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"Is that so?"
Bibi Dong glanced at Tang San below, contemplating whether to bring up the matter. She then asked, "Tang San, what do you think about this?"
"I'm not interested in politics," Tang San replied, staying out of such matters. However, he was internally surprised that Qian Renxue was about to "get her wish." He felt that the imperial examination idea was a bit rushed.
Those hereditary nobles would not compromise on such matters, as it infringed on their actual interests and status.
Pioneers rarely meet a good end.
However, if things really went south, Qian Renxue would have a way to extricate herself. Could this whole situation be a setup to eventually abdicate the throne and restore Qian Renxue's true identity?
Hmm~
Probably not.
After interacting with Xue Qinghe, he sensed she lacked such a long-term strategy. She was, in a way, quite straightforward and pure—
Who could have guessed her true motive for impersonating Xue Qinghe wasn't to seize the Tiandou throne but to prove herself to her mother?
Unfortunately, Qian Renxue chose the wrong approach. Bibi Dong's dislike for her wasn't about her abilities but because of her despicable father!
"I meant, what do you think of Xue Qinghe, the Tiandou prince?" Bibi Dong clarified her question.
"Generous, easy-going, with a natural charm, but also inherently proud," Tang San praised Xue Qinghe's virtues.
"Mm." Bibi Dong nodded slightly, her feelings mixed—hearing Tang San praise Qian Renxue didn't anger her. She then asked, "Anything else? You must have interacted with him for a while, right? With your keen insight, didn't you notice anything unusual?"
Tang San understood what Bibi Dong was hinting at, but he didn't want to delve into it. He knew he would have to find a way to help extricate Qian Renxue and restore her identity.
It's a troublesome task!
As for feigning ignorance... Disguising oneself in front of an Ultimate Douluo, especially since Bibi Dong had already consolidated her spiritual powers, would be quite difficult.
"Indeed, Xue Qinghe doesn't seem to be a man," Tang San decided to speak the truth. "I even suspect that the original Xue Qinghe has been replaced."
Bibi Dong's interest was piqued. Pretending not to know, she asked, "Please elaborate."
"Based on the information I have, Xue Qinghe disappeared for a while during a hunting trip. After being found, he rarely released his spirit."
Qian Renxue, despite relying on spirit bones for disguise, wouldn't risk exposing herself. Thus, she naturally wouldn't release her spirit as often as regular spirit masters.
The explanation was plausible: maturity, the prince not needing to fight, and so on.
But considering that Xue Qinghe was still a lively youth at that time, suddenly maturing due to an accident seemed abrupt... However, without scrutiny, no flaws would be found. After all, those who accompanied Xue Qinghe hunting at that time either left Tiandou City or met unfortunate ends for various reasons.
"Secondly, males generally have Adam's apples, but Xue Qinghe's clothing always has high collars or scarves covering the neck."
"Furthermore, my Blue Silver Emperor has a connection with her spirit, akin to plants' affinity for light, and that light is quite pure."
Tang San paused for a moment before continuing, "I don't deny that the Tiandou royal family's swan spirit could mutate into a swan spirit with light elements, but such an extreme mutation is unlikely to happen overnight."
"Even for the best of swans, the Emerald Swan, the light element is only an accompanying attribute."
"But the most important point is, my spiritual power is stronger than ordinary people, and I have probed that she is indeed not a man."
Bibi Dong: "······" She suddenly felt a bit angry. Qian Renxue was actually seen naked by this brat?
Hu Liena was more straightforward: "Why didn't you just say that from the beginning?"
"That wouldn't show my expertise." Tang San glanced at Hu Liena, smirking disdainfully. Leaders love subordinates who can provide thorough analysis.
However, Bibi Dong ignored Tang San's "pride" and continued to ask, "Do you think we should find an opportunity to expose that Xue Qinghe is a woman?"
Bibi Dong was well aware of why Qian Renxue went to the Tiandou Empire, but the core of the Spirit Hall had changed. When she returns, she will inevitably be on a different path than Bibi Dong.
At least, in Bibi Dong's perception, Qian Renxue had been educated by Qian Daoliu from a young age, with a strong sense of honor towards the Angel lineage. When she returns, it will likely lead to even greater conflicts.
In fact, at this moment, Bibi Dong thought that if Qian Renxue could be the Tiandou Emperor for life, it wouldn't be so bad... After all, she didn't want to face Qian Renxue and didn't know how to handle their mother-daughter relationship.
"I don't think it's necessary."
Tang San didn't know Bibi Dong's current thoughts and didn't want to get involved in the mother-daughter dispute.
The best way to resolve conflicts was for both to become gods and have a fight. For spirit masters, strength was the best way to resolve differences. If one fight wasn't enough, they could have another.
However, if Tang San had to choose sides, he would pick Bibi Dong. Besides their unexpected relationship, the current Bibi Dong was much more open-minded and no longer as stern and intimidating as before.
At least, Tang San felt that Bibi Dong's attitude towards him was relatively amicable.
"The Spirit Hall should not get involved in the Tiandou royal family's disputes. Strengthening our foundation and developing steadily is the right path for the Spirit Hall."
Bibi Dong nodded and moved on from the topic of Xue Qinghe. She still hadn't figured out how to express the fact that "Xue Qinghe is Qian Renxue, and Qian Renxue is her daughter."
"Your Holiness, if there's nothing else, may I take my leave?" Tang San asked, trying to leave. He didn't want to stay any longer, fearing what other questions Bibi Dong might ask.
Please forgive him; he was just a researcher, not suited to involve himself in such complex conflicts. He hadn't reached the level where he could "handle" this peculiar mother-daughter duo.
"Teacher, I suspect Tang San knows that Xue Qinghe is someone sent by the Spirit Hall." After Tang San left, Hu Liena shared her thoughts.
Bibi Dong replied, "With his intelligence, he would naturally figure it out, but he's not interested. For him, having a stable environment for research and cultivation is far more appealing than power struggles. Our methods aren't worth much in his eyes. If exposed, it would be laughable."
Bibi Dong had to consider a problem:
How could Qian Renxue restore her original identity?
Even though she didn't want to face her daughter, she still had a bit of maternal love for her and didn't want her to live her life under an alias.
In the past, it was easier to manage, but nowadays, information spreads rapidly. For instance, Tang San was constantly surrounded by rumors, and even a private newspaper dared to claim that she, the Pope, had a relationship with Tang San.
Although it was true, that private newspaper was shut down...
In any case, as the Tiandou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe's every move was closely watched. Restoring her true identity would be no small feat.
If her true identity were exposed, she would be scorned by the world. Even if she blamed the remnants of the old Spirit Hall factions, the reputation of the Spirit Hall would still suffer greatly.
Hu Liena also frowned: "This is indeed a major issue..."
(End of Chapter)