Chu Yue'er clenched her teeth. She had met all sorts of men in this place.
Greedy ones... Arrogant ones... Vicious ones...
But this… this bastard son of the Jun Family… If only she could drive her dagger into his throat right now!
But she could not.
Not yet.
So, she continued to play, her mask of indifference never faltering.
Finally, the melody reached its last note. The room fell silent for a brief moment before applause erupted.
"Ahhh… Truly a masterpiece!" Jun Mo Xie clapped dramatically. "A song that could move even the heavens! Magnificent, magnificent!"
Chu Yue'er gave a polite nod, but her heart remained cold.
'Just endure it… Just endure it…'
But the moment she moved to put away her guqin.
Thud.
The courtesans surrounding Jun Mo Xie suddenly collapsed, their bodies slumping against the cushions.
A soft thump followed as wine cups tumbled onto the floor.
Chu Yue'er's heart skipped a beat.
'What just happened?'
Her sharp gaze flickered toward the 'drunken' young master, only to find him staring directly at her, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Before she could react, Jun Mo Xie reached out, grabbing her wrist.
"What are you—?!"
He pulled her close, his face inches from hers. His other hand slid around her waist, his grip firm yet seemingly playful.
"You know…" He murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper, "A beauty like you shouldn't hide in the shadows."
Chu Yue'er stiffened.
His breath was warm against her skin. His hold on her was possessive and intrusive.
Hatred surged through her veins.
If there was a single moment where she had ever wanted to kill a man…
It was now.
Chu Yue'er's body tensed as Jun Mo Xie's lips hovered near her ear. Her breath hitched, a mix of anger and fear rippling through her.
But before she could lash out, his next words froze her in place.
"Chu Yue'er… The last flower of the fallen Chu Clan. Granddaughter of Chu Tiechan, the Iron General of the Yan Country. A princess of a country long fallen during the war."
Her pupils shrank, and cold sweat formed on her back. Her heart pounded as she forced herself to meet his gaze.
That drunken, lustful fool from moments ago… he was gone.
In his place stood a man whose sharp, piercing eyes stripped away every layer of her disguise.
For the first time in years, Chu Yue'er felt truly exposed.
She snapped her hand away from his grip, staggering a step back.
"Who… Who are you?"
Her voice trembled, but not with fear—no, it was the shock of having her deepest secret laid bare.
Jun Mo Xie chuckled, leaning lazily against the cushion. "That's quite the reaction. Weren't you just putting on a fine act?"
He tilted his head, his smirk deepening. "But now that the mask has cracked… why not drop the pretense entirely?"
A surge of rage replaced her shock. Her hands clenched into fists.
"You bastard," She spat, her voice laced with venom. "How long have you known?"
"From the moment you played your first note."
Chu Yue'er's breathing grew heavier. "You…"
Jun Mo Xie waved a hand dismissively. "Now, now. No need to glare at me like I'm the devil himself."
His voice remained light, but his eyes darkened. "Unless, of course, you believe the Jun Family is responsible for your suffering."
Her anger reignited.
"Are they not?" She hissed. "Your family! Your damned Jun Clan! They destroyed my home! They slaughtered my people! They—"
She stopped herself.
For a brief moment, her hands trembled.
She had bottled this rage, this grief, for years. She had buried it so deep that even she had forgotten how much it consumed her. But now, in front of him, of all people, it was spilling out like a raging flood.
Jun Mo Xie simply watched, waiting.
And when she finally fell silent, he let out a soft sigh.
"Childish."
Chu Yue'er's eyes widened. "What?"
"You're just a child throwing a tantrum," He said, shaking his head. "Angry because you were left alone. Because you have no one left."
"You—!"
"But do you even understand what you're doing?" He continued, his tone growing colder. "You stand here, playing your little game of vengeance, drowning in hatred. But do you truly believe this is what your grandfather wanted? What your people would have wanted?"
Chu Yue'er opened her mouth to retort, but the words didn't come.
Jun Mo Xie leaned forward, his gaze locking onto hers. "A soldier, a general... they fight for their country, knowing they may never return home. They stand on the battlefield not for their own survival, but for the future of those they leave behind. For them, dying in battle is not a tragedy. It's their greatest pride."
Chu Yue'er felt her nails digging into her palms.
"Yet here you are, spitting on their sacrifice."
Her breath caught in her throat.
Jun Mo Xie's voice softened, but it carried the weight of his words.
"If you truly believe that dying for one's country is meaningless, then should I also become a mad demon consumed by revenge?" His eyes darkened with something unreadable. "My father… My second uncle… My two elder brothers… all died on the battlefield."
Chu Yue'er's anger wavered.
"If I were to follow your logic, then shouldn't I hate the entire Yu Tang Empire? Shouldn't I slaughter every noble, every official, every citizen? Should I burn cities to the ground, drown the empire in blood?"
She remained silent.
"Acting on emotions isn't wrong," Jun Mo Xie continued, his voice quieter now. "But only if the deaths were unjust."
His words struck like a hammer against her heart.
He watched her carefully, gauging her reaction before speaking again.
"If anyone from my family personally harmed you, if any soldier tainted the women of your family, if there was a single act of dishonor committed against you... then tell me."
His expression turned sharp. "Give me their names, and I will personally behead them and present their heads to you."
Chu Yue'er's mind went blank.
She had expected mockery... She had expected cruelty... She had expected the arrogant son of the Jun Family to dismiss her as a mere insect.
But this... this she had never expected.
Her entire life had been fueled by hatred. It had been the only thing keeping her alive, the only thing guiding her every step.
Yet, for the first time… her frozen heart throbbed.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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