MM Racing Chapter 223 Feigned Feelings and Taking the Blame
Chapter 223 Feigned Feelings and Taking the Blame
Chapter 223 Feigned Feelings and Taking the Blame
"Your Majesty's concerns are clear to me." Ling Ya seemed to have anticipated Xu Jiawei's worries, and he calmly revealed the core of his plan, "Therefore, I have already devised a countermeasure. Does Your Majesty still remember that two years ago, Dean Yan Shaozhe mistakenly accused Dai Youheng of being an evil soul master? Ultimately, with Your Majesty and the princess as witnesses, Shrek Academy owed Youheng a promise? The promise was that if Youheng had any conflict with Shrek Academy in the future, as long as it did not harm any Shrek Academy student, Shrek Academy would not pursue his responsibility."
Ling Ya's gaze swept over Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu as he slowly revealed the plan to push Dai Youheng to the forefront: "We can claim that Dai Youheng is the mastermind behind seizing this item! We'll publicly declare that I'm employed by him or cooperating with him, and that he orchestrated the entire scheme, thus identifying myself as the owner of this ring. Then, we'll have Youheng invoke the promise he made back then to force Shrek Academy to admit that the competition was in accordance with the agreement, and that they cannot use this as an excuse to attack him or my Star Luo!"
"No!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Jiujiu's expression changed drastically. She blurted out, her voice filled with obvious anger and defensiveness, "Your Majesty means to make Youheng bear all the risks for you, take the blame, and become a thorn in Shrek's side? Even if Shrek dares not do anything openly because of their promise, after this incident, they will definitely harbor resentment towards Youheng!"
Faced with the accusations, Ling Ya remained unmoved, his tone even calmer, with a hint of self-righteousness, "Your Highness, please do not forget that if I hadn't intervened that day, Dai Youheng would have already died at Yan Shaozhe's hands. I saved his life!"
Now that I'm in this predicament, why not ask him to step in and use his promise—which stems from a debt owed to Shrek Academy—to resolve this crisis for me and for Star Luo, and settle this score? Isn't this the most direct way to repay a debt of gratitude?
After saying that, as if to increase his stakes, he took out a list that had been prepared beforehand and was covered with handwriting from his pocket and respectfully handed it to Xu Jiawei.
"Your Majesty, this is a detailed catalog of all the items within the ring. Please take a look. Their value is enough to advance our Star Luo Soul Guidance Technology by over a century." Ling Ya's voice was full of allure, but then his tone shifted, becoming resolute. "If Your Majesty agrees to this plan, I will immediately present all the items and documents on the catalog with both hands upon completion. Furthermore, I am willing to formally join the Star Luo Empire, serving as a Venerable in the Hall of Worship, and from then on, I will serve Your Majesty and strive to make Star Luo stronger!"
He paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Xu Jiawei, offering his final threat, and also his final temptation. "Otherwise, I, Ling, would rather crush this ring right now, obliterating all the treasures within, leaving everyone with nothing!"
"Your Majesty, wait! Absolutely not!"
When Xu Jiawei saw the list of materials and technical projects that were so shocking that they could drive any monarch mad, and then heard Ling Ya's final choice—to share the risks and the rewards in exchange for the loyalty of a powerful figure—he was deeply moved.
Either the chicken flies away and the egg is broken.
He made the decision almost instantly.
Faced with enormous profits, the risks seem bearable. To let Dai Youheng take the blame for a small mistake in exchange for a leap forward in the Empire's Soul Guidance program and the loyalty of the Ultimate Ice-Sealed Douluo—this deal is far too good to pass up.
He took a deep breath, turned his gaze to his pale-faced sister beside him, and spoke with the coldness and shrewdness of an emperor, "Jiujiu, for the sake of the empire. Go and have a good talk with Youheng. Tell him—to prioritize the greater good."
"But my brother—" Xu Jiujiu's beautiful eyes were filled with struggle and reluctance, as well as deep guilt towards Dai Youheng.
"No buts!" Xu Jiawei interrupted her, his tone resolute. "You Heng will be the future consort of Xingluo, a high-ranking official of the empire, and his path is fundamentally different from Shrek's. A minor offense is not unbearable for him. On the contrary, if the empire can become stronger as a result, it will be the greatest guarantee for him, and also for you! After this is accomplished, I will definitely not treat him unfairly, and will certainly give him sufficient compensation to make up for this matter."
Looking at the unwavering determination in her brother's eyes for a long time, then at the ring in Lingya's hand that was related to the fate of the country, and then thinking of the entanglement last night and the tenderness this morning, a huge sense of contradiction almost tore her apart.
Just yesterday she had made Dai Youheng sign the Star Crown Contract, a deal that would cost him his life, and today she had made him take the blame again. The guilt in her heart was as heavy as a mountain. On one hand, there was the undeserved disaster and potential risks that her beloved would have to endure; on the other hand, there was the heavy responsibility of the royal family and the once-in-a-millennium opportunity for the empire. She had to make a choice.
Ultimately, the concept of "national interest above all else," instilled in her from childhood and ingrained in her bones, acted like a heavy shackle, weighing down her personal feelings and guilt.
Her slender fingers gripped the hem of her palace dress tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. Her voice was so low it was almost inaudible, "I understand, Your Majesty. I will speak to Youheng."
Xu Jiujiu returned to the princess's residence with an incredibly heavy heart. Every step felt like walking on a dense carpet of needles. Her brother's words and Ling Ya's ring, which shimmered with both allure and danger, kept intertwining in her mind, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
The cold-blooded weighing of national interests in the imperial study just now formed a sharp and painful contrast with the warm mansion before me, filled with the coziness of last night and the atmosphere of Dai Youheng.
She pushed open the door to her bedchamber, and an enticing aroma of food wafted out, not from the imperial chefs, but carrying a unique, homely scent.
Dai Youheng was wearing a simple apron and was serving the last carefully prepared dish to the table. The dishes on the table were brightly colored and steaming hot, all of them nutritious and nourishing, and upon closer inspection, they were all her favorite flavors.
He still had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead from his busy work, but when he saw her return, he immediately put on a warm and genuine smile.
"You're back? How did things go? I figured you'd be hungry, so I made something quick. Come and have a taste." His tone was natural, as if he were just an ordinary husband waiting for his wife to come home, his eyes full of concern, completely unaware of the "unwarranted disaster" that was about to befall him.
This scene, like the gentlest blade, precisely pierced the softest and most guilty spot in Xu Jiujiu's heart.
Her nose tingled, and she almost burst into tears. Her brother's entrustment and the interests of the empire weighed heavily on her heart like a cold boulder, while the sincerity and dedication of the person before her made her feel that the words she was about to utter would be a great betrayal.
During the meal, she had no appetite and hesitated to speak several times. Dai Youheng seemed to notice her unusual behavior and kept serving her food, gently asking if she was feeling unwell or if she had encountered any problems. His genuine concern almost broke her down.
Finally, unable to bear the torment any longer, she put down her jade chopsticks, her voice trembling slightly, and recounted without reservation what had happened in the Imperial Study, Ling Ya's request, her brother's decision, and the enormous benefits and risks brought by that ring.
With each word she spoke, she carefully observed Dai Youheng's reaction, her heart filled with guilt.
"Youheng, I know this is going too far. You just signed the Star Crown Contract, entrusting all your trust to me." She stammered, not even daring to look him in the eye. "The Empire desperately needs those things. I know this has nothing to do with you, and it's wrong of me to frame you like this, but I really can't change my brother's decision—"
However, the expected anger, dissatisfaction, or disappointment did not materialize.
Dai Youheng listened quietly, his eyes as gentle as ever. When she finished speaking, he suddenly reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. His embrace was warm and firm, carrying a reassuring aura.
"Silly girl." His deep voice sounded in her ear, filled with boundless tolerance and a hint of indulgent reproach. "I thought it was something serious that made you so worried. It's just a title, a little bit of Shrek's jealousy, what's the big deal?"
He gently stroked her back, soothingly saying, "Princess, have you forgotten that yesterday I willingly entrusted my life and my freedom to you, sharing them with you? Compared to that, what does taking the blame for you and Xingluo amount to?"
He cupped her face in his hands, gently wiping her slightly damp eyes with his thumb. His gaze was so sincere it was heart-wrenching. "So, don't feel guilty, and don't feel awkward."
These words were like a warm current that broke down the last dam in her heart after a long time. She was instantly overwhelmed by immense emotion and love.
She hugged him tightly, buried her face in his chest, and choked out, "Youheng—thank you—thank you for understanding me so well, for doing so much for me—"
Overwhelmed with emotion and guilt, she raised her head and, through teary eyes, made an incredibly solemn promise, as if to make up for everything she had to him: "Youheng, wait for me! Wait until everything is settled in the future."
"If you are willing to stay in Xingluo, I will do everything in my power to beg my royal brother to grant you the most prestigious hereditary title of king, so that you may enjoy unparalleled glory and stand with me at the pinnacle of humanity!"
"Or—" A hint of longing flashed in her eyes, "if you're tired of the chaos here and want to leave this vortex of power, let's go together! Let's put aside our identities as princess and duke, just the two of us. I'll bear you children, and we'll find a beautiful place with clear waters and beautiful mountains, just the three of us, living a simple life, traveling and enjoying nature, never having to deal with these conflicts again—that way, we'll definitely be very, very happy, won't we?"
Her words were filled with beautiful hopes for the future, a way of making amends to him, and a genuine expression of her inner longing under the heavy pressure of the moment. She clutched his clothes tightly, as if grasping at the only warmth and salvation she could find.
Hearing her deeply moving promise, Dai Youheng's gentle smile deepened. He pulled her closer, holding her in his arms, his chin resting gently on the top of her head, his voice soft, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say. Wherever we go, whether we're royalty or commoners, as long as you're by my side, that's the best future."
But beneath the unseen waves in his deep eyes, a cold mockery was revealed, which was instantly covered by an endless mask of gentleness.
To be honest, he wasn't really the one to take the blame, because he was the mastermind behind it all. But afterward, everyone will probably think that he was pushed out by Xingluo to take the fall, and even Shrek Academy will think so.
Perhaps quite a few people will feel sorry for him because of this.
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