534 From now on, if I am permitted to ride the clouds...

The ethereal clouds resemble a fairyland, their elegance surpassing even the finest jade. From this day forward, if I may ride the clouds, I will knock on your door at any time of night, leaning on my cane.

Yun Su, Jing Zhai, Shan Ruyu, and the others are all young ladies from prominent families, including the eldest prince's fiancée.

Ye Yunyun left gently but firmly, her delicate hands trembling slightly, as if she were making a particularly important and exciting decision.

Old Master Yun silently watched Miss Ye get into the car and leave before slowly nodding and turning around with relief.

A pair of bright, piercing eyes gently surveyed the stopped carriage, the old horse, and the man in black—all exuding an unusual aura.

Qilin Xing smiled gently, walked over slowly, and said with a slight smile, "The goods have been delivered. Please check them."

A square sandalwood box, about one foot in size, was gently handed to Elder Yun with both hands.

Just as the guards on both sides were about to intercept them, Elder Yun gently waved his hand.

She gave a slight bow and invited, "Thank you, please come in and have a drink before you leave."

Qilinxing shook his head, presented the wooden box with both hands, turned and got into the carriage. The old horse quickly drove away and disappeared into the crowd of carriages.

Inside the palace, the eldest prince's face showed a hint of unease, but even more so, exhaustion. In the past, it was always difficult to travel, but even more difficult to open up new paths, difficult to conquer the country, and even more difficult to govern it.

I never imagined that just establishing a demon-slaying guard would cost so much money. Before, it was just a number on paper, but now it feels like a mountain pressing down on my heart.

Before its establishment, he had already considered many factors; the creation of the Demon Extermination Guard was no easy task. It was not merely a matter of organization, but a matter of vital importance concerning the safety of the entire kingdom. It required balancing the interests of all parties, resolving their conflicts, and dealing with those forces that secretly opposed him.

Unexpectedly, they faced a shortage of funds right from the start, and they could not freely draw from the entire national treasury. Apart from their father, the emperor, no one could make decisions on their own.

Fortunately, he had many advisors around him. The Wangcheng Yue family, the Bodai Mansion, the Fei family, and the Wu family were all from the Cangminzu family, so marriage alliances would naturally bring many benefits.

Eunuch Liu suggested the Yue family of Wangcheng, since they were close by and the Yue family had a genius girl, who was the fourth of the ten beauties of Wangcheng. They were a perfect match no matter what.

Moreover, Bodai Prefecture is too far away and has a special status. If other prefectures form a marriage alliance, it will be difficult for the main base to provide sincere assistance since it is not in a position to do so.

The head of the Yue family naturally agreed, and the elders and others in the family were also satisfied.

Yuechan, a member of the family, is quite talented, but she is only a junior member of the family outside the direct line. She is skilled in swordsmanship and has a bright future, but that is all she is capable of.

These ten beauties, whose beauty fades with time, and whose futures are uncertain, are women who have experienced the vicissitudes of history and the chaos of previous dynasties. They know how worthless beauty is in times of turmoil.

The scales in her heart tipped involuntarily. Moreover, the marriage alliance with the eldest prince was not necessarily because she believed he could ascend to the throne. Rather, the newly established Demon Extermination Guard, if it had the same power as the Demon Slayer Envoy, would have too much room for manipulation.

Of course, members of one's own family can handle the job, and there won't be much danger involved. Anything that can be solved with money isn't a problem.

He Chen had naturally considered it, but the path He Chen chose required him to be law-abiding, obediently pay taxes, and not flaunt his power. It was truly laughable that someone with money couldn't do whatever they wanted.

He rubbed his temples wearily and took a deep breath. He thought to himself, 'The road ahead is thorny, full of challenges. Yet I need to be resolute, swift as a drawn sword. I bear a heavy responsibility, not for myself, but for all living beings. I will break through the darkness to welcome the dawn, fearless and undaunted.'

As I pondered this, a surge of heroic spirit welled up within me. For the sake of peace and stability, sacrificing myself was the least I could do. I couldn't help but think of my father, the Emperor. Was he the same way?

In order to quickly quell the unrest and minimize bloodshed, they agreed to the marriage alliances and alliances with the powerful families.

Now that the secret he didn't want to reveal has been exposed, there's no need to hide it anymore. He couldn't help but think of his fiancée, Zhu Queyi, with her graceful figure, red lips and white teeth, almond-shaped face and peach-like cheeks, and naturally beautiful appearance.

Her skin was delicate, her cheeks were rosy and smiling, and her breath was as sweet as orchids. She was incredibly gentle and charming, and very compliant with him. He thought to himself, "It's all my fault for thinking too much before, for being so concerned about etiquette and morality. I didn't even hold her hand. What a pity."

If I have some free time these next few days, I'll invite Sister Queyi over. I'm going to express my true feelings and can't wait any longer. If things are already set in stone, I don't think she'll mind my marriage proposal.

I'm sorry, but for the sake of all the people, this royal city cannot be in chaos; we must act forcefully.

You should understand my predicament and will always support me, right?

The eldest prince's eyes held a hint of ferocity and decisiveness. His usual gentleness and wisdom had vanished, replaced by a sudden surge of impatience.

Between his brows, calculation and scheming became indistinguishable, their intricacies intertwined and hard to discern.

Having lost a strong support, anxiety is now overwhelming. The past is gone like smoke, the future is uncertain, and I wonder what to do next.

Thinking of Yuechan and Meng Queyi's beautiful faces, both among the Ten Beauties, a surge of heat and excitement welled up within him. It was still early afternoon.

A sense of heat arose involuntarily, and my body felt slightly warm.

"Someone, send someone to ask my beloved concubine if she has time to come to the garden to admire the flowers today."

Eunuch Liu quickly replied, "Yes, Your Highness." He then hurriedly sent someone away.

Within the Meng family mansion, not far from the royal palace, lies a majestic and imposing structure. The mansion's walls are high and sturdy, and its gates are spacious and grand, crafted from precious mahogany and inlaid with glittering gold and vermilion decorations.

A plaque hangs above the doorway, inscribed with the two large characters "Mengfu" (Dream Mansion), written in a vigorous and imposing style.

The mansion's buildings are arranged in a staggered and orderly manner, with secluded courtyards and winding corridors. The lush flowers, plants, and trees in the courtyards add a vibrant touch to the entire mansion.

Within the garden, sword energy crisscrossed, and petals and leaves fluttered in the air. A beautiful figure stood there, her mind in turmoil, burdened with worries. Her figure was graceful, her face like a peach blossom, yet her expression was dazed, her eyes revealing deep anxiety and restlessness.

She gripped the sword tightly, its tip tracing sharp lines in the air. Yet, her heart could not be as resolute as the sword. Her figure moved swiftly through the garden, flowers falling wherever her sword energy touched, as if telling of her inner pain and struggle.

A beautiful personal maidservant stood some distance away. She was a little younger than me, with an innocent and charming demeanor. Her words were like pearls, and her voice was both soft and clear, extremely pleasing to the ear.

She advised, "Miss, please stop. His Highness still loves you. He just sent someone to invite you to the palace to admire the flowers."

The sword energy suddenly arrived, and the surroundings slowly returned to calm. Amidst the falling petals, Meng Queyi's eyes remained calm, filled with contemplation and a chilling aura, her eyes slightly red and misty.