Not a major battle, nor an important holiday, the Monarch of the Empire suddenly announced a national speech, immediately attracting countless people's attention and discussion.

"What happened? Could it be that the Aus Empire is going to attack us?"

"I heard the King's health isn't so good, and he has been wanting his eldest son to succeed him... Could he announce this publicly?"

"Could it be related to the Lu Family? The Lu Family killed tens of thousands from the Undying Army... Isn't that treason?"

"Could they have discovered aliens? I've always said that there must be alien civilizations..."

"To the indigenous people of New Star, we are the alien civilization..."

------

Phoenix Palace.

Phoenix walked to the entrance of Taiji Palace and just happened to run into Chen Fenglei who was just coming out from inside.

"Manager Chen," Phoenix asked, "is my dad inside?"

"Princess," Chen Fenglei bowed slightly, smiling as he spoke, "The King is inside. He has met with several groups of people this afternoon."

Phoenix raised her eyebrows slightly and asked, "Were they all here to persuade him?"

Chen Fenglei dared not reveal the King's schedule but subtly hinted, "If Your Highness has no pressing matters, perhaps consider visiting the King tomorrow?"

Phoenix understood the implicit message from Chen Fenglei, knowing her father's mind was made up, and that even if she went in now, she couldn't change anything.

Yet, as his daughter, there were some words she felt compelled to express.

"Please, Manager Chen, go in and announce... just say I've brought him ginseng soup that I personally prepared—went through quite some effort..."

Chen Fenglei looked deeply at Phoenix, then nodded and said, "Alright, I'll inform the King... After working for most of the day and being so mentally taxed, he should indeed have something to nourish himself."

"Thank you, Manager Chen."

"You're too polite, Princess."

Quickly, Chen Fenglei came back out, gesturing for her to enter and said, "The King invites Princess inside."

"Thank you, Manager Chen."

Phoenix accepted the ginseng soup from a servant's hands and, with both hands cradling the tray, entered Taiji Palace.

Seeing Phoenix enter, Zhong Daolong dropped the document in his hands, chuckling, "Just now, I was feeling a bit hungry, about to snack on some cake to tide me over, when Chen Fenglei rushed in to tell me my beloved daughter brought me ginseng soup..."

"It really is think of something and it happens, the only one who continually thinks of this old father is our family's Phoenix."

Phoenix set the pot on the table and personally served a bowl of soup for Zhong Daolong, gently saying, "Here, drink it while it's hot. Don't say it tastes bad."

"I wouldn't, I wouldn't, even if it did taste bad, I wouldn't say it."

Zhong Daolong took a sip of the soup and beamed, "However, my daughter is clever and competent, whatever she does she does well. Your soup must be the tastiest in the world; those cooks in the palace simply can't compare."

"That's because I am your daughter..." Phoenix rolled her eyes, her expression clear-headed, "How can I compare with those chefs?"

Zhong Daolong quickly finished a bowl of soup, set the empty bowl on the table, and after wiping his mouth with the silk handkerchief Phoenix handed him, looked at his increasingly mature and beautiful daughter, who resembled her mother more and more, and couldn't help feeling some gratification.

Yet, the thought of her and that young man's close relationship caused endless troubles to surface.

A daughter doesn't stay a child forever.

He spoke up, "Alright, I've already had the soup, just say what you want to say?"

Phoenix playfully protested, "Can't I just be here to bring soup to dad?"

"Really? It seems I misunderstood our Princess Xiu Xue. If there's nothing else, then go out and have fun. Dad has to get back to work."

"Dad..."

Phoenix knew her father was teasing her but still earnestly asked the question in her heart, "Are you really going to step forward and give a national speech?"

"It has already been announced; if I were to cancel now, wouldn't that be breaking my word? You know, 'A ruler's word is no joke,' this sort of thing can't be taken lightly..." Zhong Daolong smiled kindly, but his tone was extremely serious.

He understood the real purpose of his daughter's visit, but how could decisions already made be easily changed?

Besides, if the speech were canceled last minute, that would be a massive political event.

Numerous people would speculate about his stance and attitude, and even more would doubt his health...

"But if you do it, you will completely push the Lu Family to the opposition... Do you realize how important the Lu Family is to the Empire? Can we really afford the consequences of losing the Lu Family?"

"They silently slaughtered tens of thousands of my soldiers... If I don't make a stand, would there appear a second Lu Family? A third?"

"Dad... you should understand... this isn't entirely the Lu Family's fault."

"Oh?" Zhong Daolong looked thoughtfully at Phoenix, his eyes carrying a trace of scrutiny as he inquired, "Then whose fault is it?"

Biting her thin lips firmly, Phoenix resolutely voiced her concerns, "Who stands to benefit the most? The conflict between the Royal Family and the Lu Family... was manipulated and driven by the Shen Family."

"If it weren't for Shen Wuxiang relentlessly pursuing the Lu Family, even having the Security Bureau demand people... how could the Lu Family resort to such extremes?"

"Why didn't they seek my help? Doing such drastic acts... and they didn't even notify me? Am I, the King, really not worthy of their trust?"

"You entrusted the Military Committee to handle this matter, and the Military Committee is entirely under Shen Wuxiang's control..."

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