I've announced that I'm destined to have many children, and my father has bestowed upon me

As soon as Liu Ruoshuang finished speaking, Bai Xiao was completely stunned.

She looked at her best friend and felt completely unfamiliar with her.

Is this still the saintly woman who is detached from worldly affairs and only seeks the Dao?

This resolute decision, this clear-headedness, sent a chill down her spine.

"Marriage is a matter of worldly custom..."

Liu Ruoshuang repeated it, then turned around and pushed open the door to the quiet room.

Outside the door, a cacophony of noise surged in instantly.

"The Holy Maiden has appeared!"

"Holy Maiden, you mustn't marry him!"

"We are willing to fight for the Holy Maiden!"

Looking at her indignant fellow disciples, Liu Ruoshuang remained unmoved.

She walked down the steps one by one, her clear, cool voice piercing through all the noise.

"My mind is made up."

"Prepare the carriage. We shall depart immediately for the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

Everyone stared at her in disbelief.

The saintess... agreed?

She's actually going to marry that useless prince as a concubine?

After a brief period of silence, an even more violent eruption followed!

"Why!"

"Holy Maiden, this is a disgrace! A disgrace to our entire Jixia Academy!"

Bai Xiao stood at the door, watching Liu Ruoshuang walk alone towards the car that had been prepared, her back view resolute yet lonely.

Countless disciples spontaneously followed the carriage, forming a long line, and marched majestically toward the outside of the mountain gate.

They were unwilling to take action, yet they were also unwilling to leave.

They wanted to express their silent protest in this way.

Bai Xiao was so anxious that tears were about to fall. She rushed to the car window and shouted in a low voice:

"Ruoshuang! Tell them to stop! With so many people following, what kind of behavior is this!"

The carriage curtain was lifted slightly, revealing Liu Ruoshuang's beautiful and ethereal face.

"No need."

She looked indifferently at the students outside who were filled with fervor, but her words were cold and devoid of any warmth.

"Any change comes at a price."

"The academy has been too comfortable for too long, producing too many fools who are ignorant of their own limitations and only know how to talk about ideals in vain."

"Let them follow, let them see, let them understand that there is no such thing as guaranteed protection in this world."

"These people, who lack the ability to assess the situation and see the pros and cons, are like festering sores on the body of the academy, destined to be squeezed out sooner or later. Now, we're just letting them jump out on their own."

Bai Xiao trembled all over. She stared blankly at Liu Ruoshuang, unable to utter a single word.

She finally understood that Liu Ruoshuang was not sacrificing herself.

She was using her marriage as the sharpest knife to personally scrape the bone and heal the terminally ill Jixia Academy!

……

Three days later.

The capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the residence of the Prince of Wei.

Zhao Chen'an was lying on a rocking chair in the yard, leisurely basking in the sun.

Li Qingluan peeled grapes for him, while Wulanxue practiced her swordsmanship not far away.

The blades whistled, yet skillfully avoided the area where he was located.

Peaceful and serene times.

Just then, Eunuch Wei scurried in with small, quick steps and a broad smile on his face.

"Your Highness, good news!"

Zhao Chen'an lazily opened one eye.

"What's making you so happy?"

"The imperial edict has arrived!" Eunuch Wei held up a bright yellow scroll high.

"His Majesty has decreed that the carriage of Liu Ruoshuang, the Holy Maiden of Jixia Academy, has arrived at Thirty Mile Slope outside the city. His Highness Prince Wei is ordered to immediately lead the wedding procession to welcome the new Queen Consort to the palace!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Wulanxue, who was practicing her knife skills, paused, and Li Qingluan also stopped peeling grapes.

Both women turned their gazes to Zhao Chen'an.

Zhao Chen'an jolted awake and sat up in the rocking chair.

So fast?

I only received the news three days ago, and they're already outside the city today?

Father's efficiency is simply amazing!

"understood."

Zhao Chen'an stretched and stood up.

"Prepare the car, change clothes, and get ready to depart."

Seeing his unhurried demeanor, Eunuch Wei was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Oh my Your Highness, that's the Holy Maiden of the Jixia Academy! The whole world is watching! You'd better put on a good show!"

"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Zhao Chen'an waved his hand, but he was thinking about something else.

The Holy Maiden of Jixia Academy!

The qualification score absolutely cannot be low!

The term "Innate Reincarnation Body" sounds very impressive.

What reward will the system give this time?

A reward of ten times the potential... just thinking about it is exciting!

Father's assist was truly to my liking!

at the same time.

The Third Prince's Residence.

"Bang!"

A valuable blue and white porcelain vase was smashed to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Zhao Chenyu's eyes were bloodshot as he paced anxiously back and forth in the study, on the verge of a breakdown.

"Useless! Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

He roared, as if he had gone mad.

The assassins sent to kill Zhao Chen'an not only failed, but also became the excuse for the emperor to deal with the Jixia Academy!

Now look what happened! That good-for-nothing Zhao Chen'an is completely unharmed, and he even got a heavenly saintess as his concubine!

And what about him?

The charge of assassinating the prince hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles.

He could feel countless eyes staring at him in the imperial court.

His father ignored him completely, leaving him to fend for himself in the mansion.

The agony of waiting for trial was driving him crazy!

He's barely able to protect himself right now, so how could he care about any saintess or Zhao Chen'an!

All he could think about was how to survive!

"Your Highness, Your Highness, please calm down!"

Several staff members knelt on the ground, trembling, not daring to lift their heads.

"Calm down? How can you expect me to calm down?!"

Zhao Chenyu grabbed the head aide by the collar:

"What did I tell you? Absolutely foolproof! And look what happened? Now everything is ruined!"

"Your Highness, we never expected that the Sixteenth Prince's concubine would actually..."

"That's enough!"

Hearing this guy mention Li Qingluan, Zhao Chenyu's heart ached even more!

Zhao Chenyu pushed him away and slumped into a chair in despair.

He knew it was too late to say anything now.

The emperor did not punish him immediately, but only because he wanted to use this incident to deal with the Jixia Academy.

Once the sixteenth brother's wedding is over and the affairs of the academy are settled, it will be time for him to settle accounts!

What should I do?

What should we do?

Just as Zhao Chenyu was in despair, the butler's voice came from outside the door.

"Your Highness, the First Prince... has arrived."

The eldest prince? Zhao Chenlong?

Zhao Chenyu suddenly looked up, as if a drowning person had grasped at the last straw.

Yes! And the eldest brother too!

The eldest brother was always kind to others and had a very high reputation in the court. He also always took great care of his younger brothers.

As long as my elder brother is willing to plead for me before our father, there is still a chance!

He scrambled out of the study, only to run into Zhao Chenlong walking slowly towards him.

"Big brother!"

Zhao Chenyu knelt down with a thud, hugged Zhao Chenlong's leg, and burst into tears.

"Brother, you must save me! I was foolish for a moment, blinded by greed, and that's why I did such a terrible thing! I really know I was wrong!"

He cried his heart out, placing all his hopes on his usually gentle and kind elder brother.

However, Zhao Chenlong simply stood there quietly, looking down at him.

There was no support, no comfort.

That face, which always wore a warm smile, was now icy cold, devoid of any extra emotion.

Zhao Chenyu's crying gradually subsided, and he raised his head somewhat uneasily, meeting Zhao Chenlong's unfamiliar eyes.

"Big brother..."

Zhao Chenlong finally spoke, his voice flat and without any inflection.

"My father sent me to look after you."

One sentence sent Zhao Chenyu plummeting into an icy abyss.

Before he could even process the meaning of those words, Zhao Chenlong's next sentence plunged him into an abyss of despair.

"After my sixteenth brother's wedding, I will personally take you to the clan residence."

Zongfu!

Zhao Chenyu's blood froze instantly. He knelt on the ground, mouth agape, but no sound came out.

It’s over.

It's all over.

The older brother didn't come to save him.

The elder brother came to... send him on his way.