Chapter 2247: Chapter 1937: Your Majesty, Prince Zhen Nan Requests an Audience!

After Zhuang Wei made way, Prince Zhen Nan directly walked towards the Long Life Hall.

Watching Prince Zhen Nan’s back, those present and those secretly observing looked extremely concerned. At this moment, those paying attention to Prince Zhen Nan’s every move were essentially all people from the Empress Dowager’s faction, who naturally did not want to see Prince Zhen Nan and Emperor Zhou unite.

However, thinking of this as an order from the Empress Dowager, they could only watch helplessly, believing that the Empress Dowager had her own deeper reasons for doing this.

At this time, inside the Long Life Hall.

Emperor Zhou, dressed in a Dragon Robe, sat upright on the mat. Sensing the aura coming from the palace gate, he couldn’t help but furrow his eyebrows.

What is going on?

Is someone taking action in the Imperial Palace?

Judging from the aura, both sides involved are at least Earth Realm.

Are two Earth Realm warriors fighting inside the Imperial Palace?

Emperor Zhou then said to the eunuch in the hall, "Go and see what’s happening."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The eunuch promptly left the hall.

Only moments passed before the eunuch returned to the hall, showing a hint of pleasure on his face, and excitedly said, "Your Majesty, Prince Zhen Nan seeks an audience!"

Hearing this, Emperor Zhou and Mu Yunxi in the shadows of the Long Life Hall were both stunned.

Prince Zhen Nan?

Isn’t he a dying man? How did he come to the palace at this time?

Considering the commotion outside earlier, could it be that Prince Zhen Nan clashed with a member of the royal family?

Emperor Zhou immediately dismissed this thought; Prince Zhen Nan had been bedridden, unable to rise, how could he possibly have the strength to clash with a powerful Earth Realm member of the royal family? Likely, an Earth Realm Strong Person from the Zhen Nan Prince Manor tried to escort Prince Zhen Nan into the palace, and a royal family member objected, leading to a conflict.

Regardless of who was involved outside, the fact that Prince Zhen Nan personally came to the palace surprised Emperor Zhou greatly.

Emperor Zhou, after regaining his composure, said, "Let him in."

Emperor Zhou was now very curious why Prince Zhen Nan sought him out at this time; could it be because he lifted the confinement order on Ji Yunmeng, leading Prince Zhen Nan to perceive him as siding with the Zhen Nan Prince Manor, prompting this alliance gesture?

While Emperor Zhou was lost in thought, Prince Zhen Nan’s figure emitting Death Qi appeared in the Long Life Hall. Seeing Prince Zhen Nan walked in, Emperor Zhou, sitting on the mat, raised his eyebrows.

Is this a dying man’s behavior?

Didn’t the Imperial Physician say Prince Zhen Nan’s backlash was severe and he was close to death or being transformed into a spiritual evil? How can he still manage to get out of bed and walk?

Earlier, he thought Prince Zhen Nan would be carried in by people from the Zhen Nan Prince Manor; even in the best scenario, he should be supported by someone. Yet Prince Zhen Nan was not only unguided but walked steadily.

Seeing Emperor Zhou seated on the mat, Prince Zhen Nan symbolically bowed to Emperor Zhou, "This old minister pays respect to Your Majesty!"

Emperor Zhou immediately stood up, personally approached Prince Zhen Nan, and supported his shoulder, saying, "Prince Zhen Nan, please dispense with the formalities."

Getting closer to Prince Zhen Nan, Emperor Zhou sensed the spiritual evil emanating from his body; the Black Evil felt incredibly ominous, indicating Prince Zhen Nan indeed suffered severe backlash and was nearing death.

Emperor Zhou asked directly, "I heard that Prince Zhen Nan recently suffered backlash from spiritual evil, making it difficult to move around. Why did you personally come to my Long Life Hall today? Did Prince Zhen Nan burn off his vitality?"

Prince Zhen Nan knew the situation of Lu Chen refining the Black Evil must never be known, so he proactively admitted, "Yes, Your Majesty, I had to do so to meet Your Majesty."

Emperor Zhou was slightly stunned, as Prince Zhen Nan’s physical condition was already dire and he might not last long. Now, burning vitality, he would only die faster.

Prince Zhen Nan risking so much to visit the palace couldn’t just be a simple meeting with him, the puppet emperor.

Emperor Zhou suspected Prince Zhen Nan wanted to beseech him to protect the entire Zhen Nan Prince Manor, hence the personal visit.

Emperor Zhou then said, "Prince Zhen Nan, is there a major issue you wish to discuss with me?"

At this point, Emperor Zhou promptly reminded, "Prince Zhen Nan should understand that I am focused on my cultivation, paying little attention to court affairs. If you came for the Zhen Nan Prince Manor, you might have chosen the wrong person."

Currently, the Empress Dowager controls the court, and his edicts rarely leave the palace. Requesting protection for the soon-to-be overwhelmed Zhen Nan Prince Manor from him, a puppet emperor, was sheer impossibility.

Upon hearing Emperor Zhou’s reminder, a trace of humor surfaced on Prince Zhen Nan’s wrinkled face, "Your Majesty misunderstands; my purpose for entering the palace is to seek a marriage alliance for my son."

Emperor Zhou was stunned once more, and the entire hall plunged into silence.

Emperor Zhou was somewhat doubtful if he was hearing correctly.

But soon, Emperor Zhou reacted; Prince Zhen Nan specifically sought him out for a marriage alliance, implying the intended bride wasn’t an ordinary Aristocratic Family daughter but a princess.

Currently, only Princess Ji Yunmeng had any connection to the Zhen Nan Prince Manor, indicating who Prince Zhen Nan intended for Lu Chen to marry was transparent.

Emperor Zhou coldly said, "Prince Zhen Nan has calculated well; do you wish to bind the Zhen Nan Prince Manor and the royal family together?"

Emperor Zhou perceived Prince Zhen Nan’s intention to firmly establish the alliance between the Emperor and the Zhen Nan Prince Manor. Once Ji Yunmeng entered the Zhen Nan Prince Manor, people would surely think Emperor Zhou was firmly aligned, allowing the Zhen Nan Prince Manor to leverage his name for protection from the Imperial Faction.

Upon hearing Emperor Zhou’s remarks, Prince Zhen Nan calmly stated, "Your Majesty, the Zhen Nan Prince Manor has always been tied to the Royal Family. Your Majesty surely remembers that the First Generation Prince Zhen Nan and the Grand Ancestor of Zhou were sworn brothers."

Hearing Prince Zhen Nan, Emperor Zhou couldn’t help but want to laugh; back during the dynasty’s founding, the relationship between the First Generation Prince Zhen Nan and the Grand Ancestor of Zhou was indeed very strong, the firmest allies. But that was ages ago.

Since the Grand Ancestor’s death, every Emperor of Dazhou has viewed the Zhen Nan Prince Manor with contempt, employing various means to suppress and weaken its power. The conflict between Zhen Nan Prince Manor and the Dazhou Royal Family reached a point where reconciliation was impossible, how could they still be bound together?

Nonetheless, Emperor Zhou understood why Prince Zhen Nan brought up the First Generation’s relationship with the Grand Ancestor now, merely as preparation for what he was about to say.

As expected, Prince Zhen Nan continued, "The Royal Family and the Zhen Nan Prince Manor are inherently linked; mutually dependent. Nowadays, with the dragon stranded in shallows and the Emperor Star obscured, the Zhen Nan Prince Manor faces adverse effects."

"I, as Prince Zhen Nan, should stand up, like the First Generation Prince Zhen Nan, and remove obstacles for Your Majesty." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Hearing Prince Zhen Nan’s loyal words, Emperor Zhou inwardly scoffed, these words are merely pleasant sounds.

Prince Zhen Nan continued, "However, the reason I seek a marriage alliance for my son is mainly due to my son’s affection for Princess Yun’an, nothing more."