Chapter 284: Huo Wu Seeks Help
"This doesn't seem quite right!"
Qian Renxue's little scheme couldn't possibly escape Xiao Yu's notice. Xiao Yu, whose private life was far from exemplary, immediately showed a troubled expression.
If this matter were to reach the ears of Ye Lingling and Huo Wu, not to mention the hot-tempered Huo Wu, even the usually gentle Ye Lingling would surely be displeased.
Qian Renxue, of course, was aware of Xiao Yu's dilemma. She inwardly cursed him as a scoundrel and made a concession: "After our grand wedding, you can hold another ceremony in your true identity to marry Lingling and that fiery-tempered girl at the same time. I won't participate then. In this way, the outside world will only regard them as the principal wives of your Nine Star Palace."
Xiao Yu was taken aback: "Then what about you..?"
Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes glanced at Xiao Yu with a hint of annoyance: "As the esteemed Saintess of the Hall of Tribute and the future empress of the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, do you really think I would care about the position of a mere principal wife of the Nine Star Palace?"
Uh.
Xiao Yu was momentarily embarrassed, realizing that in terms of status, Qian Renxue was actually a bit higher than himself.
Seeing that Xiao Yu was still entangled, Qian Renxue stepped forward and put her arm around Xiao Yu's neck, saying: "My actions are not entirely for my own sake. Ning Fengzhi has always wanted to push the Heaven Dou Empire towards the Haotian Sect and Star Luo Empire. Given his character, he will definitely try to sabotage our marriage alliance. We can usually find an excuse to avoid him, but during the wedding period, as the Crown Princess, I would have to meet with the empire's important officials. A stand-in would easily be exposed by his probing!"
"Let me think about it some more!"
Xiao Yu was somewhat tempted. Qian Renxue's words did make sense. If the Heaven Dou Imperial Family found out that the noble lady from the Nine Star Palace, who was to marry the Crown Prince, was actually an impostor, the relationship between the two sides would shatter in an instant.
However, Xiao Yu also had to consider the feelings of Ye Lingling and Huo Wu, so he needed to seek their consent first.
"Alright."
Qian Renxue understood that if she pushed Xiao Yu too hard, it would backfire.
Among the two women, Ye Lingling was always reasonable. As long as the serious implications were explained, she believed that even if Ye Lingling was reluctant, she would stand on her side. As for the always contrary Huo Wu, that was a headache for Xiao Yu to deal with himself.
This time, Qian Renxue had come in the guise of Xue Qinghe and couldn't stay long.
After a brief exchange, Qian Renxue used Xue Qinghe's skin and took her leave.
Upon returning to Heaven Dou City, Qian Renxue immediately informed Emperor Xue Ye of the whole story.
Upon learning that Xiao Yu had changed the marriage plan to his sister marrying Xue Qinghe, Emperor Xue Ye wholeheartedly approved.
After all, compared to Emperor Xue Ye's original marriage alliance proposal, Xiao Yu's plan was more advantageous for the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
If Xiao Yu were to marry Xue Ke, although the child born to Xue Ke would have royal blood, he would ultimately bear the surname Xiao. On a deeper level, he would still be an outsider.
However, a child of Xue Qinghe would be the legitimate second-generation successor of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. Emperor Xue Ye was already looking forward to the possibility of having a Title Douluo emperor in the Heaven Dou Empire decades later.
Moreover, this move could also put an end to the rumors about Xue Qinghe in Heaven Dou City.
Xue Qinghe had long passed the age for discussing marriage but had not yet taken a wife. The rumors about him were growing increasingly rampant:
Prince Xue Qinghe is impotent!
Prince Xue Qinghe avoids women because he prefers men!
Prince Xue Qinghe is a eunuch and cannot have children!
All sorts of rumors were emerging, causing Emperor Xue Ye great distress.
Xue Qinghe was the heir whom Emperor Xue Ye favored the most. Over the years, Emperor Xue Ye's health had been deteriorating, and he had handed over many affairs to Xue Qinghe, who managed them in an orderly fashion. Unless there was a significant upheaval, Emperor Xue Ye would never change his successor.
As for supporting Xue Bing's entry into the court, that was merely to give Xue Bing some means of self-preservation.
Emperor Xue Ye was not naive. The mysterious deaths of his other two sons—wasn't it obvious who the culprit was?
However, Emperor Xue Ye did not harbor any resentment towards Xue Qinghe because of this. In the imperial family, familial affection had always been the most fragile thing. He himself had eliminated several of his most competitive brothers to ascend to the throne.
Protecting Xue Bing wasn't a burst of paternal love; it was simply a precaution to ensure a backup for the succession of the throne, much like how his own father had kept the most dissolute and non-threatening Prince Xue Xing as a backup for his own succession.
After finalizing the marriage alliance plan, Emperor Xue Ye immediately issued an imperial decree, ennobling Xiao Yu as the Empire's hetero-king with the title of "Yi Ming," whose authority within the empire was three ranks higher than any official.
The Nine Star Palace also relocated its headquarters from Sylvia to Heaven Dou City, upgrading its original Sunset Forest branch to the main hall and recruiting personnel for expansion. With the full support of the Heaven Dou Empire, the reputation of the Nine Star Palace, following its championship in the Soul Master Tournament, reached a new height and showed signs of becoming the premier soul master sect.
The sect was thriving, but Xiao Yu was troubled by how to broach the marriage condition proposed by Qian Renxue to Ye Lingling and Huo Wu.
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Xiao Yu was particularly troubled by how to talk to Huo Wu, as he had already tried to hint at the issue with Ye Lingling, but he had no idea how to bring it up with Huo Wu.
"Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu, something terrible has happened! You really have to help me this time!"
Just as Xiao Yu was troubled by this, the very person who was troubling him burst in, looking anxious and speaking in a breathless voice, clearly having run all the way here.
Seeing Huo Wu in such a state, Xiao Yu quickly stepped forward to support her, gently patted her back to help her regulate her breathing, and softly said, "What happened? Don't worry, take your time and tell me slowly!"
Although Huo Wu was a bit impulsive in her actions, as the daughter of the Chihuo Academy, she had been taught noble etiquette since childhood. Xiao Yu had never seen her so out of control before.
After several deep breaths, Huo Wu's breathing finally stabilized, and she began to narrate the events.
It turned out that the incident involved the foundation of Huo Wu's family—the Chihuo Academy, as well as the closely related Tian Shui Academy and Shen Feng Academy.
As in the original story, after the Spirit Hall launched the Soul-Hunting Operation, it also targeted these three top-level advanced soul master academies within the Heaven Dou Empire.
Although the Spirit Hall's Soul-Hunting Operation was actually a major setback, in the eyes of outsiders, the fact that it had severely damaged the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and annihilated the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan (Bibi Dong knew that even if she announced that Xiao Yu was the one who did it, no one would believe it, so she didn't clarify and just let everyone think that the Spirit Hall was responsible.) still had a strong deterrent effect on the soul master world.
After the three academies clearly rejected the Spirit Hall, a large number of students and teachers immediately announced their departure from the academies.
(End of Chapter)
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