Chapter 6: Duel
"Your Majesty," both of them greeted, bowing respectfully before sitting down at the eunuch's direction.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report," Elder Five said.
"What is it?" The Emperor was a little surprised, as Elder Five usually avoided involvement in the royal family's matters. Today, however, his visit to the White Tiger Hall piqued the Emperor's interest.
Elder Five made a bow and said, "The fourth prince of the empire has been born. According to family customs, we must find a suitable match for him from the Zhu family. However, the only unmarried person left in the Zhu family is a girl who has awakened the Soul of the Nether Spirit Cat."
"So, I dare to request that Your Majesty grant this girl to the Fourth Prince."
The Emperor was somewhat shocked. Why was Elder Five being so protective of Dai Yao? They had no familial ties, and there must be some hidden reason behind this.
"No," the Empress interrupted, her voice as sweet as a yellow oriole, her smile gentle. "Even the Third Prince has not been married yet. How can we engage the Fourth Prince first?"
She had come to the White Tiger Hall specifically for Dai Yao, and the harem had always been under her control. She knew everything about Dai Yao's situation. To her surprise, the boy's talent was far beyond her expectations, and even Elders who typically didn't concern themselves with royal matters had gotten involved.
Every time she thought about that woman, her teeth gnashed in hatred. She couldn't let that woman's illegitimate child go unpunished. Therefore, how could she allow Zhu Zhuqing to be betrothed to that bastard?
"Your Majesty, with all due respect, in our Dai family, we do not adhere to the hierarchy of age. The inheritance of the throne is the same, and this matter should follow the same principle," Elder Five said. Though he was cautious of the Empress, to ensure the continuation of Dai Yao's martial soul and the prosperity of the White Tiger Clan, he had no choice but to oppose her.
Moreover, whenever Elder Five believed something was right, he had never been afraid to stand his ground.
The Empress's tone softened again, and she pleaded, "Your Majesty, Mu Bai is your son! He has waited three years for an appropriate marriage partner. If Zhu's daughter is betrothed to Dai Yao, it would be a waste of Mu Bai's three years."
"Elder Five…" He was about to retort, but the Emperor raised his hand, cutting him off.
"Enough," the Emperor said, "Both of you have valid points, but no matter who the girl is given to, someone will be dissatisfied."
"In our Dai family, we have never followed the order of age. The victor takes all, as it has always been for the inheritance of the throne," the Emperor continued, his voice as cold as the rules of the Dai family. "Let them duel. The winner will have the right to the marriage."
Upon hearing the Emperor's words, both Elder Five and the Empress were somewhat pleased.
In the Empress's mind, however, the Emperor still leaned in her favor. Although it was a duel, the age gap between Dai Yao and Dai Mu Bai was too large, and in terms of strength, Dai Mu Bai had an absolute advantage. Dai Mu Bai had already reached the level of Soul Master, while Dai Yao hadn't even gained his first soul ring. The outcome of the duel would most likely be Dai Mu Bai's victory.
This was exactly the outcome Elder Five sought. For him, the idea of Zhu Zhuqing being betrothed to Dai Yao was out of the question. It was like bargaining—first making an unacceptably high offer, only to then suggest a more reasonable one, which the other party would be more likely to accept. Elder Five's proposal was a strategy to set the stage for his ultimate goal.
"Your Majesty, as the Fourth Prince has yet to acquire a soul ring, may we wait until he becomes a Soul Master before holding the duel?" Elder Five asked.
"I agree to this," the Emperor answered.
Seeing the Empress about to argue, the Emperor stopped her. "The White Tiger family has never feared challenges. If Dai Mu Bai cannot defeat a newly awakened Soul Master, then what qualifications does he have to be called the Star Luo Imperial Prince?"
"Child, I've fought for this opportunity for you. Whether you can seize it is up to you," Elder Five thought to himself with a sigh. He clearly wasn't very optimistic about Dai Yao's chances, given the large difference in their soul power.
News of Dai Yao awakening the Divine White Tiger Martial Soul and being named the Fourth Prince spread across the continent like wildfire.
In the Imperial Palace, several eunuchs who had previously bullied Dai Yao were shocked upon hearing the news. They had once believed that Dai Yao would awaken a useless martial soul and had no chance of rising in the palace. Therefore, they had openly bullied him under the Empress's orders.
Now, with a powerful martial soul, Dai Yao was sure to become a strong Soul Master in the future. Although he would likely fail in the competition for the throne, he was still a prince, and dealing with those eunuchs was no problem for him.
"Now is the time to act. While the Fourth Prince hasn't yet grown powerful, we must resolve our past grievances. If we don't…" the chief eunuch, Li Gonggong, made a cutting motion across his throat.
The other eunuchs were frightened, but knowing their current situation, they saw no better solution.
In the Cold Palace, Dai Yao returned home deep in thought. As he raised his head, he saw several eunuchs waiting anxiously in front of his door.
Upon seeing Dai Yao, the eunuchs quickly kneeled. Li Gonggong, clinging to Dai Yao's leg, said with an ingratiating smile, "Congratulations, Fourth Prince! You've awakened the White Tiger Martial Soul! We are deeply ashamed of our past behavior, and we know we have offended you. We know we deserve death, but if we can ease even the slightest bit of your anger, we will be content."
Dai Yao sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he remained calm. "I've known all of you since I was young. I understand your circumstances. But after all the things I've suffered, it's hard not to hate you all. If you want me to forgive you, it depends on how you behave."
He said these words, but his thoughts were far colder.
Hunger, pain, and cold—these torments had haunted him for six years. These scars were engraved deeply into his heart, and he would never forget them. He longed to peel their skin and tear their bones. How could he forgive them?
Though he was now a prince, he had no power or influence yet. If he openly dealt with these eunuchs, it would harm his reputation in both the royal family and the clan. He needed to be cautious. If he was to take revenge on the Empress, he had to show potential, so reckless acts like this would only push away potential allies.
Most importantly, he had to play it safe.
He lived in the Cold Palace, surrounded by eunuchs on all sides. If they harbored ill intentions, despite his awakened martial soul, his weak body—lacking nourishment for years—couldn't defend against them in a fight. He could still end up dead. Therefore, it was better to offer them a chance to repent now, while they were begging for mercy, letting them believe there was still a possibility of making amends.
After dismissing the eunuchs, Dai Yao entered his room.
The room had been completely cleaned and redecorated. The walls were repaired, the windows fixed, and new ornaments had been added. A feast was laid out on the table.
Dai Yao laughed coldly. "It's all useless. Tomorrow, you'll pay for everything."
As the saying goes, repay kindness with kindness, and repay enmity with enmity.
He was never one to repay kindness with evil. When others bullied him, he would return the favor tenfold once he had the power. Tonight was just about making sure they didn't do something rash. Tomorrow, when he officially took his place as a prince, they would see what would happen.
For now, however, he had more important matters to attend to.
End of Chapter
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.