Chapter 91
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Merits and Demerits
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From the ancient times of antiquity, the soldiers of the Golden Army, who guarded the imperial capital Beijing, were considered high-ranking in their own right.
That was only natural.
The Golden Army was a unit formed by selecting the elites even from among the empire's finest troops, consisting of those who had passed rigorous exams and standards, proving both their suitability as soldiers and their basic martial prowess.
Among them, those who were veterans and had reached the pinnacle realm, earning the rank of squad leader, could proudly boast of their advancement.
For instance, there was a soldier named Jo Byeong-gu here.
A country bumpkin born in some rural backwater who had come to the capital chasing an unrealistic dream of becoming a martial artist, he was a living testament to success—a dragon risen from the shallows—who had surpassed the sons of wealthy families and martial clans to claim the position of squad leader.
As such, his loyalty to the empire was well-known, and his attitude toward his duties was that of a model soldier.
And he was also the soldier who had first confronted So-hyang as she flew in with the full-force explosion and launched a preemptive strike.
The lingering aura of demonic energy vibrating from her entire body, and the sight of Her Highness the Imperial Princess, limp and carried like baggage...
According to the Golden Army's doctrine, when the circumstantial evidence was this clear, they were to make on-the-spot judgments without further questions or investigations. Launching a preemptive attack on what was unmistakably a ferocious intruder from outside was the natural response—
"It turns out the kidnapping of Her Highness the Third Imperial Princess yesterday was a regrettable misunderstanding on our Golden Army's part."
"Pardon?"
The lingering demonic aura vibrating from her body, Her Highness the fainted princess carried like baggage, no matter how you looked at it, she was undoubtedly a ferocious beast...?
"On the contrary, they say she protected Her Highness from the explosion at the train station. Apparently, she's a close friend of Her Highness."
"Pardon?"
Even a close friend of Her Highness...?
"Normally, both the White Lotus Sword and the Golden Army would face investigations into responsibility, punishments, and disciplinary actions, but this time, they've decided to treat the incident as if it never happened."
"Pardon?"
What was this now? The commotion in the city had been so massive—how could it just vanish...?
"Her Highness personally intervened to mediate the situation."
"Pardon?"
No way, Her Highness herself, oh my god—
"......"
"Thanks to that, there won't be any disciplinary actions, so rest easy."
Rest easy, he says.
The root of the problem had been their own misunderstanding from the start, and he himself had been the trigger point for that misunderstanding.
Now that he thought about it, she had tried to explain that it was all a misunderstanding.
And he had ignored every word, hurling spears and stabbing away relentlessly...
"—Damn, life."
Jo Byeong-gu squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his forehead.
Just the fact that he had unilaterally insulted Her Highness's close friend was social death in itself.
And if that friend happened to be a supreme master on top of it... oh god...
"S-Squad Leader Jo, is our military life screwed?"
Squad Leader Jo swallowed back tears and the words that his life—not just his military service—was screwed.
"I don't know, you bastard... For now, let's go kowtow to her..."
That was why, trembling in cosmic terror, they had sought out So-hyang's residence and knocked on the door.
The fact that this residence was a annex owned by the princess made the term "close friend" hit even harder, leaving them dizzy.
"Yes, who is it?"
"...!"
First, chills ran down their spines as the door slid open silently, without even the sound of footsteps or presence detectable by a pinnacle martial artist's senses, and they gasped at the face that popped out.
In the chaos and urgency yesterday, he hadn't gotten a proper look, but now... what a face...
Not just the face, but a soft, gentle smile naturally radiated from her, captivating people effortlessly.
Her beauty was unexaggerated and heart-stopping, making him forget what he was about to say and gape like an idiot.
"...Um? Hello?"
After knocking to summon her and then standing there slack-jawed, he snapped to attention only when she expressed doubt.
"Ahem! P-Pardon the intrusion. This humble soldier is Jo Byeong-gu, squad leader of the Golden Army's Southern Battalion..."
"Ah, you're the soldier from yesterday?"
"...!! Y-Yes...!"
Jo Byeong-gu had desperately hoped she'd forgotten him as just one of the passing soldiers, but confirming he was etched in her memory deepened his despair.
At this point, there was no choice but a frontal assault.
"I've come to apologize for the rudeness yesterday!!"
If any grudges lingered, may this dispel them; if not, he'd offer his savings for marriage...
"Oh, come on, what do you have to be sorry for?"
A clear expression of forgiveness—in fact, a tone indicating she hadn't minded at all.
"Huuuuh...!"
The soldiers, who had imagined every worst-case scenario, were swept in overwhelming relief as if the collapsing sky had stabilized, collapsing to the ground.
From So-hyang's perspective, though, this was utterly baffling nonsense.
They had played along with her naughty prank—why would they harbor resentment? If anything, she'd feel sorry.
"From your position as soldiers, it was fully understandable to misunderstand. More importantly, are your injuries okay?"
Incidentally, Jo Byeong-gu was also the soldier from whom So-hyang had snatched the emergency signal device.
He was the unlucky soul who had been kicked in the side to fly through the night sky and then knocked out by a flick to the forehead.
"I-I'm fine. Thank you for your concern...!"
The injured spot still ached terribly, but no bones were broken, no organs damaged.
Being alive was gratitude enough; being unscathed was a bonus.
"Ah, we've brought a modest gift—since you enjoy liquor..."
A finely packaged glass bottle of premium sake.
Procured through a junior from a sake brewer supplying the imperial family, it was an ultra-expensive famed brew.
The crystal-clear glass bottle featured intricate, artwork-level engravings.
Its contents gleamed golden in the light.
No ordinary liquor, by any means.
As Golden Army soldiers, they had pooled several months' salaries from the squad, meaning belt-tightening ahead.
"Oh my, why bring something like this? It looks incredibly expensive just from the appearance...?"
"...Y-Yes!?"
So-hyang had simply worried about their finances, but the soldiers took it differently.
A polite refusal implying she had no intention of accepting gifts from the likes of them.
An illusion born from their experience as Golden Army soldiers, often entangled in political matters.
"No, no! Didn't we commit such rudeness? This much sincerity is only proper—please accept it...!"
"Uh, well, alright...?"
Fearing refusal more, So-hyang accepted the bottle.
"Hmm, receiving such a precious gift..."
-Grrrrumble
Amid this, a stomach growl echoed from one soldier's empty belly.
So-hyang's eyes sharpened.
"Oh ho, you all haven't eaten yet?"
"...Pardon? Yes, that's right."
Given the situation, nausea had prevented meals.
"Perfect timing! Come in and eat together before you go. We can open the gifted liquor right away as a side drink."
"...D-Did I hear wrong?"
Being treated to a meal...?
By the supreme master who had thrashed them gleefully yesterday, laughing as she toyed and escaped...?
They glared resentfully at the squadmate whose stomach had growled, but unable to refuse their position, they could only smile awkwardly.
"We gratefully partake...!"
The soldiers could no longer fathom what kind of person this White Lotus Sword So-hyang was.
"...I just can't fathom her temperament."
It was Zhu Yeonhwa's soliloquy as she handled duties in her office after a long absence.
More precisely, worries about her friend.
She knew So-hyang enjoyed fights and was reckless, but not to this extent.
Smashing through the Zhuge family's main gate? She had dismissed it as typical martial artist scuffles.
Sneaking up Mount Wudang? It was to deliver a letter from the Zhuge family, she said.
She prioritized martial arts but showed discernment and thoughtfulness, better than most martial artists in Zhu Yeonhwa's eyes...
But reality was different.
Until now, Zhu Yeonhwa hadn't deliberately investigated So-hyang's background.
Snooping behind her back was rude, and her outrageous actions were public knowledge anyway.
Subscribing to the Hanlin Academy's express rivers-and-lakes gazette for first news sufficed.
But this recent commotion prompted her to request detailed intel from her agency's investigation.
"Heavens, even more than expected..."
So-hyang truly prioritized martial arts above all.
She knew propriety and common sense but didn't act accordingly.
With the Zhuge family, her antics alone warranted branding her a clan enemy and a public enemy of the martial world.
She compensated with gold and knowledge, buying favor through cleanup.
With Wudang Sect too. Even without the letter, she'd have scaled the cliffs for a spar.
The excuse just conveniently arose.
"So that's why her public reputation differs so vastly from her true nature...?"
Not toeing lines recklessly, but smashing everything and scrambling to cover it up.
"Martial artists' mad antics aren't rare, but doing it in Beijing too...?"
Officials and martial artists do not invade each other.
Well water does not trespass river water.
Rivers spare wells, but wells stay out of rivers.
Non-interference goes both ways.
And Beijing epitomized official territory.
Unlike provincial cities sharing admin with sects or clans, it was purely imperial.
No factions inside; fully state jurisdiction.
Martial artist rowdiness was intolerable; even lowlifes avoided it.
Street brawls were policing issues, but high-realm fighters clashing in inns? Rare.
Elsewhere, hush money sufficed; in Beijing, severe crimes.
Thus, Beijing faced invasions like wars, not martial squabbles.
Declared to all rivers-and-lakes: this is not martial territory.
Rampage your way, face harsh punishment.
Even mad ghosts hesitated where death loomed.
Zhu Yeonhwa knew So-hyang understood this, so despite the preemptive attack, she'd assumed restraint—subduing foes and clearing misunderstanding.
She had even pretended to faint from the jostling while carried, requesting a knockout then revival...
But the result? Racing through streets in mad pursuit, knocking out countless soldiers, shaking trackers, landing in markets, erasing traces. No intent? Military and palace wouldn't buy it.
At least she cleared misunderstanding upon the Southern General's arrival without further frenzy—
"Then don't rampage from the start...!"
She clearly knew how dangerous and absurd it was in imperial domain.
Yet she did it anyway.
Even pausing midway wasn't waning zeal or fear of punishment.
Her Dragon Eye reflection showed no cowering, only anticipation and regret...
She stopped merely considering Zhu Yeonhwa's plight.
Absurd as considering her plight was the reason, it fit So-hyang's nature now known.
Sect or state boundaries? Irrelevant. Pure Sky Emperor stance from past life.
Unrivaled in rivers-and-lakes, I alone supreme.
Gripping one blade, conquering the world.
Romantic for martial hearts, alien to a princess.
Wasn't she a pitiful brothel girl abused by wicked brothers?
What twists forged this eccentricity?
"Good lord, what a star of calamity."
She didn't massacre indiscriminately, so not born villainous—but pulling this without villainy?
Despising weaklings' lives is common evil; this was despising her own.
Zhu Yeonhwa pinched her brow against headache.
Her nature seemed good via Dragon Eye, but innate goodness doesn't make sages.
Beyond good-evil binary: chaotic, walking her path alone.
"Sigh, far from expectations..."
Securing top martial talent seemed great investment; now, tricky to utilize.
Likes her, but won't be swayed.
Agrees to requests, but won't follow plans.
Gained three command rights via this, but she'd ignore if displeased.
Commands mere moral debt, hard to wield.
"A half-chicken rib; best settle for friendly non-hostility."
Cross friendship line? Blood inevitable, now realized.
"That aside, what reward to give...?"
Rulers must weigh merits and faults precisely.
Faults settled; merits—saving her life—demanded reward.
"So, what do you desire?"
Martial artists crave three mainly.
Legendary swords and blades, divine weapons called artifacts.
Spirit beast cores, mystical herbs, pinnacle elixirs refined by masters.
Supreme arts, esoteric techniques, profound manuals and secrets.
All purchasable with money.
Rare ones priceless generally, but not for Zhu Yeonhwa.
She could order Gold Merchant Group's head for artifacts, even demonic-era relics.
Long ties with Shaolin suppliers; dozens of grand rebirth pills possible.
Natural? Heaps of millennium snow ginseng, azure oil stone.
Manuals? Open imperial library depths, even academy archives.
Irresistible for any martial artist.
A treasure map of these would spark bloody fights.
"One must suit you; choose."
But So-hyang's reaction defied expectations...
"Um, Your Highness? I'm truly grateful for your generosity, but... I really don't need anything...?"
"What."
Appreciative yet troubled, like an elder eyeing grandkids' useless gifts, she smiled awkwardly.