Seeing the change in Lin Xihe's emotions, Mu Ruoyan regretted bringing it up. He opened his mouth but didn't know how to answer, and the atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
Seeing Mu Ruoyan hesitate, Lin Xihe's voice trembled with nervousness: "You know? Can you tell me?"
"Your Great Hao Emperor has made a private agreement with Nanzhao that the two countries will not invade each other for thirty years, on the condition that your father and your brother's heads be used as a token of sincerity." After Mu Ruoyan finished speaking, he turned his head and looked at the full moon in the sky, his expression terrifyingly calm.
Explain yourself clearly!
Lin Xihe's eyes widened, her eyes instantly reddening. Her hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, and she seemed frozen in place, her heart filled with disbelief, yet also with an urgent desire to uncover the cruel truth.
"The deputy general by your father's side was a man of the Great Hao Emperor. He kept adding slow-acting poison to your father's food, until your father's body could not withstand it and he died on the battlefield. The military doctor and four or five adjutants were also aware of this."
Mu Ruoyan's words were like heavy hammer blows, striking Lin Xihe's heart hard.
Lin Xihe clenched her fists involuntarily, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you serious?"
“Your brother was also drugged and is currently blind. He’s staying at a family’s house in Cang’er. If you don’t believe me, I can take you to see him.” Mu Ruoyan couldn’t bear to look at Lin Xihe’s expression and didn’t turn her head.
Lin Xihe swayed, as if all her strength had been drained away. Images of her father and elder brother flashed through her mind, but now they had become sacrifices for others to exchange for peace.
“Your steward was threatened by the emperor to ruin your father’s reputation. Otherwise, the emperor would have made sure no one in your family survived.”
Mu Ruoyan continued, each word like a towering mountain pressing down on Lin Xihe, making her chest feel tight and her breathing rapid and difficult.
Her lips trembled slightly. It turned out that Uncle Fu's betrayal was only to save her life, while she herself had committed suicide in despair at her father's grave the day after the house was searched. How foolish and pathetic she was.
“Lin Xihe, I shouldn’t be telling you this. Half a month ago, I went out because I found out where your brother was. I originally wanted to take you to find him, but I was angry with you that day, so I didn’t mention it again.”
“Your country is already a mess, yet all you want to do is escape from me. Let’s not even talk about whether you can escape from me. Even if I let you go, will you be safe when you go back?” Mu Ruoyan’s voice rang in her ears, but Lin Xihe could no longer hear it.
At this moment, her eyes were vacant, and she seemed to have lost her soul, sitting there blankly.
Mu Ruoyan reached out to put his arm around Lin Xihe's shoulders, trying to offer her some comfort, but Lin Xihe reacted as if she had been electrocuted, violently shaking off his hand and screaming hysterically, "Don't touch me!"
Her voice pierced the silent night sky, carrying endless sorrow and anger.
Mu Ruoyan withdrew her hand, looked at Lin Xihe, and a complex emotion flashed in her eyes, including heartache, helplessness, and determination.
"Now you should be able to understand why Gu Qinghuai is isolated and helpless."
"I can easily control him in Nanzhao. On the one hand, I have been cultivating my presence in Nanzhao for many years. On the other hand, the war in the north resulted in heavy losses, and it will take at least ten years to recover. Gu Qinghuai, on the other hand, has already achieved great military exploits by pacifying the north. As long as he is alive, he is a thorn in the side of those in power. There are plenty of generals who can fight. If he dies, thousands of others will take his place."
Mu Ruoyan's voice echoed in the silent night, telling the cruelest truth in the world, and it was also like a final warning to Lin Xihe, making her realize this cold and cruel world.
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