Chapter 18: For the Empress's Throne, Huang Yiyi Gives It Her All!

Fifteen minutes later.

The Huang Residence.

Huang Yongxing rushed in anxiously the moment he saw Huang Yiyi and immediately approached her. "Yiyi, did you see that Shen Lang?"

"Yes, I did!" Huang Yiyi panted heavily.

"Did Shen Lang explain to you what the 'candidate' means?" Huang Yongxing asked urgently.

After all, this was the task Zhao Tianba had entrusted to the Huang family. Successfully completing it would elevate their family's status.

But Huang Yiyi did not answer immediately. Instead, she looked around cautiously, then suddenly drew a sword from her waist and slashed at her maid, Xiaocui.

Xiaocui collapsed in shock, lifeless on the spot.

Huang Yongxing was stunned by the scene.

He then asked sternly, "What are you doing?"

"Grandfather, what I’m about to say concerns whether the Huang family can become the foremost family in the Great Qin Empire," Huang Yiyi said seriously. "Xiaocui overheard something she shouldn’t have; she must die!"

Seeing Huang Yiyi’s grave expression, Huang Yongxing grew even more curious. "What exactly is this candidate that made you kill Xiaocui?"

"Grandfather, the candidate is the heir to the Great Qin throne!"

"What?!" Huang Yongxing was dumbfounded.

The heir to the Great Qin throne? How was that possible?

Thinking Huang Yiyi might have been deceived, he scolded, "The Divine Sovereign has only recently ascended the throne. How could he be selecting an heir already?"

"And if there were to be a selection, why would it be Shen Lang instead of Nalan Yanran? Are you being fooled?"

Huang Yiyi responded solemnly, "Grandfather, Shen Lang cherishes me like a precious jewel. He wouldn’t lie to me, even if it meant digging up his own father's grave!"

"The candidate is definitely the heir!"

"As for not choosing Nalan Yanran, the answer is obvious—Nalan Yanran is no match for Shen Lang!"

"Do you want to hear what you’ve been saying?" Huang Yongxing’s face darkened.

He thought Huang Yiyi had lost her mind. Otherwise, how could she say such reckless things?

"Grandfather, Shen Lang possesses the Heavenly Spiritual Root, and he is also a disciple of the Divine Sovereign. Why can’t he be the heir?"

This statement left Huang Yongxing at a loss for words.

---

Because everyone in Chang’an knew that Shen Lang had become a disciple of the Divine Sovereign.

If the Divine Sovereign were to select an heir, Shen Lang would indeed be qualified.

However, the matter was too extraordinary to accept lightly.

Even Huang Yongxing dared not make a rash decision. "Are you sure Shen Lang has the Heavenly Spiritual Root?"

"Absolutely. He broke the old willow tree at his doorstep with a single punch!"

"And didn’t you see his performance in Chang’an today?"

"If he was truly useless, could he have defeated someone at the Golden Core stage?"

Hearing Huang Yiyi’s relentless questioning, Huang Yongxing involuntarily gasped.

Suddenly, he felt there might be some truth in her words.

If Shen Lang were indeed useless, why would the Divine Sovereign accept him as a disciple?

Yet, the idea that the Divine Sovereign would immediately select an heir after ascending the throne still seemed too far-fetched.

Huang Yongxing suspected this could be a trap set by Shen Lang and the Divine Sovereign.

Frowning, he asked, "If this is so important, why did Shen Lang tell you about it?"

"Because he loves me!" Huang Yiyi replied proudly. "He’s my loyal admirer. Whatever I ask, he does!"

"He even said that if he becomes the ruler, I will be the empress!"

"From then on, our Huang family will be the greatest family in the Great Qin Empire!"

Recalling Shen Lang’s persistent courtship, Huang Yongxing fell into deep thought.

After a long pause, he asked gravely, "If that’s the case, why did you rush back to see me instead of staying with him?"

"Sigh, because the candidate must undergo an evaluation. The Divine Sovereign demands Shen Lang reach the Golden Core stage within three years or lose his eligibility!"

"But Shen Lang has spent all the family’s money on me over the years. He has no spirit stones left for cultivation!"

"I see!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Yongxing nodded subconsciously.

Without an evaluation, he wouldn’t believe Shen Lang’s words for a second.

But with a test and limitations, it might be true.

After all, Shen Lang’s feelings for Huang Yiyi were genuine.

With that in mind, Huang Yongxing pressed on, "How many spirit stones does he need?"

"Over three million!" Huang Yiyi raised the stakes to secure the palace throne.

"Three million?!"

Huang Yongxing immediately shook his head. "Impossible."

"I can at most support him with thirty thousand spirit stones as a gamble."

"Grandfather, this is our chance!" Huang Yiyi urged anxiously.

---

Huang Yongxing shook his head again. "The time isn’t right yet; opportunities have to come when the moment is ripe."

"But—"

Huang Yiyi wanted to say more.

But Huang Yongxing waved her off. "No buts. I need to go see Lord Zhao now. Wait here."

Without waiting for a reply, he changed his appearance and headed towards Zhao Tianba’s mansion.

---

Three incense sticks later.

Inside Zhao Tianba’s mansion, in the main hall.

Officials in both civil and military posts stood on either side, all with grim expressions.

Today’s assassination attempt on Shen Lang had not only failed but resulted in heavy losses.

Everyone present felt deeply frustrated.

Especially Xing Wenlong, who clenched his teeth and demanded, "Lord Zhao, that little bastard Shen Lang is now a disciple of the Divine Sovereign. What should we do?"

Zhao Tianba’s face darkened. He did not answer immediately but looked toward He Xiufei and slowly asked, "Xiufei, you are my strategist. What do you think?"

"I believe trying to assassinate Shen Lang again in Chang’an would be like a moth flying into the flame."

"Then should we just let that little bastard continue to harm us bit by bit?" Xing Wenlong pressed.

"Old Xing, don’t be impatient. That little bastard will die sooner or later. Our priority now is to understand what ‘candidate’ means."

"Let’s see if we can place someone on that candidate list to plant a thorn in the Divine Sovereign’s side!"

Hearing He Xiufei’s words, everyone nodded.

Even Zhao Tianba spoke solemnly, "Xiufei is right. This candidate Shen Lang mentioned is indeed what we should focus on."

At that moment, Zhao Tianba’s gaze landed on Huang Yongxing among the crowd.

He spoke softly, "Huang Yongxing, has your granddaughter learned any information from Shen Lang?"

Huang Yongxing was about to tell Zhao Tianba the lies Huang Yiyi had told, warning everyone that Shen Lang and the Divine Sovereign might be conspiring again.

However,

Before he could speak,

A voice rang out from outside the door: "I know what the candidate is!"