Chapter 74: Imperial Princess, First Meeting with Xu JiujiuDai Youheng proceeded unimpeded deep into the Star Luo Imperial Palace.The guards and maids in the palace were extremely familiar with his face; that infatuated illegitimate son of the Dai Family, to win a smile from Princess Jiujiu, almost reported here daily, practically an unofficial member of the Imperial Palace.Holding the Princess's personal invitation, he was led without hindrance to Xu Jiujiu's palace.Stepping into the elegant and luxurious hall, he saw Xu Jiujiu already waiting in formal attire.Seeing him approach, her lips curved slightly, her fingertips gracefully brushing a golden strand of hair near her temple, and her voice was gentle, "Youheng, it's been a long time."She had clearly dressed elaborately today; a pale golden palace gown accentuated her graceful figure, and her flowing golden hair seemed to be stirred by a gentle breeze, adding to her noble and ethereal aura. Her entire being exuded a temperament that blended imperial grace with youthful radiance. In terms of beauty and charm, she was indeed on par with Shrek Academy's outer court campus belle, Jiang Nannan, each having her own unique allure.It was no wonder his predecessor had fallen so deeply.Beautiful looks combined with noble status were fatally attractive to an ordinary young man.It was a pity that the former Dai Youheng, despite possessing a top-tier Spirit, had slow Cultivation progress and, as an illegitimate son, had no hope of inheritance.Such a person, who lacked both strength and power, and was of no benefit to the Imperial Family, naturally did not catch Xu Jiujiu's eye. In the past, she had always been cold and distant towards him, rejecting him decisively and never giving him any ambiguous hope.To be fair, the current Dai Youheng did not find anything wrong with Xu Jiujiu's previous actions.As a royal daughter, her rational consideration and clear refusal, without stringing him along or giving false hope, was rather straightforward compared to many who toyed with emotions.It was just that her eyes only saw strength and power, devoid of any warmth, which was somewhat similar to the current Dai Youheng.But now, the situation had suddenly changed. The two legitimate sons of the Dai Family, one physically disabled and the other with damaged Spirit Origin, meant the scales of inheritance had already tipped.A healthy illegitimate son with a top-tier Spirit and significant potential was worth far more than two disabled legitimate sons.Xu Jiujiu had naturally sent people to thoroughly investigate his performance at the Academy, learning that he had actually defeated Xu Sanshi, a direct disciple of the Xuanming Sect with four rings, head-on with only three rings of Cultivation!It seemed his strength had also improved recently, and the possibility of his status rising was imminent, so Xu Jiujiu's attitude naturally changed accordingly."It has been a long time, Your Highness Princess." Dai Youheng's expression was calm, he nodded slightly, his etiquette impeccable but without any of his former eagerness or humility. "You specially summoned me, may I ask what is the matter?"Xu Jiujiu smiled sweetly, not surprised by Dai Youheng's feigned ignorance.Her letter had only contained some innocuous greetings and nostalgic words; her true intentions, of course, had to be presented in person to control the pace.A hint of certainty even crossed her mind; after all, hadn't Dai Youheng rushed back immediately after receiving her letter? He still couldn't let her go.Little did she know, Dai Youheng's swift return was entirely for the spirit devourer engraving knife, and had nothing to do with her.The two sat down by the tea table, savoring the special imperial tea.Xu Jiujiu, with her delicate hands, poured the tea. The pale golden tea liquid traced a graceful arc, precisely filling the cup in front of Dai Youheng. The tea aroma instantly wafted, a unique richness of imperial specialty amidst its freshness."This is the new tribute of Golden Down Dew from Cloud Mist City in the south this year," she said, "only ten catties are produced annually. My imperial brother dotes on me, so he shared a bit. Taste it and see if it suits your palate?" Xu Jiujiu's voice was gentle, as if she were truly inviting an old friend for tea and casual conversation.Dai Youheng picked up the teacup, his fingertips feeling the slight warmth from the white jade porcelain.He took a shallow sip as instructed; the tea was mellow upon entry, with a long aftertaste, indeed a top-grade tea. "Your Highness is too kind, the tea is naturally excellent."His tone was bland, without much emotion, neither overly warm nor impolite.Xu Jiujiu smiled slightly, also picked up her own cup, and took a delicate sip with exquisite grace, her gaze subtly falling on Dai Youheng, observing his reaction.Seeing him so composed, beyond her certainty that he was still 'in her grasp,' a hint of vigilance arose. The Dai Youheng before her seemed truly different from the easily predictable young man he once was.She put down her teacup, her fingertips gently caressing the rim, as if deliberating her words. The hall once again fell into a brief silence, with only the faint aroma of tea lingering."Alas," Xu Jiujiu suddenly sighed softly, a perfectly placed shade of worry coloring her brows, "Recently, things have been quite unsettling both inside and outside the palace. Especially hearing about the White Tiger Duke's two Young Masters in the Western Legion, it's truly regrettable.Brother Yueheng is valiant, and Huabin is also a young talent. Their recent misfortunes are truly a great loss to our Star Luo Empire."Her words were filled with regret, as if she genuinely worried for the Dai Family. "After hearing about this, the Duchess became even more worried, and her illness worsened—the vast Dukes Mansion, the position of commander of the Western Legion's five hundred thousand soldiers, to whom will it be entrusted in the future? It has now become a dilemma, and even His Imperial Brother has been frequently troubled by this matter recently."Dai Youheng listened quietly, his finger unconsciously tracing circles on the rim of his cup, showing no reaction. He knew the show was about to begin.Sure enough, Xu Jiujiu changed the subject, her gaze shining as she looked at him, her tone becoming more earnest, carrying a subtle hint of temptation, "Youheng, I know you might have suffered some grievances in the Dukes Mansion in the past. But times have changed; the Dai Family is in need of talent, and both state and family affairs require heroes to step forward. You possess a top-tier mutated Spirit, exceptional talent, and your strength has advanced by leaps and bounds, even defeating Shrek Academy elites. You are no longer who you once were, no worse than those two legitimate sons of the Dai Family."She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice to give her words more weight, "The Imperial Family—or rather, I—have always thought highly of you. Past events might have been a matter of timing. But now, opportunity is at hand. Whether it's the stability within the Dukes Mansion or the future allegiance of the Western Legion, a strong and trustworthy person is needed to take control."She paused deliberately, observing Dai Youheng's expression. Seeing that he remained unperturbed, she continued to raise the stakes, her veiled hints almost becoming explicit, "As long as you are willing, the Imperial Family will be your staunchest backing. Whatever stands in your way, be it deeply ingrained prejudices within the mansion or external doubts about your status as an illegitimate son, I can help you clear them. Resources, prestige,legal recognition—nothing will be an issue. We will spare no effort to help you claim the position that rightfully belongs to you, not just the title of White Tiger Duke, but also the supreme authority to command the Western Group Army!"Her voice carried a mesmerizing power, painting an incredibly tempting picture. In her view, for an illegitimate son who had been cold-shouldered since childhood and yearned for power and recognition, these were almost irresistible terms.She believed that this olive branch she extended would be enough to make Dai Youheng grateful and firmly bind him to the Imperial Family's chariot.
