These bizarre natural environments, on one hand, caused the people of Taicang to gather in Taicheng and Cangcheng, and on the other hand, made the material conditions of Taicang extremely harsh.

Food shortages, barren production, and low quality of life were the most direct impressions Taicang gave to Summer Clark.

As the crown prince, currently the highest-ranking person in Taicang, what was placed before him on the stone table?

A plate of dark green vegetables whose name he couldn't even guess, a plate of red beast meat, a bowl of clear soup, and a bowl of rice.

The stone tables in front of the other officials looked even more miserable.

Most of them only had one dish and one soup for every two or three people. They would divide the dishes and soup onto their own rice and eat heartily, their happy expressions making Summer Clark swallow involuntarily.

“Is it really that delicious?” He looked at the dishes in front of him, feeling a sense of anticipation, and slowly picked up a piece of green vegetable and put it in his mouth.

At first taste, a slight bitterness spread across his taste buds, but after chewing carefully, a lingering fragrance emerged, greatly surprising Summer Clark.

“I thought it would taste terrible, but it’s actually not bad.” Summer Clark's eyes lit up, and he quickly picked up a piece of beast meat, which also tasted quite good.

“I didn’t expect that with such scarce resources, the people of Taicang could still make food that’s edible.”

Just as a faint smile appeared on his face, his expression suddenly froze. He had just taken a mouthful of rice, but an indescribable taste immediately filled his mouth.

The taste was like chewing on a century-old piece of wood—bitter, astringent, dry, and hard to swallow!

“This rice, why does it taste like this?” Summer Clark endured the discomfort, swallowed the rice, and gently pushed the bowl away.

It wasn’t that he was being picky; the taste of this rice was simply unbearable.

“Maybe it’s the variety of rice. I just saw spirit rice seeds in the first layer of the Divine Tree of Decay’s space. When there are more spirit seeds in the future, I’ll exchange for some and try it. Eating this kind of rice every day is just too hard to bear.”

While Summer Clark was pondering this, a middle-aged man in a long robe sitting below him finished all the food in front of him, elegantly took out a handkerchief from his chest, wiped his mouth, stood up, and said loudly, “Today Taicang has won a great victory, all thanks to the protection of the Great Wind. Let us pay our respects to the Great Wind!”

Several burly soldiers carried in a huge statue from the side. The statue was carved from stone, about ten feet tall, still with a dragon’s head and human body, standing atop the continent—the totem of the Great Wind.

Everyone rose with a roar, placed their hands over their chests in salute to the Great Wind totem, and chanted, “Great Wind, Great Wind!”

Summer Clark was focused on eating and was startled by the loud chanting. Sensing the gaze of the ritual officer upon him, he hurriedly stood up and joined the others in chanting to the Great Wind.

After the ceremony, the Great Wind totem was carried away by the burly soldiers.

The middle-aged man glanced at Summer Clark at the head of the table and said, “Now that the former ruler has passed, Taicang cannot go a day without a sovereign. A new ruler must be appointed.”

Everyone fell silent, quietly watching the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man then turned to Summer Clark, saluted, and said, “Your Highness, what are your thoughts?”

Summer Clark wiped the corner of his mouth and replied nonchalantly, “Where is the Grand Ritual?”

Among the officials, an elderly man with white hair slowly stepped forward and bowed in response.

“Elder Changfeng, as the chief ritual officer of Taicang, you are in charge of all ceremonial matters. Let me ask you, when the ruler passes, who should succeed the throne?”

“Your Highness, when the ruler travels far to the Court of Tiancang, the mandate of the nation should naturally be held by the crown prince.”

Though the white-haired elder looked frail, his voice was full of vigor, and his words were clear and unambiguous.

Summer Clark nodded in satisfaction and said to the middle-aged man, “Uncle Brooks, did you hear that?”

This middle-aged man was Summer Clark’s third uncle, named Quentin Clark.

Upon hearing Summer Clark’s words, Quentin Clark’s eyes flashed with concern as he said, “Your Highness, you are Shang’s only heir. Under normal circumstances, you should naturally succeed and hold the mandate of Taicang. But now, with internal and external troubles, we cannot afford any more mistakes. Please consider carefully…”

Summer Clark was taken aback, hearing the genuine emotion in Quentin Clark’s tone, and couldn’t help but think to himself, “So my third uncle is actually worried for Taicang. I thought he was here to seize the throne.”

He was about to speak when another middle-aged man, with stern features and a composed expression, also stood up and said to Summer Clark, “Xia, Quentin is absolutely right. You are still too young and do not understand the difficulties of governing a nation.

Now is the most difficult time for Taicang. We cannot afford any more mistakes.

Besides, you are now the Great Wind’s envoy. Even if you do not ascend the throne, no one in all of Taicang would dare disrespect you. You can rest assured.”

This was Summer Clark’s eldest uncle, named Zachary Clark.

As soon as he spoke, the officials began whispering among themselves.

The reason was that Zachary Clark was originally the previous crown prince. When the ruler before last passed away, Zachary Clark should have become the ruler.

But he resolutely decided to yield the throne to his second brother, who was Summer Clark’s father.

When the officials tried to stop him, he declared loudly, “The gap between me and my brother Shang is like the surging river—he is upstream, I am downstream.”

“If there were no great enemies around Taicang, if the people of Taicang were prosperous and safe, if the human race were not the weakest race, of course I would be willing to sit on the throne. But the situation of Taicang, the situation of the human race, is clear to all.”