Little Sorcerer, Divine Doctor

Chapter 715 - 207: Forced Marriage (Part 1)

"Crown Prince, the East Capital Left Minister Yu Wen Gui has sent a message over."

In the Post Qin Prince Residence, the Guard Commander found Dugu Xiu who was practicing in the training room.

A beautiful concubine was helping Dugu Xiu change out of his sweat-drenched training clothes.

Dugu Xiu took the letter and glanced over it casually, his expression changed slightly after he clearly read the contents of the letter.

"The Donghuang Lingling of Eastern Capital is an imposter," he waved his hand and pushed away the seductive concubine.

"The Left Minister says in the letter that he saw the true princess in Sky Wing City; having watched the princess grow up since childhood, there is no reason for him to misidentify her. Crown Prince, should we inquire with Eastern Capital concerning this matter?" the Guard Commander asked.

The marriage of the Crown Prince has been a topic of great interest to Later Qin for the past few years.

Dugu Xiu has already reached the age of eighteen. Although he has several concubines, the selection of the Crown Princess Consort who could truly inherit his lineage remains undecided.

Donghuang Lingling, as the Princess of Eastern Capital, holds a prestigious identity, and everyone in Later Qin is in favor of this marriage.

Dugu Xiu had also planned to get married soon; after all, taking a Crown Princess Consort was just a formality.

As long as the woman is not Yun Sheng, to him, anyone else would be the same.

"Inquire with Eastern Capital? Hmph, what do you think the East Capital Empress Dowager and the Eastern Lord would respond with? The Princess running away, such a matter, how could the Empress Dowager and Eastern Lord not know," Dugu Xiu had already inquired about some of Donghuang Lingling’s deeds.

It is said that the princess has a fair appearance and excellent magic talent, reportedly being a Dual Element Mage.

However, her personality is completely different from the current Eastern Lord, and she is quite a willful and stubborn princess.

Unfortunately, in a martial-focused great country like Later Qin, a spirited and unruly Crown Princess Consort with outstanding magic talent is, at best, no more than a vase.

Still, the Royal Family’s impression on Dugu Xiu has always been very weak; Donghuang Lingling daring to flee on her own, this piece of news did pique Dugu Xiu’s curiosity about this princess somewhat.

However, no matter how stubborn she may be, a bird that does not obey should have its wings clipped.

What princess, what Dual Magic Mage, in his Dugu Xiu’s hands, they are nothing more than political pawns.

"So are we to just let this matter drag on indefinitely? Recently, the followers of the Third Prince have been commenting in the court that the Crown Prince having no heir is unfavorable for Later Qin’s future," the Guard Commander said respectfully.

Dugu Xiu’s influence in Later Qin is immense, but after all, he is only a Crown Prince, and several princes are eyeing his position covetously.

As capable as the Crown Prince is, he still has no distinguished heir.

The heir of the Crown Prince has always been a topic of concern for the court officials.

The staff of the Crown Prince also think that the Crown Prince should marry a Crown Princess Consort as soon as possible, to produce heirs with superior lineage, so that Later Qin can continue to be prosperous and thriving.

"Summon people, prepare the carriage and horses, I, the Crown Prince, will take a trip to Eastern Capital. I would like to see how long that fake ’princess’ can deceive me," Dugu Xiu sneered coldly.

Just as long as he confirms the imposter’s identity, even if he has to personally go to the Mainland Magic Elite Camp, he must uncover her.

Women are but playthings to him to satisfy his physical needs.

Donghuang Lingling, even if she possesses the Royal Family’s bloodline, he can still crush her pride, one by one, throw her into the dirt, and make sure she never rises again.

As Dugu Xiu set out on his journey, he also ordered someone to bring the news of his trip to Eastern Capital to the Eastern Lord.

Eastern Capital is a typical city in the region of Jiangnan and the most ancient capital on the continent, steeped in cultural ambience.

It lies adjacent to Dongyu River, the most eastern boundary of Wuji Continent, surrounded by mountains and waters, blessing it with exceptionally beautiful scenery.

In an old yet majestic palace, a commander of the Imperial Guard delivered news of the Prince of Later Qin’s ceremonial procession entering the border of Eastern Capital to East Capital Empress Dowager Situ Miaoqing and Eastern Lord Donghuang Tianqi.

"What, Prince of Later Qin Dugu Xiu wants to visit the palace to inquire about illness?" East Capital Empress Dowager was around forty years old, her countenance beautiful, with eyes strikingly similar to those of Donghuang Lingling.

Donghuang Tianqi, the elder brother of Donghuang Lingling, had a pale complexion and seemed to be in poor health.

"Empress Dowager, what shall we do? Does Dugu Xiu know something?" Donghuang Tianqi was extremely fond of his sister Donghuang Lingling.

He had opposed Later Qin’s marriage arrangement earlier, but being in a position of limited power, with most court officials bought over by Later Qin, he had no choice but to consent to his sister’s marriage.

Because of this matter, Donghuang Lingling had sulked for a while, only improving when he agreed to let her secretly go to the Mainland Magic Elite Camp.

A few months earlier, the princess had sent a few letters back, and the happiness in her time at the Magic Elite Camp could be felt between the lines of her letters.

Empress Dowager Situ shook her head, "The matter of Lingling secretly going to the Magic Elite Camp has been kept hidden; outsiders couldn’t possibly know. I think Dugu Xiu simply wants to check on Lingling’s condition, after all, nominally, he is already her fiancé."

Empress Dowager Situ had heard of Dugu Xiu’s renowned reputation, and she was quite wary of her future son-in-law.

"If it’s just to visit the sick, then that’s still manageable, but if it is..." Donghuang Tianqi felt somewhat uneasy.

"If Dugu Xiu comes, tell him Lian Lian has contracted a strange disease and can only meet behind a curtain. As they are merely betrothed, according to propriety, they should not meet face to face," Empress Dowager Situ quickly came up with a plan and immediately instructed her subordinates to keep tight-lipped, not allowing any news to leak.

Dugu Xiu arrived in Eastern Capital that very night.

The first thing he did upon arriving was to bring some medicinal herbs into Eastern Capital.

Neither Empress Dowager Situ nor the Eastern Lord had anticipated that Prince of Later Qin Dugu Xiu would enter the palace overnight; both were thrown into a flurry of activity, hurrying out to greet Dugu Xiu.

Magic Palace Lamps were lit, brightening the palace of Eastern Capital with brilliant lights.

Empress Dowager Situ and the Eastern Lord were meeting the famous Dugu Xiu, one of the Wuji Five Treasures, for the first time.

The outside world fervently rumored that Dugu Xiu of Later Qin was a harbinger of calamity, his fearsome reputation well-known across the continent.

Today, upon seeing him, they beheld an extraordinary man standing in the royal court.

His hair was red as flames.

Tall and well-built, he wore a Crown Prince’s yellow robe that accentuated his nobility.

The Five Countries were once vassal states of the Donghuang Dynasty; though Eastern Capital is now in decline, according to protocol, Dugu Xiu still ought to show respect to Empress Dowager Situ and the Eastern Lord as subjects to their monarch.

"Subject Dugu Xiu greets the Eastern Lord and the Empress Dowager," although the circumstance called for a subject’s obeisance, Prince of Later Qin Dugu Xiu did not perform any act of kneeling, let alone the full rites due to a monarch.

He merely gave a slight bow.

Seeing this, both the Eastern Lord and the Empress Dowager felt greatly dissatisfied but were powerless to object.

In the eyes of Later Qin, today’s Eastern Capital hardly counted for anything.

If they displeased the Prince of Later Qin, the life of the Eastern Lord was at risk.