The succession ceremony was exactly the same as the last one.
As soon as Shen Qingqing entered the hall, dressed in the purple gown adorned with a sky full of stars, she attracted a lot of attention and many people came to speak with her.
Shen Qingqing politely responded to everyone.
Soon, the protagonist, Pei Xing, arrived.
He wore a sharp black tuxedo and a top hat, looking like a gentleman who had transcended time from the Middle Ages.
Pei Lie and Pei Ji accompanied him.
Under the gaze of everyone, the three of them ascended the steps. Pei Lie held the microphone, his deep voice quickly reaching every corner of the hall.
"Today, I have an announcement to make. Father King has passed away." He closed his eyes in sorrow.
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
"How could this happen?"
"The King was fine just three days ago!"
"How could he suddenly die?"
Pei Lie said, word by word, "Father King passed away due to a sudden illness during the night... we only found out the next day, but it was too late."
"Then why keep it a secret?"
The crowd raised questions, even showing signs of suspicion.
Pei Lie, unable to hide his grief, continued, "At first, I had the same thoughts as all of you, so I began to investigate. It was only when the butler presented Father King's final will that I had no choice but to follow its instructions. I had to inform everyone of this matter... I believe it is necessary to provide an explanation."
The crowd showed expressions of agreement.
Pei Lie continued, "Father King's wish was for our second brother to become the Crown Prince. My brothers and I have discussed it, and we believe that Father King's will must be fulfilled."
The crowd exchanged glances and whispered amongst themselves.
Pei Lie waited for a moment, not expecting any objections. He wasn't surprised, as it would be difficult for anyone to oppose Father King's final will.
"I announce that, from today onwards, my second brother is the Crown Prince."
A hush fell over the hall.
Then, a thunderous applause erupted.
Not only did the crowd not object, but they also expressed their strong approval and surrounded Pei Xing, showing their support.
The atmosphere was warm and harmonious, with everyone wearing smiles.
This succession ceremony proceeded with unbelievable smoothness. Shen Qingqing, holding a glass of red wine, whispered, her voice masked by the wine, "I thought there would be some trouble again."
The impression left by the previous succession ceremony was too profound.
It was so profound that when the ceremony returned to normal, she felt unaccustomed to it.
Fu Jingshu said calmly, "It won't happen a third time."
Shen Qingqing tilted her head. "You seem to understand it well?"
"Pei Xing is not Pei Xi."
One was an upstart, lacking legitimate claim, but Pei Xing was completely different. He was of royal blood, and the King had personally tutored him since childhood.
Pei Lie had always opposed inheriting the throne, and Pei Ji had lost a finger.
These ministers were all astute individuals, adept at playing the game of opportunism. Seeing that the situation was irreversible, they changed their attitudes almost instantly.
As for the matter of taking sides...
As long as Pei Xing intended to ascend the throne, he would not make things difficult for them.
This was because governing the country still required their assistance. Despite their seemingly accommodating demeanor, these ministers were incredibly shrewd.
Shen Qingqing nodded slightly. "Indeed, if they were to object now, it would be equivalent to opposing all three princes. Even if they eventually got their way, their outcome would likely not be good."
Pei Xing became the biggest winner of this succession ceremony.
Surrounded by adoration, he was truly in the spotlight.
Midway through, he could no longer bear it and went to the balcony for some fresh air. He happened to meet Shen Qingqing, who raised her wine glass to him in a toast.
"Congratulations."
Pei Xing gave a wry smile. "What is there to congratulate?"
Shen Qingqing leaned against the railing, her slender waist more accentuated than ever. "Ascending the throne, being above everyone else, aren't you happy?"
"There's nothing to be happy about."
Pei Xing shook his head, his face filled with bitterness, a deep pain hidden in the depths of his eyes.
Shen Qingqing paused slightly. "My condolences."
Pei Xing raised his hand to cover his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse. "If I could exchange this for Father King coming back to life, I would do so without hesitation."
The pain of losing a loved one rendered any words of comfort useless.
Shen Qingqing didn't know what to say either, so she could only give him a quiet space.
Pei Xing took a deep breath, lowered his hand, his eyes slightly moist, but a smile on his lips. "I apologize for making a fool of myself."
"It's only natural to feel pain for your loved ones," she said, draining her glass of red wine.
"Thank you for your understanding." Pei Xing glanced back at the bustling crowd. "I need to go back. As the protagonist... I can't be away for too long."
He said the word "protagonist" with a hint of sarcasm.
After he turned and left, Shen Qingqing remained lost in thought for a long time, only snapping back to reality when Fu Jingshu arrived. She let him take her empty wine glass.
"Do you think I misunderstood?"
Fu Jingshu, thinking of Pei Xing who had just left, guessed that they must have had a conversation. "What did he say?"
"It's nothing, really."
Shen Qingqing's mind was a bit muddled. Seeing that the time was getting late, she leaned on him. "Let's go back and rest. The succession ceremony is almost over anyway, and we're not the protagonists."
There was no need to wait until the end.
"Alright."
He never refused her requests.
Their departure was silent and unnoticed by anyone. This was thanks to Pei Xing, who, as the protagonist of the event, was the center of everyone's attention.
Back in the room, Shen Qingqing felt an itch on her back. "Help me scratch it."
Fu Jingshu moved behind her but hesitated to act.
Shen Qingqing asked, "What's wrong?"
"What did you eat?"
Fu Jingshu's gaze was obscure and deep. On her fair, jade-like back, a dense patch of small red bumps had appeared.
Shen Qingqing was confused. "I didn't eat anything, just a small cake and two glasses of red wine. I checked them all, they're not poisoned."
Fu Jingshu took out his phone, took a picture, and handed it to her. "Look for yourself."
Shen Qingqing glanced at it and immediately frowned. "How could this happen?"
Seeing it only made the itching worse, becoming unbearable. She looked at Fu Jingshu. "Scratch it for me first."
Seeing his lack of reaction, she was about to scratch it herself.
Fu Jingshu grabbed her wrist, his brows furrowed, and his gaze on the red bumps was one of extreme caution. "Don't touch it. I'll have someone call a doctor right away."
He paused, then decided against it.
"Never mind, let's just go to the hospital."
He scooped her up horizontally and turned to walk out.
Downstairs, people saw Fu Jingshu rush out like a gust of wind. Before they could even ask, Pei Lie and Pei Ji exchanged glances.
"I'll go, you stay here," Pei Lie said, turning to walk outside.
Pei Ji stayed behind to placate the bewildered guests. As long as he wasn't the one in charge of the throne, he was quite adept at handling such social situations.
Meanwhile, Pei Lie caught up and asked, "What happened?"
Fu Jingshu's face was dark, and he remained silent.
Shen Qingqing had to explain for him. "I have some bumps on my back. We're going to the hospital to get it checked."