When Lin Ruxian woke up, her head throbbed with pain. She recalled a soft touch that tingled her fingertips, and even the memory of a breast made her heart melt. Her foggy mind was filled with thoughts of beauty. Her long black hair was spread around the quilt, intoxicating like a drug. Memories of her past life—of fighting and dying—flooded back to her. Soon, the memories of the original owner filled her mind. By the time she finished examining herself, a soldier arrived to report, "General Lin, the competition you signed up for is starting. I'll get everything ready." With that, the soldier left.
"Ugh, I just started my new life, and now this damn bastard is trying to kill me," Lin Ruxian sighed as she got up. She removed her outer robe and looked down. *Seems like this is her body; she really needs to cover her chest.*
She glanced at her face; it resembled her own, but the small amount of hair on her chin, jawline, and upper lip annoyed her.
Feeling the urge to shave it off, she did. After getting dressed, she stepped out of her tent. The morning breeze washed over her, refreshing and freeing. She inhaled the natural, green air.
With no way to cancel the competition, she decided to train on her own. Soldiers who had seen the original owner as weak and a "soft rice eater" began to watch as she shot 100 arrows at the target, hitting it repeatedly. After warming up, she grabbed a sword and continued her training. Every move was flawless as she swung left and right, executing a spinning blend of kicks, flips, and twists.
Lin Ruxian was drenched in sweat when someone approached and handed her a clean cloth.
As Wang Bo sat catching his breath, the taunts of the soldiers echoed around him. "Look at the little twig trying to wield a sword!" one of them jeered. Another snickered, "He'll break before the sword does!" Wang Bo's grip tightened on the wooden sword, his face burning with shame. He fought back tears, focusing on his ragged breathing.
Lin Ruxian's frown deepened as she watched Wang Bo's struggle. The sight of his trembling hand tugged at her heart, reminding her of her own lost sibling. "Okay, let's take a break," she said gently, her voice cutting through the soldiers' jeers. "Just sit. I'll deal with them." As she unconsciously rubbed Wang Bo's head, a wave of protectiveness washed over her.
Picking up a small rock, Lin Ruxian flicked her wrist, sending it hurtling towards the group of soldiers. "Who threw that?!" the buff guy roared, his face turning red with anger. His eyes darted around, finally landing on Lin Ruxian. "Ha! Isn't this the soft rice eater?" he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "I'll beat you up into—"
Before he could finish his threat, Lin Ruxian's eyes flashed with a cold light. In a swift motion, she sent a precise strike towards his pressure point. The buff guy gagged, his eyes widening in disbelief as he crumpled to the ground with a sickening thud. Blood trickled from his mouth as he lost consciousness.
The other five soldiers froze, their bravado vanishing in an instant. They exchanged nervous glances before hesitantly rushing towards Lin Ruxian, their movements clumsy and uncoordinated. Lin Ruxian remained calm, her body swaying with a newfound grace. She effortlessly deflected their attacks, her arms and hands moving with lightning speed.
As she fought, a palpable aura of power radiated from her, silencing the remaining soldiers. Their eyes widened in fear as they realized that this was not the same Lin Ruxian they had mocked before. This Lin Ruxian was a force to be reckoned with, her presence commanding respect and awe.
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Li Yue had always been different. As the youngest princess of the empire, she was now seventeen, an age suitable for marriage. But the thing was, whenever she came into contact with men, she felt disgusted.
The anger she felt when she found out she was pregnant and that she had lost her virginity to a man was outrageous. The five princes gave her a toast, and the next thing she remembered was getting drunk and being sent to a bed filled with the scent of roses. She saw a beautiful woman whose small breasts were partially exposed, with her robe barely covering her nipples. At the time, she felt that it didn't matter at all. Her mind changed when she felt pain in her lower abdomen. She couldn't help but cry, begging the woman to stop. She didn't have time to think if it was a man or a woman; all she could think of was the sweet blueberry scent—a delightful blend of sweet and tart notes, reminiscent of fresh, juicy berries. She wanted to taste it.
When the emperor heard about it, he was enraged. He immediately ordered his men to find the man responsible, intending to execute him for the violation against his daughter. Overwhelmed by guilt and a sense of failure to protect her, he became determined to find Li Yue a suitable husband—someone capable of safeguarding her in his stead, he will reward the husband of land, money allowance if he accept the child."
He began summoning the most eligible bachelors from noble families across the empire, parading them before Li Yue in hopes that one would catch her eye. But each encounter only deepened her revulsion. The emperor, desperate and increasingly frustrated, widened his search, considering powerful warriors and influential statesmen, anyone who could offer her the protection he felt she deserved.
Li Yue, however, remained resistant. The idea of being bound to any man, regardless of his status or strength, filled her with dread. She yearned for autonomy, for the freedom to choose her own path, far from the stifling expectations of the court. The sweet memory of the woman and the blueberry scent lingered in her mind, a stark contrast to the forced interactions with potential suitors.
"Whoever wins the fighting competition will marry the Seventh Princess; other empires are invited to join as well," the Emperor declared, waving his long sleeve, then putting his hand behind his back. Princess Seventh, Li Yue, lowered her head. She thought about the time when she told the Emperor she didn't want to get married. The new Empress Mother tried to keep her father calm, "I tell you, you are already seventeen and your pregnant, being a widow will only make people look down on you." The Emperor frowned. He loved his daughter very much, and his love for the late Empress Mother was true. He didn't want to marry off his daughter plainly; he wanted to find a suitable husband for her who could protect her.
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