"Come in."
After Xue Qianren left, Xue Ye, who had arrived at the Palace (Reception Hall), spoke in a deep voice.
"Dugu Bo greets Your Majesty."
A foul wind swept past, and Dugu Bo entered the Palace with Dugu Yan.
"Poison Douluo, there is no need for such formalities."
Xue Ye slowly shook his head, but his aged eyes discreetly glanced at Dugu Yan beside Dugu Bo.
"Your Majesty, Yanyan is young and quite close to His Highness Xue Qianren..."
"She came to explain matters to me, so I ask Your Majesty to show me some consideration and deal leniently with His Highness."
Dugu Bo cut straight to the point and spoke frankly.
"Your Majesty, I can explain. What happened earlier was all because the fourth prince first... tried to bully me. His Highness stepped in to help. Perhaps he was too worried about me, and that was why..."
Dugu Yan nervously added.
"Your Majesty, I will speak plainly. A Title Douluo cannot be insulted, yet Prince Xue Beng humiliated my granddaughter like that. Even if nothing had happened to him today, I would certainly have demanded an explanation from the imperial family!"
Dugu Bo's voice turned slightly cold. He even thought that little fellow Xue Qianren had done well to strike!
"Ren'er has already told me the reasons behind this matter, and he confessed to what he and Xue Qinghe plotted."
"They killed Xue Beng merely to force me, the emperor, to relinquish power. What insolence!"
Xue Ye's eyes were icy as he clenched his fist and slammed it hard onto the table.
Ren'er, Xue Qinghe?
Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes, noticing something amiss.
That distinction in closeness...
As an emperor, he could not possibly leave such a glaring opening in his words!
"Enough. I shall speak plainly."
Seeing that Dugu Bo would not take the bait, Xue Ye inwardly cursed the old fox.
"The matter has been thoroughly investigated. The mastermind was Xue Qinghe, while Xue Qianren was merely an accomplice."
"And naturally, I must give the court ministers an explanation for such an outrageous affair!"
"But Qinghe is not only the current crown prince, he is also the student of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sect master!"
"No matter what, I cannot abandon Qinghe!"
Tapping his fingers against the tabletop, Xue Ye slowly voiced his "thoughts."
Grandpa?
Dugu Yan's heart tightened. She understood what Xue Ye meant: the young prince was worth less than the crown prince, so he intended to sacrifice the young prince!
Dugu Yan immediately looked at her grandfather in panic.
"You want me to stand on Xue Qianren's side?"
Seeing Yanyan's anxious gaze, Dugu Bo, who had not wanted to get involved, could only sigh helplessly.
"Well..."
A trace of difficulty crossed Xue Ye's face.
"To be honest with you, Poison Douluo..."
"Rather than Qinghe himself, what the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect values is the Heaven Dou Crown Prince."
"In principle, I could indeed punish Xue Qinghe severely and strip him of his position as crown prince. But with Qianren's current experience, he still falls a little short of becoming crown prince..."
Rather than answering directly, Xue Ye laid out the matter for the Dugu grandfather and granddaughter.
"Fine. Since His Highness committed this offense for Yanyan's sake, I will stand by him this once."
"If you want me to support this young prince, I accept."
Dugu Bo nodded irritably. If not for his Yanyan, he would have turned around and left the moment this old emperor dared to scheme against him like this!
"That will not do. It is not that you are unwilling to help, Poison Douluo, but a verbal promise alone may not be enough to silence the court ministers."
"What exactly does Your Majesty mean? Speak clearly!"
"I am a crude man who knows nothing of these twists and turns. Is there something else you want?"
Dugu Bo snorted coldly.
He had never wanted to become embroiled in imperial disputes. His concessions today were entirely because Xue Qianren had gotten into trouble to save Yanyan!
Yet Xue Ye's words clearly showed that he was taking a mile after being given an inch, with another scheme in mind!
"A marriage alliance."
The troubled look slowly faded from Xue Ye's face, and his sharp eyes stared straight at Dugu Bo.
"What... did... you... say?!"
Dugu Bo's face darkened. A fearsome aura surrounded him, and even his green hair flew through the air with it!
This old bastard wanted to steal his granddaughter?!
"A... marriage alliance?"
Dugu Yan's eyes widened. A blush rose on her cheeks, and even her breathing grew uneven.
"Poison Douluo, please calm down!"
Xue Ye clutched his chest, struggling to breathe. Under Dugu Bo's oppressive might, his desire to make Xue Qianren the next sovereign reached its peak!
"Please look at Miss Dugu Yan. If she is even the slightest bit unwilling, I will never force her!"
Xue Ye shouted!
The oppressive might weighing down the room slowly dispersed.
"Yanyan?"
Dugu Bo took two steps back in disbelief. Seeing Dugu Yan's eyes blooming with affection and her face filled with a young maiden's shyness, how could he fail to realize that Xue Ye already had him in the palm of his hand?
"Ah..."
"I..."
"His Highness is a very good person. He only did it to save me..."
Dugu Yan shyly bit her lower lip, her words coming out in a jumble.
Dugu Bo's vision went dark. Gone. It was all fucking gone!
The little padded jacket he had raised for so many years was simply gone!
"Your Majesty!"
Dugu Bo gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed fiercely on Xue Ye, who sat steadily in the wooden chair.
"In the future, Miss Dugu Yan shall be Heaven Dou's empress, a motherly exemplar to all under heaven."
Xue Ye drew a deep breath. Now that Dugu Bo had calmed down, he naturally needed to do everything he could to dispel his concerns.
"If Qianren ever wrongs Miss Dugu Yan, you may take Heaven Dou for yourself, Poison Douluo!"
Xue Ye spoke solemnly, with remarkable generosity!
"What the hell would I want your Heaven Dou for?!"
Dugu Bo's face was dark, but hearing Xue Ye's words, he gradually calmed down.
"Hmph!"
"Yanyan, are you willing?"
With a complicated expression, Dugu Bo asked Dugu Yan again.
Dugu Yan lowered her head, thinking of this prince she had only met a handful of times, thinking of the grand aspirations he had voiced before her, thinking of how they had known each other for only half a day...
"Grandpa, I am."
Dugu Yan summoned her courage and boldly looked straight into Dugu Bo's eyes.
"Fine! What a Heaven Dou!"
"Today, I agree to this marriage!"
"From this moment on, I, Dugu Bo, will stand wholeheartedly at His Highness Xue Qianren's side!"
"But let me make this clear beforehand: everything today is for Yanyan!"
"If Xue Qianren ever dares to wrong Dugu Yan, even if he becomes the Heaven Dou Emperor, even if I must overturn all of Heaven Dou, I will make him repay his blood debt in blood!"
Dugu Bo's hair flew, his gaze vicious.
"Rest assured, Poison Douluo. If Ren'er wrongs Miss Dugu Yan, you will not need to say a word. I will personally teach him a lesson!"
Xue Ye rose with a hearty laugh and firmly clasped Dugu Bo's hand, showing none of his earlier imperial airs.
"Come to think of it, we are in-laws now."
"Rest assured, my in-law. Tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow, I shall write an imperial decree and announce it throughout the Heaven Dou Empire!"
A gleam flashed through Xue Ye's eyes. Next, he only needed to persuade Qinghe to shoulder the responsibility!
He seemed to see a sovereign who would restore the empire's glory growing under his guidance!
Before you continue