Chapter 175 – Brutal Beastman Marshal vs. White Lotus, Black Lotus, Pitiful Plant Prince (02)
After reading the plot, it was clear that Mu Jin’s identity was that of the pitiable fifth prince, who was rumored to have been tortured to death by the brutal marshal, Cromwell.
However, with an omniscient perspective and the ability to integrate original memories, Mu Jin realized that the story of the original owner differed somewhat from the main plot.
Ironically, plant people regarded beastmen as uncivilized brutes, considering themselves the superior species on the continent. Yet, beastmen were mostly loyal to their partners, while plant people were often fickle.
The emperor of the Plant People had many concubines, and the original host’s mother wasn’t even one of them. She was merely a slave girl whom the emperor had favored on a whim.
This slave girl came from a remote region, and she was the last of her tribe. Shortly after giving birth to the original host, she died, leaving no one to know his lineage. The original host was considered unattractive in his plant form and lacked flowers, making him an unwelcome presence as the fifth prince.
Life in the palace was tough for the original host, and he was ultimately sent to the Beastman Empire to marry the brutal marshal.
Since the story was from the protagonist’s perspective, there were secrets unknown to him. From what Mu Jin learned, the original host was not as simple and naive as the protagonist thought. Surviving in the deep palace, purity was a rare trait.
Others might not know, but Mu Jin was very familiar with the original host’s plant form because it was his own body—the Black Fern.
In folklore, the Black Fern is known for its ability to cure many illnesses. In this world, its properties were greatly amplified. The original host’s medical talent surpassed most Plant People, and his mental strength was at an S-level, marking him as a genius.
He had been hiding his unique abilities, trying desperately to escape the royal family.
Although born into the Plant People’s royalty, the original host had no affection for it. The royal family had long since decayed and had been oppressing the commoners for years. If not for their abundant resources and strong defenses, they wouldn’t have maintained their façade of prosperity for so long.
Life improved for the original host after he met the protagonist, Bai Qian. Through Bai Qian, he learned about the outside world, which he longed to explore.
From a young age, the original host suspected that his mother’s death was not simple. He pretended to be obedient while secretly investigating. To survive, he aligned himself with the second prince of the Plant Empire.
From the second prince, the original host discovered that the empress dowager had killed his mother. The empress dowager considered his mother, a lowly slave without a flower form, a disgrace, and poisoned her to death.
Upon learning this, the original host was determined to seek revenge. He acted obediently, preparing soothing soups for the empress dowager daily. However, he used his knowledge of pharmacology to add slow-acting substances that would gradually weaken his mind and body, eventually confining his to bed.
But before the effects of his soup could fully manifest, he was ordered to marry. Aware of the brutal marshal’s reputation, he didn’t want to fall into such a trap. The second prince, Mu Chen, reassured him and promised to find a way to help.
However, the second prince’s words were just that—words. He did nothing to actually help. After seeking help from the second prince to no avail, the original host had no choice but to flee the palace with Bai Qian. When they were captured and returned, the original host realized he could not escape the arranged marriage.
Just as he was about to resign himself to his fate, he unexpectedly discovered that the second prince had been deceiving him all along. It was the second prince, Mu Chen, who suggested the marriage, intending to send him to the Beastman Empire as a spy.
Mu Chen had great ambitions; he not only wanted to become the emperor of the Plant Empire but also coveted the Beastman Empire. He saw sending the original host away as a strategic move.
Additionally, the original host’s mother was killed by Mu Chen’s mother. Mu Chen’s mother was extremely jealous and often tormented the lower-ranked concubines in the palace.
The original host’s mother, merely a slave girl occasionally favored by the emperor, couldn’t escape her persecution. She died shortly after giving birth to the original host.
The original host then realized he had been deceived all along. The second prince had framed the empress dowager, claiming she killed his mother because she supported the eldest princess, Mu Ya.
With the empress dowager now mentally weakened and close to death, the original host was no longer useful in the palace. Mu Chen naturally looked for other ways to use him.
Realizing he had been used all this time, the original host felt deep resentment. Before leaving, he requested to see the second prince, seizing the opportunity to attack Mu Chen’s mental sea with all his mental power.
Although the original host’s mental power was at an S-level, Mu Chen’s was at 2S. The surprise attack severely injured the second prince, but the original host was killed on the spot by the guards.
Thus, the original host was already dead after assassinating the second prince. In the original timeline, the fifth prince who married the Beastman Empire’s marshal was likely someone else. What kind of person the second prince found to replace the original host was unknown to Mu Jin.
In the final storyline, Bai Qian’s determination to invade the Plant Empire stemmed from learning the truth about the original host’s death. Growing up together with his childhood friend who met a tragic end, Bai Qian couldn’t let the now emperor, the second prince, go unpunished.
He launched an attack on the Plant Empire, vowing to avenge the original host. Although he ultimately killed the second prince, the original host could never come back.
After thoroughly understanding the plot, Mu Jin realized Bai Qian truly cared for the original host. The original host also genuinely treated Bai Qian like his own brother. Growing up together, they were each other’s only support, but fate cruelly separated them.
The original host’s wish was that if he could live again, he wouldn’t let others trample on him. He wanted to control his own destiny and hoped Bai Qian would find happiness.
The original host didn’t know all that Bai Qian had done for him after his death. He was haunted by the thought of dragging Bai Qian into his troubles.
Mu Jin found the original host’s wish easy to fulfill. As a member of the Plant Empire’s royal family, he already had the status to become someone of importance. Knowing Bai Qian through the original host’s memories, Mu Jin knew Bai Qian was a peaceful person who didn’t enjoy fighting.
Bai Qian only attacked the Plant Empire out of a desperate need for revenge. In this life, Mu Jin would prevent the original host’s tragedy. He decided to become the emperor of the Plant Empire himself.
As for Bai Qian, Mu Jin planned to help him avoid unnecessary hardships and not be consumed by loneliness and hatred. After losing his adoptive father and best friend, Bai Qian became gloomy, a change the original host would have never wanted to see.