Chapter 119: Xu Tianran Juzi, You Must Make a Sacrifice!
Upon hearing these words, Juzi immediately responded respectfully, "Your Highness, I am at your command."
Juzi was a smart woman. She still needed Xu Tianran's support to carry out her revenge against the White Tiger Duke, so she had to appear as obedient as possible in front of him. She had labeled herself as Xu Tianran's most loyal follower.
Xu Tianran nodded in satisfaction he appreciated Juzi's unquestioning loyalty. To him, there was no one in the world he trusted more than Juzi. After all, she had saved his life when he was nearly assassinated. Because of that, there were some secrets he only shared with her.
With a warm expression, he said, "Juzi, don't just stand there it's tiring. There's a chair right there. Sit down first."
"As you wish, Your Highness." Juzi immediately took a seat, knowing that Xu Tianran disliked being defied.
Once she was seated, Xu Tianran slowly spoke. "Juzi, I recall that you have a good relationship with Huo Yuhao, correct?"
Juzi was momentarily stunned but quickly replied, "Yes, I have a decent relationship with Junior Yuhao. Right now, we're both students under Teacher Xuan, so I guess I could be considered his senior sister."
She wasn't sure why Xu Tianran was bringing this up, but she knew that he always had a purpose for everything he did. A feeling of unease settled in her heart.
Xu Tianran sighed, then proceeded to explain everything about Kong Deming blocking Zhongli Wu from becoming the Grand Preceptor.
Although Juzi was his most trusted confidante, she was still a student at Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy and didn't meet with him daily. Because of that, she wasn't always up to date on the latest developments.
The reason he had sent Juzi to the academy was simple. Firstly, it was to give her credentials most of the Sun Moon Empire's high ranking officials came from the Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
By graduating from the academy, she could claim a shared background with many influential figures, making it easier to form connections. Even Xu Tianran himself had graduated from the academy.
Sometimes, when he put on a gentle front while conversing with Sun Moon officials, he would use their shared school experience as a way to connect with them before employing various means to win their loyalty.
Secondly, Juzi aspired to join the Sun Moon military. Learning about soul tools and understanding which weapons were viable on the battlefield would be crucial for her.
Xu Tianran nodded in satisfaction. "It seems you did well in befriending Huo Yuhao when I asked you to. Now that you're on good terms with him, it's time to take things further. If Huo Yuhao is willing to act as a mediator, I am confident that Kong Deming will relent. After all, Huo Yuhao is his grand disciple and someone he holds in high regard.
"From what I've gathered, Kong Deming has even assigned several protectors to keep an eye on the academy, likely to ensure Huo Yuhao's safety."
At this point, Juzi wasn't officially the crown princess just a hidden subordinate of Xu Tianran. If she had already been named crown princess, then at least those close to the royal family would be aware of her status.
Had that been the case, she wouldn't have needed to personally bring Xu Tianran to rescue Huo Yuhao in the original timeline. Instead, she could have simply revealed her identity, and Wang Shaojie's cousin would have immediately released him.
Juzi was taken aback. "Your Highness, you mean…?"
"Juzi, I want you to be with Huo Yuhao," Xu Tianran said with a hint of pain in his voice. "For the sake of my grand ambition, I need you to make a sacrifice. If you can manipulate his emotions, then convincing him to sway Kong Deming would be a sound strategy.
"People his age are easily controlled by their feelings."
Juzi was shocked. Immediately, she put on a stellar performance, dropping to her knees as she protested, "Your Highness, absolutely not! I am loyal to you how could I possibly betray you in this way?"
Internally, however, Juzi was elated.
The truth was, she had no genuine affection for Xu Tianran. The image she projected around him of a woman devoted to him alone, seeing him as the one and only "sun" in her heart was merely an act for personal gain.
Huo Yuhao, on the other hand, was someone she genuinely cared for. His cooking had allowed her to relive the taste of her father's meals, something she deeply cherished.
Because of that, she had indeed considered the possibility of making Huo Yuhao her future husband. However, she had always kept her feelings hidden due to Xu Tianran's presence.
Now, Xu Tianran had unwittingly given her the perfect opportunity. Yet, knowing that he was treating her as nothing more than a tool soured her mood.
Xu Tianran was touched by her "devotion." He said, "Juzi, I know you have feelings for me. But you want revenge against the White Tiger Duke, and I want to unify the Douluo Continent. Our goals align after all, the White Tiger Duke is one of the biggest obstacles to the Sun Moon Empire's unification.
"But right now, our path is blocked by Kong Deming. I cannot afford to discard the Holy Spirit Church's support. So, Juzi, I have no choice but to ask you to make this sacrifice.
"Rest assured, I will compensate you handsomely in the future."
Juzi fell silent, her expression complex. She appeared genuinely conflicted. After a moment, she sighed deeply. "Your Highness, I obey."
"Good!" Xu Tianran nodded.
In truth, he had long wanted to win over Huo Yuhao. With his prestigious background and extraordinary talent, Huo Yuhao was a prime target for recruitment.
Compared to him, Juzi was of lesser value.
At present, Juzi had yet to prove her worth on the battlefield. While she had studied military strategy, Xu Tianran remained unconvinced after all, many people had read books on warfare, but true strategic ability could only be tested in real battle.
Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy
Huo Yuhao and Beibei returned to the academy together. Afterward, Huo Yuhao watched as Beibei headed toward his dormitory.
Although both of them lived at the Royal Soul Engineering Academy, their accommodations were entirely different. Beibei, as an exchange student, was still considered an outsider. There was no way he would receive better living conditions than Huo Yuhao, the Sun Moon Empire's top young talent.
The Sun Moon Empire would never favor outsiders over their own students just to boost the academy's reputation.
Huo Yuhao walked toward his own residence.
Suddenly, a voice called from behind him.
"Junior Yuhao."
Huo Yuhao halted and turned around.
It was Juzi.
"Senior Juzi," he greeted, looking at her with slight confusion. He wondered if she was here because she wanted another meal that reminded her of her father's cooking.
"Can you accompany me for a walk?" Juzi asked.
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