utter ruin.
Tang Sheng'an understood the cause and effect of everything, but he didn't want his downfall to come too quickly. The current state of Yongzhou, the current state of the Tang family, were already stretched thin.
But looking back, he could only helplessly reply, "Okay."
...
Thus, three days later, on the fourth day of the first lunar month...
The young emperor's birthday arrived as scheduled. Liu Shiyu went from the princess's residence to Shiguang Hall early in the morning to change into the auspicious robes to be worn for the birthday celebration.
Sitting silently in front of the dressing table, Liu Shiyu remained speechless.
When the palace doors were pushed open, she looked up at her reflection in the mirror and saw Wei Jingshan carrying a tray as he strode in. Liu Shiyu didn't turn around, but coldly asked, "My lord, what brings you here?"
"Your Highness, I have come to present you with your auspicious robes." Wei Jingshan stopped beside her and lowered his eyes.
Liu Shiyu wanted to question him, but she didn't want to get entangled with him, so she said sternly, "Then put the things down and leave."
Upon hearing this, Wei Jingshan put down the tray but did not leave as Liu Shiyu had instructed. Instead, he looked at his radiant face in the mirror and spoke in a deep voice, "Three days have passed. Your Highness, is there nothing you wish to say to me?"
"What is there to say between me and the Marquis?" Liu Shiyu remained indifferent. "If the Marquis still wants to talk about that matter, please refrain from speaking. My answer will never change."
Upon hearing her words, Wei Jingshan gently touched the red cloth covering his ceremonial robes and replied softly, "But I have many things I wish to say to Your Highness in this life..."
After speaking, Wei Jingshan suddenly lifted the red cloth, his eyes instantly turning vicious.
He then spoke up: "Your Highness, this is a festive robe that I specially prepared for you. Do you like it?"
Liu Shiyu glanced away disdainfully, but when she saw the python robe on the tray, she was horrified: "Such blasphemous behavior! Wei Jingshan, have you gone mad?"
Wei Jingshan, however, calmly lifted Liu Shiyu's python robe and gently placed it on her back, tracing her silhouette. For some reason, Wei Jingshan suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with something sinister.
Looking at Wei Jingshan's ferocious face in the bronze mirror, Liu Shiyu felt a chill run down his spine.
"Your Highness, you don't like it?" Wei Jingshan pressed down on her stiff shoulders and draped the python robe tightly over her body. "I will always remember the night the rebellion was quelled, when you and I sat in the ravaged hall. It was you who told me that you were willing to protect Shaoyuan. I then promised Your Highness that I would follow you to the death for the rest of my life. From then on, we would support each other and never abandon each other."
"But Your Highness, why have you changed your mind? Are you abandoning me... and going against my wishes?"
Wei Jingshan's eyes were red, and he poured out his pent-up resentment from all these years. He pressed down on Liu Shiyu, causing her pain.
But Liu Shiyu never compromised. She had once gambled everything, and now that she had finally found new meaning in her bleak life, how could she easily give up? She would never allow Wei Jingshan to ruin her happiness.
Liu Shiyu quietly stretched out her right hand, which was hidden in her sleeve, and groped her way toward the dressing table.
Wei Jingshan was so engrossed in his own world that he was completely unaware of what was happening.
He leaned down and whispered in Liu Shiyu's ear, "Liu Shiyu, what will it take for you to continue down this path with me?"
“Why don’t I offer this kingdom of Shaoyuan as a dowry? I will be the king, and you the queen. If you still do not wish, you may become the king. In this way, the people and the long life of Shaoyuan can be protected by us personally, without any further obstacles. We can also be together forever.”
His deeply affectionate words sounded like madness to Liu Shiyu. She remained silent, but in her heart she had already cursed the arrogant man behind her.
Wei Jingshan's heart was filled with obsession, and he repeated his words over and over again: "Your Highness, keep going. Follow the path I have laid out for you, and everything will be within your grasp."
But his words went unanswered. In the blink of an eye, a sharp gold hairpin pierced the back of his hand.
Wei Jingshan turned his head in shock, blood streaming down his face. Yet he didn't utter a sound.
He looked at Liu Shiyu with disappointment.
Liu Shiyu pulled out the bloodstained gold hairpin and said indifferently, "If you've gone crazy enough, let go of my hand."
Unexpectedly, Wei Jingshan really let go.
As he removed it, the brightly colored python robe also fell to the ground.
Liu Shiyu stood up, her composed face reflected in the mirror. Little did she know, her heart was pounding uncontrollably. She slammed the gold hairpin in her hand onto the dressing table, and it took her a long time to regain her composure.
Looking up again, Liu Shiyu took out a pair of golden scissors from the drawer, resolutely turned around and picked up the python robe on the ground. In front of Wei Jingshan, she tore it open.
The sound of tearing silk was piercing, like a knife being stabbed into his heart.
Wei Jingshan suddenly burst into wild laughter as he looked up and down. He watched helplessly as fragments of the python robe slid before his eyes. He had imagined countless endings, but none of them were the one he least wanted to see.
So he went berserk.
Until the python robe was torn to shreds and the golden scissors were thrown to the ground.
Liu Shiyu finally spoke: "I want to protect Shaoyuan, not become Shaoyuan's king. For so many years, you have been deceiving yourself, your ambition, your selfishness. Never try to impose them on me."
"Wei Jingshan, from today onwards, the pitiful affection between us is over."
"We are enemies now."
"An enemy?" Wei Jingshan suddenly sneered. "As long as you can abandon Liu Zhizhou, you can be my enemy. But... can you do that?"
Upon hearing Liu Zhizhou's name, Liu Shiyu immediately became furious.
She rushed forward, yanked at Wei Jingshan's armor, and demanded, "Why? Why do you always like to threaten me like this? What will you do if I stop being threatened like this?"
Wei Jingshan stared into Liu Shiyu's eyes as she looked at him, casually brushed aside the messy hair by her temple, and gritted his teeth as he said in a deep voice, "What about Xu Luchuan?"
Wei Jingshan's obvious probing made Liu Shiyu tighten her grip on his armor even more. But she still had to feign indifference. She couldn't let the person in front of her notice anything; she couldn't let Xu Luchuan be dragged into this for no reason.
But Liu Shiyu felt a lump in her throat and could no longer speak.
Seeing this, Wei Jingshan gently pulled away her hand that was gripping his armor and said in a victorious manner, "Liu Shiyu, you think this is the end? Actually, this is just the beginning."
"You can't get rid of it; this good show has only just begun."
[Author's Note]
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 20:14:56 on January 2, 2023 and 16:17:36 on January 4, 2023!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: A.loser 5 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com