I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 231 Forced Divorce
The incident happened suddenly, and no one expected Princess Jiabao to be so fierce. Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

Everyone knows what a huge uproar it would cause if Princess Jiabao died here.

Ning Yi gasped. The trusted guards behind Prince Duan took a half-step forward, but then stopped abruptly.

Prince Duan's face froze completely. "My dear niece, you mustn't!"

Su Ning's expression was calm, but her eyes were resolute. "If Second Uncle insists on keeping me here, I will die here. If Grandfather asks about it later, I hope Second Uncle can make up a story about a reunion."

These words pierced Prince Duan's heart like a knife.

He knew that the girl wasn't bluffing.

Princess Jiabao was Emperor Tianshun's most beloved granddaughter. She grew up in the palace from a young age and was favored by the emperor far more than the crown prince.

If she had truly died in her own residence, even if Emperor Tianshun was on his deathbed, he would have issued an edict to settle scores at the last moment.

Prince Duan's expression shifted between light and dark. After a moment, he closed his folding fan and sighed softly, "My niece is indeed worthy of my royal bloodline. What courage! I regret not having a son like you."

As he spoke, he took a half step back to the side and gestured with his hand, "Go."

"Father, wait!"

Ning Yi said urgently, "If Princess Jiabao insists on seeking death, there are ready-made scapegoats here."

Before he finished speaking, he angrily pointed at Xue Xiang, "If Princess Jiabao dies, you can report it and say that this scoundrel is chasing after the princess."

The princess fled into my residence, and this scoundrel pursued her relentlessly, leading to her tragic death. If Your Majesty wishes to blame me, at most, my Prince Duan's lineage will bear the responsibility for negligence in guarding her.”

As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell silent.

Some scions of noble families felt a chill in their hearts, thinking to themselves that the power struggles within the royal family were so ruthless that even close relatives would turn against each other.

Some people thought that Ning Yi truly lived up to his reputation as the Poison King; he was indeed wicked. No wonder he was only the third among the Duan Prince's heirs, yet he was able to surpass his two elder brothers and seize the throne of the Duan Prince's heir.

Prince Duan stood there, stunned, his expression complex.

“Ning Yi is vicious, and Prince Duan is ruthless. They are capable of what they say. Brother Xue, you should escape when the opportunity arises. Only when you leave will they have something to worry about, and only then will I be safe.”

Su Ning transmitted his voice to Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang transmitted his voice, "Princess, do not worry. With me here, I will ensure your safe departure."

After saying that, he clapped his hands lightly and said loudly, "It is said that the heir of Prince Duan is treacherous. I thought it was just a rumor, but today it seems to be true."

To scheme against one's elder sister with one's own brother's motives, and to do so with such a brazen air, is utterly despicable.

"you!"

Ning Yi was furious. "Keep talking nonsense. In a moment, I'll make you wish you were dead."

Xue Xiang snorted coldly, turned to look at Prince Duan, and said loudly, "Prince Duan was a hero of his time in the chaos of Wen Yuan, yet he has such a worthless son."

I offer this advice: if this son is not properly disciplined, he will surely bring disaster upon the clan and destroy the family in the future.

These words silenced the room once more.

Everyone present had witnessed Xue Xiang's arrogance, but they never expected him to be so arrogant.

For this person to dare to be so presumptuous, he must either be a fool or have some amazing backing.

Prince Duan took a deep breath, steadied himself, and fixed his tiger-like eyes on Xue Xiang's thin, hard face. "You have repeatedly spouted nonsense."

"I have been lenient with you. State your name and title; I want to see who you really are."

"I am not a saint."

Xue Xiang smiled and said, "I'm not even a citizen of your Great Zhou. I'm just a friend of Princess Jiabao, who has come from afar to visit her."

"If Princess Jiabao is in trouble, then I am in trouble."

"Don't be impatient, I, the young master, will take your dog's life today."

Ning Yi said coldly, "Father, why waste words with this madman? Take him down first. Under torture, what can't we get?"

“The laws of the Great Zhou can punish the Zhou people, but they cannot punish me, a Xia person.”

Xue Xiang said calmly, "I had already registered with the Great Xia Embassy before I came out today."

Ning Yi sneered, "So what if you're from the Xia people? So what if you reported it? They don't know you're hiding here. You came here because you were chasing the Earth Dragon King."

Besides, even if we knew, what could we do?

"If I kill you right in front of the Great Xia envoy, would Great Xia really wage war against my Great Zhou for a mere ant like you?"

The jade pendants under the eaves jingled in the wind, their sound as clear as jade.

Xue Xiang looked up and pointed to the strings of colorful jade pendants hanging there. "If I'm not mistaken, these are all Bright Moon Jade Pendants."

If an ordinary person were to acquire one, they would treasure it as a family heirloom. The Prince Duan's mansion is indeed extravagant, using it to adorn the eaves.

Ning Yi was baffled, wondering how Xue Xiang had steered the conversation off-topic.

A scion of a prominent family chimed in, “What kind of place is the Prince Duan’s villa?”

What have these bumpkins from the Great Xia Kingdom ever seen? This place was specially set up by the Crown Prince of Duan for a grand gathering in Chang'an.

These "bright moon and jade haze" images were specially created for the poems and lyrics written for various elegant rooms, to reveal their meaning.

"You, a mere weed from the Xia Kingdom, have no idea of ​​the profound heritage and grandeur of my Great Zhou Kingdom."

"enough!"

Prince Duan's face darkened, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes. He stared coldly at Xue Xiang, "Who exactly are you? I am certain I have never seen you before, yet, I feel as if I have met you before."

If it weren't for this strange feeling, Prince Duan wouldn't have wasted so much time talking to Xue Xiang; he would have already started fighting.

Xue Xiang's silhouette was stretched long by the afterglow of the setting sun, and he was as calm as a stone. "We don't know each other, but we are destined to meet."

My junior brother is familiar with you, and you also know my master.

The moment those words were spoken, the world seemed to stand still.

The expressions of everyone in the courtyard changed drastically, even the usually volatile Ning Yi was stunned.

Prince Duan snapped his folding fan shut, his gaze turning icy and fixed. "Who is your junior brother, and who is your master?"

Xue Xiang said softly, "My junior brother's real name is Youxiong Jingang."

My master's title is Lord of Bright Virtue and Profound Mystery.

Prince Duan seemed to have been struck head-on; his folding fan froze in mid-air, his knuckles trembled slightly, and the light in his eyes flickered like a candle flame tossed by the wind.

In that instant, a distant and humiliating image flashed through his mind.

Amidst the chaos of the sea, on the arena, killing intent surged and spiritual energy flowed like a vast ocean.

The human race and the demon race fought fiercely for many days, all for the sake of a "benevolent sword intent".

He personally led the troops of the Great Zhou, together with the elite forces of the Great Xia, to fight against the demon race.

Seeing that the overall situation was settled, Prince Duan was determined to fight and become a hero of the entire human race.

However, a demon named Youxiong Jingang emerged and defeated him by using imagery from poetry, a skill that humans excelled at.

That battle earned him the name Xiong Jingang, which shocked the world.

In that battle, his illustrious reputation as Prince Duan became a laughingstock.

Afterwards, when trying to gather the sword intent of the Benevolent Sword, both the human and demon races were powerless to do so.

The master of Mingde Dongxuan, who was searching for his disciple Xiong Jingang, made his appearance and successfully extinguished the sword intent of Renjian with his famous "Ode to Righteousness".

From this point on, the lineage of the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan was unparalleled in its prominence.

But no one expected that later, the Master of Mingde Dongxuan would recruit an even more famous figure, Beiqiu Ke, Xue Xiang.

In terms of Xue Xiang's current fame and popularity, it can be said that no one in the world can rival him.

Since he began traveling the world, he has dedicated a column in a magazine called "Yun Jian News" to recording his various experiences.

It has become the most popular reading material in the world.

In particular, his contest with Du Shuji over grain and the resulting thirty-odd masterpieces he wrote in one go practically cemented his reputation as a literary genius on his forehead.

At this moment, Xue Xiang only mentioned the names of Youxiong Jingang and the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan, but even a fool would know who he was and where he came from.

"What about those who lament the passing of autumn?"

Ning Yi said sternly, "Even though you, Xue Xiang, are famous throughout the world, you are at best just a poet and a lyricist."

"Senior Mingde Dongxuan was kind to my father. Out of respect for him, my Prince Duan's Mansion will spare your life."

At this point, his gaze shifted, and his tone suddenly sharpened, "But don't even think about leaving my Prince Duan's residence like this!"

With a clang, a middle-aged man with a pale face to the left of Prince Duan had already drawn his sword three inches from its sheath.

Ning Yi's shout just now brought everyone to their senses.

Although the Autumn Lamenter is renowned, he is only skilled in poetry and prose. He is not a master of enlightenment and profound mystery, so what is there to fear?

If the Prince of Duan's heir wants to keep him, then let him stay.

In an instant, more than a dozen streams of energy locked onto Xue Xiang, and a great battle was about to break out.

Xue Xiang's gaze swept over the jade bell under the eaves and then landed between Prince Duan and Ning Yi. "I have traveled all this way only to make friends."

The Prince Duan's residence is quite large and the scenery is excellent. Why not hold a grand gathering here to enhance the prestige of the Prince Duan's residence? That would make the trip worthwhile.

Everyone was baffled. Ning Yi sneered, "Are you still asleep? You think you can just start a grand gathering like that? Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are to make decisions about the Duan Prince's residence?"

"That's not up to you."

Xue Xiang still had a smile on his face.

Ning Yi's breath hitched, his face turned deathly pale, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged. He almost doubted his ears.

On their own turf, can they not even decide whether to hold a gathering, or when to hold it?
Just as everyone was puzzled, they heard Xue Xiang recite loudly, "The main road of Chang'an is narrow and winding, with green oxen, white horses, and seven fragrant carriages."

"The imperial carriages crisscrossed the mansion, and golden whips flew in droves toward the marquis's residence..."

The sound of poetry travels on the wind, clear and melodious, echoing back and forth.

The bright moon hanging under the eaves first trembled slightly, then a series of bright lights shone together.

A seven-colored halo spread out in the night, like a drop of water falling into a lake, spreading layer by layer.

Immediately, clouds rose from the ground in the courtyard, as if the literary tradition had been awakened by poetry, and rolled out from between the bluestone crevices.

The stars twinkled in the clouds, like flowing gold dust, resembling the lights of a celestial street.

A phantom image of a blue ox slowly emerged from the clouds.

Then, several seven-fragrant carriages appeared, with carved wheels and jade ornaments, and curtains hanging down.

The wind outside the courtyard was swept in, and the fragrance of plum blossoms in the distance was also drawn into this poetic scene, turning into a light mist that intertwined with the sunlight.

Between heaven and earth, only the realm of poetry unfolds.

"The melancholy guest is indeed a melancholy guest; with just one line of poetry, the bright moon in the courtyard is fully brought to life."

A young man from a prominent family, dressed in a blue robe, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Instantly, the entire venue erupted in commotion.

"Unprecedented, unprecedented!"

"I understand now. He did it on purpose, deliberately using poetry to evoke the imagery of a bright, clear moon, creating a stir in the city. Then everyone will know that a melancholy traveler has come to Chang'an."

"Indeed, with the current popularity of Beiqiu Ke, all the famous scholars and great Confucian scholars in Chang'an will probably be alarmed. If Beiqiu Ke were to spread the word that he would be holding a grand gathering at the Duan Prince's villa, I guarantee that countless important figures would flock to it."

"Back then, if everyone wanted to hold a gathering at Prince Duan's villa, even Prince Duan wouldn't be able to refuse."

"That's really impressive. Only he could do that. He said he would create a masterpiece, and he actually did it."

"Listen quietly, gentlemen. His poem has already gone through sixteen lines, and it is still not finished. It is clearly a long poem."

"The imagery is still unfolding, but half the city is already in an uproar."

Ning Yi was furious, his face turning ashen. He turned around abruptly and shouted, "Old Duan, make your move!"

He would rather risk offending the Mingde Dongxuan lineage than sit idly by and watch Xue Xiang make a name for himself on his turf.

He wanted to interrupt Xue Xiang's poetry and prevent the imagery from continuing to unfold.

A burly man in blue armor stepped forward from behind Prince Duan. As soon as he finished speaking, the blue bricks beneath his feet shattered, and his aura exploded.

He was Duan Shi, the most trusted confidant of Prince Duan, who single-handedly guarded the "Iron Gate Divine Arm" of the three strongholds, and had reached the perfected stage of Core Formation.

His figure blurred into a streak, his fist like thunder, rushing straight at Xue Xiang.

However, just as he darted out, Xue Xiang's figure shifted slightly to the side, and a flash of green light appeared in his palm.

A punch was thrown, seemingly ordinary, yet it felt like a mountain falling.

With a muffled thud, Duan Shi was sent flying backward, crashing into a rockery in the center of the pond before falling heavily into the water.

Everyone's expression changed, Ning Yi was dumbfounded, and even Prince Duan was shocked.

Duan Shi, known as the "Iron Arm," was originally a cultivator who practiced external martial arts, yet he suffered such a crushing defeat in a head-on clash.

Xue Xiang clenched the Yingtian Stone in his palm, feeling that this object, which he could enhance with his thoughts, was a treasure tailor-made for him.

With one move, Xue forced Duan Shi to retreat, and continued reciting poetry.

At this point, all eighty-one bright moons under the eaves were fully illuminated.

Then he continued reciting, "May I ask who played the flute towards the purple mist? They once learned to dance and spent their youthful years there."

"To become a pair of mandarin ducks, I would gladly die; I would rather be a pair of lovebirds than envy the immortals."

As the last word fell, the bright moon under the eaves trembled and shattered instantly.

The flames spread out like a sea of ​​stars, transforming into countless streaks of light that shot straight into the sky.

The wind howled, the air was filled with the roar of literature, and an incomparably magnificent scene appeared between heaven and earth.

Above the entire Prince Duan's mansion, the sea of ​​clouds churned and rolled, with streaks of light and shadow intertwining, reflecting the ancient scenery of Chang'an.

The magnificent palaces and pavilions appeared in the air, with layers of palaces, red walls and golden tiles.

Below, carriages and horses thronged the streets, while blue oxen and white horses traversed the clouds. The sounds of sheng, xiao, and silk and bamboo instruments rose together, weaving a vast musical movement.

The poetic sentiment of "Mandarin ducks do not envy the immortals" spread in an instant, transforming into countless pairs of mandarin ducks in light and shadow, soaring up from the clouds in pairs.

They encircle the Heavenly Street, falling on the city's ponds, pavilions, and bridge shadows, creating a shower of petals wherever they go.

The petals are not flowers, but rather flowing light formed from literary essence, each petal dissolving into the night of Chang'an.

Not only the Prince Duan's Mansion, but the entire city of Chang'an was enveloped in this poetic atmosphere.

In the distance, buildings, palace lanterns, and the zither platform all lit up with the same seven-colored radiance;
Children in the streets looked up and saw pairs of mandarin ducks flying in the sky, their shadows dancing, and thought it was a sign of divine intervention.

The sky is like a curtain, and ten thousand lights shine together.

Amidst this shimmering light, Xue Xiang stood in the heart of the courtyard, his sleeves fluttering slightly, light and shadow swirling around him, and an air of literary elegance permeating the air. With a single poem, he wove a dream for the entire city.

Prince Duan stood there speechless.

Ning Yi's lips trembled, his face flushed red, and he shouted hoarsely, "Attack him! Kill him. We can't let him continue reciting!"

"enough."

Prince Duan shouted sternly, suppressing the restless crowd.

Xue Xiang ignored him and continued reciting.

Prince Duan's eyes were deep as he gazed at Xue Xiang, who was still standing amidst the flowing light, his expression complex beyond words.

What's the point of taking action now?
This poem, "Ancient Thoughts of Chang'an," has stirred up a poetic atmosphere throughout the city.

The scholars of Chang'an were stirred to a chord, and the spectacle of light and shadow spread from the Prince's Palace to the outer city, even reaching the taverns of the East Market where the rosy clouds on the horizon could be seen.

Given the current reputation of "The Sorrowful Autumn Guest," once this commotion is made, it won't be long before the news of "The Sorrowful Autumn Guest Visits the Prince Duan's Mansion" spreads throughout the land.

You can't hide it even if you want to.

Under these circumstances, forcibly keeping Princess Jiabao or killing Xue Xiang would only be asking for trouble.

An unparalleled reputation also means an unparalleled influence.

The influence of literati, as great as that of Beiqiu Ke, has become a terrifying deterrent. After all, no one can ignore public opinion.

Prince Duan took a deep breath, knowing that if he continued to use force, he would only make himself a laughingstock.

With a gentle wave of his hand, the restrictive light patterns dissipated from the mansion walls, the formation vanished, and the central gate opened wide.

"Let them go."

He finished speaking calmly, turned and entered the corridor without even pausing to move his clothes.

The group exchanged glances, daring not to speak further.

Xue Xiang turned around, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard, a smile playing on his lips.

He bowed respectfully, "Your Highness, are you truly not going to organize an elegant gathering for me?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ning Yi almost fainted from anger. His chest tightened, and even his breathing became disordered.

He pointed at Xue Xiang, but before he could finish speaking, a gust of wind choked him back down.

Xue Xiang had already turned around, his sleeves brushing past the fluttering plum blossoms, and walked out of the palace side by side with Su Ning.

The poetic beauty of the sky lingers, with the shadows of mandarin ducks swirling in the clouds, and the sound of bells drifting away on the wind.

Outside Chang'an city, lights are shining brightly.

Xue Xiang and Su Ning walked out of the gate of the Prince Duan's villa side by side. The streetlights swayed. Su Ning stopped and turned back to Xue Xiang, cupping his hands in thanks. "Thank you, Brother Xue. If it weren't for your help, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to escape today."

She paused, her eyes filled with shame, "But... something happened at home, and my father's situation is not optimistic. I have no time to entertain Brother Xue. Please forgive me."

Whether or not we entertain them is not a big deal.

Xue Xiang's gaze swept over the lingering glow of the sunset above the distant palace. "The key issue now is that things seem to be going badly for your father."

I happen to be good at handling complex situations.

If I can help your father get through this ordeal, I wonder if I could have the right to use the Ascension Platform?

He spoke calmly and deliberately, as if he were discussing a fair deal.

Su Ning's mind raced, and he said in a deep voice, "If we can really overcome this difficulty, I will persuade my father to do his best to handle the matter of the Ascending Dragon Platform."

It wasn't that she was unwilling to help Xue Xiang, but she lacked a legitimate reason and couldn't persuade the Crown Prince herself.

If Xue Xiang can play a role in this battle for the throne, then she will have a sufficient pretext.

"Alright, it's a deal then."

Xue Xiang was overjoyed.

He is not afraid of any troubles. No matter who ends up getting married, they will most likely not make things difficult for him, a foreigner with great prestige.

If you win, you make all the money; if you lose, you suffer no loss. Of course, you should do this deal.

(End of this chapter)