Chapter 138: That’s Got to Sting, You Damned Brainwasher
“The Princess is entering—”
“The Chief Commander of the Third War Zone is entering—”
“The Imperial Financial Officer, the Inspector of the Third War Zone, the Tactical Officer, and the Second Young Master of the Vermilion Bird family are entering—”
Following the guards’ announcement at the door, the banquet hall suddenly fell silent. The moment Xie Qiang, Sen Ji, and the others stepped into the hall, the live stream chat instantly filled the screen.
[My god! A beautiful Guide and a handsome Sentinel—the Princess and the God of War are such a match!]
[The Princess really is the kind of image that is beautiful, kind, and soft. Sob, she perfectly fits my stereotype of a Kitty Guide!]
[It’s hard to imagine such a weak body could come out of the wormhole alive. She is absolutely the chosen successor!]
[By comparison, that First Prince is really just average, hahahaha.]
[Isn’t he? Hey, hey, look at those Sentinels behind her. Those are noble young masters we usually never get to see. I heard they are all candidate Imperial Consorts. As long as they pass the trials, they can officially become the Princess’s consorts!]
[Hiss… These S-class Sentinels have top-tier looks and physiques. The Princess is eating well!]
[The Princess deserves it.]
[The Princess deserves it +1.]
“Qiang’er.” On the highest dais of the banquet hall, Emperor Xie waved affectionately toward Xie Qiang. “Come and sit here.”
“Sen Ji and I are going up first.” Xie Qiang turned and nodded to Hong Que and the others before leading Sen Ji up the steps.
“Imperial Sister.” Beside Emperor Xie, Xie Kong smiled very gently at Xie Qiang. “You look very beautiful today.”
“Brother, you’re being too half-hearted.” Xie Qiang felt annoyed just looking at him. she lightly flicked her hair and spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction, “Beauty is my least noteworthy trait. You should praise me for having the bearing of a future Emperor today.”
Xie Kong’s smile stiffened, and his fist clenched beneath his sleeve. “Haha, hasn’t Brother simply not finished praising you yet?”
That’s got to sting, you damned brainwasher.
Xie Qiang hummed a cheerful little tune. As she passed in front of Emperor Xie, her steps paused, and she turned to look at him with feigned surprise.
“Father?!”
Her eyes sparkled with shock, and her voice was filled with unbelievable praise. “How are you so wise and majestic today! I almost didn’t recognize you! I thought the Sun God had descended to personally host this victory banquet for me!”
Emperor Xie was instantly amused. “You child, why is your tongue so sweet?”
“It’s not that my tongue is sweet, it’s that Father is truly radiant today, making me unable to help but feel drawn to you!” Xie Qiang sat down beside him and then lowered her voice, her tone shifting abruptly. “As expected, throwing the mess to someone else to handle is truly refreshing. You look a hundred years younger, don’t you, Father?”
Emperor Xie: “…”
He guiltily looked away. “You child, why is your tongue so sharp?”
Xie Qiang: Heh.
After finishing her complaints about Emperor Xie, Xie Qiang turned her head to look down at the floor. Hong Que was standing in the area closest to the dais, impatiently waving off noble Sentinels and Guides who wanted to strike up a conversation with him. Mo Yin was walking toward a nearby snack tower, putting them into his mouth one by one. Cang Jiu was leaning lazily against a pillar of the Imperial hall, resting with his eyes closed.
Xie Qiang looked around for a while but didn’t see Wanyan Jin.
Where did he go?
Just as she was about to look again, someone sat down beside her. She turned and saw that Jiang Qingwan had arrived.
She and Jiang Qingwan’s eyes met. Jiang Qingwan’s lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but after glancing at Emperor Xie, she pressed her lips together and looked at Xie Qiang with a face full of apology.
Xie Qiang blinked and unexpectedly thought of the note from Cang Jiu.
Jiang → Emperor, changes to the trial.
It seemed something big was going to happen at this victory banquet.
She turned to look at Emperor Xie and found his expression normal. Just as she was about to withdraw her gaze, she suddenly noticed Xie Kong looking at her. When their eyes met, Xie Kong gave her an extremely gentle smile.
Imperial Sister, he mouthed silently: Happy victory banquet.
Xie Qiang’s fingertips twitched, and the bad feeling in her heart grew stronger.
What had he done?
As she was pondering, Emperor Xie suddenly spoke. “Everyone has arrived. Let the victory banquet begin.”
Emperor Xie stood up, raising his glass toward the nobles, ministers, and the media cameras. “We gather here today to celebrate the destruction of the wormhole and the severe injury of the Zerg Mother. We shall finally usher in the Zerg dormancy period and a century of peace. Long live the Empire!”
“Long live the Empire!”
[Long live the Empire!]
After his brief speech, Emperor Xie reached out to Xie Qiang, and she stood up to take his hand.
“The Princess’s contribution to the destruction of the wormhole is immense. I formally grant the Princess the right of Imperial inheritance. Additionally, I grant her regency powers and the military authority to deploy 200 A-class Sentinels from the Third War Zone.”
The noble ministers couldn’t help but exchange glances.
200 A-class Sentinels—that was nearly half the A-class combat strength of an entire war zone. Coupled with an SSS-class Sentinel by her side, it seemed the weather in the palace was truly about to change.
Xie Kong was stunned for a moment but immediately recovered his expression. Although his teeth were grit tight, a thick smile remained on his face.
Damn it! When he gained inheritance rights, he didn’t receive these rewards. That biased old Emperor!
His gaze swept over the floor. He discreetly gave someone a signal, tilting his chin toward Xie Qiang.
What are you waiting for!
“Your Majesty, wait.”
A cold and indifferent voice rang out. Wanyan Jin, who had been missing, slowly walked out from the crowd. He held a folder over his arm and raised it before everyone.
“I have a matter to report.”
Emperor Xie looked down at Wanyan Jin. A flash of doubt crossed his eyes. “Oh? What is it?”
Xie Qiang also looked toward him. She saw the man slightly lift his gaze. Those snake pupils swept across her face nonchalantly before withdrawing without any emotion. A visible sneer appeared on his lips.
The bad feeling in her heart finally became a total reality at this moment.
Wanyan Jin waved the folder in his hand. “This is a paternity test. I wish to expose that the Second Princess is not of the Imperial bloodline!”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qiang’s heart sank.
The female supporting character… is actually not the Emperor’s blood?
Wanyan Jin’s words caused an uproar among the nobles and ministers, and the live stream chat exploded.
[What’s the situation? The Princess isn’t of Imperial blood?]
[Hiss… but the Princess and the Emperor really don’t look much alike. Still, it’s possible she looks like her mother!]
[If it’s true, the Emperor is truly miserable. The First Prince is an A-class Sentinel, and the Second Princess isn’t even his own. Not a single one can inherit the throne!]
“What the hell are you talking about! How could Xie Qiang not be the Princess!” From the side, Hong Que rushed up and grabbed Wanyan Jin by the collar, his face extremely grim.
To pull the rug out from under Xie Qiang at a moment like this—is he holding a grudge for her bullying him as a child and trying to destroy her?
“Words are empty. How can you prove she is the real Princess?” Wanyan Jin slowly pulled Hong Que’s hand away and lightly flicked his collar. “Is there evidence?”
“I—” Hong Que looked at Xie Qiang on the dais and scratched his hair irritably. “The Imperial family aren’t idiots! How could they raise someone else’s child for twenty years for nothing!”
“Heh.” A hint of mockery crossed Wanyan Jin’s snake pupils. “Who knows.”
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