Li Wei stood under the plaque in the middle of the main gate with his sleeves covered and his eyes lowered. Behind him was the heavily locked gate of Xi He's mansion. In front of him was the stone pillar bestowed by the late Emperor, which was engraved with the glory of the four generations of heroes of the School of Mo.
"Butler Li, you're overturning the heavens! Is Xi He's mansion going to go against the imperial edict?! "
"Eunuch Zhao, what are you talking about? Haven't I already explained it to you? Lord Xi He is not feeling well now, so he can't come out to receive the imperial edict. When he gets better, I'll immediately inform him of the imperial edict. Please don't get angry, it's not good for your health. "
Eunuch Zhao was furious. He pointed at Butler Li's nose and scolded, "Li Wei! You should know your limits when you lie! Tonight, Lord Xi He's trespassing on the Judicial Platform has been exposed to the public! He kidnapped that traitor Gu right under Elder Zhou's nose. Now you're saying he's not feeling well. Who do you think you're treating him as an idiot?! "
Li Wei touched his nose, "Cough, it's a long story. I'm afraid there's a misunderstanding …"
"What misunderstanding?! In one night, Shennongtai, Princess Meng Ze, and Jiang Fuli all entered the mansion. Why, these people can see Lord Xi He, but only the people sent by the King are kept outside the door. What's the reason?! "
Li Wei clapped his hands, "Oh, you're right! You've noticed it too, right? Those who entered were all cultivators from the School of Medicine. They were all here to treat Lord Xi He. He's seriously ill! "
"You —!"
While they were arguing fiercely, the gate suddenly opened with a creak.
Mo Xi stood behind the gate in the middle of the moonlight. He raised his tired but sharp eyes and looked coldly at Eunuch Zhao.
Li Wei couldn't delay any longer. When he saw Mo Xi come out, he couldn't help but sigh in relief. He quickly stepped aside and bowed his head, "My Lord."
Mo Xi stepped over the threshold and said in a low voice, "Thank you for your hard work. You may leave. "
"Yes."
Li Wei retreated and Mo Xi walked out. His gaze followed the steps of the mansion and looked down at Eunuch Zhao. Even though Eunuch Zhao was Jun Shang's closest servant and was trusted by Jun Shang, there was still a difference in status. Moreover, Mo Xi had a naturally cold aura. When he didn't speak or smile, this aura made everyone feel extremely pressured.
Zhao Gong's sharpness was immediately restrained.
He bowed his head and said, "Lord Xi He."
Mo Xi didn't say anything. He raised his head slightly and looked at the starry night before him. His eyes flashed with an indescribable emotion.
Zhao Gong continued, "My lord, please — —"
"How is Monarch's body?"
Zhao Gong was stunned for a moment. He had imagined Mo Xi's various reactions: accepting it calmly, getting angry, disobeying … but he was still choked by Mo Xi's question that came out of nowhere.
"Meng Ze said that his old illness relapsed a few days ago. How is he now?"
"… Thank you, Lord Xi He, for your concern. Monarch has the blessings of the heavens. He's almost recovered."
"Okay. That's good. " Mo Xi's iron-plated military boots stepped on the ground. He walked down the steps and said lightly, "I'll follow you into the palace."
Deep in the palace.
Vermillion Bird Palace.
This palace was the warmest place in the entire palace. The palace wasn't big but it was built with rocks from the volcanoes in the extreme south. The palace was filled with cold-repelling incense all year round and thick woolen blankets were spread everywhere. Every time his illness relapsed, Jun Shang would choose to rest here to nourish his body.
Mo Xi followed Zhao Gong to the outside of Vermillion Bird Palace. Zhao Gong went in to report and then retreated with his horsetail whisk. He bowed to Mo Xi and said, "Lord Xi He, Monarch invites you in."
Mo Extinguishing stepped through the door. He had never liked coming to this hall because the carpet in the Vermillion Bird Palace Hall was too thick. Once he stepped through the door, his feet would sink deep into the soft cushions. It was as if he was a wild beast that had fallen into a swamp, or a moth that had fallen into a spider's web. A feeling of helplessness crept up his spine. No matter how good the incense was, it couldn't disperse.
Zhao Gong closed the palace doors. The Vermillion Bird Palace was filled with a heavy fragrance, as if even the air was sticky and couldn't be stirred.
At this time of the year, the weather was already somewhat hot, but there was still a pot of charcoal burning in the center of Vermillion Bird Palace. Monarch was sitting sideways on a small sandalwood couch, wrapped in a thick fox fur coat. His eyelids were lowered as he turned the Bodhi bead bracelet in his palm. His complexion was very poor and very pale. Even the light from the fire couldn't add any vitality to his face.
Hearing the movement, Monarch's hand that was turning the bead bracelet paused for a moment. Then he sighed thinner than paper, "Lord Xi He, you're here."
Mo Xi didn't speak.
In fact, from the moment he saw the truth, he had a monstrous anger. He wanted to immediately enter the palace to question Monarch about many things. However, Gu Mang was still in danger and he couldn't leave. It wasn't until Jiang Fuli rushed back and began to stabilize Gu Mang's situation that he could finally come to the palace and face this man who actually already knew everything.
And when he really stood in front of Jun Shang, his anger deepened, but it was no longer as hostile as it was at the beginning. He could barely suppress the explosion of his anger and stare at the Monarch wrapped in the fox fur coat.
Monarch said, "I didn't ask you to come here tonight for anything important. It's just that Zhou He just reported a strange story to me. I think I should share it with Lord Xi He. Lord Xi He, are you interested in hearing it? "
"…"
After waiting for a while, Mo Xi didn't answer, so Monarch continued, "Zhou He told me that today he was practicing the Hei Mo Trial that I gave him. It was going well when someone barged in from outside. That person didn't care about his advice and didn't care about his orders at all. He stubbornly insisted on taking the trial body away. He even violated the precepts and summoned the Divine Martial Art. He almost caused the cultivators on the stage to bleed. "
"Lord Xi He, do you think that the person who intercepted you is a wicked person?" Monarch turned another bead and sneered, "I also thought so at that time. Until Zhou He told me that the hero who saved the people … "
He slowly raised his eyes. On his weak face, a pair of eyes were extremely cold and sharp.
"It's you."
The two words seemed to be squeezed out from the gaps of his teeth. Monarch sat up straight. His deep eyebrows cast a thick shadow in his eye sockets. Monarch and minister looked at each other across the burning charcoal basin. The heat and smoke rose, blurring the faces in each other's eyes.
Monarch said maliciously, "Lord Xi He, you disappoint me."
"Let me ask you, when I handed Gu Mang over to you, what did I say to you?"
"…"
"At that time, I warned you that Gu Mang should have been executed for the serious crimes he committed. The only reason he was still alive was because the curse of the Burning Country on him was worth studying. One day, he is destined to be used for the trial. I hope that at that time, you won't forget who you are and stand in the wrong place. "
These words were indeed what Monarch had warned him before. At that time, when he heard it, he only felt suffocated. But now that he heard it again, he felt that it was extremely ironic, extremely absurd, and extremely terrifying.
Mo Xi looked down at Monarch's face, trying to find a trace of guilt, sadness, or hesitation on his face. But there was none.
It was an extremely exquisite mask. Every inch of emotion seemed to have been measured a hundred times before being drawn. Even the expression in his eyes did not waver in the slightest.
The hardest thing to see was the heart of a monarch … how could this be wrong?
Mo Xi slowly closed his eyes. Coldness, anger, disappointment, and grief flowed through his body along with his blood. Jun Shang's words were still like the venomous claws of a scorpion piercing into his eardrums. "Xihe Jun, it seems that you've already lost your head and have completely forgotten this Monarch's advice. You don't remember that you are the first commander of the Chong Hua. You don't remember who stabbed you in the chest. You don't remember who saved you and gave you a second life. You don't remember who killed tens of thousands of people of my country. You don't remember who is the traitor. Am I right? "
A piece of Chinese pepper in the charcoal basin exploded. A cluster of bright sparks flew up and danced in the air.
Mo Xi opened his eyes.
He endured his anger to the point of leaving his body, endured his anger to the point that his hands were trembling, and forcefully suppressed the anger that surged like lava. His voice was low as he said, "Is Junshang done speaking?"
Monarch was startled.
His black eyes stared at Mo Xi's face. At this time, he realized that Mo Xi's condition was very bad. He sensed that even the spiritual flow in his body was extremely unstable.
Could it be …!
Monarch suddenly felt extremely uneasy. His fingers unconsciously clenched the Dzi bead bracelet, and the last bit of color faded from his face. The monarch and subject seemed to have figured everything out in this exchange of glances.
"If Monarch is done, then I also have a strange story here. I don't know if Monarch dares to listen. "
"…"
After a long while, Monarch leaned into the depths of the couch. He had almost guessed what Mo Xi wanted to say. There was only one thing that could make him suddenly change his attitude so resolutely.
The last layer of paper between them trembled and was about to be pierced.
Mo Xi stared into Monarch's eyes and tore the paper apart word by word. "… Many years ago, I knew a person. That person had made outstanding military achievements for the state. He had fought for many years and was only defeated once. Later, for the 70,000 tombstones, for the justice his Monarch had promised him, he went deep into the enemy camp and endured humiliation for five whole years. During these five years, there was not a day that he didn't hate the blood on his hands. There was not a day that he didn't hope that his Monarch would let him see the promise of the past fulfilled … "
With every word he spoke, Jun Shang's expression became even uglier. These words were like sharp knives stabbing into his flawless mask, wanting to cut all of his facade into pieces.
Mo Xi's every word was wrapped in thick blood and pressed against Monarch's eyes.
"That person returned to the state in the end but lost his memory. But other than Monarch, whom he had entrusted his life to, no one knew that he was wronged. As a result, he was cursed by thousands of people, humiliated and imprisoned. Everyone hated him, blamed him, accused him of bullying and humiliating him, and hated that he couldn't die. But his ruler … the one who had personally promised him … that one day, he would clear his name and personally put on the blue-gold ribbon for him. But he said that the only reason he was allowed to live was to take him to the Black Demon Trials! "
Bursts of anger burned Mo Xi's eyes. No matter how much he tried to hold it in, when he said this, Mo Que's voice was trembling. The light of the fire seemed to have entered his pitch-black eyes.
"… Monarch. This story, I don't know if it's familiar to you. "
Monarch's face was paler than paper. In this stiff atmosphere, he put the string of beads back on his wrist. His hands were trembling. He put it on once but didn't put it on. It was only the second time that he did it properly.
"Mo Xi." Monarch raised his eyes. "How dare you … you actually dared to break into the Censorate and steal the records of Wang Jian …"
"So …" Mo Xi closed his eyes, his voice trembling with anger. "Those records of Wang Jian were indeed destroyed by you!"
He suddenly opened his eyes. The pain and coldness in his eyes at this moment was something that Monarch had never seen before.
It was simply frightening.
— Monarch and Mo Xi were about the same age. It could be said that they had grown up together. He knew very well what kind of person this young general of the empire was.
His Lord Father had once said, "The Mo bloodline is loyal, strong, brave, stubborn, tenacious … they adhere to a rigid principle. This kind of person will never covet your throne, and will not easily do anything disgraceful. However, if there comes a day when he thinks that you have done something that goes against the 'Dao' that he believes to be, he will disregard life and death and stand in front of you without fear of honor or disgrace. He will become the sharpest nail in your eyes, the most painful thorn in your flesh. "
He never forgot his Lord Father's words. When it came to matters related to Mo Xi, he had always been careful at every step.
But Mo Mie still stood in opposition to him.
Mo Xi said darkly, "Monarch, he has done so much for you, yet you insist on hiding this truth?!"
The Vermilion Bird Palace was terrifyingly silent. The dragons engraved on the flying beams on the roof seemed to have come alive, their curly whiskers ferociously looking down at the confrontation in the palace.
After a long while, Monarch opened his mouth to speak.
There was nothing to hide, and there was nothing to hide.
Monarch raised his eyes and said in a low voice, "… What else?"
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