The people of the Southern Kingdom were not foolish.
After finally establishing good relations with the Great Yue Dynasty and opening up trade, would they really abandon all their efforts for a mere Ti Le?
Moreover, Song Chaoyu knew that the person who killed Ti Le was from the Cong family!
When Cong Fei returned to the Southern Kingdom and restored the Cong family's glory, he naturally became close friends with them.
He would not favor Ti Le; in fact, he would likely hate Ti Le.
It was also Cong Fei's idea to send Ti Le's body to the Great Yue Dynasty for them to deal with.
A mere Ti Le, who would care about her in the Southern Kingdom now?
Upon hearing this, Mu Hansu's already strained expression could no longer hold.
His face turned ashen, and he slumped back onto the bed behind him, his brows furrowed, lost in thought.
Mu Changxi did not mind telling him more about Ti Le: "By the way, there is something I think you should know. The child in Ti Le's womb... is not yours."
This was what Ti Le had told Cong Fei before she died.
Song Chaoyu did not know if it was true, but at this moment, it clearly ignited Mu Hansu's anger: "Impossible! Although she was a lowly woman, she would never lie to me about this! Besides, she never liked Prince Wen, so the child couldn't be Prince Wen's!"
These words made Mu Changxi's right eyebrow arch even higher: "Naturally, it's not Prince Wen's, but it's not yours either. Ti Le said it herself, so how could it be false? But I understand, you naturally wouldn't want to admit something like this. You've achieved nothing in your life, and in the end, even Ti Le, whom you thought you were manipulating, was deceiving you all along! Regardless, it doesn't matter who the father of the child is. Ti Le is gone, and the child is gone too. Mu Hansu, it's time for you to disappear from this world, isn't it?"
Song Chaoyu was also curious about who the father of the child was, but Ti Le's death was sudden, and she hadn't told Cong Fei who the father was.
Therefore, this matter might remain a mystery, never to be solved by anyone.
"Heh—"
Mu Changxi's words finally made Mu Hansu let out a cold laugh: "Since even she betrayed me, I have nothing more to say. If you still want to know where Prince Wen is, that's even more impossible! I'm a dead man, why should I let you feel any better?"
Song Chaoyu was not surprised by his thoughts.
Mu Changxi nodded: "Indeed, you, Mu Hansu, care about nothing and fear nothing. You want to die like this, taking Prince Wen's secret to your grave, is that it?"
Mu Changxi took a step back, signaling Dong Shuang behind him to enter: "Then I might as well tell you how I will deal with you."
This matter had been discussed between Mu Changxi and Song Chaoyu.
Song Chaoyu also felt that when dealing with Mu Hansu, one could not show any mercy or use ordinary methods.
He had committed countless evils in his life; should he be allowed to spend his final moments in peace?
Mu Hansu appeared unfazed, like a "dead pig not afraid of boiling water": "I'd like to hear what a weak woman like her can do."
Mu Changxi signaled Dong Shuang to take out the medicine box, pointing to the various pills and silver needles inside: "She is the successor of a family of physicians and poison masters, skilled in poisons. I think it would be too merciful to let you die so easily. I will spare your life, allowing you to live in this world."
At these words, Mu Hansu's eyes widened in disbelief: "You want me to live?"
"Yes."
Mu Changxi smiled: "I will send you back to your former royal residence, but there, you will be heavily guarded, and no one will serve you. Everything in the residence will be emptied; if you wish to live, you must fend for yourself. Furthermore, I will make you take the Thousand-Day Poison. You've heard of this poison, haven't you?"
The Thousand-Day Poison made Mu Hansu's blood run cold: "Thousand-Day Poison... I've heard that those who take this poison do not die immediately. Instead, every morning, they feel an unbearable, bone-piercing itch. It's like a hundred insects burrowing into their veins, making them wish for death but unable to find it. Then, after a thousand days, their bones and blood will gradually decay due to the poison's erosion, and they will finally die in agony. Mu Changxi, you are so cruel!"
Mu Changxi shrugged: "Not even a tenth of your cruelty, thank you for the compliment, Prince Ning."
His eyes were cold; dealing with Mu Hansu did not require overt righteousness: "After taking this poison, don't think that enduring a thousand days will bring release. Every year, I will have Dong Shuang visit your residence to administer an antidote, giving you a month of respite, and then you will take the poison again. This cycle will repeat, Prince Ning, so don't die too soon!"
Mu Hansu was a despicable and cruel man, but he had never imagined that Mu Changxi would do something like this.
His body trembled slightly with fear: "Mu Changxi, you can't do this to me! If you want to kill me, at least give me a quick death."
"A quick death?"
Mu Changxi pouted: "Did you think about giving a quick death to those who died because of you?"
"I am your brother!"
Mu Hansu tried to struggle, but only received a cold laugh from Mu Changxi: "Isn't Prince Wen also your brother?"
Mu Hansu's pupils contracted. Mu Changxi continued: "You can try to see if I would do this. But if you tell me Prince Wen's whereabouts, I will only imprison you and not make you take the Thousand-Day Poison."
"Why should I believe you?!"
Mu Hansu's eyes began to waver.
Mu Changxi sneered: "You have no bargaining chips with me now; you can only choose to believe me. Prince Ning, at this point, I advise you not to struggle any further. Otherwise, you will be the only one in pain."
"Fine, fine!"
Mu Hansu stared at Mu Changxi, lost in thought: "Either way, I'm going to die. Mu Changxi, can you really imprison me without killing me? Would Father Emperor even agree?"
"Heh—"
Mu Changxi stood up and slowly walked around the prison cell: "Father Emperor... can he still make decisions? If he could, he would naturally have you dismembered. But for Father Emperor's reputation, he will endure and let you live in this world. Mu Hansu, I will ask you one last time, where is Prince Wen?!"
These words finally broke through the last sliver of "hope" in Mu Hansu's heart.
He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling incessantly.
Finally, after a long silence, he compromised with Mu Changxi: "Beneath a dry well behind Ping An Manor in the suburbs of the capital."
Ping An Manor...
The name felt familiar to Song Chaoyu, and he realized that, as if by fate, everything seemed to have returned to its starting point.