Chapter 115: The Heart of the Princess of Ning, A Necessity Driven by Circumstance

The Princess of Ning had many thoughts racing through her mind, but she soon chuckled lightly, remarking with a touch of nonchalance, "The Heir is joking. With your status and prestige, why would you merely wish to come and see me?"

After saying this, the Princess of Ning continued, "I have long heard of the Heir to the Duke of Zhen of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is my honor to finally meet you today."

The meaning behind her words was clear: she did not wish to dwell on this topic. After deftly steering the conversation away, she offered a subtle compliment to Cheng Guang. Had Cheng Guang not known that the Princess of Ning was very likely a remnant of the Great Chu, he might have felt a flicker of genuine pleasure at her praise. After all, although she was only a princess, within the Great Yan Dynasty, she stood at the very pinnacle of the nobility. Furthermore, she had successfully passed the Four Great Trials and was competing with the Crown Prince, Li Zhongxin, for the throne—it was quite possible she would become the future Empress of Great Yan.

Cheng Guang smiled slightly at her words, having no intention of engaging in further pleasantries. Although the Princess of Ning’s movements had been subtle and her behavior appeared normal, she had ultimately aroused a sliver of suspicion in him. Firstly, for someone of her stature, there was no need to be so cautious in preserving his face, nor to go out of her way to steer the conversation to keep him there. Secondly, while she appeared calm, her gaze had inevitably flickered toward Qin Beifeng, lingering for a moment before shifting away, without showing the slightest curiosity or emotion regarding the man standing behind him.

These two points were inconsistent with reason; in Cheng Guang's mind, the Princess of Ning’s identity was practically confirmed.

Cheng Guang pondered for a moment and asked with a light laugh, "Your Highness, I actually came here today because I have something to discuss."

The Princess of Ning lifted her teacup, took a light sip, and asked, "The Heir may speak freely."

Cheng Guang chuckled softly. "Has Your Highness heard the recent rumors circulating in the Great Yan Dynasty regarding remnants of the Great Chu?"

The hand holding the teacup paused, and the Princess of Ning frowned. She was suspicious. She knew that Cheng Guang had come to the Great Yan Dynasty for no reason, and that his gaze upon bringing Qin Beifeng suggested he was likely searching for "Great Chu remnants" just like the other dynasties. Though she was aware of this, she could not understand why he had come to her. Could he have discovered her identity? That shouldn't be possible.

Despite her inner doubts, she remained composed on the surface. "I have heard of it. Why? Does the Heir think I possess information about these remnants?"

Cheng Guang nodded and smiled. "Perhaps. That is why I came to ask you."

"I have a premonition that before long, those remnants of the Great Chu will no longer be able to hide and will be exposed here in Tianhuo City."

As soon as Cheng Guang said this, the hand holding the Princess of Ning’s teacup trembled imperceptibly, causing ripples to dance across the clear tea. She turned her gaze to Cheng Guang and asked, "Exposed in Tianhuo City?"

"Why does the Heir say that? Do you believe the Great Chu remnants, whom all the royal houses of the world are watching, are hiding here in Tianhuo City?"

"Is this just a guess of yours, Heir, or do you have evidence?"

Cheng Guang shook his head and said indifferently, "It is merely a premonition."

"A premonition..." The Princess of Ning frowned again, then shook her head. "Such a premonition is truly absurd. Although the Heavenly Secret Pavilion’s Elder Tianji calculated that the remnants were hiding within the Great Yan Dynasty, he could not determine their exact location."

"Furthermore, so much time has passed; the remnants may have already fled the Great Yan Dynasty. Even if they were still here, it is highly unlikely they would be exposed in Tianhuo City. Everyone knows the Great Yan royal family resides here, and it is the center where all the royal powers of the world gather. For the remnants of Great Chu to hide in Tianhuo City would be a most unwise choice."

Cheng Guang nodded, seemingly in agreement. "Indeed, Your Highness is correct. Hiding in Tianhuo City is not wise. If they were hiding elsewhere, there might be a chance to escape if exposed, but if revealed here, the remnants would surely have no hope of escape."

The Princess of Ning fell silent, lifting her beautiful eyes to look at Cheng Guang once more. She noticed that ever since he had entered, his gaze had remained fixed upon her. There was no obsession with her beauty in his eyes; rather, he looked at her as if she were an interesting object, observing her incessantly. This made her feel uneasy under his scrutiny.

Just as the Princess of Ning parted her red lips to speak, she heard Cheng Guang ask, "By the way, Your Highness."

Cheng Guang set down his teacup and looked into her eyes, asking casually, "You mentioned earlier that the news of the Great Chu remnants in the Great Yan Dynasty came from Elder Tianji of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. What exactly is this Heavenly Secret Pavilion and Elder Tianji? I have never heard of them before."

Cheng Guang looked at her magnificent face, his expression calm, but a storm raged in his heart. Who exactly was this Elder Tianji? To think that the news of the Great Chu remnants was spread by him. Furthermore, he had actually calculated it. How did he calculate it? Did he peek into the secrets of heaven? Regardless of the method, Cheng Guang felt a sudden suspicion: if not for the Breath-Suppressing Bead on his person, could this Elder Tianji have detected his own existence? At the thought, a chill ran down his spine.

Seeing the question, the Princess of Ning looked at him, seemingly realizing that Cheng Guang truly did not know of Elder Tianji. She explained, "It is normal for you not to know of him. Elder Tianji is the master of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. He has lived in seclusion for years, possessing profound cultivation and an unknown age. Occasionally, he opens his pavilion, and as long as one can pay the price, he will divine the secrets of heaven."

"Because the price he demands is so high, few sects or powers—other than the royal houses—can afford it. Thus, very few people in the world know of his existence."

"Some time ago, Elder Tianji opened his pavilion and, unusually, did not wait for others to pay the price, but directly announced that the Great Chu remnants were hiding in the Great Yan Dynasty."

When she reached this point, the Princess of Ning’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. "No one knows why Elder Tianji did this, but once he spoke, every royal house in the world believed it. Elder Tianji has never been wrong. Regardless of his motives, everyone acted immediately."

"After spreading the news, Elder Tianji closed his pavilion again and refused to see guests, so even if the world wanted to pay to find the exact location of the remnants, there is no way."

Cheng Guang nodded slightly, lifted his teacup to his lips, but set it back down without drinking. He sensed something was wrong. Elder Tianji held a unique status, and everything he revealed had proven true. That was why the royal houses had acted without a shred of doubt. Cheng Guang did not understand. Why would this mysterious Elder Tianji suddenly announce the news of the Great Chu remnants? Elder Tianji had lived for who knows how long and was someone even the royal houses courted; in a sense, he was the most unique person in the world. When the Great Chu was still in power, surely they would not have offended him; they might even have gifted him many resources. There was no reason for him to target the Great Chu. Why, then, would he suddenly expose their remnants?

The more Cheng Guang thought, the more confused he became. Compared to him, the Princess of Ning was even more bewildered. Whenever that Elder Tianji was mentioned, her magnificent face would stiffen slightly. She quickly masked her emotions and looked at Cheng Guang. "Heir, if you wish to obtain information about the Great Chu remnants from me, do not waste your efforts. You know that I rarely venture out, and my influence in the Great Yan Dynasty is not great; my intelligence network is not as capable as your Lamp-Lighting Division."

"So, if you wish to know where the Great Chu remnants are, you might as well look for them yourself. Forgive me, but I cannot help you."

After saying this, she picked up her teacup, signaling that the audience was over.

Cheng Guang smiled. His main purpose in coming was to observe the Princess of Ning. Having seen her, he could mostly conclude that she was indeed the Great Chu remnant; his mission was essentially accomplished. Yet, he was puzzled as to why his mission notification had not yet appeared. Did he really have to point at her and say, "You are the Great Chu remnant, I have found you"? That would be too foolish.

Cheng Guang’s mouth twitched slightly. The Princess of Ning believed she was hiding well, and indeed she was—if not for his prior knowledge, it would not have been easy to suspect her. Although he was now fairly certain, he had no evidence. If he were to directly accuse her, even if the mission were completed, she would surely turn against him in private, perhaps even attempting to harm him. As the former Crown Prince of Great Chu, Cheng Guang did not want a direct confrontation with a "Great Chu remnant." It would be difficult to explain or prove his own identity. His current body, aside from a face remarkably similar to the late Great Chu Empress, shared nothing in common with the former royal family. His bloodline had been drained and replaced with that of the ancient Great Xia royal family; he had no way to prove who he was.

Cheng Guang stood up, intending to leave and plan his next move. At the same time, he was convinced that if his observations were correct, this elegant and magnificent Princess of Ning was indeed the "Great Chu remnant." With her identity confirmed, he felt a sense of relief, yet he was also troubled. He still did not know her specific identity, her relationship to him, or how she had survived the iron cavalry of the Northern Expedition and become the Princess of Ning. These were all massive mysteries surrounding him.

Cheng Guang left, bidding her farewell. As he departed, he gave a meaningful reminder: "Your Highness, I have a feeling that the Great Chu remnants might expose themselves soon, and the Great Yan Dynasty will become chaotic. You had best be careful."

The Princess of Ning did not understand his intent, but she acknowledged the words. Seeing she didn't take them to heart, Cheng Guang added, "I hear you are participating in the Four Great Trials again tonight. I wish you success in defeating Li Zhongxin and inheriting the throne."

She smiled and acknowledged this as well before seeing him off. Standing at the gate, her smile faded as she watched him and Qin Beifeng disappear. She rubbed her brow, muttering to herself, "This Heir to the Duke of Zhen is very strange."

"His words are cryptic, and the way he looked at me... it was as if he saw through my identity."

"Also, why do I feel an inexplicable sense of closeness to him? This is too strange."

She could not understand him. If he said the Great Chu remnants would appear and cause chaos, did that mean she would be exposed? She had been so careful—how could she be exposed? She shook her head, pushing the complex thoughts aside, and turned her attention to Qin Beifeng. Her eyes showed a touch of helplessness. She knew Qin Beifeng had contacted her many times, claiming that if she just met the Heir, he would be freed to return to her side. But for her, risking her identity just to rescue Qin Beifeng was not worth it. She did not need his help right now.

She sighed and returned to the mansion. The most important thing now was to defeat Li Zhongxin in the Four Great Trials and inherit the throne. With the power of the throne, she would have more means at her disposal. Perhaps rescuing Qin Beifeng would be easier then.

...

Cheng Guang returned to the teahouse with Qin Beifeng. He waited for the night, when the Great Yan Dynasty would hold the Four Great Trials in the Ancestral Temple to determine the next emperor. As the temple was not open to the public, the event did not cause much of a stir in the city.

Cheng Guang stood on the rooftop, his robes fluttering, his eyes fixed on the Imperial Palace. As night fell, he heard the tolling of a bell from deep within the palace.

*Dong— Dong— Dong—*

The sound was like thunder, illuminating the surroundings. Everyone in Tianhuo City heard it and looked toward the palace. A beam of light began to flicker deep within, growing steadily stronger until it became a pillar of light erupting into the sky. Powerful waves of energy rippled outward.

"Heir, the Four Great Trials have begun," Zhang Rui said respectfully, though he looked somewhat surprised at the intensity of the light.

Cheng Guang asked calmly, "How is it special?"

Zhang Rui stroked his beard. "The Four Great Trials are actually a secret realm fixed by the ancestors of the Great Yan at great cost. It is used to select the heir. Usually, the process is not this grand. I wonder if the royal family has increased the difficulty or adjusted the trials."

Cheng Guang nodded, unsurprised. He knew that since the previous trial had ended in a stalemate, they would naturally have to increase the difficulty. He stood with his hands behind his back, waiting. His system had not yet signaled the completion of the mission, which meant the Princess of Ning’s path would not be easy.

Suddenly, the pillar of light changed. A blurry figure appeared in the sky above the Ancestral Temple, tapped the light, and vanished. The light then trembled, and a giant projection appeared over Tianhuo City.

Cheng Guang froze. The projection was not of the temple, nor of the trials, but of the Princess of Ning’s inner mind! The "Questioning of the Heart" trial was being projected for all to see?

Cheng Guang was shocked. The figure who had done this must have known her identity and waited for this moment to expose her. The projection showed the Great Chu Palace: a young girl in a pink dress running around a cherry blossom tree, playing with blurry figures of the Emperor and officials. A heavy voice spoke: "Your Majesty, the Princess cannot survive this terminal illness. Her body will continue to stiffen until she cannot breathe. We must seal her with the Great Chu’s national fortune; perhaps one day, she will recover."

The Emperor sighed, "So be it."

The young girl, unaware, gave a cherry blossom petal to her weeping mother. Her father touched her forehead, and she plunged into darkness. When she awoke, she was in a crystal coffin, buried underground, until a storm or a battle unearthed it. She emerged to see the Great Chu Palace in ruins, her family gone.

The projection shattered like a bubble. The city fell into an uproar. Everyone realized the girl in the projection was the Great Chu remnant, and that it was the Princess of Ning.

Cheng Guang felt a chill. The mission notification sounded in his ear: 【Mission Complete. Claim reward?】

Inside the secret realm of the Ancestral Temple, the Princess of Ning opened her eyes, exhausted but relieved. She had passed the "Questioning of the Heart" trial. She prepared for the final trial—the test of fortune. As she walked toward the next stage, the world twisted, and she found herself back in the temple.

She expected awe, but instead, she was met with gazes of horror from the Emperor and the royal clan. They had seen the projection. The Emperor looked at her, his voice trembling: "Xia Dong... let us call you that. How did a person of Great Chu come to be in my Great Yan? And what of the Princess of Ning?"

The Princess of Ning’s heart plummeted. She realized her identity had been exposed, and in her helplessness, she thought of the Heir to the Duke of Zhen. Had he known all along? Had he been warning her? How could he have predicted everything so perfectly?

The Princess of Ning stood in the silence, her heart in turmoil, as the realization dawned on her that she had been utterly outplayed.