Chapter 907: Chapter 35: Hmph! Emperor’s Heart Skill! As If No One Else Can Play This Game

"Your Majesty, since Prince Yingji is set to embark on the path of exploration, should Jiang Yusong be summoned back?" Old Yao asked cautiously.

"Ji’er is too rash, prone to being schemed against and suffering losses in the dark. With the meticulous Jiang Yusong by his side, I am more at ease," Emperor Longchang’s eyes were filled with affection for the younger generation, "Besides, Ji’er is accustomed to being wild. Someone must report back to me to prevent him from straying too far."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Old Yao bent over in response.

After a bout of muttering, only then did the restless fire in Emperor Longchang’s heart gradually settle down.

His somewhat cloudy eyes seemed to contain an intense authority: "Old Yao, draft an edict for me. Prince Kang, Wu Chengsi, has lived up to his sacred duty, personally venturing to the Outer Domain Battlefield, taking risks, and repeatedly earning military merits, setting an example for other royal family members. I hereby bestow upon him a Purple Gold Crown of a prince, an Upper-class Royal Manor, ten Upper Spirits, and fifteen million Qian Gold. Additionally, bestow Zhao’s Yijing with the title of Second Grade Princess Consort, with all appropriate regalia and ceremonial artifacts fully prepared, as decreed."

"This..." Old Yao was somewhat stunned.

Just a moment ago, His Majesty had scolded Prince Kang so harshly, wishing he could beat him to death, so how come, in an instant, Prince Kang received such generous rewards?

Not to mention, the Purple Gold Crown of a prince, with the True Dragon Seal, was a significant honor and favor.

The emperor has reigned for thousands of years, and the number of princes receiving this honor is hardly more than twenty, most of whom are royal brothers with contributions to the dragon.

The most recent recipient of this honor was the late Prince Hao.

"Old Yao, do you have an objection?" Emperor Longchang slowly sipped tea, his old eyes half-closed, appearing drowsy, his tone neither joyful nor angry.

"This old servant dare not." Old Yao hurriedly bent over to bow, "I will handle it immediately."

With that, Old Yao bent his waist, slowly exiting the Zhuozheng Pavilion.

Once outside the pavilion, he dared to show a slight trace of regret on his face, having followed His Majesty for a millennium, naturally aware of His Majesty’s nature.

If this time, His Majesty had summoned Prince Kang back from the domain, scolded and lectured him, it would show that he still held substantial hope for Prince Kang.

But now, His Majesty has not only refrained from summoning and reprimanding Prince Kang but quietly rewarded both Prince Kang and Princess Consort Yijing, leaving even Old Yao unsure of His Majesty’s true intentions.

...

Several days later.

In Gui Long City, there are two major ducal families. One is Duke Dingguo’s Family, the Wang Family, and the other is the Zhao Family of Duke Protector of the Nation.

Both families were among the earliest to follow Emperor Ziwei Xuandu to the Barbaric Wilderness for pioneering, being founding contributors. Their strength is formidable, with illustrious achievements, standing as the right and left arms of the Great Emperor.

Hence, the Founding Emperor personally conferred the two ducal titles, passed down from generation to generation to this day.

In times past, both ducal mansions were Second-Grade Noble Families, sharing equal strength, prestige, and heritage. However, during the imperial succession thousands of years ago, the two ducal families faced starkly different fates due to being in different camps.

Owing to a failed bid to support the new emperor, the strength and influence of the Daqian Wang Family were severely diminished, gradually slipping from Second Grade to Third Grade over millennia, even ranking at the bottom among the three Third-Grade families.

Yet the Wang Family held onto the title of "Duke’s Mansion," so when ranking the Third-Grade families, it remained accustomed to placing the Wang Family first, calling it the "First of the Third Grade."

As a result, the Daqian Chen Family and the Daqian Gongye Family, both Third-Grade Noble Families, naturally felt some resentment, quietly spreading rumors in private.

Meanwhile, Duke Zhao Protector of the Nation’s Family, for unwaveringly standing behind Emperor Longchang, with contributions to the dragon, flourished over these three thousand years, frequently intermarrying with the royal clan’s powerful branches.

Today, the Zhao Family has become a powerful family with one lineage boasting four Divine Techniques.

Moreover, the probability of the Zhao Family producing a Great Celestial Pride is significantly higher than that of ordinary Third-Grade families, averaging one every two hundred years or so, not only capable of maintaining the usual alternation of four Divine Power Species but sometimes producing an additional one.

Even the Great Emperor must weigh his actions carefully concerning the Zhao Family, lest he inadvertently damage the royal foundations.

The Zhao Family’s main residence is situated in the west city of Gui Long City.

Its vast expanse is practically the size of a Guardian City. Inside the main residence, various attributes of spirit veins crisscross, with the rich spiritual qi restrained by arrays in an extremely complex way, achieving a dynamic balance, like a small artificial Grotto Heaven Blessed Land.

Within such an environment, even a mortal would remain disease-free and easily live over a century.

However, there are no true mortals within the Zhao Family’s grand residence. Even a servant sweeping the floor, or a firewood maid doing rough work, are Black Tortoise Cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm.

As for Uncle Zhao at the gate, he is a household general in the late stage of the Celestial Human Realm. Even the gate’s guards are all Spirit Platform Mirror Cultivators, with the main and assistant leaders reaching the early stage of the Celestial Human Realm.

Such Spirit Platform Realm and Celestial Human Realm cultivators, who could command a sect or be revered as Taoist ancestors elsewhere, are mere gatekeepers for the Zhao Family! The foundation of the Masion of Duke Protector of the Nation is evident from this.

But as the saying goes, a seventh-grade official before the prime minister’s gate.