Chapter 129 The banquet ends, and officials fawn over each other.

At this moment, First Prince Xiao Yuan also jumped out to seek attention.

"Father's words are absolutely correct!"

He first bowed slightly to his father, then straightened his back and looked at Xiao Qingzhu, speaking in the tone of an older brother lecturing his younger sister from a position of superiority.

"Ninth Sister, life is fleeting, and finding a good match is not easy. In my view, the Third Prince of the Khitan Kingdom is a rare, once-in-a-century catch."

"He has an excellent temperament and remarkable talent; there is every possibility he will advance even further in the future."

"When that time comes, with one person attaining the Dao, even their chickens and dogs will achieve Ascension. Ninth Sister, you just wait to enjoy the blessings!"

When she first heard her father using the 'filial piety' card to pressure her, Xiao Qingzhu couldn't help but laugh.

As for those absurd words spoken by First Prince Xiao Yuan without blinking an eye, they only made her feel incredibly ridiculous.

He spoke more beautifully than anyone, as if being able to marry the Third Prince of the Khitan Kingdom were some kind of heaven-sent blessing.

"If such a 'blessing' truly exists, then Qingzhu is willing to imitate Kong Rong yielding the pear and gift this opportunity to Royal Brother!"

"Although the 'sleeve-cutting' habit is not accepted by the world, that is, after all, the great opportunity for Immortal Ascension you speak of."

"Suffering a little grievance is nothing; Royal Brother must grasp it tightly!"

"You!!"

In just a few short sentences, First Prince Xiao Yuan was rendered furious.

In public, with all the officials present and dozens of eyes watching, he felt humiliated and unable to maintain his Face.

If someone with malicious intent were to spread rumors that the First Prince had a 'sleeve-cutting habit,' he would truly be despised by scholars and Cultivators across the world.

Xiao Qingzhu didn't care at all what First Prince Xiao Yuan was feeling inside.

Since she dared to stand here today, she had long since resolved that the 'marriage alliance must be cancelled.'

And for this, she was fearless!

"As for what Father said earlier, forgive my bluntness... you are perhaps being too confident. The person your daughter has chosen could hardly be a mediocre person."

"Allow me to formally introduce him: this consort of mine is an Elder of the Qingyun Sect!"

"At such a young age, he has already reached... the Foundation Establishment Stage!"

Upon hearing the five words 'Elder of the Qingyun Sect,' the expressions of the officials changed abruptly.

Immortal cultivation Sects are not like secular Dynasties; they are filled with Cultivators who have attained the Dao, and their individual combat power is unfathomable.

An army of a million Mortals could be wiped out in an instant before a powerful Cultivator!

The might of an Immortal cannot be underestimated!

The territory of the Tianyuan Dynasty is vast, and it is fortunate enough to have several cultivation Sects residing within it.

Their prestige not only circulates in the imperial court but has also become a topic of enthusiastic discussion among countless commoners over tea and meals.

The Qingyun Sect mentioned by Xiao Qingzhu is one of them!

And for a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage to become the consort of an Imperial Dynasty princess is something that has rarely happened throughout history.

There are not many Cultivators in the world who have embarked on the path of cultivation, and those who can reach the Foundation Establishment Stage are even rarer.

Moreover, most of them are arrogant by nature and possess strength that transcends the secular world, to the point that even the Emperor of the Imperial Dynasty must give them some respect.

They can easily become honored guests of various factions, with gold and silver treasures within easy reach.

So why would they lower themselves to become a princess's consort?

Coveting her beauty?

But for powerhouses like Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, they only need to crook a finger, and countless beauties would throw themselves at them.

They would never lack women by their side!

Therefore.

Xiao Qingzhu's move could be considered setting a precedent.

Whether it is the status of 'Qingyun Sect Elder' or the identity of a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator.

These titles are heavier than one another and truly cannot be underestimated.

"Is this... true?"

Emperor Xiao Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly.

The intelligence network at his disposal could indeed reach the heavens within the capital, but that did not mean he could predict 'things that had not yet happened.'

After entering the city, Mu An had never made a move, nor had he ever displayed his cultivation Realm; from the outside, he looked like an utterly ordinary person.

Apart from his handsome appearance, he hadn't revealed much else.

"This matter can be verified with a check; I would not dare to deceive Father."

Xiao Qingzhu looked straight ahead, her heart open and honest.

The facts were just as she said; paper cannot wrap up fire, and if it were truly a lie, it would be exposed sooner or later.

At that time, it would be the 'crime of deceiving the Emperor,' and as long as one wasn't stupid, no one would use their own head as a wager.

Emperor Xiao Changsheng rested his chin on one hand, remaining silent, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the armrest as he weighed the pros and cons in his heart.

Below, the officials all remained silent, holding their breath, afraid to disturb the Emperor.

Even the singing and dancing girls from earlier had long since retreated.

After a long while.

An old eunuch walked up to Emperor Xiao Changsheng's ear and whispered a few words.

Emperor Xiao Changsheng immediately frowned and then spoke.

"We shall discuss this matter again. The banquet is postponed for now; you ministers may leave."

After saying this, he left first, escorted by palace maids and eunuchs.

Leaving only the officials to look at each other in confusion, not understanding what had actually happened.

It was supposed to be a 'Hongmen Banquet' to dampen the spirit of the Third Prince of the Khitan Kingdom and, incidentally, finalize the marriage alliance for Xiao Qingzhu.

It was supposed to be a done deal, but now it had ended hastily.

Either something had happened on Xiao Qingzhu's side, or the Third Prince of the Khitan Kingdom had caused some trouble.

Or perhaps some unavoidable, major event had occurred?

Many people were speculating in their hearts.

At the same time, many officials wore smiles and came specifically to Xiao Qingzhu's side to offer flattering words, hoping to become familiar with her as soon as possible.

The 'war' in the imperial court is extremely dangerous; fighting alone is never as good as forming cliques, and choosing a side is unavoidable.

If you stand on the right side, the return is a hundred or a thousand times over.

If you stand on the wrong side, it is not uncommon for your entire family to be executed.

Previously, no one had expected that Xiao Qingzhu, this 'discarded pawn,' could stir up any waves, until she unveiled her consort. Whether it was 'Qingyun Sect Elder' or 'Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator,' either title was enough to attract countless people to invest in her.

After all, even as powerful as the First Prince and Second Prince were, they did not have any Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators under their command.

Such powerhouses are generally controlled personally by the Emperor; he would not easily delegate such power, nor could he easily do so.

While Xiao Qingzhu dealt with the officials' flattery, she had her palace maids pack up all the uneaten dishes from her table.

Although she was in the imperial palace, her thoughts had long since flown back to her Princess Mansion, back to the side of Mu An and the others, thinking of letting them taste the craftsmanship of the imperial chefs.

Unlike her, the side of First Prince Xiao Yuan appeared somewhat cold, with significantly fewer officials surrounding him.

The previous 'treatment' between the two of them had instead seemingly reversed.

Staying here any longer was useless; First Prince Xiao Yuan, not wanting to see it, simply flicked his sleeves and left.

In his heart, he silently held a grudge against his Ninth Sister for making him lose Face on the spot, vowing to take revenge if there was an opportunity in the future.

After some polite refusals, Xiao Qingzhu also left the imperial palace.

Although her father had not explicitly stated that the marriage alliance was cancelled, she believed that as long as her father was not stupid, he would not commit the act of 'selling his daughter to aid the enemy.'

How could the mere Third Prince of the Khitan Kingdom compare to a Qingyun Sect Elder with Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation?

The former was completely crushed by the latter in every aspect!

If he insisted on going his own way and continued to push for the marriage alliance to marry her off, he would certainly offend a Foundation Establishment Stage powerhouse, or even the entire cultivation Sect.

...