Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Becoming a Concubine
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Bai Qi spent most of his time in deep slumber.
Occasionally, when Zhu Minglang was free, he would fly out from the Spirit Realm, using Zhu Minglang’s embrace as a warm nest to continue his deep snores.
Little Black Tooth, however, had undergone significant changes, growing from two meters to nearly three or four meters in length, now comparable to a full-grown ferocious crocodile, having become a Great Alligator Spirit!
Of course, given the dragon blood in Black Tooth’s veins, if it encountered wild crocodiles in the wild, it should be able to handle a group on its own with no problem.
Those two-hundred-year-old Demon Pearls had a remarkable effect!
“Come, wear this collar; your neck is so thick. For now, let’s just put it on your tail so that others won’t mistake you for a wild Big Black Crocodile,” Zhu
Minglang said as he put a juvenile spirit collar issued by the academy on the Great Alligator Spirit.
They were about to go out, and Bai Qi was fine as he could be stored in the Spirit Realm.
However, it was not convenient to carry Big Black Tooth, and it didn’t seem right to keep him confined in the small pond behind the house, so Zhu Minglang decided to let the big fellow roam free for a few days!
“Every morning, head to the bridge. There will be a girl, as dark as you, who will feed you meat grubs. I have a field trip class and will probably be away for many days,” Zhu Minglang instructed, stroking Black Tooth’s large head seriously.
With a spirit bond, Black Tooth wouldn’t be taken by others and would also understand human nature better than other creatures.
As long as it didn’t leave the academy’s jurisdiction, no one would harm it. The academy’s management of recognized juvenile spirits was very strict, even Dragon Shepherds with True Dragons would be severely punished by the academy if they attacked juvenile spirits without cause.
“Oooooh-??? The Great Alligator Spirit understood that he was to be a stay-at-home child for a few days.
Li Imperial Palace
A majestic hall, surrounded by ancient pines, stood tall with its silver walls exuding solemnity.
The City-State Forbidden Army, dressed in Silver Black Armor, stood full of presence, arrayed in a line like statues in the palace courtyard.
This was the Ancestral Dragon City State’s council hall, where people inside decided on matters big and small within the realm.
Today, Li Yunzi appeared in the council hall after being grounded for many days. She was dressed in plain clothes, her makeup not as exquisite as usual, but her innate, stunning beauty still made the other female clan members in the hall feel inferior…
However, because of a disgrace that could never be washed away, these women no longer felt completely overshadowed by Li Yunzi as they used to and could even sit together with a sneer.
“Ultimately, we are all women, still unable to step over the threshold of men,” Li Kongxi spoke first, as the sisters beside her dared not to express their opinions openly.
“I, Mu Qing, prefer to fulfill my duties. I stay pure and clean in my boudoir and let my elders decide when it’s the right age to marry. In this way, I can also contribute to our clan,” said the woman who called herself Mu Qing. Li Yunzi didn’t care about their sneering and mockery and simply ignored it.
She just quietly watched these people of the clan.
She wasn’t here to humiliate herself today; she knew her enemies would reveal themselves, right here in the clan, in this very hall.
But obviously, it wasn’t these Li family ladies who could only utter sarcastic remarks.
“Kongxi sister, I heard you are to marry into the Sect Palace. Which of the Sect Palace’s fine men is it? Could you give your sisters a sneak preview?”
The subordination of women to men wasn’t so prevalent in the Ancestral Dragon City-State. Women of certain status were involved in clan affairs, though their marriages were mostly determined by the clan elders, and men without any achievements were treated similarly.
What was just discussed was military affairs.
The main concerns were harassment from Lingxiao City State and those Wutu Rebels who fancied breaking through the fortress into Ancestral Dragon City-State territory.
Now, the elders were talking about the matrimonial matters of the younger generation within the clan.
In the Li Family from the south, matrimony had always been a subject for council discussions. After all, Ancestral Dragon City-State faced threats from all sides, so relationships with neighboring city-states, towns, and fortresses relied heavily on critical marital alliances.
Noble families valued marriages because promises, contracts, and alliances were like worthless scraps of paper to those in power; they could be torn up whenever interests were at stake. Only blood relations were hard to truly sever.
Only when two families shared common offsprings, common bloodlines, could they genuinely move forward together or retreat as one!
“Today we announce two marital matters. Listen carefully, I said announce,” said the Junior Mistress of the family, Kong Tong, as she began to speak.
Military and state affairs were discussed by the Lord of the Li Family, while marriage affairs were all dealt with by the Mistress of the House.
“Last year, Li Kongxi accompanied the Old Mistress to the Sect Palace’s annual banquet, where the Sect Palace’s fourth young master, Du Cheng, took a liking to Li Kongxi at first sight. After our discussions, we will go with the Old
Mistress to the Sect Palace next month to facilitate this marriage,” declared Kong Tong to everyone.
“This is a good marriage. If we have this connection with the Sect Palace, Lingxiao City State, no matter how brazen, wouldn’t dare to launch a military strike against us lightly,” said someone.
“As expected of Mistress Kong, you’ve finally opened a grand door for us to the Sect Palace. From now on, we no longer have to worry about the lands south of the Li Chuan River, and we can even open up many trade routes,” said another. In the grand hall, smiles appeared on everyone’s faces, and their gazes fell upon Li Kongxi.
Li Kongxi smiled faintly and said, “Although Kongxi is willing to adhere to the arrangements of my elders, I still need to meet this fourth young master of the Sect Palace in person before I go there next month. I want to understand his character. If he is vile-natured, lacks ambition, and shows no respect for our Ancestral Dragon City-State, I kindly ask the Family Head and Mistress to reconsider.”
“Sister Kongxi, don’t you know Du Cheng? Is it true he fell for you just from a distant glimpse?”
“Truly, younger sister is the epitome of a national beauty,” Mu Qing exclaimed in surprise. “Speaking of which, Du Cheng is indeed a fine man. His fame had spread throughout the major city-states long ago. It’s said that Miss of the Ling Family from Lingxiao City-State even went to great lengths to seek an audience with Du Cheng at the Sect Palace, yet he didn’t even grant her entrance… And that’s the Ling Family’s Miss we’re talking about!”
Li Kongxi shook her head, indicating that she indeed had never met Du Cheng.
“Congratulations to Sister Kongxi on finding a good match.”
The other female members of the clan also offered their congratulations to Li
Kongxi in advance.
However, Li Kongxi appeared quite calm.
“About another marriage.” The head of the family, Kong Tong, spoke again, and soon the hall quieted down.
People’s gazes uncontrollably fell upon Li Yunzi.
In the past, as the Female Monarch of the city-state, Li Yunzi used to be seated alongside the two great Family Heads, the four heads of families, the City Lord, several commanders, and others. But now, there was no place for her there.
Like any other ordinary female member of the clan, she sat in the observers’ seats, silent, her demeanor ice-cold.
Ever since Li Yunzi had fallen from God’s Altar, she had not appeared in the deliberation hall for some time.
Her presence today obviously meant that the clan had arrangements for her.
“Li Yunzi…” The head of the family, Kong Tong, had already called out Li
Yunzi’s name.
Indeed, in order to prevent the situation of the Female Monarch being humiliated from escalating and further tarnishing Ancestral Dragon City’s reputation, the family had decided to settle her matrimonial matter.
Only by marrying Li Yunzi off could that unspeakable incident be potentially quelled.
At the military guest seating area, Luo Xiao straightened up involuntarily.
In recent days, he had achieved miraculous feats at the eastern fortress, and his name as Luo Xiao of the Fire Dragon had echoed throughout Ancestral Dragon City.
“We have decided to marry Li Yunzi into the Ling Family of Lingxiao City, ” announced the head of family, Kong Tong.
Although Kong Tong’s voice was clear, it wasn’t very loud. Yet for some reason, it exploded like a thunderclap in Luo Xiao’s mind, causing his entire body to tremble violently! !
How could this be possible…
It was he who suggested to Kong Tong to marry Li Yunzi off!
And his infatuation with Li Yunzi was common knowledge.
“Family Head, Madam!” Luo Xiao simply could not accept this decision; he stood up from his seat.
“Luo Xiao, sit down,” commanded the Lord of the Li Family, Li Ying.
“This matter…”
“Sit down!!” Li Ying’s tone became more forceful, his eyes sharp, and his entire presence changed as if he would turn into a Mad Dragon at any moment and tear someone to shreds!!
Luo Xiao sat down, dispirited, his already pale face now resembling that of a corpse, ghastly to behold.
“Madam, just now we discussed the encroachment of Lingxiao City-State, and the Family Head did not provide us with a perfect countermeasure in the military. Could this be the family’s strategy against Lingxiao City-State? Yet, I still have some doubts,” said the commander.
“Please speak,” said Kong Tong.
“As the Female Monarch, Li Yunzi had more than once slaughtered entire armies from Lingxiao City who came attacking. From the military to the civilians of Lingxiao City, all detest Li Yunzi. How then would the Ling Family of Lingxiao City-State be willing to form a marital alliance with us?” asked the commander.
“For a normal marital alliance, those soldiers and civilians of Lingxiao
City-State surely wouldn’t agree, as they loathe Li Yunzi…” the head of family, Kong Tong, paused deliberately before adding, “Therefore, Li Yunzi is to enter the Ling Family as a concubine.”
“Is that still an alliance?” the commander asked.
This was clearly not a negotiation for a marital alliance but a ploy to push Li Yunzi out to be dealt with by Lingxiao City-State!
“If the commander has a better way to handle this… Wutu Rebels cannot be completely exterminated, and the morale of our western troops has greatly declined due to the matter concerning Li Yunzi, making it difficult to resist the aggressive advance of Lingxiao City-State’s forces. The only way to negotiate peace is this,” Kong Tong said.
“Our Female Monarch, to become the concubine of the enemy City Lord, what face will Ancestral Dragon City-State have in the future?” the commander said.
“This matter must not be spread carelessly. Lingxiao City-State will send a bridal escort at the end of autumn. Commander Cheng, your assistance will be needed then,” said Li Ying.
His attitude was decisive, leaving no room for further discussion.
Li Yunzi took one look at Li Ying, her expression gradually turning colder. Then, Li Yunzi glanced at the head of family, Kong Tong, and her understanding became even more clear.
In the end, it was still them, this series of schemes against her….
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