HLnovel Chapter 49 The Saintess's Past
Chapter 49 The Saintess's Past
As the minor incident subsided, Chu Siyuan and the Nalan family head unexpectedly discovered they had endless topics to discuss. They quickly became engrossed in conversation, like old friends reunited after many years. Sometimes, the tacit understanding and friendship between men arise so suddenly, leaving one completely bewildered.
They took Chu Qiuchi and the others to a restaurant and ordered a large table of delicious food for them. At the table, the two fathers showered their children with praise, their exaggerated words and mutual flattery leaving everyone present speechless and amused.
After dinner, the two fathers seemed to feel that the conversation was not yet over. They said goodbye to them and then went to the Nalan family home to continue their unfinished topic and have a long talk all night long.
Chu Qiuchi watched as his father, who didn't even care about him and his younger brother, enthusiastically ran off with Xingyao's father, and chuckled to himself. A true friend is hard to find in life; what could he do with his own father but spoil him?
Chu Qiuchi was filled with curiosity about the Holy Maiden Linlang. After saying goodbye to her father, she quickly asked Puyang Minghui, who was standing nearby, for information.
"Minghui, how much do you know about that Holy Maiden today? She seemed so imposing! I thought she was here to support that chubby kid, but it was a complete surprise. She didn't seem to be related to the Yue family head at all. She was very reasonable."
Upon hearing this, Puyang Minghui smiled mischievously, ran to Nalan Xingyao's side, grabbed her arm, and smiled sweetly at Chu Qiuchi.
"You shouldn't ask me this question, you should ask Xingyao. Saintess Linlang is also her aunt!"
Chu Qiuchi's eyes widened instantly, his mouth agape as if he could fit an egg in it, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Huh? There's this connection? I saw that Patriarch Nalan didn't hold back at all when he was criticizing Prince Qiongcang!"
Nalan Xingyao's tone carried a hint of coldness as she casually said, "That's right, my second grandfather's cousin married Prince Qiongcang, so he can be considered my cousin's husband."
"However, ever since the Yue family produced a queen, they have become increasingly fond of putting on airs in front of others and living a life of extravagance. My second grandfather's family has been helping them out quite a bit, like a greedy beast that can never be satisfied. Now they are even instigating my second uncle and aunt to fight with my family for the inheritance."
“My father only has one daughter, me. They wanted him to adopt my cousin so that he could inherit the position of head of the Nalan family in the future. You can see their ambition from our names. My name is Xingyao and his name is Chenxi.”
"If it weren't for my grandfather and father's firm opposition, it's hard to say what the Nalan family would be like now! Our Nalan family works so hard to earn money and build our business, not to fatten them up, but to improve the quality of life and welfare of the soldiers in the major war zones."
With a puzzled look, Chu Yichen asked, "Chenxi, where does the ambition in this name lie? Does it mean you are the star of the night and he is the rising sun of the morning, implying that he will take your place sooner or later?"
When Nalan Xingyao heard Chu Yichen's question and noticed the puzzled expressions on the faces of the others, she couldn't help but chuckle: "It's not what you think. Chenxi and Xingyao are actually the names my parents chose for their future children when they got married. If it was a girl, she would be named Xingyao, and if it was a boy, he would be named Chenxi. Unfortunately, my mother suffered a severe hemorrhage after giving birth to me and eventually left us."
Chu Yichen scratched his head awkwardly and said apologetically, "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up something that upset you." Chu Qiuchi and Puyang Minghui also reached out and gently patted Nalan Xingyao's shoulder, conveying unspoken comfort through their actions. Ji Moyu stood to the side lost in thought, a hint of longing for his mother seemingly flashing in his eyes.
A thought flashed through Chu Qiuchi's mind: massive bleeding? Aren't there blood-replenishing potions on the Magic Continent? With the Nalan family's wealth, these potions shouldn't be a problem. How could it have led to the death of the family matriarch?
Judging from Xingyao's expression, she didn't seem to have any doubts, so it's likely that Lady Nalan did indeed die because of this. But something still feels off. Am I overthinking it?
Before she could think it through, Nalan Xingyao changed the subject and continued, "I'm fine, let's not talk about this anymore. The only person in the Yue family I admire is Saintess Linlang. Her behavior is completely different from the others in the Yue family; she's a breath of fresh air in the Yue family."
"As the eldest daughter of the Yue family, she was stunningly beautiful from a young age, with extraordinary talent and a reputation that spread throughout the entire city of Fran. Back in the capital, countless people pursued the Holy Maiden Linlang, including even our Emperor."
"It is said that His Majesty once expressed his love to Saintess Linlang, and the Yue family was happy to see it happen, but the Saintess rejected His Majesty's pursuit. Because at that time she already had someone in her heart, she fell in love with Qi Xiuheng, the son of the previous Lord of Luoshui City."
At this point, Nalan Xingyao sighed, her expression indignant.
"This Qi Xiuheng is handsome and talented, with a natural gift comparable to that of Saintess Linlang. If he hadn't taken the crooked path, he would have been a talent in his own right. Back then, his passionate pursuit of Saintess Linlang caused a sensation throughout the capital, with all sorts of romantic gestures and surprises, and he was incredibly gentle and considerate."
"In the end, he successfully defeated the former Crown Prince, who is now His Majesty, and won the heart of the Holy Maiden. Their love story was once a legend, and Dream Lake in the capital became a sacred place for couples to confess their love because of their romantic confession there."
"However, the marriage between Saintess Linlang and Qi Xiuheng encountered unprecedented fierce opposition from the Yue family. They hoped that the Saintess could marry into the royal family to enhance the family's status. Faced with the family's strong arrangement, Saintess Linlang did not compromise and was consequently placed under house arrest by the Yue family, forcing her to separate from Qi Xiuheng."
"At this critical juncture, Linlang Saintess's younger sister, the current Queen Yue Linglong, was driven by selfish motives and secretly assisted Linlang Saintess in her escape. She herself took the opportunity to get close to His Majesty and eventually replaced her sister to successfully marry into the royal family."
"The Holy Maiden Linlang and Qi Xiuheng fled to Luoshui City and married in secret without the consent of the Yue family. At first, their married life was happy and fulfilling, and soon after, their love's fruit—Qi Sixuan—was born."
"But the birth of the child became a catalyst for the Qi family's greedy nature. They began to use the child as a bargaining chip to force the Holy Maiden to reconcile with the family and demand that she expand their network of connections in the capital."
"It turns out that the Qi family had long coveted the Yue family's status as one of the five great families of the empire, and attempted to use this to enhance their family's power and move into the inner three cities."
The territory of the Aurora Empire is a fan-shaped structure centered on the city of Fran. It consists of eight main cities: the capital city of Fran, three inner cities, and four outer cities.
The three inner cities are Jingyang City, Jimu City, and Lingjin City. Due to their geographical location, these cities are the most prosperous main cities besides Fran City.
The outer four cities consist of Luoshui City, Yanhuo City, Xiyue City, and Sangtu City. Although they are not as wealthy as the inner four cities, they are still extremely important. Their only drawback is that they need to be prepared to defend against the beast tide at any time.
The inner three cities were more prosperous because they were surrounded by the outer four cities and the four war zones.
The four major war zones are located at the border between the Aris Great Forest and the Aurora Empire, forming the first line of defense between humans and beastmen.
The four outer cities, located behind the four major war zones, formed the second line of defense between the humans and the beastmen.
Whenever a beast tide arrives, the majority of the beast tides are kept outside the empire by the warriors of the four war zones. Those few beast hordes that manage to break through the encirclement will also encounter resistance again in the four outer cities.
This layout ensured the peace and prosperity of the three inner cities, and also kept the heart of the empire away from the ravages of war.
Apart from the capital city of Fran, the positions of the lords of the other seven major cities are not hereditary, but are decided by a joint vote of the royal family, the council of elders, and the five great families, and are changed every hundred years.
The last election for city lord was 16 years ago, which is why the Qi family went to such lengths to try and curry favor with the Yue family to gain entry into the three cities.
"At that time, the relationship between Saintess Linlang and the Yue family was tense because of her elopement, which made it difficult for the Qi family to get what they wanted for a while, so they had to suppress their ambitions for the time being."
"However, with the birth of the child, they believed the time had come and began to reveal their true greed. They used the child to threaten and coerce the saint in an attempt to force her to comply."
"The Qi family's coercion gradually made the Holy Maiden realize their sinister intentions. On the surface, she pretended to be obedient, but in secret she worked hard to cultivate and at the same time secretly laid out her own power in the capital. She knew that only by becoming stronger could she make those with ill intentions suffer the consequences."
"After five years of careful planning and scheming, the Holy Maiden Linlang secretly took in many women who had suffered misfortune in life and quietly established the Yueji Pavilion in the capital."
"The establishment of Yueji Pavilion provided shelter for these women, who, grateful for the Holy Maiden's rescue, responded to her trust with loyalty and ability, developing Yueji Pavilion into a force to be reckoned with in the capital. They also secretly assisted the Holy Maiden in collecting a large amount of conclusive evidence of the Qi family's illegal and disorderly conduct."
"Just as the Qi family was immersed in their own dream, thinking they had the situation firmly under control, the Holy Maiden acted swiftly like lightning, sending them to trial and exposing the Qi family's illegal activities over the years to the light of day."
"In the end, the Qi family was stripped of their position as city lords for crimes such as embezzlement, accepting bribes, oppressing the people, bending the law for personal gain, and misappropriating war merits. The whole family was exiled to the mines to work for the rest of their lives, going from being powerful and wealthy to being forced laborers."
"The Holy Maiden returned to the capital with her son. She stood out in the previous Holy Maiden selection with her own strength, surpassing all others to become the Holy Maiden of the Holy Temple. After becoming the Holy Maiden, she became known for her fairness, impartiality, and incorruptibility. Her Yueji Pavilion has now become a sanctuary for women in distress, providing them with an opportunity to start over and find new hope."
After listening to Nalan Xingyao's account, everyone was filled with respect for the Holy Maiden Linlang. Her image became even more vivid in their hearts: a woman who dared to pursue true love and face storms head-on, with firm principles and bottom lines, meticulous mind, extraordinary strength, and a warm heart. Even though she had experienced hardships herself, she never forgot to create a brighter future for others.
Chu Yichen frowned, full of doubt, and asked, "Wasn't the city lord election 16 years ago? If what you're saying is true, the Holy Maiden's son should be at least 20 years old now. But that chubby boy looks no more than seven or eight years old. How could he possibly be the Holy Maiden's son?"
Nalan Xingyao spoke again, her tone heavy: "Although this is the first time I've seen him in person, he is undoubtedly the Holy Maiden's son. This is also the sin committed by the Qi family. Back then, in order to force the Holy Maiden to submit, they gave the child a mysterious potion."
"The origin of this drug remains unknown, but its consequences are disastrous—it has permanently frozen the child's intellectual and physical development at the age of eight, and he will never be able to awaken the magic orb or his spiritual power in this lifetime."
Puyang Minghui nodded and added, "I've heard about this too, so over the years this child has occasionally stayed at the academy for a period of time, just so that my grandfather could help me research the antidote for this potion."
After listening to Puyang Minghui and Nalan Xingyao's explanation, Chu Yichen and Chu Qiuchi finally understood.
Chu Qiuchi couldn't help but sigh, "Power can corrupt people's hearts, but in the end, it is this innocent child who suffers the consequences. I suddenly feel that I was indeed too harsh on him. Moreover, judging from the Holy Maiden's appearance, he will probably get another beating when he gets back. What a pitiful child."
A few words drifted faintly through the air: "You did nothing wrong."
It was Ji Moyu's voice. Upon hearing it, Chu Qiuchi's eyes lit up instantly. She gave Ji Moyu a bright smile, her eyes shining brighter than the stars in the sky. For a moment, Ji Moyu couldn't take his eyes off her, and a blush crept onto the tips of his ears.
He only quietly shifted his gaze when Puyang Minghui spoke again.
"I guess he's going to get a beating. The Yue family has been very biased towards him because of the misfortune he suffered, and they've been indulging his bad behavior. But Her Majesty the Holy Maiden isn't someone who lets things go so easily. Judging from how scared he looked just now, he must have been scolded a lot."
Chu Qiuchi's eyes darted around, and he spoke again, "Then next time I see him doing something wrong, I'll beat him up less. By the way, hasn't this potion been figured out after all these years? Its effects are so terrifying; if it gets out, wouldn't it bring a devastating blow to our human race!"
Nalan Xingyao shook her head slightly, her tone revealing a hint of helplessness: "No, the Empire has been secretly investigating for years, but as far as I know, I haven't heard of any major breakthroughs."
Chu Qiuchi then asked, "Aren't the Qi family still around? Don't they know either?"
Puyang Minghui nodded seriously and continued to explain, "Yes, they don't know either. They said a mysterious woman approached them and offered to sell them that potion. But the woman always wore a mask, so they couldn't identify her true identity."
Moreover, the mysterious woman said at the time that the potion was just to scare people and had no actual effect. She even tested it in front of them, and it indeed had no effect. That's why she used it on the child; they never expected the potion to cause such serious harm.
Chu Qiuchi sighed and rubbed his forehead. "They really are both stupid and wicked, trusting people of unknown origin. So, this potion might only work on children who haven't awakened yet!"
Chu Yichen nodded, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. "It was really foolish. They didn't even know if there was only one bottle of this potion. If there are more, who knows which child will be unlucky enough to suffer in the future."
Chu Qiuchi sighed and subconsciously prepared to put his arm around Ji Moyu's shoulder. Ji Moyu dodged to the side, and Chu Qiuchi stumbled for a moment.
Chu Qiuchi steadied herself, looking at Ji Moyu with a confused expression. "Little Fish, why are you hiding?"
Ji Moyu slightly avoided Chu Qiuchi's gaze and said, "It's not appropriate!"
Chu Qiuchi frowned, his face full of confusion. Hadn't he always let him do as he pleased? Was it a little too late to say it was inappropriate now?
He then grabbed the man and pulled him back onto his arm, giving him a smug look. "You know to shake it off now that your snot is dripping into your mouth? Too late!"
Everyone burst into laughter, instantly breaking the serious atmosphere and making it more relaxed.
Chu Qiuchi smiled and continued to the others, "I really hope we can develop an antidote as soon as possible! Although there doesn't seem to be an imminent survival crisis right now, the hidden threats are no less numerous. We need to grow stronger as quickly as possible!"
Her words resonated with everyone present, and they all realized the undercurrents lurking beneath the calm surface.
After the discussion, they returned to their dormitories and devoted themselves to a new round of training.