Chapter 30 – The Plot Has Changed (1)

As soon as Ye Li had disappeared out of sight, Mo Linyuan finally shook from his own stupor daze. Hurriedly, he rushed towards Ye Mu’s side, just in time to catch her as all strength left her body. She fell to her knees and sat dejectedly, cold sweat now visible on her own forehead.

“How could you be so reckless!” Mo Linyuan hissed worriedly for her. His tongue was intact, because the lump of flesh that he had spit from his very mouth…

Was from Ye Mu herself…

It was clear that Ye Mu was in great pain. God knows she tried so hard to make sure she didn’t show any outer pain of what she had done, just as long as they wouldn’t find out. Finally, she threw away the lump of flesh bloodying her hands and leaned against Mo Linyuan’s arms. Her lips turned pale, as Mo Linyuan carefully tugged at her sleeves to see how the blood stained her arms…

But Ye Mu would not dare look at him and turned her head to the side, frowning in a stubborn manner. “I told you, I’d take care of you.” she mumbled softly.

When Ye Mu had been talking to Mo Linyuan, with her back turned to Ye Li, she chose that opportunity to cut off a piece of her flesh from her arm without hesitation. And when she placed the cut on Mo Linyuan’s lips, she stuffed her own flesh into his mouth, which caused him to immediately spit it out, creating the perfect illusion of his own tongue being cut off.

So even when her own hands bathed in blood, it could have been easily be excused with her cutting out Mo Linyuan’s own tongue.

Mo Linyuan clenched his fists, however he remained by Ye Mu’s side, not daring to move. He cradled her in his arms, careful not to hurt her any further than she already was.

“How could you have been so reckless?” he whispered now in a dazed manner, “So reckless… reckless… reckless…” he kept repeating. He had been ready to offer her his own tongue, so he didn’t know why she would think to hurt herself for him. She had even cried in his arms when she bruised herself from before. And now cutting her own flesh—this was an entirely new level for someone like him.

How could she hurt herself like this?

At seeing his suffering state, Ye Mu felt compelled to ease his mind. She knew he was feeling the guilt. As if he was the one that cut off her flesh.

“Don’t worry.” She said, “Wounds heal. The skin will mend itself, but if a tongue would be cut out…” she trailed off, shuddering at the thought if she did as her father wanted, “If your tongue had been cut off… it wouldn’t grow back.” She told him. “So hush now. You still need to send me back quickly before father notices.”

Nodding in agreement, Mo Linyuan carefully lifted her body up and sprinted towards her small courtyard, to where she was living in.

But despite his current chore, his mind wouldn’t ease up in replaying the events over and over and over in his head. When she shook in pain, when she forced a smile – even when she held her own flesh and blood for Ye Li to check…

Such recklessness he couldn’t even fathom it completely. What had possessed her to do such dangerous thing?!

As he ran, hot tears fell onto Ye Mu, but she hadn’t noticed it. She felt so tired… so in pain, she hadn’t registered the tears he had shed for her own sake. All she knew was she was finding it difficult to stay awake. She could feel her own body grow heavy, even when she wasn’t using it…

But if she would show any ounce of pain, Mo Linyuan would surely feel even more terrible for her. She couldn’t allow it. It wasn’t his fault. The decision was hers.

For so long, he lived in suspicion, betrayal, and always on the run. The people that surrounded him always told him to bear with it. And he always worked so hard, to be stronger, even when back then he didn’t know why he needed to be stronger.

But he knows why now. The stronger he is, the lesser the time he’d watch Ye Mu cut and bleed for his sake. The stronger he is, the more he could ease the problems Ye Mu had just to buy his own freedom. She wouldn’t need to have a treasure house!

The stronger he becomes, the more meaning his life gains!

When Mo Linyuan finally arrived in Ye Mu’s room, he rushed to give her some medicine for the wound, but his hands shook as he does so. He couldn’t help but recall when the dead men escorted him from Mo Country.

He had wanted to take his younger sister with him at that time, but in order for her to curry favor with the Empress Dowager; she had betrayed him, which caused multiple deaths. All those people who tried to protect him had been fatally wounded and died.

And this was his own sister; his own flesh and blood!

He also recalled his mother, who had forced him to read and recite text after text, just so she could gain the opportunity to meet his Father Emperor. And when he wouldn’t do as she had asked, she would whip him herself.

And now…

Now here was a girl, with no relations or ties to him at all, yet would cut her own flesh and shed blood for him…

Remembering what she did, his heart became filled with determination. His hands shook less as he continued with great concentration in treating her to the best of his abilities.

In the cold and quiet night, his own rapid breaths are all that could be heard. Ye Mu had slipped towards unconsciousness, and her body curled as she slept. Staring at her, Mo Linyuan couldn’t stop but feel sorry for the pain he’s caused her.

With bloodstained fingers, he hesitantly reached out, stopping only a few inches away from her pale cheeks. After a few moments, he finally caressed her face…

“Silly girl,” he whispered to her, knowing full well she won’t hear him now, “I promise I won’t let you get hurt anymore. Not for me.”