Lu Yu's slash truly hurt!

"As for Tian Yi, if he didn't take such a risky gamble, did he have any other choice?"

"He refused to cooperate with us, to trust us; did he have any chance at all?"

"With him being nothing but a penniless Prince, on what grounds could he ascend to that position? What could possibly give him the right to rise to high ranks?"

"High ranks? You're all just puppets to those people." Zhong Daolong sneered incessantly.

Of course, when he said this, his own heart ached even more.

How could his son be so foolish?

He was almost sick of stupidity.

"Even as a puppet, that's still an opportunity. Perhaps, in his heart, he also thinks that given time, he will surely punish the villainous and reclaim his power."

"..."

Zhong Daolong felt sorry for his foolish son.

Others knew every little trick in his heart, yet still let him be, showing that they truly didn't care at all.

They didn't believe he had the capability to clear up the bureaucracy and retake control.

Zhong Daolong didn't want to talk about his son with Lu Yu any longer.

If the conversation continued, he would feel depressed.

Even more depressed than Lu Yu.

Zhong Daolong composed himself and looked at the old man, asking, "You hate me to the bone, so arriving this time, do you intend to kill me?"

"I can't kill you just yet." The old man shook his head.

"Then you must want something from me. What is it?"

"It's not a request; it's a demand." The old man spoke with a hint of mockery, "You have no grounds to bargain."

He still thought of himself as the King?

The entire world was begging for his favor?

Murder glinted in Zhong Daolong's eyes but disappeared as quickly as it had come.

He had to recognize the reality of the situation and his position, now nothing more than an old man clinging to life under his daughter's protection.

He was no longer the mighty King above all.

"What do you demand of me?" Zhong Daolong asked.

"You retire early due to health reasons, and appoint Tian Yi as your successor."

"That's impossible," Zhong Daolong refused.

If he appointed Tian Yi as his successor, then naturally, Tian Que wouldn't accept it.

The brothers would fight tooth and nail, and in the end, it would be the Zhong Family's domain that suffered.

He would rather sacrifice himself than compromise Tian Que's legitimate succession.

The Empire could only have one King, and only one rightful lineage.

And that was the one he had long been nurturing...

"Do you have any other choice?" the old man's lips curved upwards slightly.

This way of speaking...

So satisfying!

------

Phoenix Pavilion.

Tang Fei wandered outside the courtyard for quite a while, still lacking the courage to knock on the door.

He didn't know how he should face Phoenix, or rather, in what capacity he should see her.

As a youth from the Old Land? As the son of Great General Tang Li?

As a schemer plotting treason? Or as a boyfriend sincerely devoted?

Round and round he went.

The worker bees from the Beehive guarding the door were almost dizzy from his circling.

"A man is immortal until heaven's demise, if he does not die."

Tang Fei said to himself.

He approached the Bumblebee Captain, Gong Zhenhai, and asked, "Is Her Highness in the house?"

"Yes," Gong Zhenhai, who was nursing a wound on his arm and undergoing treatment with electronic equipment, replied, "Her Highness went out and has returned."

Gong Zhenhai felt awkward to mention that the Princess had swung a phoenix-tail whip, fought her way out, and then returned on her own.

After all, he was the one she defeated.

He had failed to stop her.

"Please ask her for me, just say I would like to see her."

"Alright," Gong Zhenhai agreed readily. He already knew that he and Tang Fei were on the same side.

"However, I can only relay the message. Whether Her Highness wants to see you is for her to decide."

They had followed Feng Lei's orders to surround the Phoenix Pavilion and had been ordered not to enter, not to disturb Her Highness's regular life in any way.

"I understand," Tang Fei nodded.

If Phoenix truly didn't want to see him, he would feel too embarrassed to force his way in.

So Gong Zhenhai went to the gate, rang the bell, and said to the Maid inside, "Mr. Tang Fei wishes to see the Princess."

"Her Highness said no," the Maid replied, then shut the door with a 'bang.'

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