In a room filled with medicinal scents, a seriously ill and weak lady laid on a bed.
The door softly opened, and a father and a daughter came to the hospital bed.
The father’s face contained worry, and he sighed to his daughter: “Zi Di, say your last words to your mother now……”
The child Zi Di softly called out: “Mama.”
The lady barely opened her eyes to look at Zi Di, immediately showing affection, unwillingness, and remorse: My daughter……”
The child Zi Di was puzzled: “Mama, father said you must go somewhere else. Can you not leave?”
The lady smiled, but her eyes quickly flushed: “I can’t, your mother also wants to stay with you for a lifetime. But your mother can’t, I am very sorry……”
The child Zi Di lowered her head and sobbed.
Her father behind her also sank into grief but maintained his silence.
In her deep regret, the lady used all of her strength to grab Zi Di’s hand and console: Little Zi Di, don’t weep, you must be well behaved. Before leaving, your mother will tell you the story you love the most.”
The child Zi Di lifted her head, her big eyes were still crying, but her attention was clearly drawn: “Is it the old story about The Princess, the Demon, and the Knight?
“That’s right.”
“I……love hearing that one.” Choked with sobs, the child Zi Di nodded.
A very long time ago, there was a kingdom. The benevolent king loved his citizens and queen very much; however, they only received an heir after being married for a long time,
She was a little princess, innocent, unaffected, lively, adorable, and the most beautiful person in the kingdom.
Regardless of whether it was the king, queen, or the people of the kingdom, all of them loved the little princess and treated her as an angel.
One day, a bad demon sneaked into the castle and kidnaped the little princess.
The demon dragged the little princess into its lair in the abyss and trapped her there.
The demon liked the little princess, resentfully and maliciously saying: “Marry me little princess, you are the most adorable person I have ever seen in the world.”
The little princess shook her head: “I won’t marry you; you are a bad demon. My father and mother will dispatch a knight to rescue me.”
The demon laughed: “My lair is in the deepest part of the abyss, no one knows where it is. How can a knight find us?”
The little princess gradually grew up.
The demon grimaced at the princess: “Princess oh princess, you are the most youthful and most beautiful person I have ever seen in the world. Marry me now! After so many years, your knight still hasn’t found this place.”
But the princess had no doubts, instead she became more resolute: “A knight will surely find this place, I will never marry you.”
The princess gradually grew older and became an adult.
The demon grew more captivated with the princess: “Oh big princess, you are the most charming and alluring person I have ever seen, your skin is brighter and cleaner than snow, your face is more beautiful than the goddess of beauty, your eyes are brighter than the night starts, and your long and soft golden hair is like the sunlight woven into silk. Marry me now!”
“My knight will save me!” The big princess was still resolute.
The demon ridiculed: “You can’t wait any longer, after waiting for so many years. If this continues, time will take away your youthfulness, your splendor will wane, and wrinkles and age will stick to your body. Rather than that happening, you are better off marrying me now.”
The big princess thought for some time, then deliberately said to the demon: “After considering for some time, if I am happy, I will agree.”
The demon was very happy: “How can I make you happy?”
The big princess then said: “Eh, do something about your lair’s darkness and sultriness. For many years, I couldn’t see the night sky. If I can see the vast sky and feel the refreshing night wind, I will be cheerful.”
The demon thought for a bit, then agreed to the big princess’ request: “This is easy to do, I will open the cover of the abyss so you can see the night sky.”
Thus, the demon opened the cover, allowing the big princess to finally see the night sky and the stars within it.
She suddenly pulled off her headband, causing her long golden hair to fall and spread like a waterfall.
The long hair produced dazzling sunlight, illuminating the night sky. All of the stars in the sky were covered by its radiance.
A young, handsome, and fearless knight saw the golden sunlight, then he burst into the abyss and found the demon and the big princess.
“Release the princess now, you despicable demon!” The knight shouted, then he fiercely fought the demon.
The knight was very strong, and the demon was not his opponent.
But the demon was very crafty, he pointed his finger and turned the princess into him.
Now there were two demons before the knight, and two demons simultaneously laughing: “Knight, lay down your spear. You cannot distinguish between who is real, and who is fake. If you choose wrong and kill the princess, that would be terrible.”
The knight hesitated for a bit, but quickly decided.
He took out his sword and suddenly chopped the real demon into two.
The demon was heavily wounded and shouted in disbelief: “How did you know it was me?”
“Because your body emits the scent of sulfur, although the princess looks like you, she still smells sweet.” The knight replied.
Thus, the demon was slain by the knight.
When the demon died, his dark magic also disappeared, allowing the princess to change back to her original appearance.
The young knight carried the princess out of the evil abyss and returned to the castle to see the king and queen. The whole family was finally united.
The princess married the knight, and since then, had a beautiful and happy life.
As the lady finished the story, she became increasingly weaker.
She did her best to support herself and not give into lethargy.
She used her final strength to grasp Zi Di’s small hand and say: “My small Zi Di, my little princess, although your mother is leaving, you still have your father’s love.”
“No matter what predicaments you face in the future, maintain hope in your heart”
“You must be optimistic; you must be strong.”
“As long as you persevere, a knight will surely come, your knight will help you and save you!”
After the lady finished, her strength vanished as her eyes slowly closed.
Her life aura slowly dissipated.
The mother’s blessing to her daughter was also her dying words.
The young and ignorant Zi Di still didn’t understand the meaning of it, but her mother’s words entered deep into Zi Di’s heart.
“Child, don’t disturb your mother. She is sleeping.” Her father sobbed behind her.
“Oh.” Zi Di cutely nodded and followed her father out the door.
“Father, when mother leaves, can I see her off?” Zi Di turned to look at the hospital bed, she was extremely reluctant.
Her father suddenly gritted his teeth and used a shivering hand to close the door: “I think we can……as long as you don’t sleep in and get up early.”
……
Time passed, and the child Zi Di grew up to be a small girl.
Inheriting her parent’s characteristics like the princess in the fairy tale, she became a pleasant youth.
Her father was a bachelor again, after founding the Wisteria Merchant Alliance his work became heavier, all the while doting on Zi Di. Maybe because he hadn’t had enough time to see Zi Di grow, more guilt mixed into the doting.
Her beautiful complexion caused Zi Di to attract attention and feel welcome wherever she went.
In school, the young Zi Di was pursued by many young men. Quickly, a noble youngster from an illustrated clan defeated all of his pursuers and smoothly distinguished himself
He was handsome, confident, tender, and considerate. Under his cordial and varied methods of pursuit, Zi Di gradually felt a rush of excitement.
“Perhaps, he is my knight.”
However, one day, at a banquet, as Zi Di stood on a balcony, she accidently heard a conversation between noble youngsters.”
“Hahaha, I quickly won over Zi Di!”
“I am bound to win the bet we made. She seemed difficult to chase, when in fact, she really thinks she is a princess, that is why she is overbearing and arrogant.”
“Hahaha, truly ridiculous! She is only a merchant’s daughter, even if the Wisteria Merchant Alliance is huge, her bloodline is trash.”
“Princess? Little girls at her age are fond of such dreams! She definitely affirms the delusion by wanting to marry me, with my identity, how could I marry a merchant’s daughter? It’s practically a joke! I’ve had enough fun with her, if any of you want to take over, I’ll allow it.”
On the balcony, Zi Di leaned on a wall, her face was pale, her hands clasped her mouth, and tears fell from her eyes.
……
A shattered romance grievously injured Zi Di’s spirit, for a time, she felt the world was filled with adversity.
After enduring it, she was very vigilant against her pursuers, no longer was she easily tempted.
Her busy father could not enter the girl’s sensitive heart. She could only talk about her countless melancholies and worries to herself.
First the princess dream was shattered, soon after, the increasing burdens of schoolwork made her recognize how cruel reality was——her bloodline was substandard, even if her merchant alliance provided sufficient cultivation resources, and even if she worked hard, the greatest she could achieve would be iron level cultivation.
Her father’s business grew bigger, and the Wisteria Merchant Alliance constantly increased in scope. He gradually felt his insufficiencies, and his smiles grew fewer, until almost every day, worry was almost on his face.
Many late nights, Zi Di found the light in her father’s study still shining.
Zi Di would knock, enter the study, and remind her father to sleep earlier.
The Wisteria Merchant Alliance President usually pulled out a cigar, and with each passing day, his fat body shrank in the spacious leather seat. The strong smoke surrounding him actually gave Zi Di the misconception of cowering fear.
When he saw Zi Di, he would lift his head and squeeze a smile onto his face, then he would quickly extinguish the cigar in his hand.
Not waiting for Zi Di to roll her eyes, he curried favor by taking the initiative to acknowledge his mistake: “My daughter, don’t say anything, I understand, I will lie down now.”
Notes
Oh Zi Di, technically the second main character of this story. As the first character introduced, she has played a key role throughout the story; yet, we have never gotten her perspective until now. She by far, has the most flashbacks out of any character. Zhen Jin had 5, Jia Sha had ½ a chapter, and the MC doesn’t have any because none of those memories belonged to him. That means it will be quite some time before we return to the present, much to the chagrin of everyone who followed this book daily.