Hai Tang and the others exchanged puzzled looks, never having heard of someone chatting while offending. What was the princess doing?
Long Xuanmo’s face remained expressionless, his eyes deep, making it impossible to glimpse his thoughts.
While slowly swirling the valuable tea cup in her hand, Yang Mengchen said softly, "As a princess, I want to know, when you were a child and saw other children playing and laughing freely, yet you spent your days locked inside studying hard and filled with hatred, did you envy them? freēwebnovel.com
As an adult, while others lived their lives openly and honorably, you had to hide and run, living like a rat in the dark, unable to come to light for decades. Do you feel wronged?
Think about it, you are in the prime of your life, yet you haven’t enjoyed the pleasures of marital love or the joy of descendants (it’s been confirmed that Dugu Fuxing had many women, but he never married or had children). Now that your plans have failed and you’ve been captured, you are well aware of what awaits you. Are you content with this?"
Dugu Fuxing still kept his eyes shut, making no sound, but his eyeballs rolled quickly for a few moments.
Raising an eyebrow, Yang Mengchen continued, "It’s been over three hundred years since the former dynasty was overthrown. For a vain and unreal obsession, your family has plotted and schemed for generations, yet in the end, you still failed. Was it worth it?
If it were me, knowing that restoration of the kingdom was impossible, I would prefer my descendants live in obscurity, enjoying a safe and happy ordinary life, rather than burdening them with the foolish dreams of past generations, living a life that’s neither human nor ghost, wasting their youth and even sacrificing their lives. This isn’t love; it’s harm.
After all, your ancestors and father never really saw you as a descendant of the Dugu family. In their eyes, you were just a tool for revenge, a tool to accomplish what they could not.
And your mother, as the saying goes, ’a mother’s strength is boundless.’ If she truly loved you, no matter how stubborn your ancestors and father were, she would never have let you walk this path of no return. She would have sacrificed her own life if necessary; that’s what true maternal love is!"
Dugu Fuxing still did not respond to Yang Mengchen’s words, but slowly opened his eyes, something flashing within them.
Seeing the anger and resentment flicker in the depths of Dugu Fuxing’s eyes, Yang Mengchen thought to herself that this man truly was full of unwillingness.
Yang Mengchen wasn’t wrong; Dugu Fuxing truly was unwilling.
From the age of two, his grandfather and father started teaching him literature, martial arts, and strategies. Every day, from the end of Yin Hour (around 5 am) until Midnight, apart from eating and using the restroom, there was no moment of rest. If he did not meet his grandfather’s and father’s expectations, he faced beating and scolding, or being forced to kneel down for hours on end.
Once, he heard the children next door flying kites, their merry laughter tempting him to look out of curiosity. As a result, his father beat him until his skin was torn and flesh was open; he had to continue studying while enduring the pain.
Afterward, when he cried to his mother, not only did she not offer any comfort, but she also scolded him harshly, accusing him of being a disappointment and immediately informing his father, who then beat him again, before resuming the repetitive daily grind the next day.
From then on, he dared not be distracted, obeying his grandfather and father like a puppet, and since that moment, he never cried again.
His grandfather and father constantly reminded him that he was born to be an Emperor and that ordinary folks could not compare to him.
At the age of six, his grandfather fell ill and, clutching his hand on his deathbed, made him swear to overthrow Dong Chu and reclaim the Dugu family’s throne. After he swore, his grandfather died, but his eyes would not close.
At seven, by his father’s command, he led men and carried the former dynasty’s remaining treasure to develop influence elsewhere, beginning a life of hiding in the dark, never returning to that supposed home. Until now, he had never slept soundly, always fearing that he would reveal his whereabouts in his sleep and be hunted down by the Imperial Court.
He never wished to walk this path; none of this was ever his choice, but he was never given the chance to choose.
Now that he was captured, he would probably die soon. Not only was he unafraid, but he also felt it to be a relief.
But to die like this, for unjust charges, was something he could not accept.
After all, he had never made the decisions; everything was forced upon him by others. He was just a puppet, tired of such a life long ago. And he wasn’t foolish; Dongchu Country was peaceful and the people content, especially after the arrival of Princess Chen, it steadily became prosperous and strong. Their so-called restoration was nothing but a futile effort, comparable to a moth flying into the flame. It’s a pity that at that time he was young and constantly manipulated by those around him. As he grew older, it still wasn’t up to him to decide.
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