Shen Shiyun seemed to have expected his answer. As if she had broken a dream, she smiled and said, "It's a pity that the beauty in your eyes has long been stained with blood. Although I don't do it myself, there will be people who will be my pawns under my control. With just a glance from me, they will pave the way for me and arrange everything for me. Why do I need to do everything myself? Knowing how to cultivate confidants and at the same time using this manpower is also a kind of strategy. In this way, compared to the Seven Fiend Demons, isn't this queen more brilliant? If only by assimilating with him can I catch up to him and surpass him, then from the moment Shadowless Mountain Villa was destroyed, I have already become an avenger. My background has already determined the task I face. As long as I think about how under my heavy arrangements, although he is aware, he is powerless to change the situation and can only retreat step by step into the trap, covered in blood, kneeling in front of me and begging for mercy … At that time, I want him to atone for the dozens of lives that have been lost in his hands. I want him to go through all the suffering and finally die miserably … For this, I can do anything, even if I have to sink into the sea of bitterness, be consigned to eternal damnation, be reviled by the world forever, even if my hands are covered in blood and I turn into a reincarnated Asura! "
Tang Yuancheng seemed to have completely lost consciousness. All he could see in his eyes was her tender and beautiful red lips moving quickly, and every word drilled into his ears. After a long time, it slowly rose into his mind, and he had to spend another long time before he could react to what she was saying. He felt his mind go blank, as if there was an invisible drumstick repeatedly hitting his chest.
He stared blankly at the woman in front of him. She was more beautiful than flowers, and she was devastatingly beautiful … But at this time, looking at her peerless beauty that had moved his heart for seven years, he could no longer feel the slightest bit of beauty. The woman in front of him was not the woman he admired. Instead, she was more like a viper with its head held high, proudly sticking out its tongue, announcing its victory to the world.
Historically, the more beautiful something was, the more poisonous it was. This law was applicable to animals and plants. And now, Tang Yuancheng could see this ruthless law on Shen Shiyun's body. His face twisted in extreme pain as he said, "How terrifying … Yun 'er, you've changed. You're cold and cruel. The current you makes me feel like a stranger. I even feel … that I'm beginning to not recognize you."
Shen Shiyun laughed out loud. This laughter came suddenly, but it also stopped abruptly. Staring coldly at Tang Yuancheng, he said, "Don't ask me why I've changed. Think about it carefully. Have you ever really known me? The impression you have of me is nothing more than an illusion created by your old, one-sided and vague ideas. You want me to be perfect and flawless, you want me to suit your every desire. Let me ask you, does such a person even exist in this world? Now that you have seen the real me, which is different from your illusion, you will never dig up the memories in your stupid head. You will only blame me and ask why I have become a stranger to you. From the beginning to the end, I'm just me. I haven't changed. Since you don't understand me clearly, don't define me so arbitrarily. Although your life since you were a little bitter, at least you didn't have to worry about food and clothing. At least your life was not in danger. At least your family was always with you. At least after you became the top scorer, everything changed. You became the most glorious young man in the first year of Shunzhi. You were also the dream of all the students who studied hard! With such a life, what are you not satisfied with? You, on the other hand, have never experienced it. Due to a period of cruelty that shouldn't have existed, under the enemy's sword, your loved ones left you one by one. You lost everything overnight. You were the only one left between heaven and earth. No one cared about you anymore. No one needed you anymore. It was as if you were completely abandoned from the world. What's more ironic is that the beast who gave you such a heavy blow is still thinking about taking your life at all times. Have you ever experienced the feeling of your closest and most trusted friend suddenly becoming your mortal enemy overnight? Even all your happiness was ruined by him personally? Do you hate him? How can you hate him? But how can you not hate him? However, your hatred is as strong as a raging fire. It's enough to burn you to ashes from the inside out. In his eyes, it's the most insignificant thing. It's just a joke after a meal, a seasoning! When he's in a good mood, he'll 'play' with you. Otherwise, he won't even spare you a glance. Hating and being hated should be equal to each other. But in the eyes of the other party, you're nothing. Even if you try your best, you'll only get his' disdain '… Do you understand the feeling of the sky suddenly collapsing in front of your eyes? Since you haven't experienced it, you don't have the right to criticize me and judge whether I'm right or wrong! "
Tang Yuancheng sighed softly. Seeing her trembling with anger and her eyes red, he couldn't bear it and said bitterly, "Yuner, let go … No one's actions can escape the punishment of the heavens. I know the darkness of the officialdom better than you. Once you step into this whirlpool, you can't turn back. You don't have to bury yourself for your enemy, causing pain to your loved ones and pleasure to your enemy. Right now, the emperor still doesn't know all your secrets. If you can repent as soon as possible, it's still not too late. Why don't you live a peaceful life with him? "
Shen Shiyun laughed until tears flowed out of the corners of her eyes. She said, "How can you expect it to be peaceful at the center of the intersection of power and desire? Moreover, do you really think that the emperor you're loyal to knows nothing? No, he can know, but the power in his hands doesn't allow him to resist. Right now, this battle has already reached its climax. Only one fuse is needed to ignite it … At that time, between me and him, there can only be one winner. In other words, only one person can survive. If things are like this, there's no turning back. Even if I let him go now, he won't let me go easily. We, husband and wife, are destined to walk on this path. "
Tang Yuancheng could hear that although her tone was still firm, the meaning behind her words was obviously a bit shaken. For a moment, he seemed to see a flash of hope. He hurriedly said, "I'll help you beg the emperor, ask him to forgive your crime of rebellion and give you a lighter punishment! He's not an unreasonable monarch, he can pardon the Lord Baylor Ling's crime. And he must still have his initial feelings for you. Right now, you're just thinking about it in your head, you haven't put it into practice. Even if you're guilty, it's not a big crime. The key is whether the emperor is willing to forgive you or not. "
Shen Shiyun sneered and said, "Tang Shaoshi, it turns out you have such a big face. Since ancient times, rebellion has always been a capital offense, how can there be a reason to forgive? You can actually persuade him to break this thousand-year-old tradition? Humph, Xuan Shuang … What do you know? He's just an insignificant nobody, it's not a big deal to kill him or not. He's just pretending to be magnanimous so that my son will be grateful to him and stand on his side in the coup. He's making this move because he's officially declaring war on me. "
She paused for a moment, then suddenly her face changed, revealing the smile she had when she was playing and singing in Agarwood Courtyard. Her soft palm gently stroked Tang Yuancheng's face, her eyes full of affection as she looked at him. Her lips moved closer, her breath was like orchids, gently blowing on his face. She said softly, "Yuancheng, I know that you've always treated me very well. In this deep palace, only your feelings for me are real. You're like my friend, my relative, you'll stand on my side at any time. I wanted to use the Seven Malevolent Demons because I had no other choice, so I resorted to this last resort. In fact, how could I not know that I was playing with my own life? But other than this, I have no other choice. I also want to live, but in this palace, the only way to survive is to have power … If you promise me that you'll stand on my side, give me advice, and help me win the throne, I can promise you that I won't have any dealings with that demon for the rest of my life. "
Tang Yuancheng's expression was stiff, as if he was struggling in his heart. He said in a flat voice, "Actually, what the Emperor knows, I've known for a long time. All these years, you've been using me, haven't you? Just like the reunion seven years ago, it was all carefully planned out. Thinking about it, you were already the Imperial Concubine at that time, how could you be interested in one of the tens of thousands of examinees? After that, you wanted to talk about old times with me, so that you could use me as bait to catch Menglin. That's why we were drinking and chatting in the inn, and halfway through, those black-clothed assassins broke in … including Brother Li. He's devoted to you, but in your eyes, he's just a tool with the tag of 'Wulin Alliance Leader'. Although the massacre of the Chen family had nothing to do with me, it was also a trap that you used to lure out Menglin and the remnants of the Sacrifice Shadow Sect. I've already told you before, if you don't want people to know, don't do it in the first place. There are many things that I've only touched on, and they were all thought of by the Emperor himself. I didn't even have the chance to say a few good words for you. Although he believed you, he didn't want to punish you. He's not only the Emperor, but also a husband and a father. He still cares about this family relationship. We've given you time and time again, waiting for you to change, but you missed it time and time again. You just had to make yourself so unbearable … "
Shen Shiyun clapped her hands lightly, and said fiercely, "Wonderful, truly wonderful! I've always been puzzled. Who was the one who had such a cheap mouth and talked nonsense in front of the Emperor? So that mole was you? Then have you ever lived up to my trust? Those who betrayed me will not have a good ending! "
A trace of shame flashed across Tang Yuancheng's face, and he said, "Forgive me, Yun-er. I didn't betray you, I just … I just wanted to save you. Although you can punish me, I don't want you to sink deeper and deeper … However, you can't threaten me. After all, I'm an upright person with a clear conscience. I don't owe you anything. "
Shen Shiyun said, "That's not necessarily true. Have you forgotten how you got to where you are today?" Tang Yuancheng said, "I got first place in the imperial examination, so I'm highly appreciated by the Emperor. This has nothing to do with you."
Shen Shiyun sneered, "What's the use of saying it has nothing to do with you? Perhaps you did answer the exam very well, but there are thousands of scholars in the imperial examination. Then, why did the Emperor choose you? If people know that you and I are old friends, then no matter how you explain, you can't escape suspicion that you got in through the back door. That's right, you can say that there have been many zhuangyuan in the past dynasties. It's not like you can't pass the exam with your real ability. But I ask you, when those zhuangyuan entered the imperial court, what were their official positions at the beginning? Only you, who just stood out in the imperial examination, was recognized by the Emperor, and was directly appointed as the Head Scholar of the Hanlin Academy. Who can have this kind of honor? Moreover, you're a Han examinee who was examined by the Manchurian bigwigs? Anyone will suspect that there's something strange about it. Those ministers who are officials in the same imperial court as you, many of them can't bear to look at you. They're jealous that you're rising too quickly, so they're secretly planning to make things difficult for you. Now that you've made such a big mess, I don't doubt their ability to hit someone when they're down. What, do you want to try? "
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