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

The next day, at the Golden Palace.

Sunlight streamed down from the glazed tiles on the roof, illuminating the golden pillars adorned with coiled dragons.

The civil and military officials stood on both sides, but no one spoke. A solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere permeated the entire court.

On the dragon throne, Zhao Daoting, dressed in a nine-dragon robe, sat quietly.

He did not deliberately release any pressure, but a terrifying aura originating from the level of life itself enveloped the entire hall like an abyss.

All the officials bowed their heads, not daring to even breathe loudly.

The earth-shattering phenomenon and the dragon's roar that resounded throughout the heavens and earth yesterday still echoed in their minds.

Transform into a dragon!

Their Great Zhou Emperor has truly entered the legendary realm of dragon transformation!

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on achieving mastery of your divine skills and advancing to the Dragon Transformation realm!"

An old minister was the first to react, trembling as he knelt down, his voice filled with excitement.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"Long live the Great Zhou Dynasty! Long live His Majesty!"

A deafening roar of congratulations instantly resounded throughout the Golden Palace.

Everyone's face was filled with heartfelt joy and reverence.

The Great Zhou Dynasty will finally have its own Dragon Transformation Realm expert!

This means that the dynasty's ascension to an imperial dynasty is just around the corner!

However, faced with this grand scene of officials paying homage, Zhao Daoting on the dragon throne simply waved his hand indifferently.

"Rise."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying an undeniable authority that instantly silenced all the noise.

The officials rose, bowed their heads respectfully, and awaited His Majesty's instructions.

"My breakthrough this time was not due to my own efforts alone."

Zhao Daoting spoke slowly, his voice echoing throughout the hall.

The courtiers were taken aback, and some were puzzled.

Your Majesty's breakthrough, could it be that someone else contributed to it?

"The greatest credit for my achievements today goes to the Prince of Wei."

Once the words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.

Everyone was stunned.

King of Wei?

The sixteenth prince who couldn't cultivate?

How... how could these possibly be related?

Even Li Qingcang, the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry who stood at the head of the military generals, showed a look of astonishment.

He knew that His Majesty favored the sixteenth prince, but this was just too outrageous.

How could something as extraordinary as breaking through to the Dragon Transformation Realm be related to a mortal?

Zhao Daoting took in the reactions of the officials and continued in his calm tone:

"If it weren't for the marriage of the King of Wei, would I have had any dealings with the Jixia Academy?"

"Without any interaction, I would not have had the opportunity to break through my bottleneck and transform into a dragon after battling that old dean of the Jixia Academy."

After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

This logic... it seems reasonable at first glance, but it just feels absurd no matter how you look at it!

The ministers looked at each other, and for a moment no one dared to speak.

Everyone could tell that His Majesty was determined to pin the enormous credit on the Prince of Wei.

What else can they say?

If His Majesty says so, then so be it.

Anyway, His Majesty's favor towards the Prince of Wei has been going on for quite some time.

Now, in order to glorify his son, it seems... reasonable to share some of the credit for breaking through to the Dragon Transformation stage.

Looking down at the officials below, who were all meek and submissive, showing no further opposition, especially the academic officials who had previously served under Lin Haitao.

Seeing everyone so silent and trembling, Zhao Daoting felt a satisfied smile.

With the court united, there were no more obstacles.

He can finally unleash his full potential and realize the grand ambitions he has been planning for decades!

The Great Zhou Dynasty will no longer be a small, isolated dynasty confined to a corner of the world!

Thinking of this, he changed the subject.

"As I said yesterday, there will be an important announcement at the morning court today."

The ministers perked up and immediately pricked up their ears.

"To reward Prince Wei for his extraordinary achievements, I have decided..."

Zhao Daoting deliberately dragged out his words, his deep gaze sweeping across the faces of every minister below.

"Grant him another marriage!"

These words caused another uproar among the court officials.

Another arranged marriage?

Don't the Prince of Wei's residence already have three princesses?

The Heavenly Wolf Saintess, the daughter of a general, plus the newly appointed Saintess of the Jixia Academy.

Is that not enough?

Just when everyone thought His Majesty was going to choose a daughter from some disobedient aristocratic family again...

Zhao Daoting's next words, however, struck the Golden Palace like a thunderbolt from the heavens.

"The bride to be betrothed this time is Xiao Chuchu, the eldest daughter of the prestigious Xiao family, a family with a long history!"

boom!

The entire hall seemed to have been hit by a bomb, instantly erupting into chaos.

Everyone thought they had misheard!

The Xiao family?

Which Xiao family?

It's the Xiao family, an ancient clan that exists within the territory of the Great Xia Dynasty, yet even the Great Xia royal family dares not easily provoke them!

Li Qingcang, the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, could no longer hold back. He suddenly looked up, his face filled with horror.

As the top military official of the Great Zhou Dynasty, his understanding of the surrounding forces far surpassed that of the civil officials.

What kind of family is the Xiao family?

That was a terrifying family with a history spanning tens of thousands of years and unfathomable depth!

Although he usually keeps a low profile and is almost completely isolated from the world.

But everyone knows that the ancestor of the Xiao family was a genuine Dragon Transformation Realm expert!

Your Majesty has just broken through to the Dragon Transformation stage, and you're already going to provoke another being of the same level?

And... it was all for the purpose of arranging a marriage for the King of Wei?

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, you mean...that Xiao Chuchu?"

"A well-informed official asked, his voice trembling."

"That's right."

Zhao Daoting nodded.

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, the official nearly collapsed on the spot.

"Oh my god..."

"Xiao Chuchu...she's a peerless prodigy, ranked sixth on the entire continent's list of geniuses!"

"Legend has it that she opened the Sea of ​​Bitterness at the age of five, cultivated to the Dao Palace at ten, and is now only eighteen, yet she is already... already a powerhouse of the Four Extremes Realm!"

"To bestow such a heavenly beauty upon... the King of Wei, who is incapable of cultivation?"

"He's gone mad! His Majesty must be insane!"

The whispers could no longer be suppressed and began to buzz throughout the hall.

Every face was filled with absurdity and bewilderment.

This isn't pampering, this is madness!

That's the Xiao family!

A family with a ten-thousand-year-old lineage that possesses a Dragon Transformation Ancestor!

Why would their unicorn princess marry a useless prince of a dynasty?

This imperial decree of marriage is not a blessing, but a provocation!

This is an open humiliation of the Xiao family!

Once the Xiao family is enraged, the newly ignited flames of the Great Zhou Dynasty will likely be extinguished by a violent storm in an instant!

Li Qingcang's heart was pounding wildly. He looked at the calm-faced monarch on the dragon throne and felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

He doesn't understand.

He couldn't understand His Majesty's actions at all!

But having just witnessed the events at Jixia Academy, even if he didn't understand them, Li Qingcang dared not disobey in the slightest.

His Majesty's heart is unfathomable!

The same applies to the ministers.

Although they all looked hesitant, none of them dared to easily contradict Zhao Daoting!

Simply put, my authority has already been established!

The Great Zhou court is now a one-man show by His Majesty.

If he were to grant a marriage, no one would dare utter a single word of dissent!