Chapter 368

It was a quiet moment, much like the calm before a storm with Qing making a statement like a thunderclap.

“Is it really true?” Makseok’s muttering echoed like thunder.

“I shall see His Majesty!”

The Northern Army crumbled before him, going down with a *thud!* as they smashed their knees into the ground and pressed their elbows down.

I still couldn’t believe it.

The nation’s princess was a beast of a person, chomping away at raw sweet potatoes.

Yet it was said by none other than the elite guard, the Golden Guard, who was known for more than just their word.

In fact, there was such a layer of disbelief in what was said that there was no room left for doubt.

This was the moment when the fantasy of the princess came crashing down.

She was supposed to be the most beautiful, noble, and fragile flower worthy of our utmost protection.

So perhaps that’s why the Northern Army men, with their foreheads pressed against the cold ground, felt their eyes welling up with tears.

“My princess, please return!”

Maybe the ground was too hard and too cold. It felt as if my heart was freezing and aching…

Yeon Pa was taken aback.

How on earth had it come to her connection with the Empress?

Qing could not be the princess.

If that were true, even if she had long been away from the palace, the sharp-eyed Wang Ya would have recognized her.

The Golden Guard was in a rather awkward position.

A few of them, still on their knees and raising their hands, looked over cautiously, noticing that their commander was still standing.

Something seemed off.

The guards, who originally had their knees on the ground and their arms out in front, suddenly stretched out like it was all part of the plan, briefly pretending to straighten their waists before rising back up with a show of casualness.

It didn’t look natural at all.

Qing frowned deeply.

“Why are you still kneeling?”

“It’s definitely the Empress’s decree, but there’s no way the princess is here, unless I sacrifice my life to apologize. Is it possible to be graced with the honor of seeing Your Royal Eyes?”

Makseok answered with formality, but it was clearly a request for this masked figure to reveal their face.

In other words, it meant he knew Yeonsul’s face.

Qing hesitated but decided to trust the Empress for now.

The Empress, in her grief over losing her daughter, couldn’t have lost her mind, or so she believed, that her face truly resembled that of Princess Yeonsul.

So, Qing unveiled her mask.

The beauty that most who had seen her immediately dubbed “The Most Beautiful in the World” was now exposed to all.

Makseok’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The focus blurred, but even among the many forms, Qing stood out, instantly recognizable.

Then it dawned on Qing; was there actually someone in the palace who looked just like me?

However…

“Ahem, I almost fell for it. You, uh, might you be someone who serves the Empress? Or perhaps someone playing the role of the princess?”

Makseok asked with a strangely unassuming demeanor.

“What blasphemous talk is that?”

“You look quite like Princess Yeonsul. But she’s not…”

Qing raised an eyebrow.

Hardly anyone could rival her when it came to playing word games.

“Oh, really? Is Princess Yeonsul not as beautiful? Is she ugly? Have you truly lost your mind? To think you dare to judge royal blood?”

“No, that’s not it. I merely meant she has some marks on her lovely face…,”

“Ah. So the Yeonsul you speak of has had her beauty hampered by some blemish! Is that why you think I’m an imposter?”

Qing took this as new information.

So it seems I don’t look exactly like her.

Well, the Empress did say she recognized me with a mother’s intuition.

It was said that even the Golden Guard noted the resemblance.

“Why are you interrupting the main palace’s affairs from the Western Palace? Isn’t it the Emperor’s orders to deal with Deokhyeon?”

“Be silent!”

Qing sharply reprimanded.

“Now that I see, you’ve completely lost it. What do you mean? Are you truly saying that the Emperor commanded the elimination of his own offspring? You’ll be held accountable for your words.”

Makseok’s heart sank.

That was certainly not a command given through the proper order.

Though throughout history, many emperors from the legendary Yin and Zhou dynasties often saw this kind of brazen behavior.

When there’s a chance to kill, you must do it without question and consider your foes as those who cannot coexist beneath the same sun.

However, a father, from his perspective, cannot stand to watch his children slaughter each other.

So even though many emperors slayed their brothers out of delight, they laid down various rules to prevent their children from doing the same and encouraged friendly relations.

Under such conditions, killing a beloved prince would incite an uprising from every honored court official, leaving little room for argument, even if the throne changed hands.

“No, if someone of notable stature says so…”

Makseok felt unjustly accused.

He had simply followed orders!

“Really? You expect me to believe that the Emperor ordered the troops to act like bandits, slaughtering his citizenry, and even commanded that they set fires to summon the Fire Demon? Is that truly your assertion?”

Makseok was struck speechless.

It made sense.

Qing was utterly baffled as she thought, is that really what the young Emperor is doing?

To phrase it frankly, what kind of bastard would do that?

I mean, I said it earlier, but seriously, this is just absurd.

How can such a guy even be an Emperor?

Frustrated, Qing turned her gaze back to the kneeling Northern Army.

Though their eyes might not be sharp, among them the words “evil deeds” were surprisingly few (but not non-existent).

Usually, you’d find two to three evil deeds, occasionally just one, and a few were even tainted with a hint of blue ink.

“To my Northern Army, I grant you the honor of looking upon me. Raise your heads and see me.”

Cautiously, the Northern Army lifted their heads—

Gasp.

Where had that massive, potato-chomping rickshaw puller gone? A celestial being, seemingly descended from the skies, now stood before them.

The true essence of beauty was embodied in her visage.

Even a clumpy fur coat couldn’t compare to Qing’s radiant beauty, making her a noble figure rather than a mere giant.

Even having merely lifted a mask caused their cries of “This can’t be my princess!” to seem insignificant. Oh, my! A princess really is beautiful!

Especially among the Northern Army.

In the front lines, among soldiers where not a single woman was found to soften the icy terrain, their threshold for beauty was almost tragically low.

Even the sight of an ordinary woman could have these starving beasts drooling over her dignity.

During this surreal encounter, they couldn’t help but feel entranced, questioning whether this was a dream or reality itself, wishing to gaze upon her beauty until their last breath…

“I ask General, is it not true that before you stands an unprecedented traitor, clad in fine silk, sullying the Emperor’s name?”

Qing had limited leverage.

She had to strike while they were still in shock; if she gave them time to think, it would be her own trouble.

What if they asked for further proof? Would we go to the Empress and ask if I truly am her daughter? That was not an option.

“Are you just going to let this slide?”

The general snapped back to reality.

The judgment was not especially difficult.

Is she truly the princess? I can’t say for sure.

But is the insignia real? It certainly seems so.

Surely siding with the Golden Guard wouldn’t make this guy friendly enough to let bygones be bygones.

Absolutely not.

“Fire!”

A command without context.

However, well-trained soldiers under strict discipline wouldn’t hesitate or falter in the face of orders.

Bam!

The deafening sound of exploding powder resonated powerfully.

Fifty steel arrows shot forth, tearing through the air.

Some were deflected by weapons, yet the majority pierced flesh and bone, amusingly taking root.

Those still standing allowed arrows to pass through their bodies like a knife cutting through butter.

All Qing could see was arrows flying and the Golden Guards dancing as they stumbled.

Though even among them, a few still remained standing.

The one at the front appeared fine.

After all, Makseok had been standing calmly even before the steel arrows, trusting in his strength born of mastery and royal blood.

Yet his subordinates were on edge, worried whether their states of health could withstand an arrow’s onslaught.

So what would the outcome be?

It would’ve left the self-proclaimed success instructors in Qing’s hometown wide-eyed if they had been watching.

“Look here! If you lack confidence in yourself, how can you overcome trials?”

Confidence is the key!

Anyone with confidence could catch arrows with their bare hands and send them flying back!

Listen folks, the reason I ended up succeeding after failing countless times is not due to my parents’ endless funding!

It’s all because I’m just that great!

Even in the middle of my journey exploring the world, my account balance magically filled up from some unseen sources!

In the end, I quit the big corporations and became an in-demand success coach, fully booking my speaking engagements for a whole year!

This is the evidence of my worth! I believe I can and I will succeed!

So, repeat after me! I will succeed! I am destined for greatness! I am not afraid of arrows!

And thus, the number of those who remained standing was about five.

Out of which, only Makseok remained unscathed, having nary a scratch from the arrow’s attack.

This, dear friends, is the power of confidence.

And here was another imbued with confidence; a seasoned commander who sent robust trust to his subordinates.

“Attack!”

“Waah!! Kill them! He orders us to attack!”

The soldiers charged forward, brandishing spears and crescent blades.

Qing snapped the chest strap with both hands and drew the Moonlight Sword, stomping the ground with a *bang!*

“These fools! How dare you! Fine! If you wish for death, I shall personally oblige!”

Makseok roared, swinging his arms as spear tips flew off.

The Northern soldiers quickly recoiled, forming their lines again.

But even with their prowess, Makseok was still no match, as he unleashed his fiery attack at the soldiers, catching them off guard.

The soldiers suddenly saw the image of his hometown flash through their minds.

The scent of rice steaming wafted from their old home; a stern mother and a sister who teasingly nagged, while their father, with a leg injury, smiled at his sons as if to say—

“Stop the Black Flame Dragon!”

In an instant, their breath hitched, and the nostalgic scene evaporated in the blazing wind engulfing them, the rush knocking them back.

Qing easily caught the soldier’s nape as they narrowly escaped the devastating blow.

Makseok regarded her, his expression filled with suspicion as Qing began with her questions.

“Hmm. What’s the name of that martial art you just performed?”

“Um… it’s called the Eighteen Moves of the Yellow Dragon.”

Yellow Dragon!

The East Azure Dragon, West White Tiger, South Red Phoenix, and North Black Tortoise—each represents divine beasts, with the Yellow Dragon symbolizing the imperial family.

If this had been public knowledge, the officials would surely have been furious.

Not only had they stolen the martial arts, but they even hastily changed its name to their own.

Though, for once, the palace had its own defense to stand on.

The original name carried far too much treasonous connotation.

A martial art meant to combat dragons? The name itself screamed the very essence of treason!

Frustrated, Makseok complained.

“How could the palace’s affairs be obstructed by the Western Palace? Despite being the Empress, do you think she can stay safe while doing this?”

The Western Palace is where the Emperor’s women reside; its very name signals the Empress’s power, but Qing didn’t care for common sense.

“Shut up!”

Qing soared forward, leading with her sword.

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