True Love Arrives, Engagement Born!

Upon hearing this, the commander of the guards behind Jing Hongchen did not dare to delay in the slightest.

As the chief steward of the Red Dust Family, he was himself a powerhouse at the Soul Saint level, so his efficiency was naturally far beyond that of an ordinary person.

In just a few short minutes, a slender figure walked slowly into the grand hall under his guidance.

In an instant, the previously noisy hall fell silent as if by unspoken agreement.

The person who had arrived was none other than Meng Hongchen.

A pale red dress outlined the girl's exquisite figure perfectly, and her wine-red hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall, emitting a charming luster under the hall's lamplight.

Most striking of all were her clear, azure-blue eyes, as bright as a lake, and her delicate, flawless face carried a touch of the liveliness and pure beauty unique to a young girl.

Though she was still young, she already possessed a beauty that could topple cities.

Many ministers seeing Meng Hongchen for the first time could not help but marvel inwardly.

She was truly the most dazzling jewel of the Red Dust Family in this generation.

Whether in appearance, temperament, or talent, she was one in ten thousand.

Yet, Meng Hongchen seemed completely unaware of this.

Because on the way here, she had already learned the sequence of events from the guard commander.

Therefore, she was already prepared in her heart.

After entering the hall, Meng Hongchen first followed etiquette, walking to the center of the hall to offer a graceful bow to the old emperor seated high upon the dragon throne.

"Meng Hongchen pays her respects to Your Majesty."

"May Your Majesty live for ten thousand years."

The girl's voice was crisp and pleasant, like pearls falling onto a jade plate, and a kind smile immediately appeared on the old emperor's face.

"Good, good child, rise."

Meng Hongchen stood up gently, her gaze subconsciously falling to the side.

There, Xu Tianyao was standing quietly.

The moment their gazes met, the nervousness, anticipation, and apprehension in the young man's eyes were all taken in by her.

Meng Hongchen was slightly startled, and then a faint smile could not help but curl the corners of her lips.

To others, this smile might not mean much, but in Xu Tianyao's eyes, it was as bright as the warm sun of spring.

Seeing this, the heart that had been hanging in Xu Tianyao's chest finally settled for the most part.

The old emperor naturally did not miss the small interaction between the two.

The smile on his face grew even richer. "Meng Hongchen."

"I heard from Tianyao that you have known each other since childhood and are fond of one another."

"That you have even privately pledged your lives to each other—is this true?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of all the civil and military officials instantly fell upon Meng Hongchen.

Even though she had been prepared, facing the gaze of so many people, a faint blush could not help but rise to the girl's fair cheeks.

The old emperor continued with a smile: "Today, the First Prince has even requested that I grant a marriage between you and Tianyao."

"I wish to ask for your opinion personally."

"If you are willing, I shall set the marriage contract for the two of you in front of all the officials."

"Are you willing?"

As his voice fell, the entire hall went quiet once more.

Everyone was waiting for the girl's answer.

Meng Hongchen pursed her lips slightly and subconsciously looked toward Jing Hongchen not far away.

At this moment, Jing Hongchen was constantly winking at her, as if saying: "Girl, calm down! You cannot be impulsive about such things!"

Looking at her grandfather's anxious appearance, Meng Hongchen felt a warmth in her heart, but soon, she turned her gaze back to Xu Tianyao.

Looking at the young man who had accompanied her as she grew up.

Bits and pieces of the past years could not help but surface in her mind.

Cultivating together, getting into trouble together, sneaking out to the market together.

And everything that happened by the lake yesterday...

Thinking of that sudden confession and kiss, the girl's ears turned bright red.

Her heart also began to beat uncontrollably fast.

At this moment, she suddenly realized that, unknowingly, this young man had already occupied an irreplaceable position in her heart.

Thinking of this, the hesitation in Meng Hongchen's eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by complete firmness and sincerity.

She lifted her head slightly, meeting everyone's gaze, and spoke in a clear and firm voice:

"I do!"

Three short words.

Xu Tianyao clenched his fists tightly, his heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally settling completely.

A wave of indescribable joy and happiness surged into his heart like a rising tide.

He gazed quietly at the young girl standing in the center of the great hall.

He looked at the girl who, despite knowing she would face pressure from her family, still chose to stand by his side.

In this moment, Xu Tianyao swore to himself.

In this life and this world, he would never fail her.

On the other side, after hearing those three words, Jing Hongchen felt as if all his strength had been drained away.

His vision darkened, and he nearly collapsed; the expression on his face was now complex to the extreme.

He looked at his granddaughter, whose face was full of happiness.

Then he looked at Xu Tianyao, who was grinning like an idiot.

He only felt a tightness in his chest.

The precious granddaughter he had cherished in the palm of his hand for so many years.

Now, she was truly about to be whisked away by someone.

And the one whisking her away happened to be the most favored little prince of the empire.

He couldn't hit him, and he couldn't scold him.

Every time he thought of this, Jing Hongchen couldn't help but let out a long sigh in his heart.

At this moment, he finally understood the shared pain of all fathers-in-law in the world.

The cabbage he had raised with such painstaking effort had, in the end, been rooted up by a pig.

On the high platform, the old emperor was overjoyed to see Meng Hongchen agree so readily.

"Good!"

"Truly a talented man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven!"

He stood up immediately, his majestic voice resounding throughout the great hall.

"Hear my decree!"

"Meng Hongchen, the direct descendant of the Red Dust Family, is virtuous and talented, with exceptional natural gifts."

"I hereby grant her in marriage to the Fourth Prince of the Empire, Prince Ming, Xu Tianyao."

"Once both have come of age, an auspicious date shall be chosen for the wedding!"

"This decree takes effect immediately!"

As his voice fell, the civil and military officials bowed in unison.

"His Majesty is wise!"

The grand sound echoed within the hall.

Standing in the center of the hall, Xu Tianyao and Meng Hongchen, under the witness of countless people, officially set their marriage contract.

This day was destined to become an unforgettable memory for both of them for the rest of their lives.

Following the conclusion of the awakening ceremony, the princes and officials departed one after another.

The old emperor, however, kept Xu Tianyao behind alone; this was one of the few times in many years that the father and son had been alone together.

To speak of the current Sun Moon Emperor, he was actually a very contradictory man.

In his early years, he was known throughout the world for his diligence, iron-fisted rule, and wisdom, but in his later years, after experiencing several assassination attempts, his temperament changed drastically.

Not only did he adopt a conservative policy regarding military force abroad, but his control over the princes and ministers also became increasingly powerless.

One must know that although the Sun Moon Empire had been at peace with the original three Douluo nations for many years, whenever war or friction occurred, they generally held the upper hand over Xingluo.

Yet, despite such a strength advantage, this old emperor had actually turned timid.

Of course, if not for this transformation, perhaps he would not have allowed the princes to slaughter each other while being unable to intervene, eventually being completely sidelined by Xu Tianran.

Xu Tianyao had assumed his old father wanted to reward him with something, such as a spirit bone, medicinal pills, or a soul tool, but he never expected that someone else was actually the one who wanted to see him.