jdhmnovel Chapter 1464 Coolness
Chapter 1464 Coolness
She looked at Youyi, who was resting with her eyes closed and leaning on her shoulder, her eyes filled with heartache, and sighed softly:
"I used to think that power and influence were harmful, but now I realize that it is the callous and indifferent who are most hurtful."
Outside the carriage, Zhan Yan, dressed in a black robe, rode his horse with a frighteningly grim expression.
He truly regrets it.
She regretted misjudging Mo Lingyue, thinking he was a powerful and ruthless figure, someone she could entrust with her career and make an alliance with. Who would have thought that he was such a heartless and ungrateful person who abandoned his wife and children and the people of an entire city for the sake of his personal feelings?
If it weren't for Youyi's sincere heart, and if Mo Ziyu hadn't been so young, Jingcheng would have almost been destroyed by his personal feelings.
"Mo Lingyue, you are not worthy to be the lord of a city."
Zhan Yan spoke in a low, cold voice, tightened the reins, and the black horse neighed loudly, increasing its speed.
Around noon, the city gate of Jingcheng could be seen in the distance.
From afar, the city appears majestic, yet it exudes an oppressive and deathly stillness.
Flags were flying at half-mast on the city tower, the guards looked tense, there were few pedestrians on the streets, and every household had its doors and windows tightly closed, completely lacking the bustling atmosphere of an important town in the past.
News of Lord Mo's disappearance had already spread, and the people of Jingcheng were filled with anxiety.
As soon as the group arrived at the city gate, a large crowd poured out of the city.
Leading the group were the deputy governor of Jingcheng, several heads of aristocratic families, and former leaders of the Mo family. Each of them stood below the city wall with solemn and complex expressions, unsure whether to welcome or refuse them.
In front of this group of people stood a small, solitary figure.
At only eight or nine years old, he wore a plain-colored robe and stood ramrod straight despite his slender frame.
With delicate features, one could vaguely discern the outline of Mo Lingyue in his eyes, but he lacked that arrogance and gained a composure beyond his years.
It was Mo Ziyu.
He arrived in Jingcheng early in the morning and personally led a group to wait at the city gate.
Overnight, the young master who used to be spoiled and dependent on his father seemed to have been forced to grow up too fast, losing all his childishness.
Seeing Youyi's carriage stop, Mo Ziyu's eyes reddened slightly, but he restrained himself from rushing forward. Instead, he stepped forward respectfully and bowed in the direction of the carriage.
"Ziyu greets the Princess Mother."
The cry of "Princess Mother" sent a sudden pang of sadness through Youyi's heart.
Children know everything.
She knew her father was gone, knew he had left with another woman, knew he had abandoned her, abandoned Jingcheng, and abandoned her.
But he still didn't wallow in self-pity.
The tears that Youyi had just suppressed welled up again.
Zhan Miao stepped out of the carriage first, walked quickly to Mo Ziyu's side, gently put her hand on his shoulder, and spoke in a soft but firm voice:
"Ziyu, don't be afraid, we're all here for you."
Mo Ziyu raised her head and looked at Zhan Miao, her eyes red-rimmed, but she bit her lip, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall.
"Aunt Miao'er, Ziyu is alright. Ziyu is the young master of Jingcheng, he mustn't cry."
One sentence brought tears to the eyes of many present.
However, not everyone in the crowd has compassion.
Zhou Chongshan, the deputy garrison commander of Jingcheng, stood at the back of the crowd, observing coldly for a long time.
He was ambitious and had always coveted the position of city lord. Now that Mo Lingyue had abandoned the city and the young master was still young, it was the perfect opportunity for him to seize power.
Seeing Mo Ziyu standing alone in front, with only a few loyal old subordinates behind him, Zhou Chongshan sneered inwardly, stepped forward, and spoke loudly, his voice not loud, but every word clear, deliberately so that everyone could hear:
“Young Master, it’s not that we don’t want to welcome you, but City Lord Mo has abandoned the city and broken his promise to all the people. How can you, a mere child, sit in the position of Young Master?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.
No one expected that Zhou Chongshan would dare to publicly attack Mo Ziyu at this moment.
Mo Ziyu's small body stiffened, and her face instantly paled.
He raised his head and looked at Zhou Chongshan, his small hands clenched into fists, his lips pressed white, but he still stubbornly refused to take a step back.
Seeing that he remained silent, Zhou Chongshan became even more arrogant and continued to press him aggressively:
What? You have nothing to say?
Your father ran off with a wild woman, abandoning the people of the city. Now Jingcheng is in chaos, bandits are rampant, and people are restless. You are a child who can't even hold a sword properly. Who can you protect?
In my opinion, the position of city lord should not remain vacant. We should all jointly elect a virtuous person to fill it, thus stabilizing the hearts of the people!
These words are a blatant attempt to seize power.
The group of aristocratic officials and ambitious individuals behind him, who had long harbored ulterior motives, immediately echoed his sentiments:
“Deputy Commander Zhou is right! The young master is too young to shoulder such a heavy responsibility!”
"Lord Mo is neither benevolent nor righteous; how can his son command respect?"
"Jingcheng cannot continue to descend into chaos; a new city lord should be chosen!"
Each accusation was like a sharp blade, stabbing into Mo Ziyu's heart.
He was just a child.
Having lost her father overnight, she had to face the storm of public opinion alone, and endure such public humiliation and harassment.
His eyes grew increasingly red, and his body trembled slightly, yet he still gritted his teeth, refusing to cry or back down.
He cannot fall.
Youyi could no longer hold back. She quickly got out of the car, rushed to Mo Ziyu's side, shielded him behind her, and shouted sharply:
"Zhou Chongshan! How dare you! Ziyu is the only legitimate son of City Lord Mo, the rightful young master. Who gave you the right to question the position of city lord? City Lord Mo is only temporarily away. When did it become your place to be so disrespectful and publicly humiliate the young master!"
Zhou Chongshan glanced at Youyi, a disdainful smirk playing on his lips: "Your Highness, although you are of royal lineage, the affairs of Jingcheng are none of your business. Mo Lingyue abandoned you and ran away; you are now nothing more than a discarded woman. How dare you point fingers at me right here beneath the walls of Jingcheng?"
These words were extremely harsh.
Publicly reopening Youyi's wounds, every word piercing her heart.
Yu-yi was so angry that her face turned pale, her whole body trembled, and she couldn't say a word.
Lin Yiwan followed closely behind and got out of the car. When she saw this scene, her eyes instantly turned cold.
She was gentle throughout her life, but she was never one to be bullied. She would never tolerate anyone who dared to bully those she cared about.
Before she could even speak, a clear yet thunderous voice rang out first.
"Zhou Chongshan, you're asking for it."
Zhan Miao stepped forward slowly.
She was dressed in plain clothes, her figure was still thin, and she had just recovered from a serious illness. Her face was still a little pale, but she stood there with her back straight, her eyes were cold and sharp, and the aura she exuded made everyone present feel a shock.
She walked step by step to the front, protecting Youyi and Moziyu behind her. She looked up at Zhou Chongshan, showing no fear, only icy anger.
"What did you just say? Say it again."
Zhou Chongshan was taken aback at first, then sneered:
“Miss Zhan, I respect you as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Zhanyi’s family, but this is a matter for Jingcheng and has nothing to do with you. You’d better mind your own business.”
"None of my business?" Zhan Miao sneered, his clear voice echoing throughout the room.
"Sister Youyi is my sister, and Ziyu is my nephew. We have already said that we are family."
Their humiliation is the humiliation of my Zhan family; their bullying is the bullying of my Zhan Miao family.
You're saying it has nothing to do with me?