Chapter 85
After Xiao Minghuang took her seat, King Wu'an said he had something to attend to and hurriedly left.
A short while later...
Then another prince arrived.
Xiao Minghuang looked up and saw a handsome young man walk into the hall.
"Fifth Prince, it's been many years since we last met; you're even more handsome than before!"
As soon as the young man stepped into the Wu'an King's Residence, a group of ministers surrounded him.
Xiao Minghuang gazed at the crowded people from afar, her eyes flashing slightly.
The Emperor Xia had eight sons and one daughter. Apart from the Seventh Prince and Eighth Prince princes who were killed by her, there were six sons remaining.
She had already met the Second Prince.
She had only met the Fifth Prince a few times when she was young; they weren't particularly close, but they also had no conflicts.
On a whim, she brought up the system panel.
[Name: Xiao Yuan]
[Realm: Peak Qi Refining Realm]
[Destiny/Fate: Unyielding (Purple), Spear Dao Prodigy (Blue)]
Throughout history, those who have achieved great things have never had a smooth journey or achieved their goals through mere wishful thinking. They have had to fight a hundred battles and suffer a hundred defeats, and then fight a hundred battles and finally succeed!
Spear Dao Prodigy, achieving twice the results with half the effort in practicing spear skills.
Upon seeing the Fifth Prince's Destiny/Fate, Xiao Minghuang's expression froze.
"This Fifth Prince seems to be quite extraordinary..."
It was around this time.
After exchanging pleasantries with his old acquaintances, the Fifth Prince entered the main hall and immediately saw Xiao Minghuang, dressed in a bright yellow gown, exuding elegance and refined grace.
His expression faltered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure, walked forward slowly, and bowed, saying:
"It's been so many years, Ninth Sister has grown even more beautiful!"
Xiao Minghuang smiled faintly and said softly:
"Sixth Brother is also looking increasingly dashing and imposing!"
Hearing Xiao Minghuang's praise, the Fifth Prince smiled faintly and said:
"I just heard them say that Ninth Sister is now Princess Ziwei. It seems that the position of Crown Prince will most likely fall to Ninth Sister!"
After exchanging compliments, the two men took their seats.
109. Blessed with Natural Advantages, with a Flawless Sword Heart
As time went by, the scene inside the Prince's mansion gradually became lively.
After the Fifth Prince arrived, the other princes also arrived one after another.
Their arrival also attracted the attention of many people.
However, the ripples they caused were far less than those caused by Xiao Minghuang's arrival.
Even compared to the Fifth Prince, he is far inferior.
After all, the Fifth Prince had been away from the capital for a long time. Since the age of twelve, he had been traveling and studying abroad and had not joined any faction.
Among the princes of the Great Xia Kingdom, the Fifth Prince can be considered the most independent.
Xiao Minghuang sat at the head of the table, with a commanding view and an excellent perspective, allowing her to clearly see the seating arrangement of all the guests.
Taking this opportunity, she also reviewed the Destiny/Fate of all the princes.
Apart from the Fifth Prince, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince who arrived later were not particularly outstanding.
The Destiny/Fate is merely white, nothing special.
Xiao Minghuang's gaze returned to the Fifth Prince, lost in thought.
Of the eight princes of Emperor Xia, the First Prince was found to be born with a weak constitution and no talent for cultivation, so he was sent to the remote borderlands at a young age and left unattended.
The Second Prince needs no introduction. Backed by the King Wu'an, he has possessed immense resources and power since childhood, and even the Seventh Prince and Eighth Prince have become his disciples.
The Third Prince and Fourth Prince were rather mediocre, with nothing particularly noteworthy about them.
As for the Sixth Prince, he was the most talented among all the princes. He joined the Spirit Sword Sect at a young age and had been out of contact for many years. He had not even returned for the annual royal family sacrifices to heaven and ancestors.
In this respect, the Fifth Prince was slightly better than the Sixth Prince. When he traveled abroad, he would send a message back to the capital on the occasions of offering sacrifices to Heaven and ancestors. Although he could not be there in person, his heart was there.
After reviewing the current situations among the princes, Xiao Minghuang picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
It was around this time.
A sharp, loud voice rang out.
"The Second Prince has arrived!"
Everyone stood up and looked towards the door.
A group of people walked in through the door.
The leader, dressed in brocade robes and a jade belt, with a handsome and arrogant demeanor, was none other than the Second Prince.
Upon seeing the Second Prince again, Xiao Minghuang immediately brought up the system panel.
[Name: Xiao Yi]
[Realm: Spring Gushing Third Layer]
[Destiny/Fate: Blessed with Natural Advantages (Blue)]
[It was fate, and my circumstances were extraordinary.]
Upon seeing the Second Prince's profile, Xiao Minghuang's eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.
"The Second Prince has actually reached the Spring Gushing Third Layer. It seems the rumors are truly unreliable."
Xiao Minghuang murmured softly, "Just a few days ago, there were rumors that the Second Prince's cultivation level was at the Spring Gushing First Layer. I didn't expect that he had actually reached the Spring Gushing Third Layer."
These two minor levels are not so easy to cross.
"Greetings, Second Prince!"
All the civil and military officials present bowed to him respectfully, displaying a humble attitude.
"Please rise, everyone. No need for formalities."
The Second Prince waved his hand.
"Second Prince!"
The guests were seated again.
After scanning the crowd, the Second Prince approached Xiao Minghuang, nodded slightly, and appeared gentle.
"It's been so long, Ninth Sister, how have you been?"
Seeing the Second Prince's posture, Xiao Minghuang's lips curled up slightly, and she chuckled:
"Thanks to my second brother, everything is fine with me!"
The Second Prince shook his folding fan, a smile on his face.
"Hehe! Since everything is fine, I'm relieved!"
Xiao Minghuang narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, her expression calm and collected. At this moment, she felt the Second Prince's provocation.
Seeing Xiao Minghuang's reaction, the Second Prince snorted inwardly, but showed no sign on his face, maintaining his elegant demeanor.
Their eyes met, and a fierce battle seemed to erupt in the air, the atmosphere visibly tense.
This moment.
Everyone's attention was drawn to it.
At this moment, Xiao Minghuang spoke calmly:
"The banquet is about to begin, Second Brother, aren't you at your seat yet?"
The Second Prince slammed his folding fan shut, seemingly nonchalant, and said:
"I understand, so I won't bother you any longer, Ninth Sister!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
The Second Prince turned around and returned to his seat.
Seeing that Xiao Minghuang and the Second Prince had backed down, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.
Although they had foreseen that the two would inevitably clash, the struggle was ultimately over before it even began, as no one except the Second Prince's die-hard loyalists wanted to get involved in the conflict.
In this situation, they were genuinely afraid that in a fit of anger, innocent people might be harmed.
These two are people no one should mess with!
As is widely known, the Second Prince was the most likely to inherit the throne.
But Xiao Minghuang's appearance disrupted everything.
The Emperor Xia issued an edict to bestow rewards upon her, and she was then granted the title of Princess Ziwei, which was almost equivalent to that of the Crown Prince.
This practically made the Emperor Xia's stance public.
All of this stripped the Second Prince of his status.
Originally, he was the most likely successor.
In a secular dynasty, the emperor could decide the Crown Prince apparent with a single word.
However, the Great Xia is a nation of warriors. Even if the Emperor Xia could overpower his ministers and appoint Xiao Minghuang Crown Prince, he could not do so.
As the ruler of a nation, in addition to receiving the decree of the Emperor Xia, he also needs the recognition of hundreds of millions of people in the Great Xia.
Moreover, beyond all this, there exists a mysterious and profound element of destiny.
For those who wish to become the ruler of a country, the approval of the Emperor Xia was actually the least important requirement.
Public opinion and fortune—whoever controls one can control the world.
Those who possess both qualities may attract National Destiny, Long-lasting Fortune, and be constantly protected by Heaven.
However, in the history of the Great Xia, only countless years ago, the founding emperor who established the dynasty gained popular support and good fortune, and the National Destiny was bestowed upon him.
Legend has it that the founding emperor of the Great Xia had reached a realm far surpassing the Primal Embryo Realm, and his lifespan was long enough to be as long as heaven and earth!
However, Xiao Minghuang knew in her heart that the so-called "living as long as heaven and earth" was nothing but an exaggeration.
Because if that ancestor truly lived as long as heaven and earth, with his divine power, how could he have stood by and watched the Great Xia decline to such an extent without taking any action?
While pondering.
The guests took their seats one by one, filling every seat, and the banquet gradually began.
During this time, the Sixth Prince also rushed over. He was dressed in white, with a long sword at his waist. He was full of vigor and every move he made revealed a sharp edge. Compared to the royal family, he was more like a fearless swordsman.
The Sixth Prince had been away from the capital for many years, and no one recognized him. Although his unique temperament attracted the attention of some people, they quickly moved on.
"Perhaps it's some young, talented martial artist..."
Someone whispered.
As the Sixth Prince entered the main hall, his gaze naturally fell upon Xiao Minghuang, who was seated at the head of the table.
There is no other reason.
Wherever Xiao Minghuang sits, that place becomes the center of attention.
She seemed to be enveloped in starlight, as if she had been favored by the entire starry sky, making her seem unapproachable and incomparably noble.
"Is this Ninth Sister?"