Chapter 837
The court assembly ends, and we are now number 2 in the world!
Inside the Taiji Hall.
Jiang Ning remained detached, quietly observing everything that was happening in the hall.
Upon arriving at the Taiji Hall, he had expected to become the focus of the court assembly and the center of attention among the officials.
But at this moment, he realized that in this Taiji Hall, he was still just an inconspicuous figure, like the civil and military officials behind him.
They are the backdrop for the heated debate ahead.
"The matter of today..." Ji Xuan spoke again, his gaze calmly sweeping over the assembled ministers: "This is a decision made after discussions between the King and His Majesty. I am here to inform you ministers, not to discuss it with you."
Then he added, "As for the establishment of the crown prince, I have discussed it with His Majesty, and now is not a good time! Therefore, all ministers, please do not bring this matter up again!"
"Side by side with the king, when would be a good time?" General Shen Xiao asked after a long silence.
"General Shen will find out in time!" Ji Xuan said.
Upon hearing this, Shen Xiao sat in the armchair, bowed slightly to Ji Xuan, and then remained silent.
"Gentlemen, if there are no further objections, you may leave!" Ji Xuan said. "From now on, I will preside over the court assemblies, and I will also approve your memorials."
After Ji Xuan finished speaking, there were no more objections in the Taiji Hall.
After a while.
The meeting dispersed.
Su Qingying got up and walked towards Jiang Ning.
"Let's go!" she said calmly.
Outside, she restrained her respect for Jiang Ning.
She knew that being overly respectful to Jiang Ning in public was harming him, not helping him.
Seeing Su Qingying's gaze drifting over, Jiang Ning nodded in acknowledgment.
Then, he and Su Qingying walked side by side and left in the same way they had arrived.
Crossing the gate of the Taiji Hall.
Jiang Ning couldn't help but chuckle.
After the court session ended, he realized that he had overestimated himself.
He is not the main character at today's court assembly.
Not only was he not the main character, but he was merely a background character, making a brief appearance at the Taiji Hall.
Throughout the entire court assembly, Ji Xuan did not glance at him even once.
Even when the show ended, I didn't look at him.
None of the princes approached him to talk or try to win him over.
At this moment, in the Taiji Hall behind them, the ministers, led by Prime Minister Li, were still kneeling, seemingly insisting on their words.
As they walked out of the Taiji Hall square, the figures of the officials gradually became sparse.
Some officials were still kneeling in the Taiji Hall, while others hurried toward the Zhuque Gate, rushing home ahead of time, as if someone at home was waiting for them.
Some people were still walking slowly behind them, two or three abreast, talking in hushed tones.
"Lord Dongling, how dare you!" Hurried footsteps came from behind, and the voice rang in Jiang Ning's ears.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning stopped and turned to look back.
The newcomer was an inner palace guard, a colleague who had just led him from the Vermilion Bird Gate into the Taiji Hall. He was wearing the same official robes and carrying the same sword.
Seeing Jiang Ning stop, the palace guard quickened his pace and came to stand in front of Jiang Ning.
"Greetings, Imperial Preceptor! Greetings, Lord Marquis!" The palace guards bowed to Jiang Ning and Su Qingying before straightening up.
"My lord, the Eighth Prince has asked me to convey a message that you should wait a moment at the Vermilion Bird Gate. He will bring the Seventeenth Princess to meet you."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded.
"Go back and tell the Eighth Prince that I understand, and I will wait at the Vermilion Bird Gate."
Upon hearing this, the palace guard bowed to Jiang Ning to express his gratitude, then turned and walked towards the Taiji Hall.
Then, Su Qingying watched as Jiang Ning set off towards the Vermilion Bird Gate, and followed suit.
Along the way, the imperial guards, clad in armor and wielding halberds, had piercing eyes and a divine light in them.
The weapons in his hands gleamed coldly in the bright moonlight.
Su Qingying followed behind Jiang Ning silently, without saying a word.
They walked in silence, accompanied only by the moonlight, which was brighter and clearer than usual.
……
Vermilion Bird Gate.
One by one, court officials boarded carriages and slowly drove away from the palace.
Jiang Ning stood ten feet away from the gate, waiting quietly.
In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.
"Greetings, Seventeenth Princess!"
"Greetings, Second Princess!"
"..."
A commotion came from the direction of the Vermilion Bird Gate.
Jiang Ning turned around and looked.
Then, Ji Mingya, dressed as a woman, and Ji Mingyue, dressed as a young girl, appeared at the gate.
As he looked in that direction, Ji Mingya and Ji Mingyue followed suit.
Looking at Jiang Ning, Ji Mingya revealed a charming smile, as if she were tempting him.
But Jiang Ning understood that Ji Mingya looked exactly like that—a foxy face, peach blossom eyes, and whenever she smiled, she exuded an alluring charm.
"The Ji family's genes are truly excellent!" Jiang Ning thought to himself, looking at the two women, each with their own distinct charm.
Then, a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes.
Behind Ji Mingya and Ji Mingyue, he did not see Ji Minghao, which made him somewhat puzzled.
Because the one who had just sent the palace guards to inform him was none other than the Eighth Prince, Ji Minghao.
He originally thought that Ji Minghao would take the opportunity of sending Ji Mingyue to exchange a few pleasantries with him.
After all, during his time away from the capital, his reputation had only grown stronger.
He didn't believe that the current Eighth Prince, Ji Minghao, would be unaware of what he had done in Guangning Prefecture.
They wouldn't know that he had subdued the carefree Marquis Jing Wuming and the Black Dragon King Chen Canghai in Guangning Prefecture.
He wouldn't know the meaning behind these two being used by him.
Princes vying for the throne and succeeding to the throne is not unheard of in the eight-hundred-year history of China.
Learning from history, we know that in the struggle for succession among princes, the strong support of a Grandmaster of the Second Rank can often significantly influence the probability of succession.
The power he now wields includes two top-tier second-grade grandmasters. Although Black Dragon King Chen Canghai is currently a second-grade grandmaster, he can actually be considered half a first-grade grandmaster.
After all, he was known as the Black Flood Dragon King, and at his peak, he was a true first-grade expert, having entered the Unity Realm.
Although his current level has declined, he is still not someone that a second-grade Grandmaster can compare to.
Not to mention his existence.
His ability to subdue the carefree Marquis Jing Wuming and the Black Flood Dragon King Chen Canghai is enough to show that his strength is no less than theirs.
Even though outsiders are not yet clear about the level of his strength, at the very least, the three of them combined can be regarded as a peak first-grade martial arts expert.
With such strength, Ji Minghao had a good opportunity to meet him, but he did not come.
While pondering in my heart.
Ji Mingya brought Ji Mingyue to Jiang Ning.
"Brother-in-law, I'm leaving Little Seventeen in your care from now on!" Ji Mingya said with a smile.
"Second sister, don't shout!" Ji Mingyue quietly tugged at her sleeve.
Ji Mingya curled her lips in disdain: "What are you shy about, Little Seventeen! Now, who in the entire royal family, among all the civil and military officials, and even in the entire capital, doesn't know about your heroic deeds with the Marquis of Dongling?"
After saying that, she took Ji Mingyue's small hand with one hand and Jiang Ning's palm with the other, placing their palms and backs together.
"Starting tonight, Little Seventeen will be in your hands. That's what Eighth Brother said!"
As they were talking, Jiang Ning felt a little finger scrape against his palm.
When he looked at Ji Mingya, Ji Mingya saw that his face was still flushed with a peach blossom glow, and her eyes were smiling.
"Where is the Eighth Prince?" He grabbed Ji Mingyue's small hand and pulled it behind him.
"Eighth Brother told me that he won't be coming to see you anymore. There are too many people and too many eyes in the Vermilion Bird Sect. If he comes to see you, it will only lead to gossip and make your situation worse. He said he doesn't want to drag you into his affairs, and he doesn't want to affect Little Seventeen's safety." Ji Mingya said to Jiang Ning. Then she took Ji Mingyue's other hand and patted it.
"Little Seventeen, if you ever need your second sister's help in the future, you can always come to your second sister!"
"Thank you, Second Sister." Ji Mingyue smiled slightly, indicating that she understood.
Seeing this, Ji Mingyue respectfully greeted Su Qingying again before taking her leave.
Looking at Ji Mingya's back.
"I underestimated him!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself, his mind filled with thoughts of the Eighth Prince, Ji Minghao.
He secretly felt a sense of admiration for Ji Minghao.
At this critical juncture, however, he had no intention of using Ji Mingyue.
At critical moments, measures are taken to avoid suspicion.
“Let’s go back!” he said, then looked away.
Afterwards, the three of them walked towards the direction of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, gradually moving away from the brightly lit Vermilion Bird Avenue.
at the same time.
The city tower of Zhuque Gate.
Two tall and slender figures appeared on the city wall.
Two figures stood one in front of the other. The figure in front had his hands behind his back; it was none other than Ji Minghao, the eighth prince of the Great Xia Dynasty.
"Your Highness, are you really not going to meet this Marquis of Dongling, your brother-in-law?"
Ji Minghao shook his head and remained silent.
“Your Highness, the abilities that this Marquis of Dongling is currently displaying are no less than those of a prince!” said the man behind Ji Minghao.
Ji Minghao shook his head again: "Xiao Shiqi is the only close relative I have. Over the years, I haven't been a good older brother. At this time, I don't want to take advantage of my kinship with Xiao Shiqi!"
"Your Highness, if this is done, Your Highness will have no advantage in the struggle for the throne!"
Ji Minghao said calmly, "General Shen dotes on his beloved daughter!"
"Your Highness, do you mean...?"
“Shen Xiao will be a force to be reckoned with!” Ji Minghao said.
……
Imperial Prefecture.
The three returned to the mansion.
It was already six quarters past the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), but the sky remained unchanged, with only the bright moonlight shining through.
"How is it? Did Ji Xuan cause you any trouble?" Jiang Ning returned to his courtyard and saw that aloof figure under the moonlight.
The visitor was none other than Lin Qingyi.
Her white dress cascaded down like moonlight, the moonlight falling on her dark hair as if dancing on it, her whole body enveloped in a hazy, clear glow.
Compared to the original Lin Qingyi.
After leaving the Water Moon Sword Palace, Lin Qingyi possessed a more ethereal and holy aura.
Her skin and figure were also more outstanding, giving her a more goddess-like aura.
She also looks a few years younger.
Jiang Ning looked at her, not surprised at all.
He also thought that he would clash with Ji Xuan when he went to court today.
After all, this was the court assembly held after Ji Xuan, the King of the Kingdom, emerged from seclusion, and Ji Xuan would surely know what had happened to Lin Qingyi.
But the reality was different from what he had imagined.
He was merely an observer throughout the entire court session.
Ji Xuan took over the administration of the court. In the court, he confronted Li Xiang and other important officials without ever glancing at him.
His attendance at the court assembly today was merely a formality.
This was completely different from what he had previously guessed.
He looked at Lin Qingyi and shook his head.
"In the court, Ji Xuan didn't even glance at me, it seems I didn't meet his standards."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyi nodded slightly.
"That's normal. Ji Xuan, who is on par with Wang Ji, is already one of the top experts in the world, known as the second strongest in the world. Naturally, he has a high opinion of himself."
Jiang Ning nodded in agreement.
After leaving the Taiji Hall, he understood the reason behind it.
Who is Princess Xuan, who stands shoulder to shoulder with him?
The second strongest mountain in the world was the second tallest mountain in the world more than a hundred years ago.
More than a hundred years have passed, and with the characteristics of the Unity Realm, its strength will surely reach a new level.
It's perfectly normal that I didn't meet his standards.
After all, Ji Xuan had already seen countless geniuses.
But those who can be his equal are only four people in the whole world.
In addition, he is now cursed, and in the eyes of outsiders, he will be like Emperor Changning, unable to escape death.
"I won't be going back to my room to sleep tonight," Lin Qingyi suddenly said, interrupting Jiang Ning's thoughts.
"Alright!" He looked at Lin Qingyi's aloof and refined face and nodded.
……
morning.
Golden sunlight streamed through the window frames onto the headboard.
Feeling the blinding sunlight, Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes.
Looking down, he saw Lin Qingyi, who was still fast asleep, nestled against his chest.
He glanced at the sunlight outside the window again, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.
He would never normally sleep until this late.
He glanced down at Chun Guang again, slowly withdrew his left hand from under Lin Qingyi, then got out of bed, covered her with the blanket again, and put on his clothes before going out.
Step out of the courtyard.
The sky was clear and blue, without a single cloud in the sky. The sun shone brightly, and the air was warm.
"What a beautiful day!" he exclaimed, then looked at the sundial in the courtyard.
The time indicated on the sundial is already the sixth quarter of the Chen hour.
"It's almost time for breakfast!" he thought to himself.
He walked to a corner, stretched his limbs, and then began to wash and brush his teeth.
"This kind of weather is so comfortable!!"
After washing up, he stood in the courtyard, feeling the warmth of the sunlight, and felt completely relaxed.
"Next, I will continue my cultivation. As for the upcoming turmoil involving the Ji clan, we'll see how things go!" he thought to himself.
Although he went through the motions at the morning court session early this morning, he did not come away empty-handed.
In the imperial court, he also roughly grasped the situation.
If we're talking about the most powerful person right now, there's no doubt it's Princess Xuan, who's on par with the king.
He acted as regent, managing all affairs, large and small. Coupled with his second-highest strength in the land, he was powerful enough to truly influence the successor to the throne.
But this matter has little to do with him.
The one who is truly important is Lin Qingyi, who is currently in his room.
Although Ji Xuan did not cause him any trouble at the morning court meeting.
But he doesn't think this matter will just pass.
Because Lin Qingyi's identity is the Princess Consort of Qi, she is the face of the royal family.
It was also a fruit planted by Princess Xuan, who stood shoulder to shoulder with her, and it was an arrangement that had been made long ago.
Ji Xuan didn't cause him any trouble at the court meeting, nor did he even glance at him, simply because he was insignificant in Ji Xuan's eyes.
"Second best in the world!" he murmured to himself as he stood in the courtyard. (End of Chapter)