The Seven Treasures City and the Heavenly Dou Imperial City were not far apart. A short journey by top-class carriage brought them to the city gates.
It was Dongfang Yao's first time in Heavenly Dou City, and the grandeur of the capital city made her eyes widen in astonishment.
The towering city walls resembled a coiled dragon, the streets were bustling with people, and shops lined the streets—a scene of prosperity far surpassing any city she had ever seen before.
Ning Rongrong was uninterested in going to the palace; the thought of the tedious rules within gave her a headache.
She had to bow to those with titles, and stop to greet princes and princesses—it was all too troublesome. She simply took Dongfang Yao's hand and said sweetly to Ning Fengzhi, "Daddy, Yao'er and I are going to play in the streets!"
Ning Fengzhi sighed helplessly but did not stop her.
As a father, how could he not see his daughter's thoughts?
On the surface, Ning Rongrong remained innocent and carefree, but in reality, she was quite stimulated by Dongfang Yao's astonishing cultivation speed. Lately, she had even less time to play, often secretly staying in the cultivation room until late at night.
Bringing her to Tiandou City this time was a way for her to relax.
"Yao'er, please keep an eye on Rongrong," Ning Fengzhi gently instructed, handing her a heavy money pouch. "Buy whatever she likes, but don't let her cause any trouble."
"Okay, I know," Dongfang Yao nodded obediently.
"We're just strolling around the streets, what trouble could we possibly cause! Yao'er, let's go!" Ning Rongrong eagerly pulled her along and ran.
"Hey, Rongrong, slow down!"
Watching the two girls' joyful figures disappear into the distance, Ning Fengzhi gently tapped the ground with his white jade cane.
Several figures immediately flashed out from the shadows, all carefully trained disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Most of these guards possessed Soul Emperor cultivation, led by a Soul Saint expert, and silently followed them.
"With their covert protection, we should be fine just wandering around the city. Uncle Jian, let's go into the palace," Ning Fengzhi said to Chen Xin beside him.
Chen Xin nodded slightly.
The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the magnificent gates of the palace.
Upon seeing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School emblem on the carriage, the guards immediately became respectful and quickly pushed open the palace gates. One of them hurried inside to report.
The coachman handed over a token, and after verifying their identities, the guards lined up neatly to make way: "Welcome Sect Master Ning Fengzhi, and Sword Douluo Chen Xin!"
After entering the palace, the two stopped talking and instead communicated through telepathic communication.
"Fengzhi, are His Majesty Xueye's children all well?"
Chen Xin had been focusing on teaching Dongfang Yao for the past year and had not visited the Heavenly Dou Palace for many days. Usually, Gu Rong accompanied Ning Fengzhi when he came.
He asked this because everyone in the court and among the people knew that the Second Prince had died suddenly from poisoning three years ago, and the Third Prince had died from the same strange poison two years ago.
Now, Emperor Xueye only had three heirs left.
Ning Fengzhi shook his head almost imperceptibly.
With his knowledge, he had already speculated about the truth behind the mysterious deaths of the two princes, but he had always chosen to remain silent.
Firstly, he lacked conclusive evidence, and secondly, as the head of a clan, he was more inclined to support the First Prince, Xue Qinghe.
Since the two talented princes had passed away, leaving only the young and increasingly spoiled Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, and the princess Xue Ke, who had no right to the throne, in his view, Xue Qinghe was indeed the biggest beneficiary and the most suitable candidate to inherit the throne.
Unlike Dugu Bo, Ning Fengzhi had never associated with Prince Xue Xing, so he naturally did not know the hidden story behind Xue Beng's feigned madness.
His long-term close cooperation with Emperor Xueye had allowed him to come into contact with this First Prince many times.
After several in-depth conversations, he was quite impressed with Xue Qinghe's eloquence and insight.
Therefore, even though he vaguely suspected that the deaths of the two princes were related to Xue Qinghe, he chose to pretend not to know and wait and see.
This time, Emperor Xueye specifically issued an edict requiring him to come, claiming that there was an important matter to announce.
In fact, Ning Fengzhi had already guessed seven or eight parts of the truth.
Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin walked side by side on the white marble steps leading to the main hall.
Royal guards in full armor stood like pine trees on both sides, their golden armor gleaming in the sunlight, and the entire palace was shrouded in a solemn atmosphere.
A middle-aged eunuch dressed in a crimson chief eunuch's robe was already waiting outside the hall. Upon seeing the two, he immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Sect Master Ning, Your Majesty Sword Douluo, His Majesty and the other officials have been waiting in the hall for a long time. Please follow me."
This man was Emperor Xueye's personal chief eunuch, and held a high position in the palace.
His personal welcome showed the importance the royal family attached to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
The two nodded slightly and followed the chief steward into the magnificent main hall.
The hall's dome soared high, supported by massive dragon pillars, and stood on both sides filled with high-ranking officials and nobles of the Heavenly Dou Empire.
They were impeccably dressed, conversing in hushed tones, their gazes invariably fixed on the throne.
Emperor Xue Ye sat regally on the dragon throne, his gold and red dragon robe accentuating his imposing presence, and the golden diamond crown atop his head shimmered brilliantly under the palace lanterns.
Though he didn't deliberately unleash his soul power, the aura of a long-time emperor already enveloped the entire hall.
Below the steps, slightly forward on the left, stood a young man.
He was dressed in a moon-white prince's robe, his posture upright as a pine tree, his face handsome and gentle, his azure eyes clear and bright, and a humble smile that always graced his lips.
It was none other than the First Prince, Xue Qinghe.
He stood there, neither arrogant nor humble, his bearing extraordinary, drawing silent nods from many senior officials.
Upon seeing Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin enter the hall, Emperor Xue Ye's majestic face broke into a genuine smile, and he took the initiative to speak: "Sect Leader Ning, Your Majesty Chen Xin, you have arrived."
This greeting immediately drew all eyes to the two in the hall.
Many ministers showed reverence, especially when looking at the white-clad Sword Douluo Chen Xin, whose aura was as ordinary as an ordinary person.
"His Majesty summoned me, how could I dare not come? I am truly sorry to have troubled you to wait so long," Ning Fengzhi said with an elegant bow, his smile as warm as jade.
Chen Xin merely nodded slightly in greeting.
"Hehe, it's alright." Emperor Xue Ye laughed heartily.
Xue Qinghe immediately stepped forward, bowing deeply to the two, his posture extremely humble, his tone carrying just the right amount of respect: "Qinghe greets Sect Master Ning, and His Majesty Sword Douluo."
Ning Fengzhi smiled and replied: "Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Emperor Xue Ye's gaze swept across the entire hall.
The previously slightly noisy hall fell silent instantly.
He cleared his throat, his booming voice resounding throughout the hall:
"I have summoned all my beloved ministers today to announce a major event concerning the Heavenly Dou Empire."
He paused, his gaze falling on Xue Qinghe, filled with undisguised admiration and expectation:
"My eldest son, Xue Qinghe, is of upright character, diligent in his studies, benevolent and magnanimous, and possesses considerable talent for governing the country. I am greatly pleased and have decided to follow ancestral tradition and establish him as the Crown Prince of the Heavenly Dou Empire to solidify the foundation of the nation!"
Upon hearing this, the reactions of the people in the hall varied.
However, the vast majority of them revealed an expression of "I knew it."
Xue Qinghe's performance in recent years had been remarkable, and coupled with the mysterious deaths of the other two princes, his support among ministers had grown daily, making him the popular choice for crown prince.
Even if a few ministers harbored doubts, they dared not show them in the current situation.
After all, besides Xue Qinghe, should they really choose the increasingly arrogant fourth prince, Xue Beng? If so, the future of the Tian Dou Empire would truly be precarious.
"Your Majesty, we congratulate you! Your Highness the Crown Prince!" the ministers shouted in unison, their voices resounding.
Xue Qinghe stepped forward at the opportune moment, kneeling on the ground, his voice steady and firm: "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! I will certainly fulfill my duties diligently and self-disciplinedly, and will never fail the trust placed in me by Your Majesty and the Empire!"
"Very well, rise." Emperor Xue Ye raised his hand in satisfaction.
His gaze then shifted to Ning Fengzhi, his tone becoming exceptionally amiable, even carrying a hint of negotiation:
"Sect Master Ning, while Qinghe possesses some talent, he is still young. To lead the empire in the future, he still needs a good teacher. I know you are learned and exceptionally wise, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is a pillar of the empire. Today, I will boldly ask..."
He leaned forward slightly, gazing at Ning Fengzhi, and asked, word by word, "Sect Master Ning, would you be willing to accept Qinghe as a disciple, and in your spare time guide him, so that he can grow faster and better shoulder the responsibilities of the empire in the future?"
Upon hearing this, all eyes focused on Ning Fengzhi.
The emperor himself seeking a teacher for the crown prince, and the person seeking a teacher was none other than the sect master of one of the three upper sects—the implications were self-evident.
Xue Qinghe immediately bowed to Ning Fengzhi again, his tone extremely sincere: "Qinghe has long admired Sect Master Ning's character and learning. If I could receive your guidance, I would certainly study diligently and never disappoint my teacher's expectations."
Ning Fengzhi's face still wore a gentle smile, but in his heart, he instantly understood the profound meaning of Emperor Xue Ye.
This was not only about finding a teacher for the Crown Prince, but also about hoping to bind the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect more closely with the Heavenly Dou Royal Family and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe through this master-disciple relationship.
He glanced at Chen Xin beside him; Chen Xin's eyes were calm, and he nodded slightly, indicating that he could decide for himself.
Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment, but in reality, he had already weighed the options clearly in his heart.
Xue Qinghe was indeed, in his current view, the most suitable candidate for Crown Prince, and forming a master-disciple relationship with him would be more beneficial than harmful to the sect's future.
So, meeting the expectant gaze of Emperor Xueye and the sincere eyes of Xue Qinghe, he elegantly nodded and smiled, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is exceptionally talented and possesses extraordinary bearing. It is an honor for Fengzhi to accept such a fine disciple. In that case, Fengzhi will gladly accept."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xueye's smile widened, clearly very satisfied.
Xue Qinghe bowed deeply again, "Student Xue Qinghe greets teacher!"
The main street of Tiandou City was bustling with people and incredibly noisy.
Ning Rongrong and Dongfang Yao, two young girls, walked hand in hand among the dazzling array of shops and stalls.
Passing an inconspicuous corner, a small stall displaying various oddly shaped stones and with bottles and jars of herbs piled on a nearby table caught Dongfang Yao's attention.
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