Chapter 1716 - 113: Jiang Ning Arrives, the Battle for the Imperial Throne!
Imperial Palace.
Chengqian Hall.
At this moment, the atmosphere in Chengqian Palace was tense as a drawn bowstring, with a murderous intent on the verge of breaking out.
Shen Xiao’s face was livid as he was about to speak, but suddenly a frivolous laugh came from above the palace walls.
"Hold on."
Everyone turned to look and saw the Heir of Beicang King walking slowly forward, passing by his father’s side, looking down at Ji Minghao on the steps.
His face was handsome, yet at this moment carried an irreverent playfulness, his gaze swept over Ji Minghao and Shen Mengyun, finally fixing on Ji Minghao’s face.
"Eighth Prince," the Heir’s voice was clear but carried an undeniable tone, "actually, there’s room for maneuver in this matter."
Ji Minghao’s brows furrowed, and he said solemnly, "What do you mean, Heir?"
The Heir of Beicang King smiled slightly, his gaze swept past the dense mass of soldiers below, finally landing back on Ji Minghao.
"It’s simple. I already told Your Highness before, if the Seventeenth Princess is betrothed to me, I will help Your Highness. To this day, this statement remains valid. If Your Highness agrees to marry the Seventeenth Princess to me as a concubine, I can persuade the king to stand by Your Highness."
These words caused the audience to be shocked.
Ji Mingyuan’s face changed drastically, anger flaring in his eyes, but he suppressed it and didn’t dare to break out on the spot.
Although he seemed to have the upper hand now, the support of the Beicang King was crucial, and he must not fall out with the Heir at this moment.
Facing Shen Xiao, this Great General, even the Divine Might King alone was not enough to suppress.
Now the struggle for the Imperial Throne was between him and Ji Minghao alone.
Reaching this final step, mistakes could not be afforded.
Defeat meant death, no second chances.
At the same time, Ji Minghao’s body tensed, recalling the words once spoken by this Heir of Beicang King, his hands involuntarily clenched, knuckles turning white.
His eyes filled with shock and anger, yet there was also hesitation and struggle.
Having come this far, he was unwilling to give in.
Having secured the support of Shen Xiao, he initially thought the outcome was certain.
After all, in previous struggles for the throne, powerful figures like Shen Xiao rarely took sides openly.
Because whichever Prince ascended to the throne, figures like Shen Xiao remained unaffected.
Those who openly placed bets were usually of the Marquis rank.
Moreover, this time, having Shen Xiao’s support, he still remained hidden in the shadows.
Yet who could have imagined that the Fifth Prince, Ji Mingyuan, had already secured the involvement of Divine Might King Li Tianwen and the Beicang King behind the scenes.
Two against one, unless Shen Xiao disregarded the rules to forcibly support him, all that awaited him was defeat and death.
Meanwhile, the black-clad swordsman behind Ji Minghao took a deep breath.
A master humiliated would mean death to his warrior.
To say such words at this moment, in front of so many witnesses, was an outright humiliation.
The Heir of Beicang King, as if not seeing the reactions of others, looked self-satisfied and continued leisurely, "Of course, Your Highness can refuse. However..."
He glanced at Ji Mingyuan, whose face was livid, and chuckled lightly, "Even if Your Highness refuses, once the Fifth Prince ascends the throne, the fate of the Seventeenth Princess will be out of Your Highness’s hands. Whether she is sent to my Beicang Royal Mansion or given elsewhere is just a matter of a word from the new emperor. The outcome, in fact, is no different. My proposal now is merely to give Your Highness a chance to personally fulfill your sister’s destiny and maintain your own peace of mind."
"You unfilial son! Shut your mouth!"
A thunderous shout suddenly erupted!
Only to see the Beicang King’s hair and beard bristle, his eyes glaring, his dark robe fluttering without wind, an immense and terrifying pressure descended onto the entire Chengqian Palace.
The palace wall bricks trembled, and the soldiers below felt stifled, faces pale, those with weaker cultivation staggered back.
The Beicang King was evidently furious.
He never expected his son to speak such opportunistic, almost extortionate nonsense in such a setting, completely losing the face of the Beicang Royal Mansion!
"Father!" The Heir’s face turned white, still wanting to argue.
"How dare you argue further!" The Beicang King took a step forward, his form like a ghost appearing before the Heir, raising his hand and delivering a slap!
This slap seemed slow but sealed off all surrounding space, leaving the Heir no room to escape.
"Slap!"
A crisp and loud slap landed solidly on the Heir’s face.
The Heir screamed miserably, his whole body flying sideways like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the palace wall parapet, causing bricks to crumble.
His half cheek immediately swelled red, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, in a sorry state as he fell to the ground, eyes full of fear and confusion.
The Beicang King didn’t even glance at his son, turning around to face the people below, cupping his fists towards Ji Minghao, Shen Xiao, and others, saying solemnly, "My son was reckless, speaking wildly, insulting the Imperial Princess. I failed in my discipline. Here I apologize to the Eighth Prince and General Shen. Such absurd words are not my intention, nor do they represent the stance of the Beicang Royal Mansion! The struggle for the Imperial Throne concerns the foundation of the nation, not to be trifled with and coerced!"
His voice was like a bell, instantly dissipating the atmosphere created by the Heir’s words.
Divine Might King Li Tianwen, watching coldly from the side, a faint trace of disdain flickered in his eyes.
Ji Mingyuan suppressed the anger in his eyes, respectfully saluted the Beicang King: "Beicang King, calm your anger. The Heir is young and impulsive, it was just a slip of the tongue. However, what the Heir says also makes sense. Little Seventeenth is at the right age for marriage, and since the Heir is also unmarried, it fits perfectly! Once I ascend the throne, I can fulfill this union, betrothing Shiqi to the Heir."
Hearing these words, Ji Minghao’s hands clenched even tighter.
His sister Ji Mingyue, being his full sibling, had a deep bond since childhood, how could he bear to trade her as a political bargaining chip?