From Cold Palace Princess to Celestial Empress Ch. 99
As time passed, the atmosphere in the Prince of Wu’an’s residence gradually became livelier.
After the Fifth Prince arrived, the other princes also made their appearances one after another.
Their arrivals drew considerable attention, but the waves they caused paled in comparison to Xiao Minghuang’s entrance.
Even compared to the Fifth Prince, they fell short.
After all, the Fifth Prince had been away from the capital for a long time. Since the age of twelve, he had been traveling and studying abroad, never aligning himself with any faction.
Among the princes of the Great Xia Empire, the Fifth Prince was the most independent.
Xiao Minghuang sat at the head of the hall, overlooking the scene with an excellent view of all the guests’ seating arrangements.
Taking this opportunity, she also examined the fates of all the princes.
Aside from the Fifth Prince, the Third Prince and Fourth Prince, who arrived later, were unremarkable.
Their fates were merely white, utterly ordinary.
Xiao Minghuang’s gaze returned to the Fifth Prince, her expression thoughtful.
Among the Emperor of Xia’s eight sons, the First Prince was discovered to have a naturally crippled body at birth, devoid of any cultivation talent. He was sent to the remote borderlands early on and forgotten.
The Second Prince, backed by the Prince of Wu’an, had access to vast resources and influence since childhood. Even the Seventh Prince and Eighth Prince had pledged allegiance to him.
The Third Prince and Fourth Prince were relatively mediocre, with nothing particularly noteworthy.
As for the Sixth Prince, he possessed the highest talent among all the princes. From a young age, he had been apprenticed to the Spirit Sword Sect and had been out of contact for many years, not even returning for the annual royal ceremonies of worshiping heaven and ancestors.
In this regard, the Fifth Prince was slightly better than the Sixth Prince. While traveling abroad, he would always send messages back to the capital during the periods of worshiping heaven and ancestors. Although he did not return in person, his sentiments were conveyed.
After sorting through the recent situations of the various princes, Xiao Minghuang picked up her teacup and took a gentle sip.
It was about this time.
A sharp and clear voice rang out.
“The Second Prince has arrived!”
Everyone stood up and looked towards the entrance.
A group of people entered through the door.
Leading them was a man in a brocade robe with a jade belt, his demeanor as elegant as jade, his face filled with pride—it was the Second Prince.
Upon seeing the Second Prince again, Xiao Minghuang immediately summoned the system panel.
【Name: Xiao Yi】
【Realm: Third Level of the Spring Realm】
【Fate: Exceptionally Favored (Blue)】
【Fortune dictates, encounters are extraordinary.】
Seeing the Second Prince’s panel, Xiao Minghuang’s eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.
“The Second Prince has already reached the Third Level of the Spring Realm. It seems the rumors are truly unreliable,” Xiao Minghuang murmured softly. Just a few days ago, it was rumored that the Second Prince was at the First Level of the Spring Realm. Who would have thought he had actually reached the Third Level?
These two minor realms were not so easily crossed.
“Greetings to the Second Prince!”
Many civil and military officials present bowed respectfully, their attitudes humble.
“Everyone, please rise. No need for formalities,” the Second Prince waved his hand.
“Thank you, Second Prince!”
The guests sat down again.
After scanning the crowd, the Second Prince approached Xiao Minghuang and nodded slightly, appearing gentle.
“It’s been a while, Ninth Sister. How have you been?”
Seeing the Second Prince’s demeanor, Xiao Minghuang’s lips curled slightly as she chuckled lightly.
“Thanks to Second Brother’s blessings, I’ve been doing well!”
The Second Prince fanned himself with a folding fan, a smile on his face.
“Haha! Since everything is well, I am relieved!”
Xiao Minghuang narrowed her beautiful eyes, calm and composed. At this moment, she sensed the Second Prince’s provocation.
Seeing Xiao Minghuang’s reaction, the Second Prince snorted inwardly, but his expression remained elegant and composed.
Their gazes locked, and the air seemed to spark with intense combat, the atmosphere visibly freezing.
At this moment.
The attention of everyone present was drawn to them.
At this time, Xiao Minghuang spoke indifferently.
“The banquet is about to begin. Shouldn’t Second Brother take his seat?”
Snap!
The Second Prince closed his folding fan heavily, appearing nonchalant as he spoke.
“Of course, I am aware. I won’t disturb Ninth Sister any longer!”
With these words.
The Second Prince turned and returned to his seat.
Seeing Xiao Minghuang and the Second Prince stand down, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.
Although they had anticipated a confrontation between the two, this dispute had ended before it even began. Except for the Second Prince’s staunch supporters, no one else wanted to get involved in this conflict.
In such a situation, they were truly afraid that both sides might act in anger and harm the innocent.
These two individuals were not to be trifled with!
It was well known that the Second Prince was the most likely candidate to inherit the throne.
But the emergence of Xiao Minghuang had disrupted everything.
The Emperor issued an edict bestowing rewards, and then Princess Ziwei was formally enfeoffed, a status almost equivalent to that of the crown prince.
This was almost a public declaration of the Emperor’s stance.
And all of this stripped the Second Prince of his position.
Originally, he was the one most likely to succeed to the throne.
In a secular dynasty, the emperor’s word alone could determine the crown prince.
But Great Xia is a nation of martial artists. Even if the Emperor could overpower his ministers and designate Xiao Minghuang as the crown prince, he could not do so.
As the ruler of a nation, besides the Emperor’s decree, the acknowledgment of the hundreds of millions of people of Great Xia was even more essential.
Moreover, beyond this, there existed the mysterious and elusive concept of destiny.
To become the ruler of the nation, the Emperor’s approval was, in fact, the least important factor.
The will of the people and destiny—obtaining either could secure the realm.
Those who possessed both had the potential to invoke the nation’s fortune, bringing prolonged blessings and the constant favor of the heavens.
However, in the history of Great Xia, only the founding emperor, who established the dynasty countless years ago, had the will of the people and destiny, with the nation’s fortune bestowed upon him.
Legend has it that the realm of that founding emperor of Great Xia far surpassed the Nascent Soul Realm, and his lifespan was so long that it could rival the heavens and the earth!
However, Xiao Minghuang knew in her heart that the so-called “rivaling the heavens and the earth” was merely an exaggerated statement.
Because if that ancestor truly had a lifespan rivaling the heavens and the earth, with his divine might, how could he have stood by and watched Great Xia decline to such a state without intervening?
As she pondered this.
The guests took their seats one after another, filling every spot, and the prelude to the banquet gradually began.
During this time, the Sixth Prince also hurriedly arrived. Dressed in white with a long sword hanging at his waist, he exuded a spirited and heroic demeanor. Every move he made revealed a sharp and unyielding aura, more like a fearless swordsman than a royal noble.
The Sixth Prince had been away from the capital for many years, and no one recognized him. Although his unique temperament attracted some attention, it quickly passed.
“Perhaps he is some young genius martial artist…”
Someone murmured softly.
As the Sixth Prince entered the grand hall, his gaze naturally fell upon Xiao Minghuang, who was seated at the head of the room.
For no other reason.
Wherever Xiao Minghuang sat became the focal point of the entire gathering.
She seemed to be enveloped in a layer of starlight, as if favored by the myriad stars in the sky, making her appear lofty and incomparably noble.
“Is that Ninth Sister?”
The Sixth Prince felt a sudden hesitation in his heart, and his steps came to an abrupt halt.
Before meeting Xiao Minghuang, he had imagined her to be sweet, cute, and delicate, much like the junior sister who often clung to him, seeking guidance in swordsmanship.
He never expected that the little girl who could barely walk steadily many years ago had grown into such a remarkable figure.
The words he had prepared in his mind before coming here were now mostly gone.
Originally, he thought that mentioning the fun places, delicious food, and impressive sword techniques of the Spirit Sword Sect might attract a naive young girl. But for a noble and graceful woman like her, who seemed to transcend the mundane world, such talk would likely hold no appeal at all.
In fact, if he were to say such things, it might only elicit a faint chuckle from Princess Ziwei.
Suddenly, a sense of inferiority welled up in the Sixth Prince’s heart. He felt somewhat afraid to stand before Xiao Minghuang and extend his invitation.
Everything before him reminded him of the time when he had just entered the Great Xia Empire, and an unidentified person approached him.
That person had told him some things and wanted to strike a deal with him.
But he refused.
A swordsman.
His heart was devoted solely to the sword.
Nothing else mattered!
He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
“Lend me your strength!” the Sixth Prince silently said to his sword.
After steadying his mind, he followed the attendant’s guidance and slowly took his seat.
The moment the Sixth Prince’s gaze fell upon her, Xiao Minghuang noticed him.
She immediately summoned the system panel.
【Name: Xiao Jian】
【Realm: Second Level of the Spring Realm】
【Fate: Flawless Sword Heart (Red)】
【Born with a heart devoted to the path of the sword, pure and untainted.】
Seeing the Sixth Prince’s panel, Xiao Minghuang was slightly surprised.
She never expected that the Sixth Prince would possess a red-level fate.
After all, the Second Prince, who had been stirring up the Great Xia Empire, only had a blue-level fate.
The Fifth Prince, with a purple-level fate, was already extremely rare, but who would have thought that the Sixth Prince would be even more exceptional.
She didn’t know what the fates of the other sect prodigies were, but if purple and red-level fates were common, they wouldn’t hold much value.
Therefore, Xiao Minghuang guessed that it wasn’t that red and purple-level fates were ordinary, but rather that the Fifth and Sixth Princes truly had extraordinary qualities.
“Such a small place like the Great Xia Empire is truly a hidden dragon and crouching tiger!” Xiao Minghuang sighed.
At almost the same time.
The Prince of Wu’an changed into more formal attire and emerged from the back hall, standing on the high platform. In an instant, he captured the attention of everyone present.
His gaze swept across the room, and he cleared his throat before raising his cup and declaring:
“Before the banquet begins, I must inform everyone that this gathering is not my personal decision, but rather a command from His Majesty to invite all the princes and princesses to this feast.”
“By the Emperor’s decree!”
As soon as these words were spoken.
Everyone present stood up and bowed in solemn respect.
The Prince of Wu’an cupped his hands and proclaimed loudly:
“The Emperor has nine sons, each as mighty as a dragon, but there is only one throne. Each of you must rely on your own abilities, and the victor shall become the Emperor!”
“However, after the competition, regardless of victory or defeat, the bond of siblings must not be disregarded. Anyone who harms the kinship of flesh and blood shall be executed without mercy!”
As the word “executed” echoed, everyone present shuddered, as if they could feel a thick wave of killing intent.
After saying this, the Prince of Wu’an laughed heartily and declared in a loud voice:
“This banquet is a private affair, not an official one. I hope you all can enjoy yourselves to the fullest!”
With that, Prince Wu’an returned to his seat.
At this moment.
The attendees were still on edge, and they couldn’t help but glance at Princess Ziwei and the Second Prince, who were seated at the upper left and right positions respectively.
One of them was sipping tea, while the other was meditating with closed eyes, as if nothing had happened.
But everyone knew.
Two tigers cannot share one mountain.
Just a few days ago, the Eighth Prince had clashed with Princess Ziwei at the Treasure Pavilion.
The outcome was that the Eighth Prince was banished to the Cold Palace, his fate unknown.
Several months ago, Princess Ziwei had gone to Beiyang City for training, where she encountered an assassination attempt by an unknown Divine Sea Realm expert.
Before that, Princess Ziwei had crippled the Seventh Prince, the Second Prince’s younger brother, with a single palm strike.
It could be said that conflicts between them had erupted more than once.
There was an irreconcilable enmity between them.
If either of them were to inherit the throne, they would surely annihilate the other without any room for compromise.
Understanding this, the attendees gained a deeper insight into the Emperor’s decree.
The Emperor’s verbal edict was likely meant to reassure the other princes, encouraging them not to be deterred by the brutality of the succession struggle and flee to distant lands.
After all, two of the nine imperial sons had already fallen, and the remaining princes could not afford further losses.
At the same time, it was also a warning to Princess Ziwei and the Second Prince.
Their conflict should not involve the other princes.
Hearing the Emperor’s decree, the Second Prince’s expression faltered slightly, and a sense of displeasure arose in his heart.
He had originally intended to incite the Sixth Prince to clash with Princess Ziwei, so he could profit from the chaos.
But the messenger he sent returned with news that the Sixth Prince had refused his conditions.
Now, the Emperor had issued a warning…
The Second Prince narrowed his eyes, scanning the room, and his gaze landed on the Sixth Prince, who had just taken his seat.
At this moment, the Sixth Prince had a long sword resting on his knees, his entire being resembling a sharp blade with its edge concealed.
If he did not act, it was fine; but if he did, blood would be shed!
“It seems I need to add another chip to the table!”
A dance began, accompanied by the sound of traditional music, and the banquet officially started.
In harmony with the music, the dancers gracefully moved across the floor.
The attendees raised their cups and drank freely, chatting and laughing.
The banquet was lively, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
In such a pleasant environment, the attendees gradually forgot the earlier unpleasantness and immersed themselves in the festive atmosphere.
But.
Outside the grand hall, a discordant voice suddenly rang out.
“I have an invitation too, why won’t you let me in!”
Xiao Minghuang looked down from above, her gaze piercing through the dark night sky, all the way to the main gate of the prince’s residence.
At this moment, a young man in a black robe stood at the gate, holding a crumpled piece of red paper in his hand.
The young man’s face was filled with indignation as he berated the attendants:
“You lackeys, looking down on people, do you know who I am? I’ll scare you to death if I tell you!”
The attendants looked annoyed and waved their hands dismissively:
“Whoever you are, with that outfit, you can’t be anyone important. Stop causing trouble with that fake invitation, or we’ll have the Imperial Guards arrest you!”
An ordinary person would have been scared off by such words, but the young man in the black robe not only didn’t leave, but his arrogance grew even more.
“Hmph! My invitation is real. If you don’t believe me, go ask Prince Wu’an!”
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
Please support us on Ko-Fi.
