Chapter 1, The First Encounter Requires Money
Pei Qianqian covered her neck with her hand, staring at him unblinkingly. To be fair, this man was quite handsome; his tall figure, even while seated, was not much shorter than her standing. Although he was dressed entirely in black, it was evident that he had a strong physique. As for his face, it was even more striking; despite the heavy aura of gloom surrounding him, his features were deep and three-dimensional. Up close, his nose was sharp, his brows like swords, and his thin lips were chiseled. Even the indentation above his lip was pronounced and resolute. This man exuded masculinity and dominance, radiating a strong sense of manliness, yet his solitary and aloof demeanor was overwhelming. She had been in the room for quite some time, yet he had not even opened his eyes once.
What business do you have with this king
Looking at the cold and solemn guards outside the hall under the moonlight, Pei Qianqian's action of rubbing her goosebumps became increasingly rapid. After surveying everything here, she suddenly felt a twinge of regret. The grand South Ying Wangfu was even more eerie than a morgue; should she leave right now?
But now that Pei Qianqian is dead, it is equivalent to wanting the life of King Nanying. How can the residence not be anxious
Pei Wen'an's face turned pale, and he did not dare to step forward. The others covered their eyes, peeking through their fingers as the 'female ghost' rose from the dead and passed in front of them. Just then, a gust of night wind blew in, causing everyone present to shiver... They felt the cold wind piercing their feet, and cold sweat broke out on their backs...
Given his ghastly appearance, how many goosebumps would she get marrying him
Pei Qianqian had calmed down at this moment and took a step forward to approach him
Pei Qianqian blinked and said, "Your Highness, have you granted me silver, or have you allowed me to bring you something to eat"
This is the second place she encountered after her journey, and it is also the first time this body has come here. It is not that she is particularly bold, but rather that she is especially curious after waking up about what the legendary 'Demon King' Nan Ying Wang looks like, who could make a living girl prefer death over marrying him
The man's eyelids have not even been lifted, and he is even sparing with his words, "So what?"
Just as Pei Qianqian was looking at the man's face, hesitating whether to wake him up, the man suddenly spoke up
Goodbye—once she obtains the money and flies far away, we shall never meet again
The man's eyes were slightly narrowed, and within the slender slits, there was nothing but a cold hue.
It has truly come back from the dead
The moment she opened her eyes from the coffin, she was struck by the memories in her mind. Compared to her relationship with this 'Demon King', traversing worlds seemed trivial.
Aren't you seeking death?
Indeed, what the Pei family encountered was not the true Pei Qianqian, but she is not a ghost; she merely borrowed Pei Qianqian's body to come back to life
She touched her own neck, conveniently covering the marks left by the noose, and smiled faintly, "Your Highness, your information is indeed quite accurate, but it is not reliable. My hanging in the residence was merely to frighten my family; it has nothing to do with you, Your Highness."
There is a ghost
The Pei family was initially unwilling to keep her, and just as they were discussing abandoning her, the national master suddenly arrived with a large number of guards, stating that she was born in the yin year, yin month, and yin hour, and that her blood could save the life of the King of Nanying. Although this sounded somewhat absurd, the Pei family decided to keep her as a result.
On her way here, Pei Qianqian had also scolded that deceiving national master, who misled the public with his words. If this were the twenty-first century, he would be nothing more than a charlatan, relying on nonsensical claims to swindle money. She could not ascertain whether her blood truly possessed the miraculous ability to heal, but she only knew that she no longer wanted to be someone else's 'blood supply machine'
In the dead of night, in an unfamiliar place, where is the best place to escape to
The deep voice sent a shiver down Pei Qianqian's spine, its cold tone seeming to penetrate from hell. At the same time, she was astonished by his speed in receiving the news. Had he already found out that Pei Qianqian had only died about three or four hours ago?
Ah—resurrected—
In the eyes of the Pei family, she was merely a sacrificial offering; as long as her body remained alive, she could bring them substantial benefits. The upcoming marriage further enhanced the Pei family's reputation. Reflecting on this, she felt indignant on behalf of her original self and was also concerned about her future life.
She has provided him with blood for fifteen years, yet she cannot even receive a kind word in return. If she does not run away, is she just waiting to be drained of her blood and turned into a dried corpse?
The man's face, already tinged with frost, suddenly gained an additional layer of darkness. His eyes, which had been difficult to open, suddenly locked onto her, and the coldness emanating from his gaze instinctively made Pei Qianqian take a step back
"Miss Pei, our prince requests your presence." Suddenly, a guard appeared at the door
If he bites her every now and then, she will eventually die
Alas
It is entirely the fault of the original self for being so ineffectual, for not going out more often or making more friends during their lifetime, leaving her now with an empty mind, unable to find any useful information.
In front of her was a long, soft couch, on which a man in black was leaning with his legs spread in a somewhat indecorous manner. With his eyes closed, he seemed to be asleep. The dim firelight illuminated his face, highlighting his distinct features, yet it was shrouded in a chill, as if he had inhaled too much of the cold atmosphere in the room, exuding a sense of eerie foreboding.
Just when Pei Qianqian thought he had fallen asleep, the man spoke again
Your Highness, please give me some silver to improve my meals. The spoiled and cold food in the residence is truly unfit for human consumption. If you do not believe me, I can bring some for you to taste as well
Marrying an ordinary person might be acceptable to her, but marrying Nan Ying Wang Sikong Mingye is destined to make her a short-lived ghost
Before they could approach Pei Qianqian's courtyard, a slender white figure rushed towards them, startling Pei Wen'an to the point where he couldn't help but take two steps back, while the other members of the Pei family screamed incessantly
Having drained her blood for fifteen years, and ultimately binding her in the name of marriage, this is not merely bloodsucking; it is akin to wanting to consume her flesh. No wonder the original body hanged herself upon hearing the news of the marriage decree; even the thought of having to coexist with such a person day in and day out would send shivers down her spine.
Squatting in the corner of someone else's wall, holding a heavy money bag, Pei Qianqian looked up at the bright moon in the sky with a worried expression
Upon hearing this, the members of the Pei family who were in the meeting room were all startled. Pei Wen'an was the first to rush out to investigate. Half an hour ago, he had personally gone to check on his daughter and confirmed that she had already passed away; how could she possibly come back to life?
Faced with a group of people shouting and screaming, Pei Qianqian wore a look of disgust. As she rushed forward, she pointed at those attempting to block her path and shouted, "Get out of the way! I am going to find King Nanying. Whoever stands in my way will be killed!"
Seeing that he remained silent, she sighed and said, "The Pei family has never been fond of me; I just wanted to use some extreme methods to attract their attention"
Standing in the spacious hall, Pei Qianqian hugged her arms and rubbed the goosebumps on her skin incessantly. The antique furniture was luxurious and grand, and perhaps due to the vastness of the space and the dim lighting, it felt empty and solemn, evoking a sudden chill.
The remaining members of the Pei family, though both startled and skeptical, also hurriedly followed out to ascertain the truth of the matter
The government has been thrown into chaos, with fear and panic permeating from top to bottom
In the Panlong State Prime Minister's residence, before the joyous news of the imperial decree granting a marriage could be celebrated, a shocking and dreadful piece of news arrived—the soon-to-be Princess Pei Qianqian of the Southern Ying had hanged herself.
The man remained silent, his breathing as steady as if he were asleep
She does not believe that this man would harm her, after all, he has needed her blood since childhood and has not stopped to this day. She is merely curious to see what the situation is with this 'Demon King' who has been drinking her original blood for fifteen years.
Seeing this, Pei Qianqian quickly forced a few fake smiles and said, "Your Highness, I will go collect the silver now, I won't disturb your rest, we shall meet again at our wedding"
Although the deceased was merely a concubine of the minister's family, her life and death profoundly affected the very lifeblood of the entire household. This was not only due to the Emperor's decree that betrothed her to the current most favored prince, Prince Nanying, but primarily because the prince, privately referred to by the common people as the 'Demon King,' had suffered from a strange illness since childhood. According to the national master, it was essential to use the blood of their Miss Qianqian as a medicinal catalyst to preserve his life
She is the illegitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's family, born to the current Prime Minister Pei Wen'an during his youthful escapades with a singer. The singer, due to her lowly status, was unable to enter the Pei family, and after giving birth to her daughter, she sent her back to the Pei family because she was unable to raise her.
To stay alive requires money; relying on the Pei family is no better than going out to beg. Therefore, she mustered her courage to come here
Her anger in the night was like the malevolence brought by a ghost; under the moonlight, her excessively pale face, combined with her plain white attire, truly evoked a sense of a vengeful spirit seeking retribution. Pei Wen felt a chill run down his spine, not to mention the numerous women behind him, who were all terrified, their faces drained of color and continuously screaming
Of course, she definitely will not be as despondent as her original self. Having been resurrected with great difficulty, although in a strange dynasty, it is still better than being a wandering ghost. Not only does she want to survive, but she also aims to rid herself of everyone she knows in this place
At this moment, when Prime Minister Pei Wen'an's family was in a state of turmoil, a servant from Pei Qianqian's courtyard rushed into the hall like a dog, panicking and shouting, "Master—something is wrong—Miss Qianqian has come back to life!"
Pei's family does not intend to have her return; they support her merely to exchange for benefits. When the original body was alive, she provided blood to the Southern Win King once a month, and after drinking it, the Southern Win King would bestow generous gifts upon the Pei family. However, during the fifteen years of her life, she received not a single copper coin.
The man leaned against the soft couch, slowly lifting his eyelids. His deep, cold gaze fell upon her slender arms, and after a long while, he lightly parted his thin lips to utter two cold and hard words, "Approved"
Hehe... Your Highness... I was just joking with you... There is no need for us to speak so formally and coldly... It would be better if we were a bit more humorous... Hehe...
Having finished speaking, she turned and ran out the door
Oh. Pei Qianqian was still rubbing her arms with both hands, steeling herself as she walked towards him. At this moment, she only hoped that the Southern Winning King did not look too frightening; she did not ask for him to be handsome, just that his features were well-proportioned. ... In the middle of the night, she could not help but feel scared ...
Pei Qianqian rolled up her sleeves, extending a pair of fair and slender arms in front of him, pouting her lips in a pitiful manner and saying, "Your Highness, look at my skin and bones; I barely have two taels of flesh. Every month, I still have to provide you with a bowl of blood. Do you not feel any heartache? If this continues, I will surely die sooner or later. My death is not the main concern; what worries me is that after I die, no one will be able to provide you with blood."
They are all certain that Pei Qianqian is already dead; even if she were not dead, Pei Qianqian would not dare to speak to them in such a tone. The girl in white before them, with a fierce expression, is nothing short of a ghost.
In the unfamiliar room, the air was filled with a chilling atmosphere, even more somber than the earlier empty hall. Pei Qianqian stood in the center of the room, instinctively gazing at the flickering candlelight, the only source of illumination in the room. She was afraid that the night wind outside would suddenly extinguish the flame.