Schemes in Draken City and Sleepless Fathers-to-Be

War smoke has engulfed the realms of Soaring Phoenix and Chu, and the common people are suffering terribly.

Even though the fighting hasn’t directly threatened the lives of ordinary people, everyone is still extremely anxious.

First off, most of the kids are out fighting on the battlefield.

Second, Song Zhijue isn’t fighting some outsider—he’s going up against his own little sister.

Third, the more Song Zhijue tries to justify snatching his sister’s throne, the more confusing his speeches get.

Of course, Cao Wan’er isn’t one to sit quietly either. She spreads the opposite rumor, saying Ivy is just the child of the late emperor and a maid.

Because she was never in the palace, she supposedly hates everything and wants to steal everything from her big brother.

So, all kinds of versions of the story are spreading everywhere.

But in all this confusion, people can agree on one thing: where did the late emperor’s Dragon-Phoenix Jade Seal go?

For hundreds of years, every emperor who’s taken the throne has had the Dragon-Phoenix Jade Seal. So what about now?

People are confused and hesitant. They’ve always been cared for by the late emperors, and with the old emperor around, they had good harvests and plenty to eat every year.

But a war this big—they haven’t seen anything like it in ages.

Worried, they’re terrified their own kids might hurt innocent people on the battlefield.

To them, it’s already weird that Song Zhijue can’t show the Jade Seal. Plus, Cao Wan’er’s ruthless tactics just make the already unhappy people even more resentful.

Draken City. Palace.

“Is Jue’er still busy?” Outside Serenity Hall, Cao Wan’er narrowed her eyes and gazed thoughtfully ahead.

“Yes, Empress Dowager, His Majesty called in all the ministers today to discuss how to deal with Chu Kingdom. Luna just saw General Tong arrive.”

The General Tong Luna mentioned is the fiercest commander in Soaring Phoenix. Every soldier under his command is a martial arts prodigy.

He’s won battle after battle, becoming Soaring Phoenix’s top general. This time, his main job is to lead his elite troops to the front lines.

“Oh, he’s here too?” Cao Wan’er was honestly surprised. Unless things were truly desperate, Jue’er would never play his trump card so easily.