Chapter 3: Emperor of Dongling

Chapter 3: Emperor of Dongling

It took Mu Lan an entire day to finally sort some things out.

First of all, she had truly transmigrated—and it was that wicked kind, soul transmigration. Looking at the face in the bronze mirror, which bore a fifty-percent resemblance to her own, Mu Lan felt a chill creeping through her pores, giving her a sense of psychological dissociation.

Mu Lan’s own appearance was actually quite easy on the eyes. However, because she favored mountain climbing and had studied Taekwondo for several years, the impression she left on others was more one of health and vitality.

In contrast, Princess Jin Ning’s body was fairer and more delicate, looking even more beautiful. However, having practiced dance since childhood, her frame possessed plenty of flexibility but lacked strength. Mu Lan couldn't help but worry whether such a frail, wind-blown body could carry her restless soul.

Fortunately, this body still retained most of its original memories, which was why she could recognize her "Imperial Father" and "Sixth Sister" at a single glance.

The end point of these memories was when Princess Jin Ning received a letter and, taking advantage of the night to meet someone, was knocked unconscious from behind.

In other words, she hadn't gone to find that Dongling Jue of her own volition, and she certainly hadn't used drugs to seduce him; she had been ambushed.

Mentioning Dongling Jue, Mu Lan suddenly felt sore all over again. The day after tomorrow, she would have to follow him to the State of Xichu, yet regarding this man, the memories of this body contained nothing but his name.

Thinking of those scorching black eyes and that malicious, mocking smile, Mu Lan’s teeth itched with hatred. Hmph, there was no way she would truly marry him, let alone become just one of his many wives. Although she had encountered this series of events immediately upon transmigrating, she quickly formed her own plans.

Strangely enough, she seemed to have lost a segment of her memory; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall anything about her life before transmigrating. Unable to find the trigger for her transmigration, it seemed that returning to her original world would likely not be easy.

Therefore, for now, she could only act according to the circumstances. For instance, she needed to gather more intelligence on the enemy first; only by knowing both oneself and the enemy could one respond with ease. And this enemy, of course, referred to Dongling Jue.

"Princess..." Watching Mu Lan eat her meal with an appetite as if nothing were wrong, while asking them, the palace maids, to recount the deeds of Dongling Jue, Xiao Chan was utterly shocked.

Based on her understanding of the Princess, even if the Princess prioritized the greater good and did not commit suicide to preserve her chastity after such an insult, she would surely be heartbroken. Yet from beginning to end, her Princess hadn't shed a single tear and was inquiring about the Emperor of Dongling as if she were an unaffected person. This was simply too bizarre.

"It's fine, just tell us what you know," Mu Lan said. She knew her reaction was overly calm, but compared to the massive shift in her outlook on life and her worldview experienced overnight, this setback was nothing. The priority was how to survive moving forward.

Though Xiao Chan was puzzled and worried, she thought that since the die was cast and the Princess was to become a consort of Xichu, she spoke up first: "Actually, ever since the Emperor proposed the marriage alliance with Xichu, many people in the palace have been gossiping privately about the Emperor of Dongling. You usually dislike inquiring about such irrelevant matters, which is why you didn't know. As for the character of this Emperor of Dongling... I fear the Princess will not like him."

Xiao Chan spoke very tactfully, but the little maid beside her, Xiao E, lacked such subtlety. Seeing that the topic had been opened, she spoke with a pale face: "I heard that the Emperor of Dongling is over ten feet tall, with a face like a demon, eyes like copper bells, and a torso like a tiger and a bear. Even the fiercest Dongnu army flees in terror at the mere sight of him. It is said that back when he was still the Crown Prince, he led troops to attack the Dongnu Kingdom, and he even ate an entire city's worth of people."

"Cough, cough!" The food Mu Lan hadn't had time to swallow choked her, turning her face blue. Xiao Chan hurriedly handed her a cup of tea and patted her back, while simultaneously saying to Xiao E, "Don't say such nonsense to scare the Princess. Both the Princess and I have seen the Emperor of Dongling, and he is not like that."

Since the matter of her seducing Dongling Jue was, after all, a royal scandal, Jin Yuanfu had long since issued a ban. Thus, aside from Xiao Chan, even the palace maids by her side were unaware.

Because of this, the maids who were usually close to Princess Jin Ning did not have many reservations. Another maid, Xiao Ying, chimed in: "Xiao E isn't lying. The reason Xichu has been so stable these past few years is because those countries all fear this Emperor of Dongling. However, the most important thing is that I heard this Emperor of Dongling... has a hidden ailment. He has been married for eight years, yet he has no offspring."

This time, Mu Lan truly couldn't help but laugh out loud. That Dongling Jue was infertile? That was truly poetic justice.

"Princess, how can you still laugh? If you don't have children in the future, what will you do?" Xiao E grew anxious, then sighed: "Actually, if it weren't for the fact that the Qiong Kingdom was terrified of him and started harassing our Xia Liang, our Emperor wouldn't have been willing to propose a marriage alliance."

Based on the memories in her head, Mu Lan had some understanding of the country of Xia Liang. Compared to the powerful and vast Xichu, Xia Liang was located in the far north and relied on medicinal herbs and animal husbandry for its livelihood. Due to its geographical advantages, it was relatively peaceful and prosperous.

This marriage alliance was because Dongling Jue had requested a rare medicinal herb from Xia Liang—the Soul-Sustaining Grass. It was said that the Empress Dowager of Xichu had contracted a strange illness that could only be treated with this specific herb.

In the past two years, the neighboring Qiong Kingdom had begun eyeing Xia Liang. Therefore, Jin Yuanfu used this opportunity of gifting the medicine to propose a marriage alliance to Dongling Jue, using it as a means to intimidate the Qiong Kingdom.

Perhaps for the sake of this herb, Dongling Jue had actually agreed to the marriage request.

The Soul-Sustaining Grass grew atop snowy peaks and was extremely difficult to find. Thus, Dongling Jue had personally brought a group of experts to Xia Liang to help search for the medicine—and, incidentally, to fetch a princess back to his court.

Of course, to the outside world, the fact that Dongling Jue himself came to Xia Liang to fetch the bride was considered a massive honor for the Xia Liang Kingdom.

"But Princess, hadn't the Emperor already announced that the Sixth Princess would go for the marriage alliance? Why did he change his mind at the last minute? That Emperor of Dongling is so terrifying; if one day we fail to serve him properly, what if he eats us?" Xiao Ying began to feel frightened.

Xiao Chan was only about fifteen or sixteen years old and had heard many palace rumors these past few days. Hearing the two other maids speak, she couldn't help but feel some trepidation.

But having followed the Princess since childhood, she possessed a bit more courage than the other maids. She steeled herself and said, "It won't happen. The Princess is going for a marriage alliance on behalf of our Xia Liang Kingdom; he wouldn't dare eat us."

Mu Lan was amused by the simplicity of these girls. Seeing that they were still at an age of innocence, she comforted them: "Don't worry. If you are afraid, I will tell Imperial Father not to let you come as dowry maids."

Thinking about it, although Dongling Jue didn't look like a kind sort, he likely wouldn't be so deranged as to actually eat people. Besides, even if he did want to eat someone, she wasn't someone he could just eat whenever he pleased.

Unexpectedly, the girls immediately protested: "No! If the Princess doesn't have us following her, no one will know if the Emperor of Dongling eats you!"

*Yeah, if the four of you come along, maybe we'll get to eat a few more meals.*

Despite such thoughts, seeing how fiercely these maids wanted to protect their mistress, Mu Lan naturally could not let them go and take risks. After all, she had no intention of truly marrying into the State of Xichu; without them following, it would be easier for her to run away.

Just as she was about to persuade them, a palace maid reported from outside the door: "Princess, the Sixth Princess has sent someone to deliver a message."