"Lu Wanyin deceived me back then, saying she'd live a good life with me. She tricked me into agreeing to send Xie Jinyang's son back to the Xie Mansion. Then she tried to secretly send away my own son and claimed he died of illness.
Did she plan to die from the very beginning? Tell me!"
Murong Min glared angrily, his eyes bloodshot. He felt a bone - chilling cold all over his body.
Murong Lian smiled without any real warmth in his eyes, looking extremely arrogant:
"Yes, Lu Wanyin never loved you at all. The letters she wrote to Xie Jinyang were all delivered to the Western Frontier by me. Every word was full of tenderness.
She sent away both her younger and elder sons, clearly ready to seek death. But Lu Wanyin was such a useful pawn. How could I let her die?
Naturally, I revealed the news to you, making you drug her so she had to lie in bed all day, unable to do anything.
After the Western Frontier battle ended, Xie Jinyang returned home and only saw his son but not his wife.
I told Xie Jinyang everything you had done. At the same time, I told you that Xie Jinyang knew everything and was mobilizing his army to attack the imperial capital.
Murong Min, you, this lecherous and power - hungry emperor, were naturally panicked for the sake of your imperial reputation. So you easily believed my words and executed the entire Xie family on the charge of treason.
But you didn't know that when Xie Jinyang came to the capital, he only brought a small team of loyal guards for his safety.
I guided him to Fuyue Temple. That was the last time he saw Lu Wanyin.
It was just those few days that the entire Xie family was destroyed in a bloodbath.
The damned Xie Jinyang, after knowing everything, his first reaction was not to rebel but to go to Fuyue Temple to find Lu Wanyin.
I told him to immediately raise an army and kill you, but he still didn't do it.
Xie Jinyang, that foolishly loyal man, was so stupid!
But I wasn't willing to give up. I told Lu Wanyin the news that the entire Xie family had been exterminated.
I also gave Lu Wanyin poison and a dagger, thinking that if she killed you, I still had a chance.
But this woman was also stupid. She just died for no apparent reason."
Murong Min recalled that last night at Fuyue Temple. He gritted his teeth and said full of hatred:
"After the entire Xie family was exterminated, I went to Lu Wanyin with the phoenix seal. I promised her that she would be the only woman in my harem. I'd never hold a beauty contest or appoint concubines. She would be my only empress.
But unexpectedly, Lu Wanyin tried to kill me. She stabbed the dagger into my chest, but she didn't know that I was wearing a heavenly silk armor that was invulnerable to swords and guns.
Lu Wanyin just smiled at that time, threw the dagger away, laughed for a long time, and then suddenly vomited blood and fell to the ground dead.
Murong Lian, it turns out that all of this was your scheme.
You calculated against me, Xie Jinyang, and Lu Wanyin, and still weren't satisfied.
Twenty years later, you started all over again. You raised Xie Jinyang's son to be a tool for revenge. I, I will surely make you suffer worse than death!"
Murong Lian knew he was going to die anyway, so he became even more relaxed and arrogant:
"Yes, it was someone around Xie Jinyang who brought Huo Wei and Shen Guilan to me.
When Huo Wei was only about ten years old, he showed a natural talent for leading troops, just like his father.
At that time, I knew I had an ace card named revenge in my hand. I used the word'revenge' to nourish Huo Wei's entire life.
I raised him with the cruelest training methods and the strictest upbringing, treating him like a vicious dog to come back and bite you!"
Du Gu Luanyue placed her warm palm on Huo Wei's arm:
"Don't listen to this. Just treat him like a mad dog barking randomly."
She saw that Huo Wei's eyes were blood - red and ferocious, and a long - hidden rage seeped out of his eye sockets. His well - defined jawline had become even sharper at this moment.
Huo Wei stood up, walked over, grabbed Murong Lian's lapel, and roared angrily:
"So all the beatings I suffered over the years were just your way of venting your anger.
You hated my father for not helping you rebel back then when he was your brother. And all these years I've been living in the shadow of revenge because of your desires!
Murong Lian, the blood feud of the entire Xie family, my parents, and the hatred from my growth, all were caused by you alone!
You also killed Murong Jue because you couldn't stand to see someone else become the crown prince. You were afraid you'd have no chance;
You told the Second Prince the secret of my birth to frame me and throw me into prison, just to force me to rebel.
Murong Lian, in terms of scheming, no one can match you."
At this moment, Shen Guilan also realized why, from childhood to adulthood, no matter how hard and excellent Huo Wei was, his own father always oppressed and beat him severely.
But when he himself made mistakes, at most he just had to kneel and would never suffer the same cruel treatment as Huo Wei.
But even so, Huo Wei had always been kind and sincere to him.
When they were naughty kids, they went into the deep mountains to test their courage and met a tiger. He was forced to the edge of a cliff by the tiger.
Huo Wei had already run away but still came back with a sharp stone to save him.
A child raised with hatred still had purity and kindness in his heart.
So later, he stopped learning martial arts and instead studied literature and medicine. He didn't want to see Huo Wei being beaten black and blue by Murong Lian anymore.
Murong Lian roared: "Shen Guilan, have you forgotten whose son you are? Do you know what filial piety is? Huo Wei is going to kill me, and you just stand there and watch?"
Shen Guilan stood there stiffly, not knowing what to say. Murong Lian had schemed to kill Huo Wei's entire family. How could he plead for mercy?
But Murong Lian was indeed his father. Facing the obligation of filial piety, his heart was in a complete mess.
Du Gu Luanyue saw his embarrassed look and asked: "Military Advisor Shen, did you know Murong Lian's identity since childhood?"
Shen Guilan shook his head: "No, I just found out recently. At most, I knew that when Murong Lian was still our master, he was more lenient towards me."
Du Gu Luanyue sneered: "Do you know why Murong Lian suddenly told you?"
Shen Guilan looked at her and shook his head.
Her eyes were cold and sharp:
"Because he started to think that Huo Wei was getting out of control, so he wanted to plant a dagger beside Huo Wei. That's why he tried to turn you against him and use you.
Just now, that scoundrel Murong Lian also said that your mother was a low - born woman. At first, he didn't plan to keep you. So he looked down on you in his bones. He just wanted to use you.
Even if he became the emperor, he wouldn't recognize you or give you a proper name.
He only wanted children born to women from prominent families and would kill you sooner or later."
The long sword in Shen Guilan's hand trembled and then fell to the ground. His gray long robe fluttered slightly:
"I am indeed low - born. So low - born that you only remembered to say you were my father when you wanted to make the most of me."
He sneered and looked at Huo Wei: "Do whatever you want later. He has nothing to do with me."
Murong Lian suddenly struggled on the ground and pounced towards Du Gu Luanyue:
"Vicious woman, you're such a vicious woman, always good at sowing discord!
It was you who made Huo Wei gradually stop listening to me step by step! I'm going to kill you!"