Chapter 254 You Don't Love Him at All
“I do have another use, a…use that none of you would have thought of!”
"You want to wait? I'm afraid you can't afford to wait!"
Song Jiyun raised his head, met Meng Shilan's gaze, and revealed a smile that could only be described as malicious.
"Do you really think that warm jade bracelet I gave to Madam Zhou is just as simple as warm jade?"
Meng Shilan's heart sank suddenly.
All that could be heard was Song Jiyun speaking slowly and deliberately, in the most cheerful tone, uttering the most vicious words.
"I poisoned the old lady."
"This poison is colorless and odorless. Once it comes into contact with the body, it will seep into the bloodstream and gradually erode a person's internal organs."
"Without an antidote, the old lady will die from her intestines bursting open!"
Looking at Meng Shilan's suddenly frozen face, she laughed even more heartily.
“Meng Shilan, Dasheng governs the country with filial piety. If Old Madam Zhou dies at this critical juncture, the Duke of Yingguo and Zhou Congxian will have to observe three years of mourning!”
"Three years..."
"Zhou Congxian is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor and his future looks very bright. Why are you making him observe three years of mourning?"
"Wouldn't that ruin his promising future?"
"Now, do you still think that I am worthless?"
A deathly silence once again enveloped the humble room.
The maniacal smile of certain victory on Song Jiyun's face was still frozen at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh."
A soft laugh escaped from Meng Shilan's lips.
It was as light as a feather, yet it struck Song Jiyun's heart with tremendous force.
"Song Jiyun, I just said you were smart, but it seems I overestimated you."
Meng Shilan shook her head, her eyes truly looking at a hopeless idiot.
Poisoning? Mourning period?
She thought she had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Do you really think that your lowly, domestic tricks can shake the foundations of the court and the nation?"
Meng Shilan walked to the only window and looked out at the square sky.
"Do you know that the war on the western border is now very serious?"
"In the current imperial court, besides the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and the Duke of Yingguo's mansion, there are only a few other military generals who advocate war."
"And do you know how many peace advocates, who are content with their isolated corners, passionately demand peace talks every day?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and resonant.
"At this critical juncture, Zhou Congxian is His Majesty's most trusted sword!"
"Such a person, for the sake of his grandmother's death, disregarded the safety of his family and country, laid down his arms and returned to his hometown to observe three years of mourning?"
Meng Shilan slowly turned around, her gaze sharp as a knife, piercing straight at Song Jiyun.
Do you think His Majesty will approve it?
"Governing the country with filial piety is indeed the foundation of the nation. But when the country is on the verge of collapse, where will filial piety find its place?"
“Song Jiyun, you are such a small chess piece that you can only see the inner courtyard of the Duke of Ying’s mansion, but you cannot see the chessboard of the world, the ever-changing winds and clouds.”
The color drained from Song Jiyun's face little by little.
Meng Shilan's words shattered the last line of defense she had painstakingly built.
"You're talking nonsense!"
Song Jiyun screamed, her voice hoarse and shrill.
"That's just your speculation! You're just gambling!"
Her eyes were bloodshot, like a trapped wild beast, staring intently at Meng Shilan.
"I bet His Majesty will take on the infamy of being unfilial for Zhou Congxian's sake!"
"I bet Zhou Congxian would be willing to become an unfilial and unjust person for the sake of his future!"
"The Emperor's mind is unpredictable; who can say for sure! Meng Shilan, do you dare gamble Zhou Congxian's entire future on this one in ten thousand chance?"
Her words seemed to be persuading Meng Shilan, but even more so, they were persuading herself.
As long as there's an element of gambling involved, she hasn't lost everything yet.
Meng Shilan's face remained completely expressionless.
They were so calm, as if they were talking about a complete stranger, not her fiancé.
Song Jiyun's heart clenched suddenly.
She stared intently into Meng Shilan's eyes and asked, word by word.
"You don't love him at all, do you?"
"I understand, I understand everything."
"If you love him, how could you remain so calm when you hear that his grandmother has been poisoned and is about to die, and that he might ruin his future because of it?"
"You don't have him in your heart at all!"
"Everything you've done is for yourself! For your status as the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo! For your wealth and glory!"
She seemed to have seized Meng Shilan's biggest weakness, and her voice carried a morbid sense of pleasure.
"You hypocritical woman! You're even more vicious than me!"
Faced with these accusations, Meng Shilan finally responded.
She smiled.
That smile carried an overwhelming, unyielding sarcasm.
"like?"
She chewed on the word gently, as if savoring something ridiculous.
What is that?
"Is it something that can ensure the safety of the entire Song family when their property is raided?"
"Or will it allow you to live with more dignity when you're living under someone else's roof?"
"Song Jiyun".
Meng Shilan slowly walked up to her and looked down at her.
"You keep saying you love him, that you'd be willing to die for him. But what has your love gotten you in return?"
"Did she get the position of the Heir Apparent's wife in exchange?"
"Did this earn you a moment of Zhou Congxian's pity?"
"Your love is of no use except to make you repulsive and insanely jealous."
Meng Shilan leaned down slightly and whispered in her ear.
"You know what, you're really pathetic."
"With your background, your looks, your talent, you could have had a wonderful life."
"But you've turned your life into a joke."
Her voice was extremely low, yet it carried the most cruel power.
"So pathetic...it's hateful."
These last words were like a steel needle, piercing Song Jiyun's heart.
All her pretense, all her pride, all her scheming were torn to shreds and trampled underfoot by Meng Shilan in this moment.
Song Jiyun's pupils suddenly contracted.
Something in her mind snapped with a "bang".
She suddenly burst into a strange laugh.
Then, her expression changed drastically.
A roar erupted from deep within her throat.
"Meng Shilan! You bitch! You'll die a horrible death!"
Her eyes were bloodshot, tears streaming down her face, and all traces of her former noblewoman demeanor were no longer visible on her face.
She cursed incoherently.
Her voice was shrill and desperate, like the wail of a demon from hell.
Meng Shilan looked at her quietly.
Looking at this woman who had completely gone mad.
After a long while, she slowly turned around and didn't look at her again.
The heavy wooden door slowly opened behind her, then slowly closed again.
"Squeak—"
A soft sound separated the two worlds.
Outside, the sun was shining brightly.
This is the backyard of the Meng Family Ancestral Hall, which is extremely remote.
The room where Song Jiyun was imprisoned was formerly the residence of servants. It was semi-submerged, with half of it underground, and was warm in winter and cool in summer.
The courtyard was extremely spacious, and behind the house stood a tall locust tree with a canopy that blocked most of the sunlight, leaving only dappled light and shadow on the ground.
In such a place, no matter how loudly Song Jiyun shouted inside, his voice would never reach the outside.
Guo Fan was already waiting in the courtyard.
"Miss."
He bowed with his hands clasped in greeting, his voice deep and somber.
"Miss, keeping such a madwoman around will only bring trouble!"
"She hurt Shuang'er, she hurt Miss He, and she even kidnapped the young master. Each and every one of these acts is enough to warrant her death ten thousand times over!"
He stared at the tightly closed wooden door, his eyes filled with undisguised murderous intent.
"Why not just kill her!"
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