"Ridiculous! Do you know what will happen to the Flower Association? What will happen to the court officials if you do this?"

Hua De wished he could slap Hua Xiangwan's face; how could she still laugh like that? Did she think it was just children playing house?

"Aunt, please calm down. Getting angry can harm your health!"

Xiang Wan quickly patted Hua De's shoulders and massaged her back, and poured her a cup of tea as well.

She is the key to whether Xiang Wan can succeed, so we must make sure to appease her.

"Imperial Aunt, look, Imperial Uncle has already found you, can't you help your Imperial Niece this time? Who knows, you might even run into your own flesh and blood..."

"What did you say?"

Hua De's hand trembled, and she almost spilled the tea.

When people get old, who doesn't want to be surrounded by their children and grandchildren, enjoying their company?

She thought that this was how her life would be, all alone and lonely, and she never dreamed that Tianqing would come back to her side.

She had told her mother that she only wished to be with Tianqing for life, to grow old together hand in hand. Her mother didn't object at the time, but quietly placed other men in her life. That time, while drunk, she mistook one man for another, a mistake that haunted her for the rest of her life. From then on, she had no desire for romantic love.

If she had been born into an ordinary family, she would surely have lived a happy and fulfilling life. The joy of finding what she had lost made him afraid to think of anything else. But now, the king was telling her that she might have biological children living abroad—how could she remain calm?

Hua De was both excited and expectant, but Xiang Wan sat down to the side with her tea and kept changing the subject, which really made her anxious.

"Imperial Aunt, shouldn't you ask Imperial Uncle about this?"

Hua De's face stiffened, and he found it difficult to speak.

Could she say that Tianqing had only temporarily forgiven her and that they hadn't reached the point of truly opening up to each other?

Moreover, whenever the past was mentioned, Tian Qing's expression would darken, filled with inexplicable sorrow, and he would refuse to utter another word. Seeing his expression like this, how could she possibly continue asking?

There must be something she doesn't know and can't ask about!

Tianqing had finally returned to her side, and she couldn't afford to drive her away again.

"Wan'er, your imperial aunt has watched you grow up since you were little. You've seen how you've been all these years. If you know anything, tell me quickly. Consider it something your imperial aunt owes you, okay?"

Hua De's attitude was unusually soft, and the gray hairs at his temples seemed to have increased.

Xiang Wan didn't want to put an old man through all this trouble, but she wasn't entirely sure either, since the system was so unreliable and wouldn't give her any specifics.

[...] Is it my fault? This system won't take the blame for this!

007, with a haughty expression, turned and went into hibernation.

"Aunt, I don't want to lie to you, but I've found some clues. If I'm not absolutely certain, I'm afraid I'll disappoint you."

"As you know, the Flower Kingdom has been complacent for too long since its founding, and has lost its fighting spirit. Meanwhile, the neighboring Di Kingdom, Yun Kingdom, Ning Kingdom, and Qianqiu Kingdom have always been eyeing our Flower Kingdom with covetous intent. Don't be fooled by the current peace and harmony among the people; the court has long been corrupt. The demise of a nation often begins from within. The Treasure Pavilion incident is just the beginning. It involves officials from all over the country, royal relatives and nobles, and even important ministers from other countries. To whitewash the situation will only sow the seeds of greater destruction later."

"Aunt, I alone cannot turn the tide. I need another identity to facilitate my actions. Destruction before construction may cause instability in the court, but I believe Wushuang can fulfill her role as Empress, and you will be her strongest support on the surface. I, Hua Xiangwan, never fight battles I'm not confident in, and I never disappoint. Perhaps, in your lifetime, you will witness the greatest event in the history of dynasties. Life is but a few decades; rather than ending with regrets, it's better to give it your all. Success and failure always require someone to make the sacrifices. Aunt, do you believe in me?"

Hua De was stunned for a while, then slapped Xiang Wan on the forehead and said irritably, "You brat, you're always causing trouble for your imperial aunt. Do you want me to die sooner than you think?"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Wan immediately bowed and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Aunt. I'll go take care of my business now. I won't come over to cause you or Uncle any trouble unless necessary."

"Hey, have you managed to appease Lin Wushuang yet?"

"Don't worry, he knows what he's doing."

With a leap, he disappeared over the wall. Hua De sighed, sat down in a chair, and remained unsettled for a long time.

She once had the passion to follow her elder sister in conquering new territories, but as time went by, that passion gradually faded, leaving only a sigh.

This imperial niece, seemingly carefree and unrestrained, unexpectedly harbors such great ambitions. If time permits, she truly desires to witness the day when the Flower Kingdom becomes powerful and prosperous.

Turning her head, she saw a figure standing silently behind her, who had been there for who knows how long.

Hua De reached out and patted Tian Qing's hand.

Hopefully, Hua Xiangwan won't disappoint her!

In the Phoenix Palace, Lin Wushuang slowly awoke, and a female eunuch came over, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, tomorrow is your investiture ceremony. The Imperial Clan Court has sent Consort Cui to tell you about the precautions for the investiture ceremony. She has been waiting outside the hall for a long time."

"Empress? The investiture ceremony?" Lin Wushuang rubbed her forehead, threw back the covers, and sat up. "Where is the King?"

"..." The female supervisor shook her head and lowered her eyes.

Lin Wushuang snorted coldly, "Have her come over and explain herself to me."

"This..." The female supervisor looked up, glanced quickly at Lin Wushuang, and then bowed her head to the ground. "The King is very busy with state affairs, I'm afraid..."

"She said she wanted me to be the Empress, so I'll be the Empress? Get her here, otherwise I won't attend the investiture ceremony."

Lin Wushuang was not joking; all the female eunuchs and palace servants in the Phoenix Palace immediately prostrated themselves on the ground.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!