CHAPTER 99

After two weeks of escalating public opinion, the heat continued to rise. The king, pondering the possibilities, summoned Yue Lisi to the palace.

Yue Lisi's expression changed slightly as she looked up at her now frail father. No longer concealing her ambition, she nodded, "I think Qin Zhaoci is right. Omegas have been oppressed for far too long, and I also want to change the current situation."

"So, you want to become the crown princess? Do you believe you have the ability?" The king, for the first time, seriously scrutinized his Omega daughter.

Yue Lisi looked at him and nodded, "If Father agrees, I can give a speech outlining my vision for the Empire's future for the next hundred years. Father, I truly want to change the Empire as it is now. Please give me this opportunity."

The king, hearing Yue Lisi address him as "Father" with each word, felt moved. After a moment of silence, he burst into laughter, eventually regaining his composure and nodding, "Very well, if that's the case, then go ahead. I'm curious to see what plans you can come up with."

"Thank you, Father." Yue Lisi bowed and stood tall, leaving the king with a resolute figure as she walked out of the palace.

From that day on, the official voting channel for the royal heir of the royal family included the names of Omega princes and princesses, implicitly allowing Omegas to compete for the position of the next heir.

This news stirred waves among the people once again, and they began digging into the backgrounds and life experiences of these Omega princes and princesses.

Yue Lisi had the most extensive and outstanding resume among the candidates, gaining significant support from Omegas.

As the votes continued to rise, Yue Lisi delivered a public, nationwide speech that addressed the entire Empire.

This speech was even recorded in the historical records of the Empire for future generations to reference and admire.

In her speech, Yue Lisi put forth a series of policy measures specifically targeting Omegas. She also highlighted the overlooked Beta-Omega (BO) and Alpha-Beta (AB) partner combinations, without excluding the existing rights of Alphas, proposing policies that aimed to integrate and balance the different groups.

She outlined the timeline for implementing these policies after taking office and explained how she would drive their implementation.

The speech was grand, well-structured, and logically sound, demonstrating her sincerity and capabilities to the masses.

It garnered a large amount of support and praise from the public, including the Alpha community.

User 111: [My wife and I are a BO couple, and as a Beta, I can't help her alleviate the pain during her estrous cycle. I can only watch as she continuously uses suppressants, which have a significant impact on her health. I'm almost at my limit. But when I saw Princess Yue Lisi's speech, we felt a renewed sense of hope. We hope that Omegas can openly entrust institutions to develop artificial pheromones for Omegas, just like Alphas.]

1213: [I am part of the AB group mentioned in the speech. As an Alpha, I enjoy the privilege of being able to commission institutions to develop artificial Omega pheromones to help manage their estrous cycle. However, it pains me to think about the limitations faced by BO individuals, who are in a similar situation.]

An unknown A: [When I heard the princess talk about promoting the removal of lifelong markings for Omegas without causing harm, I almost cried. My Omega mother finally has a chance to escape from my abusive father. Growing up in a household where my father abused my mother, I despise the Empire's system. I feel powerless for my mother, but I don't want to see her die on the operating table. If Princess Yue Lisi can change the current situation, I will fully support her."

.....

As they witnessed the response of the masses to the speech, many Alphas started to realize that Omega rights were not just about the rights of that particular group but also affected the lives of others' families. They began gradually shifting their attitudes towards resistance.

Online support for Yue Lisi continued to grow, and her popularity surpassed that of previous candidates, Yue Guangli and Yue Lituan, at an astonishing pace.

The king also began involving Yue Lisi in state affairs, and everything was progressing steadily.

On this day, both Qin Zhaoci and Ye Lianyin received invitations from the princess, inviting them to gather at her residence.

"Why would the princess invite us to a gathering?" Ye Lianyin looked at Qin Zhaoci, somewhat puzzled.

Because their previous interactions with Yue Lisi were not suitable to disclose, Qin Zhaoci had not told Ye Lianyin about it until now.

Now that Ye Lianyin had also received the invitation, she informed Ye Lianyin about her previous meeting with the princess on their way to the princess's residence.

Although Ye Lianyin was slightly angry that Qin Zhaoci had kept it a secret from her, she understood that it was to avoid leaking any classified information and didn't say anything further.

Upon arriving at the princess's residence, a butler led them to the living room. To Ye Lianyin's surprise, her older sister Ye Yici, Wei Keze and his wife Su Weiyi, Zhou Qifeng, Wan Baiyun, and some imperial officials were also present.

"Xiaoci, long time no see." Zhou Qifeng raised his glass and walked over with a smile. "And this must be Xiaoye, so beautiful. No wonder every time I talk to Xiaoci, she can't stop mentioning you."

Ye Lianyin nodded with a smile. "Mr. Zhou, hello."

"What is this gathering for?" Zhou Qifeng handed Qin Zhaoci a glass of wine. "I've had very little contact with the princess before, so I was quite surprised when she invited me."

"It's probably just a casual gathering." Qin Zhaoci speculated. "I think Princess Yue Lisi might want to thank everyone for their support and also express her determination."

When everyone had gathered, Yue Lisi stepped forward wearing a red evening gown and nodded slightly at everyone. "I invited you all here for a simple gathering. Please feel free to relax and enjoy yourselves."

"By hosting this gathering, it's also to express my gratitude for everyone's support. Thank you, everyone." Yue Lisi said before stepping into the crowd and walking towards Qin Zhaoci and Ye Lianyin.

"Is this the wife that our Ms. Qin has been thinking about day and night?" Yue Lisi arched her eyebrows and glanced at Ye Lianyin. "Ms. Qin's wife is indeed exceptional and beautiful. No wonder Ms. Qin always keeps her hidden, but can't help but praise you every now and then."

After hearing that, Ye Lianyin glanced at Qin Zhaoci. "Does she often mention me?"

Yue Lisi nodded with a smile. "Yes, she's afraid that everyone will forget that she's married. Ms. Qin is the most virtuous and self-disciplined Alpha I've ever met."

"I'm virtuous and self-disciplined too." Ye Yici walked forward, holding a glass of red wine. "Princess, why don't you praise me?"

Yue Lisi glanced at Ye Yici and smiled. "That might be because I don't know  Ms. Ye well enough."

Ye Lianyin was taken aback by her sister's words. She furrowed her brows slightly and looked at Ye Yici and Yue Lisi with a puzzled expression.

"Ms. Qin." Wei Keze waved at Qin Zhaoci from a distance, as if he had something to say.

Seeing Ye Yici present, Qin Zhaoci whispered softly in Ye Lianyin's ear, "Mr. Wei is calling me over. You can chat with your sister for now, I'll come find you in a moment."

"Okay." Ye Lianyin nodded. As she watched Qin Zhaoci leave, she slowly walked over to Ye Yici's side and whispered in her ear, "What you said to the princess just now, why did it sound so strange?"

Ye Yici tilted her head innocently and blinked her eyes. "I really think I'm virtuous and self-disciplined."

Ye Lianyin frowned in disdain and said, somewhat speechlessly, "Did you suddenly feel lonely after being single for 27 years? Tonight, you're like a peacock with its feathers fully displayed."

"Pfft," Yue Lisi covered her face and chuckled softly.

After being mercilessly exposed by her own sister, Ye Yici blushed and blinked her eyes. She reached out and poked Ye Lianyin's forehead. "You talk too much. I won't talk to you anymore. I'm going to find Qin Zhaoci to discuss our collaboration."

"Tch," Ye Lianyin scoffed, "Running away when you can't argue."

After a few people left, only Yue Lisi remained by Ye Lianyin's side.

Yue Lisi and Ye Lianyin exchange a glance for a moment, and Yue Lisi pointed to a nearby seat, smiling. "Ms. Ye, would you like to sit down and have a chat?"

Ye Lianyin wasn't familiar with Yue Lisi at all, but it wouldn't be polite to refuse her invitation. She nodded and took a seat.

After sitting down, Yue Lisi pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, "Miss Ye, have you and Ms. Qin never had a lifetime mark?"

Ye Lianyin furrowed her brow, not expecting Yue Lisi to ask such a personal question right off the bat. Her expression turned slightly strange for a moment.

After a brief silence, Ye Lianyin asked, "Why is the princess suddenly asking about this?"

Yue Lisi lightly tapped the table with her fingertip. "I've heard some rumors recently. My eldest brother's cousin, oh, that girl from the An family, An Rixi, seems to be inquiring about the places Ms. Qin frequently visits."

Ye Lianyin hadn't heard the name An Rixi in a long time, but she was aware that the previous Qin Zhaoci had some kind of relationship with her.

"Why is she inquiring about Qin Zhaoci?" Ye Lianyin asked.

Yue Lisi looked at Ye Lianyin, a smile curving her lips. "Ever since my eldest brother was imprisoned, the An family hasn't been as smooth-sailing as before, especially with the rise of the Ye Group. They've lost quite a few business partners. As one of the partners of the Ye Group, Ms. Ye, you should be aware of these matters."

"And this An Rixi seems to know that you and Ms. Qin don't have a lifetime mark and still holds hope. She's getting restless."

After hearing this, Ye Lianyin's face subtly changed.

Seeing that Ye Lianyin had taken her reminder to heart, Yue Lisi raised her hand, lightly patted her shoulder, and then walked back into the crowd.

After Yue Lisi left, Ye Lianyin gazed at Qin Zhaoci, who was mingling and laughing with everyone in the crowd, and narrowed her eyes slightly.

After the gathering ended, Qin Zhaoci and Ye Lianyin got into the car to head home. Ye Lianyin asked, "Qin Zhaoci, has An Rixi come to see you?"

"Who?" Qin Zhaoci furrowed her brow. "No, ever since I rejected her a year ago, she hasn't come to see me. Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing," Ye Lianyin furrowed her brow. "Is your 28th birthday coming up soon?"

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