A Niang said to be careful of those fairies!

"Thank you very much for your help, young master!" Dongxue pecked the two thin petals happily, and gradually became a little dazed. However, she must be well-behaved in the next few days. In fact, she also wanted to have fun with the young master, but her physical condition was not suitable and her voice felt a little strange.

It is worth mentioning that Dongxue practiced for a while before dawn and was surprised to find that the closeness of spiritual energy had increased a little!

"Today, the Ning Wang Mansion in the imperial city is holding an engagement banquet. Let's go to watch the fun and leave Tang Kingdom in the evening and go to the imperial kingdom further west." Lin Xuan said after they separated. They have stayed in Tang Kingdom for a few days and it is time to leave. Anyway, they will come back to visit in the last few days.

"Prince Ning's Mansion? I guess it's Princess Haoyu's engagement ceremony. Although I've lived in a deep palace all year round, I also know about this kind of thing." Dong Xue seemed to have a gloating look on her face as she spoke.

Lin Xuan confirmed that he was not mistaken, and asked her curiously: "Is there any hidden meaning in your expression?"

"Hey, I also learned from certain channels that the power behind Xingchunlou is superior to the five major families of this empire, so it is easier to find out certain secrets." Dongxue said slowly.

This is the third floor of Xingchun Tower. She is not worried at all about being killed for talking about secrets.

"With the help of Xingchunlou, I was able to find out that the Ning Wangfu's martial arts competition was just a cover-up!" Dongxue said sternly, "The martial arts competition was just a means to cover up the truth. The son-in-law they found is just an unlucky guy!"

"Ning Wang Zhou Zheng is a powerful cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining. According to the common saying, it is said that a daughter is born in old age. He had a daughter with his concubine at the age of sixty. She is the current Princess Haoyu."

"Princess Haoyu has a special physique. As the rumors say, it is a physique suitable for dual cultivation. She herself has a good talent for cultivation and has been vigorously cultivated. She is over 20 years old this year and has already reached the third level of Qi Refining." After saying a bunch of irrelevant words, Dongxue sighed with a lonely look in her eyes.

In fact, she is a few years older than Princess Haoyu. If we only consider her cultivation talent, her talent is equal to or even better than Princess Haoyu's. However, she is only at the first level of Qi Refining now. Xingchunlou refuses to accept her as the successor. It's all tears to say more.

Lin Xuan frowned slightly. The various things he heard were disorganized, yet seemed to be related to the shocking secret. However, there were still some missing clues, and he was blinded by one thing.

Dong Xue continued, "Ning Wang Zhou Zheng was getting old and had a tendency to decline, but two years ago, he got a high-level spiritual medicine that pushed him to a new peak!"

"However, the new peak is not enough. It is half a step away from the tenth level of Qi Refining. Originally, King Ning only planned to impact the Yongquan stage with the ninth level of Qi Refining." Dongxue's eyes were meaningful.

In an instant, there was a loud bang like thunder in the sky, and many clues were quietly connected together, pointing to a shocking secret. The person who actually married Princess Haoyu was her biological father, Prince Ning!

Yes, Princess Haoyu's physique is related to the path of dual cultivation. Prince Ning is half a step away from the tenth level of Qi Refining, so there is indeed a possibility that he would set his sights on his daughter. The martial arts competition to win her hand in marriage can serve as a cover!

And a few days ago, Dongxue explained in person that the secret things they did in the bedroom at night, even if the monks were free and unrestrained, would still be a taboo if they crossed the line between biological father and daughter!

Although the ninth and tenth levels of the Qi Refining Stage represent two kinds of potential, is it so easy for King Ning Zhou Zheng to break through ethical principles just based on this reason and make a decision that goes against human ethics?

"In fact, there is a second reason," Dong Xue answered Lin Xuan's doubts quietly, "In the early years, Prince Ning Zhou Zheng competed with the emperor of the current dynasty for the throne. The emperor of the current dynasty broke through the Yongquan period as the winner, much faster than Prince Ning."

Lin Xuan frowned even more deeply: "Didn't you say that the Zhou royal family has at least two people in the Yongquan period? Can Prince Ning compete with them?"

"That's wrong. The emperor is the only one who has reached the Yongquan Stage beside him. The other person who has reached the Yongquan Stage is the ancestor of the Zhou royal family. To that ancestor, the current emperor and Prince Ning are just his descendants. If someone is more capable and wants to dethrone the current emperor, that ancestor is unlikely to interfere."

"Uh..." Lin Xuan was speechless. These people were really crazy for the throne.

"In the final analysis, although the Zhou royal family is the leader of the cultivators, it is ultimately just a mortal kingdom. It is entangled in the mundane world and cannot compare to a true immortal dynasty. The immortal dynasty is detached from the world, and the legal system of succession to the throne is a hundred times stronger."

"It's just a pity for Princess Haoyu, who became a victim of the royal family's internal strife."

Dongxue sighed at the end, and Lin Xuan was stunned after hearing it and remained silent for a long time. He was clear-headed and remembered that she was just a poor person who was bound by a contract with Xingchunlou, so his expression was strange after hearing this.

"Dongxue, you said so much, you don't want me to rescue Princess Haoyu, right?" Lin Xuan asked suspiciously with his eyes squinted, he didn't rule out the possibility that Dongxue would feel more sympathetic after hearing that they were going to Prince Ning's Mansion.

"I dare not expect you to do things according to my wishes." Dongxue quickly expressed her opinion: "I just felt pity for Princess Haoyu and thought of myself. It's up to you to decide what you want to do! I just think that Xuannv Palace seems to be a decent sect? In addition, such a dirty thing happened in the territory of Xuannv Palace."

"Sir, you have a promising future. You must be very powerful even in Xuannv Palace, right? So, I will tell you the whole story of the incident so that you won't be deceived."

Lin Xuan was silent for a moment, and finally said: "Let's go and take a look first."

Chapter 3 Engagement Gift

The five major families are the local emperors of the Tang Kingdom, and the prince is a royal relative, second only to the current emperor's lineage. Therefore, when the Ning Wang Mansion held the engagement ceremony, many guests came to show their support, including many distinguished guests.

At a glance, one can spot several noblemen who look out of place among the crowd, dressed in brocade and jade robes. The monks with higher cultivation can roughly sense that they are wearing robes of spiritual weapon level.

"It's really lively. There are only a few hundred people here who can tell the number of wealthy families. They must be the dignitaries of the dynasty, right?"

"Haha, the young masters from noble families participating in the banquet today are mixed with unwilling young men. They proposed marriage to Prince Ning's Mansion, but were all rejected. As a result, Prince Ning's Mansion held a martial arts competition to recruit a bride and also banned young masters from noble families from participating. They must be very dissatisfied. At the same time, the strength of the unlucky guy selected in the martial arts competition itself is not enough to convince the public."

"If old boy Zhou Zheng is too thirsty, he can pick the delicate flowers that he has cultivated himself tonight." Dongxue drank tea from the teacup provided by Prince Ning's Mansion. An invisible barrier blocked her words.

"Dongxue, you said that Zhou Zheng personally trained Princess Haoyu. What if they have an extraordinary father-daughter relationship? Today, I will find a chance to ask Princess Haoyu about her wishes. If the image of Xuannv Palace to the outside world is that it does things properly, I don't want to give outsiders an excuse to accuse me of being reckless."

"My lord, you are thoughtful in your work. I approve of it and like it. You are right. We cannot do bad things with good intentions."

The two men were chatting like this. The Ning Wang Mansion covered a large area, separated by the front yard and the back yard. The front yard was for entertaining guests. They ate side dishes and talked until a middle-aged man came out with a polite expression on his face.

"Okay, let's stop talking for now. The host is here to entertain us." Lin Xuan removed the magic barrier.

"Respected sir, I'm sorry for not welcoming you in person. I'm the steward of this great palace." The middle-aged man's voice was full of vicissitudes, as if he was an old man. While he was speaking, his magic power blocked the spread of the sound.

"What do you mean? Aren't you going to entertain other distinguished guests? After all, you are the chief steward, and Prince Ning's Mansion should need you to personally come forward to receive those children of the big families."

The steward kept a polite smile on his face, but a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. He came up to show him his power. Although he was a teenager, he was as difficult to serve as the usual disciples of big forces!

Xiliang, the neighboring country to the west of Tang State, is respected by the three major immortal sects. Above the three major immortals are the foreign affairs disciples sent by Xuannv Palace. He and the prince had visited that person before, and he was also difficult to serve.

"You are joking, young master. After I entertain you two, I still have to entertain other guests."

"Then you go and entertain them. There's nothing important happening here. Just say hello." Lin Xuan drank a sip of tea and sent the people away in a bland tone. The middle-aged man's expression was slightly stiff.

"I'll take my leave now. I hope you enjoy your trip." He was extremely depressed. His plan to find out Lin Xuan's intentions was thwarted by a few words. Before leaving, he glanced at Dong Xue twice intentionally or unintentionally.

The Ning Prince's Mansion is one of the best in the imperial city. As the general manager of the Ning Prince's Mansion, he is more informed than most people. He recognized that the veiled woman was the courtesan of Xingchun Tower, and she was now the young man's woman.

"Could it be that these two people have seen through the prince's plan?" The middle-aged steward muttered secretly, his heart skipping a beat. These two people, one with the background of Xuannv Palace and the other with the support of Xingchun Tower, are very powerful.

At the same time, Xuannv Palace tends to act in an upright manner, and the young man is of a hot-blooded age. What if he gets angry and starts trouble? The disciples of Xuannv Palace are very powerful.

"I hope this kid can know his place. We don't want to make things too awkward and embarrassing." After a brief contact, he vaguely felt that the young man was a little stronger than himself. The power of Prince Ning's Mansion was enough to handle it, but it would not look good if the matter was brought to light.

While deep in thought, the middle-aged steward walked to the table in the center of the other side of the front yard. Several young men sitting around the table were scions of the Wu, Zhao and Yun families, all of whom had reached the fifth level of Qi Refining.

"Five gentlemen, we are all guests here, so please do not bring us expensive gifts. I would like to thank you all on behalf of the prince!"

"You are too polite, Steward Xue. The prince's mansion is hosting a banquet for the whole world. We are the guests and we have prepared some gifts. How can they be expensive? By the way, Steward Xue, who is the young man sitting alone over there?"

The five young men from noble families were initially attracted by the beautiful woman in the veil and were shocked by her beauty. Then they noticed the young man with extraordinary demeanor beside her, so they asked the middle-aged steward about his identity.

"It's not convenient to tell you this. I can only advise you all not to offend others, otherwise it may bring great trouble to your family." The middle-aged butler looked mysterious.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent for a moment. The families behind the five of them didn't even need to consider the emperor's expression. According to what the steward meant, the young man's background was even more amazing than that of the royal family?

Seeing that the topic was cut off, the five young men picked up the dissatisfaction that had been suppressed in their hearts and asked one after another: "General Manager Xue, why did Prince Ning's Mansion reject our proposal and forbid us from participating in the martial arts competition to recruit a bride? The idiots they chose are far worse than us."

"Gentlemen, please excuse me for putting myself in a difficult position. How can we easily predict the prince's plans?" The middle-aged steward smiled faintly and politely declined to answer the young men, leaving them speechless.

They took a deep breath and regrouped, saying, "Prince Ning is too overbearing. He arranged Princess Haoyu's marriage on his own without even asking Princess Haoyu's wishes first?"

"I understand your feelings, but I can do nothing about it. This is all the decision of the prince. Besides, the prince has asked Princess Haoyu for her opinion on you. You don't need to waste your energy any more."

They looked embarrassed upon hearing this. Being rejected by the real owner himself, it was announced directly that they had no hope.

"Do you have any objections? I'm going to entertain other guests. The real host will be here soon." The middle-aged steward had a peaceful expression and maintained an attitude of neither offending nor fawning. The disciples of Xuannv Palace were of some importance, and the children of these big families were of some importance again. If they didn't give them face, the Prince's Mansion also had the strength to not give them face.

At this point, the five young men didn't want to talk anymore and said in a bored tone, "Manager Xue, please take care of your business."

"I am relieved that you gentlemen can let me go. The prince is very happy that you have come to watch the ceremony. Well, I will go to entertain other guests. If you have other important matters, please contact the palace guards first."

Those who came to watch the engagement banquet were not only young men who had feelings for the princess, but also elders from other families and knights who came to watch the fun. They all waited for him to greet them personally. After the greeting, the prince gave a blessing and prayer and said some polite words, and the "virtuous son-in-law" chosen from the martial arts competition came out.

As for whether the princess herself would show up, that depended on the prince's decision, and he did not say it clearly.

Afterwards, the dishes were served one after another. The food and wine prepared for the engagement banquet at Prince Ning's Mansion was better, containing trace amounts of spiritual energy. Based on this, it can be inferred that the leeks for the formal wedding banquet would be of better quality.

While the guests were eating, Prince Ning himself showed up. He looked like a middle-aged man, full of heroic spirit. He was wearing a dragon robe, which gave off a purple-gold noble aura and he had a royal bearing.

"He does have some of the appearance of an emperor." Lin Xuan commented casually and felt a familiar aura.

Prince Ning said a lot of polite words, thanked the guests for their support, prayed to heaven and earth, and announced the engagement of a brilliant young man to the princess. He was the protagonist of this wedding banquet.

Prince Ning was not the only one with a noble appearance. There were several men with similar demeanor sitting in front of Ke Zhuo. They should be from the imperial palace.

After that, Prince Ning asked Princess Haoyu to come out as a witness.

Chapter 4: Uproar; Meeting the Princess in Person

She has bright eyes and white teeth, is elegant and refined, has slender branches and large fruits, and is seductive to the core. Shui Mei is even more plump than Dong Xue. Dong Xue only has a slight connection with her, but she truly has the physique to enter the realm of dual cultivation.

Prince Ning asked Princess Haoyu to come out and meet everyone separately, and chat briefly with the guests at each table. Some of the young men had their eyes wide open and opened their mouths unconsciously for a long time.

"Sister Haoyu, I've heard of your great name for a long time, and now I finally see you in person." When they arrived at Lin Xuan's table, Dongxue took the initiative to hold her white hands, as if they appreciated each other.

"Who are you?" Princess Haoyu tilted her head in confusion, without pulling back her hand.

"I was originally the most popular courtesan in Xingchun Tower, but the property was transferred to you, young master, a few days ago." Dongxue whispered in Princess Haoyu's ear. Since they were sitting at the same table, Lin Xuan became the focus.

He could feel the gazes coming from all directions, but he managed to remain calm despite being the center of attention.

"I hope you two have fun." Princess Haoyu nodded to Lin Xuan and spoke in the tone of the master of the palace. After meeting all the guests, she was about to return to the backyard when she was stopped from behind.

"Princess, please stay!" She paused and turned around, only to see the young man with extraordinary temperament standing up.

"What does this kid want to do? He's not trying to steal the princess's fortune and win her heart, is he?"

"Although I don't know what Prince Ning is planning, but he didn't want to marry into a good family, and held a lousy martial arts competition to marry a jerk, but he shouldn't have waited until this moment to cause trouble."

"Yes, although I am disgusted by the princess' engagement to a loser, it is clear that Prince Ning's attitude is more important."

"Hmph, just wait and see. This young fool who dares to make trouble by relying on his family background will definitely be punished by Prince Ning!"

For a moment, the guests were talking about it, and they spoke without reservation. The "protagonist" of the engagement gift, a man simply wearing a green robe, had a livid face, his knuckles were clenched until they turned purple, and a huge humiliation was weighing on his heart.

These powerful young men take advantage of their good birth to bully others and abuse their power. I really want to tear their mouths apart!

Then he looked at the handsome young man again, his face gloomy, and he hated this troublesome guy with gnashing teeth, not to mention that he might be targeting his future wife!

"Young Master, is there something wrong?" Princess Haoyu had an indifferent expression. From the beginning to the end, she had never cared about the husband chosen for her by her father through the martial arts competition. There was no long-term affection between the two of them, nor did she fall in love with this person at first sight. It was just her parents' order.

Now, is there another person who is so amazed by me that he wants to possess me? He is a young man who looks extraordinary.

However, the young man's next words overturned her preconception: "I just want to ask the princess a few questions alone. In order to avoid suspicion, you can let my partner accompany you, and your general manager to supervise."

"It's just that the things I want to ask can only be known between the princess, me, and my partner."

When this was said, everyone was shocked! Most of the guests showed expressions of gloating.

"Does that kid think he's the emperor? He wants to talk to the princess alone? A few years ago, I begged my grandfather to come in person, but Prince Ning refused to give in! At most, he could meet the princess from a distance at the garden party."

"This young man is so reckless, relying on his family background to do whatever he wants. Prince Ning must teach him a lesson today!"

"Prince Ning is making a big fuss out of nothing. I think it is most likely that Chief Steward Xue is the one who is teaching him a lesson."

Lin Xuan's face was calm, and there was not a trace of thought for the woman in front of him in his eyes. He seemed like a puppet without emotions. After Princess Haoyu was silent for a moment, she nodded heavily, and her eyes were clear.

"Okay, I'll give you a chance." She became interested in what the young man was asking.

"Interesting, could it be that Your Majesty guessed it right?" Another group of Zhou royal family members patrolled back and forth. They and the Ning Wang Mansion were two different groups of people, mixed with the emperor and the royal grandfather's spies.

Princess Haoyu's words caused an uproar. The front yard suddenly became very noisy, and the voices of questioning became louder. The five young men who had been asking Manager Xue about this had dejected looks on their faces.

At this time, everyone looked at King Ning, wanting to know his attitude. This extraordinarily heroic man clenched his fists with his hands hidden in his sleeves. His joints made crackling sounds, but the movement was concealed by his magic power.

If Zhou Zheng wasn't so cunning and usually focused on nourishing his Qi, his veins would have bulged out by now. Yes, Prince Ning's Mansion can't afford to offend Xuannv Palace, but it's too much for you, a Qi Refining Stage cultivator, to come here and act wildly!

Zhou Zheng was considering whether or not to teach him a lesson so as not to offend the Xuannv Palace. It was entirely his own fault. The Xuannv Palace claims to be upright, so shouldn't you be a little reasonable?

Suddenly, he was startled, and his heart was wrapped in a severe palpitation, which stopped beating for a moment, and he broke out in a cold sweat. This strong crisis warning came from the young man from Xuannv Palace who attacked him head-on!

Finally, Zhou Zheng said with difficulty: "Please do as you wish, sir. I believe in your character."

"Ah? Prince Ning agreed now? He never allows outsiders to be alone with the princess. Even though she is with a beautiful lady this time and Steward Xue also said to keep an eye on her, he shouldn't have agreed to it!"

There was an uproar, and everyone racked their brains to figure out why King Ning gave in. Even the middle-aged steward was surprised, and asked with a look of astonishment. He and King Ning looked at each other, and the latter shook his head slightly.

The fist that was originally clenched purple and blue quietly opened, the fingertips trembled, and there was a feeling of powerlessness.

He looked a little older in an instant. He had been working hard to reach the tenth level of Qi Refining, hoping to break into the Yongquan realm with greater potential. However, he did not expect to be frightened by an extremely young man.

He is too young, even though he is a disciple of Xuannv Palace! This is a big blow to the old man.

"There are several pavilions built in the backyard. My lord and I can choose one to sit and talk. Today's engagement ceremony is over. You can go back. If you continue to stay in Prince Fang's mansion, I will ask the palace servants to arrange a wing room for you."

The crowd was arranged by King Ning. Some left and went home, while some chose to stay. But without exception, all of them looked at the young man who was engaged to the princess with pity, ridicule and mockery.

He lowered his head, resentment flashing in his eyes, and began to doubt himself, who had signed up for the martial arts competition to find a bride. He was the one who had made the marriage contract with the princess, so why had he not been alone with the princess yet? !

---------

The backyard of Prince Ning's Mansion was much larger than the front yard. It had secluded gardens, rockeries, a small lake, singing birds and fragrant flowers. There was not the slightest hint of the bleakness of winter, and no one knew where the snow had been swept to.

The three young men and women randomly found a pavilion to sit down. The stone chairs and pillars were all exquisitely carved with patterns of dragons, phoenixes and exotic animals. Dongxue sat intimately on Lin Xuan's lap and put her arms around his neck.

Suddenly, Princess Haoyu, Lin Xuan, and the middle-aged steward who was watching from a distance all jumped in their eyes.

"Well, let's get down to business. Her name is Dongxue. I signed a transfer contract with Xingchunlou to get her. I am Lin Xuan, the current outer disciple of Xuannv Palace."