Su Xuening didn't care what the people around her were saying.
She didn't really care whether she could gain the approval of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, but she knew that no matter whether she could gain the approval of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, the throne of Western Liang would not fall into Duanmu Qingxin's hands.
Because she was not her mother's biological daughter, her mother would never pass the throne of Western Liang to Duanmu Qingxin.
Even if she doesn't gain the approval of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast this time, she still has Yun An, or at worst, Xiao Bao, or even more children.
I reckon that even if Mother were to pass the throne to Yun'an and Xiaobao, she wouldn't pass it to Duanmu Qingxin, since Duanmu Shenghua had tried to harm Mother time and time again!
As Duanmu listened to the people's discussions, he became increasingly smug.
The people have discerning eyes. Now that even the people support her so much, she will surely gain the approval of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast.
They soon arrived at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where the group went together.
The people all gathered outside, waiting to see the Vermilion Bird appear.
The Imperial Ancestral Temple was surrounded by the Imperial Guards, while the officials stood respectfully.
Duanmu Junyu personally offered incense to the heavens, and everyone followed her in kneeling and worshipping the heavens.
After the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, the most important part began.
Duanmu Junyu turned to Su Xuening and Duanmu Qingxin: "You two come here."
Su Xuening and Duanmu Qingxin stepped forward together.
Once the two stood before the altar, Duanmu Junyu spoke loudly: "Today is the day when the Crown Princess of Xiliang is to be appointed. Duanmu Xuening and Duanmu Qingxin, who is qualified to become the Crown Princess of our Xiliang? In the end, we will ask the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast to make the decision!"
"Summon the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast!"
Duanmu Junyu took a piece of white jade flute from her waist and began to play it.
The melodious and clear sound of the flute rang out, but everyone turned to look up at the sky, anticipating the arrival of the Vermilion Bird divine beast.
"Chirp!" A clear phoenix cry came from high above, and everyone's heart jumped instantly.
A fiery phoenix, glowing with a crimson aura, descended from the sky.
"It's the Vermilion Bird divine beast!"
"The Vermilion Bird Divine Beast has arrived!"
The enormous fire phoenix swooped down and flew directly in front of Duanmu Junyu.
Duanmu Junyu then put away her jade flute and smiled as she reached out her hand to Zhuque: "Huo'er."
Zhuque immediately rubbed against Duanmu Junyu's palm as usual.
Duanmu Junyu touched Zhuque and said, "Huo'er, I'm entrusting these two to you. You can also decide who will be the crown prince of our Western Liang. Go now."
Duanmu Junyu patted Zhuque's head, and Zhuque immediately seemed to understand and flew towards Su Xuening and Duanmu Qingxin.
Duanmu Qingxin immediately tensed up, her hands clenched into fists, her palms now covered in sweat.
Although she felt confident that she would gain Suzaku's approval, she still couldn't help but feel nervous when she was about to undergo Suzaku's test.
Compared to Duanmu Qingxin, Su Xuening was clearly much more composed.
Perhaps deep down she didn't care about the position of Crown Princess, nor was she afraid of the Vermilion Bird's test, so she was very relaxed.
There was another person who was also very nervous, and that was Duanmu Shenghua.
Looking at Duanmu Qingxin, who was standing there with her fists clenched, waiting for Zhuque's inspection, she thought of herself from back then.
Duanmu Qingxin today is exactly like herself back then!
It wasn't just because of her current state, but also because her mother had chosen Duanmu Junyu as the crown prince back then. She was dissatisfied and forced her father to plead with her mother for a chance.
That's why she was able to undergo Zhuque's test together with Duanmu Junyu. She once thought that she was better than Duanmu Junyu in every way, so Zhuque would definitely choose her over Duanmu Junyu.
But the result was...
While Duanmu Shenghua was still in a daze, Zhuque had already circled Duanmu Qingxin and Su Xuening several times.
Finally, as if it had chosen its target, the Vermilion Bird flew to Su Xuening and gently pecked her between the eyebrows.
Su Xuening felt a burning sensation on her forehead, and before she could react to what was happening, everyone around her was stunned.
Everyone saw that Su Xuening's forehead instantly blossomed like a flower, with a bright red petal mark appearing in an instant. At this moment, Su Xuening seemed to have been endowed with divine power by the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, and her whole person seemed to radiate divine charm and brilliance.
At this moment, Su Xuening was like a goddess descended from heaven, breathtakingly beautiful, so beautiful that one couldn't take their eyes off her.
It was unclear how much time had passed before some people below finally reacted.
"Did the Vermilion Bird divine beast choose that new prince?"
"I didn't expect her to win; the Crown Prince lost before!"
"The eldest prince is clearly the legitimate son of the Phoenix King, but I never expected that the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast would choose that new prince."
"His Majesty's choice is also this new prince, it seems that the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast's choice is the same as His Majesty's."
"Then the former Crown Prince has completely lost. His Majesty doesn't support her, and she hasn't gained the approval of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast. She can no longer become the Crown Prince and ascend the throne!"
"It's a pity that every empress in Western Liang had to gain the approval of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast!"
The officials on the stone steps were also surprised that Su Xuening would win in the end. They looked at each other in silence.
Seventy percent of them are Huiwang's supporters, and ninety percent support Duanmu Qingxin.
They genuinely believed that the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast would also choose Duanmu Qingxin, since Duanmu Qingxin had grown up in the palace and was the legitimate daughter of the Phoenix King. The Vermilion Bird Divine Beast had always chosen legitimate princesses in the past.
But who would have thought that it would ultimately choose His Majesty's illegitimate daughter? This is truly unexpected.
Although everyone was surprised, this was the choice of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, and no matter how unwilling they were, they had to accept this result.
Even if they are all part of the Hui King's faction, now even the Hui King can't change the outcome!
When Duanmu Junyu saw Su Xuening gain Zhuque's approval, she finally smiled confidently.
She knew her Ning'er could do it!
Since Huo'er chose her back then, she will definitely choose Ning'er today. She made the right bet.
Su Yun'an and the Bai family also laughed happily.
Great, she won!
Duanmu Shenghua looked at Duanmu Qingxin, whose face was full of disbelief, with despair, as if she were looking at herself back then.
History always repeats itself in surprising ways; her daughter, like her, did not gain Suzaku's approval.
In fact, she had foreseen today's outcome countless times since yesterday.
She never even once imagined the scene of Xin'er gaining Zhuque's approval, not even once.
As she expected, Zhuque still chose Duanmu Junyu's daughter, just like she chose Duanmu Junyu back then!
Duanmu Qingxin stood blankly beside Su Xuening, her face constantly shifting between shock, humiliation, resentment, and embarrassment.
Suddenly, like a madwoman, she rushed towards Suzaku and roared, "Why? Why did you choose this bastard instead of me!"
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