Admiring the extraordinary charm of the protagonist, Ye Zhizhou shifted his attention to the world's impending doom.
With the help of nine outstanding male leads and the favor of the emperor, the protagonist naturally secured the throne for several of her sisters. However, she was far from happy because she had a secret love affair with the enemy nation's prince, Yu Shuang. Given the hostile relations between their countries, a bright future together was impossible! Yu Shuang was tormented, and the protagonist shared the same pain. They bid a tearful farewell on the outskirts of the imperial city.
A month later, news arrived from the enemy nation that Yu Shuang had been given as a political hostage to a cruel foreign prince who didn't favor him. The protagonist was shocked and then infuriated. Ignoring the advice of her courtiers and several other male leads, she declared war on the enemy nation, determined to force them to send Yu Shuang back!
Upon hearing this news, Yu Shuang, who was already in despair, first felt relief and then panic. He couldn't allow his countrymen to suffer for his sake. It was all his fault. He shouldn't have insisted on going to the battlefield, shouldn't have fallen in love with the protagonist at first sight, and shouldn't have clung to her even when he knew her heart was divided among many. He had brought calamity to his father, his nation, and the soldiers and common people who perished in the war. Overwhelmed by guilt, Yu Shuang drank a cup of poison and ended his life.
When news of Yu Shuang's death reached the protagonist, she was grief-stricken. She believed the enemy nation was going too far by refusing to send Yu Shuang to her, even at the cost of his life. She increased her troops, rejected peace talks, and continued the war relentlessly.
The once stable and prosperous border towns descended into chaos, and the once contented citizens now wore expressions of sorrow. Several male leads couldn't bear to see this and took turns trying to persuade the protagonist to stop the war. However, she was consumed by her desire to win and paid no heed to their pleas. Her affectionate demeanor towards them turned into cold, harsh words. Eventually, a new beauty entered the palace, and the male leads were ignored, scolded, and even faced miscarriages without anyone caring. In less than two years, the once outstanding male leads realized the protagonist's heartlessness and one by one left her, actively going to the war-torn areas to help the soldiers and citizens.
One morning, when the protagonist woke up and, as usual, opened the war reports, calling for her servant Lengye to assist with her dressing, she waited in vain for the familiar, silent figure. She looked around her empty chamber, finally realizing that all the male leads who had once doted on her had left. The new beauty, carrying her dressing and grooming items, walked in, but the protagonist found her smile obsequious and insincere, making her feel repulsed.
Regret filled the protagonist's heart, and she decided to stop the war and find her male leads again. However, the male leads had moved on. The outside world was so captivating that they no longer needed the fake love the protagonist had offered. This realization infuriated her, and she resorted to force, believing that perhaps the male leads had never loved her at all. Maybe their previous devotion had all been a facade, a deception. They loved power and status, and they had drawn near to her to control the Moonlight Kingdom. When they saw that she couldn't be controlled, they had all left her!
Determined to capture the male leads who had discovered the truth, the protagonist pursued them relentlessly. She managed to capture one or two unfortunate souls, but they died under her torture within a few months. The remaining male leads, alarmed and furious, united and decided to confront her. Those who had benefited from their kindness gathered around them, and soon, the disgruntled commoners joined their cause. In a short time, they formed a formidable force capable of challenging the imperial court.
With internal strife and external warfare, the protagonist's suffering knew no bounds. Her once gentle nature became increasingly twisted and ruthless. She even personally led a group of newly trained guards to intercept and assassinate several male leads. But the male leads were not to be underestimated, and a brutal clash ensued, resulting in a catastrophic loss for both sides.
Ye Zhizhou: "..."
The Emperor has died, and the new leader of the rebellion against the Emperor has also perished. The common people are bewildered, while the enemy nation rejoices. The surrounding small nations are also delighted, rushing into the Moonlight Kingdom to claim their share of the spoils. A year later, a situation emerges where various factions are vying for power, and an era of chaos and conflict ensues. Several decades later, the old saying "Divide and rule, unite and fall" did not hold true, and the world was consumed by warfare.
Ye Zhizhou felt as if he had been struck by lightning once again. Could it be that the fate of the protagonist and her harem in this world had turned out to be so tragic? Was the plot of this world essentially a tragic drama with the theme of "how miserable can you become when you encounter a scumbag lover"?
"Do we even need to remove this flag? After all, the love between the male and female leads can slowly fade away on its own..." Besides, it wasn't necessarily love between them, at most, it was just liking. They didn't even have the basic trust and tolerance, so what talk of love?
[Do not be pessimistic. Removing the flag is a means to achieve the mission's goal, which is to prevent the world's destruction.]
He hesitated for a moment, then sighed and covered his face. "True, if the flag naturally disappears, the protagonist will go crazy and kill the male leads, and the world will still be doomed. I can't let the male leads be with the protagonist, and I can't let her ascend to the throne... Wait, what's the identity of this body I'm in?"
[Third Princess of the Moonlight Kingdom, Leng Yan. She has a timid and reclusive personality, cross-dresses as a man, and admires the current Imperial Tutor, Rong Guangyan.]
Ye Zhizhou felt like he needed some time alone. It seemed that Leng Yan was the first to discover the protagonist's secret identity as the Emperor's illegitimate child, and she had died the earliest and most tragic death. Judging by the timing of her death, it was probably after her true gender was exposed... Oh god! He suddenly remembered what the man had said just now—body examination tomorrow?! Didn't that mean the original host was going to die very soon?
He quickly checked the timeline and found that the plot had already progressed to the point where the protagonist, after leaving the brothel, was being pursued and eventually jumped off a cliff. In the original plot, it was Leng Yan who had sent someone to pursue the protagonist. That day, Leng Yan had sneaked out of the palace to witness the Imperial Tutor's ritual to the heavens, and she had accidentally seen the protagonist's face. She quickly realized that the protagonist might be the child born of the Emperor's affection for the "White Moonlight," triggering a sense of crisis. Consequently, she dispatched her own secret guards to pursue and kill the protagonist. Not long after this incident, Leng Yan's gender was questioned by a newly favored male consort, and the Emperor's suspicions grew, leading to the subsequent body examination.
"Tongtian..." He looked down at his crotch, his voice trembling, "Can the Transformation Pill change the appearance down there?"
The screen paused for a moment and then the text changed, [Yes.]
"So... Do female genitalia in this world look the same as in other worlds?"
The screen continued to hesitate, and after a long while, a single word appeared, [Similar.]
He took a deep breath and picked up a pillow to cover his face. "So... What do female genitalia actually look like..."
Click! The screen disappeared, and the smart mirror conveniently crashed.
"Hey!" He blushed and threw the pillow aside, then forcibly rebooted the mirror. "I don't want it to be like this either! It's just that this mission world is too bizarre! Is it my fault? I'm... I'm not cut out for this! Please, help me out, or the mission in this world will really be impossible to complete!"
The small mirror remained unresponsive, steadfastly defending its own integrity.
In frustration, he picked up a pair of scissors. "Then I'll just end it! I'll really end it! This mission in this world is impossible!"
The small mirror decided to ignore him for three days.
The next day, Degui Jun arrived very early, accompanied by an ordinary-looking girl and an elderly man.
"Yan'er, later you will follow this elderly gentleman and leave. Remember, you are no longer the Third Princess, Leng Yan, but a palace maid who was expelled from the palace for her mistakes. Understand?" Degui Jun held his hand tightly, his eyes filled with reluctance. "After leaving, remember to live a good life. Go as far away from the capital as possible. Find an honest and caring wife and live a peaceful life... It's a pity that your father won't be able to see you in a wedding gown."
Ye Zhizhou was moved and quickly held his hand, imitating the original host's reserved and silent demeanor. He whispered, "If I leave, what will happen to Father? And how about my aunts? Father, I can't leave. Trust me, there's nothing wrong with the body examination."
"Your mother and your father have had a deep bond for so many years. Even if she gets angry, she won't do anything to your father. Don't worry." Degui Jun told a white lie with his eyes wide open and forced a smile, trying to sound casual. "You know that your aunts are supporting us in the court. Your mother won't dare to harm me."
Not daring is an understatement. For this matter, the heartless fellow on the throne had exterminated all nine generations of Degui Jun's family.
"Father, I'm telling you the truth; there really is no issue with the body examination," Ye Zhizhou said seriously. He clenched his teeth, enduring the embarrassment, and took Degui Jun to the inner room.
Two minutes later, Degui Jun emerged with a bewildered expression, while Ye Zhizhou kept his head low, consoling himself internally. It's okay; what the other person saw was just a disguise created by the Transformation Pill. Nothing happened, nothing at all. Besides, the original host grew up with the other person, so... Oh no, I hope my lover won't kill me when he finds out!
"Yan'er, you..." Degui Jun finally snapped out of his daze, looking at him with a mix of entanglement and delight. He hesitated before speaking, "Did you... become a man?"
"Father!" Ye Zhizhou exclaimed in exasperation. Then he glanced at the young girl and the elderly man still waiting outside, furrowing his brows slightly. He extended his spiritual power to envelop both of them and lowered his voice to speak to Degui Jun, "Father, after today, I will be the real Third Princess. Understand?"
Seeing him look at the young girl and the elderly man, Degui Jun instantly understood his concerns. He hurriedly patted his head to comfort him and nodded solemnly.
In a side hall of the Tianguan Palace, several noble gentlemen gathered, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Why hasn't Degui Jun arrived yet?" a handsome and scholarly-looking young man, holding a folding fan, asked casually, as if inquiring unintentionally.
"Perhaps Yan'er is throwing a tantrum," a seductive-looking young man, taking a sip of tea, also chimed in "casually," "That child has never liked playing with her sisters since she was little. Last time when we went to the hot springs palace, she caused quite a scene. This time, being forced to undergo a body examination, she must be very angry."
Another cold and aloof-looking young man put down his teacup and gave them a rare response, "No matter how angry she is, she shouldn't keep the Emperor waiting for so long."
The three of them exchanged knowing glances and then all turned their eyes toward the Emperor, who was sitting on the throne, looking contemplative.
"Yueqing," Emperor Leng Xin suddenly spoke, calling the name of the silent Empress, "send someone to the Delan Palace to urge them. Also, arrest the male consort, Liu Langjun, who doubts Yan'er, and send him to the Cold Palace."
Several nobles who were in a good mood suddenly felt a chill in their hearts, and they all bowed their heads, not daring to speak recklessly.
Empress Yueqing responded respectfully and then cast a faintly mocking look at the three noble gentlemen. The Emperor's heart had long left this cold and icy harem. For so many years, apart from occasionally bringing in new women to the palace, the Emperor had not summoned anyone for intimate affairs... Everything was just for show; guarding his own children was what really mattered.
"No need to urge them," a clear voice suddenly came from the doorway. Everyone turned their heads and saw Degui Jun entering with a smiling face, followed by the quiet Third Princess.
The three noble gentlemen exchanged puzzled and uneasy glances. Why did Degui Jun come in with a smile...
"Your Majesty," Degui Jun and Ye Zhizhou paid their respects to Emperor Leng Xin and Empress Yueqing. Uncharacteristically, Degui Jun took a firm stance and said, "I request Your Majesty's permission to start the body examination for Yan'er immediately. I, Yuzhe, cannot bear the crime of disturbing the imperial lineage due to the chaotic imperial genealogy."
Leng Xin's attitude left him with a slight frown on his face. He turned his head slightly and waved to an old maidservant standing behind him. He spoke in a low voice, "You go and check it personally."
The old maidservant nodded and walked up to Leng Yan, making a beckoning gesture. Ye Zhizhou, who had been discreetly observing the people in the hall, quickly adjusted his expression and gaze. He followed the maidservant into the inner chamber.
The atmosphere fell into silence, and no one spoke.
The Emperor didn't offer a seat, so Degui Jun obediently stood with a calm expression that revealed nothing.
Five minutes later, Ye Zhizhou emerged from the inner chamber with the old maidservant. His face was slightly flushed, and his hands were trembling. This was a dark moment in his history, an absolute nightmare. He hated this world!
"The Third Princess is in good health with no hidden ailments," the old maidservant announced the results under the expectant gazes of the onlookers.
The expressions of the three noble gentlemen changed slightly, and then they stiffly congratulated Degui Jun. He responded indifferently, showing no enthusiasm.
The Emperor narrowed his eyes, lost in thought for a moment, and then stood up abruptly, saying, "Give Liu Langjun a cup of poisoned wine, and disperse." With that, he walked away without offering any comforting words to Degui Jun and Ye Zhizhou, his demeanor cold and heart-chilling.
Degui Jun's eyes dimmed, while the other three noble gentlemen looked delighted.
"Your Majesty!" A sharp voice suddenly echoed from a distance and grew nearer. It was filled with excitement and joy. "Your Majesty, there's news from the Bright Moon Palace. Grand Preceptor Sha Yang has awakened! Grand Preceptor Sha Yang has awakened!"
Leng Xin abruptly stopped, his previously calm expression finally showing a change. There was a hint of surprise and fear in his eyes as he asked, "Sha Yang has awakened? When did this happen?"
The young palace maid rushing to deliver the news didn't notice the unsettling expression on his face. She cheerfully replied, "It happened last night. After Grand Preceptor woke up, he went straight to the Star Pavilion. He just came out of there and is now on his way to the Sacrificial Hall, saying he has an announcement."
Leng Xin tugged at the corner of his mouth, his expression appearing somewhat strange. "He went straight to the Star Pavilion? Well, it's good that he's awake... Call for the procession to the Bright Moon Palace."
Ye Zhizhou carefully observed the Emperor's expression, his brow furrowing slightly. Sha Yang Grand Preceptor? Who is that? Wasn't the current Grand Preceptor named Rong Guangyan? And the Emperor's reaction just now... the plot seems to have taken an unexpected turn again?