Chapter 301 Exposing
In autumn, Qifengtai is nestled against the mountains and beside the water, its beauty serene and refined. The four-story Qiyuan Tower, offering panoramic views, stands beside it, their elegance complementing each other.
Facing the Qifeng Terrace, which she personally supervised the construction of years ago, the vast platform paved with white jade leads straight to the sky. Even the fake meteorite "Nüjun Yangsheng," which she spent a lot of money to create back then, is still lying safely in the center of the square in front of the Qifeng Terrace.
Looking at all this, Mu Xi was filled with emotion, and she recalled the days when she and Mu Xun lived together in a simple wooden house next to Qifeng Terrace.
Who would have thought that, looking back after so many years, it would be such a rare and peaceful time for the two of them?
This visit is for negotiations that were agreed upon in advance by all three parties.
On one side of Qifeng Terrace, Mu Xi sat on horseback, her gaze piercing through the glint of swords and shadows of the opposing forces, firmly fixed on the figure being held hostage.
All the surrounding noise seemed to fade away instantly, and her world suddenly shrank, leaving only Mu Xun.
Mu Xun stood atop a chariot, his plain white robes standing out starkly against the backdrop of menacing black armor, which only accentuated his gaunt and pale appearance. Years of separation and imprisonment seemed to have washed away the last trace of his youthful spirit, leaving behind a calmness etched by the vicissitudes of life, like cold jade that had been repeatedly polished, its gentle warmth masking a chilling resilience.
In Mu Xi's memory, Mu Xun in front of her had lost a lot of weight, his jawline was more defined, and his eye sockets were slightly sunken, but his eyes, which were like a calm lake reflecting the moon, were still as clear as ever, and he was staring at her steadily at this moment.
Mu Xun's hands were bound behind his back, the cold iron chains gleaming eerily in the dim light. A sharp longsword was mercilessly held across his neck, the blade pressed against his skin, leaving a glaring bloodstain. Several beads of blood slowly seeped out, sliding down his pale neck and disappearing into his collar.
The moment their eyes met, Mu Xi felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly, and the sudden pain made it almost impossible for her to breathe.
All the scheming and plotting crumbled the moment they saw Mu Xun's gentle eyes.
She saw a fleeting hint of pain flash across his eyes, not for his own situation, but for her—for the anxiety and shock that she couldn't hide in her expression at that moment.
Mu Xun slightly moved her bloodless lips and smiled at her with utmost gentleness and tenderness.
That smile instantly melted and seeped into Mu Xi's heart, and all the longing and unforgettable memories of the past years were swept away in that smile.
Mu Heng, clad in black armor, sat astride a horse on one side, his face displaying undisguised ambition and madness: "Haven't I shown enough sincerity?"
Before Mu Xi could answer, Tu Feng, the old commander of the Han Hai Army on the other side of Qifeng Terrace, had eyes that were about to burst with rage. His clenched fists were bulging with veins, and he couldn't help but roar: "You villain, release my grandson of the Dayan Prince at once, or I will tear you to pieces!"
Of the Xi royal family to whom the Han Hai Army is loyal, Mu Xun is the only surviving member.
The current situation is a replay of the fall of the kingdom, and it is once again a showdown between the Xi and Mu clans.
"No rush..." Mu Heng sneered, his voice filled with smug satisfaction. "Let me ask my cousin, Prince Jin Fang, first. I'll give you a choice: do you want your good 'brother,' or your sweetheart... or that throne in Moyang City?"
If this answer had been given in the past, Mu Xi would probably have hesitated and struggled to make a decision.
The injustice and hope I felt when I first arrived here.
Helplessness and fear when facing various hardships.
The desire for power was stirred up when they entered Moyang City.
The fragility of clinging desperately to power just to gain that tiny bit of security...
Reason and emotion always seem to be in conflict. Before arriving at Qifengtai, they held her soul tightly, tearing it apart in completely opposite directions.
However, all of that vanished the moment he saw Mu Xun.
The question of "what would happen if I lost him" still has no answer, but it no longer needs an answer.
Because my heart had already made its final decision: "Release him, and I'll give you Moyang City; I don't want the throne either."
These words caused an uproar.
Mu Xun's eyes, which seemed to reflect the moon on the calm lake, suddenly flickered. He struggled to speak, but was restrained by the person behind him who was pressing a sword against him.
Bai Su said urgently, "Your Majesty..."
Mu Heng then threw his head back and laughed, his laughter full of sarcasm: "Hahaha... Give it to me? You don't want it? Hahaha... You're not worthy."
"What?" Mu Xi didn't react at first.
Mu Heng suddenly drew his sword from his waist, sweeping the blade across Mu Xun's face. His gaze, like a venomous snake, was fixed on Mu Xi, twisted and ferocious: "Young Master Jin Fang... Young Master Jin Fang... This is utterly ridiculous... Do you really think everyone in the world is blind? Beneath this skin is a woman, this is a complete and utter deception. For so many years... for so many years, you and your daughter have deceived my father and me so cruelly, making the soldiers of the Western Border defend the Western Border for a woman like you."
How did Mu Heng know?
Mu Xi's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately understood.
Previously, Xuan Youjun and this fellow were allies, and Xuan Youjun had long known her true identity. After she declared herself a monarch, they probably told Mu Heng this secret without any scruples.
Mu Heng brandished his longsword and suddenly pointed the tip directly at Mu Xi's back: "Look carefully, all of you. This is a vain and arrogant woman who deceives the world. She has no right to stand here, much less to ascend the throne. The one you have been supporting is just a joke. Now I'm giving you a chance to abandon the darkness and embrace the light."
Mu Xi felt a chill run through her body. The fear that had been suppressed for so long surged up from the darkest corner of her heart like a venomous snake that had been dormant for many years. She had never had enough courage to directly ascend to the position of female monarch like Princess Qingyang. She wondered what the Western and Southern armies would think after learning that she was just a woman who could not ride a horse and fight.
At this moment, Bai Su suddenly drew her sword from her waist, raised it to the sky, and her loud and impassioned voice rang out: "Traitor Mu Heng, how dare you bark here! So what if Your Majesty is a woman? I, Bai Su, as a female general, can fight on the battlefield, cutting through thorns and brambles. Taking your head is nothing more than a blink of an eye. Your Majesty is a woman, yet you have the world in your heart. Why can't you enter Moyang and ascend the throne? On the contrary, you, Mu Heng, are repeating the mistakes of the fallen king Mu Ji, colluding with pirates, betraying the people of Yan Sheng, a traitor, shameless and ungrateful! I, Bai Su, and the 100,000 soldiers of Yan Sheng behind me only support a ruler who can lead us to drive out the pirates, pacify the chaos, and allow the people to live in peace and prosperity. Your Majesty's benevolence is a blessing for the people, Your Majesty's benevolence is a blessing for the people..."
Bai Su gave a passionate speech and then raised his arms and shouted.
Immediately, the 100,000 soldiers behind him roared in unison, shouting: "Your Majesty is benevolent, a blessing to the people..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
