241 The Prelude to a Princess's Coronation

hs. At the same time, the final round of tests will begin now. Are you all confident""Yes!" Everyone shouted in unison. Ye Li nodded approvingly, saying, "Good. Now I order that the content of this as...241. Prelude to the Princess's Coronation

By around the fourth watch, Ye Li had already fallen asleep in Mo Xiuyao’s arms when Anxi Princess sent someone to invite the distinguished guests to the palace for a discussion. Although it was unusual and somewhat frustrating that they were not returning to their lodgings but instead going to the palace at this hour, no one present would dare refuse. Everyone knew that the conflict had come to an end, with Anxi Princess likely emerging victorious. Therefore, everyone wished to be among the first to enter the palace in order to secure more benefits for themselves.

Initially, Mo Xiuyao wanted Ye Li to return and rest, but she decided to go back into the palace because she remembered that Nanzhao's King was still being hidden somewhere within the royal palace.

The scene was once again in the great hall where King Nanzhao had first met them. However, the people present were now different. Anxi Princess was still wearing her wedding attire of a white dress with blue flowers, but it was stained with dark red blood, giving her an aura that was cold and fierce under the lamplight. At this moment, Anxi Princess stood on the dais looking down at Shuman Lin, who was sitting in a disheveled state in the middle of the hall.

"It's quite late to invite everyone into the palace; I apologize," said Anxi Princess as she nodded at Ye Li before apologizing to those entering the hall. Le Tengfeng smiled and replied, "No need for apologies, Your Highness. The events tonight were unexpected, but it’s a relief that you and your husband are safe." Pu’a stood behind Anxi Princess with some blood still on his young face, indicating that he too had faced tough battles earlier. Anxi Princess smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Prince of Zhen’nan." Chancellor Liu frowned and asked, "With such a major incident, why hasn’t King Nanzhao appeared"

Anxi Princess also furrowed her brows and replied, "To be frank, I haven't seen Father since returning to the palace. We are searching everywhere for him now. Shuman Lin, you hold both the royal guards' tokens and those of the city's garrison—where is my father"

Shuman Lin looked troubled and coldly replied, "How would I know where he is"

Anxi Princess sneered and said, "With the tokens in your possession, how can you not know where Father has gone Then, how did you obtain these tokens"

Shuman Lin was stunned but quickly understood Anxi Princess's intentions—she wanted to pin King Nanzhao’s disappearance on her. Shuman Lin felt extremely wronged; she had never imagined that even with the might of southern holy lands and the entire city garrison, she still couldn’t defeat Anxi Princess. She had hoped to kill Anxi Princess directly, as without a leader, her followers would be easily defeated. Yet, she was caught off guard by an elite group of bodyguards who were incredibly powerful in battle, leaving her unable to harm them and instead apprehended inside the Holy Maiden Hall.

"What do you mean The King naturally gave me these tokens!" Shuman Lin said sternly.

Anxi Princess was not hurried. She calmly replied, "Father would give you control of both palace guards and city garrison Are you joking"

Shuman Lin felt uneasy. Normally, Nanzhao's King wouldn’t entrust her with such significant responsibilities; but in this case, she had used special methods to persuade him into giving her the tokens. Yet even if she claimed that they were given directly by the king, no one would believe her. All present held great power and understood the importance of authority and military might. As King Nanzhao, he wouldn’t easily entrust such crucial items to a holy maiden. Even if someone believed her now, with her defeat, should King Nanzhao not appear soon enough to save her, it would turn out false.

But… where was King Nanzhao right now

Shuman Lin had no idea that when she took most of the guards away to besiege Anxi Princess, someone secretly entered the palace to rescue him. Before leaving, he knocked out King Nanzhao and hid him somewhere. If Shuman Lin knew this, she wouldn’t have taken so many people with her, thus nobody in the royal city now knows where King Nanzhao is.

The Princess of Anxi looked down on Shumanlin disdainfully. She was really tired of this woman, and over the years she had come to understand Shumanlin's true identity. So in the beginning, when Shumanlin would occasionally target her, she endured it patiently. However, she never expected that Shumanlin would become even more outrageous. What hurt her most was that her father actually entrusted Shumanlin with the command of the royal city’s guard. Did her father not consider that with control over the entire royal city's guards, Shumanlin might be able to bring about her demise Or... did her father himself think this way

"Shumanlin, you have acted without authorization by mobilizing the palace and royal city guards to attack the Princess’s residence in an attempt to harm the crown princess of Nanzhao. Furthermore, you bear some responsibility for my father's disappearance. Do you know your crime" The Princess of Anxi took a deep breath and asked sternly.

Shumanlin remained silent, sneering coldly: "Now that you've won, how can I say anything Anxi, don't pretend anymore; it’s obvious that you are the one who has taken my king hostage to frame me!"

The Princess of Anxi did not get angry but smiled indifferently: "Your movements tonight were clear to you. With your troops blocking and pursuing me, I couldn’t even approach the palace. Moreover... wasn’t it you who withdrew half of the guards from the royal palace The palace guards are responsible for protecting the king and the affairs of Nanzhao; they can't be easily withdrawn even during wartime. Shumanlin, do you still not know your crime"

"I..." Shumanlin knew she couldn’t outsmart the Princess of Anxi because she had become too overconfident and careless. Originally, she thought that with thousands of guards and hundreds of elite fighters surrounding her, it was impossible for the Princess of Anxi to escape; therefore, she didn't think about concealing or bypassing anything when doing these things. Now, after this failure, there is no turning back.

"Prince Li..." Shumanlin had no choice but to rely on the others present. The one who was closest to her was Mo Jingli. However, Prince Li didn’t treat her as she imagined; he glanced at her indifferently and said coldly: "I have no authority in Nanzhao’s affairs." Shumanlin was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a cold response from Prince Li, “Prince Li… you… how could you be so ruthless! Don't forget that if it weren’t for me…”

"Take her away!" said the Princess of Anxi.

Two guards from the princess’s residence immediately stepped forward and led Shumanlin away, covering her mouth. Currently in chaos, Nanzhao was not a time to offend Prince Li. As for what transactions there were between Shumanlin and Prince Li, she would naturally find out later. After dealing with Shumanlin's matter, the Princess of Anxi apologized again before sending everyone out to rest.

"Prince Ding, Consort Ding, please wait a moment," called the Princess of Anxi as they were about to leave. Ye Lü回頭看了她一眼，挑了挑眉。安溪公主含笑道：“家父如今身在何處？還請王妃告知。”葉璃笑道：“就在寢殿裡，請公主派人仔細找一找就是了。對了，我從南詔王宮裡帶走了一個人，還請公主見諒。”安溪公主擺手笑道：“小事一件，王妃不必介意。”

Ye Lü and Mo Xiuyao left hand in hand, while Xu Qingchen remained behind. He walked a few steps out and then stopped to look back at the Princess of Anxi.

The Princess of Anxi asked: "Qingchen, do you still have something to say" Xu Qingchen glanced indifferently at Pu Ah standing behind the Princess of Anxi. The Princess smiled and said: “Pu Ah is on our side; Qingchen can speak freely.” After this night, it seemed that there was more trust and intimacy between the Princess of Anxi and her new husband. Without further ado, Xu Qingchen asked: "What are your plans after finding the King of Nanzhao"

"Plans" The Princess of Anxi looked confused.

Xu Qingchen elaborated carefully: "No matter what happens tonight, the King of Nanzhao will harbor suspicions towards you. Have you thought about your future Will he still intervene to save Shumanlin or even cultivate a second and third Shumanlin"

The Princess’s expression darkened as she lowered her eyes: "He is my father." Xu Qingchen said calmly: “I didn’t ask you to do anything to the King of Nanzhao.” The Princess felt somewhat ashamed, looked at Xu Qingchen with a bitter smile and admitted openly: “It was I who wanted to do something for my father. Qingchen... these years have been enough... can you help me”

Gazing at the powerless Anxi Princess, who was slumped wearily on the steps, Xu Qingchen let out a sigh. He said calmly, “The King of Nanzhao is severely ill after being frightened and can no longer handle state affairs. Since Princess Anxi has already been married, shouldn’t she ascend to the throne as king”

The Anxi Princess was taken aback. Although she had thought about weakening her father’s power, she hadn’t considered becoming the King of Nanzhao before his death.

Xu Qingchen looked at her calmly and said, “You and I have been friends for so many years, often discussing how to govern a country…” The Anxi Princess nodded. "Indeed, over these years, I’ve learned much from Qingchen."

Xu Qingchen continued, “I taught you the way of ruling people, but never the way of being king. Anxi, this is my last lesson for you. Do you know why Shumanlin has always held the upper hand over you Because you lack decisiveness. Kings are solitary by nature; strategy, tactics, and decision-making are essential. What you lack most is decisiveness. Throughout history, kings have been無情無義，皇家成員之間冇有骨肉親情。每次手下留情隻會換來敵人的東山再起。你對自己夠狠，所以什麼苦都能吃，但對身邊的人太過仁慈。安溪，隻有當你能夠妥善處理與周圍人之間的關係時，你才能成為一個合格的王者。”說完，徐清塵不再停留，徑直向門外走去。

突然，安溪公主問道：“那定王呢？天下皆知定王對王妃寵愛有加，對徐氏也極為信任。清塵覺得定王是個合格的王者嗎？”

Xu Qingchen turned back to her, smiled calmly, and said, “There is no better king than the Prince Ding. To be a ruler requires knowing how to make choices. The Prince Ding knows what he wants and needs to do, so I never worry about him. Anxi… King of Nanzhao, take care.”

Seeing Xu Qingchen walk away without looking back, the Anxi Princess felt cold in her empty great hall, hugging her knees subconsciously as silent tears fell on them. Pu Ah came to stand beside her and saw the woman crying silently with her head bowed down. A touch of sympathy flashed across his eyes, and he awkwardly patted her shoulder gently, saying, "Xie, I’ll be here for you."

The Anxi Princess looked up at him, feeling lost as she hugged him tightly, sobbing loudly in the great hall.

Exiting the palace, Xu Qingchen saw that dawn was already breaking. A few drunk citizens still lingered on the square before the palace. The cool breeze blew past, and Xu Qingchen looked up at the setting moon, taking a long breath.

"Why does Mr. Qingchen look so sorrowful" A mocking voice asked from behind him.

Xu Qingchen frowned unhappily. "Sorrowful I thought you guys had already gone back to the inn." When he turned around, he saw Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao standing there with concerned faces on one side and a teasing face on the other. “You’ve been up all night, aren’t you tired”

Ye Li said gently, "We were worried when we saw you lagging behind. Although everything is fine now, it’s safer to go back together after such chaos last night."

Xu Qingchen felt warmth in his heart as he looked into Ye Li’s concerned eyes. The words he had just spoken to the Anxi Princess weren’t merely advice on how to rule or handle future matters. They signified that their former friendship was over.

Even though they both controlled Nanzhao, the King of Nanzhao and the Crown Princess were different entities entirely. Once the Anxi Princess ascended the throne, she would be burdened with responsibilities forever and no longer have a pure friendship like before. Xu Qingchen had few friends, but he was more than just a friend to the Anxi Princess; they were mentor and peer alike. Although he was glad about her growth, he couldn’t help feeling lost at the thought of losing such an important friend.

"Alright, let's go back together then," Xu Qingchen smiled faintly. As they walked, he said to Mo Xiuyao, "We may need a few more days before we can set off for Northwest."

Moxiuyao raised his eyebrows and asked, "Why is that" Xu Qingchen replied, "To attend Princess Anxi's coronation ceremony." Moxiuyao's sword-like eyebrows rose as he praised, "Young Master Qingchen has excellent political acumen. This Southern Zhaowang is becoming rather tiresome to me too; switching him for a princess isn't such a bad idea." He was certain that before their departure, Princess Anxi had no intention of taking the throne, and it must have been something Xu Qingchen said to her in his absence. Only Xu Qingchen could say these things, as anyone else would be seen by Princess Anxi as having ulterior motives. When Xu Qingchen spoke, however, the outcome would be completely different.

Xu Qingchen remained silent. For Princess Anxi, it might be a good thing for her to take the throne earlier, but for Southern Zhaowang's kingdom, it was another matter entirely. If they left Southern Zhaowang on his throne, considering Princess Anxi’s temperament, she could possibly face similar incidents again. Although Southern Zhaowang was incompetent, he still had people and tribes who would be loyal to him. Furthermore, with Tan Jizhi's help, if the kingdom were to retaliate, Princess Anxi might be in danger of losing her life. However, once Princess Anxi ascended the throne, it wasn't certain that all the tribes would submit to her rule immediately; when Southern Zhaowang was at war internally, Western Ling would definitely have intentions to annex the kingdom... Xu Qingchen closed his eyes briefly; he didn’t know whether Princess Anxi would resent him in the future. But now… Western Ling had been lying in wait for years and was showing signs of impatience. If they allowed him to focus his attention on Northwest with the support of Chu and Beirong, it might be better to let him test himself against Southern Zhaowang first, giving Northwest more time to prepare.

"Big Brother…" Ye Li didn't think as deeply as Xu Qingchen did; these power struggles were never her forte. But she could sense that Big Brother was feeling gloomy. Mo Xiuyao looked at Xu Qingchen and said, "Princess Anxi is a member of the imperial family. Unless she voluntarily gives it up, she will always be caught in such matters. Big Brother doesn’t need to blame himself too much for this. Also, thank you." Mo Xiuyao naturally understood Xu Qingchen's considerations; he sincerely thanked him.

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly and said, "What am I thanking you for It’s within my duties. Since we’re born in this era, everyone must accept their fate."

"Let's go, it's time to return and rest," Xu Qingchen led the way ahead of Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li towards the inn.

Ye Li frowned as she watched Xu Qingchen’s back. "I feel that Big Brother isn't quite right." Mo Xiuyao held Ye Li's hand and comforted her gently, saying, "It's nothing much; after Princess Anxi ascends to the throne, she will become a ruler of a country. It wouldn’t be proper for Young Master Qingchen to continue his close relationship with her given his status. Furthermore, Princess Anxi has now married, so it’s only natural that Young Master Qingchen must avoid any suspicion. Losing such a close friend would upset anyone's mood; Big Brother usually doesn't dwell on things and will get over this in time."

Ye Li nodded, sighed, and said, "I hope so. Big Brother became famous at a young age, but there aren’t many who can connect with him."

Moxiuyao glanced ahead at the solitary Xu Qingchen and his eyes flashed with sly amusement as he looked at Ye Li. “Aili, speaking of which, we were talking about sightseeing on our way back earlier. Now that we have to stay for Princess Anxi’s coronation ceremony, and then return to your military exercise, it feels like there's not enough time.” Ye Li blinked. "What are you planning, Your Excellency"

Ye Li was well acquainted with Mo Xiuyao’s disposition in the past few years; he clearly had a plan up his sleeve by saying this. Mo Xiuyao smiled contentedly and kissed Ye Li's lips gently before saying, “Aili understands me perfectly. Anyway, we have already attended Princess Anxi’s wedding ceremony; her coronation isn’t necessary for us to be present at… How about we travel leisurely on our way back to Northwest”

Ye Li understood that Mo Xiuyao had no intention of attending the coronation ceremony. "What do you plan to do"

Moxiuyao replied, "Big Brother’s presence at the coronation is enough; who would dare say that Young Master Qingchen's name isn't significant Let us travel leisurely and make our way back to Northwest slowly. Do you agree with this idea, Aili" Since Xu Qingchen was renowned throughout the land, more importantly, he represented the Xu family, which was behind Princess Ding of the Duke’s wife. Xu Qingchen attending Southern Zhaowang's princess coronation ceremony would definitely show Northwest’s stance.

Ye Li hesitated for a moment and had to admit that she was tempted by this idea. For these few years in Northwest, she hadn't truly relaxed or enjoyed sightseeing.

"Will Big Brother agree"

"Of course he will; Big Brother definitely won’t leave until after Princess Anxi’s coronation ceremony. We staying here would just be a waste of time."

“Alright… then,” finally unable to resist the urge to travel, Ye Li could only feel guilty about it in her heart towards her own big brother.ot join us" Consort Empress Liu stepped forward and looked at Mo Xiuyao.Mo Xiuyao ignored her. Princess Changle frowned slightly; even though there weren’t many outsiders around now, they were still o...