The foreign envoy arrived, speaking brazenly in the Grand Palace, echoing each other, suggesting they had long been in cahoots.
The old emperor, seated high above, furrowed his brows, feeling the situation becoming increasingly thorny.
After the foreign envoy went to rest, the old emperor summoned the minister for consultation.
Old Emperor: "When they were disunited, I missed the good opportunity to break them one by one. Now that they are united, I fear... Great Xia is in danger..."
The minister prostrated in a bow: "Your Majesty, this old minister knows of your love for the Eldest Princess, but... ahead of the affairs of state..."
In the palace, a long silence ensued.
Standing outside the door, the Chief Eunuch vaguely heard so of it, but couldn’t hear everything clearly.
But the Chief Eunuch knew, the long silence was more like the emperor’s tacit approval.
...
Under the sunlight, a drop of sweat slid across the girl’s rosy face, her sweat-drenched hair adding to her allure, as she thrust her longsword into the air, as if to pierce the sky, pierce the blazing sun.
An eagle landed, perching on a nearby branch.
Until the girl sheathed her sword, and with a gesture, the eagle swooped toward her, yet obediently settled on her shoulder.
The girl retrieved a ssage tube from the eagle’s claw.
In view, just a few hasty words, yet it explained everything.
The corner of the girl’s mouth subtly lifted, but there was not a trace of a smile in her eyes, "In the end, have I been abandoned?"
The girl gazed into the high sky, then looked over mountains and rivers, sneering, "For this world, what’s so hard to give up? rely a daughter, not the only child. Even if the only child, what’s there to regret."
"This is... the heart of an emperor."
"Cold."
The girl withdrew her gaze, lowering her eyes to the sword in her hand.
Her destiny had never been in anyone else’s hands, only in her own.
The sword flashed, and her long hair fell to the ground.
The girl cut her hair short, exuding a heroic spirit.
The Little Palace Maid ca to deliver tea and water, and upon seeing this, shouted, "Your Royal Highness Princess, what are you doing!"
The girl’s gaze was as calm as the wind, lightly resting on the fallen hair, "Pick it up. Today we return to the palace."
Before the arrival of the foreign envoy, the old emperor, fearing she would be distressed upon eting them, had arranged for her to stay at a Hot Spring Manor on the outskirts of the Imperial City, under the pretext of escaping the sumr heat, but in reality, avoiding calamity.
She believed that, at the ti, her father genuinely did not want her to engage in a marriage alliance.
But with the foreign alliance, her father had probably already changed his mind.
The heart of an emperor, most suspicious, most easily changed.
Her mother, disillusioned years ago, had long seen through it, which is why she said on her deathbed, "Books teach won to obey their fathers at ho and their husbands after marriage... all lies!"
"Rember, my child, do not blindly believe those books written by n, most are there only to deceive us!"
"Why shouldn’t a woman live according to her own heart throughout her life? It’s just a pity that your mother realized this too late... unable to change anything, but you are different, you are a reigning princess, you must live wantonly!"
The girl pulled back from her thoughts, the Little Palace Maid collected the severed locks of hair and tied them together, handing them to Her Royal Highness Princess, who accepted them, holding them in her palm.
The girl, holding the severed hair in one hand and the longsword in the other, entered the carriage.
The carriage slowed after reaching the capital city, yet a speeding carriage approached head-on.
The arrogant coachman scolded, "Make way, this is the carriage of the foreign envoy, yet you do not yield!"
The princess sat in a carriage from the Hot Spring Manor, not her regal carriage, thus it was very low-key, appearing to be just a wealthy commoner’s carriage.
The Little Palace Maid was indignant, wanting to go out and argue, but was stopped by the princess.
The Little Princess was surprised, only to hear the girl lightly laugh, "Wait here."
The princess lifted the carriage curtain and went out, the foreign envoy, upon seeing such a beauty, attempted to abduct her on the street.
Before that salty pig hand touched her, the girl swung her sword.
The foreign envoy’s head fell, blood splattering all over Her Royal Highness Princess.
...
The girl, with severed hair between her teeth, holding the foreign envoy’s head in one hand and the longsword in the other, swaggered into the Grand Palace.
The old emperor was startled, and as the Imperial Guards saw the princess holding a weapon, were about to draw their swords, he scolded them, ordering them to stand down.
The old emperor hastily descended the dragon throne, his aged eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at his daughter’s hair, "What are you doing?"
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