Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, everyone turned in surprise to look at Jing Hongchen. Even the elders of the Worship Hall, who had been resting with their eyes closed, suddenly opened them and stared at him in shock.
Xu Tiannan maintained his usual polite smile, but now, as he looked at Jing Hongchen, his eyes held a trace of admiration and relief.
Jing Hongchen's bold and unreserved declaration of support for Xu Tiannan left the entire hall stunned—everyone except for Xu Tiannan and Xu Tianyuan. The relationship between Mingde Hall and the Crown Prince had already reached such a close level?
Everyone present clearly understood the significance. With the vast resources and strength of Mingde Hall standing firmly behind Crown Prince Xu Tiannan, he now possessed a force that was as solid and dependable as steel.
Even more importantly, everyone knew that Kong Deming's godson, Huo Yuhao, resided within Mingde Hall, and Jing Hongchen himself was Kong Deming's disciple. That meant Mingde Hall's declaration of allegiance could very well reflect the stance of Kong Deming—Grand Worshipper of the empire—in the matter of succession.
This subtle implication rattled the other elders of the Worship Hall. If Kong Deming supported Xu Tiannan, how could they not align themselves as well?
The Worship Hall traditionally remained neutral in matters of succession, but rules could always be bent. If this was truly Kong Deming's will, then old traditions no longer mattered.
But the complication was that Kong Deming remained in secluded cultivation, unable to speak for himself. So, all eyes within the hall turned to the Worship Hall's Second Elder. In Kong Deming's absence, he held the authority to speak on behalf of the hall.
The Second Elder felt the weight of those gazes. What should he say?
Thankfully, he was a man of great experience and wisdom, someone who had seen the rise and fall of many tides in the Sun Moon Empire. He cleared his throat and calmly declared:
"Since Hall Master Hongchen and Brother Tianyuan have both made their positions clear, then I too should not remain silent. The unification of the Sun Moon Empire, and the renaming of the continent to the Sun Moon Continent in place of the disgraced name Douluo, is of paramount importance. Therefore, the Worship Hall will stand for the future of the empire."
As soon as these words fell, the Hall of Supreme Harmony fell silent. A beat later, hushed murmurs and whispers rippled through the hall.
The Worship Hall's Second Elder had spoken almost identically to Xu Tianyuan. Were they truly standing on Xu Tiannan's side?
In that moment, anyone who had still doubted whether Xu Tiannan had enough power to resist the Third Prince's growing influence could finally put their concerns to rest. With Mingde Hall, one of the Four Hands of National Protection, and now the Worship Hall lending their support, the core of the empire's strength was united under the Crown Prince.
Even if the Worship Hall couldn't intervene too heavily in political affairs, its support sent a clear message.
And for those with more insider knowledge, there was another factor—the Holy Spirit Sect. Rumors of their close relationship with Xu Tiannan were well known. The Holy Spirit Sect's army of evil soul masters, many of them Title Douluo, was enough to make even the bravest nobles tremble.
Against such forces, what was the Third Prince? What could he do—go begging the Douluo Federation for help?
The tension in the hall melted away. Smiles began to appear on the faces of the ministers and generals. For the first time in a long while, the air was light.
At this moment, the eye of the storm—Xu Tiannan—finally prepared to speak. He leaned slightly forward in his wheelchair and cleared his throat. His movement was subtle, yet everyone instantly fell silent and turned their attention to him.
That alone spoke volumes about his position, and the deep respect he commanded.
"My friends, I, Xu Tiannan, seek nothing more than to lead our Sun Moon Empire to unify the continent. I seek to erase the shameful name of Douluo and engrave instead the name of Sun Moon in the annals of history. In this pivotal moment—a time of immense change unlike any we have seen in a thousand years—we must not fall to civil strife.
"Yet, some have allowed selfish greed to plunge the empire into the mire of civil war. I shall show no mercy to such people. I promise you now—this foolish conflict will end swiftly. Those parasitic forces that feed on the lifeblood of our nation will be uprooted and receive the justice they deserve.
"Does anyone here have doubts or concerns?"
The Crown Prince's voice had barely faded before a thunderous round of applause erupted throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony. No one voiced any objection.
Those still seated here, attending court under such heavy pressure, were all progressives who hoped to see the Sun Moon Empire flourish. With the education reform policy gaining the support of the Worship Hall's elders and Mingde Hall, and with the noble families about to face the consequences of their exploitation, no one here had any reason to object.
As the applause gradually died down, the court prepared to move on to the next order of business: how to counter—and eliminate—the rebel forces of the Third Prince.
Meanwhile, far in the north of the Sun Moon Empire lay the city of Frostmoon.
Frostmoon City was the heart of the empire's northern territories, the largest and most powerful city in the region. It was also the seat of the Northern Grand Duke's estate.
Grand Duke Leng Feng was famous for his cold-blooded, iron-fisted rule over the northern territories. His governance was as bitter as the arctic winds of the Extreme North. The people living under his rule not only endured the frigid weather but also the crushing burden of taxes and the brutality of mandatory conscription.
However, those same methods had transformed the north into a military powerhouse with grain reserves and troop numbers that rivaled even the rich southern provinces.
Inside his ducal manor, Grand Duke Leng Feng was meeting with Xu Mochen, the Third Prince's envoy.
Xu Mochen might not have been a household name, but his sharp tongue and clever mind had earned him the prince's trust. He had successfully secured military support from the Douluo Federation and was now tasked with persuading the Grand Duke to mobilize his forces.
"Your Grace, the east, west, south, and north have now encircled Mingdu. This is the best time for you to strike decisively and claim the crown of glory for yourself."
Standing before a large map laid out across a carved wooden table, Xu Mochen spoke with an easy smile on his face.
And why wouldn't he smile? The Third Prince's momentum had exceeded even his own expectations. Xu Tiannan's education reform had handed them the support of the noble class on a silver platter.
He didn't need to say it aloud—but right now, the Third Prince stood at the very edge of victory.
(End of Chapter)
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