Chapter 292: Chapter 292 - 284: Election Vote, Unexpected Turns

The next morning, the voting election took place as scheduled.

The venue was set at the auditorium of Kongdu City.

Dignitaries from all sides were gathered, solemn and respectful.

The army was stationed both inside and outside, strictly guarding to ensure the safety of the venue and the smooth conduct of the meeting.

Under everyone’s gaze, Shen Qingli entered the arena, holding Yun Han’s arm.

She was dressed in a luxurious court gown, her hair simply styled with understated yet sophisticated ornaments, exuding more charm and elegance than her usual pure beauty, showing hints of a future monarch rather than just a princess.

Yun Han was tall and handsome, graceful and charming, making other male beasts pale in comparison.

Their entrance, a remarkable scene, drew admiring glances from all around.

The people at the venue whispered amongst themselves, praising the beauty and nobility of the princess beyond expectations.

Shen Qingli heard the praises from the crowd and flashed a confident, beautiful smile, completely assured of today’s victory!

Soon after the two were seated, there was another commotion in the venue.

Shen Tang appeared, accompanied by five Beast Husbands.

The scene erupted into astonishment, countless eyes fixed on the graceful and beautiful silhouette surrounded by the five tall and handsome Beastmen.

Even Yun Han couldn’t help but glance over.

But he quickly withdrew his gaze, lowering his head to look elsewhere.

Many local aristocrats from other cities who came were not very familiar with Shen Tang, initially thought Princess Qingli was stunning enough, but upon seeing Shen Tang’s true appearance felt she was otherworldly!

Even Shen Qingli appeared slightly dimmer in her presence.

Not only her looks, but her aura was overwhelming.

Having been tempered by the trials of war, Shen Tang carried a fierce and commanding presence with her, making the Beastmen feel an inexplicable reverence and esteem.

Many nobles from the Imperial City, upon seeing Shen Tang, were so excited they stood and applauded loudly in welcome.

"Welcome back, Princess Shen Tang!"

"The princess surviving the ordeal surely heralds good fortune!"

"Princess Shen Tang saved so many citizens and helped us resist the rebel army’s invasion. Such merits are even favored by the Beast God!"

"Is this Princess Shen Tang? My goodness, I didn’t even recognize her, she’s so beautiful!"

The atmosphere in the venue instantly reached its peak, more fervent and sensational than when the widely anticipated Shen Qingli appeared!

Shen Qingli listened to the continuous praises around her, fury igniting in her eyes, her expression becoming unbelievably gloomy. This vile woman always steals her spotlight, she wishes she could tear her to pieces!

But under the watchful eyes of so many people and the cameras of the media, Shen Qingli couldn’t lose the grace of the chief princess, forcing herself into a smile to express welcome.

Then, she signaled to the nobles in the crowd she had arranged, and the family heads nodded with assurance, returning a reassuring look.

Only then did Shen Qingli’s anger slightly subside, allowing her to compose herself, inwardly scoffing:

What if Shen Tang shines for a moment? Ultimately, victory belongs to her!

The two princesses successively took the stage and completed their speeches.

Then the voting session began.

The Family Head Xu Yufeng was the first to cast a vote, casting the family’s vote for Shen Qingli.

Princess Shen Qingli received the first vote!

The audience erupted in thunderous applause!

Shen Qingli’s face was filled with a proud smile, she provocatively looked at Shen Tang sitting opposite her, only to find her opponent not even sparing her a glance, remaining calm and composed, a smile lingering at her lips, without a hint of anxiety.

Shen Qingli felt like she was punching at cotton, her smile freezing, her heart growing heavier and more frustrated, what a pretense! Once she takes the monarch’s seat, she’ll deal with her first!

Soon, Family Head Ji Zhirui and Family Head Jin Jingshuo also rushed to vote, casting their family’s vote for Shen Qingli.

The various families swiftly took action.

Within just five minutes, Shen Qingli additionally secured votes from the Hou Family, Viper Clan, and Chi Family.

The voting speed visibly slowed after that.

High-ranking members within the families quietly discussed.

The election of the monarch has always been the Empire’s most vital matter, affecting the family’s future destiny during the monarch’s decades-long reign.

An error at this critical point could lead to the ruin of a family prosperous for centuries!

Shen Qingli gave another signal to the crowd, and soon the City Lords of Cangming City, Chuanlan City, and the Gray Wolf Clan leader of the Imperial City also emerged, casting their votes for her.

The families that voted initially all had direct financial interests with Shen Qingli; only by her becoming the monarch could they gain maximum benefits, conversely, should she fall, their family’s enterprise would suffer substantial damages, hence they had no choice but to vote for her.

Moments later, several more families successively cast their votes.

Within half an hour of the beginning, Shen Qingli’s voting advantage was far superior to Shen Tang.

Shen Qingli was not surprised by this result; everything progressed as she anticipated, smoothly!

Before Shen Qingli could celebrate the imminent final victory, several aristocratic families from the Imperial City stepped forward and cast their votes for Shen Tang.

"Our family has deliberated internally, and in our hearts, Princess Shen Tang is the most suitable successor!"

Initially, these families had thoughts similar to others, considering Princess Shen Qingli most legitimate as the successor, but after the battle at the Imperial City, their mindset shifted, ultimately deciding to vote for Shen Tang.

Soon, Lu Xiao stepped onto the stage.

With the family seal now in his hands, he naturally held the final decision-making power, without suspense, casting the family vote for his partner Shen Tang.

As one of the Empire’s two founding families, Lu Family’s voting weight was the highest, significantly narrowing the gap with this vote.

Seeing Lu Family stepping out, several wavering minor families also cast their votes for Shen Tang.

The voting contest was increasingly intense and thrilling, leaving many people holding their breath in anticipation!

Shen Qingli’s voting count still led Shen Tang for the moment, but her advantage was increasingly diminishing, with both voting counts gradually leveling out.

Shen Qingli clenched her fingers, feeling irate and anxious, her face showing a hint of tension.

Soon, she saw the Bear Clan leader of the Imperial City and representatives of several families coming forward, her eyes brightening, as these families were her staunch supporters; once these votes were cast, Shen Tang would still be firmly beneath her!

But to everyone’s surprise, Bear Clan leader Xiong Kui and the others actually cast their votes for Shen Tang!

Shen Qingli almost stood up in disbelief, her face full of shock; didn’t Xiong Kui agree to support her, how could he suddenly switch sides?!

Even Shen Tang showed a hint of surprise on her face.

The Bear Clan leader was a middle-aged bear beast around fifty years old, burly and imposing.

He looked at Shen Tang with gratitude and complexity, bowing in courtesy, his voice deep and solemn, "Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my son’s life on the battlefield. Without Your Highness, I would have no successor. On behalf of my family, I cast this vote for Your Highness!"

"Our Snake Clan has also benefited from Your Highness’s grace; without Your Highness’s help, our family would’ve suffered severe war damages, probably wouldn’t have the standing here today." The Snake Clan leader solemnly bowed to Shen Tang, respectfully saying, "After discussions among our family’s higher echelons, we’ve also decided to cast the Snake Clan’s vote to whom it truly belongs!"