The Woman Disguised Herself as a Man and Abolished the Prince, Married a Princess and called the Empress - Chapter 14

A young girl’s first love, a secret crush, a strategic move before the big competition.

The scorching sun beat down on the earth, and the female soldiers of the Darkfrost Camp were sweating profusely on the hot training grounds, their shouts echoing one after another. Meanwhile, in Princess Qinglan’s residence in the distant capital, a cool and tranquil atmosphere prevailed.

Lush green plants wove a summer shade, and a gentle breeze carried the faint scent of lotuses. Liu Hanyue, dressed in light gauze and silk, leaned against the railing of the long corridor, lightly fanning herself with a bamboo fan, creating a refreshing coolness.

As she was enjoying the moment, a dark figure flashed by, and Fuchu appeared without warning. Liu Hanyue’s eyes narrowed, a hint of surprise in them. “Didn’t I order you to stay by Commander Xiong’s side? Why are you back all of a sudden?”

Fuchu’s expression was calm as she pulled a box from her sleeve and handed it steadily to Liu Hanyue. Her voice was low but clear. “Princess, this is something Commander Xiong entrusted to me, to be delivered to you in person. She said it contains confidential information that shouldn’t be sent via courier.”

Liu Hanyue reached out, and as her fingertips touched the box, she paused, looking up at Fuchu, her eyes full of astonishment. “Ah, how did she find you?”

Fuchu’s face grew serious. “Princess, she sensed my presence the first time you met her at the Quiet Bamboo Study. I’ve been following her all this time, and she’s been aware of it.”

“This…” Liu Hanyue opened her mouth, speechless for a moment. A sense of being caught red-handed welled up inside her.

Seeing the worried look on Liu Hanyue’s face, Fuchu, thinking she was concerned for Commander Xiong’s safety, a rare hint of concern flashed across her usually stern face, and her voice became unconsciously urgent.

“Princess, please don’t worry. The Darkfrost Camp is heavily guarded. Besides, her martial arts skills are very likely on par with mine; otherwise, with my stealth abilities, she would never have been able to sense me following in the shadows.”

“Ah, I’m not worried about that.” Liu Hanyue’s voice involuntarily lowered, her gaze a little evasive, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. “I was wondering if she was angry about you following her all this time.”

Fuchu shook her head slightly, offering a soft reassurance. “Don’t worry, Princess, she showed no displeasure at all and treated me with courtesy.”

“Really? That’s good, that’s good.” Liu Hanyue murmured to herself, her tensed shoulders instantly relaxing. She then looked up at Fuchu, her tone gentle. “You must be exhausted from the journey. Go and rest well. I’ll call you if I need you.”

Fuchu nodded and with a flash, disappeared on the spot. Liu Hanyue watched her go, a sense of gratitude in her heart. She thought back to the past; if it weren’t for Fuchu, she might have died long ago.

At that time, Liu Hanyue was just a child with two pigtails, still a little naive. She had gone out to play on the Lantern Festival and accidentally came across Fuchu being chased. Blood splattered, and the older girl stumbled before falling in front of her.

A surge of courage rose in the young Liu Hanyue’s heart. She immediately ordered her secret guards to help and brought Fuchu back to the palace.

When her mother found out, she intervened decisively. From then on, Fuchu stayed in the palace, serving as the head of the secret guards, protecting her day and night. For ten years, they had been inseparable, and their bond had long surpassed that of a master and servant, becoming as close as sisters.

Since taking charge of the secret guards, Fuchu, with her exceptional wit and skills, had repeatedly thwarted the enemies’ conspiracies and carefully trained a group of elite secret guards, making the entire team stronger than ever.

The sudden shrill chirping of cicadas interrupted Liu Hanyue’s memories. She came back to her senses, her gaze falling on the box in her hand. She gently opened it.

The first thing that caught her eye was an exquisite white jade hairpin. The smooth jade gave off a gentle glow in the sunlight. Beneath the hairpin was a letter sealed with wax.

Liu Hanyue’s fingers lightly traced the letter’s surface, rubbing the thin layer of wax, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. She carefully removed the wax and slowly unfolded the letter. The handwriting on the paper was strong and bold, with a sharp brushstroke that seemed to pierce through the paper.

Her eyes followed the words, and scenes from her mind unconsciously appeared. As she read, the corners of her mouth turned up, and she murmured to herself, “I’ll reciprocate with all my heart…”

When she read that line, she was slightly taken aback, and then let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Sigh, if only it were a proposal of marriage.”

As soon as she said it, she regretted it. She was just letting her imagination run wild. After only a few days together, Commander Xiong was burdened by a blood feud; how could she have time for romantic feelings?

However, after getting to know her for a while, Liu Hanyue’s interest in Commander Xiong grew even stronger.

She could sense the presence of a top-tier expert like Fuchu. As the Crown Prince of the Yu Kingdom, and with a mysterious connection to the Gou Mang tribe, Commander Xiong seemed to be shrouded in layers of mist, making her unfathomable.

Yet, despite this, Liu Hanyue felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with her. The first time they met, she felt that her aura was extraordinary, especially when she smiled—the pair of shallow dimples were like blooming flowers in spring, bright and captivating…

Liu Hanyue snapped back to reality, secretly telling herself to stay rational. She calmly analyzed the situation. Perhaps because they were from the same school, she felt a natural closeness to her “little martial sister.”

Or perhaps in the Shu Kingdom, as the legitimate princess, she was of noble status and favored by her mother, the empress. Servants were always respectful, and the relationship between royal family members was more about open and secret strife.

But Commander Xiong had never treated her as a high and mighty princess. The intimate “martial sister” in the letter instantly shortened the distance between them.

Liu Hanyue was a little lost in thought, especially with this white jade hairpin. Did this person not know what giving a hairpin meant? It was a token of lifelong commitment, given only to a confirmed partner.

Perhaps Commander Xiong, as a person from the Yu Kingdom, was not aware of the Shu Kingdom’s customs. Even so, Liu Hanyue’s heart still fluttered.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that her eyes inadvertently fell on a line in the letter: Xu Jing…

Liu Hanyue’s brows furrowed slightly. Who was this Xu Jing… Could it be…

At this thought, the usually composed and self-controlled Liu Hanyue felt an indescribable mix of emotions—was it anger, annoyance, or… jealousy?

Liu Hanyue bit her lower lip, making a silent decision. Once the household registration was settled, she would have Fuchu thoroughly investigate Xu Jing’s background and her relationship with Commander Xiong.

Ten days passed in a flash, and the second phase of the assessment was in full swing. The intense competition among the new recruits finally yielded a list of the top fifty.

Tomorrow would be the ultimate showdown between the new recruits and the seasoned veterans, a contest that concerned the honor and future of the new recruits.

Late at night, the barracks were silent. The candles had long been extinguished, and darkness enveloped every corner. Commander Xiong lay on her bed, a faint smile on her calm face.

Her thoughts were racing. She had already made a plan for tomorrow’s competition. With her skills and the observations she had made of the veterans over the past few days, she felt that as long as she performed normally, there would be no problem.

Huang Yu, however, tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Peng Yongsen was also having trouble sleeping. She lay on her side, staring into the darkness, constantly weighing the situation in her mind. No matter how she calculated, she felt their chances of winning were slim. Although this batch of new recruits trained hard, they still lacked the experience of the veterans, and their moves were a bit rigid.

In most of the matches between the female soldiers, the new recruits would probably be at a disadvantage. Therefore, the duel between the captain and vice-captains became the most crucial part. They had three matches, and they couldn’t afford to lose a single one.

Peng Yongsen was not blindly confident this time. She knew how great the challenge was for her and her teammates.

She glanced at Huang Yu, who was still tossing and turning, and whispered, “Huang Yu, are you still awake?” The voice was soft, but it was especially clear in the silent night.

Huang Yu turned over, her voice a bit annoyed, low but with a straightforwardness. “Sigh, my mind is full of tomorrow’s competition. It’s driving me crazy!”

Peng Yongsen slowly sat up, gracefully putting on her outer robe. Her face was lightly troubled, and her voice was gentle but tinged with a hint of coolness. “Alas, I’m also worried about tomorrow.

“I’ve been observing closely these past few days, and the gap between us new recruits and their veterans is not small. Ten days of practice can’t make up for it. This time, it seems a bit tricky.”

Huang Yu sat up from her bed, her voice kept low but full of her usual candidness. “Exactly! My eyes haven’t been idle these past few days. Tomorrow, we’re facing forty-seven veterans; our disadvantage is obvious. We don’t even need to think about it.

“So, it all depends on the captain and us two vice-captains. We have to win all three matches to secure the final victory. The pressure is just too great!”

Peng Yongsen nodded gently, a look of humility on her face. She looked at Huang Yu sincerely, her voice gentle yet methodical. “I’ve always admired your skills in martial arts. After much thought about tomorrow’s competition, I know my own strength is a bit lacking.

“So, I sincerely hope you can take on their strongest vice-captain. With your abilities, you might be able to create a breakthrough, giving us a better chance of winning. I’ll also do my best to hold my ground in my own match.”

Huang Yu nodded in agreement.

Commander Xiong was not asleep. She heard every word they said. She felt a bit helpless. She understood that her teammates lacked confidence and were overly worried about the competition, especially since they were facing experienced veterans.

She thought to herself, “It’s okay, everything will be under control tomorrow.”

Early the next morning, as Huang Yu was still groggy, she saw Commander Xiong call Peng Yongsen to the side, where the two of them spoke in low voices. When Huang Yu got up, she saw them both washing up as if nothing had happened.

Huang Yu was a little puzzled but didn’t dwell on it.

At 7:45 AM, the competition officially began. The situation was just as Huang Yu and Peng Yongsen had discussed. In the duels against the veterans, only eighteen new recruits won. During the vice-captain duels, according to the rules, the new recruits could choose their opponents first.

Huang Yu reached out her hand, ready to pick the one who looked strongest, but then she heard a familiar voice.

“Wait.” Commander Xiong slowly walked forward and whispered a few words to Huang Yu.

Huang Yu nodded, changed the direction of her outstretched hand, and said with a determined look, “I choose her.”

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