Chapter 48: Princes Heading to the Cities, the Confusion of Ning Fengzhi and Emperor Xue Ye
The magnificent palace exuded majesty and solemnity, with a heavy historical atmosphere settled among the carved beams and painted rafters.
On the wide Dragon Throne, Emperor Xue Ye sat naturally. Though his figure was stout, it could not hide his imperial majesty, and every gesture displayed the elegant temperament of the royal family.
Dressed in a dragon-patterned yellow robe and wearing a golden jade crown, a massive sapphire was embedded in the crown, making him appear even more imposing and noble.
He handled the memorials submitted by his ministers with vigor, his expression calm and unhurried.
After a long while, when the affairs of the court were concluded, he raised his head and spoke slowly: "I intend to send the princes to various major towns across the country to observe the people's conditions. What do you, my dear ministers, think?"
The ministers below looked at each other for a moment before replying in unison: "Excellent!"
Emperor Xue Ye felt greatly comforted and waved his hand: "Summon the princes into the palace."
Clearly, he had prepared in advance. Not long after the guards retreated, the four princes walked in.
Leading them was the First Prince, Xue Qinghe. He was gentle and noble in temperament, with an elegant air in his every movement. At only ten years old, he already bore a resemblance to his father;
The Second Prince, Xue Shan, was steady in his behavior. He was only a few months younger than Xue Qinghe but looked like a youth of thirteen or fourteen. He was mature for his age and composed in his manner; whether walking or standing, he carried a natural power that settled people's hearts;
As soon as the Third Prince, Xue Linsen, entered the palace, his eyes rolled around as he looked everywhere, full of curiosity. He was eight years old this year, yet already showed a hint of shrewdness;
The Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, was only six years old. He walked in with his hands in his pockets, looking completely indifferent, his face filled with casual laziness.
The ministers did not speak, carefully observing these four princes. Perhaps the future new monarch of the Heaven Dou Empire would be born from among them.
Their gazes lingered on the first three princes for a while before falling on Xue Beng, and they couldn't help but frown.
With such "informality," how could he handle great responsibilities in the future? Subconsciously, the ministers kicked Xue Beng out of the list of contenders for the position of Crown Prince.
"Father Emperor!"
The four princes bowed in salute simultaneously.
"Rise."
Emperor Xue Ye had a smile on his face. Regarding these four sons, except for the youngest, Xue Beng, he was beyond satisfied with the other three.
The First Prince was practically a standard Crown Prince model, humble and polite in his dealings, never losing his imperial poise;
The Second Prince was steady and experienced, doing things flawlessly and carrying a natural aura that put people at ease;
The Third Prince had been smart since childhood, full of cleverness. Although he might not be material for an Emperor, he could certainly become the right-hand man of a future Emperor, much like Prince Xue Xin.
Unfortunately, there was only one throne after all, and a choice had to be made from among them. It was truly difficult.
Although he felt conflicted, the smile on Emperor Xue Ye's face did not diminish; instead, it grew even deeper. With such outstanding sons, why should he worry about the Heaven Dou Empire not prospering?
"I have called you here because I have a test for you. The New Year is approaching. I require each of you to go to a major Heaven Dou town to observe the people's conditions, and then write down what you have gained from this trip and submit it to me."
Except for Xue Beng, the other three princes felt a chill in their hearts. They knew this was their father's test; he wanted to see who could ultimately sit on the throne of the Crown Prince.
"Qinghe, you will go to Iron Wall City, the neighboring city of Heaven Dou City; Second Son, you go to Bafang City; Third Son, go to Vast Sea City, which is closest to the ocean; as for the Fourth Son—"
Emperor Xue Ye was a bit troubled, not knowing where to send this somewhat overbearing youngest son.
"Father Emperor, how about I just stay in the palace?"
Xue Beng clearly didn't think much of it. Seeing Emperor Xue Ye's hesitation, he, wanting to be lazy, simply bowed and requested.
Emperor Xue Ye frowned: "Fourth Son, you must think carefully. Don't regret it when the time comes."
"Don't worry, I'm quite comfortable staying in my residence," Xue Beng said with a look of indifference.
The ministers below looked at each other, not knowing if this Fourth Prince was truly lazy or truly stupid. Once he refused this inspection, in a sense, he was actively withdrawing from the struggle for that highest position.
"Then suit yourself!"
Emperor Xue Ye was very dissatisfied with Xue Beng's neglectful attitude. He waved his hand angrily, then took a deep breath and regained his composure.
"Go and prepare. Each of you will take a Royal Squadron. Qinghe, you are close, so depart tomorrow; Second and Third Sons, you must set out within a week; as for the Fourth Son, you can do as you please."
"Yes! Father Emperor."
The four princes bowed to accept the order and then left the hall.
"Alright, that is all for today's court session. Dismissed."
Emperor Xue Ye stood up and left first. Only after watching the Emperor depart did the ministers begin to whisper and slowly retreat.
There was too much to talk about today. Whether it was Emperor Xue Ye's test for the princes or Xue Beng's active abandonment of the trial, both would have a profound impact on the entire Heaven Dou Empire.
The faint fragrance of tea permeated the study, mixed with a thick scent of books. Entering this place, one's mind would subconsciously settle down.
"School Master Ning, what do you think of my three sons?"
Emperor Xue Ye no longer had the majesty he displayed during the court session; instead, his face showed warmth and closeness.
Ning Fengzhi picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and gently set it down: "Congratulations, Your Majesty. All four princes are pillars of talent."
The smile on Emperor Xue Ye's face became even brighter, yet he still said modestly: "School Master Ning overpraises them. The Fourth Son can hardly be called a pillar of talent, but the other princes indeed make me very satisfied."
A smile like a spring breeze appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face: "It is mainly due to Your Majesty's excellent parenting. Just looking at the test assigned to the princes today, one can see Your Majesty's wisdom—sending the First Prince to Iron Wall City, where there are mostly military generals, so the First Prince's advantage of being humble and polite cannot be fully utilized; sending the Second Prince to the Empire's economic and transportation hub, Bafang City, as he is mature and steady, and although he is good at socializing, he is not as proficient as the First Prince; sending the Third Prince to the coastal Vast Sea City, where the situation is complex, and what he can achieve will depend on his shrewdness."
Being praised by Ning Fengzhi, Emperor Xue Ye was very happy: "Exactly. The younger they are, the more one can see their future potential. It is perfect to test them while they are young. Someone, prepare a banquet. Tonight, I want to have a good drink with School Master Ning."
"Since Your Majesty is so hospitable, I shall accept with pleasure," Ning Fengzhi accepted the invitation with a smile.
"By the way, School Master Ning, what is your opinion of this newly appointed female Supreme Pontiff?" Emperor Xue Ye changed the subject, his expression becoming a bit more solemn.
"Ruthless in her methods, but not particularly popular," Ning Fengzhi commented simply, clearly not taking the newly appointed Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall seriously.
"As far as I know, this Supreme Pontiff has not been recognized by the Hall of Worship. Although I do not know why she can still sit firmly in the position, she is ultimately not to be feared."
Emperor Xue Ye's eyes narrowed slightly: "That may not be so certain. After this Supreme Pontiff took office, she notified me and that tiger of the Star Luo Empire that the proportion of Spirit Master subsidies issued by Spirit Hall would be reduced, and the resulting gap must be filled by our two Empires, half each."
"She has just taken office, after all; she has to do something to show her authority. She won't be able to cause much of a stir," Ning Fengzhi still had an indifferent look on his face.
"As far as I know, this Supreme Pontiff had a sweetheart in her youth who is right here in Your Majesty's Heaven Dou Empire. Although I don't know how much influence that person can still have on the Supreme Pontiff, Your Majesty could try to win him over secretly to gain more favor for the Heaven Dou Empire."
"There is such a talent in my Empire? I wonder what is so special about him that he could gain the favor of the current Supreme Pontiff?" Emperor Xue Ye was a bit curious about what kind of man could move the heart of the female Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall.
Recalling the intelligence at hand, Ning Fengzhi's expression became a bit strange: "Your Majesty should have heard of that person as well. He is the 'Corner of Wisdom' of the Golden Triangle that made quite a name for itself on the continent years ago, and also the son of the current Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan Chief who has an Innate half-rank of spirit power—Yu Xiaogang."
"It's him?" Emperor Xue Ye was clearly a bit stunned.
As the monarch of a country, he naturally had some understanding of the descendants of the Sect Masters of the three upper sects; they might very well be future Sect Masters. He had certainly heard the name Yu Xiaogang. As the son of a Sect Master, he was given plenty of resources, yet the result was an Innate half-rank of spirit power. When that news broke back then, it caused quite a stir.
"Could it be that he later had a Breakthrough and became a powerful Spirit Master?"
After seeing that Yu Xiaogang's Aptitude was poor, Emperor Xue Ye had stopped paying attention to him and knew nothing about his current situation, so he could only look at Ning Fengzhi curiously and make a guess.
"No Breakthrough; he is still stuck at Rank 29." Ning Fengzhi's answer made Emperor Xue Ye even more puzzled.
"Could it be that this Yu Xiaogang has made remarkable achievements in other areas? What is he doing now?"
"This Yu Xiaogang has been researching Spirit theory," Ning Fengzhi gave the answer.
"Could he be the Grandmaster who has been renowned throughout the continent for the past four years?" A look of surprise appeared on Emperor Xue Ye's face, followed by a sudden realization. "In that case, it's no wonder. A figure like the Grandmaster indeed has extraordinary personal charm, and it would be normal for him to gain the Supreme Pontiff's favor."
"He is not the Grandmaster. This Yu Xiaogang has even publicly refuted the Grandmaster's theories."
Ning Fengzhi's words left Emperor Xue Ye completely bewildered. He said to Ning Fengzhi with a hint of anger: "School Master Ning, surely you aren't making fun of me? A man with no strength, no looks, no achievements, and who even refutes the Grandmaster's theories—you say he gained the favor of the Supreme Pontiff? Is that possible? His public refutation of the Grandmaster's theories is, to put it bluntly, slapping Spirit Hall's face, since those theories are promoted by Spirit Hall. Yet you tell me he can still be favored by the Supreme Pontiff? Is that possible?"
Ning Fengzhi rubbed his forehead with a bit of a headache, a bitter smile appearing on his face: "The facts are indeed so. As for the news of him being favored, I learned of it through secret investigation; it is not public knowledge. As for why he is favored by the Supreme Pontiff, I am also very curious."
Listening to Ning Fengzhi's sincere words, Emperor Xue Ye locked eyes with him for a moment, and both of them fell into a long silence simultaneously.
In their minds, only the same question remained: Just what does Yu Xiaogang have?
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