Xiao Yunzhou never imagined that hosting a market fair could actually attract talented individuals from other countries.
These were two elites recognized by the Immortal Realm, with intellects surpassing even his own as emperor!
Without any special recruitment efforts, simply by hosting an elegant gathering, people had come.
Those not on the Immortal Realm's map were attracted to Jing Country, and there were likely many more who wanted to develop in Jing Country.
Although Xiao Yunzhou's purpose for this event was indeed to promote Jing Country's unique characteristics, he hadn't expected such remarkable results.
"Old Fu, we need to organize these special gatherings in our other border regions too, with Zhou Kingdom, Mu Kingdom, and the rest. Make sure they're done well!" Xiao Yunzhou instructed.
Chancellor Fu Cha nodded solemnly, his gaze serious. He too had realized that today's Jing-Chu atmosphere was greatly beneficial to Jing Country.
"Your Highness is wise," Chancellor Fu Cha remarked, realizing that Zheng Qiru's appointment as the top scholar had been a good choice.
Zheng Qiru was not only talented and capable, but now appeared to be a role model for how Jing Country treated its skilled individuals. It was truly a brilliant appointment!
As Xiao Yunzhou instructed the prefect to prepare more unique items for display, there was also movement within the Chu State palace.
...
After resting for a night, the King of Chu felt his dizziness had improved significantly. He forced himself to rally and summoned Chancellor Ji Duan to the palace to join him in searching and interrogating the Crown Prince.
"Your Majesty, there is indeed a hidden compartment under the Crown Prince's bed!"
The King of Chu swayed slightly. "What's inside?"
Ji Duan lowered his head and said through gritted teeth, "...Pills."
Undoubtedly the aphrodisiacs the Princess had mentioned the Crown Prince used!
The King of Chu's face darkened. He stepped onto the Crown Prince's bed and personally pulled down the landscape painting on the wall. Sure enough, as the Princess had said, there was also a hidden compartment in the wall!
Chancellor Ji Duan's old face twitched.
Because this involved the Crown Prince's dirty affairs, and before deciding to depose him, it wasn't appropriate to let this scandal spread outside. They still needed to protect the Crown Prince's reputation. So today, the King of Chu had only called Chancellor Ji Duan and the Crown Prince's tutor, Grand Preceptor Zhu, to gather evidence!
Seeing this, the Crown Prince's tutor had already fallen to his knees, his face ashen. "Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty as a teacher. Please punish me!"
The King of Chu closed his eyes. "When a child is not taught, it is the father's fault."
As he spoke, he swiftly opened the hidden compartment behind the painting, revealing jade implements used for carnal pleasures.
The King of Chu's face flushed red with anger as he furiously smashed the objects to the ground!
"I have never been stingy in selecting consorts for him! How many beauties have I been willing to give him! Yet he's still so addicted to such filthy objects, unable to control himself!!"
Chancellor Ji Duan and the Crown Prince's tutor both felt overwhelmed.
"Bring the Crown Prince to me. Chancellor, test him!"
"I want to see if his mind has grown as depraved as his behavior!"
The Crown Prince's tutor felt a glimmer of hope, and Chancellor Ji Duan harbored a desperate wish.
Even if the Crown Prince's behavior was improper, as long as his mind was still sharp, he could potentially become a good emperor, a wise ruler in the future. To be honest, they as ministers could turn a blind eye to the future emperor's special preferences.
But... soon, the terrified Crown Prince of Chu completely exposed his true nature.
The four close eunuchs by the Crown Prince's side were imprisoned, depriving him of his usual cheating assistance.
He knew nothing when questioned!
"Father, please give me more time!" the Crown Prince of Chu wept, clinging to the King of Chu's knees. "I'm shocked right now, frightened by my sister! I can't think of how to answer these questions at the moment!"
The King of Chu trembled with rage, while Chancellor Ji Duan and the Crown Prince's tutor hunched their shoulders in painful dismay.
With the future emperor in this state, Chu State would have to depose him!
But if they deposed the Crown Prince, where would they find another virtuous candidate to enthrone? The King of Chu had only one biological son!
Chancellor Ji Duan was already preparing to retire to his hometown, before the Crown Prince could ascend to the throne.
But as he was thinking this, the King of Chu narrowed his eyes at his trusted eunuch, "Go and summon Princess Yunwu to the palace."
Chancellor Ji Duan's expression froze in surprise.
*
When Princess Yunwu received the news from the palace, her expression of shock was no less than that of her husband beside her.
She was truly frightened.
Even as she entered the palace at the royal command, Yunwu hadn't fully processed her inner emotions—how had everything in the secret message from Xiao Yunzhou, the Emperor of Jing Country, turned out to be true!
"Yunwu, I have always doted on you, giving you personal guards and attendants, but I didn't give you these things so you could spy on the palace!" The King of Chu, knowing the Crown Prince was useless and depraved, had no outlet for his fury.
Now, after a moment's thought, he had found fault with Princess Yunwu, and turned to look at his most beloved daughter, suddenly exploding with anger! "As a princess, you dare to spy on the Crown Prince's palace! If you treat your own brother like this, will there be a day when you spy on me, your father and emperor!?"
"Yunwu, I've spoiled you too much! Spoiled you to the point of lawlessness!" The King of Chu was both frightened and enraged.
He, as emperor, didn't know the private secrets hidden in the Crown Prince's bed.
Yet his daughter, who had been married off and living outside the palace for five or six years, knew about it. The Princess's reach into the palace was far too long!
Once a ruler's suspicion is aroused, it can no longer be suppressed.
The King of Chu, feeling both ashamed and utterly disappointed, said, "I have truly failed in raising both my son and daughter. Both of you have broken my heart! Father has loved you so much, yet in return, you spy on him. I am truly disheartened!"
"Hand over all your spies directly. This time, I'll pretend nothing happened, but if you dare to do it again in the future—"
The King of Chu broke off mid-sentence, looking down at Princess Yunwu, only to see her expression also filled with grievance and shock.
"Father, I have no spies."
"Nonsense. At this point, when your father isn't pursuing the matter further, you still want to lie to me? Then how did you know so much about the Crown Prince's affairs?"
Princess Yunwu bit her lip and raised her head, lowering her voice.
"Father, it was divined by a profound Taoist from Jing Country. Emperor Xiao Yunzhou of Jing Country gave it to me!"
"?"
"!"
The King of Chu stared in disbelief.
It wasn't the Princess spying on the palace, but Jing Country's spies?
Impossible!
Jing Country had been unremarkable since the previous generation. Moreover, how could this generation's Xiao Yunzhou, who loved cultivating the Tao, have the ability to send spies to infiltrate his Chu State palace?
But... wait a minute?!
Xiao Yunzhou loved cultivating the Tao...?
The King of Chu grimaced, feeling a twinge in his teeth. This Xiao Yunzhou loved cultivating the Tao, so he had connections with mystical experts?
Was it true or false?
"What else did he say? What else did that Jing Country divination master say?"
Princess Yunwu blushed. "In the secret message he gave me, besides writing about my brother the Crown Prince working four days and resting three, he also said that I... would achieve great things, surpassing men, and gather all of Chu's dragon energy unto myself!"
"..."
The King of Chu gave Princess Yunwu a long, deep look.
However, Yun Wu quickly pulled out three silk pouches containing notes from her sleeve and respectfully handed them to the King of Chu, saying, "I dare not deceive you, Father."
The King of Chu took them, glanced at them with suspicion, and was immediately stunned.
It really was the handwriting of that fool from the Xiao family, Xiao Yunzhou!
The King of Chu frowned, his heart pounding. As he looked at Yun Wu again, a sudden thought struck him.
He only had one son and one daughter of his own blood. The Crown Prince of Chu was no longer a viable option, so indeed, Yun Wu now possessed the strongest royal aura!
He had controlled the Chu State for over thirty years, governing it with great care and dedication. How could he, after his death, hand over the throne to someone else's offspring?
Let others reap the benefits of his hard work? Did they take him for a fool?
Well... these notes weren't wrong. Yun Wu truly did have the most potent royal aura.
The King of Chu looked at Yun Wu again and took a deep breath. "I wish to meet that fortune-telling master from Jing Country face to face!"
*
[Oh my, the King of Chu most likely wants to inquire about the fate of the Chu State. He wants to meet the fortune-telling master that his imperial father has been associating with!]
Xiao Chuchu, who had just returned from sightseeing and observing the commotion in the streets, continued to watch the drama unfold at the prefect's mansion while mentally commenting.
But when Xiao Yunzhou heard these words, he nervously stopped picking fish bones out of his daughter's meal.
Ahem.
There was no fortune-telling master at all.
Jing Country had only one master – his daughter!
