[ON HOLD] Defy the Heavens: The Journey of Miss Black Belly

22 I Mother's Plan

After bringing Wang Xue to his quarters (room), Xiren had a doctor come over to see his condition. Fortunately, the doctor said his condition was nothing serious, stating that after getting some rest Wang Xue should be back to health. Xiren heaved a small sigh, and seeing no reason to stay, she left. She will come back again when he is awake.

But just as she was leaving the room, a young nubi (female slave servant) came to tell her that Madame Wang called for her presence.

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At the Jade Courtyard, Xiren found her mother sitting inside the octagonal pavilion, sipping tea leisurely as she browsed through the household account books.

"Mother, this daughter greets you."

Madame Wang glanced over at Xiren and beckons her to sit.

"Ren'er why must you be so willful?"

Xiren looked down with a piteous expression. "Mother, I really do not want to get married. I yearn to explore and learn about the greater realm. All my life I've been sheltered by you, by father, by brother, but I don't want that! I want to protect myself by being strong, but I cannot be strong by relying on your or father's thighs. Please mother, please. Going to Delphine is an excellent opportunity for me to grow. Please let me go and help me cancel the engagement. I am not fit for palace life. I rather die fighting against heaven than be a caged bird rotting away in a golden cage."

Xiren stares desperately into her mother's eyes, hoping she will agree.

"You are too young and rash with your decisions," Madame Wang said. She drew a breath and ran a finger around the edge of her medallion. "Ren'er, your engagement does not only revolve around you. Do you realize how this marriage will affect your father and the imperial court?"

Xiren furrowed her brows. She hated politics and could care less about the matters of the imperial court, but she also knew that her stubbornness could negatively impact her father's authority and honor. Her father did make a verbal promise with the late monarch about the marriage; however, this wasn't set in stones so it's still possible to renege on this promise before she turned 14. She was running out on time. In just a few months (roughly 9 months) she will be at a marriageable age! She didn't want any of it, but there was purpose to this marriage. If the Wang's Manor only daughter marries into the royal family, her father will have much more influence in the imperial court. This marriage was also benefiting the young emperor as well. Everyone knew that all emperors use marriage as a means to gather power and control those influential family at the same time. Even if the Wang's family daughter is rumored to be ugly, fat, or useless, the marriage would still benefit both parties.

In the end, she was nothing more than a tool. Being a daughter in an influential household wasn't all that great for she had no freedom to dictate her life. She was in a constant emotional turmoil about being a dutiful daughter or rebelling against her father's wishes.

However, as she got older she realized that she must fight in order to gain her freedom. The day she journeyed to Mythos Hall was the day she made up her mind about her decision.

Madame Wang looked at her daughter and heaved a sigh. "Ren'er you're my daughter, how can I not know how you feel? But to renege on your father's promise to the late emperor will put him in a difficult position. Right now, in the imperial court, there are many factions fighting for power. And I believe that you understand the pressure that your father may be facing. As a mother, I want the best for you. When I found out that you cannot cultivate I was devastated. Thus, I agreed with your father on your engagement to the then crown prince since there was no need for you to cultivate in order to become a royal concubine; you could've live in luxury without care for the rest of your life this way."

Xiren got up and went to lay her head on her mother's lap. "Mother...Ren'er can sense Qi and is able to cultivate now. Won't mother talk to father and help this pitiful daughter?"

Her mother patted her head, shaking her head. "Oh, silly child, why won't I help? If you can cultivate then this changes things. There is hope for you...." Madame Wang paused, then said, "However, whether or not you can change your current circumstances in up to you. I will lead you a hand, but you will have to fight the rest of your battles yourself."

Xiren looked at her mother with wide, feverish eyes. "Mother, you have something in mind!?"

"En," Madame Wang nodded. "There is a way for you to renege from the engagement, but you need to meet the requirements. As you know, we are the descendants of the great sorceress empress of Delphine. Therefore, all the descendants of this bloodline are eligible to enroll at Fánxīng Academy which is located in Queen's Landing--a private island under Delphine's jurisdiction. If you are able to graduate from Fánxīng Academy, you have the option to join Delphine's martial sect, Divinity Sect or the Dahāka Sect, as an outer, inner, or core disciple. If you are able to graduate and make it as an inner or core disciple, you will have a legitimate excuse to annul the royal decree for the engagement. According to Delphine's laws, all inner and core disciple are forbidden to marry. However, if the disciple wishes to marry in the future, they will be kicked out from their sects and have all their special privileges revoked."

"Ah! This daughter understands! But what if the emperor dismisses Delphine's laws and forces me to marry anyway?" Xiren asked.

Madame Wang laughed merrily as if she heard the funniest joke. "Ren'er you still don't understand just how powerful and influential Delphine is. If you become an inner or core disciple of the Divinity Sect or Dahaka Sect, you will have Delphine's protection. Nobody, not even the three great emperors, can force marriage upon you. Instead, they will have to be respectful and treat you as an honored guest--so long as you are an inner disciple under Delphine. That's just to show how omnipotent Delphine's existence is in this realm."

Xiren's eye widens in surprise. "That's incredible!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, yes. It sounds wonderful, but to achieve this is no easy feat. To enroll at Fánxīng Academy you must be at least be in the Earth Stage (red) of cultivation--the entry level. Moreover, whether you make it as an inner disciple is uncertain; this is a matter that I cannot help you with. It will be hard, especially for you since you are behind the rest of your peers." Madame Wang cupped Xiren's face in her hands and said, "But promise me this Ren'er.... if you fail then you must accept your fate and marry the current emperor of the Thunder Empire."

"But what about the Temporal Demon Spirit Tome that Lord Mythos wants? Don't I have to be at least a core disciple to steal it?"

Madame Wang sighed. "Leave this matter to me. Don't you worry about it and just focus on cultivating. You don't have much time, the enrollment date to Fánxīng Academy is coming up soon. Do you think you can establish a strong foundation in 2 weeks?"

With her blood boiling in excitement, Xiren replied with alighted eyes, "Yes mother! You won't be disappointed!"

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After Xiren left, a black shadow appeared behind Meifeng (Madame Wang).

"Take this letter and deliver it to my senior sister," she commanded and handed the letter over to her right-hand shadow guard.

"Yes, Master!" the shadow guard replied and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

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