PDLP Chapter 33 A tiny aquatic creature, yet its relationships are quite complicated.
Chapter 33 A tiny aquatic creature, yet its relationships are quite complicated.
Faced with the Dragon Lady's persistent questioning, Ao Guang glanced at his wife and daughters. He sighed again and then asked, "Do you know who this newly appointed Dragon King is?"
Upon hearing this, the four dragon maidens covered their faces and laughed, "Father, how would we know if you didn't tell us? We only heard from the Turtle Clerk that he is handsome, his true form is a golden celestial dragon, holding a jade tablet, and can face the Jade Emperor directly. Father, you have never told us anything else, how would we know?"
Looking at his innocent and carefree fourth daughter, Ao Guang said, "Alas! I really shouldn't have had that wicked thought back then, preventing my son from redeeming her, which brought a great calamity to the East Sea."
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Princess recalled what had happened a few months ago and asked in surprise, "Ah!? Could it be that the immortal who is going to take up his post is the little dragon that came to seek refuge that day?"
The Fourth Princess couldn't help but recall what happened that day. After Yun Chonghua was taken away by the Heavenly Official, the Fourth Princess had a huge outburst of anger towards her father because he had gone back on his word.
He accused his father of either not agreeing at all, or going back on his word after agreeing. He argued that Donghai couldn't protect him and should have just banished him from the palace to fend for himself, but deceiving him first and then betraying him to lure the Heavenly Officials here was extremely unethical.
Ao Guang and Long Po spent a long time appealing to her emotions and reasoning with her.
They even brought up the turbulent times and the safety of the East Sea, and after much persuasion, they finally managed to appease the fourth princess.
The main reason why Ao Guang is so cowardly now, and dares not offend anyone, is that he was terrified of Nezha back then.
Moreover, after the Investiture of the Gods, the disciples of the Three Pure Ones held considerable influence in the Heavenly Realm.
Li Jing, who used to be so obsequious to him at Chentang Pass, has now become the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King under the Jade Emperor. He may not be second only to the Emperor, but he is not someone the East Sea can afford to offend.
For hundreds of years, he had been terrified that someone would seize on even the slightest incriminating evidence and send him to the execution platform.
Ao Guang nodded helplessly and said, "That's right, it's him. I never expected such a strange thing to happen in this world. When he came to the Dragon Palace, he was just a fish-turned-dragon who had just leaped over the Dragon Gate. But I never expected that after a few days, he would have transformed into a celestial dragon who could appear before the emperor. If I hadn't seen the Dragon-Binding Rope in his hands with my own eyes, I would never have believed that such a thing could happen."
At this moment, Ao Guang seemed to have thought of something, so he looked his beautiful daughters up and down, especially at the fourth princess, who was dressed in white and whose appearance was comparable to that of a celestial being.
Upon seeing Ao Guang's gaze, Long Po instantly understood his meaning.
At this point, the patriarch said, "Does Your Majesty intend to win him over through marriage, so that our two families can turn hostility into friendship?"
Ao Guang said, "Since he can directly enter the palace to meet the emperor, he must be a favorite of the Jade Emperor. We cannot afford to offend such a person. In order to protect the safety of our East Sea, this is the only way at present."
Faced with their father's compromise of using his daughters as a bargaining chip, the princesses not only had no objections, but their eyes even lit up as they awaited their father's decision.
The six dragon girls were even somewhat tempted and eagerly hoped that their father would choose them as the marriage partner.
The Dragon King was about to discuss the matter with everyone.
In the end, it was the sixth dragon girl who couldn't hold back any longer. She rushed forward and pleaded with her father, "Father, if we are to make peace with the Dragon King of Sishui, then let your daughter go."
Seeing that Sixth Sister had made the first move, Nine Dragons Girl stepped forward and said, "Sixth Sister is beautiful and talented, and will certainly not lack a suitable husband. I am inferior to you sisters in both looks and talent, and I am afraid it will be difficult for me to find a husband in the future. Please take pity on me and give me this opportunity."
Seeing her younger sisters vying for the opportunity, the Fifth Dragon Girl stepped forward and said, "Alas! This time, Father wants to use us to apologize to that immortal; it's a marriage alliance. Our East Sea has a grudge against him, and marrying into that family won't be easy. As the elder sister, how can I let my sisters suffer like this? So, I'll go instead."
Then the three dragon maidens began arguing in front of the Dragon King and Dragon Queen, vying for the opportunity to apologize and marry.
The fact that these princesses were vying for the position of brides to atone for a past wrongdoing must have its reasons.
This is a marriage system originating from the dragon race.
For thousands of years, the dragon race has basically maintained the tradition of endogamy. With a few exceptions, they will marry other races, but most will marry within their own race.
For example, Princess Ao Cunxin of the Western Sea secretly married Erlang Shen, the True Lord of Manifestation. But the price was severing ties with her maternal family, the Western Sea.
Nowadays, within the Three Realms, any Dragon King who has been appointed by the Jade Emperor and has secured a place in the realm, as long as they are not from the Ao family, will be married into the Ao family.
For thousands of years, the Ao family has used this method to win over these newly appointed dragon kings, binding their interests with those of the Ao dragon clan and making them part of this vast community of shared interests.
Only in this way can the Lower Yuan Water Realm remain under the control of the Ao clan, ensuring that the Ao family's status as the "overlord of the water realm" for thousands of years remains unchallenged.
Of course, there are many benefits to marrying a princess from all over the world.
Besides receiving a generous dowry from the princess, the prince consorts of the four seas also gain access to the entire network of connections within the Ao clan's interest group.
For example, the Jing River Dragon King. A thousand years ago, he transformed from a crocodile into a dragon and, through a fortuitous encounter, was bestowed the title of Jing River Dragon King. He then married the sister of the Four Seas Dragon Kings.
Because of the protection afforded by his wife's maternal family, the Jing River Dragon King not only became the "General Manager of the Eight Rivers and the Great Dragon God in Charge of Rain," but even his sons all had promising futures.
Those unwilling to "cooperate" with the Ao family generally faced only two fates: either they were framed by the interest group represented by the Ao family and executed on the Dragon-Slaying Platform, or they were sent to the imperial kitchen and became food on the plate at the Peach Banquet.
The Jade Emperor had also worried about the problem of the Ao family's dominance in the water realm. Therefore, apart from the Ao family's core territory in the Four Seas and the Southern Continent, most other places were governed by river gods, and very few were governed by dragon kings.
The Jade Emperor even considered supporting other dragon clans to take away the power of the Ao clan.
For example, the Wansheng family was once a pawn supported by the Jade Emperor.
Unfortunately, the Ten Thousand Saints Dragon King was actually a dragon spirit, all show and no substance. He couldn't defeat the powerful Ao family, and was even caught by the Ao family for "colluding with demons," which led to a lawsuit in the Heavenly Court and made the matter known to everyone.
Left with no other choice, the Jade Emperor dismissed the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Saints from his divine post. However, considering his past merits, he did not send troops to suppress him, leaving him to fend for himself.
Although the Wansheng family now holds the title of Dragon King, they are merely "grassroots kings" in the lower realm.
Having lost the protection of the heavens, the Ao family once tried to take the opportunity to annex the Wansheng family, but they couldn't stop the Wansheng Dragon King from befriending many powerful demons, such as the Bull Demon King and the Flood Dragon Demon King.
With these powerful demons protecting them, the Ao family had no choice but to give up.
After all, no one knows which powerful celestial being stands behind these lawless and highly skilled demons.
From then on, the Ao family and the Wansheng family lived in relative peace, keeping to themselves and avoiding any conflict.
There are now hundreds or even thousands of dragon kings, big and small, in the world.
However, the Dragon Kings who are officially appointed by the Heavenly Court are either members of the Ao family or are already related to the Ao family by marriage.
After years of intermarriage, finding a Dragon King who is not of the Ao family bloodline and has been officially appointed by the Heavenly Court is truly as difficult as ascending to heaven.
In the dragon race, those who are appointed as dragon kings by divine decree have a lifespan starting at a thousand years, with no upper limit.
Meanwhile, those wild dragons could have their daughters climb the social ladder and curry favor with princes from all corners of the land, seeking a secure future for themselves.
But neither they nor their offspring are qualified to marry princesses from all over the world.
This has led to the predicament of princesses from all over the world being unable to find suitable positions for themselves, nor for those for others.
If they don't intermarry with other ethnic groups, it will be very difficult for them to get married for decades or even centuries.
There are many pits but few radishes.
Now that there's a spot available, the princesses are naturally eager to try.
Moreover, dragons have nine sons, resulting in numerous offspring.
If they don't get married, their other cousins from the three seas will most likely not let this opportunity pass them by.
Furthermore, Yun Chonghua is a celestial dragon. A celestial dragon who can directly ascend to the palace and meet the emperor.
If she were to marry him, it would not be a marriage of convenience for the Ao family; in fact, it would be a marriage of convenience for the Ao family.
Women in the mortal realm admire strength, and so do female immortals in the lower realm.
Such a perfect husband! Naturally, none of the princesses wanted to let this opportunity slip by.