Chapter 9

Reading and voting, that's what makes a qualified reader, a good reader, a reader who has transcended low-level interests, a reader who is... In short, I need your recommendation votes.

...

On the first floor of the villa, after eating two large bowls of egg fried rice and drinking a large bowl of mung bean soup, Liu Menglong put down his chopsticks. Seeing Lan Ruyue looking at him with a mix of nervousness and anticipation, he nodded: "It was very good."

"Hmm..." Lan Ruyue let out a relieved smile, gesturing with her hands: "There weren't many ingredients today. After buying more in the afternoon, I'll make a better meal."

"..." Liu Menglong fell silent for a moment, then handed her his phone: "I can't understand, use the contact list!"

"..."

After lunch, Lan Ruyue cleaned the table and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Liu Menglong brewed a pot of Zhuyeqing tea and sat in the living room watching TV. The TV was broadcasting the coronation ceremony of the new king of Huaxia.

Huaxia is a constitutional monarchy. Although the Huaxia royal family holds the highest status and is a symbol of the nation, the military and political power is distributed among ten major families. However, as the royal family and the first of the ten major families, the Long family still controls most of the military and political power to prevent the other nine families from causing national instability.

The succession to the throne is passed on when the current king feels his health and energy are no longer suitable. The successor must be a member of the royal family, specifically a descendant of the Long family.

The succession rules are similar to those of ancient dynasties: the eldest legitimate son is the first in line. If the king has no children, the successor will be chosen from among the king's brothers or their eldest legitimate sons. However, if the king has a secret child, that child becomes the first in line. This is the main reason why Long Zongheng wants to kill Liu Menglong.

Long Zongheng fears that Liu Menglong will kill him and take his place, as Long Qingyun, besides Liu Menglong, only has one son, Long Zongheng.

On the TV screen, a tall and robust middle-aged man, dressed in magnificent attire, walked down the red carpet and finally ascended the platform. After the emcee's announcement, a golden crown was placed on his head, and he received the Imperial Seal, the symbol of the highest power in Huaxia, from the previous king.

The Imperial Seal, also known as the Imperial Jade Seal, is a seal passed down through generations of emperors since the Qin Dynasty. It is a square of four inches, with a five-dragon design on top and the eight characters "受命于天，既寿永昌" (ordained by heaven, long life and prosperity) inscribed on the front, written by Li Si. It serves as a symbol of "divine mandate" and "legitimate rule."

Subsequently, each emperor considered obtaining this seal as a sign of divine mandate, treating it as a precious treasure and a symbol of national importance. Possessing it symbolizes "ordained by heaven," while losing it indicates the end of one's reign. Any emperor who ascends the throne without this seal is mocked as a "white emperor," lacking legitimacy and respect. This has led to intense competition for the seal, which has changed hands many times over 2000 years, finally ending up with the Long family, making them the royal family of Huaxia.

After becoming the royal family, the Long family has seen Huaxia's national fortune flourish. Over a century of development, they now rule over all of East and Southeast Asia, with the largest land area and population in the world. The official name of the country is the Huaxia People's Republic, internationally abbreviated as Huaxia, and domestically referred to as Huaxia.

The one ascending the throne now is Liu Menglong's biological father, Long Qingyun. Whether it is fortunate or unfortunate, Liu Menglong does not resemble Long Qingyun but bears a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to Liu Ying. This has allowed Liu Menglong to avoid much trouble throughout his life. If a young man resembling Long Qingyun appeared, it would certainly attract the attention of some people.

Although he does not look like Long Qingyun, Liu Menglong inherited his physique. Long Qingyun is over 1.8 meters tall, and Liu Menglong is 1.88 meters tall. In contrast, Liu Ying is only a bit over 1.6 meters. If she had not married a tall man like Long Qingyun, she would not have given birth to a son nearly 1.9 meters tall.

Staring at the confident Long Qingyun on TV, Liu Menglong was lost in thought. Since he could remember, he did not know who his father was, and Liu Ying never spoke about his father. Over time, Liu Menglong grew increasingly curious about his father, constantly imagining his appearance. Long Qingyun's image perfectly matched Liu Menglong's ideal father: tall, strong, and full of vigor. Unconsciously, a smile appeared on Liu Menglong's lips: Is this my father...

Suddenly, Liu Menglong's face darkened, his forehead and arms veins bulging. On the TV screen, the new crown prince of Huaxia appeared, a man in his thirties who looked like a younger version of Long Qingyun. He proudly accepted the investiture from Long Qingyun, officially becoming the next heir to the throne of Huaxia.

Liu Menglong's right hand tightly gripped the teacup, his whole body trembling.

It's him! It's him! The face of this man, Liu Menglong would never forget. He is Liu Menglong's legitimate older brother, the one responsible for Guan Shu's death—Long Zongheng!

Bang—

The teacup could not withstand Liu Menglong's grip and shattered, the fragments cutting his palm. Blood dripped to the ground, but Liu Menglong was unaware, his eyes filled with hatred still fixed on the man on TV.

Light footsteps approached quickly. Lan Ruyue, her hands still wet, saw Liu Menglong's bleeding hand and her eyes flashed with panic. She hurried over, pulling Liu Menglong's hand toward the basin of water.

Liu Menglong did not resist, allowing Lan Ruyue to lead him to the basin in the living room. Lan Ruyue first washed Liu Menglong's hand with water. Fortunately, the wound was not deep and would heal in a few days.

Lan Ruyue's eyes showed concern and a hint of reproach as she gestured with her hands: What happened?

After a moment of silence, Liu Menglong shook his head lightly: "Nothing."

Lan Ruyue continued to look at him.

"Really, nothing." Liu Menglong sighed and said, "There's a first-aid kit under the TV stand. Can you get it for me?"

Lan Ruyue looked at him again, then turned to the TV stand and found the first-aid kit in the bottom drawer.

Liu Menglong sat back on the sofa, and Lan Ruyue brought the first-aid kit over.

"Thank you." Liu Menglong opened the first-aid kit and took out Yunnan Baiyao and bandages.

Lan Ruyue snatched the Yunnan Baiyao and bandages, applying the medicine to Liu Menglong's hand herself.

Looking down at Lan Ruyue's beautiful face and her focused expression, a warm current flowed through Liu Menglong's heart.

Soon, Lan Ruyue bandaged Liu Menglong's hand, tying a cute bow. Her technique was very skilled, as if she had done it many times before.

"Thank you."

Lan Ruyue looked up, her bright eyes blinking, and gestured with her hands: Don't do this again. Do you know how worried I was?

A hint of regret flashed in Liu Menglong's eyes as he handed her his phone: "I don't understand."

"..."

After communicating through the phone, feeling Lan Ruyue's genuine concern, Liu Menglong looked at her for a long time and nodded lightly: "I won't do it again."

Seeing that Liu Menglong was not just saying it to placate her, Lan Ruyue smiled brightly and typed on the phone: You're hurt, don't go out to look for a job for now, okay? If you really need money, I have a jade pendant that should be worth something.

Liu Menglong had seen the jade pendant when he saved Lan Ruyue. It was a small, emerald-green Buddha statue, about the size of a fingertip. Liu Menglong was not an expert in jade, but he found the pendant very beautiful, a pure emerald green with no impurities.

"No need." Although he did not know the value of the jade pendant, Liu Menglong was genuinely moved that Lan Ruyue was willing to give him her only valuable possession. However, a man relying on a woman to sell her jewelry for money would be labeled a "waste" for life, and Liu Menglong could not bear that.

"The money at home is enough for us to live on. I only work part-time during the summer to gain some life experience, not for the money." Saying this, Liu Menglong smiled slightly: "Besides, do I look like someone who needs money? This villa alone is worth over 50 million."

Seeing Liu Menglong's smile, Lan Ruyue also smiled, her bright smile touching Liu Menglong's heart.

After putting away the first-aid kit, Lan Ruyue sat with Liu Menglong to watch the king's coronation ceremony. The succession of the king and crown prince was now complete, and the next part was the selection of the queen.

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