HCB Chapter 1299 The Secret of the Princess of a Fallen Kingdom
Chapter 1299 The Secret of the Princess of a Fallen Kingdom
Dead silence.
The entire slave market was completely silent.
Everyone's breath was stolen by that dazzling gold.
The Arab merchant who had been shouting about first come, first served just moments before now had his mouth agape, wide enough to fit a fist.
His eyes widened, staring intently at the flowing gold, his mind completely blank.
He had seen money, but he had never seen anyone throw a mountain of gold on the ground like trash.
The Eastern man then weighed another, even heavier money bag in his hand, his eyes indifferent as if he were looking at a bug blocking his way.
The Arab merchant's face drained of color instantly, and his obese body trembled like a leaf.
He finally realized that he had provoked someone he couldn't afford to offend.
"Enough...enough!!"
His knees buckled, not kneeling down, but collapsing in front of Lin Zhen.
"Your Highness! I was blind! I was incredibly audacious!"
He wailed incoherently while frantically banging his forehead against the ground, making dull thuds.
"Those goods... no! Those lowly slaves were all offered to you! Please spare my dog's life!"
His previous arrogance now seems like a clumsy joke.
Lin Zhen's gaze didn't linger on him for even a moment; he turned to the slave trader who was already terrified out of his wits.
"Now, they're mine?"
The voice was not loud, but it sounded like a divine oracle.
"Yes! It's yours! Of course it's yours!"
The slave trader tumbled and crawled down from the platform, kneeling down at Lin Zhen's feet with a thud, as fast as a startled monkey.
"It's their greatest blessing to have caught your eye! They are your property, your most loyal dogs!"
"Ah."
Lin Zhen nodded and turned around.
He gave the order to the equally dumbfounded fat officer.
"Bring everyone along, let's go to our 'new home'."
……
Tulip Manor.
The East India Company used this place to entertain its most distinguished guests; it was as luxurious as a mythical paradise.
When the dozen or so female slaves who had just escaped hell were brought here, they were completely lost.
They walked barefoot on the gleaming marble, their eyes shifting from numb to blank as they gazed at the pavilions, towers, exotic flowers, and rare plants.
The twists and turns of fate were so dramatic that they even forgot their fear.
One moment they were livestock in a mud pit, the next they were living in a palace that even the king could not reach.
And the one who bestowed all of this was that mysterious and powerful Eastern man.
The main hall of the manor.
Lin Zhen and Murong Yan sat side by side in the magnificent ivory-carved main seat.
Yue Fei and Elizabeth stood behind him like two killing gods.
Below, a dozen or so female slaves from Southeast Asia knelt on the ground, trembling and not daring to raise their heads.
Lin Zhen's gaze swept over them, finally settling on the girl at the end of the line, who had kept her back straight the entire time.
The trapped lion cub.
"What's your name?"
He spoke, his voice breaking the deathly silence in the hall.
The girl's body jolted.
She suddenly looked up, her eyes burning with fire as she stared intently at the man in the main seat, her lips pressed tightly together, saying nothing.
"Ha, fiery temper."
Lin Zhen laughed, not angry at all, but even more interested.
He rose from his seat and walked down the steps one by one.
He walked up to the girl.
Squat down.
He reached out and gently brushed the grime-covered hair from her cheek.
His voice was low, carrying a bewitching magic.
"Don't be afraid."
"I'm not your enemy."
Then, he clearly pronounced each syllable in an ancient, difficult, and long-lost Nanyang court language.
"Princess Lakshmi Bai".
The flame in the girl's eyes froze instantly, then exploded!
That wasn't shock.
That was the horrifying sight of faith collapsing and then being rebuilt in an instant!
"Your country has been destroyed, and your people have been enslaved."
"But you belong to the noble bloodline of the sun god, and should not be tarnished by this."
How could he know? !
This name was the last vestige of dignity she buried deep in her heart after being imprisoned, a name she would rather let rot away than ever remember again!
How could he speak this language? It's a divinely bestowed language that only the most elite members of the royal family are qualified to learn!
Is it...
Could it be that the Eastern prophecy my father murmured before his death... was true?
Savior?
"You...who are you?!"
Her voice was hoarse, a tremor from the depths of her soul.
"I?"
Lin Zhen's smile was unfathomable.
"I am the one who can help you fulfill your desire for revenge."
revenge?
These two words were like a key, piercing the shackles in her heart that had long been locked by despair and hatred, and then twisting them violently!
Yes!
revenge!
How could she forget revenge!
The East India Company's cannons razed her homeland to the ground! The invaders' swords beheaded her father and brother! Her people were sold like livestock to all corners of the world!
She herself also became a prisoner!
How could we forget such a deep-seated blood feud?! How could we dare to forget it?!
A surge of overwhelming hatred erupted from the depths of her heart, burning away her confusion and shock to ashes. Her eyes were once again filled with the flames of revenge, more frenzied and resolute than ever before!
She suddenly raised her head and stared intently at Lin Zhen!
"As long as you can help me get revenge!"
"As long as you can make those invaders pay for their blood debts!"
Without hesitation, she bit her finger hard, the intense pain making her even more alert.
With her blood-stained fingers, she drew an ancient, crimson rune on her smooth forehead, a symbol of eternal submission.
"I, Lakshmi Bai, swear by the bloodline of the sun god!"
"I am willing to give you my life, my soul, and everything I have!"
"From this day forward, I will be your most loyal servant!"
puff.
This princess of a fallen kingdom performed the most humble and devout prostration before Lin Zhen.
Looking at the princess of a fallen kingdom at his feet, who had completely abandoned all dignity and lived only for revenge, Lin Zhen's face showed no pity, only the indifference of a controller.
This is the result he wants.
Hatred is a stronger bond than any chain.
Only a person whose soul is filled with hatred can become the sharpest, most obedient, and most reckless knife.
“Very good.” He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. “From this moment on, you are no longer a slave.”
"You are my maid."
"Personal maid."
As he spoke, he turned around and walked back to the ornate ivory-carved main seat.
Murong Yan watched all this quietly, a hint of understanding flashing in her insightful phoenix eyes.
Her husband has acquired another useful pawn.
She felt no jealousy, nor any displeasure.
As an emperor, she understood the art of manipulating people's hearts better than anyone else.
She was simply curious about how much of a role this seemingly naive princess of a fallen kingdom could play in this game.