"Of course not. You two are talented young prodigies, destined to be pillars of the Empire. Furthermore, you have a strong sense of justice. How could I possibly bla you?" the Prince said with a smile, looking at Ye Tian and his companion.
"That's right! We are indeed not a Prince and Princess. We only said that because we wanted to teach the shopkeeper of Xiangmantang a lesson, and the City Lord of Wei City, of course. We had planned to leave after tonight, but we didn't expect you and the Commandery Princess to show up.
Your arrival was truly unexpected. However, we aren't the type to run from trouble. Fleeing would only prove that we were lying, yet staying poses a great risk. After much hesitation, we decided to take things one step at a ti," Ye Tian said, his eyes fixed on the expressions of the Prince and the Commandery Princess.
However, the Commandery Princess's face was concealed by a veil, making her expression impossible to read. But Ye Tian knew she must be incredibly surprised.
"I see! I didn't realize you two were so audacious! Now that you've told us the truth, aren't you afraid I'll have you punished imdiately? Impersonating a Prince and Princess is a capital offense!" The Prince's voice suddenly turned stern, and a wave of anger emanated from him.
"Surely the Prince jests. If you truly intended to punish us, you wouldn't have let us stay to talk. You would have taken action the mont you saw us. Your intentions clearly run deeper; you must have sothing else in mind. Let's just speak plainly," Ye Tian said with a serious expression.
"Impressive. You're quite perceptive, kid. The Imperial City is currently in a ti of crisis, and your skills are not to be underestimated. It would be for the best if you could help the current Emperor," the Prince said.
Zhang Xinlan, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Prince, we are not familiar with the affairs of the Imperial City. We only wish to know which Prince the current Emperor actually wants to inherit the throne."
The Prince frowned slightly. This was a secret of the Royal Family. Such a sensitive topic could not be casually revealed to outsiders, especially to people like Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan, whose backgrounds were a complete mystery.
"You are hesitating, Prince, aren't you?" Zhang Xinlan said. "Though we may be of a younger generation, we can ensure that Prince ascends the throne smoothly. Do not underestimate our power!"
"The Second Prince! The Emperor's choice is the Second Prince. However, the Second Prince's faction is currently the weakest, while the Eldest Prince's is the strongest. If the opportunity arises, the Eldest Prince might even stage a coup. Therefore, if you are to help, you must help the Second Prince," the Prince said.
"What do you an you can help my Imperial Brother ascend the throne smoothly? Is it because you think you're incredibly powerful? You should know, there are quite a few people in the Imperial City who have reached the Five Veins level. The major families have all been recruited by the various Princes. The Ouyang Family, in particular, is currently the most powerful and has already reached an agreent with the Eldest Prince.
As for the details of that agreent, I'm not sure. But they will definitely support the Eldest Prince with all their might. On top of that, it seems the Shadow Celestial Dragon Team has also been recruited by him. A great war could break out in the Imperial City at any mont," the Prince said with a grave expression, his face filled with helplessness.
"The Shadow Celestial Dragon Team? I haven't heard that na in a long ti! I didn't expect the Eldest Prince to be so formidable. If that's the case, how are the other three Princes still able to contend with him?" Ye Tian asked in confusion.
"Although the other Princes' factions aren't as powerful as the Eldest Prince's, they also have the support of major families. They all know of the Eldest Prince's ambition. If he were to make a move against one of them, he would likely target the others next. So, the three of them are effectively in an alliance.
If he moves against one, the other two certainly won't stand idly by. They understand it's a matter of mutual survival. The most critical factor is that they don't know who the current Emperor wants to inherit the throne. If they found out it was the Second Prince, he would be in grave danger, and that alliance between the other three Princes would instantly crumble," the Prince explained.
Hearing the Prince's explanation, Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan finally understood. 'The Second Prince is isolated and weak, making it incredibly difficult for him to inherit the throne. To protect him, the Emperor won't reveal his choice, instead letting him grow stronger on his own. He'll wait until the Prince is powerful enough to stand on his own two feet.'
"Rest assured, Prince," Zhang Xinlan interjected. "If the Second Prince is a man of integrity, we can help him ascend the throne with ease. Do not question our power. To be frank, the re Celestial Dragon Empire is not sothing we take seriously!"
"What do you an by that? Who are you, really?" The Prince's expression shifted. He seed to have realized sothing. After all his years in the imperial court, his ability to read people was exceptionally sharp.
"The Holy Land. You only need to know those two words," Zhang Xinlan said. "Of course, if the Second Prince is not a man of good character, we will not help him. We will need so ti to verify that for ourselves; after all, we can't just take your word for it. As for this matter, you can rest assured the two of us will be absolutely silent about it."
Those two words, "Holy Land," gave the Prince and the Commandery Princess a significant shock. They had already suspected that Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan's identities were anything but simple—achieving such a level of strength at their age ant they had to be disciples from a major family or one of the Hidden Sects. But hearing "Holy Land" made it all click into place.
A flash of joy appeared on the Prince's face. 'If the Second Prince truly gains the support of these important figures from the Holy Land, then the matter of the throne is settled. I never thought I'd encounter such incredible luck on my trip back. This is truly a surprise.'
Though he was inwardly ecstatic, his expression barely changed. "The Second Prince will not disappoint you. His reputation in the Imperial City is excellent; you will understand once you arrive. By the way, are you going to the Imperial City Academy? Why is that?"
The doubt in the Prince's heart was shared by the Commandery Princess. They both couldn't help but look at Ye Tian and his companion. 'People from the Holy Land need to attend the Imperial City Academy for their Cultivation? Isn't that a colossal waste of their abilities?'
"Prince, just as the Imperial City is experiencing a crisis, so is the Holy Land. Our identities are... sensitive. Our families sent us to the Celestial Dragon Empire so we could mature more quickly. Of course, if we were to encounter any real danger, our family mbers would arrive instantly to deal with it.
Do you understand now? I hope you will keep this a secret. Don't reveal it to anyone, not even the Emperor. I'd rather not imagine a scenario where sothing happens to us, and our enraged families implicate your entire Royal Family. You should understand what the consequences would be," Zhang Xinlan said.
"In that case, let's all head back together tomorrow! It will be more convenient for you to travel with us. We've been talking for so long, yet I still don't know your nas. Oh, and this is my beloved daughter, Long Yaqi. You can call her Princess Qiqi! In private, you can just call her Qiqi," the Prince said.
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