Wu Dakang shuddered and looked up into a pair of clear, cold, and limpid eyes devoid of any emotion.
He slowly lowered his gaze, "This subject pleads guilty!"
"General, she... how could she possibly be the Empress? She's clearly a spy from the Han Kingdom." Deputy General Li looked at Wu Dakang's actions with utter astonishment.
Wu Dakang glanced at Deputy General Li and coldly said, "Kneel."
Deputy General Li shook his head, "General, you must be mistaken. This is clearly a spy from the Han Kingdom, not the Empress."
He then looked at Deputy General Yang, "Deputy General Yang, please persuade the General. This is not the Empress, this is a Han Kingdom spy."
Deputy General Yang was also shocked. He stepped forward and said, "General, Deputy General Li is correct. This person is not the Empress. The Empress is not..."
"Shut up! Do you think I can't recognize the Empress? She is the Empress."
Deputy General Li shook his head, thinking the General had gone mad, mistaking a spy from the Han Kingdom for the Empress.
Deputy General Yang, however, did not think the General was mad. He looked at the young woman before him.
The young woman looked down at him, exuding a noble presence that no one else could possess.
Her delicate and beautiful face, her clear eyes, her noble and aloof expression.
Suddenly, Deputy General Yang trembled. His memory flashed back to the past, and he was utterly shocked. He pointed at the young woman and exclaimed, "You... you are Xue Zining?"
Everyone was astonished. Xue Zining.
Who was that?
The older soldiers in the army remembered. Many years ago, this young girl, not yet of age, had used her fragile body and her intelligence to bring down the all-powerful Regent.
Afterward, the young girl issued a series of decrees beneficial to the people of Huangze, reducing taxes, abolishing corvée labor, encouraging voluntary enlistment, and improving military pay and rewards, ensuring that capable individuals were not overlooked.
At that time, joining the army was a glorious endeavor, as earning military merits could also offset some taxes.
The people were enthusiastic about enlisting.
However, since Xue Chang'an became the Empress of Huangze, everything had changed.
"Long live our Emperor, long, long live!" Many soldiers in the army knelt and bowed.
Only Deputy General Li and others did not kneel. Deputy General Li shook his head, "You are all mad, mistaking a Han Kingdom spy for the Empress. You're all mad."
"Wu Dakang, how shall those who have violated military discipline be punished?" the young woman suddenly asked.
Wu Dakang replied, "Punished according to military law."
"Military law is not necessary. I will handle it myself." With that, the young woman stepped forward, drew Wu Dakang's sword, and pointed it at Deputy General Li, coldly stating, "If you are not satisfied with punishment by military law, then pick up your sword. If you can defeat me, I will let you go. If not..."
The young woman's expression was colder than ever, like the heavy frost of late autumn, chilling the heart.
Deputy General Li knew he had no other choice. He picked up his sword. He couldn't believe he, a veteran of many battles, would be defeated by a mere girl?
He had not used his full strength earlier, but this time, his life was at stake, and he would show no mercy.
"Make your move!" the young woman commanded coldly.
Without any hesitation, Deputy General Li roared and charged towards the young woman.
The young woman's gaze grew colder. She dodged Deputy General Li's attack with a sidestep.
Deputy General Li was startled. Was it that easy?
After a few exchanges, Deputy General Li was covered in wounds, while the young woman's pure white skirt, apart from previous minor marks, remained untouched.
Deputy General Li charged again like a madman. The young woman, with her elevated and commanding posture, looked down at him as he lunged. A sharp glint flickered in her clear eyes. She swung her sword down, blood splattered, and with a swift stroke of her hand, his head rolled to the ground. The headless body twitched twice and collapsed, never to rise again.
Everyone was shocked. They knew Deputy General Li's fighting prowess, and yet the young woman had defeated him so easily.
In the army, strength was paramount, especially for someone who appeared so delicate.
"Long live our Emperor, long, long live!" This time, the bows and prostrations were from genuine submission.
The young woman flung the sword to the ground and coldly declared, "Deputy General Li insulted a Han Kingdom maiden, forcing her to commit suicide, and attempted to harm Prince Xi Wen of Han, who came for peace between Han and Huangze. This person deserves to be executed!"
"Deserves to be executed, deserves to be executed!" The thunderous voices of the crowd echoed through the heavens.
"Waa..." Suddenly, a baby's cry broke the solemn atmosphere.
The young woman turned and saw the child crawling out from Han Xiwen's embrace. The child looked at her, then at Wu Dakang.
Wu Dakang trembled. "Daddy..." Wu Zhengdao's milky voice came out.
Wu Dakang immediately burst into tears and crawled over, picking up Wu Zhengdao. "Zhengdao..."
In Wu Dakang's arms, Wu Zhengdao reached out his small hand, "Daddy, don't cry, don't cry. Mother said no crying for the Wu family..."
Hearing this, Wu Dakang's tears flowed even more torrentially.
At this moment, Han Xiwen also woke up. He looked at the young woman before him. He could clearly feel that this young woman was not Princess Anning.
Suddenly, the young woman turned to look at him. Her expression was the same, but unlike Princess Anning, this young woman exuded a powerful oppressive aura that made it impossible to look directly at her, compelling willing submission.
"Prince Han Xiwen, I want to make a deal with you."
Han Xiwen trembled. He looked up at the young woman. Her clear eyes were as cold as ice, and she carried herself with an imposing dignity.
"Who are you?" Han Xiwen did not answer directly but instead asked this question.
The young woman, looking down from above, said each word distinctly, "Xue Zining."
Han Xiwen shuddered. How could he not know Xue Zining?
That young girl, not yet of age, who had used her intelligence to overthrow the powerful Regent.
But how could Princess Anning be Xue Zining?
"You are Xue Zining? But you are also Princess Anning?"
The young woman replied, "We share a soul."
Han Xiwen looked at her and asked, "What is the deal?"
"A truce!" the young woman stated.
Upon hearing this, Han Xiwen chuckled lowly, his smile mysterious and unfathomable. "You think too highly of me. I am not qualified to decide all of this."
"I will return to the Han Kingdom with you to negotiate with the Han Emperor," the young woman said without a hint of hesitation.
Han Xiwen was taken aback. "You?"
"Yes," the young woman said, her tone firm. Han Xiwen knew she was not joking.
For some reason, he felt a sense of anticipation, looking forward to that day.
"Very well, I agree," Han Xiwen said.
The young woman turned to look at Wu Dakang and suddenly leaned down. Wu Dakang quickly knelt, "Your Majesty, what are you doing?"
"I apologize, Madam Wu. I failed to protect her. She..."
Wu Dakang trembled. "Your Majesty, bringing Zhengdao back is enough."
"General Wu, I am truly sorry for what happened to Madam Wu. If you wish to avenge her, do not hesitate to come at me. I will not evade," Han Xiwen stepped forward, standing before Wu Dakang.
Wu Dakang suddenly drew his long sword and lunged at Han Xiwen.