Chapter 330, A Great Man Said It Well
Huo Ningxue wasn’t quite used to being patted on the head by someone else.
It was a mix of familiarity and strangeness.
The last time someone patted her head like this, she wasn’t the Empress yet, just a silly girl beside her mother.
Her mother used to love rubbing her little head, smiling as she rewarded her with delicious candies.
Years have passed, and since her ascension, there weren’t many who dared to even meet her gaze, let alone touch her head.
Suddenly being affectionately patted on the head, Huo Ningxue surprisingly didn’t feel disgusted.
It was as if all the burdens weighing her down vanished under that touch.
She didn’t have to live in constant fear, pretending to be the imposing Empress anymore.
It felt like she could once again curl up in her mother’s embrace and enjoy her affection.
So, she instinctively squinted her eyes and rubbed against Young Master Sang’s hand lightly.
However, such a cat-like action startled Young Master Sang.
He had merely thought this silly girl was a bit cute and had patted her without much thought. He never expected her to not only not mind but also lean in closer.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Sang Zhe quickly shifted the subject, “So, what’s the story?”
“Where should I start?”
“Let’s start with the Third Prince.”
Huo Ningxue thought for a moment and said, “The Third Prince was once one of Father Emperor’s most beloved consorts, Consort Yu’s child. Smart and clever from a young age, he had already studied the classics thoroughly and displayed outstanding talent at a young age.”
“After Father Emperor passed, the fiercest power struggle was between him and the Empress’s eldest son. They were openly and secretly at each other’s throats, scheming with officials in every way to expand their influence.”
“Later, the Third Prince even made an early connection with General Xu of the Tianlang Wei, becoming the first to ally himself with one of the Holy Kingdom’s three major ascension candidates. For a time, he overshadowed the eldest prince, and nearly everyone believed he would naturally become the next Holy Kingdom’s ruler.”
“However…” Huo Ningxue trailed off.
Sang Zhe understood what she was hinting at.
Then, Li Shanyan took action.
Just when everyone thought that this ancient creature who had lived for nearly a thousand years, would be as uninterested in a mere power struggle as Grand Eunuch Qin.
He suddenly appeared, standing behind Huo Ningxue, personally teaching her to wipe out anyone who dared to claim the throne with a ruthless and iron-fisted approach.
Even after his appearance, General Xu, who had originally prepared to support the Third Prince, chose to remain silent.
“After the failed attempt, I gave the Third Prince two choices.”
Huo Ningxue continued, “One was to be exiled from the Holy Kingdom and never to identify with it again. I permitted him to live a peaceful life.”
“The other was to drink poison and die. I allowed him to be buried with the royal honor after death in the imperial mausoleum.”
“He chose the latter.”
Young Master Sang raised an eyebrow.
“That day, I clearly saw him drink the poison, but I don’t know why today…” Huo Ningxue’s eyes fell.
This was getting interesting.
A dead person could come back to life?
“With you saying that, I feel like I need to check out this so-called Third Prince.”
Sang Zhe scratched his chin, “After all, looking at it this way, this matter seems to be more complicated than it appears.”
Huo Ningxue looked up in confusion.
“Actually, the entire Holy Kingdom knows that as long as Li Shanyan is around, even if General Xu and the Third Prince rebel, it will only end up as a farce.”
“Now that they dare to rebel and it’s not a whim, but rather a well-calculated move, it suggests they seem quite certain that Li Shanyan will not intervene.”
But no one knew better than Sang Zhe.
Currently, Li Shanyan was merely immersed in the side effects of “Dream Realm Dust” and hadn’t awakened yet.
Though it was uncertain when he would wake up, once he did, all of this chaos would end.
Since the Third Prince dared to make a move now… did he know about Li Shanyan and “Dream Realm Dust”?
This point was what Sang Zhe was most concerned about in this matter.
After all, if the other party really knew about it…
The Third Prince’s backing… might not just be as simple as General Xu.
“Sigh, I really got dragged into a troublesome situation.” Sang Zhe lazily stretched.
Unintentionally spoken, yet Huo Ningxue trembled slightly upon hearing it, her beautiful eyes revealing a hint of bitterness.
“Sorry… I’ve troubled the National Master.”
“…No need to be that polite.”
Sang Zhe was a bit speechless and ruffled her hair roughly, “You haven’t abdicated yet. Right now, you are still the Empress of the Holy Kingdom.”
“And I am your National Master.”
“As a minister, I should devote myself entirely for your sake.”
“So, just leave it to me, your National Master.”
Huo Ningxue blinked.
All along, she felt Sang Zhe’s words gave her an unusual sense of comfort.
So, she didn’t resist and allowed him to pet her head, a faint smile even gracing her lips.
“Hmm. I believe in you.”
In that moment.
Sang Zhe seemed to see Huo Ningxue’s true self for the first time.
Not as the imposing Empress she acted as day and night.
But as that carefree, innocent little girl who used to follow her mother around.
“I roughly understand the situation.” Sang Zhe turned his head and said slowly, “So, for now, let’s tackle this from two angles.”
“The first is we can’t allow the current Third Prince to control the public opinion situation.”
Though in the cultivation world, especially in the special case of the Holy Kingdom, it wouldn’t be the attitude of the officials or the sentiments of the people that determined the outcome, but the choices of the three major ascended beings.
However, if the Third Prince continued consolidating his position and spreading public opinion inside the city, it would make Huo Ningxue’s rule very unstable.
Currently, since Sang Zhe’s demon identity was already exposed, he couldn’t intervene openly. The Third Prince and Huo Ningxue were in a delicate balance in terms of support from the ascended beings.
So, the viewpoints of officials and the public sentiment could sway the situation.
“It’s clear that the Third Prince has set his sights firmly on linking you with the demon cultists, making his rebellion seem justified.”
Sang Zhe continued, “Especially since the entire Tianlang City is under the control of the Tianlang Wei, no one can stop him from intensifying the public opinion.”
“If this continues, even if the public doesn’t believe it, seeds of doubt have already been sown, and your reputation will only worsen. Eventually, the opportunistic officials will shift their allegiance to the Third Prince.”
“Therefore, what’s urgently needed is for you not to sit idly in the palace but to think of ways to regain control over the narrative.”
“But,” Huo Ningxue frowned, “We’re stuck in the palace right now, and we don’t have many options.”
“Who says we don’t have options?”
Sang Zhe suddenly smiled, “This is all thanks to your brilliant decision, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t forget. It was Your Majesty who personally ordered for Tianlang City to enter the era of communication devices.”
“…?”
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