The Aggrieved Little Zhu Zhuqing, You Did Nothing Wrong

Song Wuyou had never imagined that one day, as an Imperial Supporter, he would be reduced to a powerless scapegoat.

The Netherworld Duke's gaze was indifferent. Even when he noticed the anger in Song Wuyou's eyes, he showed no reaction, merely saying leisurely,

"Song Gongfeng, do not let an individual's actions affect the Pope's impression of our Star Luo Royal Family."

With those words, the Netherworld Duke had clearly separated Song Wuyou from the Star Luo Royal Family.

The implication was that the Star Luo Royal Family had never yielded because of Pei An or Spirit Hall. They were merely correcting a subordinate supporter's erroneous "personal actions."

Seeing this, Song Wuyou took a deep breath. He knew that whether he wanted to shoulder today's responsibility or not, he had no choice but to do so.

Otherwise, if the situation worsened, not only the Netherworld Duke, but even His Majesty would not spare him.

Integrity...

Before one's life, it was not worth mentioning. At least, that was true for him.

"Pope, I handled this improperly. I hope the Pope, in his magnanimity, will not hold it against me."

Song Wuyou lowered his head and chose to apologize to Pei An of his own accord.

Pei An did not state his position. He merely waved a hand lightly and led Ning Rongrong away.

His calm voice drifted over on the breeze. "Remember, I do not wish to see any more eyes."

Song Wuyou was truly rather pitiful.

He had never wanted to cross paths with Pei An in the first place. It was only for the royal family's dignity that he had no choice but to confront Pei An head-on.

Yet in the end, he had to lower his head to Pei An for the sake of the royal family.

It had only been a simple matter of gathering information, born from the Star Luo Emperor's unease, but it had developed into this.

Pei An had used the opportunity to establish his authority once again, while the Star Luo Royal Family had preserved its royal dignity.

The price was merely one dead supporter, while another had lost face and taken the blame.

The Netherworld Duke lightly patted Song Wuyou's shoulder as he stood there with his head lowered in silence. Leaving behind the words, "His Majesty will remember your contribution," he strode away.

Song Wuyou's expression turned bitter.

He did not know whether His Majesty would remember his contribution, but he was certain that since he had taken this blame, there would definitely be punishment afterward to make it seem real.

Even if it was merely a superficial verbal reprimand, Song Wuyou still felt miserable.

He had diligently carried out his orders and forced himself to confront the Judgement Douluo for the royal family's dignity. In the end, not only had he gained nothing, he had even lost face.

His emotions were indescribably complicated at the moment, and he was already faintly considering retiring to the countryside.

But an Imperial Supporter was not a position one could simply resign from whenever one wished.

Not far away.

When the little girl in black saw the Netherworld Duke leave, she called out, "Father," and hurried after him on her Short Legs.

But the Netherworld Duke did not acknowledge her. Without slowing his pace, he vanished from sight in the span of a few breaths.

Today's battle between Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi had affected many people, and the Netherworld Duke was one of them.

Dai Mubai no longer had any chance of victory.

That was the Netherworld Duke's final conclusion.

The royal family raised its heirs through a brutal competition, and the Star Luo Zhu Family, which had intermarried with the royal family for generations, followed the same brutal system.

Dai Mubai's chances of competing for the throne were infinitesimal. Thus, Zhu Zhuqing, whose fate had been bound to his, had lost her value as well.

Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Awakening result was decent, but it was not enough to change his judgment.

The Netherworld Duke would not waste his attention or time on someone without value.

Even if that person was his biological daughter.

Just like the Star Luo Royal Family, the Zhu Family had long since smothered such things as familial affection beneath the passage of time.

Little Zhu Zhuqing stopped, panting heavily. Her father's figure was no longer visible through her blurred vision.

An intense sense of grievance surged into her heart, and the tears gathering in her eyes fell like beans.

Little Zhu Zhuqing squatted on the ground, hugging her knees with both hands and burying her head between her legs as she sobbed softly.

She did not understand what had happened for her father's attitude to suddenly become so cold.

He was clearly her biological father, yet he would not even stop and wait for her.

At that moment, Little Zhu Zhuqing was like an abandoned kitten, her mind filled with confusion and helplessness.

Her tiny body curled up a little tighter, trembling faintly.

"Why? Why are you treating me like this..."

"What did Zhuqing do wrong? Zhuqing can change..."

She was so aggrieved and confused that even breathing became difficult.

"No, you did nothing wrong."

A gentle voice sounded beside her ear.

"But if Zhuqing did nothing wrong, why is Father treating Zhuqing like that?" Little Zhu Zhuqing choked out.

"Because of rules and character."

"That is the Zhu Family's rule. In their eyes, losers are less than a speck of dust by the roadside."

"You did nothing wrong today, but Dai Mubai, whom they forcibly bound to you, lost. So you became the loser by default as well."

"I do not know what kind of person the Netherworld Duke truly is, but in a family governed by such a brutal system of competition, familial affection seems exceptionally precious."

Little Zhu Zhuqing's trembling gradually eased.

She raised her head. Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw a face whose features she could not make out clearly.

"But I don't want to be a loser. I don't want to be abandoned!"

"Then you must rely on yourself."

"They forcibly bound you to him, but you have your own will. As long as you become strong enough, the Shackles binding you will naturally shatter in an instant."

"The Netherworld Duke, the Star Luo Emperor—none of them have the final say over everything in this world. The rules they set are only useful against those bound by them."

"As long as you are strong enough, those rules become meaningless."

Each sentence struck Little Zhu Zhuqing's young heart like a heavy hammer.

She recalled everything she had just witnessed.

Her father, who was imposing, lofty, and impossible to defy, had seemed like a different person before that man in White Robe.

She had never seen him lower himself like that.

Even His Majesty, whom everyone spoke of with reverence and fear, seemed unwilling to offend that man.

Little Zhu Zhuqing seemed to understand something.

Was it because of strength...?

Her father and His Majesty both had people they could not control.

Then why could she not become one of them?

A thought took root like a seed in the soil of Little Zhu Zhuqing's heart.

The hope might be slim, but she did not want to become a discarded loser without taking any action at all.

Little Zhu Zhuqing gently wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up.

Her body was still tiny, yet she seemed to have grown up considerably in that instant.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Once her vision had cleared, she lowered her hand and looked over, wanting to see who the voice belonged to.

But with just one glance, Little Zhu Zhuqing's body stiffened slightly, as though she had seen something unbelievable.

White clothes, glass-like eyes, flawless and exquisite features, and the pink-haired girl beside him in a white Princess Dress...

Wasn't this the important figure she had seen from afar, the one whom even the Imperial Supporter and her father feared?

Her black eyes reflected those glass-like irises.

For a moment, Little Zhu Zhuqing stood there in a daze.