Chapter 465 - 464: Cruelty

Chapter 465: Chapter 464: Cruelty

A sudden revelation.

Mu Tang followed the master abbot back to Qinglian Temple, where he became a monk with the Dharma name Kongming.

"I have been waiting, waiting for the day I could speak," Mu Tang’s voice trembled fiercely, each word seemed to be uttered with all his strength, "I thought, perhaps I would wait a lifetime, Princely Heir, if you achieved nothing, I would die at Qinglian Temple without ever revealing the truth."

Mu Lianxiao pressed his lips together, suddenly realizing that what Mu Tang wanted to tell him was far more than he had imagined and even more shocking.

After revealing the truth about Mu Liankang’s disappearance, what else could Mu Tang say?

Mu Lianxiao drew a deep breath.

Mu Tang took a few steps forward, his gaze sweeping over the faces of Mu Liankang and Mu Lianxiao, finally fixing on Mu Lianxiao’s eyes: "Old Marquis, the Great Elder, and Third Elder died in battle, yet they didn’t die in battle."

Like a bolt from the blue, these words exploded in the minds of Mu Liankang and Mu Lianxiao.

So intense, so sudden, it left them speechless, staring blankly at Mu Tang.

Died in battle, yet not died in battle.

These words, if spoken before, Mu Lianxiao might not have grasped immediately, but recalling his experience outside Ancient Meili City, he understood.

Had he been cut down and fell from his horse by a treacherous hand, had he perished on the battlefield, had he disappeared never to return, he would be "died in battle, yet not died in battle," killed by his own people.

Mu Lianxiao’s figure swayed, leaning against a thick bamboo to steady himself.

A tingling sensation crawled over his scalp, Mu Tang’s words echoed repeatedly in his ears, and he forcefully pinched his palm, saying, "Are you saying, grandfather, father, and Third Uncle, they all died at Second Uncle’s hands?

Why?"

Why, for the title, this answer was like falling into an icy abyss.

"Years ago, Fourth Elder died saving Old Marquis, which inspired Second Elder, knowing anything could happen on the battlefield, and dying on the field wouldn’t arouse suspicion." Mu Tang recounted old stories.

In the 13th year of Yong’an, at the Northern Border battlefield, who made the move, Mu Tang didn’t know, but he was certain it was Mu Yuanmou’s handiwork.

After Old Marquis, Mu Yuance, and Mu Yuanming’s deaths, only Mu Liankang and Mu Lianxiao stood in the way of the second branch.

Mu Yuanmou chose to first target Mu Liankang.

Mu Liankang was older, and without the legitimate eldest branch’s legitimate grandson, Mu Liankang could overshadow Mu Liancheng.

And if Mu Liankang died, Mu Lianxiao would become the Princely Heir, younger than Mu Liancheng, his achievements would be unlikely to outpace Mu Liancheng’s.

Most importantly, it was safe and assured.

Compared to Mu Liankang’s disappearance, Mu Lianxiao going missing would raise doubts among outsiders.

Mu Tang knew Mu Yuanmou’s whole plan but was powerless.

He gambled, not taking Mu Liankang’s life, and now it seemed he won, Mu Liankang survived.

In the Fourteenth Year of Yong’an, upon arrival in the capital, the Holy Emperor personally visited Dingyuan Marquis Mansion to confer honors and express condolences.

Mu Tang could say nothing.

If the Holy Emperor knew that the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion he honored infinitely, the Mu Family he bestowed countless rewards upon, had gained these blood-earned merits through internal strife, the entire Marquis Mansion would be doomed.

Internal strife itself was unmentionable, even more so the plot against Mu Shi Yuan and his sons on the battlefield.

This would be disregarding the court’s war against the Dazi, risking countless lives of border generals, soldiers, and civilians in a power struggle, blatantly defying imperial authority.

Not to mention decapitating the entire Marquis Mansion, for the sacrifices in those years of war with the Dazi, exterminating the Mu Family’s nine generations wouldn’t be excessive.

By then, what future would Dingyuan Marquis Mansion have? What future would Mu Lianxiao have?

The Mu Family would have no chance of revival, not a drop of their bloodline would remain.

To speak out would result in losing everything.

Even if secretly told to Madam Wu, when Dingyuan Marquis Mansion was controlled by the second branch, nothing could escape Mu Yuanmou.

If he knew his plan was revealed, Mu Yuanmou would no longer act cautiously, he would swiftly dispose of Mu Lianxiao.

With only the second branch left holding the bloodline, Madam Wu would be forced to accept all passively, she wouldn’t announce it to the world, she couldn’t let the Marquis Mansion perish in her hands.

Mu Tang could only wait for Mu Lianxiao to grow up, wait for him to achieve great deeds, inherit the title, wait for him to establish glorious achievements, wait for him to have the capability to straighten out the Marquis Mansion’s internal strife behind closed doors, only then could he speak.

"This is something absolutely, absolutely not to be heard outside, even now you have military achievements, if the truth was presented before the Holy Emperor, the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion would still cease to exist, maybe, in light of your surprise attack on Ancient Meili, the Holy Emperor might spare your life, but would exile you three thousand miles, is that the outcome you want?"

Mu Lianxiao’s face was ashen.

Mu Tang’s words brought him immense shock.

Knowing Mu Yuanmou was the culprit behind Mu Liankang’s disappearance, knowing the second branch plotted for the title, Mu Lianxiao’s feelings towards Second Uncle had changed, no longer the trust and respect of the past, but Mu Lianxiao hadn’t expected even the deaths of his grandfather, father, and Third Uncle were conspiracies.

His Second Uncle, not just being an uncle, he was someone who could ruthlessly act against his own father and brothers.

Emotionally, he struggled to accept, he even wanted to suspect, every word Mu Tang said was to deceive him, but rationality told him Mu Tang’s words might truly be the truth.

Leaning against the thick bamboo, Mu Lianxiao’s back throbbed again, sliding down the bamboo, he sat on the ground.

Mu Lianxiao gritted his teeth, hot tears burned the corners of his eyes, tilting his head back, he covered his eyes with his hand.

In his mind, scenes from childhood played out one after another.

His grandfather and father taught him to write, taught him to wield a spear, taught him to ride and shoot.

All his skills were taught by his grandfather and father, yet they died at the hands of kin.

How cruel!

And yet, for the glory of Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, for the legacy, even knowing the truth, he couldn’t loudly avenge and hate.

To avenge, sacrificing the entire Marquis Mansion, sacrificing all the Mu Family, wasn’t what Old Marquis would want to see.

Just like Mu Tang said, behind closed doors.

He felt heartache, for Madam Wu, for Mrs. Zhou, Mrs. Xu, for those left behind he felt heartache.

Mu Liankang’s expression was also full of agony, unable to remember anything, but even from an observer’s perspective, the truth was hurtful enough, let alone, he wasn’t an observer.

It was his grandfather, his father who was killed, he was forced to lose his memory, and his mother suffered for nine years because of his father’s death and his disappearance.

Heart-wrenching, truly heart-wrenching.

"Mu Tang," Mu Liankang clenched his molars, speaking slowly and heavily: "You are my enemy, yet also my benefactor, you spared my life. Had you insisted on saving me back then, not only me, perhaps even Ah Shao would already be dead. I have returned, your sins are paid."

Mu Tang, sitting crossed-legged, his clouded eyes filled with tears, joined his hands in a prayer gesture, remained still.

Mu Liankang squatted in front of him, checked his breath, reached out to close his eyelids, and said in a deep voice, "Ah Shao, Master Kongming has passed away in meditation."