Chapter 21

Duanmu Shuang stepped forward with clasped hands and said, “Your Majesty, I heard that you are not feeling well so I specially come to visit you.”

“I’m also here to visit Your Majesty. It was a coincidence that I met Her Highness Princess Jing at the door of Tongxin Hall.”

Qin Zhen also stepped forward to bow with clasped hands.

Looking at their unease reactions, Duanmu Xue sneered.

“Oh, quite a coincidence. I’m well now. You two can go back.”

Duanmu Shuang put on an embarrassed look and glimpsed Qin Zhen aside.

Qin Zhen got Duanmu Shuang’s hint and bowed again.

“Your Majesty, I have something to report.”

Duanmu Xue slightly narrowed her eyes.

“Say it.”

“Her Highness the Crown Princess has been missing for two years and there is still no news found. In order to reassure the Zhuque Empire, I highly suggest that Your Majesty make another person the crown princess.”

A glint of fierceness crossed Duanmu Xue’s eyes. She instantly flew into a rage.

Upon hearing the suggestion of making another person the crown princess, Huangfu Che also put on a cold look.

“Who do you think is qualified to be the new crown princess?”

Duanmu Xue’s voice was cold as if it were made from hell.

“I think Heiress of Princess Jing is worth considering.”

With her eyes ablaze with fury, Duanmu Xue looked at Duanmu Shuang.

“Princess Jing, do you think so too?”

Duanmu Shuang immediately bowed and replied, “I dare not.”

“You dare not? What is it that you dare not do? Didn’t you want to break into my bedroom just now?”

Duanmu Xue suddenly thumped the table and glared at Duanmu Shuang.

“Please forgive me.”

“Please forgive me.”

The two of them both knelt and kowtowed with profound respect and humility.

“Humph, Princess Jing, you seem to have forgotten the clan regulation set by Emperor Taizu.”

Duanmu Xue squinted dismissively at the two people kneeling.

Duanmu Shuang’s eyes burned with resentment and grievance. If it were not for the d*mned clan regulation, she would be the empress now and her daughter would be the crown princess.

“Get lost.”

“I’ll take my leave then.”

“I’ll take my leave then.”

Duanmu Shuang clenched her fists and got out of the Tongxin Hall with Qin Zhen resignedly.

Outside the Tongxin Hall.

“What should we do now?” Qin Zhen asked Duanmu Shuang whose face was full of grievance.

“What can we do? Let’s go back and find a way to ally ourselves with some officials to propose making another person the crown princess in the main hall. By then, how can she object?”

Duanmu Shuang narrowed her eyes, which were sparkling with the light of viciousness.

“What on earth is the clan regulation of Emperor Taizu?”

“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t know.”

Duanmu Shuang took a cold look at Qin Zhen and directly left with a flick of sleeves.

Qin Zhen looked at Duanmu Shuang’s back and squinted her eyes.

She hated Princess Jing so much. Back then, her brother married Princess Jing as her husband but afterward, he was killed by her side consorts and concubines. However, Princess Jing didn’t hold the culprits accountable or feel sad for her husband’s death.

If Princess Jing didn’t make her deceased husband’s only daughter Duanmu Qing her heir, how could Qin Zhen listen to her order?

In the Tongxin Hall.

Duanmu Xue sent the maids away and summoned her phoenix guards.

“Phoenix One.”

A woman in black appeared before Duanmu Xue. She was Phoenix One, the chief of the Phoenix Guard Squad who guarded the empress of the Zhuque Empire.

The Phoenix Guard Squad of the Zhuque Empire only took the order of the empress from generation to generation, which consisted of 3,000 people. They were divided into 15 teams, led by Phoenix One, Phoenix Two, etc. The team leaders were named by number.

“Keep their actions under watch.”

Duanmu Xue’s mouth curved into a sneer. They would probably take desperate measures.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Phoenix One immediately disappeared as she received the order.

“Phoenix Five.”

Another woman in black appeared before Duanmu Xue.

“Any news about the Crown Princess?”

“I’m too incapable.”

Phoenix Five knelt on one knee with guilt and said with her head lowered.

Duanmu Xue waved her hand in disappointment.

“Keep searching and send more people. Find the Crown Princess as soon as possible.”

She believed that Xi must still be alive somewhere on the Hantian Continent.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

…

In the study of Princess Jing’s mansion.

“Mother, how did it go?”

Duanmu Shuang shook her head and knitted her brows.

“Qing, due to the clan regulation of Emperor Taizu, it is impossible for you to become the crown princess legitimately.”

A glint of fierceness flashed across Duanmu Qing’s eyes.

It was because of the clan regulation of Emperor Taizu again! D*mn it! Did Duanmu Xi’s words come true? Even though this total wreck died, she still could never be the crown princess.

No, she must become the crown princess at all costs.

A look of brutality crossed Duanmu Qing’s face.

“Mother, in this case, we can only…”

The two of them talked in a whisper for a while and both gave a sinister smile.

…

At night, on the empress’s bed in the Tongxin Hall, Huangfu Che was cuddling Duanmu Xue.

“Xue, what on earth is the clan regulation of Emperor Taizu?”

“You want to know?”

Duanmu Xue looked up at him with a sweet smile.

Huangfu Che answered with the corners of his mouth lifted, “I’m a bit curious.”

“That is, according to the No. 1 rule of the Duanmu Family, only the imperial female with purple eyes is eligible to be the crown princess and ascend the throne.”

“Oh? Emperor Taizu set up such a weird rule?”

Huangfu Che was a bit surprised to hear the answer.

“Yeah. Otherwise, why would I become the empress of the Zhuque Empire? I am no match for Duanmu Shuang in terms of scheming ability and I cannot defeat Duanmu Fei in terms of martial arts. Besides, I’m not interested in power.”

If it were not for Emperor Taizu’s clan regulation, she wouldn’t want to be the empress.

Huangfu Che nodded and then said with a frown, “What if Xi didn’t have purple eyes?”

“Silly. Even if Xi didn’t have purple eyes, I would love her as always and then we could have another daughter with purple eyes to succeed the throne.”

Huangfu Che’s eyes glittered. “What if we could never have a daughter with purple eyes? Would you…”

“No. Never. I will only have you as my husband in my whole life.”

Duanmu Xue put on a serious face. She wanted no one but Che. Putting aside the fact that they had a daughter, even without the daughter, she could never marry another man.

Huangfu Che hugged Duanmu Xue tightly, his eyes full of affection.

“Xue, thank you.”

“You are so silly.”

Duanmu Xue smiled and pecked Huangfu Che on the lips.

At that time, he even gave up being the crown prince, how could she let him down? She could still remember what his father said to her by now.

“Never hurt Che, or I will make you pay.”

He really loved Che but Che fell out with him for her.

“Don’t think too much. My father still loves me. When Xi comes back, we can bring her back to the Qinglong Empire to visit him. He will forgive us when he sees such an adorable granddaughter.”

Hugging Duanmu Xue, Huangfu Che comforted her softly.

“Yeah, he will like Xi for sure. Xi looks like you so much.”

Duanmu Xue kissed Huangfu Che and stared into his eyes sincerely.

“When Xi is back, I will pass the throne to her so that we can travel around the world. I’m so sorry that I’ve kept you in this small imperial palace of the Zhuque Empire.”

“For you, everything is worthwhile!”

Huangfu Che gained the initiative to kiss Duanmu Xue and engaged her tongue in a dance affectionately.

As the curtain was rolled down, the couple was having a great time over the night…