CMWKSD -Chapter 235 Beyond Others, There Is Xuyu

Accompanied by Jiu Yue’s light shout—“Off you go!”

The Crown Prince’s outstretched hand didn’t even brush the corner of Jiu Yue’s clothes.

All that could be heard was the flag ripping through the air with a sharp whistling sound—

shooting straight toward Zhuo Ya’s… little topknot.

Zhuo Ya only saw the wooden pole of the flag flying straight at her head.

Her pupils shrank. She didn’t even have time to dodge.

All she felt was a sharp pain on her scalp, as if her entire scalp had been torn off.

Her whole body was yanked into the air.

With a loud bang, she knocked Zhuo Mu—who was behind her—off his horse.

Dragged along by the flagpole, she crashed clang clang clang into several people in succession.

Men and horses went tumbling in all directions.

Then—dong.

The wooden pole of the flag slammed straight into the frame of the carriage behind them.

The Northern Barbarian envoy delegation was struck with utter shock.

And Zhuo Ya—impaled straight through her little topknot by the flagpole bearing the character “Qi”—was pinned alive to the carriage frame.

The tip of the flag was still humming faintly, showing just how terrifying the force had been.

The flag emblazoned with the word “Qi” fluttered proudly in the wind.

Some Great Qi citizens, unable to hold back, shouted loudly: “Good!”

They were promptly, half-heartedly scolded by an official from the Ministry of Rites: “No disturbances.”

But the citizens’ eyes shone brightly as they looked at Jiu Yue.

This was their Princess Xuyu!!!

Their princess!!!

Zhuo Mu scrambled up from the ground in utter disarray.

When he looked again at Zhuo Ya nailed to the carriage frame—she was clearly scared witless.

More accurately, there were hardly any in the Northern Barbarian envoy group who weren’t scared silly.

The Crown Prince clasped his hands behind his back and quietly gave Jiu Yue a thumbs-up.

Then, with a light chuckle, he said, “Oh dear! Jiu Yue, how could you strike so carelessly? The First Prince and Princess Zhuo Ya are guests from afar.”

“Our Great Qi has never treated guests this way.”

“Why don’t you hurry up and apologize?”

The Crown Prince beamed happily at Jiu Yue.

Then he turned to Zhuo Mu and said, “First Prince, please don’t take offense. My little sister is a martial fanatic. Princess Zhuo Ya fired an arrow without saying a word, so my sister here… well, she simply used a bit too much strength.”

Jiu Yue shot the Crown Prince a sidelong glance.

Just how many character settings was this guy planning to pile onto her?

No one stepped forward to help Zhuo Ya.

Everyone knew Jiu Yue would never apologize.

If Jiu Yue said “sorry” or “my apologies” at the city gates today, then blood would definitely be spilled among the Northern Barbarian envoys.

Still, the formalities had to be observed.

Zhuo Mu glared furiously at Jiu Yue.

“Isn’t Princess Xuyu going a bit too far in bullying others?”

Zhuo Mu stood on the moral high ground, determined to lecture her about right and wrong.

Jiu Yue frowned.

What—he couldn’t take a loss?

The Crown Prince had just opened his mouth—when Jiu Yue beat him to it, launching into sarcastic mockery.

“First Prince Zhuo Mu, so what you’re saying is that Princess Zhuo Ya can attack, but I’m not allowed to fight back?”

“You should’ve said earlier. If I’d known you couldn’t afford to lose, I wouldn’t have returned the blow. What ‘sparring’ are we even talking about?”

“Nice excuse you’ve found. You can’t win, yet you just had to get handsy. Then after getting taught a lesson, you accuse me of bullying?”

Jiu Yue’s expression turned cold as she stared straight at Zhuo Mu.

“Why don’t you explain that logic to me, First Prince?”

As she spoke, Jiu Yue glanced distantly at the guards who were trying to pull out the flagpole and rescue Zhuo Ya, a mocking smile curling at her lips.

“Or how about I spar with you instead, First Prince? Just make sure you don’t fight back—because fighting back would be bullying.”

Zhuo Mu exploded in rage. “You—!”

Behind him, the Northern Barbarian envoys all tensed, weapons ready.

A full-blown clash was about to erupt.

Jiu Yue wasn’t afraid in the slightest. If it came to it—then fight.

Who had the patience to keep listening to his endless yapping?

The Crown Prince stepped forward and shielded Jiu Yue behind him.

“First Prince Zhuo Mu, this is Great Qi. Xuyu is a princess of Great Qi.”

“What? You’re letting so many people point blades and spears at a Great Qi princess—are you declaring war on Great Qi?”

The Crown Prince let out a cold laugh. Though still youthful, the natural imperial aura about him—learned perfectly from Emperor Fengyuan—burst forth unmistakably.

“Then Great Qi will accept the challenge!”

After all, a prince and a crown prince were not the same.

One was a future emperor.

The other?

Who knew—maybe he’d end up like Chu Yao, reduced to a commoner and beheaded.

Fewer births, better births—happiness for a lifetime.

The onlooking citizens roared in unison: “Who dares harm our Princess Xuyu?!”

“Kill without mercy!”

The slogan was shouted with such passion that it went straight to Jiu Yue’s heart.

Then the person who shouted “kill without mercy” was dragged away by guards for “education.”

This was diplomacy between nations.

Shouting “kill without mercy” was practically dancing on a grave.

Way too much!

Once Zhuo Mu heard the Crown Prince escalate the matter to the level of national conflict—and heard the fury of the surrounding citizens—he was shocked by Jiu Yue’s popularity among the people, and by the Crown Prince’s open protection of her.

It also indirectly revealed Jiu Yue’s true standing in Great Qi.

Perhaps it wasn’t what they had imagined.

Meanwhile, over there, Zhuo Ya—still unable to be freed—had tried again and again to yank the flagpole out, to no avail.

Finally, she completely broke down and burst into loud sobs.

That sudden crying eased the tense, explosive atmosphere.

Zhuo Mu, knowing when to bend and when to stretch, forced a smile.

He clasped his fists toward the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, please forgive me. I was overly worried about my sister and spoke without thinking.”

“It was also my sister’s fault for being inferior in skill and overly arrogant. I hope Princess Xuyu and Your Highness will not take offense.”

The Crown Prince tilted his head slightly to glance at Jiu Yue.

Jiu Yue crossed her arms arrogantly and turned her head away, ignoring him.

The Crown Prince laughed helplessly. “First Prince Zhuo Mu’s affection for his sister is admirable. A few careless words do no real harm.”

“Still, I hope Princess Zhuo Ya will receive better guidance in the future.”

“One must know—beyond others, there is Xuyu, and beyond mountains, there is also Xuyu.”

Pfft—

The guards and citizens who understood couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.

Zhuo Mu’s face immediately darkened.

Jiu Yue laughed so hard she was practically cackling.

The Crown Prince tapped her on the head. “Don’t laugh so wildly.”

After that, the rest of the welcoming procedures were fully taken over by the Court of Diplomatic Reception.

Jiu Yue and the Crown Prince had successfully retired after their feat.

They would wait until all the other envoy delegations arrived before hosting the banquet.

On the other side, Zhuo Mu and the others brought Zhuo Ya—still attached to the carriage—into the guest residence.

There was no helping it.

Layers upon layers of Great Qi guards surrounded them.

Officially, it was “for their protection.”

In reality, their eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the flag stuck in the carriage.

That was the banner of Great Qi.

It could not be cut.

It could not be damaged…

And yet who knew where Jiu Yue’s brute strength came from?

The wooden pole had been driven straight into the carriage frame.

Several people pulled and tugged for a long time before finally managing to yank it out.

At the tip of the pole was a small clump of Zhuo Ya’s hair.

Looking again at Zhuo Ya—the spot where her little topknot had been tied was now bald.

Clutching that handful of hair, Zhuo Ya cried until she was hoarse, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at Zhuo Mu through clenched teeth.

“I want Xuyu dead! I want her dead!”

Zhuo Mu roared, “Shut up!”

They had come to give Great Qi a show of strength—yet before even entering the city, they had lost both face and dignity entirely!

Zhuo Zhuo stood to the side and looked at the First Prince. “Big Brother, are we really just going to let this go?”

The three siblings shared the same mother.

Zhuo Mu enjoyed favor with the Northern Barbarian Emperor and was a likely candidate for the next throne.

This visit to Great Qi had been his own initiative.

Testing Great Qi was one purpose.

The second…was to confirm Emperor Fengyuan’s condition.

If matters had already been exposed, then their plan—laid out over decades—might collapse completely.

They had thought everything was foolproof, that this trip would earn them great merit upon returning.

But now, with Jiu Yue as an unexpected variable—they could only hope that there were no changes with the poison affecting Emperor Fengyuan and the Chu family.

Otherwise, when they returned,

Zhuo Mu would likely lose imperial favor entirely.