Marriage Alliance? The Crown Prince is Frail, You Must Work Hard! There's Definitely Something Fishy!

As these words fell, Prince Xue Xing, who had been standing to the side looking perfectly composed, felt his gaze suddenly sharpen.

He whipped his head around to look at Qian Renxue, a surge of irrepressible shock churning in the depths of his eyes.

He had been completely unaware of this information!

And Dugu Bo was supposed to be on his side!

What was he doing at the Crown Prince's Residence?

Instantly, alarm bells rang out in his heart.

Could it be... a marriage alliance?

Had his granddaughter Dugu Yan taken a fancy to Xue Qinghe?!

Qian Renxue naturally knew that Dugu Bo had come to see her to have his poison treated, but she certainly could not say that.

Therefore, she wore an expression of perfectly measured confusion and surprise, and replied in a vague tone:

"This son has only just returned and does not know why His Excellency Poison Douluo seeks this son out."

"Hmm, in that case, you should head back now!"

"Do not keep Poison Douluo waiting for too long!"

Emperor Xue Ye cast a rather complex look at Qian Renxue.

He set down his teacup and waved his hand to signal for the two of them to withdraw.

When he first heard the report from his scouts, he had been startled as well.

He knew Dugu Bo's temperament all too well.

Unruly, solitary, and not even necessarily willing to give face to him, the Emperor.

For him to wait quietly from early morning until now was simply inconceivable!

This was no small matter; it was a clear issue of political alignment!

Previously, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was closer to Xue Qinghe, while the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was closer to Prince Xue Xing, and on the surface, Xue Qinghe held the upper hand.

But with Dugu Bo as a nominal imperial consultant, the two sides were considered evenly matched.

This was also his method of balancing the various factions.

But now, the scales were beginning to tilt.

He hesitated, wondering if he should intervene in secret to balance the two factions.

Yet, thinking of Dugu Bo's reclusive nature, he feared he might achieve the opposite of his intentions.

Emperor Xue Ye leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples.

Because he was preoccupied with these thoughts, he barely noticed when Qian Renxue and Prince Xue Xing took their leave.

It was not until a familiar, yet somewhat irritating voice rang out that he snapped back to reality.

"Imperial Father!"

"I heard that Imperial Brother has returned, so why do I not see him here?"

A young man with a somewhat dazed look in his eyes and the faint scent of rouge about him asked, swaying his head from side to side.

As soon as Emperor Xue Ye opened his eyes

and saw this thing, his temper flared straight to the top of his head.

"Hmph, you good-for-nothing scoundrel!"

He snatched up the teacup from the table and splashed the tea, cup and all, right over Xue Beng's head and face.

Those dazed eyes instantly became clear!

"Imperial Father, calm your anger! This son knows his crime!"

"I beg Imperial Father to punish me! This son will never dare to do it again!"

With a loud slap, Xue Beng fell to his knees, his entire body trembling.

Emperor Xue Ye had originally intended to vent his rage, but seeing him like this, and thinking of how he only had these two sons left to his name, he could not bring himself to be cruel.

That he had turned out this way was, in the final analysis, partly due to his own indulgence over the years!

"Sigh, get out of here!"

He waved his hand, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

However, just as Xue Beng reached the doorway, Emperor Xue Ye, for reasons unknown, suddenly said lightly: "The Crown Prince is often ill; you must strive to assist him!"

Xue Beng's footsteps faltered.

His gaze cleared for a fleeting moment.

Then, he reverted to his usual playboy persona, nodding and bowing as he took his leave.

"Uncle's residence does not seem to be on the same route as mine, does it?"

Leaving the Imperial Palace, Qian Renxue looked at Prince Xue Xing, who had been following her, and frowned slightly.

"Hehehe, Senior Dugu and I are old acquaintances, and we haven't seen each other in a long time. Upon learning he was at the Crown Prince's Residence, I naturally had to pay him a visit."

Prince Xue Xing said with a beaming smile.

How could he just stand by and watch his own ally lean toward Qian Renxue for no apparent reason?

Dugu Bo had slipped into the Crown Prince's Residence early in the morning without even sending him a word.

The whole affair felt suspicious no matter how he looked at it.

Regardless, he had to see for himself and determine if there was still any room to salvage the situation.

"Oh? That would be wonderful."

Qian Renxue sneered inwardly, though her tone remained polite, "I have heard that Senior Dugu has a rather difficult temper. With an old friend like you present, even if I were to be impolite later, I trust Senior Dugu will not hold it against me for your sake, right?"

"That is only natural, naturally—"

Prince Xue Xing's smile stiffened slightly.

Dugu Bo?

The man had never once given him a pleasant look.

But since the words were already out, he could only bite the bullet and follow.

Seeing the other party so persistent and thick-skinned, Qian Renxue sneered internally and stopped trying to drive him away, turning to board her carriage.

The Crown Prince's Residence was right next to the Imperial Palace, so it took only the time it takes to brew a cup of tea for them to arrive.

The two stepped into the main hall one after the other.

Before Qian Renxue could even speak, two figures rose from their seats and hurried forward to greet them.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Dugu Bo cupped his hands and bowed slightly.

Behind him, Dugu Yan followed suit with a graceful bow. As her purple hair fell, she stole a glance at Qian Renxue, her eyes filled with confusion.

She had met Xue Qinghe many times, but she had never seen her grandfather act with such solemnity.

Early this morning, before the sun had even risen, her grandfather had dragged her out of bed, repeatedly instructing her to be exceptionally respectful when meeting the Crown Prince. He wouldn't say why, leaving her full of questions.

Standing behind Qian Renxue, Prince Xue Xing witnessed this scene as if he had seen a ghost.

Since when had this old Poison Douluo become so courteous?

There was a problem!

There was absolutely a problem!

"Senior Poison Douluo, Miss Dugu, there is no need for such formalities. Please, sit, please sit!"

Qian Renxue hurriedly stepped forward to help them up, "It is my rudeness that kept the two of you waiting!"

"Dare not, dare not. It is we who have been presumptuous!"

Dugu Bo waved his hands repeatedly.

"Senior Dugu--"

Prince Xue Xing finally caught a gap and leaned in, wanting to interject and offer a greeting.

Unexpectedly, the moment Dugu Bo saw him approach, the smile on his face instantly turned cold.

"Oh? Prince Xue Xing is here too?"

Dugu Bo glanced at him indifferently, his tone cold as he said, "This old man has matters to discuss with His Highness the Crown Prince today, so please excuse yourself!"

Although Dugu Bo had an eccentric and solitary personality, he was not stupid.

That mysterious lord had already given instructions for him to go to the Crown Prince's Residence to retrieve the antidote.

Regardless of whether that lord was a person of the Heaven Dou Empire, it was clear that they were inclined toward the Crown Prince.

Therefore, regarding the hostile faction of Prince Xue Xing, he naturally had to make his stance clear and draw a line.

In any case, his relationship with Xue Xing was merely transactional and had long since been settled, so he felt no psychological burden!

"Ah... hehehe... I see, I see!"

Prince Xue Xing let out several dry laughs in succession, "I was also... just passing by. I didn't know you and the Crown Prince still had matters to discuss. I have truly disturbed you; I shall take my leave now, I shall take my leave!"

The hand inside his sleeve was already tightly clenched into a fist, yet he still wore a smile as he found a way to save face, stepping backward out of the main hall one step at a time.

Standing outside the courtyard, Prince Xue Xing gazed through the window at the figures inside the hall, his face instantly turning livid.

Who was he?

The younger brother of Emperor Xue Ye!

Even Ning Fengzhi had to treat him with courtesy when they met!

He never expected to be kicked aside by this old thing today.

"Old thing, you just wait!"

"To dare show me such disrespect--"

"I..."

What could he do?

Dugu Bo was a lone wolf, and his only weakness was Dugu Yan, but she was his reverse scale—whoever touched her would die!

And while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan both held Dugu Bo in contempt, they would never turn against him over this.

After all, Dugu Bo was the kind of existence who could truly wipe out an entire sect in a fit of rage!

Thinking of this, Prince Xue Xing was filled with both anger and resentment, yet with nowhere to vent, he could only let out a cold snort and flick his sleeves as he departed.