Bi Linglong shook her head: "There's no need to worry about that. If the Emperor were still alive, your identity would indeed be easy to exploit. But now that the Emperor has passed away, all forces are eager to make a move. Who would dare to provoke the demon race, such a great enemy? Moreover, you now have the identity of the Priest, and you have the support of the academy behind you. No one would dare to touch you."

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. Although he wasn't afraid, he figured it was better to avoid trouble.

“Once Zhao Hao’s death is officially confirmed, the Crown Prince will ascend the throne, and you will become the new Empress with the right to rule. No matter how powerful the Liu family is, they won’t be able to control everything.” Zu An still wanted to persuade her about the relationship between her and Liu Ning, as he really didn’t want them to completely turn against each other.

“Things are not that simple,” Bi Linglong said with a solemn expression. “It is common knowledge that the Crown Prince is dull-witted. Recently, there have been suggestions circulating in the court to replace the Crown Prince. Although they were quickly suppressed, the emergence of this trend clearly indicates that someone is behind it.”

"You think the Liu family is instigating this from behind?" Zu An was also shocked. Liu Ning's side was really ruthless. They were driving Bi Linglong and the Bi family to the brink of despair.

“Of course,” Bi Linglong sneered, “besides the Empress’s instructions, the other princes also had their own ideas. After all, who doesn’t want to be the emperor?”

"The Crown Prince is clearly dull-witted, so why hasn't the Emperor changed him? Besides the fact that a wisp of his soul was in him back then, it's also because the Emperor needs his status as the eldest son of the legitimate wife to silence those who want Prince Qi to succeed to the throne. After all, Zhao Hao seized the throne from Prince Qi back then precisely because of his status as the eldest son of the legitimate wife. So, even though the other princes are all smarter than Zhao Ruizhi, they have never been considered."

"Now that the biggest threat, the Prince of Qi, is gone, the biggest reason for not changing the crown prince is also gone, so the princes naturally begin to covet the throne."

"As far as the Empress is concerned, whether it is the Crown Prince or any of the other princes, none of them are her biological children, so it has no impact on her who ascends to the throne."

"If Zhao Ruizhi ascends the throne, with the power that the Eastern Palace has cultivated for many years, and with our Bi family keeping him in check, it will be difficult for the Liu family to control everything. However, if they can successfully replace the crown prince, the Liu family will have rendered meritorious service to the new crown prince, and the new crown prince will definitely be grateful to her and will naturally be willing to be her puppet."

Zuan hadn't anticipated the risk of a change in the crown prince: "Who do they actually favor?"

Bi Linglong stretched out her slender fingers and counted: "Zhao Hao actually has quite a few princes, but considering their backgrounds and strengths, only five have a chance to compete for the crown prince position: Prince Wu Zhao Yan, Prince Ying Zhao Ming, Prince Shu Zhao Hui, Prince Dai Zhao Ping, and Prince Chang Zhao Feng."

Upon hearing the name of the King of Wu, Zu An's heart skipped a beat. He thought of the incredibly charming and alluring Queen Yun Yuqing of Wu, and he had to admit, she was truly a woman among women...

He coughed lightly, gathering his thoughts: "As far as I know, the Princess Consort of Dai seems to be the daughter of Meng Yi, the Director of the Imperial Secretariat. Now that the Meng family and the Yang family are allied, wouldn't the Prince of Dai have the best chance?"

I had contact with these princes a few years ago, and I have to say that each of them, in terms of both appearance and intelligence, easily surpasses Zhao Ruizhi.

Bi Linglong shook her head slightly: "That's not necessarily true. Precisely because of this, the Liu family might not be willing to establish him as their leader, because in that case, the Prince of Dai would definitely rely more on the Meng family, and the Liu family would end up doing the work for someone else."

Zuan frowned. It was more likely that it was the remaining four people, but unfortunately, there wasn't much information available to make a judgment.

He didn't bother to think about these things: "Linglong, I think it might not be a bad thing for you not to be the Crown Princess. It would be a good opportunity for you to get away from Zhao Ruizhi and live happily ever after with me."

"Together forever?" Bi Linglong said softly, "How could I be the only one by your side?"

Zuan was speechless for a moment.

At this moment, Bi Linglong said coldly, "Besides, I have struggled for so many years and even sacrificed my life's happiness to get here. I am not willing to give it up now! Moreover, I am not alone. I have an entire family behind me. I cannot let my entire family fall to the brink of destruction because of my own selfish desires."

Zuan: "..."

How could he bear to let the other person give up their life's dream?

Whether it's Chu Yan, Man Man, or Hong Lei, they all have their own careers and pursuits, and I have never hindered them.

How could we possibly stop Bi Linglong at this point?

However, he really didn't want to get involved in this mess. He didn't care who became emperor, as long as it didn't affect his cultivation of immortality and his carefree life.

Seemingly sensing the awkward silence in the air, Bi Linglong changed the subject: "Who were you with before you entered the palace? And why do you smell of other women on you?"

Zuan: "..."

How embarrassing! I completely forgot about that. I really am a jerk.

So he had no choice but to tell her about returning with Xie Daoyun, and also mentioned the encounter with the assassin.

Bi Linglong's face suddenly darkened: "You suspect that I sent assassins?"