The Mystic Princess is Too Invincible! The Abstinent and Cruel King Breaks His Rules and Pampers Her

"Sit down! Please sit down! Don't be so polite with me!"

The hospitable old lady invited Jiang Ling and Murong Yan into the house and sat them down. Then she turned around and brought over a pot of tea. The tea leaves were just a few tree leaves, and the brewed tea was very light in color, with a faint grassy aroma.

"Have a drink!" The old woman smiled kindly and simply, and sat down opposite them, saying with emotion, "Our village is quite far from the capital, about fifty or sixty miles away! It's getting dark, and there are wolves and bears on the mountain road leading out of the village. If you don't mind, you can stay at my house for the night!"

"Thank you, ma'am. We won't stay for nothing. This is the lodging fee." Jiang Ling took out a silver ingot from her magic bag.

But the old woman absolutely refused to accept it.

She waved her hands repeatedly, shaking her head and sternly refusing: "How can I accept your money! You are guests sent by the River Goddess, honored guests of our village, and we cannot accept your money!"

Upon hearing what the old woman said, a look of surprise and wariness flashed across Jiang Ling's eyes.

She silently exchanged a glance with Murong Yan.

Murong Yan spoke up: "Auntie, you're saying we're guests of the River Goddess?"

"Yup!"

The old woman chuckled and pointed to the Fengjiang River outside the village, "Didn't you say you fell into the water and drifted to our village? This is thanks to the protection of the River Goddess!"

After the old woman finished speaking, she stood up and bowed towards the door, muttering words of gratitude to the River Goddess.

Jiang Ling's eyes darkened.

Murong Yan's phoenix eyes were cold and deep. He asked again, "Auntie, why is your village called River God Village? I... have never heard of such a village near the capital."

“Young man, it’s normal that you don’t know! Our village has a history of three or four hundred years! No matter if there’s war, plague, or bandits outside, they can’t harm our village! With the protection of the River Goddess, our village is well-fed and clothed, and we live a happy life!”

The old woman puffed out her chest and proudly and devoutly introduced, "Our village is named after the River Goddess!"

Upon hearing this, Murong Yan's expression changed.

Jiang Ling chimed in, feigning curiosity and interest, "Auntie, this River Goddess is so powerful! Where do you worship her?"

"In the village! There's a river god temple in our village, which has been built for three or four hundred years!"

The old woman pointed to the interior of River God Village, her eyes darting around. She clapped her hands and laughed, "Young lady, young man, it's fate that you've come! Come on! Let me take you to pay your respects to the River Goddess."

These words were exactly what Jiang Ling wanted to hear.

Before leaving, Jiang Ling specifically asked Murong Yan, "Murong Yan, are you feeling alright? Should I go to the River God Temple and you stay here to rest?"

"No, I'll go with you!"

Murong Yan stood up and took two steps in front of her. "Look, I've almost recovered! Let's go together!"

Jiang Ling nodded and agreed.

Looking up casually, Jiang Ling noticed the old woman's expression was somewhat mischievous and strange. Meeting Jiang Ling's eyes, the old woman immediately grinned warmly and simply, "Little girl, let's go!"

Jiang Ling blinked and followed Murong Yan.

The old woman's house was at the entrance of the village. As we walked further in, we saw many houses, their doors wide open but no one inside, as if they were completely unafraid of being robbed.

Jiang Ling feigned curiosity and asked, "Auntie, where are the villagers?"

"They're all busy at the River God Temple! You've come at the perfect time, the River Goddess is getting married tonight! This is a great joy for our village! You two young people can pray to the River Goddess to bless you so that you can stay together forever!"

The old woman looked at you with pity and said, "If the River Goddess is willing to accept you, you can stay in our village and have children! You won't have to keep running around and being caught."

Jiang Ling: "??"

Murong Yan also sensed something was wrong and frowned as he stared at the old woman: "Auntie, have you misunderstood?"

"Huh? Didn't you two elope and fall into the river?"

The old woman opened her eyes wide, staring at Murong Yan, then at Jiang Ling's face with affection.

It's obvious at a glance that the man comes from an extremely wealthy family. It's a pity the girl is disfigured; how could a wealthy family accept such a daughter-in-law? Forced to separate the lovers, the young couple eloped! Isn't that right?

Murong Yan's face turned cold. He grabbed Jiang Ling's hand, their fingers intertwined, and lifted it up. "Auntie, she is my betrothed! In a few days, it will be our wedding day! We are legally married!"

"Oh, that's good! It's a misunderstanding, Auntie. I'm so sorry." The old lady smiled awkwardly.

Jiang Ling pursed her lips and said nothing.

She tried to pull her hand away, but Murong Yan held on too tightly. He looked down at her, his gaze deep and inexplicably conveying a sense of grievance.

Jiang Ling didn't quite understand. How could Murong Yan, a grown man, care more about titles and status than a woman?

never mind!

If you're going to hold hands, then hold hands. This will prevent any mishaps and the two of you from breaking up.

Jiang Ling relaxed and continued to survey the surrounding houses, gathering information. She turned her head away and didn't see Murong Yan's upturned lips, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction and pleasure.

After walking for a while, we arrived at the River God Temple.

From afar, outside the River God Temple, men, women, and children were all busy at work. Some were slaughtering pigs, chickens, and ducks; others were processing fish and meat; still others were hanging red cloths and colorful lanterns. The division of labor was clear, and everyone was extremely busy.

Someone saw the old lady and called out to greet her.

Then, many villagers looked up and spotted Jiang Ling and Murong Yan.

"Hey! Young man, where did you come from? You're so handsome!"

"That girl's face... oh, what a pity!"

"Aunt Huang, where did they come from?"

The villagers were curious, wary, and suspicious of any ill intentions. But as soon as the old woman said they came from the Fengjiang River, their expressions instantly changed, and they became incredibly welcoming. They had a devout and unconditional faith in the River Goddess.

Jiang Ling's eyes sparkled as she asked, "Auntie, may I go in and take a look?"

"Go on! Remember to offer incense and pray properly when you see the River Goddess. You must not be disrespectful or offend her!" The old woman joined the others in their work and did not go into the temple with them.

"I'll go first!"

Murong Yan stepped forward and used his strong back to protect Jiang Ling.

Jiang Ling glanced at him sideways, smiled slightly, and stepped into the River God Temple.

The temple was built with earthen walls and wooden structures. Two jujube trees stood in the courtyard, their thick trunks and branches estimated to be over three hundred years old—a rare sight indeed. As May approached, the jujube trees sprouted tender, vibrant green buds.

The house was divided into three rooms, with a statue of a deity in the main hall.

Jiang Ling stood before the statue, looking up at it. It was carved from polished bluestone and stood over two meters tall. It depicted a young woman dressed in a coarse linen skirt, her hair pulled back and adorned with a fishbone hairpin. She had delicate and pretty features, with a slight curve at the corners of her mouth.

She held a fishing net in her left hand and a harpoon in her right; she looked like an ordinary fishing village girl.

Jiang Ling felt a pure and powerful force of faith emanating from the statue.

There's still a trace of dragon energy!

Jiang Ling could not hide her surprise; this River Goddess was no ordinary woman!

suddenly!

The statue of the River Goddess moved its eyes. Looking down at Jiang Ling, it stared intently…