Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sometime later, the entire Imperial City of Dongling was abuzz with news of Emperor Chenghao's betrothal of the third Miss Wen to the Seventh Prince. It caused quite a stir.

The Seventh Prince Ning Yuzhou was Emperor Chenghao's most favored youngest son. Even the talented Third Prince Ning Zhezhou and the Fifth Prince Ning Pingzhou held lesser positions in the emperor's heart compared to this prince.

Unfortunately, the Seventh Prince was a cultivation failure.

It was said that at birth, the Seventh Prince had been inflicted with a strange poison. Though he survived, his Primordial Spirit Root was damaged, rendering him unable to cultivate.

Unable to cultivate was no different from being an ordinary person. Not only did it mean a shortened lifespan, but in this world where strength reigned supreme and martial arts flourished, such individuals were often looked down upon. They might as well have been born into a common family for a happier life.

As for the Third Miss Wen, people in the Imperial City initially had no recollection of her. It wasn't until they recalled an incident from over a decade ago that they remembered the Wen family indeed had a third daughter.

The Third Miss Wen was the only legitimate daughter of the head of the Wen Family, Wen Boying. Tragically, Wen Boying and his wife perished during a demonic beast rampage over a decade ago. His pregnant wife was attacked by the beasts, causing a premature birth. Wen Boying lost his life attempting to save his wife and child, leaving behind a weak and sickly daughter.

Despite the Third Miss Wen's decent aptitude, her frail body hindered her progress. No matter how hard she tried to cultivate, she would not be able to achieve much. It was even possible that she might die young due to her cultivation attempts, not living past twenty.

This was the consensus among all the healers who had treated her in the Dongling Kingdom.

A pitiful soul fated to not live past twenty.

Emperor Chenghao's sudden matchmaking between the two was truly perplexing.

One was a cultivation failure, and the other was frail and sickly. Though they seemed compatible on paper, how could Emperor Chenghao, who doted on the Seventh Prince so much, bear to match him with a wife whose life was short and offered no substantial aid?

Truly odd!

***

The public was rife with speculation about this marriage, and the Wen family was equally baffled.

After all, the Wens and the royal Ning family had long-standing betrothal arrangements. The Third Prince Ning Zhezhou was engaged to the Fourth Miss of the Wens—Wen Mei. Once they both reached the Yuanming realm, they were to become cultivation partners, pursuing the endless path of Dao together.

Yet, Emperor Chenghao unexpectedly arranged another marriage between a Wen family daughter and an imperial prince.

In the Third Branch's Lishui Courtyard.

Upon hearing the commotion outside, Third Lady Miao of the Wen family raised her delicate brows slightly and said to her trusted maid, Chaoyun, "Seems like the First Branch's sickly Miss is quite fortunate. Despite being overlooked for so many years, she still landed such a fine match."

Chaoyun chuckled. "If we're talking about a good match, it would have to be the engagement between the Second Branch's Fourth Miss and the Third Prince."

Madam Miao's face darkened slightly, her heart feeling stifled with emotion.

The Wen family's main lineage was divided into four branches. The head of the family, Wen Boying, and his wife had both passed away, leaving the current patriarch position to the second branch, Wen Shuqing.

In Madam Miao's mind, if that incident years ago hadn't occurred, and Wen Boying were still alive, Wen Qiao wouldn't have suffered from premature birth and damaged her health. The marriage to the Third Prince, Zhezhou, might not have fallen on the fourth daughter of the second branch, Wen Mei. After all, the Third Prince was the most talented among the Dongling Kingdom's royal family, far surpassing the Seventh Prince, who was a cultivation failure. The Seventh Prince only held his position due to Emperor Chenghuang's favor.

How long could someone else's affection last? It was better to rely on one's own strength!

Madam Miao believed that their third branch was also part of the Wen family's legitimate line. If Wen Shuqing could become the patriarch and manage the family affairs, why couldn't they? In her eyes, Wen Shuqing's abilities were inferior to her husband, Wen Zhongqing. The world admired power, and thus, the strongest should lead as the patriarch.

Madam Miao was thoroughly discontent with the second branch.

Back then, Wen Boying was an extraordinary figure, and if he had inherited the Wen family, everyone would have been convinced. After his demise, Wen Shuqing took over as patriarch, causing the third branch to remain unconvinced and secretly plot, believing that the Wen family should belong to them.

The third branch was determined to seize control of the Wen family!

Recalling past events, Madam Miao was feeling particularly stifled when she saw her daughter Wen Xian return from the martial training grounds.

Wen Xian was the legitimate daughter of the third branch, ranking fifth among the Wen family's children. Despite her young age, she possessed decent talent and was diligent in her cultivation. However, she was still slightly inferior to Wen Mei, who had been overshadowing her for years, causing much resentment in Wen Xian's heart.

At the training grounds that day, Wen Xian had once again been outdone by Wen Mei. She struggled to maintain a cheerful facade in public but couldn't hide her disappointment when she returned to her mother's side.

"Xian'er is back," Madam Miao's face lit up with affection. In front of her two children, she was a doting mother.

Sitting beside her mother, Wen Xian accepted the tea offered by Chao Yun and asked, "Mother, I just heard that the Emperor has arranged a marriage between Wen Qiao and the Seventh Prince. Is it true?"

"The imperial edict has already arrived. How could it be false?"

Confused, Wen Xian continued, "Didn't Wen Mei already have an engagement with the Third Prince? Why would the Emperor suddenly arrange a marriage for the Seventh Prince?" As she spoke, a trace of envy could not be concealed on her face.

Wen Xian had always envied Wen Mei.

She resented being the daughter of the head of the Wen family while Wen Mei was, as well as her superior Primordial Spirit Root talent. Moreover, Wen Mei had an outstanding fiancé, making Wen Xian, who had always felt invisible like a transparent person, barely noticeable. Not to mention, Wen Qiao, who was now betrothed to a good-for-nothing by Emperor Cheng Hao.

What use was it if that good-for-nothing was favored by Emperor Cheng Hao? They were still just an ordinary human being.

The Ning clan, of royal lineage, held great prestige in the Dongling Kingdom due to their ancestral elders' immense power, being recognized as the paramount martial arts figure in the land. No noble family dared to provoke them, and all were wary of the clan's formidable strength.

Back then, Third Prince Ning Zhezhou's marriage to Wen Mei was orchestrated by Emperor Chenghao. Although it had the intention of drawing the Wen family closer, it was also because Wen Mei was the daughter of the family head and, at the tender age of five, displayed exceptional talent, possessing a top-grade Primordial Spirit Root of the Water Element.

Water, being the source of all life, embodies balance and gentleness. Those with Water-based Primordial Spirit Roots are compatible with any other, making them ideal partners for dual cultivation.

One could argue that the union between Third Prince and Wen Mei was a match of mutual benefit, perfectly suited. But what about Wen Qiao and Seventh Prince?

With one Wen family woman already betrothed to the Ning royal lineage, another would serve no additional purpose and would not align with the interests of either the royal family or the aristocracy. If Emperor Chenghao intended to find a powerful clan to protect his most beloved prince, he should have sought a bride of higher status and even greater excellence. In comparison, Wen Qiao was far from an ideal choice.

This was not only something Wen Xian couldn't figure out; others were equally perplexed.

Seeing her daughter looking distressed, Madam Miao promptly embraced her and spoke softly, "My child, there's no need to dwell on it. Wen Mei merely relies on the fact that she's the family head's daughter. If your father were to become the head of the Wen family..."

Wen Xian's eyes brightened slightly before she quickly concealed the emotions in them.

She had always been aware of her parents' plans, and fueled by jealousy and discontent, she naturally gave her full support. However, with Wen Mei's reputation and the solid engagement between her and the Third Prince, Wen Xian wouldn't expose her true feelings too openly.

To be fair, Wen Xian's aptitude wasn't bad either. Although she possessed an Earth-grade Primordial Spirit Root, its purity was exceptionally high, rivaling even a Heaven-grade one. Yet, the difference between Heaven and Earth grades was like comparing heaven and earth.

***

In the face of this unexpected marriage arrangement, Wen Qiao's reaction was surprisingly indifferent, regardless of how others speculated about it. Perhaps she had grown accustomed to the neglect from the Wen family and her own chronic ailments. Despite possessing exceptional talent, her cultivation progress was slow, having only reached the initial stage of the Yuan Entry Realm after more than a decade of practice. Though the Seventh Prince was deemed a hopeless case in cultivation, he was still better off than her, a person the healers predicted might not live past twenty.

Ultimately, it was the Seventh Prince who would suffer the most in this match. This was why Wen Qiao remained so calm when she heard about the imperial decree.

As for the reason behind this marriage and the emperor's motive for arranging it, she was not particularly interested. If it was meant to be known, she would learn about it eventually; fretting over it beforehand served no purpose.

In the evening, a new batch of daily necessities arrived from the main courtyard. Lian Yue counted them cheerfully.

This marriage was truly a blessing in disguise.

Without even meeting the Seventh Prince, Lian Yue already had a favorable impression of him, regarding him as the key to a better life for her young miss within the Wen family. The fact that this support was a cultivation failure mattered little to her. As long as her young miss could live comfortably, Lian Yue was willing to lower her standards.

Lian Yue unfolded the new quilt on the bed and said, "Miss, the main courtyard just sent over a Silkworm Jade quilt. It feels soft and warm; you'll surely have a good night's sleep tonight."

Wen Qiao sat by the lamp, engrossed in her book and barely lifting her head to acknowledge someone.

Lian Yue made the bed and fetched warm water, attending to Wen Qiao's needs for the night.

Wen Qiao changed into a loose garment of moonlight color and instructed the diligent maid, "You should also go rest. There's no need to stay up."

Lian Yue acknowledged, keeping an eye on her lady until she was sound asleep, ensuring she wouldn't sneak out to read in the middle of the night. Only then did Lian Yue leave the room, retiring to a small bed in the outer chamber.

Wen Qiao's sleep quality was poor, plagued by a bone-chilling pain that ran through her veins, making it rare for her to truly slumber. However, she didn't want to disappoint Lian Yue's efforts. On such occasions, even if she couldn't sleep, she would lie in bed, gazing at the dark curtains and counting the petals on the azure intertwined floral pattern on the moon-white canopy.

Moonlight streamed in from the window.

The bed curtains were silently lifted by the nocturnal breeze entering the room. Wen Qiao turned her head, seeing the hazy full moon hanging above the branches outside her window.

Countless nights, she had spent quietly observing this white moon, watching its phases shift from crescent to full, reflecting the vicissitudes of life.

But tonight, the moon in the sky seemed to be tinged with an ominous hue of blood.

Without realizing when, the entire world had been draped in a crimson veil, the color spreading across the landscape.

The person in the bed remained still, staring up. The pain in her body made her believe that the moon in the sky had transformed into an eerie crimson. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes had turned red with blood, casting the world she saw through them in a demonic hue of red.

"Mm..."

She let out a soft groan, beads of sweat trickling down from every pore of her body. Soon, they drenched the soft and warm silk floss quilt beneath her, chilling the bed even further.

In the quiet of the night, in the main bedroom of the Jishui Courtyard of the Wen family, a subtle transformation was taking place in the frail figure on the bed.

Outside, in a small cot, Lian Yue rolled over and continued her deep, oblivious slumber, completely unaware that her beloved young miss inside was undergoing the most terrifying metamorphosis of her life.