Chapter 1: Trash of the family
"Don't keep beating down a dead snake... It might just come back alive and devour you wholly..." - Epigraph.
.....
"Yue, you have to do this for your father. I wouldn't ask you for this if there was any other way."
Tang Shen, the serpentine clan Emperor's younger brother requested his daughter with a pleading tone.
Any other daughter would have been touched by her father's miserable hopeless pleading and immediately sympathized with him, but Tang Yue looked at her father with her unwavering cold eyes.
Hmph. Lies after lies. Where did this fatherly love suddenly come from? You have already decided to offer me as a sacrifice, so why bother disguising it now?
Tang Yue smirked. She couldn't help but chuckle coldly.
Looking at Tang Shen being kind to his useless daughter, the voluptuous woman sitting beside him got restless and snapped.
"What are you asking that idiot for? She doesn't know a good thing even if it sits on her face! Hmph."
"Mother and father are having your best interests in mind. So don't make any trouble tomorrow and quietly accept your destiny." Tang Zuelo begrudgingly added.
Tang Shen immediately glared at his wife. Damn woman! Don't you know when to use what tone? First, try to read the situation properly.
If this matter was not properly handled, tomorrow's joyous event would turn into a calamity instead.
He immediately tried to salvage the situation and pandered to his daughter.
"Don't mind your mother. She might be gruff, but she means well. The Elven clan is a monstrous clan when compared to our small settlement."
"Resources, precious metals, treasures, and whatnot. They have a surplus of everything! Trust your father, Tang Yue, this is definitely in your best interest."
"With their help, you might even be able to heal your crippled meridians!"
"All those nasty rumors about the crown prince are just random nonsense. I have personally witnessed him be a kind and gentle soul, who is wise beyond his age."
"You will be perfectly safe there. There is no need to worry about any dangers. There won't even be the occasional goblin assaults like we have here."
Tang Yue's father looked at her with deep and dedicated concern.
"Destiny huh? Sure, I will accept this destiny." Tang Yue mockingly smiled.
What else could she do but accept? She was the miserable talentless trash of the family.
Her meridians were damaged by an unfortunate accident during her childhood, which made her unable to cultivate.
She could neither consolidate a beast core nor practice any illusion magic, the innate magic of the snake clan.
In fact, she did not understand, why would the esteemed crown prince of the mighty elven empire even accept useless trash like her as a consort??
Did he have some weird fetish to bed beast women??
Watching her father and her step-mother continue their concerned parental act, Tang Yue just indifferently stood there, waiting patiently for this blatant charade to come to an end.
But, the lectures and the advice went on and on for another hour.
She just couldn't stand it any longer. No matter how much she had matured because of her cruel circumstances, she was still only 18 years old.
She finally couldn't listen to their drivel any longer and sarcastically chimed in, "Anyways you are sending me to my death, can you at least let me sleep peacefully tonight? Maybe for the last time in my life?"
Her sharp words made Tang Shen lose his cool for a moment. After all, she was also his daughter, the daughter whom he had cherished once upon a time.
But ever since that accident... He too was helpless. His hands were tied.
What else could he do? They neither had the resources nor the power to address her irreparably damaged meridians.
But he immediately regained his composure, "Brat. Don't talk too much. We all have to do what we have to do."
"If things don't go well tomorrow, then don't blame me for being ruthless. Hmph." Tang Shen stood up and abruptly left the ornate decorated courtyard.
Tang Zuelo, the current step-mother, glared at her mockingly for a couple more seconds and then followed her husband.
"Heh... Finally, this trash was of some use. If not for her, one of my precious daughters might have had to be sacrificed in her stead." Tang Zuelo shuddered even at the thought of it.
The ruthless cold-blooded Elven crown prince! The mere thought of him instilled fear and dread in all living beings on the land of Xion.
His blood-drenched conquests and heinous acts were well known throughout the serpentine dynasty.
When the elves turned their attention towards the serpentine clan neighboring their settlement, everyone thought that they were going to be either killed or taken in as slaves.
But the crown prince suddenly proposed a peaceful marriage treaty surprising everyone greatly.
This definitely was for the best because now the two clans could be united and live in peace with each other, without fearing the outbreak of a brutal war.
Unfortunately, the Snake clan Emperor did not have any daughters. So he turned to his brother, Tang Shen, who had seven daughters for help.
Each and every single one of the princesses was extremely talented in various fields and skilled combat. Well... Except for the first and the eldest princess, Tang Yue, who is the daughter of Tang Shen and his first wife.
Without even a modest cultivation base, Tang Yue simply could not match or even compare to the other royal spawns in any aspect.
Though everyone had high expectations for her since birth, somehow her meridians were damaged and now she was merely an useless trash, who was unable to cultivate.
And thus, she turned out to be the perfect pawn in this little political game.
Peace treaty? Just how long would something like that last in the cold bloodied hands of the heartless crown prince...??
Tang Yue sucked in a deep breath of air before effortlessly reverting back to her serpentine form.
Though her meridians were crippled, she still retained her natural ability to shift between her human form and her serpentine form as she pleased. This was something every member of the serpentine clan was capable of doing.
Putting aside the complex emotions swirling within her heart, her thin figure quickly slithered across the musty courtyard and reached her private chamber.
She really did want to go to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
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Yolohy
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Chapter 2: Preparations
A quaint drizzle earmarked the fateful day on which Tang Yue was mercilessly going to be sacrificed.
As if she had forgotten all about that, the young snake girl played with the raindrops dripping from the holes on her chamber's ceiling.
She took a long listless look at the dull red stone ceiling of her chamber in the secluded corner of the palace.
It was a blatant reminder of her social status and her insignificance in the serpentine clan.
Heh... Isn't a luxurious life waiting for me? Tang Yue chuckled sarcastically mocking her pathetic plight.
She reverted to her serpentine form and slithered to the main royal palace courtyard.
Though it was still a layered structure consisting of dull red stones, unlike her abysmal corner, the main area was hustling and bustling about with pomp and show.
The entire palace was decorated in grandiose.
All the major royal families had assembled and everyone had donned the traditional religious garb.
The snake clan prayed to the water goddess and believed that their innate power originated from her.
None of their auspicious rituals began without the ceremonious offering to the water goddess.
At the center of the main chamber, Tang Zuelo, Tang Yue's step-mother was mouthing off loudly.
"Everything has to be the best. The very best. Don't skimp on anything."
"Get over here. Arrange these properly. Put these at the front."
Tang Zuelo was firing instructions left and right, to ease her disturbed nerves. This ceremony had to go exceedingly well!
What if they get dissatisfied with something and suddenly the crown prince refuses to take the trash away?
No, she couldn't let that happen.
Her daughters were the real precious treasures of the clan. Unlike this trash, they were the real future of this clan. She needed to protect them at all costs.
Attending to each and every detail, down to the minute specifics, Tang Zuelo personally worked very hard.
She was determined to make sure that everything is at its very best.
She had not worked this hard in a long time!
Sending out hurried instructions in all four directions, Tang Zuelo's tired eyes fell on the elegant woman, who was casually chilling on the side.
"Useless thing! Get over here and arrange these flowers. Look at her! Standing there like a statue!" Tang Zuelo yelled with her nostrils flaring up.
Looking at the enraged and anxious woman, Tang Yue stifled her laughter and slowly walked over.
This sort of treatment was nothing new to her.
She had already been long accustomed to all sorts of insults.
In fact, her status in the clan was dangling right above a slave maid, threatening to fall below that bottom line at any given instant.
As her worn-out emerald embedded blue robe fluttered in the wind, Tang Yue tucked the few black strands of hair falling on her phoenix-like eyes behind her ear.
The robe nicely complemented her pale blue skin color.
Considering her looks alone, Tang Yue could stand toe to toe with the six other royal princesses.
Her mesmerizing face might be hidden behind a veil, but her noble and elegant aura could never be hidden or diminished.
Unfortunately, looks were not everything.
A snake clan royal being unable to form a beast core was a huge embarrassment to the entire royal family.
So what if she was stunningly beautiful? She was still just an useless trash.
Contrary to her usual lackluster demeanor, on this particular day, Tang Yue had a rare smile dancing on her delicate little dark blue lips.
For better or worse, she was finally leaving this forsaken place today. She could never be anything more than a trash in this clan.
Instead of forever staying here and rotting away, it was better for her to try her chances with the cold-blooded and murderous crown prince.
The crown prince... The man who held her destiny in his hands.
Her mind wandered around messily considering the various possibilities, while silently tossing the flowers around.
"Useless thing, why are you still loitering? Go and change out of your shabby clothes right this instant." Tang Zuelo yelled and handed her a better looking sparkly set of robes.
With a cold smile on her lips, Tang Yue sarcastically nodded in fake obedience and skipped over to change her clothes.
"Heh... The useless thing is actually happy!" Tang Zuelo found Tang Yue's behavior very comical.
"Ignorant brat." She chuckled with deep animosity etched in her face.
Soon it was time and all the members of the royal family had assembled, staying put in their best behavior.
Emperor Tang Zen, who ruled over the entirety of the northern snake clan had also arrived and settled on his throne.
He had a majestic and imposing aura about him.
Within a few seconds, the cunning old man immediately called for Tang Yue.
All these decorations, condiments, and displayed treasures were secondary.
The main star for tonight was after all the bride to be. If she was not perfect, then everything else would crumble as well.
Tang Yue obediently arrived. Her earlier indifferent and snarky attitude seemed to have surprisingly taken a back seat when she stood in front of the Emperor.
Because unlike her conniving parents, the Emperor was just outright ruthless and motive driven.
Well, he was the Emperor of their clan. So he had to be just that ruthless!!
Scanning her up and down, the Emperor nodded satisfactorily.
Her good looks were not a surprise. Everyone knew that the seven royal princesses looked absolutely stunning.
The young beautiful snake would probably look good in anything she wore.
And today, Tang Yue had worn the royal attire, which was a deep purple robe, studded with pearls.
It perfectly complemented her pale blue skin and brought out her natural beauty. Nothing was out of place.
"Here lass, wear this pendant around your neck." The Emperor fished out something from his pocket and reluctantly handed it to the surprised girl.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Yolohy
Yolohy
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