My transformation into a beautiful girl started with a hemorrhage.

This is a dance that Xia Yuxuan plans to present to Xia Wuwei at the coronation ceremony.

Xia Wuwei was terrified of death and almost never left the palace. He would only see a few familiar ministers and no one else.

With the innate master Xiahou Dun guarding the palace, it would be impossible to send someone infiltrate and kill him under normal circumstances.

It can be said that tomorrow's coronation ceremony is the only opportunity to get close to Xia Wuwei.

At this moment, sending a strange man or an old man would make Xia Wuwei wary and hide behind the master protecting him.

However, by offering a daughter, Xia Wuwei would see someone who looked so much like the deceased Dong'er that even if he didn't accept her, he would still call her over to take a closer look; moreover, Hui's status as a girl who was not yet of marriageable age was extremely deceptive, and no one would consider her a threat.

Hui was arguably the only outsider who could openly approach Xia Wuwei at the coronation ceremony.

Furthermore, Xia Yuxuan spared no expense to ensure Hui's success rate.

Not only did they bring out the Xuan Yuan Pill, which had become extinct, but they also managed to elevate Hui from a second-rate martial artist to a first-rate one. Of course, this came at a price: Hui would be forever barred from becoming a Grandmaster.

They also brought out the most rare and deadly poison in the world, which had disappeared for hundreds of years – the Heavenly Silkworm Cold Poison.

This Heavenly Silkworm Cold Poison is truly incurable, and it is extremely potent. Once a person is exposed to even a small amount, it becomes an incurable, bone-deep poison, from which there is no escape. Even a master of innate cultivation would only face certain death if poisoned by this.

The only thing that can isolate it is the Heavenly Silkworm Ice Silk, but all the Heavenly Silkworm Ice Silk in the world is used to make women's underwear, and male martial artists cannot have this.

Xia Yuxuan had two fine needles made of meteorite iron soaked in the Heavenly Silkworm Cold Poison for half a year, allowing the cold poison to completely integrate into the needles. When Hui activates them with the internal energy of a first-class master, even a grandmaster would not be able to react within ten steps.

Not to mention Xia Wuwei, who can't even sense Qi, if he were poisoned by this, he would die instantly, and even Tiandaozi couldn't save him.

Leaving aside whether the grandmasters responsible for protecting Xia Wuwei could have stopped the poisoned needles in advance, even if they could, which of these seasoned grandmasters would truly be willing to risk their lives to protect an emperor?

Everything is ready; we're just waiting for the grand ceremony to begin tomorrow.

The day passed quickly.

Early in the morning, Hui vaguely heard some noises.

What is that sound?

"Madam, the Emperor is about to bestow the title of Empress, so the entire capital is bustling with activity today, so much so that even deep within our Prince's mansion, the noise can be heard."

Ziyanyi and Qiyue were unaware of the feud between Hui and Xia Yuxuan. In their eyes, Hui was the only woman in the inner palace who had defied the prince and was still alive and well. In their view, what else could this be but true love? So they continued to call Hui "Madam".

Hui did not correct them, because she did not know what the consequences would be if she went there today. It could be said that these two ignorant maids were the only thing Hui did not dislike about the Prince's Mansion.

After dressing up and getting ready.

Granny Liu's voice rang out from outside: "Miss, are you ready?"

"Ah."

After saying that, Hui glanced once more at the beautiful girl in the bronze mirror, then turned and left.

······

Chapter 216 The Empress's Coronation Ceremony Begins

There was no fog or cloud in the early morning; the sky was clear and blue. Looking east, a red glow connected the sky and the earth. Looking up, the sky was high and clear, without a single cloud in sight. There was no doubt that today was a beautiful day with clear skies.

In the early hours of the morning, the entire capital was in an uproar. Xia Wuwei had gone to great lengths to win over Nangong Bingqing. This time, the whole country was celebrating the investiture. Not only was a general amnesty granted, but silver and rice were also specially distributed from the national treasury to appease the people. This was the reason for the commotion outside. Otherwise, what business would it of ordinary people if the emperor wanted to marry a woman?

At this moment, the streets were bustling with people, and countless invited guests were passing through the Vermilion Bird Gate in the south to enter the palace and participate in the investiture ceremony.

Besides some obvious officials and wealthy families, the guests also included many martial arts masters dressed in tight-fitting clothes.

There were too many people here today. Not only were there many invited, but also many first- and second-rate martial artists who had not been invited but had submitted their applications in advance. The imperial court could not afford to offend so many martial arts masters, so it had no choice but to approve their entry.

Because there were so many people today, the Daqing Hall and its affiliated palace complex, which were specifically used for banquets, were simply unable to accommodate so many people.

Therefore, Xia Wuwei had to separate the investiture ceremony from the banquet that followed. The investiture ceremony was held in a huge square outside the Zichen Hall, where officials usually held court; the banquet was held for the guests after the ceremony.

Hui and the eighteen dancers, arranged by Xia Yuxuan, entered the palace in several small carriages escorted by a group of guards from the royal palace. This time, Liu Mama was still leading the way, while Xia Yuxuan did not walk with them.

These dancers were the same ones Hui had seen at Yu Youwei's poetry gathering.

She was naturally curious about Hui, the new girl, and many people came up to greet her. Hui would respond to each one, but Hui, who was in a bad mood, was only bored. These women were all experts at understanding people's hearts, so they all tacitly left Hui alone.

The carriage drove for quite some time after entering the palace before finally stopping.

After getting off the carriage, Hui looked around and found herself in an open space in front of a palace with red walls and yellow tiles.

There was no plaque on the hall, and Hui didn't know what kind of hall it was, but judging from its appearance and layout, she knew that it was not a main hall, but just a side hall.

And it wasn't just them here; there were also many actors in costumes, acrobatic troupes checking props, and servants dressed as slaves...

If the plaza outside the Zichen Hall, where the coronation ceremony was held, was the stage, then this place was the backstage area where miscellaneous items were piled up.

As expected, Hui looked to the left of the side hall. Although the view was blocked by the towering palace walls, with the hearing of a first-class martial artist, he could clearly hear at least tens of thousands of people talking there.

A group of beautiful young women stepped down from the carriage, instantly attracting everyone's attention. In particular, Hui and her group of women were all exceptionally beautiful and elegant. Any one of them would be a rare beauty in the world, and now that they were gathered together, it truly gave people the feeling of "a hundred flowers blooming in competition - each with its own unique charm".

However, many people's eyes were focused on Hui, not because they were attracted by her beauty, but because she was the only one among these women wearing a light veil. Undoubtedly, Hui was the most beautiful flower among all the blooms, and many people longed to catch a glimpse of her face, but this only added to their frustration.

They dared not approach, not even get close, not only because of the cold gazes of the imperial guards maintaining order, but also because they all knew that Hui and her group of women were playthings of those powerful figures, not something they could even dream of; touching them meant certain death.

A young eunuch saw them.

He immediately stepped forward and asked, "Are you the Eighth Prince's men?"

Granny Liu stepped forward and replied, "It is indeed us."

"Oh, then you may follow me into the palace."

"Thank you for your trouble, sir," said Granny Liu politely.

The young eunuch led Hui and her entourage of women into the palace.

Upon entering the palace, apart from the mottled red pillars used for support and the gray-brown carpet covering the entire floor, which lived up to its name as a royal palace, everything else was far less grand than the place where Xia Yuxuan had given to his women in his harem.

Of course, it has another characteristic, which is that it is large and spacious.

There was nothing inside, absolutely nothing.

Hui Du suspected that this was a dilapidated temple that had been repaired in advance.

Hui guessed correctly; this place was indeed an abandoned temple before.

Today, tens of thousands of people flooded into the palace for the coronation ceremony. It's not that the palace couldn't accommodate these tens of thousands of people, but rather that many places in the palace are off-limits to outsiders. For example, the harem, which occupies half of the palace, the palaces where the emperor works, and the palaces for sacrifices, etc., are not open to outsiders.

Therefore, the space available for entertaining guests was very limited. As for the lowly servants used for banquets and entertainment, they could just find any corner. Hui and the others were only able to use the space in this abandoned hall because of Xia Yuxuan's reputation, unlike the people outside who could only stand in the open.

The young eunuch brought Hui and the others into the hall and then left alone.

Granny Liu told the other eighteen dancers to rest, but she specifically took Hui to a corner and asked softly, "How are you feeling, young lady? Is there anything you need?"

"No problem."

"Then I entrust His Highness's great undertaking to you, young lady. I've watched him grow up since he was a child, and perhaps you have some misunderstandings about him..."

Feeling irritated, Hui made up an excuse to interrupt: "I need to close my eyes and rest to concentrate my inner strength."

What Hui hates most right now is people trying to match her up with Xia Yuxuan in front of her; it makes her feel nauseous.

Seeing this, Granny Liu said no more. She did want Hui to fall for Xia Yuxuan, because in her view, with Hui as a virtuous wife, Xia Yuxuan would have far fewer worries in the future.

Judging from Hui's condition, it seems unlikely that she will be able to do so anytime soon.

Hui and a group of dancers waited in this unnamed side hall.

------------

Outside the Zichen Palace.

The place has changed from its former solemnity to a place decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The square is no longer visible. The vermilion gate of the Zichen Hall faces the horizon and is separated by a red carpet more than 20 meters wide.

The entire vast ground was filled with chairs, and people were sitting there, whispering and talking amongst themselves.

The closer one gets to the Zichen Palace, the more distinguished the guests are. At the very front are the powerful and influential figures of the imperial court, as well as some first-rate martial artists. These martial artists include those from aristocratic families who have been granted titles by the imperial court, as well as the leaders and elders of the eight major sects and countless other smaller sects in the martial arts world.

Among them were Leng Yichen and Qian Chuanxue, two of the most outstanding prodigies of the eight major sects in contemporary times.

Yun Guan, the city lord of Da Ri City from Yang Tian Shan, one of the eight major sects, came to Leng Yichen and asked kindly, "Nephew Leng, how is your master?"

Leng Yichen cupped his hands and replied, "Senior Yun, your master is well."

The burly man, Yun Guan, waved his hand politely and said, "Hey! My dear nephew, you're already a first-rate martial artist. We can address each other as equals. If you don't mind, you can call me Brother Yun!"

Upon hearing this, Leng Yichen became even more respectful and said, "I am a novice in the martial arts world. Even if I am fortunate enough to break through to the first-class level, I must not disrupt the seniority system. Senior Yun, please do not make things difficult for me."

"Haha, Nephew Leng, you truly deserve to be called the strongest holy son in the history of the Xuantian Sect. Putting aside your martial arts skills, your knowledge alone puts you far ahead of countless others."

At this point, Yun Guan's expression changed, and he solemnly used his internal energy to transmit his voice: "Does your ancestor have anything to say?"

Leng Yichen also replied using his internal energy to transmit his voice: "The ancestor said that everything... should proceed according to plan."

Upon hearing this, Yun Guan understood immediately. He grinned and said, "I've heard that Nangong Bingqing is the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm really looking forward to the investiture ceremony later!"

Appearance in Chapter 217

"Boom-thump-"

Two chimes rang, followed by:

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Like a thunderbolt from the sky, a powerful voice boomed in everyone's ears, instantly turning the noisy scene into a still painting.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw an elderly eunuch standing on the stone steps of the Zichen Palace. He was dressed in a bright yellow robe embroidered with cranes, holding a whisk, and wearing a peacock feather hat inlaid with gemstones, clearly indicating that he held a high position.

The martial artist closest to the Zichen Palace could tell that the eunuch was a second-rate expert, and judging from his voice just now, he must have practiced a technique related to sound.

The powerful figures of the court recognized this person as Li Fuguo, Xia Wuwei's most trusted chief eunuch.

After Li Fuguo finished singing, Xia Wuwei, surrounded by a group of palace maids and eunuchs, sat on a sandalwood chair carved with a golden dragon at the entrance of the Zichen Palace.

Today, Xia Wuwei was in high spirits. He wore a purple-gold winged crown with inlaid jewels, a bright red arrow-sleeved robe with two colors of gold butterflies and flowers, a long tasseled sash with colorful silk flowers, a dark blue brocade jacket with eight floral medallions and tassels, and light blue satin boots with pink soles. The joy on his face could be felt even by Xia Yuxuan, who was far below the stone steps.

"Hmph! My dear brother, laugh! Laugh as much as you can while you still can." Xia Yuxuan's lips moved slightly.

After Xia Wuwei sat down, two palace maids held up tall umbrellas behind him to provide shade.

Of course, this was not a privilege reserved for the emperor. The powerful nobles and high-ranking martial artists sitting at the front had palace maids holding umbrellas to shield them from the sun. As for those behind them, they did this themselves with their servants. So, even though they were out in the open, no one felt the intense heat.

"Perform the kneeling ceremony!"

Li Fuguo's voice rang out again.