Lu Duling's indifferent gaze swept over Tian Ying, paused, and then used the most hurtful words to sever Tian Ying's last glimmer of hope.
“I… I don’t like him. Lu Duling, I, Tian Ying, only have you in my heart. Why are you so cold? Why don’t you try to win me over? If you didn’t have me in your heart, would you have given me this thing three years ago?”
Tian Ying took two steps back and looked at Lu Duling with extremely sad eyes. They were in love, so why, why was Lu Duling pushing her further and further away?
If he didn't love her, why did he give her that blood jade three years ago and take such good care of her?
"If my actions three years ago caused Miss Tianying to misunderstand, I apologize and hope you can forgive me and forget everything. I gave you the Blood Jade because I saw that the Heavenly Sound Gu was not very compatible with you and wanted to help you. That was all and I had no other intentions. Please do not misunderstand, Miss Tianying. I would never have dared to have any improper thoughts about you. I have other matters to attend to in the palace, so I will take my leave."
Lu Duling gave Tian Ying a deep look, suppressed his emotions, and explained in a low voice his intention to save people back then before leaving his home.
Some things are not that he is heartless, but that they are simply impossible. These are the rules that have been followed in Miao territory for thousands of years. He, Lu Duling, is as weak as an ant. What virtue or ability does he have to break them?
"Lu Duling, you coward! Why didn't you fight for it? If you had fought for it, I would have been willing to leave Miao territory and go to the Central Plains to live the life of an ordinary person. But why, why couldn't you give me this chance?"
Standing in the Lu family's courtyard, watching the figures that had long since disappeared, Tian Ying couldn't help but roar. Was it wrong for her to simply want to be with the man she loved and pursue simple happiness?
“It’s not that Turin doesn’t want to give you a chance, it’s because you don’t have a chance. The rules of Miao territory that have been in place for thousands of years are not something that you young children can break. People and families with the talent for raising Gu are different. Even if I, Lu Youdan, had some real skills, it would be difficult for me to gain a foothold in Miao territory. Even I, the Third Elder of Miao territory, have a hard time living in Miao territory. How can Turin break the rules? Tian Ying, your request is too difficult.”
Disturbed in his peace, Lu Youdan could no longer tolerate it and pushed open the door to defend his son. After finishing his explanation, he didn't forget to lecture the arrogant girl.
“Young lady, you are a noblewoman from Miao territory. This is your indelible identity, and our Lu family is not worthy of your status. Please leave. Even if you are unwilling, please respect this old man. Don’t roar in my Lu family’s courtyard. I’ve been in the palace for a month now, and I’m exhausted! I need some peace and quiet.”
After finishing his rapid-fire speech, Old Man Lu glanced at the Tian family girl with disdain, not wanting to hear what she had to say next. He then closed the door and lay back down on his bed.
Miao territory is a place where Gu (a type of poisonous insect) is revered. Whoever has the greatest talent for raising Gu can become the person with the most power.
The Lu family was struggling to survive in this precarious situation, and everyone in the Lu family knew that Lu Duling couldn't afford to marry Tian Ying. So, this old man Lu really didn't need to give this princess of the Tian family a friendly look.
After being unexpectedly reprimanded, Tian Ying became indifferent, but she was still very unwilling.
At this moment, she really wished she wasn't the most talented Gu practitioner in the next generation of the Tian family. Unfortunately… unfortunately, she was ultimately born in Miao territory and endowed with this talent by heaven.
As the saying goes, when bad luck strikes, even drinking water can cause problems. The same applies when you're in a bad mood; you might even run into people you don't want to see. Today, that saying proved true for her. She had just wandered onto the street in a daze when, by sheer coincidence, she bumped into her nemesis, Yin Shun.
Tian Ying didn't want to argue with her today, so she ignored her and turned to leave.
But Yin Shun just loved to pick on her. If she went left, she went left; if she went right, she went right. She just wouldn't let her go, and at the same time, she didn't forget to make sarcastic remarks.
"Why is our Miss Tian so distraught? Is it because Zhu Changxiang has broken off the engagement with the Tian family? Or has Commander Lu rejected you again, saying you are shameless?"
Perhaps some people are bound by a fixed law of interaction, their personalities clashing no matter where they are. Tian Ying and Yin Shun are a case in point; whenever they meet, they are at each other's throats, wishing they could strangle each other.
Yin Shun's mockery of Tian Ying felt perfectly natural; she could successfully provoke a sorrowful young girl into a sophisticated shrew with just a few words. Therefore, Tian Ying's expression changed faster than flipping through a book; her previous distressed face instantly transformed into a ferocious one.
"Yin Shun, don't think you can control everything just because you've been elected Holy Maiden. You'd better avoid me from now on. The Gu Queen is gone, and you still dare to be so arrogant. Be careful, or I, Tian Ying, will tear your face off."
"Oh! Threatening me! Tian Ying, stop being so love-struck. Even without the Gu Queen, I still have other Gu, don't you know that? Oh! I can't blame you, Lu Duling's god-like appearance must have eaten your brain, how can you think normally?"
"What a pity, Tian Ying, you never considered this: once you gain power, you will become stronger, and the man you want will be within your grasp. You said you missed the selection of the Holy Maiden, isn't that your biggest mistake?"
"As for me, Yin Shun, I'm the complete opposite of you. I'll always be the big winner. Once I marry the High Priest and become the Queen of Miao, dogs like Lu Duling will be at my beck and call. They'll do whatever I tell them to do and obey my orders. Even if... even if I sleep with him and make him sell his body, he won't dare utter a single word of dissent, and he won't dare to make a fuss about it. Don't you think so?"
Yin Shun stood in front of Tian Ying, finding it amusing to see her eyes red with anger. He then proceeded to unleash a torrent of provocative words as if they were free. Finally, feeling that his earlier remarks weren't enough, he leaned on Tian Ying's shoulder and used the most shameful and offensive language to provoke her.
“You…you shameless! Lu Duling would rather die than submit to you, you’re dreaming! Yin Shun, you slut, how could you be worthy of the High Priest? People like you should be thrown into the deepest snake pit in the mountain valleys south of Miao territory, to endure excruciating pain, and then be devoured.”
Tian Ying pushed her away, gritting her teeth in anger, and raised her hand to slap Yin Shun.
Yin Shun wouldn't let her have her way, especially since she always cared about the Saintess's reputation. So, before Tian Ying's hand could even leave her hand in mid-air, Yin Shun ruthlessly intercepted it. After intercepting it, she gave Tian Ying a haughty and disdainful look and retorted directly:
"Whether I am worthy or not is not up to you to decide, but is determined by my talent in Gu magic. In Miao territory, as long as I can give birth to the next generation of high priest, my mission will be completed. After that, who can restrain me? The Miao King? Even if the Miao King has the Golden Toad Gu, he can only fight me to a standstill. Do you think he would be willing to drag the entire Miao territory into a fight with me?"
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