Chapter 0302: Face-Changing Divine Power Second Prince, Please Don’t Expose Second Prince

From then on, Xie Jinyu grew accustomed to having his second brother by his side.

The kinder his second brother was to him, the more insatiable his demands became. Once he obtained this affection, he began to fear losing it, worried that his second brother’s attention would be diverted, so he drove away all those who displeased him.

He even tried to convince himself that this was what his second brother owed him.

Since he had enjoyed the familial affection that they, the princes and princesses, could not obtain, he should compensate them with himself. And he was different from Xie Shoujun and the others—he was owed the most, so he should enjoy it the longest.

This was only natural.

Although his second brother became lonelier, his gaze also fell more frequently upon him.

What Xie Jinyu regretted most was introducing his second brother to Shen Yuan.

He never expected his second brother to grow so fond of Shen Yuan, nor did he anticipate that when Shen Yuan returned to the capital later, he would stab his second brother’s body to death on the Dragon Throne.

Even more unforeseen was that after painstakingly being reborn, what he witnessed was his genuine second brother having reconciled with Shen Yuan, the two becoming as one.

What right did Shen Yuan have?!

Because of his noble and upright character? Because of his integrity and incorruptibility? Because he was the protagonist of this world?

He refused to accept defeat.

Xie Jinyu was unwilling to concede.

The next day, Xie Jinyu approved Shen Yuan’s memorial in court, appointing the Virtuous Fish Immortal Master as the State Preceptor of Jian’an, who would set off for the capital to assume office immediately.

He intended to hold the coronation ceremony and the State Preceptor’s investiture ritual simultaneously on the same day, to demonstrate the court’s esteem for the State Preceptor.

The ministers were in an uproar, offering repeated admonitions.

Until the future State Preceptor stepped into the Golden Luan Hall, his familiar face sent chills down the ministers’ spines, making them feel as if they had stumbled upon some incredible secret.

No wonder the Crown Prince could predict the earthquake!!!

No wonder Lord Shen came up with that dreadful idea of sending officials to Pingcheng for assignments—!

The Second Prince had never died at all!

The ministers were all frozen in shock, but Xie Chengze enthusiastically grasped their hands, greeting them, “Hello, hello, hello, hello.”

“Ah, looking at this Golden Luan Hall fills me with an exceptionally gentle and comfortable feeling, as if I’ve returned to my own home,” Xie Chengze gazed at the Golden Luan Hall and sighed emotionally.

The ministers: …Isn’t it exactly your own home?!

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, what exactly is going on?” an old minister couldn’t help but step forward and question, “How could the Second Prince become the Virtuous Fish Immortal Master? And now the State Preceptor?If the Second Prince had miraculously survived the fire, he should have resumed his position as Prince Regent or Second Prince—what did becoming the State Preceptor mean?!

As soon as he spoke, his colleague covered his mouth and forcibly dragged him back into the ranks of officials.

Brother! Don’t speak recklessly! Can’t you see the Crown Prince’s sinister, death-like gaze has already fallen upon us!

Your life is at stake!

“Don’t panic, don’t panic.” Xie Chengze stroked his non-existent beard, assuming an air of immortal detachment. “This State Preceptor possesses the divine power of face-changing. The Second Prince has a fortunate countenance, so I merely borrowed it for a while.”

“Nonsense!” The old minister couldn’t resist pushing aside his colleague’s hand, shouting, “Then let the Second Prince change his face right now for your humble servant to see!”

Xie Chengze: “…”

Xie Chengze: “You’re really annoying.”

The old minister: ???

Don’t be frivolous! This is a solemn court! If you want to become the State Preceptor, do it properly and legitimately!

What’s wrong with young people these days!

Xie Chengze could only sigh, gazing with a troubled expression at the elderly minister. “Surely you wouldn’t want the late emperor’s reputation to be tarnished in his final years?”

The elderly minister: Huh?

Huh???

Nearby ministers subtly pricked up their ears.

Some juicy gossip???

“In truth, this Imperial Advisor is a celestial child descended from the heavens,” Xie Chengze declared with an air of authority. “When the late emperor learned of this, to protect the Jian’an Dynasty, he brought Consort Hua into the palace and acknowledged this celestial child as a prince.”

He sighed deeply. “The late emperor, fearing you would not believe it, had no choice but to use the pretext of a forced marriage. How he suffered—ahem, how the late emperor’s reputation suffered all these years!”

The ministers: !!!

So that’s how it was!

No wonder the Directorate of Celestial Observation declared the Second Prince a heavenly blessing at his birth! And recently, the Second Prince has done so many practical deeds for the people—even predicting an earthquake and saving nearly two hundred thousand lives!

Surprisingly, the ministers all believed this explanation.

Xie Chengze wasn’t sure whether to call them superstitious or laugh at how easily he had fooled them.

Since Xie Chengze was not of royal blood, the ministers no longer insisted on restoring his status as the Second Prince. Instead, they agreed that the title of Imperial Advisor was most fitting—it honored his noble origins and promised protection for Jian’an’s future.

Excellent, excellent.

As for holding the coronation and the investiture ceremony on the same day and at the same time, after intense debates filled with historical references and reasoned arguments, the ministers finally conceded. They agreed the events could occur on the same day but not at the exact same hour.

The ministers unanimously decided that the Imperial Advisor’s investiture should come first. Then, the Imperial Advisor would personally attend the new emperor’s coronation to offer blessings for the new ruler, for Jian’an, and for the people.

With that, Xie Jinyu had nothing more to say.

Once the dates for the dual ceremonies were set, the announcement was swiftly relayed to the public and disseminated to all government offices in Jingcheng.

The entire capital began decorating with lanterns and streamers. Fresh petals were gathered from the mountains, stone-paved streets were cleaned, the Imperial Advisor’s procession route through Jingcheng was confirmed, and guards were arranged to prevent overcrowding and ensure the procession reached the palace at the auspicious hour.

On the day of the dual ceremonies—

As dawn’s first light touched the clean, lengthy streets of Jingcheng, casting a cool gleam, shops and homes stood empty. Countless citizens flocked to the streets, eagerly craning their necks for a glimpse of the Imperial Advisor.

As grand and solemn ceremonial music swelled, a magnificent procession slowly came into view. Leading the way were four Dragon Guards clad in golden armor, postures erect, strides firm and powerful. They gripped gleaming spears that flashed coldly, their stern faces and imposing presence radiating imperial majesty.

Behind the Dragon Guards walked four towering strongmen. In pairs, they carried massive placards with ebony bases, edged in gold and inscribed with mysterious symbols. These shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight, seeming to hold boundless cosmic secrets, inspiring awe in all who beheld them.

Further back marched two rows of attendants in plain-colored robes. Their steps were light as they held exquisite bronze basins filled with vibrant, delicate petals. With each step, they scattered the petals into the air like celestial blessings drifting on the wind, prompting the crowd to eagerly reach for them.

The Imperial Advisor rode atop a majestic white tiger, which had clearly been meticulously groomed. Its fur was adorned with colorful silk ribbons, the “king” character on its forehead outlined with cinnabar patterns, and its powerful limbs were hung with golden bronze bells that jingled with every step, radiating an aura of divinity.

Eight attendants carried an empty palanquin canopy, from which layers of bead curtains cascaded. Each bead was smooth and round, emitting a soft glow and swaying gently with the movement, producing clear, melodious sounds like celestial music.

The most striking figure was the Imperial Advisor, whose jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall down their back and over the tiger. They wore no extravagant gem-encrusted crown, only a simple aqua jade hairpin holding their hair in a casual updo, exuding an immortal’s elegance and ethereal grace. A veil partially obscured their face, concealing their true features, yet one could still glimpse their breathtaking beauty. Their slender face revealed a pair of captivating eyes, gentle and compassionate like a bodhisattva’s, drawing people in irresistibly.

This was the very image of an immortal bodhisattva.

The procession advanced slowly, and wherever it passed, the common people knelt and kowtowed, murmuring prayers to seek the Imperial Advisor’s protection and blessings.

The Imperial Advisor gave a slight nod, lifted the bead curtain beside them, and scattered prepared “red envelopes” from their sleeve.

“Thank you all for coming so early to show your support!”

“Your journey won’t be in vain!”

“None of your journeys will be in vain—!”

Amid this solemn yet serene atmosphere, the Imperial Advisor’s procession gradually faded into the distance, leaving behind a trail of flowers and blessing packets. The people surged onto the streets, eagerly picking up the packets scattered by the Imperial Advisor, only to discover they contained copper coins and bits of silver.

Oh ho—

So these were luck-based blessing packets!