Chapter 1312: Sealing

Yu Yanluo’s heart stirred. “Could it be… something happened to them?”

These kings hold a very special status among the demon races. Like the Golden Crow clan, they are classified as avian races, which explains their closer relationship with the Golden Crow imperial family compared to other clans.

Kong Qing hesitated, then said, "I've had quite a few dealings with Madam in Yunzhong Commandery before, and since you're also Young Master Zu's friend, I won't hide anything."

"Something indeed happened to all of them. Let's start with King Ming of our clan. The Demon Emperor, knowing his five declines were approaching, chose to pass the throne to the Golden Crow Crown Prince. However, the Peacock, Golden Peng, and Elf clans hold transcendent positions and possess great power. Fearing the Golden Crow Crown Prince might be too weak to subdue these three clans, the Emperor sought a powerful ally for him through marriage."

"Our clan's Princess Nanwu, in terms of status, age, appearance, and character, was one of the most suitable candidates. King Ming also intended to form a marital alliance with the imperial family. However, Princess Nanwu was very strong-willed; feeling she didn't like the Golden Crow Crown Prince, she refused to marry him."

"She understood King Ming's intentions and didn't offer any excuses. Everyone assumed she was willing, so no one was assigned to watch her."

"As a result, she found an opportunity to leave a note and run away from home. Of course, the official reason was to establish an intelligence network among humans."

At this point, Kong Qing paused: "Is Young Master Zu truly not here?"

The Paper Bride, who had been bored beside them, suddenly perked up her ears.

"Why are you so concerned about him, Mr. Kong?" Yu Yanluo asked. Even Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen were curious; this man's interest in Zu An was quite unusual.

"It's nothing, really. I just heard he's a good friend of the princess, and King Ming is a bit curious about him too," Kong Qing said with a smile.

Princess Nanwu had always been exceptionally proud, unwilling to marry even the Golden Crow Crown Prince or become the future Demon Empress, yet she gave her precious "first feather" to Zu An. Let alone King Ming, even Kong Qing couldn't help but feel a bit gossipy about it.

He had previously wondered if the princess might have been deceived by this human's sweet talk. Although Zu An had shown considerable talent in Yunzhong Commandery, there was still a significant gap between him and the long-renowned Golden Crow Crown Prince.

Who would have known that soon after, news came that the Golden Crow Crown Prince had been defeated by Zu An?

At that moment, Kong Qing was utterly impressed by the princess; her judgment in men was truly exceptional.

"A good friend of the princess." Three pairs of sharp eyes simultaneously fell upon Zu An. When did this fellow get involved with the Peacock clan's princess?

However, the three women subtly averted their gazes to avoid revealing his identity.

Yun Jianyue asked curiously, "Are you referring to Princess Kong Nanjin?"

He had saved her before, so it was normal for young girls to be experiencing their first stirrings of love.

"Of course not," Kong Qing shook his head, "I'm talking about Princess Nanwu."

The expressions of the three women immediately turned strange. The princess even ran away from a marriage that would have made her the Demon Empress; was it for him?

What kind of charm did this guy possess to capture the heart of a demon princess from thousands of miles away!

Yu Yanluo suddenly felt a pang of jealousy. No wonder Zu An had severely beaten the Golden Crow Crown Prince earlier; she had thought it was to stand up for her, but it turned out to be for the Peacock clan's princess.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue's gazes also turned dangerous. No wonder this fellow bet on taking the Crown Prince's wife; it was all calculated.

Feeling the constant surge of "rage points" from his system backend, Zu An truly wanted to cry out that he was innocent. He and Kong Nanwu were truly just ordinary male and female friends!

Just then, Kong Qing said apologetically, "Oh, right, I also need to apologize to you on behalf of Princess Changning. It was because she let slip that Young Master Zu was with the Snake clan that the Lion clan sought trouble with you. I had originally intended to come and help, but then I learned the Little Demon Empress was passing by, so I simply waited for you at the city gate."

Everyone understood then. They had wondered why the Lion clan had approached them; it turned out Kong Nanjin had spilled the beans.

That woman, while passably attractive, was indeed a bit foolish.

"It's fine. There were others present at the time, and this matter couldn't have been kept secret anyway." Yu Yanluo naturally wouldn't confront them over this, especially since the Peacock clan's attitude was so sincere.

"Madam Yu truly possesses the demeanor of a distinguished lady," Kong Qing praised, then continued, "Because Princess Nanwu clearly ran away from her marriage, the imperial family was very displeased. King Ming, left with no choice, had to resign his position to appease the Demon Emperor's anger. Thus, King Ming is now under a cloud of blame, and coupled with the matter of the Great Golden Peng King, he fears causing unnecessary... trouble, so he's essentially refusing all visitors."

The group exchanged glances. It seemed that besides some conflict among the imperial princes and the Little Demon Empress, the various major families within the royal court were also engaged in open and covert struggles.

"What happened to the Great Golden Peng King?" Yu Yanluo asked curiously.

Kong Qing looked around before lowering his voice: "Not long ago, the Great Golden Peng King was summoned by the Demon Emperor for a banquet in the palace. The day after he returned home from the banquet, his household discovered he had died suddenly."

Upon hearing this, the group was startled. The Great Golden Peng King held a transcendent status among the demon races and was a world-renowned powerhouse, yet he had died so suddenly.

"Could it be that the Demon Emperor killed him?" Yun Jianyue, without such reservations, asked directly.

Kong Qing was startled and quickly interjected, "Please, young lady, don't speak carelessly. Slandering the Demon Emperor behind his back is a serious crime, especially with a matter as sensitive as this."

After a moment's hesitation, he continued, "Indeed, there are such rumors among the people. However, the Great Golden Peng King showed no signs of injury or poisoning. Furthermore, the Demon Emperor himself was heartbroken and personally presided over his funeral, appointing his heir, the Little Golden Peng King, as the new King, bestowing upon him even greater favor than before. The Little Golden Peng King has also repeatedly expressed his loyalty publicly, so those rumors in the market eventually died down."

Yan Xuehen said faintly, "To take, one must first give."

Yun Jianyue's eyes lit up: "Ice Stone Woman, you can do it! I have a new appreciation for your intelligence."

Yan Xuehen: "..."

Although she disliked political machinations, she was always intelligent, and it wasn't difficult for her to understand these things. Yet, this fellow made it sound as if she were an idiot.

Kong Qing gave an awkward smile. "Everyone has their own views on this matter. It's best if we just understand it tacitly; it's truly not convenient to discuss."

These two women were truly bold, despite looking like delicate beauties.

Yu Yanluo frowned. "Since Kong Nanwu left, isn't there still Kong Nanjin? I heard them discussing earlier that she also seemed to be a strong candidate for the Crown Prince's wife."

Kong Qing hesitated, then finally said, "Princess Changning is indeed excellent, but for various reasons, her desire to become the Crown Prince's wife is merely wishful thinking."

The expressions of the group turned peculiar. They never expected him to give such an assessment; if Kong Nanjin were to hear it, wouldn't she be deeply offended?

Kong Qing continued, "Actually, there have only ever been two candidates for the Crown Prince's wife: Princess Nanwu and Princess Xue of the Elf clan."

Zu An's heart stirred; he had finally heard news of Xue'er again.

"Princess Nanwu's excellence goes without saying, but this Princess Xue truly amazed everyone," Kong Qing praised. "To save her clansmen, she had to live in human society back then. Fearing her overly stunning appearance would cause unnecessary trouble, the Elf King sealed her looks. Now that she's returned, she has no more reservations and can finally appear as her true self. So, after the Golden Crow Crown Prince met Princess Xue, his preference actually shifted towards choosing her. With Princess Nanwu having run away, the choice for Crown Prince's wife naturally fell upon Princess Xue."

Zu An looked bewildered. A sealed appearance?

Yet, he couldn't feel any joy. His mind was filled with memories of Xue'er's mischievous and clever former self; even her sharp-tongued manner was vivid in his memory. And now he was being told she had changed?

Zu An's heart suddenly sank. Could she have been possessed by someone?

Having experienced many similar incidents, it was difficult for him not to suspect a conspiracy.

***

Finally, the second chapter is written.

I almost only managed one update again. This morning, I had to go out for a meeting. When I came back at noon, my child was suffering from severe stomach pain and a fever, so I rushed them to the hospital. There were various tests, and the hospital was swarming with people. We only got home in the evening, completely exhausted.

Fortunately, on a whim yesterday, I wrote an extra chapter in the middle of the night as a reserve. Otherwise, there would have been one less update today, and I'd be criticized again for always having different excuses...