Chapter 422 Becoming Hope

"Alas, I didn't expect the Third Prince to lose so badly."

"Who said it wasn't? It's too unreasonable for a Sixth Rank to lose to the Thirteenth Princess who has no cultivation."

"It seems that we can't just look at the superficial things."

"And did you see his attitude towards General Manager Zhao just now? Even for the prince, it's a bit too much, isn't it?"

"Not only that, the two eunuchs around him probably won't have a good ending when they go back."

"And... it's really too out of control."

Shock, disappointment, derogation...

All kinds of negative comments came from the stands, like poisonous insects that penetrated everywhere, and got into the ears of the Third Prince.

When the game started, these people's flattery of him was still in his ears, but now it turned into vicious attacks.

The Third Prince was so angry that he gritted his teeth, making a creaking sound that made people feel sour.

The attendants who supported him were all silent, not even daring to breathe, for fear of attracting the attention of the Third Prince and becoming the target of his anger.

The Third Prince was also full of regret at this time. If he had known that he would end up like this, he would have pretended to be unconscious when he was kicked into the Fengliu Eye for the first time, so that he could have ended up decently.

If he had not endured the pain in his abdomen for a moment of rage, thinking that he could bear it, his pants would not be like this now.

"Alas, if I had known this, why did I do it in the first place."

Thinking that it was all his own fault, the Third Prince's anger could not help but dissipate with powerlessness.

"I underestimated Ankang's cat."

"No, I underestimated Ankang too much."

"Her exaggerated physical fitness doesn't look like someone who has never practiced."

"Is there any special way to hide her cultivation?"

The Third Prince was supported back, thinking all the way, trying to find a reasonable reason for his failure.

...

On the other side.

Princess Ankang took Li Xuan and Yu'er around the court to thank the audience, and then returned to her seat.

Seeing Princess Ankang leave the court to rest, all the princes and princesses turned their eyes to her and kept looking at her.

"Sister Ankang, you are really amazing."

"The third brother was so arrogant, but you kicked him out of his shit. It's so refreshing!"

Princess Yuan'an said without hesitation.

"Ahem..."

"Yuan'an, you are a royal princess, be careful with your words when you speak."

The fifth prince reminded her from the side.

"But I kicked out of my shit."

Princess Yuan'an said unconvinced.

The fifth prince saw that he couldn't convince her, so he shook his head and gave up decisively, and turned to Princess Ankang and said:

"I didn't expect your ball skills to be so good. It seems that you let me down yesterday."

The fifth prince nodded and praised, with an expression that said, "I did not misjudge you."

In his eyes, Princess Ankang has always been a person who hides her talent, and he didn't expect that she was also the same in Cuju.

This point made the fifth prince especially admire him.

How many people would brag about the smallest things to show off their existence.

But Princess Ankang has always been low-key, modest and polite.

She is modest and prudent, not arrogant, polite in dealing with others and harmonious with others.

She is really a role model for our generation, and the fifth prince is ashamed of herself.

The eighth prince said with a constipated look on his face:

"Ankang, if my brother is promoted later, you have to ask your cat to show mercy."

"I am not the third brother, I still have to save my face."

The eighth prince habitually whipped the third prince's corpse, and even when he was not present, he still belittled him.

"Don't worry, my brother, Ah Xuan is very sensible, how could he bully you."

Princess Ankang promised with a smile.

The Eighth Prince was relieved immediately and took a look at Li Xuan in Princess Ankang's arms. As a result, he saw that the cat showed him a malicious smile, with the corner of its mouth slightly raised, one of its white tiger teeth pointed at him, and a pair of big eyes full of cruel and crazy dangerous light.

The Eighth Prince was so scared that he almost fell off the stool. He barely held on to the table to stabilize his body.

"Ankang, look at your cat!"

The Eighth Prince pointed at Li Xuan and complained loudly.

"Huh?"

Princess Ankang followed the Eighth Prince's finger and looked down.

As a result, he found that Li Xuan was blinking obediently, looking up and meeting her eyes. In his ignorant eyes, there was purity and beauty.

At this moment, Princess Ankang's heart was about to melt.

"Hmm-"

"Myna, isn't Ah Xuan very cute."

Princess Ankang held Li Xuan in her arms and kept rubbing her cheek against Li Xuan's little head, looking like she was immersed in it.

Princess Yuan An watched enviously from the side, her eyes almost red.

But seeing Li Xuan also looking so cute and enjoying himself, she couldn't help but feel sweet inside.

The fifth prince also took a look, nodded and praised:

"Ankang, your cat is really amazing."

"It's the strength that can kick the shit out of the third brother. I've never heard of it."

"Whose little cat is so strong?"

The fifth prince was amazed.

But the eighth prince wanted them to see not Li Xuan's current green tea look, but the scary expression that threatened him before.

"I'm not telling you that!"

And while no one was looking at him, Li Xuan glared at the eighth prince fiercely, as if he would kick the shit out of him if he dared to talk nonsense again.

The eighth prince was so scared by Li Xuan's glare that he pointed repeatedly:

"It's this expression, it's too scary!"

The few people looked again and found that Li Xuan was still the cute little cat before.

Princess Yuan An was immediately dissatisfied and said:

"Old Eight, Ah Xuan is so cute, how can he be scary?"

"I advise you not to talk nonsense."

The Fifth Prince also took the opportunity to say:

"I think you think you can't beat this little cat and want to cheat?"

"Ankang, people like Old Eight must be kicked to death. Kick them hard later and let him taste the taste of Old Three."

The Eighth Prince was so scared that he wanted to strangle the Fifth Prince who was talking nonsense.

"Good Old Five, I'll strangle the shit out of you first."

After saying that, the Eighth Prince stretched out his hand and pretended to strangle the Fifth Prince's neck, and the two started to play around in their seats.

Princess Ankang couldn't help laughing when she saw them making such a fuss, and her heart was warm.

In the past, Princess Ankang hated such crowded scenes.

Although there were gatherings in the Imperial Garden every month before, every time she attended, it was just a reminder of how lonely she was.

Whenever Princess Ankang pretended to sleep in a corner, she could not help but hear the cheers and fights of other princes and princesses. At her age, it was impossible for her not to yearn for it.

And now, Princess Ankang's surroundings have also become lively.

This made Princess Ankang realize that she already had what she once desired.

Although even she herself did not realize when more and more people gathered around her.

But Princess Ankang just wanted to cherish this hard-won liveliness.

…

Some are happy and some are sad.

Princess Ankang was laughing and joking, but the atmosphere of the eldest prince and his three siblings was solemn.

"Brother, I think it will be difficult to win."

The fourth prince said tactfully.

This time, even the sixth princess did not refute, but looked at her eldest brother with worry, not knowing how to persuade him.

They put a lot of effort into this month's Cuju competition.

But in the end, they met such a powerless opponent.

They all witnessed how Li Xuan kicked the Third Prince into the Fengliu Eye, and more than once.

The Third Prince was already the one with the highest cultivation among the royal heirs present.

Even the Third Prince was humiliated without the ability to fight back. If the First Prince, whose cultivation was one rank lower, had gone up, the situation would probably be even worse.

Not to mention that their Qingshu Palace and Jingyang Palace had always been at odds, and I'm afraid the other party would be even less merciful.

The First Prince sighed, but didn't say anything.

Perhaps even he himself didn't know what to say.

There were many people who felt the same way as them.

After all, there were still many princes and princesses who supported the First Prince, and they had provided a lot of help in the previous elimination rounds.

But now it seems that facing the strong opponent Princess Ankang, all their efforts were in vain.

"Why do we only limit the cultivation of the attendants, but not the strength of the tamed beasts?"

"It's too foul for Ankang to bring such a cat to participate in the competition!"

The Sixth Princess said unwillingly.

And this sentence reminded the Fourth Prince.

Originally, this rule in the competition rules did not make him pay too much attention.

After all, the beast tribe does not have a cultivation method, and it is impossible to divide the specific grades to distinguish the cultivation like the human race.

Just like the Eighth Prince's A Xiang, although his strength is relatively ordinary in the beast tribe, he shines in the Cuju competition because of his advantage of flying.

But now with the example of Li Xuan, the Fourth Prince can't help but start to think more.

"General Manager Zhao, no..."

"Does the emperor know the existence of that cat!?"

The Fourth Prince's palm under the table suddenly clenched into a fist.

The previous few games were replayed in his mind like slides.

And the Fourth Prince suddenly discovered that every time Princess Ankang won, it seemed that the figure of the black cat was inseparable.

In the past, they just thought that Princess Ankang loved her pet very much.

But now it seems that it is not just that simple.

At this moment, the fourth prince felt that he had figured out a lot of things, and even couldn't help but guess:

"Could it be that the cat was also arranged by my father..."

The fourth prince turned his head and looked at Li Xuan in the distance, with a complicated expression.

"Fourth brother, what's wrong with you?"

The eldest prince saw that the fourth prince looked wrong and asked.

The fourth prince suddenly came back to his senses, looked at the eldest prince, thought for a while and said:

"Brother, this game doesn't have to be won."

The eldest prince was stunned. Just now, the fourth prince had euphemistically told him that it was difficult to win, but now he directly said that he didn't have to win.

Even though he knew that he had a high probability of not beating Princess Ankang, the fourth prince's words made the eldest prince feel helpless.

"Although I also know that the chances of winning are not great, fourth brother, you don't have to keep pouring cold water on me, right?"

"Fourth brother..."

The sixth princess also secretly pulled the corner of the fourth prince's clothes, signaled with her eyes, asking him to encourage the eldest prince and stop saying discouraging words.

The fourth prince smiled and shook his head at his sister, then said seriously:

"Brother, I am not saying discouraging words, but telling the truth."

The sixth princess was so angry that she wanted to pinch the fourth prince's leg flesh, but the fourth prince predicted it in advance and prevented her bad hand.

"Brother, listen to me."

"With that cat around, it is impossible to beat Ankang."

"And that kind of strength cannot be hurt by small tricks."

The fourth prince was obviously talking about the method he used to deal with Axiang before.

Although they were all facts, the eldest prince and the sixth princess still felt discouraged after hearing them.

But then, the fourth prince changed the subject:

"But even so, there are things we can do."

The fourth prince pointed to the Cuju field.

"Brother, look."

"That is not only a Cuju field, but also a stage, and the audience off the field is a gathering of the nobles of the entire Daxing."

"Inside the Taiji Palace sits our father and ministers."

Hearing this, the eldest prince seemed to understand what the fourth prince was going to say.

"Previously, the third brother was a complete failure."

"But brother, you can do the opposite."

"Winning or losing a game is a result, and what impression you can leave on everyone is also a result."

"More importantly, as long as you can make these people have confidence in you, the empress and the Wu family's promotion of the female emperor's enthronement will inevitably be hindered."

"Although Daxing has the precedent of the two holy emperors, in the past thousand years, everyone has long been accustomed to men sitting on the throne."

"It's the same in the court!"

At this time, even the sixth princess' eyes lit up at the fourth prince's words.

"The outcome of today's game is not important. What's important is to give them hope."

"With the empress's accession to the throne blocked and no legitimate son, the only option is to establish the eldest son!"

Hearing this, the eldest prince's expression was slightly moved.

The fourth prince naturally understood the eldest prince's true thoughts, and immediately grabbed his shoulders and persuaded him:

"Take one step at a time."

"At least we still have a way to go now."

The sixth princess blinked and said nothing.

In fact, girls are delicate in mind. Although the sixth princess is not as smart as her two brothers, she has long understood the eldest prince's true thoughts.

It's just that the sixth princess never said it, just pretending not to know.

But even if the sixth princess didn't say it, she also understood how much pressure her eldest brother had taken on for them.

After all, many times they watched the eldest prince being punished by his mother.

After listening to the Fourth Prince's words, the First Prince was silent for a while, then nodded and said:

"Yes, Fourth Brother is right."

"Even if I can't win the game, I can do something."

"I will give them hope."

The First Prince smiled and patted the Fourth Prince's arm with his backhand, indicating that he didn't have to worry about him.

The Fourth Prince avoided the First Prince's gaze with guilt and lowered his head.

At this moment, Zhao Feng, who had taken a short break, came back to the sidelines and announced to everyone:

"The first round of the semi-finals is over, and Her Royal Highness the Thirteenth Princess has successfully advanced to the finals."

"Next is the second round of the semi-finals, which will also determine the next player to advance to the finals."

"Let's invite the two contestants, His Royal Highness the First Prince and His Royal Highness the Eighth Prince to the stage!"

As Zhao Feng's voice fell, there were bursts of warm cheers in the venue.

The First Prince and the Eighth Prince also stood up from their seats.

Li Xuan silently swept Princess Ankang's chin with his tail to make her let go of him, then quietly moved away from the crowd and climbed towards the roof of Taiji Palace.

The most important contestant has not yet appeared!

Li Xuan climbed to the roof, lifted the cloth on the bamboo basket, and said to the inside:

"Axiang, it's your turn!"