As soon as Prime Minister Turtle finished speaking, the hall once again fell into a heavy silence.
If this were a matter of becoming a son-in-law, no one in the hall would agree to it—they'd fiercely oppose such a disgrace. But this was different. The Dragon Palace was marrying off a daughter, not taking in a son-in-law. The distinction, though subtle, was critical. This made it a matter of royal family affairs—something the court ministers were no longer in a position to interfere with.
"When is the grand assembly scheduled?"Yi Tianxing asked after a brief moment of contemplation.
"It's set for the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. By then, the young prodigies of every race within the Hanhai Domain will attend. His Majesty the Dragon King specifically instructed me to extend an invitation to Your Majesty. If you don't attend, I, this old turtle, will have a hard time explaining myself to him."Prime Minister Turtle smiled as he spoke. As he said, this was merely a banquet—not some forceful marriage arrangement. The world simply didn't work that way.
"Don't worry. I will be there."Yi Tianxing nodded resolutely.
Once something was promised, there could be no backing out.
"Then I'll be awaiting Your Majesty's arrival in the Dragon Palace." Prime Minister Turtle grinned, then took his leave without lingering any longer.
Once he had left, a solemn air returned to the grand hall.
"Your Majesty, we cannot go to the Dragon Palace. The dragon race's ambition is no longer hidden—they openly aspire to become the central force of this world. In their eyes, any force that doesn't submit is a thorn in their side. The Dragon Palace is their stronghold—there's no telling what might happen. We must not let our guard down."Yang Ye was the first to speak, eyes filled with concern.
Who could say if the dragons might go mad and slaughter all the geniuses of the various races who gather for the event? That could leave entire factions leaderless overnight. The odds were slim, but not impossible. And in this world, nothing was ever truly certain.
"Indeed. Your Majesty's safety is paramount. The fate of tens of billions of citizens rests on your shoulders. The Dragon Palace is a tiger's den. It would be wise to avoid unnecessary risk."Qi Jiguang agreed firmly.
In their eyes, Yi Tianxing's safety came before everything. There must be no hidden danger—not even a sliver. To walk into the tiger's jaws knowingly was unwise.
"No matter. My safety is not an issue—I have more than enough means to protect myself. Even if the Dragon Palace is a tiger's den, it cannot harm me. The real issue is—how do you all see this marriage tournament?"Yi Tianxing took a deep breath.
He had to go. That much was certain. But going meant being part of the marriage tournament. And that raised the real problem: the dragon princess—how should he respond to her?
Yi Tianxing felt nothing for the dragon princess. But this wasn't a simple matter. Whether he married her or didn't, it was a critical choice.
"This is clearly a political trap. The Dragon Palace is forcing the surrounding factions to pick a side. If we marry the dragon princess, we align ourselves with the dragon race and may even have our fates intertwined in the future. If we don't, then we reject their goodwill, their olive branch, and become their enemy—first to be targeted if the dragons go to war."Zhuge Liang's expression turned grim.
It was clear what the dragons were saying: you're either with us, or you're against us. There was no third option. That was the domineering will of the dragon race.
"This is yet another move following the Leaping Dragon Gate. Once the dragon princess is married, the dragons can use her and the father-in-law/son-in-law bond to infiltrate various factions, extending their influence and subtly taking control. All they're offering is a single dragon princess, but the returns could be immeasurable. It's a huge win for them."Gou Yu also looked grave.
The dragon race had laid everything bare. Yet, no one could say no. This was the power of open schemes—the kind you saw coming but couldn't avoid.
Straightforward, but unstoppable.
"What do you all suggest? What countermeasures can we take?"Yi Tianxing asked again.
The dragon race's intentions were crystal clear. The question now was—how to deal with it?
It was a massive dilemma. Marrying the dragon princess would allow the dragons a foothold to infiltrate the Great Yi Dynasty. Not marrying her meant becoming a public enemy, the first to suffer their wrath. Potential annihilation.
The hall remained silent.
The pace of events had been so rapid that none could keep up.
Once the dragons made their move, it was relentless—wave after wave, offering no time to react.
"There's no solution—unless we're strong enough to fend off the entire dragon race. Otherwise, this can't be broken. In their eyes, you're either one of them, or an enemy. Nothing in between."Su Shi spoke with a hint of helplessness.
That was the cruel reality of overwhelming power.
No matter how clever the schemes, in the face of brute force, all would vanish like smoke.
"Your Majesty, this humble servant may have an idea. I don't know if it's feasible."Just then, He Shen's eyes gleamed, his mind clearly churning with plans.
"Speak."Yi Tianxing turned toward He Shen, gesturing for him to continue.
Everyone's eyes focused on He Shen.
Who in this hall didn't know his name? He currently oversaw both the market exchanges and the black market of Great Yi. Wealth beyond measure flowed through his hands. Yet, the most impressive part—he resisted the temptation to embezzle.
Even Zhuge Liang looked intrigued. Everyone wanted to see what kind of plan this historically infamous genius might present.
"Your Majesty, do you recall when the market exchange was first opened, and a representative of the dragon race came to trade with us?"He Shen smiled.
"I do. That was the Seventh Princess of the Bohai Dragon Clan, Ao You. We even met once."Yi Tianxing nodded.
"Since it's inevitable that we must choose, why not take the initiative? We reside in the Hanhai Domain, but what's stopping us from choosing a dragon princess from the Bohai Domain to marry?"He Shen said, eyes twinkling.
"Marrying a Bohai dragon princess?"Zhuge Liang's eyes lit up. He clapped and said, "Brilliant—truly brilliant. We're in the Hanhai Domain, and by marrying a Bohai princess, we show goodwill to the dragon race as a whole, without directly empowering the local Hanhai Dragon King. It becomes a buffer, giving us wiggle room and avoiding his wrath."
A dragon princess is a dragon princess. If one must marry, why not choose wisely? If the shift in position benefits Great Yi more, all the better.
"The Bohai Dragon Clan still trades with us. The trade route is open. I've also looked into it—the connection between our realms isn't a permanent domain gate but rather a temporary passage created by some treasure. It can only send a few people at a time. So even if we marry a Bohai princess, they can't infiltrate us on a large scale."He Shen continued.
Between the two options, Bohai was clearly the lesser evil. And possibly, a strategic win.
"Don't rush to a decision. We'll discuss further."Yi Tianxing responded calmly after some thought.
He didn't decide right away. There was still time before the sixth of June. And deep down, he couldn't help but feel a sense of humiliation. Since when had his own marriage become a political weapon?
Before long, the ministers took their leave.
Yi Tianxing remained alone in the hall. He waved off the guards and sat quietly on the dragon throne.
So much had changed, and so fast.
"Cause and effect, karma strikes swiftly. I just tightened the seal on the Heavenly Dao, and it hits back instantly."Yi Tianxing sighed bitterly, though he soon let it go.
Marrying a dragon princess wasn't a big deal. The real frustration came from being forced into it. That was the true humiliation.
"Husband!!"No one knew how long had passed before a familiar voice called out.
Looking up, Yi Tianxing saw Cai Yan approaching.
"I've already heard what happened. My husband is a man among men—a true emperor. But even the great King Goujian once slept on firewood and tasted gall. A real man knows when to bend and when to strike. Revenge can wait ten years if it must."Cai Yan said gently. "We must marry the dragon princess—only then can we maintain flexibility in future dealings with the dragon race."
No wife would willingly share her husband. That was human nature. But in this moment, Cai Yan made her decision.
"Don't worry. I'll find a way."Yi Tianxing chuckled. He didn't expect her to be the one comforting him. Standing up, he glanced at the sky. "Come, let's go. Yaoyue and the others are waiting for us to eat. Nothing's more important than food right now. The rest—can wait."