In the Marquis Manor, the flowers bloomed brilliantly, and Xia Chen wore a radiant smile.

Xia Chen didn't care about anything else; he just wanted to leave as soon as possible. Only by leaving could he build his own foundation.

Though the Marquis Manor was good, it ultimately wasn't his to command. He could only leverage its power, not rely on it entirely.

Xia Chen was acutely aware of this. The Marquis Manor belonged to everyone, not just him alone.

His interests did not represent the interests of the Marquis Manor.

However, for now, he could use the resources and influence of the Marquis Manor to secure a favorable official position.

Why climb from the bottom when you can take a shortcut?

Xia Chen was never one to endure hardship unnecessarily.

Following Xia Qia, Xia Chen headed to the Merit Hall to meet the elders, claim his merits, and engrave the true essence of the Shouyang Demon-Breaking Saber. Meanwhile, to the east of the palace, a grand yet understated residence stood by the Central Avenue.

The vermilion gate towered majestically, bronze studs glinting with the patina of age, flanked by imposing stone lions.

This was Princess Yaoguang's residence!

The residence of the Second Princess, who was now in the prime of her youth.

However, even before the year began, she had requested the freedom to come and go from the palace. Just after this year's Spring Festival, she independently requested to move out of the palace, a move naturally against the rituals.

According to the ritual system, even if a princess came of age, she should continue living in the palace until she married a prince consort, at which point she could move to the princess's residence.

No one knew what the Second Princess said to the Emperor that led him to grant his permission.

But soon, the ministers learned that this princess was betrothed to the son of Marquis Andong.

***

At this moment, in the front hall of the Princess's residence!

Three women and two men sat quietly below, but everyone's gaze involuntarily fell on the dragon-patterned imperial edict casually placed to the side.

Sitting at the head was a woman with skin like creamy jade, brows like distant mountains, and eyes that sparkled like stars, exuding depth and tranquility.

Her delicate nose was elegant, and her long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, appearing even more lustrous against her splendid robe, her features exquisitely beautiful.

She merely sat there, and everyone else, regardless of gender, paled in comparison.

And that imperial edict lay right beside her hand.

The Second Princess, titled Princess Yaoguang!

"Princess, it's said that Marquis Andong's eldest son is nothing but a useless body. How could he be worthy of your noble self!"

Below, a woman spoke discontentedly, breaking the silence.

"What can be done about it?"

The Second Princess's eyes were calm, showing no hint of emotion.

The woman in green and yellow below was momentarily speechless, unable to say anything. Indeed, the marriage was decreed by His Majesty and announced to the world; there was no way to change it.

"How about sending someone to assassinate him, to kill that Xia Chen? It's said he's not favored in the Marquis Manor. Marquis Andong has been away at the Eastern Wasteland Battlefield for 14 years, only sending a letter every three years. Clearly, he doesn't care much for this legitimate son."

A man on the left spoke in a deep voice, a hint of jealousy in his eyes, a flash of heat passing through as he looked at the Second Princess.

"Ridiculous! Assassination is a despicable tactic that cannot be used lightly. If it could solve the problem once and for all, that would be one thing. But whether the assassination succeeds or fails, it would cause a huge mess that cannot be contained!"

The young man at the head of the left side shook his head and reprimanded.

His name was Huo Qiming, a scholar from the Imperial Academy. Though a man of letters, he was not pedantic. If assassination could truly solve the problem, it might be considered, but whether it succeeded or failed, it would lead to disaster.

Xia Chen might be a useless body, not valued by Marquis Andong or the Marquis Manor, but he was still the legitimate son of the manor. Moreover, this marriage was decreed by His Majesty, intended to win over the manor and demonstrate imperial favor.

It didn't matter who the Second Princess married, as long as the person was a legitimate member of the manor.

Therefore, even if Xia Chen were to die, the Second Princess would likely still be married off.

Xu Jun, hearing Huo Qiming's rebuke, felt anger in his eyes but suppressed it in the presence of the Princess.

Yaoguang listened quietly to the two men without interrupting, but there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes towards Xu Jun.

Xu Jun and Huo Qiming were both advisors she had recruited from the Imperial Academy this month. It was now clear that Huo Qiming was evidently more intelligent than Xu Jun.

Assassination wasn't out of the question, but using it on the legitimate son of the manor was too frivolous.

If every problem in the world were solved by killing, wouldn't the world have long descended into chaos?

Marquis Zhendong's Manor, though not the highest in rank among the martial families, produced many talented generals. Marquis Zhendong, Xia Chutian, was hailed as the military god of the previous generation of Great Wu.

Thirty-six years ago, during the Battle of Huaiyang between Great Wu and Great Feng, the war lasted for three years.

In the end, as the commander, Xia Chutian led an army of 200,000 to defeat the renowned general Xiao Yue of Great Feng, advancing into Great Feng's territory with unstoppable momentum, eventually reaching within 30 miles of Great Feng's capital.

If not for the Western Great Qing and the Eastern Wasteland's demons taking advantage of the situation to threaten Great Wu's borders, that battle might not have annihilated Great Feng but could have claimed half of its territory.

This battle made Marquis Zhendong's name resound throughout the world. After this battle, Marquis Zhendong voluntarily relinquished his military power, retreating to focus on martial arts.

Because of this move, the Emperor trusted Marquis Zhendong's Manor greatly, showering it with rewards.

The Second Princess understood well that this voluntary retreat by Marquis Zhendong spared her father the suspicion and gave the Xia family's second generation a chance to shine.

Xia Qia and Xia Yuan, the two brothers, began to make their mark in the army, achieving great military exploits and becoming leading figures among the martial families.

Twenty-one years ago, Xia Qia, the eldest son of Marquis Anwu, inherited one of the other two marquis titles in the manor and shone brightly in a battle against the Southern Barbarians.

Afterward, he followed his father's example, laying low and voluntarily relinquishing military power, returning to the Capital City to manage the manor. Although he hadn't emerged for many years, no one dared underestimate him.

Xia Yuan, who inherited the Marquis Andong title, was appointed as the commander of the Eastern Wasteland Battlefield fourteen years ago.

For the first thirteen years, he played it safe, achieving no great victories but making no mistakes, keeping the eastern border as stable as Mount Tai.

The ministers were both pleased and relieved. Although Xia Yuan's ability to stabilize the eastern front was a great achievement, compared to his father and brother, he was finally not as monstrous.

But who knew, a month ago, Xia Yuan, after thirteen years of lying in wait, suddenly erupted, slaying a third-rank great demon in one fell swoop, shocking the court.

Three generals in one family—how could this not shock the world and make the imperial family wary?

But with the current chaos in the world, Great Wu was not the sole power. In dealing with the manor, they couldn't suppress it but had to win it over.

In such a situation, how could they resort to assassination against the manor's legitimate son?

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"That Xia Chen is just a useless body, not worth worrying about. It's just a marriage. Since it's already settled, there's no need to say more. Marquis Zhendong's Manor is loyal and patriotic, contributing greatly to the nation. If I can ease my father's burdens, it's a good thing!"

The Second Princess smiled, and the entire hall seemed to brighten. Though she spoke thus, her eyes held pride and disdain, all of which she hid deeply.

She harbored a grand ambition in her heart, one she had never shared with anyone. Her unusual behavior, refusing to be confined like other princesses within the deep palace walls, was all for this ambition.

Who says women cannot become emperors? Yaoguang was determined to be the first in history!

---

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan