nashuaworldcup Chapter 166 The battle for the prince
Chapter 166 The battle for the prince
"puff!!!"
When Emperor Qi learned that the Azure Dragon Secret Realm was empty, he couldn't catch his breath and spat out a mouthful of blood, causing his life force to suddenly weaken.
King Zhenwu hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, are you alright?"
The Emperor of Qi was deathly pale. He looked up at the sky, appearing weak and exhausted.
"Is Heaven determined to destroy my Great Qi?!"
After learning that the royal family had lost three Dharma Aspect Realm elders, he was restless for several days, almost suffering from qi deviation during his cultivation. He was constantly on edge, fearing that the powerful figure would come and destroy the royal family.
Although the powerful figure did not come afterward, he suddenly discovered that Xu Qingzhou, the head of the Xu family and the enemy of the royal family, was even more monstrous than the three prodigies in his family.
This added even more worry to the Emperor Qi's face.
Now that the Azure Dragon Secret Realm, which is under the control of their royal family, has run into trouble again, Emperor Qi was so angry that he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
He even had the feeling that the fate of the Great Qi Dynasty was sealed and that Heaven itself was against him.
This left Emperor Qi mentally and physically exhausted, his health deteriorating to the extreme.
Emperor Qi sighed deeply.
"Pass down the word: tomorrow morning court will be held to establish a crown prince. One year later, the crown prince can ascend the throne."
Given Emperor Qi's strength and age, he could have easily reigned for another three to five hundred years.
But the repeated setbacks over the years, which have taken a toll on his physical and mental health, have caused Emperor Qi to lose his ambition.
He only hoped that a change of ruler would allow the Great Qi Dynasty to continue.
.....
When King Zhenwu spread the news, it immediately caused a great uproar throughout the entire Great Qi Dynasty.
Everyone speculated about the reasons behind Emperor Qi's sudden decision and what changes had occurred in the dynasty.
"Is the Emperor in such a hurry to establish a crown prince and pass on the throne that the Emperor's health is in danger?"
"Could it be that the Qi Emperor was seriously injured in the previous attack by the demonic cultivators, which forced him to abdicate?"
"The Ninth Prince is exceptionally talented and renowned throughout the Great Qi Academy. I feel he will become the Crown Prince."
"That's not necessarily true. The Third Prince's mother is a princess of the Great Chu Dynasty. With the support of the Great Chu Dynasty, the Third Prince has a better chance of winning."
"Am I the only one supporting the Sixth Princess? Although there has never been a precedent of an empress ascending the throne in the three great dynasties, I think the Sixth Princess has a lot of prestige in the army and is not without a chance of winning."
Upon hearing this news, the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince were overjoyed.
They felt this surprise came too suddenly, just like when the crown prince was suddenly deposed, which even caught them off guard.
The Ninth Prince's strategist, Gu Yuanbai, exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty is in the prime of your life, why would you suddenly make such a decision?"
Normally, even if a crown prince is chosen, it would take at least another one or two hundred years before he would have the opportunity to succeed to the throne.
The Ninth Prince clenched his fists.
"Although I don't know why Father Emperor suddenly made such a decision, there's no need to think about it too much. As long as I can seize the throne and become emperor, the entire Great Qi will be mine!"
"When the time comes, I'll wipe out the Xu family first!!"
Gu Yuanbai sighed deeply. The Ninth Prince, who never considered the causes and consequences of his actions, never sought the truth, and lacked any sense of the big picture, was bound to suffer a great loss sooner or later.
At this moment, the Ninth Prince was blinded by the throne he had long coveted, and so was the Third Prince. They had no time to think about anything else and hurriedly began to contact their respective forces.
Morning the next day.
After the normal procedures, we began today's main event.
The civil and military officials were basically divided into two groups, standing behind the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince respectively.
Of course, most of the military officers were behind the Sixth Princess. Having joined the army at a young age and possessing considerable skills, her prestige in the military was unmatched.
Judging from the situation in the main hall alone, the Ninth Prince had a greater advantage. After all, he had been planning for many years at the Great Qi Academy. Among the graduates of the Great Qi Academy, many were officials in the court, and many were also second-generation officials.
That's why the Ninth Prince has so many supporters, and even the True Martial King is on his side.
The Minister of Personnel said, "Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince is exceptionally talented and possesses the potential to become a saint. I believe that establishing the Ninth Prince as the Crown Prince will not only make our Great Qi Dynasty stronger, but also give us the hope of unifying the three great dynasties and creating an unparalleled great cause!"
The Minister of Revenue, who supported the Third Prince, immediately refuted this.
"Your Majesty, the Third Prince is both wise and brave, and he knows how to make good use of talented people. I believe..."
The two sides exchanged barbs, engaging in a fierce verbal battle, as if a war without gunpowder was taking place in the main hall.
On the contrary, the Sixth Princess's people have remained inactive.
"Cough cough."
At this moment, Emperor Qi suddenly coughed violently, and the officials below instinctively stopped and looked up.
Emperor Qi slowly asked, "Yu Shu, why do you also want to compete?"
Song Yushu replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your subject believes that the throne should be held by the most capable person, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate, male or female. I feel that I am more suitable to govern the country than my third and ninth brothers, so I must fight for it!"
Her armor gleamed, and an aura of imperial majesty subtly emanated from her.
This scene left the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince stunned.
The sixth princess, whom they've always looked down upon, is clearly up to no good!
Emperor Qi nodded in satisfaction, but still did not make a decision. After all, this matter was of great importance, and if he was not careful, he might even become a sinner against the dynasty.
Therefore, he wanted to see who had more chips.
Unfortunately, it was all too rushed. If given enough time, Emperor Qi was confident that he could select the most suitable successor through various tests.
Just when the situation on the field was deadlocked, the Third Prince, who had been at a disadvantage, suddenly smiled slightly.
Suddenly, two elderly men appeared to his side, and despite the large number of people present, they were completely unaware of their presence.
"you...."
A military officer had barely uttered a shout when he fell silent, and everyone in the hall felt a powerful pressure, as if a mountain was pressing down on them, making it impossible for them to move an inch.
The old man beside the Third Prince said with a smile, "Gentlemen, I am the ancestor of the Great Chu Dynasty."
"As the nephew of my Emperor Chu, the Third Prince is naturally supported by our Great Chu Dynasty to succeed to the position of Crown Prince. I wonder who agrees and who disagrees?"
After he said this, the hall fell silent.
After all, he was a powerful expert at the Dharma Aspect Realm. Under such circumstances, if anyone dared to oppose him, the consequences would be unimaginable.
At this moment, both the Ninth Prince and the Sixth Princess had ashen faces.
He was filled with uncontrollable rage.
The crown prince of our Great Qi Dynasty has been chosen. What business is it of your Great Chu?
Most importantly, your ancestor dared to come directly to our palace; this is blatant provocation!
Why hasn't my Great Qi Ancestor appeared yet to drive them away?
Father, please say something!
Lacking confidence, Emperor Qi dared not speak. His face was gloomy, he trembled with anger, and he was also somewhat terrified.
Why are they coming so openly? Do they already know about the passing of our Great Qi Dynasty's ancestor?