The Crimson King

The green star looked oddly similar to a popular drug from the 21st century but it wasn't exactly the same. Liu JiLian couldn't believe someone was selfish enough to grow something so vulgar and barbaric, she made herself at home sitting on a cushion on the opposite end of a long table, The fifth prince was Zhou Hanying sat across her on the table with a few fruits placed in front of him, he eyed Rei who's head was on the female's lap, he was salty the tiger had betrayed him without batting an eye for such a woman. Looking at her torn clothes and her dirty hair he couldn't help but he slightly revolted by her, news had not yet reached about the attack on the Xiang Kingdom, and she was honestly scared of where to go from here, it was obvious that she was just a kid with no actual exceptional skill, she had a snake and had a vague quest given to her for reasons she was still unsure of.

From here it wasn't going to be just squabbles with her stepsister but actual wars since she was married to such a powerful man, her hands were shaking but she still had the same condescending look she always did.

"I need you to send a message to Zhou Lan for me..." She wasn't sure if she will be able to visit her anymore like she promised, and just in case... "Tell her to wipe out my family...". It was very obvious they would be attacked if the enemy found that she was connected to them, It was better for Zhou Lan to seem like she had nothing to do with her. Her chest was felt squeezed but she didn't care, her voice trembled as she kept talking like she was reciting her will.

"You want your family wiped?" He asked in bewilderment as he saw her unwavering gaze, If she wiped away her family who would she have left? A Queen with no backing.

"Did I stutter?"

"Even the little children?" She still stared at him but didn't answer.

"Just tell her what I said."

"Is that all?" He asked suspiciously, was this all she wanted?

"I also need any western records you may have on you."

Western records? He looked at her dubiously, why did she want a bunch of fairy tales for? "Anything else?"

"A bath."

"...Yes."

The meeting was short but the weight of what was said was heavy, to wipe out an entire family with branches and connections, what made her so sure the princess could achieve such a feat? She hadn't given him any details but the little she said was enough to unnerve him, Mu Chen and Liu JiLian had been escorted out to a room where they could clean up.

"We are leaving the first thing tomorrow." She informed him without wanting to meet his eyes, was he going to think ill of her for wiping out her entire family? She was sure the princess would spare her siblings and hide them from the public but that didn't excuse her exterminating the older generation. "...Do you regret marrying me? Even a little bit?"

"Even if you set fire to the world and called it rain, I would still follow you till death", like in our last life.

Nagini jolted suddenly but Liu JiLian didn't take note of it, she disappeared into her room and once she was in her knees felt weak and she staggered. Her breathing was all over the place but and she found it hard to see due to the tears blocking her sight.

[Miss...]

"Did I do the right thing?"

[Now you won't have as many weak points]

"I know..." It all felt wrong.

[Do you remember?]

"What?"

[...Never mind]

The much he could find about the westerners was barely anything, only a few old books of similar fairy tales about the race that resided in this land before the orientals. Zhou Hanying (Fifth prince) flicked through the books with the now clean and refreshed Liu JiLian who weeded through the information with Nagini.

It was all just very vague stories about the near extinction of the last human race, nothing was substantial except for one book that had a picture on four horns on the cover. It was an old book with fading pages and at a first glance, it didn't seem to mention anything about the four horns.

She stared at it for a while before deciding to take it with her, "I've found what I'm looking for, we#ll be leaving the first thing tomorrow and will not bother you again, please prepare two horses and some essentials for our travel. I will take my leave, your highness." With that, she walked off leaving the prince feeling bitter at the way she treated him.

"You're not cute at all, I don't understand why my little sister likes you so much." He nagged as he glared at her back. She honestly didn't care, what use was being cute in her situation?

She walked through the barely lit hallways alone, each footstep echoing throughout the palace, her eyes were glued to the book, the front page had a small drawing of a man with what seemed like red? hair, she wasn't sure due to the quality of the book, the title was called, "Kings."

The first chapter: "The Crimson King, Solomon".