Feng Qingyin had been so thoroughly overwhelmed by the sight of Feng Jiu’er’s face that she had completely lost all composure.

Without even realizing it, she had begun walking forward, and was now on the verge of stepping onto the platform.

Huo Yan’s expression darkened immediately, and two guards moved at once to cut Feng Qingyin off.

“She — that face of hers is not real!” Feng Qingyin shrieked at the top of her lungs from below the platform, as though she had lost her mind.

“It is not real, do not let her deceive you — her face is a fake! Her face was destroyed long ago. She is nothing but a hideous wretch!”

Feng Jiu’er looked down at this woman who had utterly shattered her own dignity, and felt not even the faintest impulse to engage with her. “This is Longqi Army territory — uninvited intrusions are not tolerated here. Take her away!”

“Feng Jiu’er, you used a false face to deceive the world — what exactly are you scheming?”

Even as the two guards hauled her away, Feng Qingyin refused to relent. “Feng Jiu’er, put back your hideous real face — you wretched eyesore!”

The people below watched Feng Qingyin in her apparent derangement, every brow furrowed in turn.

Just moments ago, what Feng Jiu’er had done was peel a false scar from her face — not paste a false complexion over one that was actually scarred.

Whatever madness had seized this woman — was it nothing more than jealousy over someone else being far too beautiful?

The other girl was quite handsome herself, yet it turned out her envy ran this deep.

The Empress finally roused herself from her daze, and glancing at Feng Qingyin being dragged off by the guards, her brow drew into a tight frown.

How had she ever settled on such a foolish woman to become her daughter-in-law?

Every single time — never accomplishing what needed to be done, only making things worse. That imbecile’s mind was not one ten-thousandth of Feng Jiu’er’s.

And yet, she was the destined one — the person fate had decreed. If not for that, why would she have ever chosen her?

Now, watching Feng Qingyin still making a spectacle of herself, the Empress let out a cold, contemptuous sound, stepped back a dozen paces or more, and removed herself from the vicinity. The Dragon Martial forces would not truly do anything serious to Feng Qingyin in any case — and if she remained, she would only risk being dragged into the madwoman’s mess.

Feng Qingyin continued to cry and wail. Feng Jiu’er raised her hand abruptly, and a command token flashed into view before the assembled crowd.

The Ninth Prince’s command token!

In an instant, from the Dragon Martial Academy’s Grandmaster Fang Zheng at the top, down to every last soldier standing in orderly ranks among the new Longqi Army recruits, every single one dropped to their knees.

“This woman has trespassed upon my Dragon Martial Academy and sought to disrupt the Longqi Army’s discipline. Detain her and administer twenty strokes.”

“Yes!” The two guards obeyed immediately, hauling Feng Qingyin away.

Feng Qingyin trembled with rage from head to toe. “Feng Jiu’er, on what grounds — on what grounds do you strike me?”

“I am the future Crown Princess — how dare you strike me, you — “

“The Crown Prince has not yet selected a consort. This woman spreads baseless falsehoods and sows confusion. Add ten strokes.” Feng Jiu’er’s voice rang out, measured and firm.

“Yes!”

“Feng Jiu’er, you have no right to strike me — you — you contemptible wretch! Your face is fake, and your token is fake too — she is a fraud! Do not be deceived by her, do not — ahh!”

Feng Qingyin’s screams rang out not long after, though they were not loud enough to carry over Feng Jiu’er’s voice on the platform.

Jiu’er’s elegant, beautiful brows settled into composure. She raised the Ninth Prince’s command token high and looked out over the fifty assembled below, her voice clear and resounding.

“New Army recruits — hear my command!”

Every last new soldier of the new Longqi Army went down on one knee, straight-backed and motionless, waiting in silence for Feng Jiu’er’s order.

Feng Jiu’er held the token aloft, her gaze steady and calm. “By His Highness’s command, I am appointed Vanguard General of the New Army. From this moment forward, the new army answers to this General’s orders.”

“Now — this General commands you to return to your quarters, gather your provisions and equipment, and assemble here in half an incense stick’s time. We march with this General for the border city!”