NABC Chapter 123 Royal Siblings Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu
Chapter 123 Royal Siblings Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu
Chapter 123 Royal Siblings Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu
Bai Wanning was completely stunned. She looked at her son as if she were seeing him for the first time. His bold words yesterday were not a joke after all; he really intended to overthrow the powerful family that had oppressed them for over a decade!
"Rebellion! Rebellion! Guards! Seize this disobedient and unfilial wretch! Seize him!" The Duchess was so angry she almost fainted, pointing at Dai Youheng and screaming shrilly.
Three powerful figures instantly swept in from outside the hall. All of them were Soul Emperor level guards, forming a triangle around Dai Youheng, their martial souls already possessing him.
Just as tensions were about to rise, a leisurely yet subtly authoritative voice came from the doorway, "Hehe, Duchess, your household's breakfast today—it's quite something, very lively indeed."
Suddenly, Nebula Douluo Manyi appeared at the door, dressed in red with snow-white hair, watching the chaotic scene inside the hall with a half-smile. Her gaze swept over the Duchess and her two children, who were covered in soup and in a sorry state, before finally settling on the composed Dai Youheng.
The Duchess forced down her cough and anger, managing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Your Majesty Nebula, what brings you here so suddenly?"
Man Yi said calmly, "I have come on the orders of Her Highness the Princess to invite Young Master Youheng to the palace for a chat."
She didn't even bother with pleasantries, and went straight to Dai Youheng: "Youheng, are you ready?"
Dai Youheng straightened his perfectly neat clothes, smiled slightly, and said, "We can depart at any time. Thank you for waiting, Your Majesty."
He didn't even glance at the Duchess again, and calmly followed behind Manyi as they walked outside.
Man Yi completely ignored the three Soul Emperor guards who stood frozen in place and the Duchess with a livid face. As a staunch supporter of the Xu family, she had no goodwill towards the Zhu family or even the direct descendants of the Dai family who attempted to restore the old system.
Dai Youheng was not worried about the safety of his mother and younger brother after he left. Even if Zhu Man was stupid, she would not dare to kill the concubine in broad daylight and immediately after the conflict, which would be tantamount to cutting herself off from Dai Hao and public opinion.
At most, they might use underhanded methods to make things difficult for you within the mansion later.
If she is really forced into a corner, Bai Wanning and Dai Luoli will be secretly protected by Ling Ya, who will "help" her complete the most crucial step.
Currently, the Zhu family has no titled Douluo, and no one is a match for Ling Ya.
Today's breakfast incident was a carefully planned provocation. The details of this conflict will soon reach Xu Jiujiu's ears through Manyi's mouth, word for word.
For the Xu family, who yearned to concentrate imperial power and weaken the Dai family, a complete break with the direct line and sharp conflicts were inevitable.
The genius illegitimate son of the Dai family, who deeply "admires" the princess, is simply the most perfect chess piece bestowed by heaven.
Dai Youheng followed Manyi to the Star Luo Imperial Palace, his gaze calmly sweeping over its extreme luxury and solemnity.
The Nebula Douluo Manyi, who was leading the way, stopped in front of a heavy rosewood door carved with a star crown totem. She turned slightly to the side and spoke in a very low but clear voice, "Youheng, please wait here. His Majesty and Her Highness the Princess are reviewing today's memorials. I will inform them of your presence."
Dai Youheng nodded and stood quietly outside the door.
His gaze pierced through the slightly ajar door, catching a glimpse of a corner of the hall. It wasn't the magnificent, golden main hall he'd imagined, but a more private side hall, a blend of scholarly and authoritative atmosphere. On the enormous sandalwood desk, memorials were piled high, almost obscuring the figure behind them.
Xu Jiawei's trust in Xu Jiujiu truly far exceeded that of others.
Dai Youheng thought to himself. Allowing a princess to participate in court affairs was already rare among the royal families of the various countries on this continent, and allowing her to review memorials together was almost equivalent to sharing imperial power.
He recalled the rumors about the Xingluo royal family, which claimed that although they had many children, most of them were half-siblings.
Only Xu Jiujiu was Emperor Xu Jiawei's biological younger sister, born of the same mother. It's also worth mentioning that the two were nearly thirty years apart in age, and after their mother's early death, Xu Jiawei treated this sister almost like both a brother and a father. This rare sibling bond within the deep palace was perhaps the cornerstone of this astonishing trust.
Xu Jiujiu did not disappoint this trust. She not only demonstrated outstanding political wisdom and skill, but also closely combined her loyalty to her brother with her plans for the future of the empire.
She put a price tag on her marriage, regarding it as one of the most effective bargaining chips to consolidate imperial power. This clarity and decisiveness is enough to make many men ashamed.
No wonder Xu Jiawei once privately sighed that Xu Jiujiu was the most outstanding successor of the Xingluo royal family in a hundred years, whose temperament and ability far surpassed those of many princes.
Inside the hall, Man Yi silently approached the desk, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness."
She didn't look up immediately for a long time, her slender fingers holding the vermilion brush, smoothly annotating the last few words on a memorial, her strokes sharp yet steady. She put down the brush, then raised her eyes. Her deep, starry eyes held a hint of weariness, but more so a sharp focus on national affairs. "Grandma Manyi, he's here?"
His voice was calm, revealing no emotion.
"Your Highness, Young Master Youheng is waiting for your orders outside the palace," Manyi replied. She paused briefly, lowering her voice even further, "In addition, things were not peaceful at the Duke's residence this morning. Young Master Youheng had another conflict with the Duchess and her two sons, and it caused quite a stir."
Then, Manyi recounted in detail the news she had gathered that morning: how Dai Youheng had verbally clashed with Duchess Zhu Man, how he had slapped Dai Huabin over, and how he had arrogantly overturned the table, showing no respect whatsoever to his stepmother and brother.
Her narration was objective and calm, devoid of any emotional coloring, yet she vividly depicted every detail.
She listened quietly for a long time, her fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the smooth tabletop. When Manyi finished speaking, a very faint smile appeared on her lips.
"That's not surprising." Her voice was steady. "Back then, he was weak and just an insignificant illegitimate son in the Duke's mansion. He, along with his gentle mother Bai Wanning and his young brother Dai Luoli, walked on thin ice in the mansion. Dai Huabin was arrogant and domineering, and his bullying, both open and covert, never stopped. Zhu Man was narrow-minded, jealous, and vengeful. As his legal mother, it was common for her to be harsh and difficult. Dai Yueheng, who seemed composed, was actually indifferent and never truly stopped him. At most, he would put on the airs of an elder brother afterward and admonish Youheng to be dutiful and respect his legal mother. The resentment that accumulated year after year had long been deeply rooted in his bones."
She picked up the warm tea beside her, took a small sip, and her movements were extremely elegant.
"Now that he has grown powerful and his strength has increased dramatically, he has also seen the opportunity to control the Duke's mansion. How could he be willing to endure it any longer? This anger will inevitably erupt sooner or later. For us, the deeper the conflict between him and the direct line, the greater the estrangement, the more advantageous it is. A pawn that is alienated from the old family and can only cling tightly to the royal family is the most useful pawn."
Xu Jiawei, who had been listening silently on the throne, slowly nodded, his eyes revealing approval. "What Sister Jiu says is absolutely right. The core members of the Dai and Zhu families have never truly extinguished the desire for restoration deep down. On the other hand, many of the collateral branches are content with the status quo and their ambitions have faded considerably. Their internal strife is not necessarily a bad thing for the stability of the empire. Let them fight it out first. If necessary, you can secretly provide Dai Youheng with some support, making his blade even sharper and more reliant on the person wielding it."
"Your Majesty is wise." Xu Jiujiu bowed slightly, then turned to the eunuch, "Bring him in."
"Summon—Young Master Dai Youheng to an audience!" The eunuch's shrill voice pierced through the heavy palace doors.