The word "bastard" instantly changed Duanmu Junyu's expression, but before she could react, Zhuque seemed to be enraged and directly flapped its giant wings, sending Duanmu Qingxin flying.

With a loud "boom", Duanmu Qingxin was sent flying down the stone steps and crashed heavily to the ground.

This sudden turn of events left everyone dumbfounded.

The surrounding people, seeing Duanmu Qingxin lying on the ground, couldn't help but gossip among themselves.

"How dare she insult the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast!"

"Exactly, I supported her before, thinking she would definitely gain the approval of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast. I was so blind."

"Given her sore loser nature, it's a good thing the Vermilion Bird didn't choose her."

"The Vermilion Bird is a divine beast. Given this person's character, the Vermilion Bird must have already discovered it, which is why it didn't choose her."

"I can see it now. She was so nervous when the Vermilion Bird was choosing people. She was extremely pragmatic. Compared to her, the new prince seemed much calmer. He is indifferent to fame and fortune. No wonder he was chosen by the Vermilion Bird."

"I find this new princess much more pleasing to the eye now. She looks exactly like His Majesty, and the more I look at her, the more pleasing she becomes!"

"Xin'er!" The people pointed and whispered about Duanmu Qingxin. When Duanmu Shenghua saw Duanmu Qingxin fall from such a high stone step, she rushed down the steps and hugged Duanmu Qingxin, asking anxiously, "How are you?"

"Pfft!" Duanmu Qingxin opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't utter a single word and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Xin'er!" Duanmu Shenghua exclaimed in shock, grabbing Duanmu Qingxin and frantically wiping away the blood while shouting urgently, "Imperial physician! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"

Unfortunately, none of the imperial physicians on the stone steps dared to move.

It's not because of His Majesty, but because the Second Prince was injured by the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, and who among them dares to treat him!

Not to mention the imperial physicians, not a single one of the civil and military officials or any of the imperial relatives dared to step forward and show concern for Duanmu Qingxin.

The indifference of others made Duanmu Shenghua's extra concern seem even stranger.

"Why is Prince Hui so worried about the Second Prince?!"

"Yes, even His Majesty, as the Second Prince's biological mother, doesn't seem nervous. On the contrary, it's Prince Hui who's so anxious. That's really strange!"

"Prince Hui previously instructed his supporters to fully support the Second Prince. If she had any ambitions for the throne, she should have ascended to it herself. Why would she support the Second Prince?"

"Look, the Second Prince and Prince Hui look quite alike!"

“I noticed it long ago. In fact, the Second Prince is more like Prince Hui than His Highness.”

At this moment, Duanmu Shenghua had no time to care about what the ministers were saying; she was just looking at Duanmu Qingxin with concern.

In fact, Duanmu Qingxin was not seriously injured. The blood she just coughed up was mainly due to anger.

Duanmu Qingxin stared intently at Su Xuening and Zhuque on the stone steps.

Why?

She refused to accept it!

Why did Suzaku choose that bastard instead of her?

She couldn't understand what she lacked compared to that bastard.

She was clearly the only princess of Xiliang, the only princess whom the Empress Mother had always groomed as the crown prince!

The position of crown prince should have been hers, so why did things suddenly turn out like this!

Seeing Duanmu Qingxin heartbroken and ashen-faced, Duanmu Shenghua felt extremely distressed.

Duanmu Qingxin at this moment is exactly the same as she was back then.

Not to mention Xin'er, even she still doesn't understand what she lacks compared to Duanmu Junyu, why that stinky bird Zhuque chose Duanmu Junyu instead of her, causing her to remain a mere Prince Hui despite her immense power all these years!

Zhuque naturally couldn't explain these things to them. After it fanned Duanmu Qingxin away, it excitedly circled Su Xuening several times, as if it were dancing just for her.

After circling for a while, the Vermilion Bird cried out and flew into the sky.

After Zhuque left, Duanmu Junyu stepped forward, grabbed Su Xuening's hand, raised it high, and loudly proclaimed, "The investiture ceremony of the Crown Princess of Xiliang was a complete success. From this day forward, Duanmu Xuening is the Crown Prince of Xiliang!"

All the imperial relatives and civil and military officials on the stone steps knelt down and shouted in unison, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Crown Princess!"

Immediately afterwards, the Imperial Guards surrounding the Imperial Ancestral Temple knelt down in unison and shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Crown Princess!"

Finally, the common people watching the spectacle also knelt down, shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Crown Princess!"

The sound traveled far and wide, echoing throughout the entire city of Kyoto!

Such a voice, like a sharp knife, pierced deeply into the hearts of Duanmu Shenghua and her daughter Duanmu Qingxin.

Duanmu Shenghua, in particular, stared venomously at Duanmu Junyu and Duanmu Xuening, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

She originally wanted to resolve these matters peacefully, but they wouldn't allow it, so she had no choice but to take it!

Zhu Que, Duanmu Junyu, and Duanmu Xuening—none of them will escape!

After the investiture ceremony, Duanmu Junyu led Su Xuening down the stone steps.

When Su Xuening walked up to Duanmu Qingxin, she said coldly, "I am not a bastard!"

After saying that, she ignored Duanmu Qingxin's pale face and followed Duanmu Junyu away.

Duanmu Qingxin was so angry that she spat out another mouthful of blood and fainted spectacularly.

"Xin'er!" Duanmu Shenghua was immediately startled and picked up Duanmu Qingxin in her arms, urgently saying, "The imperial physician, where is the imperial physician!"

Seeing Duanmu Shenghua carrying Duanmu Qingxin and hurriedly searching for the imperial physician, the people around them felt even more puzzled.

This Prince Hui is too good to the Second Prince.

If Prince Hui had previously intended to elevate the Second Prince to the throne, he might have gained some benefits in the future. But now that the Vermilion Bird has already chosen the First Prince, the Second Prince has no chance of succeeding to the throne. Why is Prince Hui still treating the Second Prince so well?

Duanmu Shenghua was so anxious that she took Duanmu Qingxin to find the imperial physician.

Duanmu Junyu watched the two figures disappear into the distance and narrowed her eyes: "Ning'er, you and An'er should be careful these next few days. I'm afraid Duanmu Shenghua might do something desperate."

Su Xuening looked at Duanmu Junyu with concern: "Yun'an and I don't leave Fengming Palace, so you should be careful."

The Fengming Palace is all under my mother's control, so Duanmu Shenghua can't interfere. Therefore, the Fengming Palace is safe, and she and An'er are not in much danger as long as they don't leave the Fengming Palace.

As for the mother, I'm afraid that if Duanmu Qingxin fails in this election for the crown princess, she and her daughter might really resort to desperate measures.

Duanmu Qingxin is not worth taking seriously, but Duanmu Shenghua holds considerable military power, and who knows what she might do, after all, she has harmed my mother more than once before.

"Don't worry!" Duanmu Junyu didn't need to guard against Duanmu Shenghua's attack; in fact, she was waiting for her to make her move.

This time, she wasn't going to let her off the hook!