Zuoqiu Mo’s horse was truly a rare steed difficult to find in the world.

Born with legs possessing astonishing jumping power, it seemed capable of leaping over all the famous mountains and great rivers in the world, over ten-thousand-zhang ravines.

Riding high on horseback, soaring over the heads of those astonished, upward-gazing Capital Guard soldiers, Jing Hengbo faced the fierce wind rushing at her and felt an indescribable sense of joy, exhilaration, and delight.

Leaping over enemy formations, iron spears striking armor. Facing wave after wave of Capital Guards blocking the road, Zuoqiu Mo repeatedly spurred her horse to leap over them. Her garments shot iron-like lines through the wind, and the cold-gleaming long spear in her hand repeatedly forced back soldiers trying to pierce the horse’s belly.

Jing Hengbo noticed that she never once injured a single soldier.

This angry, resolute woman, with her expression of facing death without regard and breaking into the palace, actually refused to harm anyone.

“Why not kill them?” she couldn’t help asking.

“Luoyun’s soldiers are hereditary. Their brothers, uncles, fathers, and even grandfathers might all have once served under my father.” Zuoqiu Mo’s answer was simple but domineering.

Jing Hengbo vaguely remembered that the Luoyun tribe was the only one among all tribes with internal divisions and many wild barbarian tribes within their territory. For all these years, maintaining internal peace and continued economic development had relied on the support of one family – Luoyun’s military god lineage, the backbone of the nation. All the family’s sons and daughters led troops, generation after generation protecting Luoyun’s border peace. This must be the Zuoqiu family.

So Zuoqiu Mo dared to break into the royal city alone, so she fought her way through barriers without killing. Even if these people weren’t necessarily from her family’s ranks, in her view, they were all Zuoqiu family’s military households, all protected by Luoyun’s military gods – her own people didn’t kill their own.

Jing Hengbo sighed inwardly – it sounded heroic but was actually foolish. Textbook stubborn thinking. With different positions, what fellowship could there be? Moreover, this “I protect all soldiers under heaven” big boss mentality put the Luoyun Great King in what position? Looking at it this way, it wasn’t strange that the grand military god family’s young lady would go into political marriage.

Indeed, after fighting through several formations, the path ahead became increasingly difficult. From this main street to before the palace was only a short hundred zhang, with a narrow square beyond those hundred zhang. But this hundred zhang became an insurmountable chasm because wave after wave of black masses of heads surged forward – cavalry behind infantry, infantry behind them raising hooked spears and stretching long hook nets. To leap over again would mean being disemboweled first.

Zuoqiu Mo finally reined in her horse, lips pressed into a straight line, expressionless. At this moment, Jing Hengbo felt she was extremely like Taishi Lan, couldn’t help wondering what Taishi would do if encountering such a scene. She would probably be even more handsome than this one, but then thought “Amitabha, better not to encounter it at all” – even if Taishi Lan became an ordinary person, it would be better than constant fighting and killing.

She sighed, vaguely feeling in her heart that perhaps Jun Ke and Wen Zhen still had a chance to be ordinary people, but Taishi Lan… really wasn’t very likely.

The opposing general was shouting across, all those righteous scene-setting words. Both women had their own concerns and neither listened.

When a large group of soldiers finally charged forward with shields and swords, Zuoqiu Mo’s spear finally thrust out.

As she thrust out the first spear, she suddenly said: “Five days ago, I voluntarily went to Fushui tribe for political marriage. Fushui tribe and Luoyun tribe have had marriage alliances for generations. The reason, when told, isn’t very seemly. Luoyun tribe women have special constitutions that can improve Fushui tribe’s problems with belching and bloating – at least their descendants will be better. And Luoyun tribe’s border barbarians are located between Fushui and Luoyun. We need Fushui tribe to buffer and restrain the barbarians for us.”

As she spoke, her hands never stopped moving. She still didn’t kill anyone. The silver spear flowers dotted like falling plum blossoms – wherever they pointed, blood would splatter like bursting blooms. Every move was vicious yet precise, wild yet restrained. Every strike hit opponents’ joints, making them lose fighting ability without dying. That kind of exquisite control made Jing Hengbo watch with delight, discovering for the first time that fighting could also have such beauty. She couldn’t help silently memorizing the moves, thinking she could teach them to Taishi Lan if they ever met again – Taishi would definitely love them.

Hearing Zuoqiu Mo suddenly start talking about Fushui and Luoyun tribe affairs, she knew this girl, once she started fighting, also had a resolute nature – she wanted to explain everything clearly.

Silver falling plum blossoms drifted everywhere, and soon a large batch of soldiers fell to the ground. A group of spearmen quickly rushed forward, the leader dark-faced, holding an enormous heavy axe that when chopped down seemed like a black wall suddenly falling.

Silver sparks flew – that spear was like lightning, piercing through the black wall’s oppression, brightening both eyes.

“I could have avoided the political marriage. Luoyun tribe still had eligible princesses – two of them. They were cousins, similar in age, with close friendship, always appearing together. I never much liked dealing with royal women because I’d heard some improper things. But the elder of these two had always been attentive to me, quite admiring, praising me before others and behind. Whenever we met at banquets, she would always privately invite me to separate feasts. During meals she would speak admiringly, repeatedly praising my tough style, calling me a heroine among women, worthy of being a military god’s descendant, the future backbone of Luoyun, the pride of Luoyun women, and the standard, beacon, and backbone for all excellent women.”

“Done for,” Jing Hengbo said. “When someone shows excessive kindness for no reason, they’re either a traitor or a thief. You believed it all?” While casually helping her deal with a soldier attempting a sneak attack.

Zuoqiu Mo glanced at her sideways. “Naturally I didn’t believe it. How proud such a woman was, and we’d had some small misunderstandings before. Usually when royalty praised me too much, they should have disliked me – how could there be such fondness? But as this happened repeatedly, I gradually let down my guard, feeling that even if she didn’t like me, she probably wouldn’t hate me to the bone either.”

“You were wrong,” Jing Hengbo said seriously. “Nobody actively flatters others for no reason, especially women. A little old hatred is like killing her whole family – she would never easily forgive, much less flatter. The more vicious the flattery, the more she schemes in her heart; the lower she bends, the more she hates the person above. You don’t seem like someone who would be coy and modest, so she probably felt you were even more arrogant and domineering, and had long intended to eliminate you.”

Zuoqiu Mo’s silver spear made three points and three thrusts, splitting that heavy black axe wall three times, creating white cracks, making the man stumble backward with cold sweat rolling down his forehead. In the intervals between flashing spear light, Zuoqiu Mo seemed to be in a daze. After a long while, she sighed dejectedly: “How wonderful it would have been if I’d met you earlier!”

Jing Hengbo silently thought that you might as well have transmigrated a thousand years to experience the internet age’s white lotus green tea bitches. It would guarantee you’d develop into a battle-hardened veteran with explosive combat power.

“After letting down my guard with her, I accepted her somewhat. Though I never actively associated with her, whenever she sought me out, I would come when called, accompanying her for a few laughs. Though I sometimes felt that when she chatted privately with me, she was always gossiping about others, which wasn’t quite proper, I thought it was women’s nature and didn’t think much of it, just didn’t participate myself. I’ve always been cold by nature, not good with words, with few close friends. Looking at it this way, she and I could actually be considered a pair of good friends.”

Jing Hengbo laughed loudly: “Guard against fire, theft, and best friends!”

Unknowingly, Zuoqiu Mo had already advanced several zhang, with countless soldiers falling around her like waves parting the sea. Her expression remained unchanged as she fought through the human sea, but her speaking pace grew faster and faster. “Half a month ago, she began to change, often looking worried, but when asked, she wouldn’t say. But I heard she often had strange activities privately, her subordinates repeatedly spying on and provoking my Zuoqiu family’s people, though no real evidence could be caught. Someone privately told me that the royal family was wary of my Zuoqiu family’s power, and this princess born of a concubine was particularly ambitious, always thinking of grasping the Zuoqiu family in her hands to gain our power – she meant to harm me. I listened and laughed it off. My Zuoqiu family has guarded territory for Luoyun tribe, loyally and faithfully stationed at the frontier for nearly a hundred years. All Luoyun’s armies come from my ranks, all Luoyun’s soldiers are Zuoqiu soldiers. It’s not excessive to say we’re deeply rooted. How could a concubine’s daughter with improper conduct replace us?”

“By being shameless and black-hearted,” Jing Hengbo said with a smile. “How easy would it be to frame your Zuoqiu family? The royal family has long been wary of your family’s conspicuousness. Anyone could just lie on the ground and say ‘I’ve been harmed, you’re bullying people.’ If your Zuoqiu family doesn’t respond, that’s admitting guilt; if you refute, that’s bullying with power. You think you’re very powerful? Fuck, the more powerful you are, the more everyone hates you, understand? To bring down and smear so-called powerful groups like you, just having a little white rabbit go around wiping away a few tears would be enough.”

Zuoqiu Mo speared down a dual-sword general, leaping over his body on horseback, saying lightly: “You were right. As such incidents multiplied, I gradually became suspicious and dissatisfied. One day when another incident occurred, my anger was finally provoked. Feeling that she spoke of being close friends but acted this way was chilling, I went to question her. She loudly protested her innocence, cleanly pushing away all responsibility, saying it was all others’ doing and she knew nothing. After questioning her, I felt regret again, thinking of our past affection, that she had always been gentle and proper toward me, impeccable – perhaps I really had wronged her. Just as I was thinking of finding her to clarify things, who knew that very night her good sister went to the palace to complain, saying I had offended the princess, using the Zuoqiu family’s power to bully others, causing the princess’s chest pain to recur and confining her to bed. If not for the imperial physicians’ all-night emergency treatment, she would have nearly perished.”

Jing Hengbo laughed heartily: “The classic winning weapon of green tea white lotus flowers – vomiting blood while scattering flowers while slowly collapsing. As long as you’re standing and she’s lying down, the whole world will cry over her blood, believe me.”

Zuoqiu Mo had already fought through this street intersection. Looking back at the ground full of groaning, fallen soldiers, ahead was the palace gate square with a large formation of shield soldiers slowly advancing, stretching endlessly.

She dismounted, sheathed her spear, and slowly drew the sword she’d been carrying on her back. Without looking at the thousands of troops before her, she only gently stroked her black horse’s neck. At this moment, both she and the black horse were splattered with bloodstains, emanating a strong bloody smell. The black horse lowered its head and gently licked her palm. At this moment, Jing Hengbo actually saw crystal tears rolling in this iron-blooded woman’s eyes.

Then Zuoqiu Mo suddenly slapped the horse’s neck, saying in a low voice: “Go!”

But the black horse didn’t move, continuing to lick her palm, its head gently nuzzling her, indicating for her to mount again.

At this moment, a cold voice from the opposite side said: “Release arrows!”

Jing Hengbo suddenly rushed over to grab Zuoqiu Mo, but Zuoqiu Mo was still pushing her beloved horse away. The horse refused to leave, giving a mournful neigh and instead charging forward several steps, blocking Zuoqiu Mo’s front.

The sound of ten thousand arrows piercing the air was like a hurricane, but couldn’t suppress Zuoqiu Mo’s heart-rending cry: “Tianmo!”

Jing Hengbo heard the “thud thud” sounds of arrows entering flesh, saw countless tiny blood droplets spraying against the azure sky. That horse, rare to see in a hundred years, which had accompanied Zuoqiu Mo through countless battlefields and kills, which had also contributed and been wounded defending Luoyun’s territory, trembled violently then collapsed before Zuoqiu Mo.

Until death, its head faced toward its master.

Jing Hengbo silently turned her head. There, Zuoqiu Mo, kneeling before her beloved horse, suddenly raised her head.

Opposite them, iron armor gleamed cold, sharp blades like snow, and behind that sheet of snow-brightness rose deep red, towering palace walls.

That was the place she and Tianmo had once sworn to defend to the death. When she had sweated and even bled for that place, she hadn’t known it concealed the world’s dirtiest transactions, most treacherous conspiracies, most shameless accusations, and most despicable people.

The Zuoqiu family wasn’t afraid to sweat and bleed, but they couldn’t waste a single drop for such filth!

Black clothes flashed, crossing through space. She leaped up like an angry dragon, diving straight into the iron-armored military group.

The opposing side hadn’t expected that after losing her horse, she would dare charge the formation alone. Chaos ensued.

Jing Hengbo’s figure flashed continuously, closely following behind Zuoqiu Mo. She wanted to know how far this woman could go.

Human shadows in chaos, arms wildly swinging, the cold light of weapons and golden sunlight interweaving and splashing, making eyes ache. In such chaos, Zuoqiu Mo’s voice, grief-stricken yet calm, still came through clearly.

“That woman fell ill, the court was furious, everyone accused me of acting arrogantly. Memorials impeaching the Zuoqiu family for monopolizing military power and disregarding royalty flew like snowflakes. Even passersby, hearing her sister’s tearful complaints, felt it was the Zuoqiu family relying on military power to bully others excessively. I didn’t care about public criticism, but hearing she was seriously ill, I felt quite uneasy. Who knew that before I could find her, she had found me, claiming she had no intention of putting me in a difficult position, that her sister had gone to complain to the Great King in worry about her illness without her knowledge. She had always admired me – how could she harm me in the slightest? She cried, saying she was about to collapse, that the royal family wanted her to immediately marry Fushui tribe’s second prince. She was still ill – how could she endure the journey’s hardships? She also said my Zuoqiu family’s generals had been lingering near her residence recently, seemingly intending harm, and had repeatedly threatened to kill her to avenge me. She was terrified, her condition worsening, and it seemed a life would be lost to my hands.”

Jing Hengbo chuckled, thinking “good, tricked, tricked.”

Zuoqiu Mo’s long hair had been soaked with fresh blood and could no longer fly. Ahead was still a human tide… human tide… an endless surging human tide. The palace gate seemed very near yet very far. She raised her eyes, fierce light flashing, and Jing Hengbo noticed that on the palace walls above, two people seemed to be standing – two people in gorgeous clothing, hand in hand, casually watching this direction.

Zuoqiu Mo’s movements became even more lightning-swift, her voice even lower and more fierce.

“I thought the family generals had truly been presumptuous and wanted to restrain them when I returned, only to discover they had all been imprisoned on charges of gathering to cause trouble and plotting rebellion, scheduled to be executed or exiled.”

The blade light was sheets of snow blooming in the wind, in dusk, in people’s eyes. The cold light in Zuoqiu Mo’s eyes was fiercer than blade light.

Here below the palace walls, bathed in blade light and new blood; there above the palace walls, a pair of women smiled and pointed.

“I was willing to yield to her, and she also expressed willingness to plead for me before the throne, to stop those endless rumors and free those generals. As long as I was willing to marry in her place.”

Horizontal slashes, vertical cuts, breaking through three thousand zhang of bloody path, still not reaching that person’s feet.

“The Protector Duke’s Manor suffered unprecedented attacks, as if all blame piled up at our feet. As if overnight, all enemies suddenly appeared. In an instant, those who usually flattered you suddenly faced you with righteous indignation. The day before they praised your loyalty to the country, the next day they impeached you for arrogance. Frightening the princess became injuring the princess, injuring the princess became insulting royalty, insulting royalty became treasonous intent. The charges grew bigger and bigger. I was angry, I was confused, I wanted to argue but forgot my words. Until father’s words awakened me, I realized the chronic illness was long-standing, secret hatred born early. The so-called incidents were just a trigger – what the royal family really wanted was nothing but the Protector Duke’s Manor’s military power.”

Halfway across the square, countless people tumbled and fell along the way. Her blade light swallowed and exhaled like rainbows, but it was dusk’s rainbow – brilliant at the last moment, waiting to be swallowed by darkness.

“My father actively handed over military power. Several brothers suddenly left the armies they were guarding. I don’t know how they got the message or why they left their armies – someone must have been manipulating things. Generals abandoning their posts is a capital offense. Before long, they disappeared.”

“My old father, tears streaming down his face, told me that the royal family wanted not just military power, but the complete downfall of the Zuoqiu family. I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that the royal family, for whom I had bled and been wounded countless times, would truly kill the hounds after the rabbits were caught. I agreed to her proposal, to marry that reportedly disabled prince of Fushui tribe in her place, only asking for my family’s peace. Because everyone knew that in the Zuoqiu family of this generation, the one who could truly inherit the military god’s mantle wasn’t my brothers – it was me. Only if I left could the royal family feel at ease.”

“When I left, the family generals still hadn’t been released, my brothers still hadn’t been found, she was still ‘ill,’ and her sister swore to me that she would definitely fulfill her promise, have those people withdraw their impeachments, maintain the Protector Duke’s peace, and truly calm the situation.”

“My wedding escort was entirely strange armies, a full three thousand people – it seemed less like an escort than an imprisonment.”

“That night, near the border, I suddenly caught a chill. The cook brought me ginger soup. Just as I was about to drink it, my stomach suddenly felt uncomfortable, so I hurriedly put down the bowl and went to the latrine, but heard someone moving stealthily beside the latrine, so I immediately chased after them.”

Zuoqiu Mo was already exhausted – grief, anger, suffering, days of galloping, a day of bitter fighting – she was nearly spent.

And ahead, there were still endless, endless obstacles.

A cold light shot diagonally like a spirit snake sliding in, aimed at the back of Jing Hengbo, who was listening intently. Zuoqiu Mo saw it with one glance, deflected it with her blade, but this momentary delay allowed a large group of soldiers to rush up, about to surround her densely and separate her from Jing Hengbo.

Zuoqiu Mo’s blood-stained cold smile already carried a few traces of desolation – truly, even her final grievances couldn’t be finished?

This caught even Jing Hengbo off guard. Having lost the Bright Moon mental technique, she could only dodge and was powerless to strike back. Once Zuoqiu Mo fell into the human sea’s encirclement, there would be no hope of survival.

Suddenly, that group of people surging forward all stopped in unison.

The stop was extremely strange, as if joints suddenly stiffened or the ground suddenly gave way – all stiffened together, frozen in place, unable to move.

Encirclement needed only an instant, and breaking out also needed only an instant. Taking advantage of this pause, Zuoqiu Mo and Jing Hengbo had already joined hands and leaped over everyone’s heads.

As they leaped over, Jing Hengbo faintly felt a slight chill rising from below.

She was somewhat surprised, looking around in all directions, but at this moment the square was full of people – where could she find any clues?

But Zuoqiu Mo didn’t care who had helped. With words stuck in her throat, she had to speak or die. Catching her breath, she continued.

“Then I learned that the pair of good sisters had people put drugs in the ginger soup – drugs that would make me lose my martial arts and become blind and mute for life. They wanted to send such a me to that disabled and violent-tempered prince. Seeing me like this, the prince would certainly be furious and question Luoyun tribe. They would then claim I was unwilling to marry and deliberately harmed myself – this was the crime of deceiving the sovereign. At that time, I, my father and brothers, all family generals, and even the entire Protector Duke’s Manor would be sent to the execution ground.”

“Only then did I know that from beginning to end, this was all a conspiracy. From when she showed kindness to me, it all was. The royal family wanted to kill the hounds after catching the rabbits, but didn’t want to bear public criticism and still wanted to peacefully take over my Zuoqiu family’s armies. Everyone knew she favored and respected me, everyone believed she wouldn’t hate or harm me. No one could imagine the royal family would snuff out the candle and remove the wick, starting from the small matter of women’s friendship. So now, in the world’s eyes, it’s the Zuoqiu family that doesn’t know what’s good for us, arrogant and monopolistic, bullying with power, going back on our word. Such a family – destroying it is no fault!”

Blade light flew and rang, the world laughed at the upside-down madness. Who knew the truth at darkness’s end, who carried a heart full of grief and anger pursuing the vast sky.

But Zuoqiu Mo seemed to have settled her affairs, exhaling a long breath and turning her face toward her.

“I’ve seen your martial arts are extraordinary. Today it seems you might escape alive. You’ve been following me just out of curiosity to hear this story. Now I’ve told it to you. If you get out and still remember a bit of today’s comradeship in battle, please speak clearly of my Zuoqiu family’s injustice outside Luoyun tribe. Then even in the nine springs below, I will thank you!”

Jing Hengbo blinked: “Don’t want to get out yourself?”

Raising her blade horizontally, pointing directly at the palace walls: “No need. Kill these two bitches as burial companions, and I can rest in peace!”

“And then? Let your Zuoqiu family, who served the country loyally for generations, be executed to the ninth degree of kinship and still bear the name of treason and rebellion?”

Zuoqiu Mo laughed miserably: “When I broke out of the wedding escort camp, this ending was already destined! Or perhaps when I first met her, this ending was already destined!”

“Though human effort may not defeat heaven, giving up too early shouldn’t be your style either. Zuoqiu Mo, if I told you that as long as you give up now, retreat, go back five li and do one thing, you might have a chance to turn defeat into victory, clear your injustice, and save your family – would you do it?”

Zuoqiu Mo turned around sharply.

Her gaze was so sharp, as sharp as her silver spear, instantly wanting to cut through all doubt and distrust, seeking to never be deceived again.

Jing Hengbo didn’t show sincere eyes, smiling lazily.

Though singlemindedly seeking death was certainly tragic and heroic, she was only interested in people who could bend and stretch. If singlemindedly seeking death, that was just being a reckless fool – save her this once, couldn’t save her the next time. Better not to save at all.

Zuoqiu Mo didn’t ask her to swear oaths. She only cast her gaze toward the vast human sea before her, then beyond the human sea, toward the palace walls above in the distance, at those royal women who had always watched coldly.

A common man’s anger splashes blood three feet. Today, even if she splashed blood three feet with these two people, wouldn’t it just mean the Protector Duke’s Manor’s thousand-plus people would splash blood three feet another day?

The woman beside her was gorgeously beautiful, smiling carelessly – truly an untrustworthy appearance.

She only looked once, then sheathed her blade, grabbed Jing Hengbo, and turned to leave.

This turn was so sudden that not only were all the soldiers on site dumbfounded and forgot to pursue, even Jing Hengbo was stunned.

This person’s decisiveness… really fucking resembled Taishi Lan astonishingly…

She curved her lips, smiling with satisfaction.

This busybody interference wasn’t wasted – this person was worth it.

As for what deeper meaning lay behind this affair, involving both Luoyun and Fushui tribes, whether it would cause greater upheaval – she didn’t want to think about that now.

She was the queen, and her territory was the entire Great Wasteland!

But if anyone refused to submit, they could fight her!

“Turn around, go forward five li, yes, that street you passed earlier…”

Two women moved like wind through the streets, followed by large numbers of soldiers. That pair of good sisters had been waiting to personally witness the last generation’s talent of the Zuoqiu family die fighting beneath the city walls. They hadn’t expected that just as she was about to approach the palace walls, she would turn around. In great shock, they mobilized troops from the palace walls to personally pursue.

Who could catch up to Jing Hengbo’s speed? Before long, they could see the surging crowd ahead.

Zuoqiu Mo was startled and slowed her steps slightly. She recognized this place – it seemed to be where the arena matches were held. Earlier she had leaped over the human wall here and smashed through the arena floor.

What was the meaning of coming here?

Jing Hengbo smiled: “Go apply to be the royal husband. Once you become the royal husband, would Luoyun tribe still dare to move against you?”

Zuoqiu Mo’s face suddenly turned ice-cold: “What a waste that I trusted you – you’re actually fooling around! I’m a woman, how can I apply to be royal husband? And how would the queen choose me as royal husband? Once discovered, wouldn’t that add another charge of raiding homes and exterminating clans?”

Jing Hengbo glanced at the crowd ahead, her eyes hiding faint amusement: “Go on, trust me one last time. You will definitely be chosen!”

“Foolishness!” Zuoqiu Mo turned to leave.

“Come back!” Jing Hengbo laughed heartily, grabbing her arm and raising her hand.

“Whoosh.” Zuoqiu Mo’s body flashed, and moments later came a “thud.” The arena above and below erupted in surprised cries.

On the arena, today’s final victor was being lifted by the referee, about to announce his victory.

Suddenly a loud crash – once again an evil guest descended from heaven, stepping on the just-repaired floor and smashing another hole.

The newly minted “future royal husband” was shaken and couldn’t stand steady, stumbled, and tumbled into that hole again.

The cheering was cut off like by a knife. Ten thousand people fell silent, staring at the person who had appeared so bizarrely.

Zuoqiu Mo, who had appeared bizarrely, was equally dumbfounded, staring at Jing Hengbo, who was walking over with a graceful smile from outside the crowd.

What was she doing?

The referee on stage was a Rites Ministry official. Seeing this, he flew into a rage: “Who dares to disturb the arena matches? Someone—”

“Someone! Arrest the treasonous criminal Zuoqiu Mo!” The pair of royal sisters who had arrived simultaneously shrieked from outside the crowd. The guard units they led began driving away the crowd, struggling to push inward.

“Someone, quickly receive Her Majesty the Queen’s royal carriage—” Also simultaneously, a voice high and clear covered those two voices.

Everyone turned in shock.

Zuoqiu Mo’s eyes widened.

The Rites Ministry official’s mouth fell open.

That pair of royal sisters’ faces turned deathly pale.

…

Another period of bizarre silence.

In the bizarre silence, Jing Hengbo smiled cheerfully, walking from among the crowd. Behind her were the Seven Kill and Yong Xue, who had just received her signal to enter the city and were waiting here to meet her. At this time, the fluttering military flags of the Hengji Army had entered the city gates, appearing at the crowd’s far end. Under the military flags, Pei Shu was armored with hand on sword, coldly watching the Luoyun royal army.

Ten thousand people fell into murderous silence, staring at the suddenly appearing Jing Hengbo, their minds still not having digested that phrase “Her Majesty the Queen’s royal carriage.”

Queen? When had the queen arrived?

On stage, Zuoqiu Mo’s mind buzzed even more loudly, as if struck by a giant hammer, making her entire body sway. She nearly tumbled into that hole as well.

Jing Hengbo slightly raised her head, smiling at Zuoqiu Mo, who was so shocked she forgot how to speak.

With another smile she was already on stage, intimately linking arms with Zuoqiu Mo in front of everyone.

Her gaze was brilliant, her voice clear and loud, loud enough for anyone to hear.

She said: “Who would have thought that upon entering Luoyun Royal City, I would see such a young hero! Such bearing is rarely seen in the world! In my opinion, there’s no need to continue selecting a royal husband – it’s her!”

Someone was audibly gasping – loud, like a violent storm.

Jing Hengbo smiled as she looked at Zuoqiu Mo’s dumbfounded expression, finding it much cuter than her cold face. Glancing at that pair of royal sisters’ incredulous expressions, mischief suddenly arose, and she decided if she was going to act, she’d do it thoroughly. Standing on tiptoe, she embraced Zuoqiu Mo’s neck.

“Smack” – a loud kiss, even louder.

Her laughter cheerfully spread to every corner around them, and everyone could hear the thick joy in her words.

“Seeing you, I finally know what love at first sight means – I truly like you!”

…

Zuoqiu Mo became a wooden post.

All the people in the venue became a pile of posts.

That pair of sisters became a pair of posts.

All the city’s people went silly together, just because Her Majesty came to prank them.

…

Jing Hengbo’s gaze turned and suddenly she saw a snow-white post.