Chapter 672: The Curtain Rises

When he saw the House House Jinque family here again, Li Luo's gaze shifted slightly, then a warmer smile spread across his face as he stepped forward first, chuckling at Si Qing, "Lord Si Qing, you look more and more spirited."

Seeing Li Luo take the initiative to approach, a smile also surfaced on Si Qing's face as he replied with a chuckle, "Nephew Li Luo is the one who shines ever brighter. You've only just entered the One Star Hall, yet you've already advanced into the Balcony Palace realm. It seems in a few years, House Luolan Mansion will have another marquis."

"Not at all, not at all. It's not that many either. Within three years, if Jiang Qing and I can both be ennobled as marquises, then when my parents return, our House Luolan Mansion might have four marquises."

"Wait..." Li Luo seemed to remember something, then pointed at Instructor Xi Chan behind him and laughed, "There's also Instructor Xi Chan. She recently joined our House Luolan Mansion as well. Oh, and there's Uncle Biao... although he has some injuries, his condition is getting better and better. If he recovers in three years..."

Li Luo held out his fingers to count, then raised his hand toward Si Qing and said seriously, "Then won't our House Luolan Mansion have six marquises?!"

Looking at the six fingers Li Luo held out, even with Si Qing's composure, the smile on his face couldn't help but stiffen for a moment.

Six marquises?

What an enormous and terrifying amount of strength.

Although he clearly knew this was Li Luo deliberately trying to intimidate him, Si Qing's heart still panicked a little. However, he quickly calmed himself down. Jiang Qing becoming a marquis within three years was indeed possible, but Li Luo was only at the Balcony Palace realm—what made him think he could do it? As for whether Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan could return, that was even more uncertain. And if Niu Niu Biaobiao's injuries could heal so easily, he wouldn't have been wasting away at House Luolan Mansion headquarters for so many years.

So in the end, Si Qing gradually calmed down and said blandly, "Then I hope Nephew Li Luo's expectations can come true when the time comes."

If the Regent could gain the upper hand today, given his grudge with House Luolan Mansion, could House Luolan Mansion really hold out until Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan returned? That was also uncertain.

Li Luo smiled and nodded. He didn't continue to provoke Lord Si Qing with words, but glanced at Si Si Tianming and Si Si Qiuying, whose expressions were complicated behind him, gave them a smile and a nod, then walked past their position.

And Jiang Qing stood to the side from beginning to end, her gaze not even sweeping toward Si Qing and the others. Clearly, regarding Si Qing's choice this time, Jiang Qing had already classified him as an enemy. Her temperament was different from Li Luo's—Li Luo could still greet people as if nothing had happened, but for her, when the time came to truly greet Si Qing, it might be their last meeting.

This made Si Si Tianming and Si Si Qiuying, who had been watching her, look even more dejected.

Clearly, once certain things were done, the rift would always be hard to mend.

They were, after all, people of House House Jinque, and Si Qing was their father. They couldn't sever this relationship, so in the future they would inevitably drift further apart from Jiang Qing and Li Luo, and might even cross swords because of this relationship.

Passing the three members of House House Jinque, Li Luo and the others finally arrived at the position arranged for House Luolan Mansion.

Sitting down on the white jade seat covered with a soft cushion, Li Luo looked around and saw, at the far right of this row, Yu Yu Hongxi, Lv Qing'er, and a group of Golden Dragon Bank's upper echelons. Clearly, today's coronation ceremony was a grand event for the Great Xia with far-reaching influence, so even neutral forces like Golden Dragon Bank would certainly participate.

While Li Luo was thinking about this, he suddenly heard Instructor Xi Chan beside him whisper, "The Vice Principal is here."

Li Luo quickly turned his head and saw another group of considerable size pouring into this viewing platform. The one leading them was Vice Principal Suxin—clearly, these were the people from the Sacred Profound Star Academy.

Led by Vice Principal Suxin, the Sacred Profound Star Academy had brought several Purple Glory Instructors. This lineup was quite imposing, and the leaders of the various forces along the way hurriedly rose to greet Vice Principal Suxin with smiles, to which she responded with a refreshing smile.

However, when Vice Principal Suxin came to Li Luo's side, the smile on her face suddenly vanished. She gave Li Luo and Xi Chan a somewhat cold look and said, "Li Luo, aren't the records you've set in our academy a bit too many?"

She seemed to have something specific in mind—for instance, the matter of luring their Purple Glory Instructor to join House Luolan Mansion.

Li Luo wore an earnest expression and said, "The Vice Principal is too kind. As a member of the academy, creating honors for the academy is my duty and responsibility!"

Vice Principal Suxin snorted coldly and said, "Don't push it too far. Although you are an outstanding seedling, our Sacred Profound Star Academy doesn't necessarily need you. As for the matter of Xi Chan, our academy has yet to reach a conclusion. If there's any investigation later, you must fully cooperate."

Li Luo nodded repeatedly and said, "I definitely will!"

Some of the surrounding forces were paying attention to this side. Recently, the news that Instructor Xi Chan of the Sacred Profound Star Academy had resigned at a critical moment and intercepted the Lanling Mansion had already spread widely. Especially since she had then chosen to temporarily join House Luolan Mansion, which left many forces bewildered. They didn't know if this was a sign of the Sacred Profound Star Academy's support for House Luolan Mansion. If so, wouldn't their neutral stance also be questioned?

But the way Vice Principal Suxin looked now, as if coming to denounce him, seemed to indicate this wasn't the academy's intention?

Although no one knew if this reprimand was real or fake, at least on the surface it appeared so.

After lecturing Li Luo for a while, Vice Principal Suxin left expressionlessly, followed by several Purple Glory Instructors who also gave Li Luo and Xi Chan somewhat peculiar looks. After all, this matter had become the hottest topic in the academy these past few days. Some were even spreading rumors that Instructor Xi Chan had some special feelings for Li Luo. Although this drew much scorn, it was precisely the kind of thing people loved to gossip about.

"These instructors are looking at me a bit strangely." As the Sacred Profound Star Academy group departed, Li Luo muttered in confusion.

"The Vice Principal is just putting on a show, making a statement. Don't think she's actually angry or targeting you." Instructor Xi Chan beside him said with a faint smile.

"I know that. She helped me so much. Not to mention just being angry—even if she wanted to hit me, I'd accept it willingly."

Li Luo grumbled, "But Instructor and Jiang Qing are both participants too. Why is she only scolding me? That's really unfair."

This earned him a glare from both Jiang Qing and Instructor Xi Chan. This kid—his smug look after getting the better of a deal really deserved a beating.

While they were talking, an even greater commotion rose from this viewing platform. Two groups of people could be seen walking out from the corridor.

One group was led by the Regent Gong Yuan, and the other by the Eldest Princess Gong Gong Luanyu.

The two groups appeared to walk close together, but in fact kept a clear distance, their gazes flickering with some wariness toward each other.

With their appearance, almost every gaze on the viewing platform turned toward them.

Everyone knew that the Regent and the Eldest Princess were the true protagonists of today.

Although today was the young king's coronation ceremony, the young king was still young after all, and the power on his side was almost entirely controlled by the Eldest Princess, so she represented the young king's will.

However, despite the undercurrents stirring today, the Regent and the Eldest Princess remained cheerful and chatty, putting on a show of affectionate uncle and dutiful niece.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, the Regent and the Eldest Princess ascended directly to the highest viewing platform, where three golden stone chairs stood. The two took the left and right positions.

On the White Jade Plaza, a solemn celebratory prelude was underway. The resounding drumbeats rose one after another, piercing the clouds and echoing in every corner of the palace.

Yet the festive sound of the war drums seemed to carry the air of clashing armor and weapons at this moment.

The leaders of all forces kept their eyes straight ahead, looking at their noses and their hearts, everyone waiting for the moment the grand ceremony officially began.

And time slowly slipped away under the lengthy prelude ceremony.

Until the sun hung high.

When a burst of urgent drumbeats suddenly thundered across the White Jade Plaza like sudden thunder, everyone's heart jolted. They instantly focused their attention, and gazes turned toward one corner of the White Jade Plaza. There, accompanied by a grand procession, a golden dragon palanquin carried by over a hundred people slowly came into view.

On the dragon palanquin, the figure of the young king in full regalia appeared exceptionally frail.

His small face was taut, looking somewhat solemn.

At this moment, everyone understood that this grand ceremony, which would influence the future landscape of Great Xia, was finally about to begin.