Murong Shuang had thought Lu Ming would give some earth-shattering answer, only to be met with such a ridiculous and laughable response. It was enough to make anyone burst into laughter.
She looked down on Lu Ming and said, "I was impressed when you answered five questions correctly before, but now I see you're just an ignorant fool. 'Wenhe Dike' (纹河堤岸) – you actually came up with that answer? Hah, why don't you go home and study some geography first! This is too hilarious."
Jiang Mengxin was also quite disappointed, her eyes betraying her dejection as she shook her head and sighed.
She had lost, this time completely.
Master Zhu's latest masterpiece was seemingly destined for Murong Shuang's collection. Jiang Mengxin lacked the fortune to obtain it.
If anyone else had won, perhaps Jiang Mengxin could have bought it with money. But given Murong Shuang's status, she would absolutely not sell it, nor did she lack the funds.
More importantly, the Murong family and the Jiang family were sworn enemies. It would be a miracle if they didn't start a fight on the spot, let alone sell anything to the Jiang family.
Jiang Mengxin had completely lost hope for this painting.
Everyone waited for the curator to announce the winner and congratulate Murong Shuang on her victory.
However.
The curator did not rush to announce the result. Instead, he looked at Lu Ming with great interest and asked with a smile, "Mr. Lu, your answer has also surprised me. May I ask, how did you arrive at this answer? Do you have any reasoning?"
Reasoning?
Everyone laughed.
"What reason could there possibly be? He's just struggling in his last moments."
"Curator, please don't waste our time. We don't want to hear Lu Ming spout more nonsense. Announce General Murong as the winner quickly."
The curator waved his hand, insisting on hearing Lu Ming's explanation.
He looked at Lu Ming very seriously and said word by word, "Mr. Lu, please explain."
Taking a deep breath, Lu Ming gathered his thoughts and said with a wry smile, "Although the war was won, the Dragon Warlord was not joyful. It wasn't that he couldn't be happy, but rather he was unable to feel joy. This is because in the war that annihilated the ten empires' allied forces, China suffered severe losses. Many of the Dragon Warlord's brothers and comrades-in-arms sacrificed their lives bravely! The victory of the war was bought with blood! At the moment of victory, the Dragon Warlord felt more remembrance for the fallen soldiers than happiness."
This was indeed true.
It was precisely because of this indelible grief for his comrades that Lu Ming chose to guard the martyrs' cemetery after achieving fame and success!
He stayed there for five years, never once leaving the cemetery.
At that time, his heart was filled with extreme sorrow.
War was never a joyous affair.
Upon hearing Lu Ming's explanation, everyone fell silent. It wasn't that they couldn't refute it, but rather they felt there was some logic to Lu Ming's words, making it difficult to argue against.
However…
Someone said, "What does all that have to do with the Dragon Warlord looking into the distance? You still can't explain why the Dragon Warlord was looking at the Wenhe Dike."
Lu Ming let out a long sigh and continued, "Yes, as you all said, the Dragon Warlord's line of sight was blocked by Shuanglong Mountain, making it impossible for him to see the Wenhe Dike, more than 100 kilometers behind. But just because the eyes cannot reach, doesn't mean the heart cannot. Where the eyes cannot go, the heart can still reach."
Uh… that sounds so cryptic, I can't quite understand.
Lu Ming said, "At that time, the Dragon Warlord's heart was at the Wenhe Dike, mourning the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the battle there!"
The battle at the Wenhe Dike could be considered the most crucial battle of the entire war.
The war had reached its climax. After the enemy was driven out of Shuanglong Mountain, they regrouped and formed an allied army of ten enemy nations for one final counterattack.
This counterattack was massive and incredibly powerful.
If it had been mishandled, all previous battles could have been in vain, and all efforts reduced to nothing.
This battle was one that could only be won, never lost!
Therefore, the Dragon Warlord led the main forces out of Shuanglong Mountain and engaged the allied armies of the empires in a most brutal battle at the Wenhe Dike, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides!
The losses incurred were immeasurable!
It was after that tragic victory that the arrogance of the allied empires was completely extinguished, and China finally gained true peace.
However, the sacrifices in that battle were too great. The Wenhe Dike was littered with corpses, and the river water was dyed blood red.
So.
After achieving complete victory, the Dragon Warlord gazed into the distance. He wasn't looking at Shuanglong Mountain; he was 'looking' at the Wenhe Dike, reminiscing about the tragic state of the battle there, and mourning his fallen comrades!
To speak of enjoying the joy of victory? Hah, that was entirely Murong Shuang's conjecture.
The Dragon Warlord's gaze was not one of his eyes, but of his heart!
"I have finished my explanation," Lu Ming said, exhaling a long breath, uttering his final words.
Hearing this, everyone fell silent.
The mockery they had directed at Lu Ming earlier vanished completely. Many even felt tears welling up in their eyes. No one had expected Lu Ming to utter such impassioned and moving words.
Compared to Murong Shuang's answer, Lu Ming's explanation appeared to be far more profound and rich in meaning.
Those who had supported Murong Shuang now wavered.
Everyone exchanged glances and whispered amongst themselves.
"Ahem, why do I feel Lu Ming's explanation is more… reasonable than General Murong's?"
"I think so too."
"Shhh, keep your voices down. If General Murong hears you, she might take your heads!"
"But that's the truth of it. General Murong can't just be unreasonable, can she?"
A torrent of opinions flowed, each person with their own thoughts.
Murong Shuang also fell silent.
At this moment, she too wavered.
She had always been unwavering in her belief about the scene she had witnessed. However, after hearing Lu Ming's explanation, she felt ashamed of her own understanding for the first time.
She had been superficial, far too superficial.
She had only seen the surface, but had failed to grasp the innermost thoughts of the Dragon Warlord.
Even though she was present at the scene and had followed the Dragon Warlord's gaze into the distance, she could only see Shuanglong Mountain. She couldn't see the Wenhe Dike over a hundred kilometers behind, couldn't see the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, couldn't see the tragic victory.
Compared to the Dragon Warlord, Murong Shuang's level was lower.
"Ahem."
At this point, Gao Yuheng deliberately cleared his throat, stepped forward, and took it upon himself to speak for Murong Shuang. "Hahahaha, this is hilarious! Lu Ming's explanation is completely baseless! Forced and nonsensical! How could a mere nobody like him know what the Dragon Warlord was thinking? Curator, let's not listen to this scoundrel's ramblings. Kick him out and announce General Murong as the winner."
This was a typical case of one's stance determining one's opinion. In his attempt to curry favor with Murong Shuang, he disregarded the current atmosphere, ignored the facts, and wantonly slandered Lu Ming.
Suddenly, everyone regarded Gao Yuheng with disdain.
Even Jiang Mengxin, who had previously thought well of him, frowned slightly, finding Gao Yuheng's character questionable.
Most importantly… Murong Shuang was furious.
She was not pleased by Gao Yuheng's attempt to defend her. Instead, she found his behavior to be incredibly tacky!
Murong Shuang glared at Gao Yuheng and said with displeasure, "Wrong is wrong, and right is right. I, Murong Shuang, am not someone who cannot afford to lose. I don't need a sycophantic fellow like you to make excuses for me!"
Uh…
Gao Yuheng stood frozen on the spot, utterly embarrassed.
He had eagerly sought favor but received cold treatment. He never imagined that speaking up for Murong Shuang would not only bring him no benefit but also earn him a scolding, and even potentially offend Murong Shuang.
It was a huge loss.
Gao Yuheng shamefully retreated two steps, lowering his head, daring not to utter another word.
The gap between him and Lu Ming was obvious.
Lu Ming never tried to ingratiate himself with Murong Shuang, nor did he disregard facts and twist black into white!
Subsequently.
Murong Shuang turned to the curator and said, "Both Lu Ming and I have given our answers. Please announce the correct one, Curator."
The curator smiled slightly and replied, "General Murong, I believe you already know the correct answer."
By not stating it directly, he was also preserving a sliver of dignity for Murong Shuang.
After all, publicly announcing that Murong Shuang had lost to Lu Ming, a mere live-in son-in-law who guarded graves, was indeed inappropriate and would make Murong Shuang look very bad.
"I know."
Murong Shuang's face was filled with bitterness. She had lost, and she accepted the defeat wholeheartedly.
However, she still had regrets.
Murong Shuang looked at the painting of the Dragon Warlord's profile with heartbreak.
That was the moment her feelings had first blossomed. That was her beloved Dragon Warlord. That was the scene she had longed for day and night, yet alas, she could not have it.
Just as everyone was silent and Murong Shuang was in sorrow.
Suddenly.
Lu Ming smiled faintly and said, "I don't want this painting anymore. I'll give it to the stubborn little ox Murong."