Chapter 2216: Intervention

A direct statement from Shang Hongyu about Zu An's support was vastly different from Zu An showing up in person to declare it. Soon, their footsteps faded into the distance. Shang Liuyu hadn't even had time to get dressed. Seeing this, she bit her lip, ultimately abandoning her plan to follow them. After all, how could she explain it then? Could she tell them she'd overheard their conversation?

As Zu An and Shang Hongyu emerged from the palace, the maids and guards outside looked at them strangely, as the Queen had stayed inside for an unusually long time. For any other concubine, this would have sparked a scandal. However, with one being a widely respected Queen and the other the all-powerful Regent, no one dared to dwell on it further.

They soon arrived at the mourning hall, which, contrary to expectations, was far from solemn. Instead, it was rather noisy, with people gathered in distinct factions, conversing in hushed tones. They kept a considerable distance from each other, their gazes openly hostile, and the air between them seemed to crackle with tension, as if sparks and lightning might fly at any moment. A range of emotions was visible on every face: anger, gloom, even joy. The one emotion conspicuously absent was sorrow.

Zu An mused that it was truly pathetic for the Dragon King to have ended up this way. People say that when a person dies, their light extinguishes, but in his case, no one even bothered to feign sadness, not even in the mourning hall.

Upon seeing the pair arrive, the scattered groups enthusiastically approached them:

"The Regent is here."

"The Queen is here."

Shang Hongyu's expression hardened. Their continued deference towards her, she surmised, must be due to her close relationship with Zu An.

"Uncle-in-law is here!" Only one greeting among them stood out.

Zu An looked closer and couldn't help but smile. As it happened, this was the only one of the Dragon King's sons he was familiar with: the Ninth Prince, Chiwen. Chiwen typically spent his days traveling widely, much like his father, constantly getting into trouble and flirting with common women. A few days prior, he had received news of disturbances in the Dragon Palace, prompting him to rush back. However, he had remained skeptical, given his blood ties to the Merfolk race and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the former Merfolk Queen's warrant. Fearing a trap, he had lingered in the waters near the Dragon Palace. He only felt relieved a few days ago when Shang Hongyu launched a massive purge of the hidden demons. He was just about to resume his travels when news of his father's death reached him, compelling him to return and observe the traditional mourning rites. His reunion with Zu An, an old acquaintance, was filled with mixed emotions.

Their initial encounter had been a contentious one, a "fight to get acquainted." Chiwen had always considered that period a source of embarrassment, especially after his aunt's favoritism led to him losing all the magical treasures his father had bestowed upon him. It was a dark chapter he preferred not to revisit. Now, seeing how far Zu An had come, Chiwen immediately straightened up, puffed out his chest, and felt a surge of pride in his own accomplishments. "That wasn't a dark past at all," he thought, "it was clearly my glorious era!" He had once thought his beautiful aunt, being with Zu An, was like a fresh flower stuck in cow dung. Now, however, that address of "Uncle-in-law" was uttered with genuine warmth.

"Chiwen, long time no see!" Zu An greeted him with a smile, recalling how many gold coins he had "dropped" from Chiwen back in the day. The Wind-Fire Wheels, the Cosmic Ring, the Fire-Tipped Spear... all had proven incredibly useful. And, of course, the most entertaining was the Universal Sash...

Chiwen had initially felt a bit uneasy. After all, he'd heard everyone discussing Zu An's god-like prowess from earlier in the day, and he feared the embarrassment of being ignored. But at that moment, he fully puffed out his chest, casting a triumphant glance at the others, his gaze seeming to say, "Now do you believe me?" Sure enough, the Sea Clan officials exchanged glances, their faces reflecting mutual shock and doubt. So Chiwen really knew Zu An! Could Zu An possibly intend to support Chiwen as the new Dragon King?

In truth, Chiwen was the son of the former Merfolk Queen, closely related to the Merfolk race, and thus had a more distinguished lineage. However, no one had ever considered him a viable candidate for the throne, primarily because he was incredibly unreliable. From a young age, he had been idle and a constant troublemaker, behaving more like a street ruffian than a prince. Furthermore, he spent his days roaming freely, often seducing respectable women, which frequently led their families to his doorstep. In this one aspect, he was remarkably similar to the Dragon King in his youth. However, he lacked the Dragon King's strength and political acumen; despite being an adult for so long, he had barely established any personal retinue. It was difficult for someone like him, who spent every day outside the Sea Clan, to build a loyal following. The crucial point was his extreme immaturity and unreliability in handling affairs, something everyone had witnessed countless times over the years.

The most recent and memorable incident involved his excited return from abroad, loudly proclaiming he had brought a rare "blue ice" extraterrestrial treasure that would extend life if steeped in tea, which he then specially presented to the Dragon King. The Dragon King was delighted, believing his youngest son had finally matured and learned to show filial respect. That very day, the Dragon King, in high spirits, summoned many ministers to a palace banquet, inviting them to sample the "exotic blue ice tea." Naturally, during the feast, it was mentioned that Chiwen had personally presented this gift. The ministers, understanding the unspoken implication, showered them with praise, commending their father's benevolence and son's filial devotion. Though the blue ice tea was far from pleasant and had a faintly strange odor, no one dared to decline a drink offered by the Dragon King. In the following days, the Dragon King frequently invited them back for more tea. Surprisingly, after drinking it for a while, people gradually started to discern various unique flavors. Some sycophants even cited ancient texts, suggesting the blue ice might be a relic of some ancient deity. The Dragon King, meanwhile, beamed like a blooming daisy during those days. Chiwen, too, basked in glory during that period, walking with an exaggerated swagger every day.

If only that piece of blue ice hadn't completely melted away a month later. Everyone had initially found the taste somewhat nauseating, but assuming the Dragon King's tea was no ordinary beverage and surely possessed some unique properties, they had continued to drink it, albeit with furrowed brows. It wasn't until a young official finally voiced his objection. "If something tastes like excrement and looks like excrement," he ventured, "then what exactly is it?" Like the emperor's new clothes being exposed, everyone suddenly realized that this supposed "ancient divine blue ice" was nothing more than a lump of dried excrement encased in ice. And they had steeped it in their tea... Everyone present immediately vomited, and the entire Dragon Palace was soon filled with the stench of regurgitated food.

The Dragon King, mortified and enraged, grabbed a stick and beat Chiwen until he cried out for mercy. Had the Queen not just returned from visiting her Merfolk family and intervened, Chiwen might have been beaten to death on the spot. This incident became a humiliating secret that the Dragon King and all the important Sea Clan ministers found impossible to speak of. Everyone tacitly agreed to keep the entire affair a secret. One would expect such a widespread secret to eventually leak, as historical precedent suggests. Yet, remarkably, only those high-ranking officials remained privy to the truth. No one wanted the embarrassing truth of what they had consumed to become public knowledge, so no one dared to leak the information. Chiwen was, of course, the instigator of the entire debacle, and everyone secretly wished him ill. Who in their right mind would consider supporting such an unreliable character for the throne? The mere thought of Zu An supporting this man for the Sea King's throne made their faces darken considerably. Every time they would have to pay respects to him, they would be reminded of the time he had "served" them that.

After acknowledging Chiwen, Zu An approached the mourning hall's altar and lit an incense stick for the Dragon King. Gazing at the Dragon King's portrait, he privately mused that the deceased had been a rather mediocre ruler, too consumed by pleasure to attend to his duties. His negligence had allowed demons to infiltrate so easily, almost leading to the destruction of the entire Sea Clan. Observing his silent vigil before the portrait, the other Sea Clan ministers exchanged knowing glances. "It seems the Regent and the Dragon King truly shared a deep friendship," their eyes seemed to say. "Alas, we had misunderstood him earlier."

Shang Hongyu's face was slightly flushed. Having just engaged in a passionate encounter with Zu An, standing beside him before her deceased husband's portrait felt undeniably strange. A moment later, after placing the incense stick, Zu An turned to face the assembled Sea Clan ministers. "I hear you are in the process of selecting a new Sea King?"

The ministers exchanged glances, but none dared to remain silent. "Indeed," they replied, "with the Dragon King's passing, the kingdom cannot remain leaderless. We are all eager to elect a new king to restore stability."

"However, there is considerable disagreement regarding the candidates, as each prince possesses unique merits."

Ministers supporting the most promising candidates—the First Prince, Second Prince, Fourth Prince, and Eighth Prince, among others—each began to extol their own prince's wisdom, citing various historical examples to prove their suitability for the throne. As the mourning hall descended into the noisy chaos of a marketplace once more, Zu An abruptly cut them off. "There's no need to argue," he stated. "I have a candidate in mind."

The Sea Clan ministers' expressions subtly shifted. They realized he was indeed interfering with the selection of the Sea King. However, given his immense power, no one dared to openly object. Instead, they quietly inquired, "May we ask, Regent, who is your preferred candidate?" The other eligible princes and their retainers covertly glanced at Chiwen, wondering if Zu An intended to endorse the Ninth Prince. Yet, none of them felt truly alarmed. They knew the Ninth Prince was notoriously unreliable, and the infamous "blue ice" incident had alienated almost every senior minister. Such an untrustworthy individual could never become Sea King; they had countless legitimate reasons to reject his candidacy outright.