Chapter 1154: The Taste of Revenge

He Lingchuan nodded: "At his wit's end, abandoned by all, he finally slit his own throat."

His army disintegrated, and King Bo was pushed to the brink. Knowing that Mu State would not spare his life, he chose to commit suicide in front of Jin Bai, sparing himself further torment and preserving some dignity.

"Just suicide? Not slaughtered?" Consort Mei furrowed her delicate brows. "He got off easy, dying so quickly!"

"Where is there a perfect revenge?" As He Lingchuan spoke, he thought of He Chunhua.

For the past twenty years, how had He Chunhua planned his revenge for the annihilation of his family?

The most extreme revenge is not just killing, but breaking one's spirit. That's precisely what Consort Mei did.

"Yes, where is there perfection?" Consort Mei mused, then sighed deeply. "Never mind, his collapse along with the kingdom he stole — that's what I wanted most."

She had endured humiliation for years, wasn't it all for this very moment?

Her expression was as if the air itself was filled with intoxicating sweetness.

Dong Rui couldn't help but ask, "How does revenge feel?"

"Good, wonderful. Ten times sweeter than honey!" Consort Mei was still immersed in her joy. "A profound satisfaction of perfect achievement—you can't possibly comprehend it!"

After a long moment, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at He Lingchuan. "You're not from Mu State, are you? Do you intend to kill me, or escort me back to Mu State?"

She was the mastermind behind this series of events, responsible for Mu State losing its tribute. Surely, Mu State's emperor wouldn't spare her?

"Your actions are heinous, and you've implicated innocents." He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. "When you dared to undertake this plan, you must have considered such consequences beforehand, correct?"

"Of course." Consort Mei's lips curved slightly, a hint of madness in her eyes. "If Heaven and Earth are unjust, I will fight for myself! This outcome is already ten thousand times better than anything I envisioned! Even if I were to be torn limb from limb right now, I would gladly accept it!"

She had sown the seeds of evil and was prepared to face the bitter harvest.

Everything was what she deserved.

Her face showed an acceptance of death, yet her neck was tilted back, appearing remarkably graceful and pale in the morning light.

He Lingchuan countered, "What were your original plans, after your revenge succeeded?"

"After success? Hmm—I hadn't really thought about that." Consort Mei furrowed her brow, pondering for a long time. "Perhaps I should go pay my respects to my family? To tell them this good news."

"Where are your family buried?"

"The Great Mound, west of the city," Consort Mei replied, resting her chin on her hand. "Except for my older sister. The day our family was destroyed was also her fifteenth birthday; she was dragged away by two guards. They said she was going to die anyway."

She recounted this tale in a serene, gentle voice, describing a truly horrific event.

The two beside her remained silent for a long time.

Dong Rui cleared his throat. "Where were you at the time, and how did you manage to escape?"

"I was lucky. A few days before, a violent storm caused part of our rock garden to collapse. When the Feathered Guards stormed our house, my mother hid me inside the rock garden. The space was confined, only this big—" Consort Mei gestured with her hand, "—just enough for a small child to hide. I huddled inside the rock garden, not daring to breathe, watching through a small hole as the Feathered Guards ransacked my home and seized my family. Thankfully, they didn't set the place on fire, otherwise I would have long since joined my parents."

"What happened next? How did you become Consort Mei?"

"I stayed hidden in the rock garden for four days before venturing out. My father had three sons and two daughters in total, and Nangong Yan surely hadn't killed enough people, so he wouldn't give up the search. That's why I hid in another merchant caravan's carriage and fled the country." Consort Mei's smile dimmed slightly. "In the years that followed, I endured immense suffering. When Youn Guang found me, I didn't have a single unblemished spot on my body. My cultivation talent was poor; only light-body techniques suited me. Youn Guang then arranged for me to train at Cixin Tower before sending me to the Western Stables, so I could 'incidentally' meet my father's killer. Well, you generally know the rest of the story."

She omitted many details, but how a nine-year-old orphan girl survived, how she resolved to seek revenge, and how she carried it out—

This was the Glimmering Gold Plain, a forsaken land notorious for its chaos and despair.

Even adults faced extreme hardship living here, let alone a helpless orphan girl who could only endure bullying.

What suffering she had endured, what she had faced—even Dong Rui dared not dwell on it.

"Whether you kill me or take me back to Mu State, I don't care," Consort Mei said softly, looking up at He Lingchuan. "I have always lived in purgatory. If I can find liberation through you... that would not be bad at all."

He Lingchuan studied her for a moment, then patted his robes and stood up. "Let's go."

Dong Rui asked, "Where?"

"South."

To the south lay Xuncheng, King Bo's capital, and beyond that, Julu Port.

Half a day later, the evening glow spread across the sky.

The three rode on horseback, followed by the black wolf, and arrived at the Great Mound west of the city, also known as the Gray Mound.

The soil here was grayish-white, so most of the tombs constructed were also predominantly grayish-white.

The lingering glow of the setting sun cast a warm red hue over the tall grass and tombstones, momentarily dispelling the desolation of the place.

However, tactless crows in the distance continued to provide a coarse, loud background sound.

Dong Rui looked at He Lingchuan, chuckling inwardly. A hero finds it hard to resist a beautiful woman; this young man's heart wasn't made of iron either.

He looked at Consort Mei, making small talk: "The person who reported your appearance in Baiqiu was a beggar in his forties—thin, dark-skinned, with a mole on his neck. Do you recognize him?"

Consort Mei thought for a moment. "Does he walk with a slight limp?"

"Yes." In truth, Dong Rui couldn't remember if the man had always limped or if he had been beaten lame by a military commander later on.

"He was a disaster victim." Consort Mei's expression remained calm, devoid of any resentment. "Every time I set up a relief tent, he would come, which is how he recognized me. I even saw him snatching steamed buns from other victims."

"No good deed goes unpunished." The Ghost Ape cracked melon seeds, offering a few to its master, but Dong Rui shook his head. "Why would you go set up relief tents?"

He had heard from A'hao and the people of Xuncheng that Consort Mei frequently provided aid to disaster victims, presumably using her own money.

Consort Mei glanced at him. "Do I look like a deranged monster?"

A 'yes' hovered on Dong Rui's tongue, almost escaping.

But his expression said it all. Consort Mei murmured, "Everyone has compassion, and they are all helpless in their circumstances."

He Lingchuan suddenly interjected, "To provide disaster relief, you would have had to leave the palace, which would have made it convenient for your activities, wouldn't it?"

Over the past two months, Consort Mei had been quite active, and she needed to maintain contact with the former rebels—now the new monarch. She would have needed a suitable reason to frequently leave the palace.

Disaster relief was a perfect excuse. Why would King Bo object to her accumulating good deeds on his behalf?

Although the old man didn't cultivate virtue, he understood that good deeds were beneficial.

Consort Mei pouted. "Do aiding disaster victims and avenging a deep hatred conflict?"

Of course not; why distinguish them so sharply, right?

He Lingchuan smiled. "Where is the Mai family tomb?"

Tonight, it was accomplished.