Volume One, Chapter One: Breaking Off the Engagement? Wonderful!
“The Crown Prince of the Northern Duke is about to be unbetrothed! Hurry, come see!”
“No way, didn’t his father, the Northern Duke, just die heroically at the border?”
“Exactly, so now that worthless son has lost his backing. The Seventh Princess, who was engaged to him, came today to sever ties!”
The Great Xia Dynasty.
Outside the Northern Duke's mansion, white cloths hung from the sorghum stalks.
Hundreds of servants busied themselves preparing for the funeral.
In the main hall stood a young man about twenty years old.
Draped in mourning clothes, tall and lean, his features handsome yet showing no trace of sorrow—he was even dozing off.
Outside the mansion, a grand sedan chair with a golden roof approached with imposing momentum, blocking the entrance completely.
A eunuch drew back the curtain of the sedan chair. “Seventh Princess, the Northern Duke’s mansion... the Zhao residence has arrived.”
A breathtakingly beautiful figure stepped down.
Her posture flawless, curves exquisite, and her aura ethereal and unmatched.
Her appearance drew the gaze of the surrounding townsfolk.
“So this is His Majesty’s most beloved Seventh Princess? Truly a national treasure!”
“Heh, a flower blooming on a pile of manure—no wonder the Seventh Princess wants to break the engagement!”
At this moment, the woman’s expression was grim and chilling.
Standing there outside the mansion, she glanced at the man dozing within and her face grew even colder.
“Today marks the seventh day after the Northern Duke’s death, and he’s still sleeping?”
Hearing the Seventh Princess’s words, the eunuch sighed, “I’ve heard he was lingering last night in the red-light district, probably still drunk and hungover.”
“Utterly shameless and beastly!” The Seventh Princess gritted her teeth. “For the rest of my life, if I must be with a man like this, I’d rather remain single!”
With that, she shouted toward the Northern Duke’s mansion, “Li Yunrui, I hereby break off our engagement!”
Though her voice was not loud, everyone inside and outside the mansion heard it.
Outside, a crowd of onlookers gathered.
“Heh heh, that useless Crown Prince is giving us quite a show today!”
“A show? More like a disgrace. The Northern Duke lived bravely his whole life, just to protect this only son, yet he’s so unworthy!”
“Shameful! What’s more humiliating for a man than being dumped by a woman?”
...
Inside the mansion, servants hurried to the Crown Prince’s side, reporting the situation.
But no matter how much they said, the Crown Prince remained motionless.
What they did not know was that at this moment, two memories were rapidly merging in Zhao Wujiang’s mind.
“Your Highness, what should we do? The Seventh Princess has come to break the engagement!”
“The Seventh Day memorial for the Duke is also waiting for you to preside!”
“Crown Prince! My lord! Please don't sleep any longer!”
The mansion’s old steward wailed.
Finally, Zhao Wujiang’s consciousness snapped fully awake.
But the one now awake was not the original Crown Prince, but another soul who had transmigrated into him.
---
“All right, all right, I just stayed up all night reading a novel and ended up transmigrating.”
Zhao Wujiang muttered to himself.
“Transmigration is one thing, but why into such a lousy role? Zhao Wujiang is about to be killed off by the plot—why me?”
The novel he transmigrated into was called *The Most Dashing Imperial Son-in-Law of Great Xia*, a pure fantasy wish-fulfillment story.
The original protagonist was named Long Zhan. He had an invincible master and several highly skilled senior disciples.
After ten years of training, he descended from the mountains, entered the court as an official, and began his unstoppable rise!
According to the original plot,
Today, Zhao Wujiang was to be unbetrothed by the Seventh Princess, Li Yunrui.
But Zhao Wujiang, feeling unjustly treated and noticing Li Yunrui’s charm, grew lustful.
He planned to drug her and attempt something unspeakable.
Long Zhan, the protagonist, happened to arrive just in time, kicked Zhao Wujiang to death, and discovered Li Yunrui had been drugged. He took Zhao’s place and claimed her virginity.
Because he saved her, Li Yunrui didn’t get angry. Instead, the royal family threw their full support behind Long Zhan.
Being the protagonist, Long Zhan’s ambitions grew boundless.
In the following story, he even overthrew the emperor, ruling supreme!
With three thousand beauties in his harem, he indulged daily without repetition for ten years!
The entire story was an overwhelmingly satisfying fantasy!
Zhao Wujiang, as a reader, found it thrilling.
But now that he had transmigrated into the first minor antagonist to be kicked to death by Long Zhan, his fate was pitiful indeed!
No, he had to change his doomed destiny!
Long Zhan had the protagonist’s aura and luck; clashing head-on was impossible.
The best strategy was to rewrite the plot.
Since Li Yunrui wanted to break the engagement, he might as well not resist, accept it quickly, and send her away. That way, Long Zhan would have no reason to kill him.
The world was vast, beauties were countless. As long as he avoided the women around Long Zhan, he could still live comfortably!
“Zhao Wujiang, come out here this instant!”
Outside, Li Yunrui stormed into the Northern Duke’s residence.
“Crown Prince, the Seventh Princess is about to break in.”
“Crown Prince, shall we tie him up as usual?”
The old steward’s words were overheard by Li Yunrui.
“Tying him up? Such a vile and shameless scoundrel!”
Li Yunrui’s disdain for Zhao Wujiang deepened, confirming her decision to break the engagement was right!
But the next moment—
Smack—
The old steward was slapped by Zhao Wujiang just as he finished speaking.
Now fully awake, Zhao Wujiang stood with a terrifyingly serious expression.
“Am I, Zhao Wujiang, the kind of man who disrespects women? You, worthless servant, are tarnishing my reputation!”
The old steward was dumbfounded, staring in disbelief at Zhao Wujiang...
---
“Your Highness, I’ve tied up no fewer than eighty or a hundred respectable young ladies for you. You can’t betray me just to clear your name!”
“What are you staring at with those shady eyes? You must be scheming again. Drag him away and beat him!”
At Zhao Wujiang’s command, the old steward was dragged off.
To prevent him from revealing too much, Zhao Wujiang even stuffed a shoe into the old man’s mouth.
After these actions,
Zhao Wujiang cleared his throat and approached Li Yunrui.
Today she wore a flowing purple gown that reached the ground, exuding refinement.
The gown cinched at the waist, revealing a slender, delicate waist.
Above that, her figure rose sharply, a breathtaking allure ready to be unleashed.
Indeed, a fine figure and youthful face—no wonder the original Zhao Wujiang had been tempted to drug and assault her.
But now, Zhao Wujiang was a man frighteningly calm and composed.
“My servants’ rudeness has caused the Seventh Princess to take offense. I, the Crown Prince, hereby apologize to you.”
His tone was not exactly perfect, but unusually courteous.
Li Yunrui’s anger softened slightly, a subtle change crossing her face.
Seeing Zhao Wujiang so polite, she was momentarily taken aback before retorting,
“Zhao Wujiang, your reputation is already ruined. Why pretend to be a gentleman? No matter how much you beg today, I will not change my mind!”
Her urgency to break the engagement stemmed from fear that without his father’s backing, Zhao Wujiang would cling to her.
This marriage had originally been arranged by the Northern Duke with her own father.
At that time, the Northern Duke commanded military power, guarding the northern frontier, untouchable and proud!
Even the Li royal family had to tread carefully around him!
To assure the Northern Duke, His Majesty the Emperor agreed to the betrothal.
When Zhao Wujiang’s character matured and he was no longer reckless, the marriage would be held.
But now that the Northern Duke was dead, who would want to grow old with such an immature man?
Outside, the crowd began whispering and speculating.
“If the Crown Prince really breaks the engagement, do you think he’ll starve to death?”
“The Northern Duke’s mansion was mighty, but not enough to cover his profligacy. Now abandoned by the royal family, Zhao Wujiang probably won’t have any romantic adventures left!”
“I think he knows this too. That’s why he’ll cling to the Seventh Princess. What a pity, such a flower planted in manure.”
Hearing the townsfolk’s chatter, Li Yunrui felt wronged.
“Zhao Wujiang, my mind is made up. If you were a real man...”
Her words were cut off abruptly as a voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
[This woman is indeed beautiful, rivaling the stars of the screen, but she can only be admired, never touched—after all, she belongs to Long Zhan!]
[Thinking she will bear Long Zhan’s four children—tsk tsk, merely a breeding tool.]
[What am I thinking? Why isn’t she mocking me anymore? If she dares to mock again, I’ll break off the engagement right away. I’ve read the plot; as long as I avoid Long Zhan’s women, I can still live free and easy here.]
Li Yunrui gazed at Zhao Wujiang in shock—she was certain she could hear his thoughts!