Inside the room, the moonlight from the high sky shone on a corner of the room, where Rouge was sleeping on a soft couch, her breathing even, indicating that she was asleep.
Exhausted after a long day, Hailing couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in bed, and the image of Eunuch Xia reading the imperial edict flashed through her mind, making her restless and agitated. She knew perfectly well that the situation was far from good. Jiang Feixue was determined to marry the Crown Prince, but the Emperor had betrothed her to him. Would she let it go? And Jiang Batian was clearly unhappy with the marriage. What would he do? A man of exceptional talent like Crown Prince Feng Zixiao would never marry a fat and ugly woman like herself. Even putting herself next to him would be an insult to him; how could he possibly tolerate marrying her?
Chapter 010 Awakening of the Crimson Pearl
In her room, Hailing tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Finally, she got up, quietly dressed, and got out of bed. She decided to go for a walk to calm herself down; otherwise, lying there would only keep her awake until dawn.
On a summer night, the cool breeze is very comfortable, refreshing the mind and body, and making the restlessness in one's heart disappear and restore peace.
The croaking of frogs in the West City River rose and fell in a continuous stream, but Hailin had long been used to it.
She didn't go anywhere else in the Jiang residence, but simply walked along the West City River, looking at the wide river surface and the painted boats moored not far away, their lights casting a hazy glow, peaceful and beautiful.
Soon they reached the walls of the Jiang residence. Beyond that, it was no longer part of the Jiang residence, but a quiet street.
There was a tree that wasn't very tall by the wall. She and Yan Zhi used to climb out from there. Because it was next to the West City River and was an inconspicuous place, there were hardly any people around. So it was the weakest point in the entire Jiang Mansion.
As usual, Hailin climbed trees and scaled walls, quickly leaving the Jiang residence.
The streets were deserted, not a soul in sight, with only the occasional sound of the night watchman's drum echoing in the distance.
Hailin walked slowly, like a ghost, strolling leisurely on the street at noon. If she were discovered, people would surely think she was a ghost.
However, this is her habit; when she is upset, she likes to take a walk alone, and she will feel better soon.
Walking along, we soon arrived at the only arched bridge over the West City River, which connects the two banks of the river from east to west. On the other side of the river, there are still brothels and pleasure quarters. The entire street is full of brothels and pleasure quarters, which are bustling and fragrant at night. There are also many painted boats along the river, making the West City River dazzling.
However, it was already very late at night, and the brothel across the street had quieted down; the customers and girls had all gone to rest.
Hailin stood on the arched bridge, leaning against the railing, looking down at the lake below. The lake water was dark and deep, like a huge beast that wanted to devour her.
Today's events were indeed quite unpleasant. First, she got into a fight with Jiang Feiyu and almost had her hand broken by Bai Ye. Then, she was inexplicably betrothed. Now, she has become a thorn in everyone's side. Unfortunately, her mother doesn't want to leave the Jiang family, and leaving now is not a solution. Her current status is that of the Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace. Imagine what the royal family would do if the Crown Princess disappeared? They would probably lay a net to search for her. Given their capabilities, they certainly wouldn't be able to escape. If they were caught, their fate would be even more unbearable.
Hai Ling's face was pale and she stared intently at the river, trying to figure out what she should do next to avoid losing her life.
Suddenly, a chilling wind blew through the dark night, sending shivers down one's spine and making one feel uneasy. Hailin quickly looked up in the direction from which the wind was blowing.
On the west side of the arched bridge, a sedan chair appeared lightly, surrounded by a light mist. Two lanterns in front of the sedan chair cast a dim light, making the mist appear as if it were drifting smoke. Most strangely, the four sedan chair bearers were all silent and their feet did not touch the ground, as if they were walking on soft cotton.
Hailin couldn't help but take two steps back, leaning against the railing, her eyes wide with horror.
At midnight, in a sedan chair, four people with their feet barely touching the ground emerged from the wisps of smoke.
The whole thing seemed incredibly bizarre, but then, something even stranger happened. The wind blew through the sedan curtain, and a fair, jade-like hand reached out. The hand was so perfect that it didn't seem like a human hand at all. It lightly lifted the curtain and peered out.
Hailin saw a pair of deep, dark eyes filled with dark undercurrents. Those eyes seemed to see through everything in the world, able to see into a person's heart at a glance, making people tremble with fear and their hair stand on end. However, upon closer inspection, there was no emotion in them at all. They were like a vast and deep sea, making people lose their way and become deeply immersed in them.
Just those eyes alone were terrifying. Hai Ling dared not stay any longer and quickly turned around and ran back, screaming as she ran: "Ghost! Ghost!"
The sedan curtain behind them was lowered, but the four sedan bearers paused for a moment, then continued walking in the dark night, elusive as ghosts.
Hailin ran wildly for a while, but finally, unable to bear it any longer and furious, she couldn't help but roar to the sky.
"God, at least give me something! How am I supposed to survive without anything? Does this transmigration mean I'll end up with nothing, be bullied, framed, persecuted, tortured, and die?" She was furious. If God were right in front of her, she would kick him and punch him. But if you let me transmigrate, at least give me something! Are you kidding me?
Hai Ling was furious and completely oblivious to her own abnormality. She moved with light steps, as nimble as a swallow. The night wind brushed against her cheeks, and in the blink of an eye, she had already floated dozens of meters away from the courtyard. She arrived at the secluded outer wall of the Jiang residence in the blink of an eye. Her heart was not racing and she was not out of breath, as if nothing had happened. It was only then that she belatedly realized that she was different. The distance that would normally take her fifteen minutes to run was now covered in the blink of an eye. Usually, she would be panting and her heart would race when she ran, but now she was completely unaffected.
She belatedly realized something: in the moonlight, the Seven Star Glass Bracelet on her wrist emitted a dazzling crimson light, mixed with red light. The two lights intersected, creating a particularly beautiful effect, and another glass bead lit up.
Looking at her feet, she was now strangely wearing a pair of boots she had never seen before—bright yellow short boots, with shimmering flowers embroidered with coins on the sides, emitting a faint, dark glow. There were two small wheels on the soles, yet she moved as if she were walking on flat ground, without the slightest discomfort. Was it because she was wearing these boots that she could walk so swiftly and lightly? Hai Ling was both surprised and delighted. She reached out and opened the crimson glass bead. Inside the bead, she saw a pair of bright yellow gloves-like objects and a book called "The Eighteen Styles of Golden Flower".
Hai Ling opened the book and carefully read the first page by the moonlight. She realized that the boots and gloves on her feet were a set of equipment. The boots were called Fire Cloud Boots and the gloves were called Wind and Thunder Gloves. These two items possessed enormous energy. The Fire Cloud Boots could travel a thousand miles a day, and the Wind and Thunder Gloves could unleash tremendous power. If one mastered the Eighteen Golden Flower Styles in the book, one would not be invincible, but one would be incredibly powerful. In particular, the last style of the Eighteen Golden Flower Styles, the Blooming Golden Flower, not only had amazing power, but also caused flowers and plants within a radius of tens of meters to bloom in competition, forming a unique scene.
Hai Ling was overjoyed to find that the hidden contents of the crimson pearl were this. All the humiliation she had suffered throughout the day vanished instantly. These were exactly what she needed right now. Even if she found some peerless martial arts manual, she couldn't possibly master it. Her bones were already formed, and there was no hidden energy. So, these three items were exactly what she wanted.
In the darkness, she grinned, her eyes warm and gentle. With a snap, she closed the book, leaped into the air, and floated towards the high wall. No longer the doggy-paddle style of the past, she moved with elegance and grace, lightly flying over the wall and landing inside. There was a willow tree inside the wall. She wanted to test the power of the Wind and Thunder Gloves. She silently chanted "Wind and Thunder," and the gloves immediately appeared in her hands. She threw a punch, and bright light flashed, creating a whooshing sound. With a bang, a hole was punched through the middle of the tree, and the branches and leaves trembled and fluttered down like a rain of flowers.
What incredible power! Hai Ling was stunned. She hadn't expected it to be so much more powerful than she had imagined. If these were Jiang Feiyu and Jiang Feixue's heads, wouldn't their brains splatter and they be running away in terror? The more Hai Ling thought about it, the happier she became. She turned around and headed back to Qinfang Courtyard along the riverbank.
The courtyard was quiet, without a sound. A faint light shone from inside the room. She tiptoed in without disturbing anyone, placed the Fiery Cloud Boots and Thunderous Gloves in her spatial storage, and took out a book to read. It was the Eighteen Forms of Golden Flower, which she practiced with the magical boots and gloves. Although it wasn't simple, she believed she could master it with her comprehension. She would definitely practice diligently tomorrow when she had free time. Thinking this, she put away the book, closed her eyes, and went to sleep contentedly…
Chapter 011 The Crown Prince and the Left Prime Minister
The next day, everyone in the capital knew that the Emperor had betrothed the third daughter of the Jiang family to the Crown Prince as his principal wife. This news seemed to sink without a trace, causing quite a stir even if it didn't cause a huge uproar. The self-important and arrogant young ladies of high society felt as if they had swallowed a fly, caught in a dilemma. If it were said that the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, Jiang Feixue, was the Crown Prince's principal wife, they could accept it more readily, because she was not only the eldest daughter of General Jiang, who held considerable military power, but also beautiful, generous, and extremely talented. She and the Crown Prince were a perfect match, a match made in heaven.
What right does Miss Jiang have to marry the Crown Prince as his principal wife? A woman like her, who has no status, no beauty, and no talent, is actually the Crown Prince's wife. It's a desecration of the god-like man in their hearts. Is the Emperor seriously ill and confused? Miss Jiang doesn't even have a good reputation. Everyone knows her nickname, the infamous "Sai Qianjin" (meaning "Better Than a Thousand Pounds"). For her to stand with the Crown Prince is truly an eyesore.
In the capital, restaurants and teahouses were packed early in the morning, with everyone discussing the strange event at hand.
Some of them figured out the trick, but only a very few people could understand it. Most people still couldn't figure out why the emperor did this.
On the surface, the Emperor's betrothal of a member of the Jiang family to the Crown Prince is a great honor, known to all. The Emperor is rewarding General Jiang Batian for his merits by granting the Jiang family's daughter the title of Crown Princess. However, in private, this third young lady of the Jiang family is not favored at all. Therefore, Jiang Batian may not consider her feelings in his actions. As a result, if Jiang Batian does anything wrong in the future, even if the royal family wipes out the entire Jiang family, no one will think that the royal family is heartless and ungrateful. Instead, they will say that the Jiang family is ungrateful and has brought about their own demise.
It seems that even in his illness, the emperor remains as shrewd as ever, proceeding cautiously step by step.
The Crown Prince's Residence covers a vast area, with pavilions every three steps and bridges every five steps. The pavilions and towers are arranged in a well-organized manner, and there are countless rare rocks and famous flowers. From a distance, it is shrouded in a light mist, making it a place of outstanding natural beauty. It truly lives up to its name as the Crown Prince's Residence and is incomparable to other places.
Inside the Crown Prince's study, a luxurious and grand atmosphere prevailed. On either side stood bookshelves made of huanghuali wood, displaying antique jade artifacts below and exquisitely bound books above. In the very center of the study, near the back, sat a huanghuali wood desk. At this moment, a man leaned lazily against the chair behind the desk, his long, black hair cascading down like silk, partially obscuring his face, revealing the other half. He had narrow, arched eyebrows, deep, dark eyes, smooth, fair skin, a proud, straight nose, and sensual, delicate lips. He exuded an aura of nobility and dominance, and was exceptionally handsome. This man was none other than the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, Feng Zixiao.
Two or three other people sat at the lower seat. One of them had an ordinary face and wore a jade-colored black robe. He closed his eyes slightly, making it impossible to discern anything special about him. However, since he was treated as an honored guest by the Crown Prince, he must have some special abilities. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and his deep and mysterious pupils shone with a bright, dark light, like sunlight piercing through the heavy, gloomy clouds, bringing warmth to everyone. But that light vanished in the blink of an eye, replaced by a deep, dark, and chilling aura, which made people tremble with fear. A single glance from him could seduce people's souls and capture their minds. This person was none other than Xi Lingfeng, the Left Prime Minister who had joined forces with Bai Ye to destroy the Wuzhao Kingdom. Xi Lingfeng was originally a talent discovered by the Crown Prince, so he was naturally close to the Crown Prince.
He and Sima Yuan were ranked as the left and right prime ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty, assisting the crown prince in handling state affairs, and he was one of the crown prince's right-hand men.
Inside the study, besides the Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng, there were two other people. One of them had handsome features, was slightly thin, and had clear, bright eyes. At this moment, he was slightly annoyed. This person was none other than the Seventh Prince Feng Zihe. He had always been close to the Crown Prince, so when he heard that his father had bestowed the unfavored Sai Qianjin of the Jiang family upon his elder brother, the Crown Prince, he rushed out of the palace early in the morning and came to the Crown Prince's residence.
At this moment, she looked angrily at her elder brother, the Crown Prince, sitting at the head of the table. Seeing that the Crown Prince was not as angry as she had expected, she felt frustrated.
Why isn't my elder brother angry or furious? He should go to the palace and ask Father to withdraw the imperial decree. Father has always doted on my elder brother the most, and he will surely grant his request.