Chapter 128

Imperial Palace, Zhaoxiang Hall, the palace where the Empress Dowager lives.

"I've always been very curious what this General Guangwei looks like. Today I finally have the honor to meet him," said the Crown Princess, who sat below the Empress Dowager on the left.

"Ever since I invited Palace Sister to the palace to attend the banquet last time, she has been out on errands and I haven't had a chance to see her again," Princess Ling Long complained.

"Oh? It seems like Ling Long really likes this General Guangwei," the Empress Dowager said curiously.

"I do like her! Palace Sister is straightforward, discerns right and wrong, immediately avenges any grudges, and most importantly, no one can beat her yet, and she's also very smart but not pretentious," explained Princess Ling Long.

"It's just that Brother Yu causes trouble all day long, never does proper work. I bet this time he definitely wanted to bully people again by relying on his status, but ran into Palace Sister who didn't buy into his tricks," she continued.

"Ling Long, Yu is your cousin after all. How can you slander your cousin while siding with an outsider?" Concubine Chen said.

"Aunt, I'm helping what's right, not my relatives," Ling Long replied.

"Alright, as royalty you should watch your manners!" the Empress Dowager said.

"Grandmother, I..."

Sitting next to Ling Long, the Crown Princess gently pulled Ling Long's sleeve and shook her head, stopping her from continuing.

Palace maid Xiaohua was led by the eunuch all the way to the door of Zhaoxiang Hall. Outside the hall, four palace maids and four eunuchs stood on each side.

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, General Guangwei has arrived."

"Announce his arrival."

"Yes."

Gong Xiaohua walked into the hall. The interior of the hall was solemn and magnificent. Sitting in the central and highest position above was a dignified and elegant elderly woman. Clearly, sitting in this seat meant that she was the most noble woman in Ye Country. She was well maintained and looked to be in her forties or fifties.

On her left and right below sat two to three people, among whom only Ling Long was an acquaintance.

With steady poise, Xiaohua walked to the center of the hall and bowed to the woman above: "Your humble servant Gong Xiaohua pays respect to the Empress Dowager, may she live ten thousand years."

When Gong Xiaohua entered the great hall, everyone including the Empress Dowager looked at her curiously.

What they saw was a woman dressed in armor like a man, tall and upright. She stood there neither humble nor arrogant. Looking closely, one could see she had great beauty, slender eyebrows, and skin white as snow. But on such a face were a pair of deep eyes, appearing to be just over twenty years old. Yet she gave off an aura as mighty as a rainbow, heroic and unconstrained, as if she walked out of a painting, gallant and aloof, peerless in the world.

The people sitting were surprised that someone like her turned out to be the general who deterred the border at Xu Mountain. It was simply unbelievable. They also wondered how stunning she would look dressed as a woman.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager." "Do you know why I have summoned you here?"

"I assume it is about the matter of the Heir Apparent."

"Then do you know, for royal family members and officials ranked six hundred bushels or higher who commit crimes, you are not allowed to privately administer punishment. They must be dealt with by His Majesty. Can General Palace explain this?"

"Empress Dowager, the nation has its laws, the military has its regulations. What the Heir Apparent has done has already disrupted military order. By entering the barracks, whether he is royalty or a commoner, violating military rules, I have only punished him according to regulations, not charged him with any crime by law."

"The Heir Apparent is the Emperor's brother, beating him privately shows no regard for the royal authority." Concubine Chen interjected.

"As a military general, I should be loyal to my duties and promote a righteous spirit."

"Then why did you threaten Yu, saying that as long as you're here, he must submit to you. How can such words be claimed as promoting righteousness? It seems you only wanted to flaunt your authority!"

"Military orders are like mountains. As long as I am the General of Xiyuan Army, the Heir Apparent can only unconditionally obey the military orders. If Concubine is worried for her beloved son, have the Heir Apparent transferred from the military. That would be a different story. But I'm curious to ask Concubine, if you indulge the Heir Apparent's misconduct, when he's on the real battlefield, will the enemy consider he's royalty?"

"You!" "Seeing is believing. I've always heard His Majesty praise you before. Now I see you're not only wise and steady, but also exceptionally bold. You're very impressive." The Empress Dowager spoke admiringly.

"Thank you for your praise, Empress Dowager."

"Mother..." Concubine Chen was dissatisfied seeing the Empress Dowager take Gong Xiaohua's side, and was about to object when she was silenced by the Empress Dowager's cold look.

"That's enough for today, you're all dismissed."

"Yes, Grandmother/Empress Dowager."

After everyone had left one by one, Concubine Chen was the last to remain: "Mother, why did you take her side?"

"In the Battle of Guarding the Border and what General Palace did in Nanlong Prefecture, she has made great contributions to the Ye Dynasty that you cannot easily dismiss. Although still young, she is straightforward, mature, and steadfast. Yu has been rampant and neglected his duties since he was little. I advise you to let go and allow him to temper himself well under her, then perhaps in the future, he may truly gain a place in the court."

"But Mother, I only have this one son. Seeing him suffer pains me, I cannot put my heart at ease."

"So you're just going to continue indulging his misconduct? You can shield him temporarily, but can you shield him for life?"

"But Mother, I..."

"Enough, don't say any more, you are dismissed."

"Yes." Seeing the Empress Dowager's impatience, Concubine Chen could only take her leave.

Watching Concubine Chen's departure, the Empress Dowager was worried. Her daughter-in-law was also muddled, a mother's excessive love spoils the child. She only hoped that she would take some of her advice to heart.

Gong Xiaohua came out of Zhaoxiang Hall to see Princess Ling Long and the Crown Princess greeting her.

"Palace Sister, this is my sister-in-law, the current Crown Princess." Ling Long introduced the woman beside her with a gold step-swaying head ornament and dressed in palace attire, graceful and elegant.

"Your humble servant pays respect to the Crown Princess."

The other party quickly held Gong Xiaohua's hands, "General Palace need not be courteous. I have long heard of General's great name. Meeting you today, you are indeed extraordinary."

"You praise me too much, Crown Princess."

"Oh stop these false courtesies, how boring," Ling Long said.

"You are incorrigible. If the Empress Dowager knows, she'll scold you again," the Crown Princess said to Ling Long helplessly. "I'm not afraid of her. Palace Sister, I haven't had fun with you for a long time. The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up in a few days. Let's get together and have fun then, okay?" Ling Long asked expectantly.

"Ling Long, General Palace has Marshal Qin's company. If you go, be careful Marshal Qin throws you in the dungeon," the Crown Princess joked.

"I'm not afraid of him. He's with Sister every day, what's wrong with letting me have a turn? We can invite more people then to boat on the lake, appreciate the moon, guess lantern riddles, it will definitely be fun." Ling Long was filled with anticipation at the thought.

Suddenly thinking of something, she happily turned to the Crown Princess, "Sister-in-law, you should come with the Crown Prince then too."

"There you go again trying to drag my Crown Prince brother out as your cover," the Crown Princess said, but she was also moved by the idea. It had been a long time since she went out of the palace to have fun with the Crown Prince.

The two looked at Gong Xiaohua expectantly.

"Whatever the Princess decides," Gong Xiaohua said.

"Wonderful!"

The three then headed towards the palace gate. Nearing the gate, they saw Qin Chuyuan standing with his back facing them ahead.

Hearing the sound behind him, he turned around and looked warmly at Gong Xiaohua.

"Palace Sister, Brother Chuyuan is waiting for you, we'll part ways here." Ling Long looked at them meaningfully and said.

"Alright."

Seeing Princess Ling Long and the Crown Princess off, Gong Xiaohua went up to Qin Chuyuan, "What are you doing here?"

"I was discussing state affairs with His Majesty and heard you were summoned by the Empress Dowager to the palace. So I thought to wait for you here. Did you run into any trouble? Do you need help?"

"A little trouble, but it's been resolved. Let's go."

"Alright."

At lunch time in the barracks of Xiyuan Army.

"I heard General Palace was summoned to the palace, wonder what urgent matter it was about?"

"You don't think the Heir Apparent Yu went to complain to the palace?"

"Very likely. Didn't you see his bunch of followers who are always around him also didn't come today?"

"I'd bet on it."

"Looks like the General will be transferred out this time?"

"What, are you reluctant to see her leave now?"

"Sigh, with her gone, we'll just muddle along meaninglessly again like before. After some time, you lose all motivation. It's strange, ever since she came, it's been harsh but I feel hopeful about the future, still have lots of energy left, inexplicably rejuvenated. Don't you think it's odd?"

"I am too, it's a pity to have offended Heir Apparent Yu, it seems like I'll have to leave here just like those other guys before me."

Just then, someone came running from outside: "General Gong is back!"

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Ha, this General Gong is impressive, even a noble like Heir Apparent Yu is helpless against him. It looks like from now on we in the Xiyuan Army can't keep calling ourselves the Theater Army anymore."