Lady of the Lord From the East

[Edited] Chapter 5

Wei Wei decided not to dwell on Felix's odor, realizing it wasn't as bothersome as others'. Upon accepting Felix's invitation, she found herself accompanying him to meet the other knights and prepare for their departure from the forest.

The journey was quite lengthy, and Felix offered to take her on a horse. After confirming with her system, Wei Wei timidly mentioned that she could ride a horse. Swiftly, she mounted one and rode off into the woods.

She retrieved a slender, delicate silver whistle—a tool used to summon mounts in the game. What was once just a game effect had now become real. With a gentle blow, a tall, white horse emerged from the woods.

Even Felix and the horse-savvy knights were mesmerized by the sight. The sudden appearance of the white horse resembled a mythical unicorn, radiating incredible beauty.

Upon closer inspection, the white horse appeared to be a superb mount fit for the battlefield. It stopped beside Wei Wei, towering over her, and nuzzled her affectionately.

Even though it was Wei Wei's first encounter with the horse named "Jade Lion," she felt a sense of familiarity, recalling how she had purchased it in the game at a high price and nurtured it from a young pony. Happily, she reached out to touch the white horse's face.

The Jade Lion gracefully knelt, signaling for its master to mount. Though Wei Wei wasn't entirely confident, she trusted the system and took a deep breath before mounting the horse.

In the game "Reincarnation," riding postures differed between genders—men straddled, while women adopted a more ladylike side-saddle position. While this was common in the East, it was a standard lady-riding position in the West but not ideal for forest riding.

Felix gestured for a follower to assist Wei Wei, but as the person approached, Wei Wei held her breath and the Jade Lion snorted disapprovingly, stepping back in disgust.

As the follower approached, Wei Wei noticed a strong, unpleasant odor emanating from him. When he stood in front of the wind, it hit her like a blast of heat on a sweltering day. The combination of sweat and rural scents was more pungent than even the old lady's foot wraps.

Comparatively, the sweat and blood smell from Felix, which she had disliked previously, now seemed almost fragrant.

The system chuckled at her predicament, remarking, [Who told you to choose this body? The female doctor is skilled in medicine, and her senses are heightened. You can detect things others can't.]

With a stiff expression, Wei Wei declined the follower's assistance in leading the horse. "I'm confident in my riding abilities."

Recalling that she had mentioned escaping overnight on horseback, Felix nodded and dismissed the entourage.

During the journey, Felix slowed the pace to accommodate the lone lady in the group because they needed to retrieve a wild boar they had hunted. Wei Wei reassured of her riding skills, focused on controlling the Jade Lion to keep pace with Felix's horse, avoiding the discomfort of the odorous follower behind her.

Felix took this in stride and engaged Wei Wei in conversation along the way, discussing her acceptance of Sardinson County.

Wei Wei listened attentively, benefitting from her time-travel adventures which had made her fluent in the local language, speaking with an authentic aristocratic pronunciation that even earned praise from Felix.

"Miss Weiwei has made remarkable progress; your command of our language is impeccable," Felix commended.

Although there were numerous countries in the Western Continent, they shared a common noble language spoken throughout. Felix, having experienced a similar journey, had corrected his own pronunciation upon entering the capital. Wei Wei, feeling a bit guilty, attributed her fluency to learning from others during her travels, which didn't raise suspicion but only admiration from Felix for Miss Dongfang's beauty, courage, and intelligence.

Due to their hunt's delay and Wei Wei's preferential treatment, the group took longer than expected to exit the forest. When they finally emerged, they beheld endless farmlands and grasslands dotted with rugged clothing-clad people farming and herding. Scattered, rundown houses and huts contrasted with a magnificent, towering castle in the distance.

As Felix's team appeared, they caught the locals' attention. Wei Wei's enhanced hearing allowed her to pick up snippets of their conversations from afar.

"The count has returned from hunting."

"What a massive wild boar! I'm glad I didn't venture into the woods today."

"Look, there's a young lady with the Count!"

"I didn't see her this morning."

"Her dress is so pretty."

The residents' eyesight wasn't as keen as Wei Wei's; they could only discern her distinctive clothing from a distance, immediately identifying it as expensive and luxurious. In China, there's a saying, "Respect the clothes first, then the people," and seeing Wei Wei's attire, everyone naturally assumed she was of noble birth. Ordinary people couldn't afford such fine fabrics, let alone wear such fancy clothes.

Wei Wei remained composed upon hearing the discussions about her and the speculations regarding her identity. Being chosen as the school beauty had accustomed her to such gazes. She knew she wouldn't be getting just a small amount of attention anyway.

Although the road leading to the castle had been patched up, it was still a basic dirt path. Thankfully, recent dry weather in Sardinson prevented it from becoming muddy, but the omnipresent cattle and horse droppings still made her frown.

While Wei Wei wasn't well-versed in the Middle Ages' history, she had some knowledge of the Western Continent's dark past during this period. Westerners were notoriously unhygienic, evident not only in their lack of bathing but also in their disregard for waste management.

In the Eastern Continent of this era, such unsanitary conditions likely wouldn't have been tolerated. However, in the West, people didn't bother with collecting manure, leading to its haphazard disposal along the roads.

Even in renowned cities like Paris, the accumulation of waste under its walls during the twelfth century was so significant that enemies could use it to scale the walls. The city's hygiene was appalling, with residents freely dumping dung water onto the streets, and even nobles exhibited poor hygiene practices, including urinating wherever convenient, even within palace walls.

Legend has it that high heels were invented partly to avoid stepping in such filth on the streets.

Considering the Eastern Continent's war between the Southern Song Dynasty and the Great Mongolian Empire, it's likely that the Western side is in the middle to late twelfth century. Wei Wei wasn't sure if this world mirrored the 12th century she knew, but her experiences along the way strongly suggested so—stench-ridden servants, dung-filled roads, and moats brimming with filth.

As they approached the castle, a noxious odor akin to a putrid gutter overwhelmed Wei Wei, nearly suffocating her. The stone structure seemed more like a building atop a cesspool, leaving her incredulous that Felix and his companions could tolerate living there comfortably.

The drawbridge lowered upon spotting Felix's team, and the young Count gestured proudly, inviting the elegant lady—Wei Wei—inside. "Welcome to Fort Sardinson," he declared.

In her mind, Wei Wei couldn't help but entertain thoughts of regret. Was it too late to opt for death? She felt like fleeing (╯#-Dish-)╯~~╧═╧