Douluo Dalu: Beginning with Signing in with Yan Lingji

Chapter 196: Breaking the Engagement, Dai Mubai Kneels

Dai Long looked at the crowd with a satisfied smile.

He glanced at Dai Mubai with a hint of approval.

Initially, he thought his son was an incompetent failure. But now, he realized he was wrong.

Not only was Dai Mubai not a failure, but he was also a genius. In the future, he could break through to the rank of Titled Douluo and lead the Dai family to new heights.

In this world, only the Spirit Hall and the top three sects have strong individuals at the Titled Douluo level. Many other Titled Douluo are rogue cultivators. After all, reaching the Titled Douluo level means they don't want to be bound by others.

In the future, there might be another force with a Titled Douluo.

With the Dai family having both the military power of the Star Luo Empire and a Titled Douluo, they could surpass the Heaven Dou Empire. They might even unify the continent one day. Although with the Spirit Hall around, unifying the continent was unlikely, they would no longer fear the Spirit Hall.

"Mubai, come, sit next to me," Dai Long smiled, inviting Dai Mubai to sit on his left side.

Dai Long's favor and attention were evident.

Seeing Dai Long's attention on Dai Mubai, the people present had mixed expressions. Those who originally supported Davis looked uncomfortable, while those who had recently allied with Dai Mubai were smiling broadly.

As the saying goes, "A new emperor brings new ministers."

Every time a prince ascends to the throne, there's a major purge in the court. No one at their level wants to be removed.

"Your Majesty, Mubai is an exceptionally talented young man. As the saying goes, 'A hero deserves a beautiful bride.' I have a daughter who just turned fourteen and has already broken through to the Soul Elder level. Her talent is quite impressive. If Mubai doesn't mind, I would like to offer my daughter to him," Xu Ao stood up, and a beautiful young girl with a graceful figure and stunning appearance stepped forward.

"Fourteen and already a Soul Elder?" Dai Long raised an eyebrow in surprise. Although not as shocking as Dai Mubai breaking through to the Soul Ancestor at fifteen, it was still a sign of a genius.

"I recall you have a talented daughter named Xu Jiajia. Is this her?" Dai Long examined the girl curiously.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this is my daughter," Xu Ao smiled, pulling Xu Jiajia forward. "Jiajia, greet His Majesty."

"Jiajia greets Your Majesty," Xu Jiajia curtsied and said softly.

"Haha, good, good," Dai Long laughed heartily. Allowing Xu Ao's precious daughter to marry into the royal family would make it much easier to control the Xu family.

Dai Mubai looked at the charming Xu Jiajia and felt a bit excited.

Although Xu Jiajia wasn't as beautiful as Zhu Zhuqing, she was still a great beauty.

Moreover, her talent was undoubtedly that of a genius.

Such a girl would marry him, becoming his woman.

And being the daughter of Xu Ao, the head of the Xu family, her status was comparable to Zhu Zhuqing's. Winning her meant gaining the support of the Xu family, increasing his chances of securing the position of crown prince.

As Dai Mubai thought about this, he was ecstatic and increasingly satisfied with Xu Jiajia. Her graceful figure and beautiful appearance made her a perfect match for him.

At the same time, his gaze drifted towards Zhu Zhuqing with a smug look.

Now, with so many people watching, he would marry Xu Jiajia. In the future, he would be with Xu Jiajia. Even if Zhu Zhuqing regretted it now, it was too late. Even if he managed to take her back from Zhao Ming, he wouldn't favor her.

"Minister Xu, Jiajia is indeed a good girl. But Mubai is already betrothed to Zhu Qing, Minister Zhu's daughter. If I were to arrange another engagement for Mubai, Minister Zhu might not be pleased," Dai Long said with a smile, glancing at Zhu Zihau with a hint of amusement.

"Your Majesty, that's not necessarily the case. It's customary for men to have multiple wives, especially for someone from the royal family like Mubai. He can't have just one wife, can he? Of the three great unfilial acts, having no descendants is the worst. I believe Minister Zhu understands this," Xu Ao said calmly, looking at Zhu Zihau.

"That's true. Minister Zhu, what do you think?" Dai Long asked Zhu Zihau, smiling.

Currently, the Zhu family held significant influence, and although the Dai family controlled the Star Luo Empire, the Zhu family had considerable sway in politics. This caused some dissatisfaction. Bringing in the Xu family was a way to diminish the Zhu family's influence. Now that Xu Ao was willing to marry his daughter into the Dai family, it was an excellent opportunity. The relationship between the Xu family and them would become much closer.

At the banquet, everyone's eyes turned to Zhu Zihau, eager to see how he would respond.

The Dai and Zhu families had been allies for a thousand years, strengthening the Star Luo Empire. The country's strength surpassed that of the Heaven Dou Empire.

But now, the Dai family seemed intent on reducing the Zhu family's influence.

If Zhu Zihau agreed, the Xu family's influence would rise significantly.

The result would be the Dai family dominating, with the Zhu and Xu families as separate entities.

Zhu Zihau sat in his chair, trembling with anger. He hadn't expected Dai Long and Xu Ao to be scheming like this.

Did they want to weaken the Zhu family?

Before, he might have tolerated it, but now he feared nothing from Dai Long.

If Dai Long wanted to discard him, Zhu Zihau wouldn't give him face.

"Your Majesty, Mubai is indeed good, and Jiajia is an excellent girl. I agree to their marriage," Zhu Zihau stood up and said firmly.

"Good, Minister Zhu, you are indeed my right-hand man," Dai Long said joyfully, not expecting Zhu Zihau to agree so easily.

It seemed the Zhu family was not as formidable as he had thought. Perhaps he had been overly cautious before.

Seeing this, Dai Mubai also smiled happily.

The Zhu family wasn't as strong as he had thought. With Xu Ao's help, he could easily secure the position of crown prince. In the future, both Xu Jiajia and Zhu Zhuqing would be his women, and no one could stop him.

"Minister Zhu, do you have something else to say?" Dai Long asked, noticing Zhu Zihau standing tall, indicating he had more to say.

"Your Majesty, I wish to annul the engagement between Zhu Qing and Mubai," Zhu Zihau said firmly.

Zhu Zihau's words caused a deathly silence in the hall.

Everyone stared at Zhu Zihau in disbelief.

They couldn't believe what they had just heard. Zhu Zihau wanted to cancel his daughter's engagement with Dai Mubai.

Were the Dai and Zhu families, allies for a millennium, now on the verge of breaking apart?

Everyone was shocked, not expecting such a significant development at the banquet.

"What did you say? You want to cancel the engagement?" Dai Long couldn't remain calm, standing up abruptly. He hadn't expected Zhu Zihau to take such a step. This was the first time in a thousand years of Dai-Zhu alliances that an engagement was being called off.

Was the harmony between the Dai and Zhu families going to end with him?

Dai Long thought, feeling deep regret.

His intention was only to slightly weaken the Zhu family's influence, not to truly sever ties. The reason the Dai and Zhu families thrived in the Star Luo Empire was their strong alliance.

With their spirit fusion technique and status as great families, their union made them formidable.

Both families understood their mutual indispensability. For a thousand years, neither had harbored much suspicion towards the other, let alone considered breaking an engagement.

"That's right, I wish for Your Majesty to dissolve my daughter's engagement with the third prince," Zhu Zihau said.

"Why?" Dai Long asked, agitated, looking at Zhu Zihau, his body trembling slightly from the shock.

"Although the third prince has monstrous talent, his character is flawed. While the Zhu and Dai families have a long-standing marriage alliance, I cannot push my daughter into a fire pit," Zhu Zihau said.

"Flawed character?" Everyone was stunned, looking at Dai Mubai with confusion.

Dai Mubai was almost petrified with fear.

He never imagined Zhu Zihau would come with Zhu Zhuqing to break the engagement.

Breaking the engagement would ruin his reputation.

Thinking of this, Dai Mubai glared at Zhao Ming with resentment.

He knew this idea must have come from Zhao Ming. Only Zhao Ming would do such a thing.

Zhao Ming was trying to ruin him.

"Mubai, tell me the truth. What have you done?" Dai Long's face changed, looking at Dai Mubai. Being away from home for years, he was unaware of Dai Mubai's exploits.

"I..." Dai Mubai stammered, not knowing what to say.

"Let me speak," Zhu Zihau glanced at Dai Mubai and then said angrily, "Dai Mubai has been a libertine for years, which is tolerable. But he even frequented brothels. My daughter's purity cannot be compromised by marrying such a person."

"What? The third prince visited brothels?"

"As a prince, a noble figure, how could he go to such places?"

"Is this what a prince should be? It's a disgrace to the royal family."

Hearing Zhu Zihau's words, the banquet erupted with discussions, all directed at Dai Mubai. If it were an ordinary prince, they might not dare to speak so openly. But this was Dai Mubai, a contender for the throne. Those belonging to Davis's faction seized the opportunity to discuss the matter.

"Mubai, did you really do such things?" Dai Long couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. As emperor, his son, a prince, had access to any woman he desired. Why go to such places? Now that Zhu Zihau had exposed it, he felt utterly humiliated.

"Yes," Dai Mubai admitted, unable to deny it. With Zhao Ming and Zhu Zhuqing present, any investigation by Dai Long would reveal the truth.

"You worthless brat," Dai Long said, filled with disappointment, slapping Dai Mubai hard.

"Father," Dai Mubai said, holding his bruised face, shocked that his joyous day had turned into this disaster.

"Don't call me father. I have no son like you," Dai Long said angrily, slapping him again.

As the emperor of the Star Luo Empire, he felt utterly disgraced in front of his ministers.

After today, the story of the Dai family prince visiting brothels and getting rejected by the Zhu family would spread nationwide, damaging his reputation.

And it was all caused by this incompetent son.

"Father," Dai Mubai said, looking at Dai Long with fear. But he couldn't give up. If Dai Long lost faith in him, how could he ever hope to claim the throne?

Dai Long looked at Dai Mubai, feeling both disappointed and a bit of sympathy.

After all, he was still his son, with the potential to become a Titled Douluo.

"You worthless brat, go over there now, kneel before Zhuqing, and apologize," Dai Long said, dragging Dai Mubai in front of Zhu Zihau and Zhu Zhuqing.

This was the only way to reduce Dai Mubai's guilt.

A prince kneeling would leave Zhu Zihau with no reason to break the engagement.

"Kneel and apologize?" Dai Mubai's face showed despair.

How could he, a dignified man, kneel before a woman?

Especially when this woman was his fiancée?

No, absolutely not.

"Hurry and kneel before Zhuqing in apology. If she doesn't forgive you, don't stand up," Dai Long said, slapping Dai Mubai again. Was this useless son unable to endure even this humiliation?

If the Zhu family succeeded in breaking the engagement, he'd never be able to claim the throne of the Star Luo Empire. Their family would become a laughingstock.

To rule the Star Luo Empire, one must marry a daughter of the Zhu family. It's a tradition. It's the legacy of their spirit fusion technique, and breaking it would have dire consequences.

So, Dai Long pushed his pride aside, making Dai Mubai kneel to save the engagement.

Without the Zhu family, even if Dai Mubai became a Titled Douluo, he couldn't inherit the throne.

"No," Dai Mubai said, looking at Zhao Ming's smiling face with gritted teeth.

If he knelt, he'd lose his dignity.

Dai Long's face darkened, and with a surge of soul power, he struck Dai Mubai's leg.

Bang.

Dai Mubai fell to his knees.

Kneeling on the ground, Dai Mubai looked despondent, his eyes filled with despair.

He had knelt before so many people. How could he face them in the future?

He would become a laughingstock, the subject of gossip among the elite of the Star Luo Empire.

He would never again be able to stand tall.

Thinking of this, Dai Mubai felt broken and deeply pained.

He would rather die than live with such humiliation.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.