Who went out?
Hearing the door close, Lin Zhihao turned his head slightly, his ears instinctively trying to catch any sounds outside.
"Xihe and him."
Gu Qinghuai's voice carried an undisguised sense of desolation. He had once been a prodigy, but lately he felt as if he had fallen into the dust, powerless to do anything about anything.
"Brother, have you had a falling out with Xihe?"
Although Lin Zhihao couldn't see, he keenly sensed the unusual tone in Gu Qinghuai's voice and still habitually addressed him as "elder brother".
"No."
Gu Qinghuai immediately denied it, but as soon as he finished speaking, a wave of bitterness welled up in his heart.
He took a deep breath and tried to calm his chaotic emotions.
"Zhihao, why do you hate Xiao Yu?" Gu Qinghuai hesitated for a moment before asking.
Xiao Yugan was their emperor. Since his ascension to the throne, Da Hao had been constantly at odds with the three other neighboring countries, except for the coastal region.
Recently, the situation between Dahao and Nanzhao has just stabilized on the surface; last year, a great victory was achieved in the north, but tensions with the Western Regions remain high.
Xiao Yugan's political achievements were not outstanding, but from the perspective of his subjects, he could not be described as incompetent or tyrannical.
Where is my elder brother?
Lin Zhihao didn't answer directly, but instead threw the question back at Gu Qinghuai. He sat there quietly, waiting for Gu Qinghuai's answer.
"With his actions, he cannot ensure the safety of the Great Hao Dynasty for ten years."
Gu Qinghuai's words were filled with hatred. Thinking of all the hardships he and Lin Xihe had gone through, he even wished that he had died on that battlefield when he defeated the Northern Border.
In this way, Lin Xihe would not have to make a difficult choice, and perhaps by following Ji Zhuo earlier, she could live happily ever after.
on the other hand.
Since Xiao Yugan treated me this way, he will certainly not be lenient towards those who have made meritorious contributions in the future.
How could he not hate someone who treated his loyal generals this way?
With just this one sentence, Lin Zhihao understood Gu Qinghuai's meaning.
"Brother, do you have someone in mind?"
Lin Zhihao asked the question subtly, but Gu Qinghuai understood that he was asking about the selection of the new emperor.
None of them were princes or grandsons of the emperor, so naturally they wouldn't have the idea of becoming emperor themselves. However, Xiao Yugan was indeed lacking in the talent to govern the country. On the surface, he appeared kind and amiable, but behind the scenes, he was framing loyal officials. Even though Xiao Yugan sacrificed the lives of Lin Bin and Lin Zhihao, Nanzhao did not behave itself. According to Gu Qinghuai's investigation last year, Nanzhao was merely conserving its strength and stockpiling grain.
"Xiao Chengyuan".
Gu Qinghuai slowly uttered the name.
"Although he usually pretends to be a carefree prince who only knows about romance and nature, he is actually a man of real talent and learning. I have read his articles when he was young, which fully demonstrate his great talent and ambition."
Gu Qinghuai was torn. He was unwilling to become a rebel, but he also knew that even if he did not seek revenge, if Xiao Yugan continued to rule, the fate of the Great Hao Dynasty would not last long.
On the other side, the moonlight, like water, poured onto the winding path.
The two walked in silence until they reached a secluded spot, where Lin Xihe slowly stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to look at Mu Ruoyan.
"Mu Ruoyan, forced love is never sweet." Lin Xihe's voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
"You clearly have feelings for me too, so how is this a forced relationship?"
Mu Ruoyan still refused to believe it. He took a step forward, trying to find a trace of love in Lin Xihe's eyes. In his opinion, Lin Xihe was just deceiving herself.
"I didn't. Don't be so presumptuous."
Lin Xihe immediately denied it, her eyes darting away, not daring to meet Mu Ruoyan's gaze.
"Am I being presumptuous, or are you deceiving yourself?"
Mu Ruoyan's voice unconsciously rose a few decibels. He was initially pleased that the two of them could come out alone, but now, seeing Lin Xihe's attitude, he realized that she just wanted to distance herself from him again.
Lin Xihe felt that she had never admitted to liking Mu Ruoyan, but for some reason, she really didn't want him to die.
But at this moment, she really didn't want to dwell on these complicated feelings anymore.
"I just want to go back, and I can't possibly follow you wholeheartedly for three years."
"Then why did you promise me before?" Mu Ruoyan pressed on.
Did you ever give me a choice? Did I even have a choice in front of you?
Lin Xihe was somewhat agitated, her voice trembling slightly as she recalled those moments when she was powerless to control her own destiny, her heart filled with grievances.
"You know you can't do anything. Gu Qinghuai is in dire straits himself. You're so devoted to him. If you want to talk to me about this, then let's go back and talk to your brother properly."
Mu Ruoyan was completely enraged. He turned around abruptly and was about to leave without hesitation.
Lin Xihe called Mu Ruoyan out not to start a fight, but because she knew that if this problem wasn't resolved today, it would keep getting back to her.
She rushed forward and grabbed Mu Ruoyan's sleeve, her voice pleading, "Don't be angry, can you talk to me properly?"
Mu Ruoyan didn't turn around, but asked disappointedly, "What are you going to do to lie to me now?"
"If you didn't bully me with your power, why would I lie to you... Mu Ruoyan, if you really care about me, can you please stop pressuring me...?"
Lin Xihe's voice was also filled with grievance and tears, her eyes slightly red, but she did not loosen her grip on Mu Ruoyan's hand at all.
"If I don't force you, will I ever see you again? I only need you for three years before I die. Can't you wait until I'm dead?"
Mu Ruoyan's tone was filled with an unprecedented sorrow. He slowly turned around, the moonlight shining on his face, reflecting a look of loneliness and helplessness.
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