Nearly more than thirty princesses from various kingdoms—along with high-ranking nobles—had come and taken part in the test to become the wife of the young King Feng. However, not a single one of them succeeded.
"Are you sure you're all right, Princess?" Feng asked a princess who, for the umpteenth time, was sitting with him in a narrow room.
Feng had just released his fart power in low mode—the lowest level. Yet in the end, the princess became nauseous and fainted from shortness of breath.
"This won't do." Not wanting the princess to die, Feng finally opened the iron door of the room.
"Please—she can't take it either," Feng said as he quickly carried the princess out of the room. He called for a physician to tend to her immediately.
"Physician, please," Queen Liu said. She had been standing by with her maids and the special physicians she had prepared. They immediately took the princess into the treatment room, along with the thirty other princesses who were still being treated and lay helpless there.
"That's enough, Mother. I don't want any more victims. This is too risky," Feng said, wanting to leave. He saluted Queen Liu before departing, clasping his hands in front of his chest and bowing to his mother.
"Feng, wait." Queen Liu still had one strong candidate to become Feng's wife. She herself had found her and had heard much about the kindness, gentleness, and hidden strength beneath this princess's soft demeanor.
Queen Liu quickly grabbed her son's hand as he was about to leave, stopping him. Feng turned to look at his mother with a weary expression.
"One more, I promise. This time, you won't endanger her, Feng. I beg you—just one more. I chose her personally. I know this princess's power."
Feng nodded. He walked back to the room. When he entered, he saw that a woman was already sitting inside.
"Your Majesty King Feng, please accept my respects and greetings. I am Mei Lianhua, from the Hua Kingdom."
A beautiful princess stood up. A translucent veil adorned her lovely face, and her lips were red. She bowed respectfully to Feng, and Feng returned the gesture.
"Please, sit back down, Princess of Hua," Feng said to Mei Lianhua.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Mei Lianhua replied as she sat back down. She dared not look at Feng. Her eyes remained lowered, occasionally glancing at the floor or at Feng's moving footsteps.
Feng closed and locked the door. He knew the Hua Kingdom—Hua meant flower. The princess before him was from the Flower Kingdom. Therefore, there was no doubt she could withstand the foul stench of Feng's fart power.
Feng sat facing Princess Mei Lianhua and asked for permission to begin.
"May I do it now?" Feng asked gently.
The Princess of Hua only nodded. Feng released his fart power at a low to medium level. Princess Hua was not affected at all.
Princesses—or rather, those of the royal lineage of the Flower Kingdom—possessed the power to nourish flowering plants and carried the fragrance of flowers within their bodies. Each of them had their own unique floral scent.
Feng then released his fart power at the highest level. The room shook as if there were an earthquake. The room—and the box in which they were confined—had already been reinforced with spells by Feng's three masters, so it would not be damaged beyond that space.
"Jasmine?" After a long silence inside the narrow, box-like room made of cast iron and stone, Feng finally spoke. He asked the Princess of Hua.
"Osmanthus guihua, Your Majesty, along with jasmine moli hua," Mei Lianhua replied. Her voice swayed gently like a breeze, soothing the heart and ears of anyone who heard it—like a song. Every tone of Mei Lianhua's voice was beautiful.
"How is it possible that you possess two floral scents at once?" Feng asked again. No wonder the Princess of Hua was completely unaffected.
Osmanthus and jasmine were the two most fragrant flowers in their world.
"My mother said that she once carried twins. But my sibling could not survive in the womb. My sibling had the scent of osmanthus, Your Majesty," Princess Hua answered, still keeping her gaze lowered, not daring to look at Feng.
Feng nodded in understanding. "Are you willing to marry me?" he asked hesitantly.
Princess Hua bowed again, clasping her hands and lowering her head as she answered Feng's question. "My mother said that this is indeed my duty, Your Majesty. I cannot evade it or refuse."
"Does that mean you wish to refuse? Have you had a lover, Princess of Hua?"
"No—not like that—" Princess Hua inadvertently looked up and met Feng's eyes, which had been watching her all this time.
Their gazes met and locked for quite a while. Feng and Hua had to remain in the room until the scent of Feng's fart power dissipated, so that when the door was opened, it would not spread throughout the palace.
The lingering stench of Feng's fart power could cause headaches, nosebleeds, or even make people faint.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I did not mean to offend King Feng," Princess Hua said quickly, lowering her gaze again.
Feng felt a little disappointed. The Princess of Hua had beautiful eyes—he wanted to see them. But she always looked down. When Feng looked into her eyes, it felt as though he were hypnotized. They were so calm and serene.
"I have never been involved with another man out there, Your Majesty," she said.
"My mother has instructed me that I must not form romantic ties or grow close to any man outside, except the heir of the Yulancheng Kingdom."
Feng did not reply. He merely stood up. For some reason, Feng felt unsettled. He felt that Princess Hua was being forced to accept her fate and had no choice but to marry him.
But Feng was the same. He could not refuse fate or the will of Heaven. Only one woman could marry him—the princess of the Flower Kingdom. And the Hua Kingdom had only one princess: Mei Lianhua. After her, there was only a prince. It was impossible for Feng to be with a prince from the Hua Kingdom.
"Please, leave this room. You must be short of breath inside, aren't you?" Feng opened the door for Princess Hua.
Princess Hua stood up, still unable to look at Feng. She only nodded and slowly walked out of the narrow room. After that, King Feng followed behind her.
They went to Queen Liu and the Queen of the Hua Kingdom—the mother of Princess Mei Lianhua—who had come personally to escort her daughter for this arranged marriage.
"Your Majesty, how is my daughter?" Princess Hua's mother asked respectfully.
"Mother, I do not wish to marry Princess Mei Lianhua. I refuse this engagement and marriage. Please find someone else. Among their relatives, there must be someone who possesses flower power, right?"
Feng walked away with an irritated expression. Queen Liu tried to chase after her son.
According to the rules and lineage established by the kingdom—based on fate, palm lines, stars, and prophecies—Princess Mei Lianhua could not be rejected by the king of the Yulancheng Kingdom. If she were rejected, the reputation of both the kingdom and Princess Mei would be destroyed.
Marriage was also the highest form of alliance between kingdoms. Mei's father himself was gravely ill. They needed someone strong to protect the Hua Kingdom.