At the banquet.

Chu Kuangren could not help but notice Gu Changge. He was the supposed Crown Prince of the kingdom and was ought to be the next descendant to the crown.

Yet, Princess Linglong was now the one who was about to be crowned.

Chu Kuangren would not be surprised if Gu Changge was furious and unwilling to accept such a decree. However, Gu Changge was currently smiling and chatting away with several other princes. There was no shred of anger written over his face at all.

Chu Kuangren could not believe his eyes.

They had not met each other for years now. Had Gu Changge turned over a new leaf throughout this period?

Chu Kuangren did not think about it much.

The Royal Azure Dynasty Ruler had probably long informed Gu Changge about Princess Linglong taking over the throne, which was why he was not caught by surprise.

Soon, the banquet ended.

One by one, the royal relatives began to exit the palace.

“It's such a shame. The throne was supposed to belong to the Crown Prince. Who would've thought that Princess Linglong would just appear out of nowhere and take it away from him?”

“That's right, but we must also remember that Princess Linglong is an unprecedented woman of character and abilities. Otherwise, there's no way she would've gotten the blessings from Father.”

“More importantly, her fiancé is none other than Chu Kuangren, her greatest source of power. No wonder Father would pick her.”

“Tsk, that's too bad. Although the Crown Prince seems fine on the outside, I bet he's suffering deep down.”

Two princes grabbed each other's shoulder as they walked drunkenly out of the palace.

Suddenly, they b.u.mped into someone.

The duo looked up to see that it was Gu Changge who was standing before them.

The princes immediately turned serious as they bowed hastily.

“Greetings, Crown Prince. Our apologies, we aren't that great of a drinker and have b.u.mped into you in our drunken haze. Please forgive us.”

“Don't worry.”

Gu Changge smiled and said.

“If there's nothing else, we shall take our leave.”

The duo did not dare linger any further.

Who knew how much of their conversations had been heard by Gu Changge?

If Gu Changge began asking questions, the princes would have a tough time ahead.

“It's getting dark now. Since you both aren't good drinkers, you should be more careful around here.” Gu Changge seemed to be genuinely concerned for the safety of his siblings.

“Thank you for your reminder, Crown Prince. We'll be careful.”

The duo then left the scene.

Without doing anything further, Gu Changge began to take his leave too.

Not far away, Chu Kuangren and Lan Yu were observing the scene that had just unfolded.

“Looks like Gu Changge has changed a lot. Do you think he's just pretending, Master?” Lan Yu said with a slight frown.

Chu Kuangren shook his head. “I have no clue.”

There was indeed a ma.s.sive change in Gu Changge's personality. It was almost as if he was walked in by someone else.

Using his Eye of Revelation, Chu Kuangren did not notice any significant changes in Gu Changge aside from some decent improvements in his cultivation, and neither were there any signs of anomaly.

“I guess it doesn't matter if his change is genuine as long as he doesn't become a threat to Princess Linglong. Come, let's head back,” said Chu Kuangren.

“Alright.”

In the royal palace, the Royal Azure Dynasty Ruler had arranged specific rooms for Chu Kuangren and Lan Yu.

These rooms would always be ready for them during their visits. In their absences, the rooms would be maintained and looked after.

On the eve of Linglong's coronation.

A servant came to Chu Kuangren's room.

“Royal Fiancé, the Princess wishes to invite you to her room.”

“What's it about?”

“I'm afraid I don't know.”

“Alright, no worries.”

Chu Kuangren nodded.

Then, he followed the servant to Linglong's residence and saw her standing before a large bronze mirror.

She was dressed in an elegant set of royal robes that complemented her demeanor as the upcoming queen.

“My fiancé, this is the ceremonial attire for tomorrow's coronation. Do you think it looks good on me?” Princess Linglong spread her arms wide and asked.

The royal robe was embroidered with depictions of mountain sceneries and mythical beasts as a red skirt trailed on the floor behind Princess Linglong.

Princess Linglong's hair was secured with a pair of ornamental phoenix hairpin as the smooth, pristine piece of silk was draped over her back. The ruqun that wrapped her chest was secured with an elegant peony, further highlighting the novelty and beauty Princess Linglong possessed.

“n.o.ble and breathtaking. You have the demeanor of a female Queen.”

Chu Kuangren smiled as he gasped at the beauty before him.

Delighted to hear Chu Kuangren's remark, Princess Linglong smiled and proceeded to eye the servant near her door.

The servant immediately understood Princess Linglong's intention as she bowed and stepped out of the room.

Princess Linglong could now enjoy complete privacy with Chu Kuangren.

“My fiancé, it's all thanks to you that I'm able to become the Queen of my kingdom. Allow me to toast to you.”

“Princess, you're over-complimenting me.” Chu Kuangren smiled.

The couple began to drink away as they reminisced about their past.

In the comfort of being alone with Chu Kuangren, Princess Linglong opened up to him about many of her past stories that were unknown to most outsiders.

Indeed, most outsiders only saw her glories, not knowing how much effort Princess Linglong had invested for her upcoming role.

From a young age, Princess Linglong had started studying the various scriptures, memorizing the countless arts of war, dealing with many high-ranking officials, all while improving her cultivation…

“I'm glad that I can finally ascend to the throne tomorrow. I pledge to maintain peace in all corners of my kingdom for eons to come…”

Princess Linglong lamented her desires.

When the alcohol began to take over, Princess Linglong did not use her cultivation to remove its effect. As her cheeks turned red, Princess Linglong started to behave more coquettishly.

“There's something that makes me even happier.”

Princess Linglong stared at Chu Kuangren and said with a smile, “And that's getting to know you. Although I don't get to spend much time with you, each second with you by my side has brought me much joy and happiness.”

She walked across the table to Chu Kuangren and twirled her delicate finger around Chu Kuangren's chest. At this point, Princess Linglong's eyes were dreamy and distant. “My fiancé, I was wondering if you feel the same for me?”

Chu Kuangren could feel his heart beating at the sight of his tipsy fiance. He grabbed onto Princess Linglong's arm, pulled her into his embrace, and began to lift her.

“Ahh…”

Princess Linglong was surprised to be lifted off the ground.

Chu Kuangren looked into Princess Linglong's eyes as he let out a playful grin. “Of course I do, especially now more than ever.”

Princess Linglong wrapped her arms around Chu Kuangren's neck as she whispered into his ears, “Stay here for the night.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Chu Kuangren carried Princess Linglong to her bed.

Then, he began to do away with her attire.

However, Chu Kuangren was feeling mildly frustrated at this point. “Why's this robe so troublesome? It's like one layer of clothing after another.”

“Heh. My fiancé, why are you so desperate?”

“I can't wait any longer.”

After much intense effort, the robes were completely removed.

As the bead curtain rustled, the bed began to rock back and forth…

It was also accompanied by their incessant moans.

From one end of the bed to another, the couple embraced each other…

The cycle went on again and again…

Until finally, dawn came.

“Princess, the coronation's about to begin.”

The servant's voice could be heard outside the door.

Princess Linglong awakened in a haze. She smiled at the sight of Chu Kuangren who had fallen asleep while cuddling with her. Princess Linglong got up to get into her attire, and that was when she could feel her body aching at several spots.

As if remembering what had happened, she blushed and looked at Chu Kuangren, who was still asleep, and murmured, “This guy sure doesn't hold back at all.”