The Prince of Yan truly favored her in the beginning, refusing to take any concubines for her sake. But gradually, she realized he was growing weary of her.
Since she held no genuine affection for him, she proactively arranged for him to take concubines and focused on raising their child herself.
She knew the kind of women the Prince of Yan preferred: a virtuous wife and a beautiful concubine.
His concubines were not bound by strict rules and could certainly maintain the appearance he favored.
However, she never expected to see Lin Yan again.
While on an outing with the Prince of Yan, they visited a small town. At a street stall, she recognized the woman instantly.
That had once been her confidante, the one she had imagined spending her life with.
Before she knew Lin Yan's gender, she had genuinely wanted to spend her life with her. After all, it was incredibly difficult in this ancient era to find someone who respected and understood her.
Watching Lin Yan buy things on the street, Wang Linlang found it unbearable. Lin Yan had once been so brilliant and radiant. When she paraded through the streets on horseback after topping the imperial examinations, numerous young ladies from distinguished families had tossed their purses and handkerchiefs. The shower of flower petals that filled the entire street had attested to her excellence.
But she also saw the malice on the Prince of Yan's face as he stood beside her.
He had done it deliberately, bringing her here to witness Lin Yan's fallen state.
Wang Linlang could only suppress her emotions, thankful for the rigorous training from the governesses. She would no longer let her thoughts show on her face.
As the Prince of Yan helped her down from the carriage, she showed no unusual reaction, nor did she cast a glance toward Lin Yan, as if she hadn't recognized her.
Later, she dared not send anyone to find Lin Yan. She had no freedom and no confidantes. The Prince of Yan was surely watching her every move, and she couldn't afford to do anything that might implicate Lin Yan further.
After returning to the capital, she found someone she trusted and asked them to locate Lin Yan, hoping to offer her help. However, those individuals could never find her again.
And so, she continued to be the virtuous princess consort, the mistress of the Prince of Yan's manor, forever trapped in her confinement, living within the confines of the inner courtyard.
Upon waking, Wang Linlang gazed at the familiar yet strange canopy above for a long time.
"What is it?" Xu Kang, his hair now white, asked with concern from beside her.
"Nothing, just had a nightmare." For some reason, she felt the dream was incredibly real, like the life she should have lived.
"What kind of nightmare?"
"I... I forgot," Wang Linlang couldn't bring herself to say it.
However, regardless of anything, her fate had been altered. Not just hers, but together they had worked hard to change the destinies of many.
They had made the scenario she described appear in this world, granting all women in the realm other choices.
"Dong... dong..." The bell chimed.
"This, this is?" Wang Linlang immediately got up.
"It's the funeral bell."
"How many chimes? Was it? Was it?" Wang Linlang was extremely anxious.
She got out of bed, not even putting on her shoes. The waiting maids outside the door, hearing the movement inside, immediately reported and entered.
"How many chimes?" Wang Linlang hastily asked the maid who entered.
"It's already sixty-two chimes," the maid replied quickly.
Now that women's status had improved, these maids were no longer indentured servants. They all signed ten-year contracts, essentially working in the manor. Upon reaching the agreed age, they would leave to get married.
If they didn't wish to marry, or if they wanted to return to work after marriage, they could sign new contracts.
"Go and fetch my outer robe. I need to go to the palace." A sense of foreboding continued to loom over her.
"Don't rush. Wash up first, and I'll accompany you to the palace."
A full eighty-one chimes of the funeral bell signaled the end of an era.
"Congratulations to the host for completing another mission. System rewards are being calculated..."
"Ding, Host, you have a message from the Main God. Would you like to read it now?"
"A message from the Main God?"
"Yes, Host."
"Let's open it."
A letter slowly unfolded, and several pages of text appeared before Lin Yan.
Aside from the praise for Lin Yan, there was a mission entrusted to her.
This mission was not for Lin Yan's group, but she could connect with it.
After all, the identity Lin Yan had been given could be somewhat related to a white moonlight.
"Does this mission seem a bit unusual?" Lin Yan wondered, as she usually entered the next world directly and found her new missions and rewards there.
But now, she was blocked midway by this letter.
"Host, I'll go and investigate and be right back."
"Mhm, hurry back."
"Rest assured, Host."
In less than a few seconds, the system returned.
"Did you find anything?"
"I did. This mission is different from your previous ones. If you go, there will be no plot, and you won't have the original host's memories. You will only have the original host's current memories.
However, in this world, you can directly leave after completing the mission."
"Oh? What is the mission?"
"To change the world's ending and prevent human extinction."
"Can this mission truly be completed within my lifetime?" It wasn't that Lin Yan wanted to complain, but this mission was rather...
"According to the systems of hosts who have gone there, the story of this world is simple, but changing the ending is extremely difficult. Many hosts have already failed.
I asked the Main God, and He said that if the Host can complete this mission, in addition to points, you can return to the real world for one month, and you can bring Mr. Liang with you."
"What if I don't accept?" Her points hadn't decreased too much. She estimated she could save enough in a few more worlds. She wasn't sure how Ming Hao was doing.
The Main God mentioning this condition now was like hitting her weak spot. She couldn't show her eagerness, as it was not conducive to negotiation.
"If you don't accept, it seems like only a small deduction of points. Anyway, the points deducted are a drop in the ocean for you. I saw many hosts' systems refusing just now."
"Many people went in?" Lin Yan was curious.
"Quite a few, but it seems none were successful. Now the Main God doesn't dare to send people in carelessly anymore. The number of resets has been too high, and the villains inside seem to be awakening.
That's why the Main God invited you, considering your rating has always been S-class."
"Is that so."
"Host, do you want to accept? I saw on the forums that this world was formed based on a horror movie. Similar to a snow mountain cabin scenario."
"You've said a lot, are you trying to make me accept?" Lin Yan sensed the system's enthusiasm.
"Mhm," the system felt a bit embarrassed at being found out.
"Then I'll accept it." Lin Yan doted on her silly system. She knew it was driven by vanity, but regarding horror movies, after experiencing martial arts and metaphysical worlds, she truly wasn't afraid of any horror film.
"Thank you, Host. I'll start the transmission for you now." So many worlds that other hosts hadn't completed, her host was surely capable of completing them. Her host was the best.
After the host completes it, she would definitely post on the forum to brag about her divine host.
Don't think she didn't know that the host might have accepted this mission because of her. Ah! She was truly so happy!