"You... What did you say?!"
Mu Hansu felt as though he might have misheard Song Chaoyu.
But Song Chaoyu's eyes, brimming with a smile, fixed on Mu Hansu. "I said, if I bear you a child, will you no longer need to mention Ti Le and her child? Mu Hansu, I know your ambition. I believe that compared to my sister, I might be more suited to stand by your side. Don't you agree?"
These words made Mu Hansu narrow his eyes.
However, he was not foolish. He sneered at Song Chaoyu, "Song Chaoyu, do you think I don't know what you're plotting? Do you think I can't truly see whether you're sincere or feigning? You have deep feelings for Mu Changxi, would you so easily yield to me?"
"Why not?"
Song Chaoyu's attitude remained calm, as if these matters were insignificant in her eyes. "You must have learned about me. I am the daughter of an outside concubine, born in a manor on the outskirts of the capital, and I suffered scorn from childhood. Marrying Prince Chang was my best choice at the time. Since he gave me a different life, allowing me to hold my head high within the Ning family, I naturally owe him gratitude. For a daughter of an outside concubine to marry a prince, isn't that luck beyond compare?"
Song Chaoyu's hand lightly traced the rim of the cup. "So what if his legs are not well? The honor he bestowed upon me was something I had never experienced before. But now that I have experienced it, I know there is even more glory in this world."
Song Chaoyu gazed at Mu Hansu, her smile growing even brighter. "Actually, you also have a good impression of me, don't you? You said I am better than my sister. You've said this more than once. Does it still hold true?"
"Hahaha!"
Seeing Song Chaoyu's demeanor, Mu Hansu couldn't help but laugh. "Good, very good! I never knew that in this vast capital, the most sensible person would be you, Song Chaoyu! I thought you were inseparable from Mu Changxi!"
Song Chaoyu lowered her gaze and smiled. "If I were inseparable from him, why would I have sought you out here? I could have simply slipped away and found a way to rescue him. Wouldn't I have been afraid that you would capture me after coming here?"
Mu Hansu actually found Song Chaoyu's words to be reasonable.
He appraised Song Chaoyu from head to toe, as if he had already made up his mind. "You should have told me your intentions sooner. Now, it's probably too late. Even if I were willing, I couldn't grant you the title of Empress. However, if you are truly willing to bear me a child, I can guarantee that the position of Crown Prince will belong to our child!"
"I knew it!"
Song Chaoyu's smile deepened. "How can Ti Le's child inherit the throne of the Great Yue Dynasty? Mu Hansu, you haven't truly fallen for her, have you?"
"Naturally not!"
If it were in the past, Mu Hansu would certainly not have said so much to Song Chaoyu.
But now, seeing "victory within reach" and with Song Chaoyu's "voluntary defection," Mu Hansu was beside himself with joy and spoke without restraint. "What is she? She's merely my pawn! How can a mere princess from the Southern Kingdom be worthy of bearing the Crown Prince of the Great Yue Dynasty? So, Ayu, rest assured. I won't be angry if you kill her. As long as you do as you say, I will also promise you everything you desire!"
Song Chaoyu's eyes inadvertently drifted towards the wardrobe.
She smiled slightly and stood up. "Then, let's go. Don't you have many things to do?"
Song Chaoyu opened her arms and faced Mu Hansu. "If you don't trust me, you can find someone to search me for anything I shouldn't have. When you ascend the throne, all those by my side today will be yours to dispose of. This is my sincerity. Will you trust me?"
By this point, even if Mu Hansu still harbored doubts, Song Chaoyu was, in a way, a "temptation" for him.
So he nodded at Song Chaoyu. "No need to search. Even if you brought something, could you harm me by staying by my side? However, after I obtain the throne, I want to see Ti Le's corpse."
"Alright."
Song Chaoyu agreed without any hesitation.
Now, she could only take things one step at a time.
The only thing she feared was Mu Changxi misunderstanding her.
—
However, just as Song Chaoyu had predicted, Mu Hansu led her all the way towards the Guande Hall.
And at this moment, Mu Changxi had already been bound and was being guarded outside the Guande Hall.
Seeing Song Chaoyu and Mu Hansu arrive side by side, Mu Changxi's brow furrowed deeply.
At the same time, Mu Hansu deliberately took Song Chaoyu's hand and smiled as he walked towards Mu Changxi. "Look, what treasure have I found?"
Song Chaoyu felt a wave of nausea, but she maintained her smile on the surface.
"Ayu?"
Mu Changxi stared at Song Chaoyu and spoke softly, "Why are you standing beside Mu Hansu?"
Mu Hansu turned his head and glanced triumphantly at Song Chaoyu. "Tell him why you are standing by my side."
Song Chaoyu lowered her gaze and smiled. "Because he will be the future Emperor, because he can give me a better life. I have never forgotten my days at the manor, so Mu Changxi, you should understand better than anyone else why I stand by his side."
Song Chaoyu knew that Mu Changxi would surely understand.
Mu Changxi's eyes widened in shock, and then immense disappointment and pain arose. "I never expected you to be like them! I know your life at the manor was not easy. You are the daughter of an outside concubine, bullied everywhere. So after you married me, I did my best to give you everything! I never imagined you would be so greedy, that you would defect to Mu Hansu at this time! What does all of this mean then?!"
He truly understood!
Song Chaoyu visibly relaxed, but her tone carried a hint of disdainful mockery. "What does it mean? It means I thank you for taking me out of the Ning residence. It also means I thank you for giving me the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with the future Emperor."
Song Chaoyu raised her eyes, her gaze full of pride, and then said to Mu Hansu, "Hurry up, I can't wait to see you sitting on the throne!"
"Hahaha!"
Mu Hansu laughed wildly and then led Song Chaoyu towards the courtyard in front of the Guande Hall.
The area outside the Guande Hall was now completely surrounded by Mu Hansu's men.
But within the hall, the last vestiges of the Crown Prince and the Emperor's forces were still resisting.
However, there were countless casualties in front of the hall. With a single command from Mu Hansu, the soldiers behind him would unhesitatingly charge into the Guande Hall.
Song Chaoyu knew, and Mu Changxi also knew: the Guande Hall could not hold out any longer.