Choosing a Fiancee for Jin Hao

As Xue Xing left, Xue Ye's expression turned unpleasant as well. In Xue Ye's heart, Xue Beng's death had been the Dugu Clan's doing. If the Dugu Clan could still stand firmly by the Imperial Family and even become Imperial Protectors, then even if Dugu Bo killed Xue Beng, Xue Ye would have said he had killed him well.

But now, the Imperial Family had no connection whatsoever with Dugu Bo. Dugu Bo even held a poor impression of the Imperial Family because of Xue Beng's affair, while Xue Ye also bore some resentment toward Dugu Bo. The two sides could be considered enemies, yet because of Dugu Bo's strength, he still had to prepare gifts and send someone to apologize.

Thinking of this made Xue Ye feel even worse. Once again, he understood the meaning of that saying: relying on your parents was never as good as relying on yourself.

No matter how many Title Douluo the Imperial Family could win over, as long as the Imperial Family itself lacked strength, once relations broke down, there was nothing it could do.

Then Xue Ye thought of how fortunate it was that his eldest son's Martial Soul had mutated, giving him another path. In Xue Ye's view, as long as Xue Qinghe was properly nurtured, the empire could grow strong.

Thinking this, Xue Ye spotted the letter he had written to Ning Fengzhi on the table. He could not wait until dawn to have it delivered. It had to be sent immediately. For his eldest son's safety and future growth, it needed to be done quickly.

Xue Ye then called out toward the door:

"Qin Tian, come in!"

Qin Tian, the Imperial Guard Commander, entered. Upon seeing Xue Ye, he knelt and said:

"Your Majesty, what do you need this servant to do?"

"Set out tonight for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School and deliver this letter to Sect Master Ning. You must be fast, understand?"

Hearing Xue Ye's words, Qin Tian nodded.

"Your Majesty, this servant understands. This servant will depart at once."

Qin Tian tucked the letter into his robes and immediately hurried toward the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School.

After Qin Tian departed, the Imperial Study fell silent once more.

Xue Ye was now considering one matter: how to pass down Jin Hao's talent, turning this top-tier Ice Attribute Martial Soul created by mutation into the Imperial Family's inherited Martial Soul so that it would not degenerate back into a swan.

Thinking of this, Xue Ye decided to find someone with an equally top-tier Ice Attribute Martial Soul for his eldest son to marry. Moreover, that person had to be of the Power Attack Type or control type.

That way, the Ice Crystal Swan Martial Soul could be preserved to the greatest extent. Even if the child did not inherit that Martial Soul, a child born from two top-tier Ice Attribute Martial Souls would not have poor talent.

Then Xue Ye recalled something. During the first half of the year, he had received news that a little girl at Tianshui Academy had awakened a top-tier Ice Attribute Martial Soul—the divine beast Ice Phoenix Martial Soul—and possessed innate Soul Power at rank nine.

Xue Ye remembered that after seeing this information, he had written to Tianshui Academy to offer his congratulations.

The reason was simple. Among the five elemental academies in the Heaven Dou Empire, Tianshui Academy, Blazing Flame Academy, and Divine Wind Academy differed from Thunder Academy and Elephant Armor Academy. The first three had no sects backing them. Thus, aside from a small number who remained at the academies as teachers after graduation, most of their Spirit Masters entered the imperial court and served the Heaven Dou Empire.

Furthermore, because Tianshui Academy consisted entirely of women, Xue Ye knew that many nobles in Heaven Dou City liked to have their descendants marry graduates of Tianshui Academy. That was also why no one dared lay a hand on an academy composed entirely of women.

So Xue Ye thought that if his eldest son married Shui Bing'er, they would certainly be able to pass down the Ice Crystal Swan Martial Soul. It might even allow the Imperial Family's Martial Soul to advance further; perhaps it might even become an Ice Phoenix.

As for Shui Bing'er being the daughter of Tianshui Academy's dean, and possibly becoming Tianshui Academy's dean in the future, Xue Ye did not see that as an issue at all. The Imperial Family would offer lavish betrothal gifts and allocate more cultivation resources to Tianshui Academy, giving them both dignity and benefits. Xue Ye did not believe that Tianshui Academy's dean, Shui Wuyue, would dare refuse.

The Imperial Family might fear a Title Douluo, but it did not fear an academy made entirely of women with only one rank eighty-one Spirit Douluo.

As for Shui Bing'er being only six while Xue Qinghe was already fourteen, Xue Ye saw even less of an issue there. They were only eight years apart. What did that amount to?

It only seemed like a large gap now. A hundred years later, one would be one hundred and fourteen while the other was one hundred and six. Would the gap still be large then?

Thinking it over, Xue Ye found it reasonable and began writing another letter, this one to Shui Wuyue. Its general meaning was:

"My son, the future emperor of the empire, has become the owner of a top-tier Ice Attribute Martial Soul, the Ice Crystal Swan, after his Martial Soul mutated for certain reasons. Your daughter Shui Bing'er also possesses the top-tier Ice Attribute Ice Phoenix Martial Soul. Therefore, in order to unite two powerful top-tier Ice Attribute Martial Souls, I am offering lavish betrothal gifts to seek your daughter's hand, so that Shui Bing'er may become engaged to my son Xue Qinghe."

"Upon receiving this letter, come to Heaven Dou City first to arrange the engagement. Afterward, you may take her back to cultivate at Tianshui Academy. You need only let her come to Heaven Dou City during her annual breaks to deepen her relationship with the prince. Then, when Shui Bing'er turns sixteen, the wedding will be formally held."

After finishing, Xue Ye looked over it again and nodded in satisfaction.

He then set the letter aside, intending to send someone to Tianshui Academy to propose marriage once daybreak came.

Then time came to the next day. At this point, everyone in Heaven Dou City, whether commoners, nobles, or court ministers, knew one thing: Xue Beng had tried to violate Poison Douluo's granddaughter and the Ye Family's next head, and had been beaten badly.

While recovering at home, the Spirit Master treating him unexpectedly turned out to be a fraud. Not only had he failed to heal Xue Beng, but he had also caused Xue Beng's injuries to worsen until Xue Beng eventually died.

Three days later, Xue Beng would be buried with the rites of a prince.

That was right, the rites of a prince. Although Xue Ye had issued an edict the previous night stripping him of his status and reducing him to a commoner, he withdrew the edict in the end, considering that Xue Beng had died.

As this news spread, the Ye Family and Dugu Bo naturally received it as well.

After learning the news and looking at the apology gifts brought by the official Xue Ye had sent before her, Ye Haitang, the Ye Family's head, spoke to Ye Lingling beside her.

"Do not mention this matter again in the future. The Imperial Family needs to save face too."

Hearing this, Ye Lingling nodded to show that she understood. Though she had been one of the targets, Xue Beng had not torn off her clothes. With the apology gifts now delivered and Xue Beng, the instigator, dead, this matter was over.

If it were brought up again in the future, it would undoubtedly be using a dead man to insult the Imperial Family once more.

The Imperial Family had been in the wrong to begin with, and Poison Douluo, a Title Douluo, was involved in the matter. That was why it had apologized so obediently.

Otherwise, it would have been easy for the Imperial Family to deal with a family primarily made up of Healing Spirit Masters.