Empress Lin Tianxin

Hearing Shui Bing'er's words, Shui Wuyue also let out a sigh. How could she not know or think of all this? She knew everything was in vain.

Yet Shui Wuyue still blamed herself, feeling this happened because she failed to protect her daughter.

It left her daughter targeted like this, completely stripped of any ability to resist.

Finally seeing Shui Bing'er close her eyes to rest, Shui Wuyue stopped thinking about other things and began to rest herself.

Time drifted into the afternoon. After finishing lunch at the Prince's Residence and resting for a bit, Jin Hao turned to Ning Rongrong at his side and said:

"Rongrong, I'm going to pick up my fiancee to visit my mother in the imperial palace. Are you coming with me, or should I have someone send you back and pick you up for the banquet tonight?"

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong spoke up:

"Can I go with Senior Brother?"

Jin Hao nodded in agreement.

Then Jin Hao took Ning Rongrong and left the Prince's Residence, heading toward the mansion of Shui Wuyue and Shui Bing'er.

Shui Wuyue and Shui Bing'er had rested through the morning, finished their midday meal, and were now sitting in the mansion's main hall, waiting for Jin Hao to arrive.

Soon Jin Hao brought Ning Rongrong to the estate, where the servants at the entrance led them straight to the main hall.

Upon arriving, Jin Hao looked at Shui Wuyue and Shui Bing'er, then spoke:

"How did you both rest?"

Hearing this, the two looked at Jin Hao and Ning Rongrong, and Shui Wuyue spoke:

"Your Highness, we rested very well. The servants here are all wonderful."

Shui Wuyue then glanced at Ning Rongrong standing beside Jin Hao. She wondered why the Heaven Dou Imperial Family would have such a young girl.

Yet Shui Wuyue understood that anyone who could stay close to Jin Hao and behave like a sibling could not possibly be ordinary.

So Shui Wuyue asked:

"Your Highness, who is this young lady with you?"

As Shui Wuyue's words fell, Shui Bing'er also looked at Ning Rongrong.

Seeing this, Jin Hao took Ning Rongrong's hand and explained to the mother and daughter:

"Aunt, Bing'er, this is Ning Rongrong. She is my junior sister, the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School, and the daughter of the current Sect Master Ning Fengzhi."

"Since Teacher has gone to the imperial palace on matters with my father, Junior Sister is coming along with me today, and she will join us when we enter the palace later."

These words stunned Shui Wuyue and Shui Bing'er. The reason was simple: the sheer magnitude of the information was overwhelming.

According to Jin Hao, the imperial family and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School were now deeply cooperating, and the future emperor had actually become a disciple of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School's master.

Deep cooperation between an empire and an Upper Three Sects could reshape the entire layout of the continent.

Moreover, this wasn't just a matter for one generation; the next emperor and sect master appeared to share a very close relationship now.

Thus, a thought suddenly crossed Shui Wuyue's mind: her daughter marrying into the imperial family perhaps wasn't so unacceptable after all.

Then Shui Wuyue spoke:

"So she is the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School. I had no idea Your Highness's relationship with her was so close."

Before Jin Hao could reply, Ning Rongrong spoke up first:

"Of course, Senior Brother is so good to me."

Jin Hao smiled slightly, then turned to ask Shui Bing'er:

"Have you rested? If you're ready, I'll take you into the imperial palace now to see my mother."

"I've rested, Your Highness. Let's set off now!"

Hearing this, Jin Hao nodded and said to Shui Wuyue:

"Then, Aunt, I'll take Bing'er to the imperial palace. Please rest a bit longer here at the mansion. A little while from now, the imperial guards from the palace will come to escort you in."

"Very well. Your Highness, take Bing'er ahead, and I'll wait here at the estate for the guards."

With Shui Wuyue's words, Jin Hao said no more. He set off with Ning Rongrong and Shui Bing'er, boarding the carriage and driving toward the imperial palace.

Along the way, Jin Hao noticed that Shui Bing'er kept staring at him without saying much, while Ning Rongrong was the exact opposite, chatting with Jin Hao the entire journey and pointing out anything interesting outside.

Soon the group arrived outside the imperial palace, stepped down from the carriage, and began to walk inside.

As soon as they entered the palace, however, Jin Hao spotted two palace maids waiting there.

Jin Hao recognized one of them from the files on Xue Qinghe. He knew her information: Lin En was a maid who had always stayed by Empress Lin Tianxin's side, and during Xue Qinghe's childhood, he had been cared for by Lin En for a period of time.

Seeing this, Jin Hao led Ning Rongrong and Shui Bing'er over to them. Before Jin Hao could speak, Lin En and the other maid beside her spoke:

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Jin Hao nodded and asked:

"Did Mother send you?"

Lin En nodded and replied:

"Your Highness, the Empress knew you were bringing your future consort into the palace today, so she sent this old servant here to wait for you."

"Oh, let's head off then. It's been a while since I last saw Mother."

Naturally, Lin En nodded at Jin Hao's words and led the three of them toward the Empress's bedchamber.

Along the way, Lin En, who had watched over Xue Qinghe when he was young, noticed that the crown prince had changed somewhat compared to before. Yet she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was different, ultimately attributing the changes to his Martial Soul mutating into a top-tier Martial Soul.

Before long, guided by Lin En, they arrived at the Empress's bedchamber.

As the doors of the bedchamber swung open, Jin Hao saw a woman seated inside. She was pregnant, carried a dignified expression, and radiated a profound maternal glow.

She was frequently craning her neck to look toward the entrance. This person was none other than the Empress of the Heaven Dou Empire, Lin Tianxin.

Upon seeing her, Jin Hao immediately spoke:

"Mother, I've brought my fiancee and my little junior sister to see you."

At the same time, Ning Rongrong and Shui Bing'er stepped forward and addressed Lin Tianxin:

"Hello, Aunt Empress!"

"Shui Bing'er greets the Empress!"

Hearing this, Lin Tianxin smiled warmly at Ning Rongrong and Shui Bing'er:

"Hello to you too, Rongrong. You must come to the palace to play with Aunt Empress often from now on. In a little while, I'll even be giving birth to a little younger sister, and then you'll be an older sister and can play with her!"

"Bing'er, since you are Qinghe's fiancee now, you should call me Mother from now on!"