According to the country's regulations, as long as the king wished, he could marry as many consorts as he pleased.
However, King Hajif was deeply in love with his consort and had no intention of taking another.
Yet, the country's laws stipulated that if the consort failed to bear a suitable heir for the king, the cabinet could demand the king take another consort.
Another favored candidate for the position of consort was the eldest daughter of the Karpenza family from the Darussalam Kingdom.
The Karpenza family was also a prominent clan in Darussalam, with several ministers in the cabinet belonging to their lineage.
The Karpenza family and Arroyo's family were sworn enemies, locked in a fierce rivalry.
The reason for the strained relationship between the two families was none other than King Hajif of Darussalam.
Although Darussalam was a small nation, its king was exceptionally wise. An enlightened monarch's essential skill was the art of maintaining balance.
Thus, within Darussalam, there were influential families like the Arroyo family, who had far-reaching connections, and the Karpenza family, who stood in opposition to them.
Additionally, several other prominent families of comparable strength existed, creating a dynamic equilibrium through mutual checks and balances and competition.
However, the Karpenza family had been struggling in recent years, steadily losing ground in their competition with the Arroyo family.
This was attributed not only to the Arroyo family's abundance of talent but, more importantly, to the fact that a daughter of the Arroyo family had become the consort.
King Hajif and his consort were deeply devoted to each other, and over the past decade, they had welcomed four daughters.
This, however, offered a glimmer of hope to the Karpenza family, as the succession of royal offspring was intrinsically linked to the nation's foundation.
If the king were to take another consort, it was almost certain that the new consort would be from the Karpenza family.
After all, the current consort was past her prime, while the Karpenza daughter was only in her early twenties. Their family was confident they could win the king's favor, and with it, the Karpenza family could even overturn the Arroyo family's dominance.
Therefore, Arroyo was extremely invested in the matter of treating his sister, personally overseeing the reception of all experts and hosting banquets almost every evening.
As long as his sister's illness could be cured and the consort could successfully give birth to an heir for the kingdom, the Arroyo family would be able to overcome this crisis.
He even humbled himself to consult with every medical expert, not sparing even Ling Tian, who had just arrived today.
"We are doctors, but even doctors cannot say just anything to the patient's family.
Mr. Arroyo, I would like to ask you, do you wish to hear comforting words, or the truth?
You must understand that reality can sometimes be very harsh."
"Mr. Ling Tian, I understand your meaning. Please do not hesitate to speak frankly.
Our Arroyo family is not an ordinary household. I hope you will tell us the truth so that we can be prepared."
Ling Tian subtly employed his Heavenly Eye divine ability and found Arroyo's words to be sincere. He then nodded.
"The consort's condition is very grim. This child, it is unlikely we can save it!"
"Mr. Ling Tian, is there any way to save the child, even if..."
Arroyo's words carried a hidden meaning, which Ling Tian understood: it would be better for the consort to die than to lose the child.
After all, as long as this child was born, it would essentially be the primary heir to the future king, solidifying the Arroyo family's position.
Ling Tian shook his head, his expression becoming very serious.
"Mr. Arroyo, the situation is not that simple. On the surface, it appears to be the consort who is ill, but in reality, the root of the problem lies with the child!
I have seen some related cases, but without seeing the patient, I cannot confirm. I hope you can arrange for me to diagnose the consort as soon as possible.
Only a face-to-face diagnosis can yield the most accurate judgment."
"Very well, Mr. Ling Tian, I will arrange it as soon as possible! I wish you a pleasant evening..."
Arroyo departed, his face grim. Clearly, the news Ling Tian brought was not cause for much joy.
Just then, A'li, carrying a full tray of food, plopped down opposite La'gou, appearing somewhat impatient.
"What's wrong, A'li? Who upset you?" Ling Tian asked curiously.
"A crazy woman bumped into me just now, and then that woman kept following me. It's so annoying. There are so many people here, and you won't let me act..."
Before coming to Darussalam, Ling Tian had repeatedly cautioned A'li to temporarily set aside her proud and unruly nature. Even if someone caused trouble, she was not to act rashly.
She was to endure any grievances and settle the score later when they left.
Ling Tian followed the direction A'li pointed and saw a very beautiful young girl constantly looking at A'li, her gaze filled with admiration and expectation.
This girl was Yu Gong Yui, sitting at a table diagonally opposite, continuously glancing towards A'li and Ling Tian.
Ling Tian raised his hand and waved in Yu Gong Yui's direction. Yu Gong Yui froze for a moment, then bit her lip and, gathering her courage, walked over.
She approached Ling Tian and bowed to him.
"Hello, my name is Yu Gong Yui..."
Yu Gong Yui greeted Ling Tian and the others in relatively awkward Chinese.
"Why are you pestering my sister? Your behavior is very rude!" Ling Tian raised his voice slightly and questioned.
"Impossible, she can't possibly be your sister!
You are human, while she... is a very powerful yokai. How can you be siblings!"
Yu Gong Yui's words surprised Ling Tian. He hadn't expected anyone to see through A'li's true nature.
Who was A'li? She was a thousand-year-old cat demon. How profound must one's cultivation be to see through A'li? Yet, this girl before him, appearing to be only seventeen or eighteen, could see through A'li.
"Who exactly are you, and what do you want?"
"I... please don't misunderstand, I am a shrine maiden of the Yu Gong family. Our family often interacts with intelligent spirits and monsters. I can sense A'li's aura...
I apologize for my presumption; I was rude..."
After apologizing, Yu Gong Yui left, stealing glances at A'li as she walked away, appearing somewhat unresigned.
Ling Tian then took out his phone and contacted Yan Yu Pavilion. Half an hour later, intelligence regarding Yu Gong Yui and the Yu Gong family in Japan was transmitted by Yan Yu Pavilion.
Yan Yu Pavilion's reach now extended across the entire globe, with its influence particularly strong in East Asia!