Chapter 327: Ambition

When the Princess arrived at the side hall, she saw the Regent already there; he wore a python robe, his presence as deep as an abyss, and that heavy sense of majesty made one feel awe-struck.

"Greetings, Uncle."

A smile appeared on the Princess's cheeks as she stepped forward to bow and speak.

The Regent smiled and said, "Luanyu, the purification of the Dark Cave at the academy just ended, right? Did it go smoothly?"

The Princess nodded and said, "The Dark Cave is fine; after all, Dean Pang is there to oversee it."

The Regent sighed, "Dean Pang is indeed the anchor of our Great Xia. With him guarding the Dark Cave, our Great Xia remains so peaceful."

The two chatted casually for a while, then the Regent asked, "How is the King's health? That Li Luo should be of some use, right?"

The Princess's smile did not change; she did not seem surprised that the Regent knew of Li Luo. After all, the Regent's influence was vast, and his eyes and ears were even sharper than her own. Although she had tried her best to hide Li Luo's role, it clearly hadn't been very effective. From the fact that she had sought out Li Luo twice, the Regent could guess some clues; after all, if it were ineffective, she wouldn't be doing such meaningless things.

"Yes, I was desperate and tried anything, so I had Li Luo give it a try, but it seems to have some effect, so I intend to have him try regularly. After all, there are no other options." The Princess did not cover it up, but instead took the initiative to explain the situation.

"Even a Marquis-level expert skilled in healing couldn't do it, so how could a mere Resonance Master-level kid be of any use?" A look of surprise could not be hidden on the Regent's face.

The Princess shook her head and said helplessly, "I truly don't know. Perhaps it is because he possesses dual resonances?"

She actually couldn't figure this out either.

"Dual resonances are indeed rare for a Resonance Master, but among Marquis-level experts, who doesn't possess dual resonances?" the Regent said.

However, he did not say more in the end, only smiling, "But there are many strange people in this world; perhaps this Li Luo has some unique ability. But his strength is ultimately too low, so when he treats the King, you must keep a close eye on him to avoid any mishaps. After all, the King's sacred body is of great importance."

"Uncle is right," the Princess nodded.

The two spoke for a while longer, then the Regent suddenly smiled slightly and said, "Luanyu, you will be leaving the academy in half a year, right? Come to think of it, at your age, it is time for you to be betrothed. Among the many noble families of Great Xia, I wonder if there is one you fancy? If there is, just say so, and Uncle will help you settle it."

This sudden remark caught the Princess off guard, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled shyly, "I have never really thought about this issue, and I have yet to meet anyone I fancy."

"You should still pay more attention in your daily life. Although Uncle knows you are proud and extremely outstanding yourself, you cannot ignore the matter of a lifelong commitment," the Regent said.

The Princess nodded with a beaming smile, then said softly, "My lifelong commitment is actually not as important as Uncle says. If I can see the day the King successfully takes the throne, I will be able to rest easy."

"Speaking of which..."

Her voice paused, and she smiled, "Uncle, in half a year, it will be time for the King to truly ascend the throne. You have truly worked hard all these years, but fortunately, the agreement you made with Father has been fulfilled."

"So, for the enthronement ceremony in half a year, I hope Uncle will be prepared to preside over it with all your might."

The Regent sighed, "Before I knew it, the little King has reached this age."

He chuckled, "Don't worry, Luanyu. For the enthronement ceremony in half a year, Uncle will certainly make it grand and leave you satisfied."

"Then many thanks, Uncle," the Princess bowed in delight.

The Regent waved his hand with a smile, said a few more words, and then turned to leave.

The Princess watched the Regent's departing figure with a smile, and only after his figure had completely disappeared did her smile gradually fade.

"So eager for me to settle my marriage early?"

She whispered to herself, then sneered in her heart, because she knew the rules of the royal family: if she, as the Princess, confirmed her marriage, she could no longer stay in the royal palace for long, but would have to head to her fiefdom.

And now that the little King is still young, once she leaves, the center of Great Xia will completely fall into the control of her uncle, and all the power left behind by her father will be dismantled or co-opted by others.

Once it reaches that point, all power will be concentrated in the Regent, and then, who will truly be the King of Great Xia?

Over these years, the Regent's power within Great Xia has become increasingly formidable, with many provincial governors appointed by him. If this continues, even if the Regent truly has no ambition, his subordinates will push him up and drape the yellow robe upon him.

Moreover, does this uncle really have no ambition?

The Princess's eyes were deep, and then she sighed softly; if not for her struggling to hold things together all these years, the situation would likely be even worse.

She had always held admiration for Jiang Qing'e, in large part because their situations were quite similar, leading to a sense of mutual sympathy.

Now, she only hopes that the enthronement ceremony in half a year goes smoothly. If the Regent is willing to hand over power, then everyone will be happy.

If not, this Great Xia will likely face a great upheaval.

Thinking of this, the Princess could not help but clench her hands, her eyes cold.

As for the Regent, after exiting the main hall, he boarded the luxurious carriage waiting outside, which bore the mighty python emblem, symbolizing his status.

Inside the carriage, it was slightly dim, and the Regent sat down, his face as calm as water.

"That little girl Luanyu is urging me to hand over power." After a long while, he smiled faintly, as if talking to himself.

Inside the carriage, something seemed to be slithering, and a faint, indistinct voice emerged from the darkness: "Isn't this the agreement you made with the old King?"

The Regent said, "I am just afraid that the little King is too young; once he takes power, he will lack the prestige, which will instead harm the royal family."

His eyes turned slightly gloomy, and he said slowly, "In today's Great Xia, although it is my Gong family that holds control, in terms of prestige, the Saint Profound Star Academy is a cut above the royal family. It is fortunate that Pang Qianyuan has not left the Dark Cave all these years; otherwise, who would truly be the one in power in this Great Xia? I fear that if any change were to occur, a single word from Pang Qianyuan could cause our Great Xia to change dynasties."

"Great Xia was founded by my Gong family ancestors, and we are the undisputed rulers here. The presence of the Saint Profound Star Academy here is truly an eyesore."

"The ancestors of the past should never have allowed the Saint Profound Star Academy to be established in our Great Xia!"

The Regent's eyes were filled with gloomy rage and a desire for absolute control over power.

"I previously made a proposal to the Saint Profound Star Academy; if they could agree to let me serve as the academy's Vice Dean, it would have been beneficial for both sides, but this Saint Profound Star Academy was too arrogant and actually rejected me."

The anger in the Regent's eyes gradually subsided, finally returning to calm.

"People always say that Great Xia has two kings: one is the Great Xia royal family, and the other is the Saint Profound Star Academy."

"Truly ridiculous. How can there be two kings coexisting in one country?"

The Regent's eyelids drooped slightly: "I have held power for these years, and the royal family's majesty has grown deeper. The little King is, after all, too young. If I hand over power now, I fear years of effort will be wasted. I am actually doing this for their own good."

"Heh, what a 'sincere heart.' If I didn't know what you had done, I would truly have been moved by you."

"Besides, although you are the Regent of Great Xia, the legitimacy belongs to the little King, and there are still many people in this Great Xia who support him. Moreover, that old King did not leave behind no power at all..."

"Your Gong family ancestors spent their life's blood to build a national-protection formation using the hundred counties of Great Xia as a base. Before he passed away, the control of this national-protection formation should have been handed to the little King. If you harbor ulterior motives, with your strength, I fear you cannot withstand the power of that national-protection formation." From the darkness in the carriage, a low, hoarse laugh emerged.

"To resist that national-protection formation, one needs King-level power..."

"And you, it seems, are still lacking."

"Perhaps you can consider my proposal."

The Regent did not say anything more upon hearing this, only a look of indifference flashed in his eyes, and then he slowly closed them.

Inside the carriage, silence returned.