klisemfg Chapter 219 The Eyes of the Woman in the Portrait
Chapter 219 The Eyes of the Woman in the Portrait
Wu Muhong paused for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
"The defeats in Haimu City and Guanling City, and the repeated setbacks for Li'er and the princess in Cangyun Valley, are probably due to the spies from the Longyan Dynasty who sent us false information, which is why You'er and Li'er suffered in silence."
"In your opinion, the Fifth Prince can no longer be trusted?" Helian Kuangmo's eyes were slightly unfathomable.
After pondering for a while, Wu Muhong said, "Regardless of whether those five kings are trustworthy or not, we can no longer use this piece."
If the five kings deliberately sent false information, it means they have broken their promise and will no longer stand on Nansang's side.
If the five kings still stand on Nan Sang's side, but the news has been altered, it means that the Longyan Dynasty has become suspicious of him. If they continue to cooperate with him, it will likely be more harmful than beneficial to Nan Sang.
Helian Kuangmo nodded.
“What you say makes sense, my dear minister.”
"If they send any more messages in the future, just deal with them and don't pay them any more attention."
"How dare they scheme against my Nan Sang like this! I will definitely make those five kings pay me back!"
Wu Muhong nodded.
He observed Helian Kuangmo's expression and then told him another piece of news.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that there is a woman surnamed Zhai who is very powerful in the Longyan Army's expedition. You'er also suffered a setback at her hands."
"A woman surnamed Zhai?" Helian Kuangmo suddenly stood up, his face showing shock.
He stepped down from the dragon throne with some excitement.
"But...that Zhai?"
Wu Muhong bowed and replied, "It is indeed the eldest daughter of Minister Zhai, Zhai Rongyu."
Helian Kuangmo's breathing suddenly quickened, and he flicked his dragon robe, his eyes blazing with excitement.
"Her daughter...it's her daughter!"
He paced back and forth, then said to Wu Muhong:
"Go! Instruct Wu Muyou and Wu Muli that as long as they bring Zhai Rongyu back to me, I will forgive their defeat!"
Helian Kuangmo's facial muscles twitched with excitement. He took a few more steps, then suddenly turned around and changed his orders.
"No! Issue my decree: whoever can bring Zhai Rongyu back to the palace will be the next head of the Wu family!"
"Your Majesty!" Wu Muhong exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't it a bit too hasty to use this matter as the criterion for selecting the next head of the Wu family?"
"Hasty?" Helian Kuangmo narrowed his cold eyes.
"If what you say is true, Wu Muyou was also defeated by her, which shows that this woman is extraordinary. It is still unknown whether they can bring her back."
"Moreover, you will soon be under the restriction, and your time is running out. Yet the position of head of the Wu family has not been decided yet. How long do you expect me to wait?!"
He flicked his sleeves, a hint of anger in his eyes.
The protective barrier of the Nansang Royal Palace has maintained its current power only through sacrifices made by successive heads of the Wu family.
The Wu family changes its head of household every fifty years.
This is a rule that has been established since ancient times.
The Wu family and the royal family had made a life-or-death pact.
The royal family bestowed upon the Wu family supreme power and honor, and the Wu family sacrificed their patriarch to maintain the royal family's restrictions, ensuring the royal family's long-lasting prosperity.
Now that the fifty-year period is approaching, the restrictions are showing signs of fluctuation. If a new head of the family is not appointed soon, the safety of the royal family will be in imminent danger, and the entire Nansang may be plunged into turmoil.
"Your Majesty, calm down."
"Go and do it!" Helian Kuangmo coldly ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Yes." Wu Muhong lowered his eyes, bowed, and took his leave.
Helian Kuangmo walked to the dragon throne, pressed a switch beside him, and the table in front of him slowly slid away, revealing a recess.
Inside lay a portrait and a treasure box, lying quietly.
Helian Kuangmo raised his hand and touched the box. The ancient golden nanmu wood had been around for many years, but it had developed a faint, soft luster from the owner's constant caresses.
He did not open the treasure box, but instead took out the portrait next to him and spread it out on the table.
The portrait depicts a woman dressed in elaborate palace attire. She has an exceptionally beautiful face and a pair of almond-shaped eyes that are as deep as the sea, seemingly containing countless stars.
Her gestures were like a dance, her hair fluttered, and the flared skirt made her face even more radiant and beautiful.
If you look closely, you can see a scale-like ornament hanging from the woman's neck, which dangles in mid-air with her dance movements, shimmering with a soft glow.
Helian Kuangmo reached out and touched the eyes of the woman in the portrait.
"Sheng'er, do you think she might have eyes just like yours?"
"I can't wait any longer."
He smiled slowly.
*
Helian Tanyao waited outside Cangyun Valley for several days, but still received no news of Lou Yu. She then whipped her maidservant severely.
"What's wrong with Lou Yu? Why hasn't he come to help yet after all this time!"
The maid cried out in pain and knelt on the ground, her skin and flesh torn open, but she bit her lip to endure the pain.
"And what about the reinforcements from Haimu City? Did they all think I was dead?! How come they've all vanished without a trace!"
Her face was full of anger, and she whipped the maid several more times.
The maid knelt on the ground, silently enduring the pain, cold sweat beading on her forehead. Her clothes were torn open, revealing healed scars, which were then lashed open again by a soft whip, seeping out traces of blood.
She finally couldn't help but let out a soft cry.
As soon as she made a sound, she covered her lips in terror.
Helian Tanyao stopped whipping, walked to the maid and half-squatted down, raising her hand to pinch the maid's chin, her beautiful eyes slightly narrowed, "Did I hurt you?"
"No, no, no! It doesn't hurt!"
The maid shook her head frantically, her eyes filled with fear.
Helian Tanyao sneered, grabbed her face and threw her to the ground, "Since you're afraid of pain, this princess will grant your wish and spare you this suffering."
"Guards! Drag her out and drown her!"
"Princess, spare me! Princess, spare me!"
"I'm not in pain! I really'm not in pain!"
"Well!"
A soldier came in, gagged the maid, and dragged her out.
Wu Muli put down his flute, poured himself a cup of tea, and said, "Why should the princess get angry with a maid?"
"What? Are you heartbroken?" Helian Tanyao glanced at him.
Wu Muli chuckled, "How could that be?"
"Li only has eyes for the princess; what do others have to do with me?"
"Hmph." Helian Tanyao put away her whip, took the teacup handed to her by Wu Muli, and sneered, "Your Wu family has served the royal family for generations, like doing a mission. It's so boring."
Wu Muli paused, his hands unconsciously clenching.
He had been by the princess's side since he was a child.
She had long since gotten used to it and didn't take it seriously at all.
Wu Muli lowered his head and gave a bitter smile.
"Have you raised any new Gu worms yet?" Helian Tanyao asked after drinking her tea.
Lou Yu is unreliable; in the end, I'll have to take matters into my own hands.
Wu Muli nodded.
"As the princess instructed, we have invited the most powerful Gu King and raised the Moon-Eating Gu."
"The Moon-Eclipse Gu?" Helian Tanyao slammed her teacup down on the table, her face contorted with anger. "That Moon-Eclipse Gu can erode a person's life like a lunar eclipse. You know I, the princess, don't want to kill him!"
"Princess, now that things have come to this, do you still want to spare Zhai Sangjie's life?"
Even if he doesn't like women at all!
Helian Tanyao didn't take his words to heart at all. She ran her fingers along the rim of the teacup and suddenly smiled.
"Let it be the Moon-Eating Gu."
"It would be perfect if I used my life on his lover instead of taking Zhai Sangjie's!"