Shu Ning stood before the Jiao Clan’s palace, head tilted back to gaze at the glazed tile roof that soared into the clouds.
Sunlight refracted through the tiles, casting a rainbow of colors that made her eyes ache.
She subconsciously tightened her grip on Mo Li’s sleeve, feeling a thin layer of sweat form in her palm.
“Don’t be afraid,” Mo Li said, gently patting the back of her hand.
His voice was soft and gentle.
Shu Ning was stunned.
‘Is…
is this really Mo Li?’
But that gentleness was shattered the moment they stepped into the main hall.
“Third Brother, is this your female?”
A mocking voice drifted out from within the hall.
Shu Ning looked up and saw a man dressed in black beast hides leaning against a jade pillar.
He bore a strong resemblance to Mo Li, but his aura was sharper and more severe.
This was the Second Prince, Mo Jue.
Mo Jue’s gaze raked over Shu Ning’s body, finally settling on her round, ugly cheeks.
“Tsk, tsk, a female of this tonnage…
How do you have the face to come to our Jiao Clan?
Why don’t you look down?
The floor is shiny enough for you to see your reflection.”
A wave of scattered snickers rippled through the hall.
Shu Ning’s cheeks burned as if she’d been slapped in public.
She lowered her head and saw her beast-hide shoes shuffling restlessly against each other beneath the hem of her own beast-hide skirt.
Xiao Chong and the other Wolf Clan Beastmen wore dark, furious expressions.
While Shu Ning was indeed not very impressive, she was, at the end of the day, the daughter of the Wolf Clan’s Holy Female.
Yet now, in another clan’s territory, they had to listen to such humiliating words.
“Second Brother,” Mo Li’s voice turned cold.
“Watch your words.”
For some reason, even though Mo Li didn’t like Shu Ning, he still felt a pang of displeasure hearing someone speak so rudely to his female in public.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Mo Jue straightened up and walked slowly to stand before Shu Ning.
“An ugly, fat female is worthy of being the Princess Consort of our Jiao Clan?
Third Brother, has the foul air of the Wolf Clan muddled your mind?”
Shu Ning felt her heart clench painfully.
She had long known that the Jiao Clan judged people by their appearance, but she never expected them to be so blunt.
She remembered how, back in the Wolf Clan, Mo Li was always unwilling to look at her.
Even when he did, his gaze was filled with disgust.
‘I see now,’ she thought.
‘My very presence embarrasses him.’
“Enough!” Mo Li pulled Shu Ning behind him.
“Shu Ning is my female.
I will not allow anyone to insult her.”
Hearing Mo Li’s words, Shu Ning was once again stunned.
“Heh, how protective,” Mo Jue sneered.
“That is enough!”
Just then, a middle-aged female with a dignified yet kind expression entered the main hall with a steady gait.
Passing by Shu Ning, she took her hand and asked with concern, “You’ve come such a long way.
You must be tired.”
“Someone, bring a seat.”
Shu Ning looked at the middle-aged female holding her hands.
She wore a golden crown and gilt robes.
Her skin was snow-white and smooth, and her face had flawless, elegant lines.
Though middle-aged, her peerless beauty remained.
This must be the Jiao Clan’s Queen, Canglan—Mo Li’s mother.
‘No wonder Mo Li is so handsome!’
Shu Ning couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
Canglan saw that Shu Ning’s ugly and overweight appearance was not far from the rumors, and then she glanced at her son, Mo Li, who stood to the side.
A guilty look flickered in her eyes.
But she was the one who had ordered Mo Li to be sent for the political marriage, so she had to do her best to make Shu Ning’s stay here comfortable, hoping that she would treat her son well in the future.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Shu Ning said.
“Oh, Your Majesty, we came in such a hurry today that we didn’t prepare any grand gifts.
Please don’t look down on these humble offerings.”
With that, she signaled for the accompanying Wolf Clan Beastmen to open their bundles.
The moment dozens of bundles were opened, everyone in the hall found it impossible to remain seated.
“Could these be the legendary Xuan Crystal Stones?!” one of the elders was the first to realize, exclaiming excitedly.
Hearing this, Mo Jue and Canglan were visibly shaken.
The gems, illuminated by the faint sunlight filtering into the hall, burst forth with a kaleidoscopic radiance.
Among the Jiao Clan, some gems possessed healing abilities, some could enhance strength, and others could soothe emotions…
Different gems had different effects, and not all of them possessed a Special Ability.
“In all my long life…
COUGH COUGH COUGH…
I have never seen a real Xuan Crystal Stone!” the elder said, his voice trembling with excitement.
“Is this real?!
Are they really Xuan Crystal Stones?
The legendary kind that not only have healing properties that can help the Jiao Clan recover stamina, heal wounds, and purify the body, but can also increase combat power severalfold by absorbing their energy, and even maintain youth and slow aging?!”
Mo Jue pushed his way disbelievingly through the crowd of Jiao People already gathered around the pile of Xuan Crystal Stones.
Seeing the very real stones before him, he questioned, “These can’t be fakes, can they!”
“Yeah, they couldn’t be counterfeits, could they…” someone in the crowd immediately chimed in.
After all, how could a treasure like the Xuan Crystal Stone be discovered so easily?
At that moment, Canglan walked over, picked up one of the Crystal Stones, and gently placed it against her forehead.
She closed her eyes and activated it with her mind.
Instantly, a multicolored light radiated from her entire body, and her overall condition seemed to improve significantly.
After receiving the Xuan Crystal Stone’s energy, she felt as if an old ailment had been healed.
Her entire body felt incredibly light, and her own energy had increased severalfold.
“They are real Xuan Crystal Stones,” Canglan confirmed.
In an instant, all the Jiao People present erupted—
“They’re real!
They’re real!
They’re really Xuan Crystal Stones!”
“I never expected the Third Prince’s female to be so capable!
But where on earth did she get them?”
“Yeah, she’s amazing!”
“Yeah, but the way we treated her just now…”
…
Thinking about how they had all mocked her just moments ago, many of them had awkward expressions on their faces.
At this moment, the person with the ugliest expression was the Second Prince.
His earlier remarks had not only publicly humiliated Shu Ning, but had also put his younger brother, Mo Li, in an awkward position.
“Um, my apologies.
I want to apologize for my earlier comments!
After all, the rumors said you were lazy and…
and incredibly tyrannical.
I was just trying to save face for our Jiao Clan.
It was my mistake.”
“Hehehe…
It’s…
it’s all right.” Shu Ning gave a bitter smile.
‘This turnaround is a little too fast.’
But she didn’t want to cause any more trouble.
After all, the previous Shu Ning had certainly been a real headache.
Shu Ning hadn’t expected that these gems, which seemed so ordinary to her, would have such an effect.
No wonder Mo Li had been so calm earlier.
She turned her head to look at Mo Li, who was standing beside her.
He was still as calm as ever.
In truth, from the moment they opened the bundles, he had anticipated this reaction.
He was just enjoying the show from the sidelines.
But as everyone praised Shu Ning, the corners of his mouth curved up slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.
“Ningning, we love your gift.
For now, why don’t you all go and rest?
I’ll have someone call you when the evening banquet begins.”
Canglan instructed.
“Mo Li, you come with me.”
Afterward, Shu Ning and her accompanying Wolf Clan Beastmen were shown to their quarters.
Meanwhile, Canglan took Mo Li and the Xuan Crystal Stones to the Eldest Prince’s bedchambers.