The Duke of Pei Is Actually Me? [Please Subscribe, Please Vote!]

Jiang Chen was somewhat surprised.

Only three and a half days had passed since the last main storyline, yet a new one had arrived.

Could it be that the system encouraged him to head into places where conflicts converged and venture deep into danger in order to advance the main storyline more quickly?

A petty recluse hid in the wilderness, while a great recluse hid in the city... Did it want him to become a great recluse lurking within danger?

The system's thinking was dangerous!

Of course, Jiang Chen firmly believed that he had not yet reached the point where he could act recklessly. No matter how the system tempted him, if there was no powerful backer to cling to, he would never face danger head-on.

As for Main Storyline Five... Princess Breaks Off the Engagement?

The titles were becoming increasingly clichéd.

At the moment, the two shark girls were sleeping with drool streaming from their mouths and had not noticed him, so he could begin watching the simulation directly.

[Beginning to view the original storyline!]

At the center of his vision.

Above the desert.

A black giant eagle with a wingspan of several zhang was speeding toward Xiyang City.

Standing on the eagle's back were two people, one tall and one short, one old and one young. Both wore the talisman-yellow Daoist robes of the Beast Taming Sect, carrying an air of antiquity and tradition.

The old man stood eight chi tall with his hands clasped behind his back. He had a hawkish nose and an overbearing gaze, and his cultivation was at Peak Golden Core.

The young man was not tall. He had Foundation Establishment Peak cultivation and a boyish face, yet his expression was exceedingly gloomy. A greatsword utterly disproportionate to his build was strapped to his back.

Although his features could be called handsome, his overall appearance was still somewhat comical.

Jiang Chen guessed that this young man was the beast tamer of the two shark girls, Princess Ping'an's fiancé, Yun Lanzi.

This trip was to the imperial palace of Fireburn Kingdom, where he would formally seek Princess Ping'an's hand in marriage according to the betrothal arranged many years ago.

The old man behind him was likely some highly respected elder of the Beast Taming Sect, there to lend weight to the occasion.

The Beast Taming Sect was a major sect within Fireburn Kingdom with the closest ties to the imperial palace. It was slightly smaller than the Azure Mist Sect, but its strength was not inferior in the slightest. Two Nascent Soul experts presided over it.

"I heard that Princess Ping'an, Yuwen Chan, is a spoiled and unruly princess with eccentric behavior. Could something go wrong with this matter?"

Elder Guo was still somewhat worried.

Yun Lanzi's gaze was resolute as he said:

"Please rest assured, Elder Guo.

Princess Ping'an is deeply favored by both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. She will certainly rescue the two shark girls. Once this disciple secretly plants the forbidden curse again, they can be delivered to the Emperor.

After entering the palace, I will also gain the Emperor's trust as quickly as possible and participate in his mysterious plan.

Even if I cannot participate, I can use the two shark girls to seize his Dragon Bone at the critical moment!"

Jiang Chen finally understood.

The Emperor had not hesitated to advance to Pseudo-Nascent Soul and stake everything on one decisive move because he wanted to obtain the Dragon Bone.

The pair of twin shark girls Jiang Chen had rescued were the key to finding the Dragon Bone.

In other words, Jiang Chen had gotten involved in this main storyline ahead of time. He had no choice but to participate.

Perhaps that was the drawback of delving into places where conflicts converged.

Moreover, Princess Ping'an, the Emperor's biological daughter, was actually conspiring with the Beast Taming Sect to reap her own father's revolutionary fruits. How very filial of her.

"By the way, I heard that General Chen Huan was killed. Who did it?"

Elder Guo asked.

Yun Lanzi said:

"It was done by Li Lingzhou, the Prison Suppression Envoy of Xihe Prefecture.

This disciple suspects that after killing General Chen, she had someone deliver the two shark girls to the Empress Dowager.

Fortunately, Li Lingzhou was held accountable by the Prison Suppression Bureau over this matter and taken back to Xihe Prefecture. The two shark girls presumably would not dare admit anything either."

Elder Guo nodded in satisfaction.

"Excellent.

Besides, we are acting under the banner of rescuing shark slaves. The Prison Suppression Bureau's so-called extermination of demons does not involve indiscriminate slaughter.

With the Dragon Bone, our Beast Taming Sect will surely become Fireburn Kingdom's foremost sect and may even hollow out the imperial clan from within.

In the future, if the Daqian Dynasty seeks to seize the authority of the various prefectures and kingdoms, the Beast Taming Sect, as a Daqian sect that regularly pays tribute, will surely take control of all Fireburn Kingdom!"

Jiang Chen roughly understood the full chain of events.

He suddenly became curious. How exactly was the Emperor going to use the twin shark girls to find the Dragon Bone?

The black giant eagle soon arrived at Xiyang City and flew all the way to the Zhengde Gate outside the imperial palace. Elder Guo and Yun Lanzi landed and continued on foot.

Welcomed by a host of reception envoys, they strode into the imperial palace and entered the Golden Hall.

The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, Princess Ping'an, the Crown Prince, and the kingdom's high ministers were all present.

The two from the Beast Taming Sect did not kneel in salute either.

This showed how seriously the imperial palace regarded this marriage.

At the same time, it showed that the local prefectures and kingdoms of the Daqian Dynasty were relatively weak compared to the major sects within those prefectures and kingdoms.

"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, it has been a long time. Have you both been well?"

Elder Guo bowed with cupped hands.

The Empress Dowager gave a slight nod but said nothing more.

The aged Emperor was much more amiable. He sighed and said:

"Elder Guo, it has been a long time indeed. When we last met, you and I were equally vigorous and imposing. Now, I have become frail with age."

"Your Majesty flatters me."

Jiang Chen glanced at the aged Emperor.

Although Yu Wenshu possessed considerable majesty and was a cultivator with Nascent Soul cultivation, he could not even straighten his body. Eunuchs had to support him on either side for him to attend court normally.

Yet few knew that he had Pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivation. Most believed the Emperor was deliberately showing weakness and concealing his true strength.

After only a few words of pleasantries, Yun Lanzi stepped forward and bowed with cupped hands toward the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

It was the Empress Dowager's first time seeing someone attend court with a greatsword on his back. She found it excessively disrespectful, kept a stern face, and ignored him.

It seemed that one's image was important... Jiang Chen could not even connect the Empress Dowager, now sitting upright in the place of honor and bearing herself like the mother of the realm, with the plump, soft baby in his arms.

"Yun Lanzi pays his respects to Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager."

The aged Emperor opened his clouded, weary eyes and carefully examined Yun Lanzi. After a long while, he sighed.

"Nephew Yun is truly an outstanding talent!

At such a young age, you have already reached Foundation Establishment Peak. You are also a beast-taming genius seen only once in a century. Consort Xiao often spoke of you to me back then.

More than twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. You and Chan'er have both grown into adults. It is time to settle this marriage."

Only then did Yun Lanzi reveal a smile. He glanced at Princess Ping'an.

"Thank you for granting this, Your Majesty!"

Princess Ping'an merely cast him a proud sidelong glance, seemingly finding him beneath her notice.

"Hmph... little shorty."

The Empress Dowager quietly reprimanded her.

"Chan'er, do not be rude!"

Then Elder Guo took eight large chests of betrothal gifts from his Storage Ring.

Besides the usual spirit stones, pills, and magical artifacts, there were all manner of rare spirit beasts meticulously bred by the Beast Taming Sect.

Furthermore, Yun Lanzi had personally brought a Five-Colored Beast-Taming Orb as a gift for Princess Ping'an.

Princess Ping'an glanced at the Five-Colored Beast-Taming Orb and liked it greatly. She silently put it away, then asked:

"Where are the twin shark girls?"

Yun Lanzi looked troubled and gritted his teeth.

"The Merfolk Woman had come of age, so I released her."

Princess Ping'an's expression changed abruptly, and her pretty face suddenly turned stern.

"My mother loved shark girls most when she was alive. I grew up with shark pearls in my mouth, and I saw that rare pair of twin shark girls when I was little. That was why my mother arranged this marriage for me. If they cannot keep me company now, I will not marry you."

Yun Lanzi's expression froze.

"This..."

The Empress Dowager rebuked her.

"A marriage arranged by the matchmakers and parents is not a child's play. This is not for you to decide."

Princess Ping'an curled her lips, suddenly becoming unruly.

"This matter will be decided by me!

Didn't Imperial Grandmother casually pick herself a handsome imperial physician? I should be able to choose whom I marry according to my own preferences.

How about this? Whichever man brings me that pair of twin shark girls, I will marry him. I will not go back on my word!"

The entire hall fell silent.

Jiang Chen was dumbfounded, his mind going blank.

He had known there was something off about Princess Breaks Off the Engagement.

Xiang Zhuang danced with his sword, but his true aim was the Duke of Pei... Could the Duke of Pei actually be me?