Past
Adele was startled, but her body reacted first, and she immediately knelt down.
"This is not what Your Majesty thinks."
The king walked step by step to her, lifted her chin, and stared into her timid, shrinking eyes: "Oh? What is it like?"
Feeling the other person's cool fingers restlessly sliding across her chin, she tried her best to suppress the urge to vomit rising in her throat.
She said, word by word, "...The prince is only bound by old friendships, but he now has Princess Jialing. As you have seen, Princess Jialing is beautiful and intelligent, and she is a perfect match for the prince."
"They chatted happily along the way, and the prince did not reject the princess."
"Hmm," the other person replied casually, their fingers about to slip inside the collar.
Adele suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, I am already eighteen years old this year."
As if he had flipped a switch, the king's expression turned somewhat dull. He quickly withdrew his hand and clicked his tongue regretfully: "Already eighteen, time really flies."
"Back then, you were skinny and small, and very timid. I never imagined you would grow up so much now."
Adele's fingernails dug deeply into her palms, her lowered eyelashes fluttered slightly, her shoulder blades tucked in, and her head and neck bent into a submissive posture.
The skin on the back of her neck was snow-white and smooth, seemingly glowing.
Unfortunately, she's already eighteen.
The king rose listlessly, turned around, and waved his hand: "You may leave."
Adele raised her head, a fierce killing intent flashing in her dark eyes. In the end, she stood up and silently retreated.
She lifted the curtain, and the blinding sunlight outside hit her eyelids. Suddenly, a heavy pain shot through her stomach, and she felt as if she were back in that night.
The room was damp and dark, and she huddled under the rotting blankets, shivering.
Opposite her lay the lifeless body of her companion, eyes wide open in death. She wanted to scream, but despair and fear, like coarse sand, blocked her throat, and she could not utter a sound.
She shivered enough, broke free of the covers, rushed to the opposite bed, and tightly grasped that cold, stiff hand.
Whispers came from outside: "This is the fifth one this month, isn't it? The king has gone too crazy lately, he's killing people. We have to go out and find someone for him."
"Say less, there's still one alive inside."
"That little girl looks to be under ten years old. I doubt she'll last much longer."
"So young, with nothing to his name, I don't know why the king likes this kind of thing."
"His Majesty has many requirements. Besides not being able to be older than twelve, they also cannot have any scars on their bodies. Look at the one who died in the house. When they were dragged out, he was barely alive. That was truly a tragic sight."
The two chuckled knowingly for a while, then sighed, "Damn, it's good to have power; you can do whatever you want, no matter how perverse."
She reached out and closed her companion's eyes, then pulled out a dagger from under the pillow, its sharp, cold gleam reflecting in her eyes.
She cannot die; she must live on, for the sake of all those who died unjustly, until the day she avenges them.
The pain in her stomach radiated to her temples, causing a blur of gold and black before her eyes.
She stumbled, but someone caught her arm. Yinluoha's concerned voice rang out, "Adele, what's wrong?"
A clear anger and pain rose in Adele's heart: Why, of all people, did you have to be his son?
She broke free from his support and walked away unsteadily.
Yinluoha stared at her retreating figure, his gaze deep and intense.
It's okay, it's all over now, she's fine. Adele groped her way back to her room, pulled back the covers, and hid herself inside.
She just needs a good night's sleep; she's already trying desperately to forget what happened before.
She was no longer the timid little girl she once was; now she possessed the ability to protect herself, and could kill anyone silently if she so desired.
Then why don't you take action?
The questioning from the depths of her soul was so clear, like a muddy hand reaching out from a cold swamp, trying to drag her into hell.
You love Silver Lohar, but if you kill his father, there will be no possibility between you two.
The voice was sarcastic, each word cutting to the bone, which made her panic.
No, she wanted to argue, but she just hadn't found the right opportunity. Besides, the Silver Tenon Clan was currently besieged on all sides; if the king died, the situation would surely descend into chaos.
She just... hasn't found the opportunity yet.
She curled up, feeling sad and ashamed, so engrossed in self-loathing that she didn't hear the knocking.
After receiving no response for a long time, the person outside pushed open the door and came in.
"Adele".
The familiar voice brought Adele back to reality. She pulled down the covers, her expression somewhat indifferent.
"Why is the prince here?"
Hearing this distant yet polite form of address, Yinluoha was so angry he laughed.
"What, you've already turned your back on my father after just one meeting?"
Adele pursed her lips and remained silent. A beautiful face approached her, its upturned peach blossom eyes carrying a hint of unknown ferocity.
"If I become king, will you pay more attention to me?"
Adele was startled and instinctively covered his mouth, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Yin Luoha was amused by her nervous expression. He let her cover her mouth, his warm lips opening and closing in her palm as if placing a light kiss.
"What's there to be afraid of? It's just the two of us here."
“Unless,” his voice trembled slightly with barely perceptible tension, “you side with my father and report me to him.”
Adele was unaware of his ulterior motives. The softness and warmth of his palm made her tense up, and her heart almost jumped into her throat.
She quickly withdrew her hand, but Yinluoha grabbed her wrist.
"Adele, why do you always seem so strange whenever you see my father?"
What exactly happened between you two?
This question evoked Adele's deepest, most painful memories. Her face turned deathly pale, and her eyes were filled with a storm of anguish.
It was still a deep, dark night when eight-year-old Adele was sent to the king's room.
The man on the tiger-skin bed was tall and burly; even leaning casually there, he exuded a terrifying aura.
"What's your name?" the man asked.
Adele stood there trembling and replied, "Your Majesty, I...I am Adele."
“Adele, come closer and let me take a good look at you.”
She did as he said and walked over. The man's gaze fell on her, moving inch by inch.
She was like a lamb being targeted by a wolf, too afraid to move.
Just as the air seemed to freeze, the man spoke: "Beautiful face, slender figure, fair skin, truly charming."
"Then, take it off."
Although she was mentally prepared, she still couldn't help feeling fear and tension at this moment, but the man was right in front of her, watching her intently.
She had no choice but to raise her trembling hands to unbutton her clothes, revealing her youthful body.
In the dim candlelight inside the room, her skin was as white as snow, and her youthful body revealed the innocence and beauty of a young girl.
Its tender and slender form resembles a pure white bamboo shoot, possessing a natural and fatal attraction.
The man's lustful eyes suddenly changed when he saw the crisscrossing scars, and he threw the teacup in his hand away.
The teacup hit her forehead, and blood started flowing.
She didn't even have time to cover herself before kneeling on the ground, her naked body trembling silently.
"...Your Majesty, spare my life."
"Guards! How dare you send this kind of trash here? Drag her away and throw her into the Dark Guard Camp."
Adele breathed a sigh of relief; as long as she wasn't sentenced to death outright, that was good.
She begged for mercy as she was dragged away and thrown into the Dark Guard Camp, where she endured five years of unbearable suffering. Through her own strength, she became the top Dark Guard and was assigned to Yin Luoha's side as his shadow bodyguard.
She killed the timid girl with her own hands; now, she is nothing more than a killing machine that should not be shaken by anything.
Adele: "I'm tired, Your Majesty...you can go out now."
Yinluoha and she were locked in a tense standoff for a moment before Yinluoha sighed, "Then you should get some rest."
Yinluoha closed the door, his expression somber. He had already investigated the matter from back then, but he was waiting for Adele to rely on him, trust him, and tell him everything.
But... thinking of the girl's pale face just now, he clenched his fingers. It seemed he had to move forward with the plan quickly.
Soon it was time for the banquet. Zhu Qinghe was pressed down in front of the dressing table by Ya'er, her fingers idly tracing the exquisite jewelry in the box.
Tsk, boring.
The emperor didn't treat her badly; he prepared such a large dowry, which she then took back and sold after the mission was over.
As Ya'er helped her choose jewelry, she asked, "Princess, I heard that the envoy from the Great Li Dynasty has also come tonight. It seems that the Emperor is indeed concerned about you."
An envoy from the Great Li Dynasty? Zhu Qinghe pondered, what kind of person is this? It seems this mission is indeed important, worth the emperor sending so many people to make such a fuss.
The banquet began soon, and Yin Luoha came to pick her up. At that time, she was discussing the next steps with Mu Bailiang and the other two when she heard someone announce her arrival at the door.
Yinluoha walked in: "Are you all packed? If you are, let's go."
His gaze fell on the people inside the room, and he raised his eyebrows slightly: "Why are there so many people?"
Zhu Qinghe straightened the gauze flowers on her skirt, stood up, and said, "These are all my maids."
She introduced them one by one: "Ya'er, Qiu Ru, You An, Cheng Wen."
Yinluoha laughed, "You're putting on an even grander show than a princess."
"I heard that an envoy from the Great Li Dynasty came to the banquet. Did you see him?" Zhu Qinghe asked.
"We'll see her when we get there." Yin Luoha didn't care. As long as it wasn't that unlucky Shen Wumei, it didn't matter who it was.
Although the Silver Tenon Tribe is a small tribe, the banquet was quite grand, and there was a lot of food.
Is that a whole roasted lamb on the table in the very center? It looks delicious.
Zhu Qinghe's gaze was drawn to the whole roasted lamb, and she noticed out of the corner of her eye that the people at the next table were staring intently at her.
The man in the center held a black wine glass, which made his slender fingers look like jade. Although his features were plain and unremarkable, his dark eyes were bright and looked somewhat familiar.
He glanced at me, a smile playing on his lips, and downed his drink in one gulp, exuding an air of unbridled arrogance.
Before anyone sat down at the main table and the meal was even served, this person started drinking by himself.
Sitting next to him was a handsome man with a sword at his waist, his back straight, like a general.
Yinluoha led her to a seat, which was right across from the other table of people.
Zhu Qinghe asked, "Do you recognize the people at that table?"
"That's an envoy from the Great Li Dynasty. As a princess, you can't even recognize someone from your own dynasty?"
She met the man's gaze again, and coincidentally, he was also staring at her. For some reason, she felt that he looked very familiar.
But she had never seen this face before.
Mu Chengwu coughed lightly, and the person next to him turned his gaze back, giving him a lazy glance: "Is your throat uncomfortable?"
Mu Chengwu thought to himself, if you keep watching, it won't just be my throat that feels uncomfortable.
That's Princess Jialing, the new queen of the Yinshan tribe. Why are you staring at her like that?
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