754 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

The design purpose of the Forbidden City was to 'intimidate'. The southern gate of the Forbidden City is located centrally within a U-shaped sunken wall, a common defensive design meant to intercept enemies from three sides as they attempted to breach the gates. But what lies outside the southern gate? It's the first gate of the Forbidden City, the Tiananmen Gate, which stands serenely, as if eternally unchanging and peaceful. Four towering walls reaching considerable heights surround it, with the even taller Gate of Heavenly Peace located behind. Thus, the moment one stands before the southern gate, one finds oneself in a completely enclosed space, surrounded by walls so tall that unless you crane your neck back entirely, the sky seems hidden from view. And what emotion does one feel in such a setting? Awe, and a sense of fear. "Oh, they built it well..." Of course, only if you're a local from Zhongyuan(Central Plains). Folks from Qing's homeland have grown so accustomed to skyscrapers reaching for the skies and enclosed spaces that it doesn’t even come close to the stifling pressure of high-density districts. So for Qing, this is merely a sightseeing trip. Indeed, those Zhongyuan folks know how to build one hell of a wall. Just look at the Great Wall. How extensive do walls need to be? For reference, the actual length of the Great Wall is about 50,000 li, so it should be called the 50,000-li Wall, not the 10,000-li Wall. But the number 10,000 has the symbolic meaning of the greatest number in Zhongyuan, hence the name. Visitors to the Forbidden City typically wait anywhere from half an hour to three days at the southern gate. For the building's original purpose, to subdue one's spirit. Sitting and kneeling before the gate, wondering how many arrows and cannons were pointing from every direction down upon you. In this confined space where it feels like a rain of arrows could descend at any moment, there's nothing to do but wait for the gates to open. It's a truly nerve-wracking time, a horrific stretch of moments filled with anxiety, but that’s their side of the ordeal. Qing knelt down, looking around repeatedly. Today, despite the rain and poor weather, soldiers lining the wall above look down upon her. This woman wearing a veil and kneeling, fearlessly gazing around with curiosity. Naturally, the soldiers were curious too. Wasn't Ximen Qing known for being the Heavenly Flower(天華), the unrivaled beauty counted among the top three great beauties of the world? Wow, she truly is one of the three great beauties, stunning. But why the veil? We'd like to see her face too... Qing was told she had to wear the veil here. Because it was her entry into the palace as the designated lady to be the Crown Prince's companion. When they were grooming her as a young hero, they had advertised the entry into the palace. However, after entering, as the prospective Crown Princess, she mustn't reveal her precious face carelessly. Qing didn't know the reason, but she wore it just because, thinking it was a good opportunity not to manage expressions in hot weather. Roughly a quarter of an hour passed. In this primitive age, where everything had to be handcrafted, the towering walls showcased a sturdy stature. The soldiers on the wall, adorned in armor and wielding moon blades with red cloth, presented a lively scene. But how long was this to be an observation? "So, elder, when will the gate open?" Weibasan was on the verge of bursting. There's a limit to boldness, how could she remain so undaunted in such a weighty place, casually swiveling her head to observe everything! "Please, wait a while. When does the palace gate of the emperor, residing in azymin, swing open thoughtlessly for a guest?" "This is no way to treat a guest invited in the pouring rain, is it..." Weibasan hastily whispered in astonishment. "Please, keep that mouth shut." "I'm wrong, didn't I? If you're going to invite guests, shouldn't the host open the door and welcome them?" "Whoa—!" Weibasan let out a scream, clamping Qing's mouth shut. Through gritted teeth, Qing continued mumbling inside her veil. Was she daring or simply unaware of her surroundings? Qing, visibly annoyed beneath her veil, thought, there's a limit to sightseeing too - being soaked and staring endlessly isn’t entertaining. What kind of nonsense was this? "Is it alright to just bow with a deep bow here, elder?" "... Surely you're not planning to sleep, are you?" "Come on, no way. It's simply that the emperor, having summoned me, feels dishonorable for even sitting upright." "Sleeping is not allowed." "I'm not going to sleep, ha—" "Really, haven't you fallen fast asleep after saying just that?" "Elder, please. Just a few times in the palanquin because it was sunny and I had lunch." "Well, didn't you..." Suddenly, Weibasan stopped speaking. Qing knelt and prostrated herself. Is there really nothing wrong with this? If anyone's at fault, it's those who summoned her only to keep her kneeling outside the gate. As Qing knelt and exclaimed a deep bow, ‘oh, the stone floor is wet and feels quite, no, extremely unpleasant, but...’ Qing relaxed her eyelids. --- "Your Highness, shall we open the gate?" "......" "......Your Highness?" "Ah, yes, open the gate." The Crown Prince, as if suddenly coming to his senses, gravely replied to the eunuch's words. Since he was to welcome the lady who was to be his future consort, shouldn’t he personally go out to greet her, as per the emperor’s command on such a rainy day? Gu-gu-gu-gung—! The southern gate groaned with a colossal noise. At such a height of three levels, how could such a massive gate open without a sound or haste? Even though they might pull the ropes with all their might from both sides, it hardly moves, requiring a full quarter of an hour to open completely. Behind it, the Crown Prince plunged back into thought. ... ...... ......... "Your Highness, do you truly intend to follow the emperor's absurd command?" "I'm bewildered as well, but she's just a lady. It’s not like he commanded her to stand in the rain..." The Crown Prince's lady is positioned at the lowest rank among the concubines of the main wife, essentially the youngest of the formal queens. When he ascends to the emperor's throne, this position elevates to Princess Consort. Therefore, among the women of the imperial court, the Princess Consorts held a most ambiguous status. While formally a wife, her rank is too low to wield significant power, and typically these consorts are more akin to political hostages. In the worst cases, many have lived their entire lives without ever seeing the emperor, growing old and dying alone. Furthermore, they suffer under the influence of higher-ranking queens. Amid the fierce conspiracies of the imperial palace, the Princess Consort was usually the easiest target to vent frustrations upon. Below them are the court concubines and mistresses. Concubines who were favored often held more sway than even the primary queens. So, tramping over a Princess Consort was not difficult. "No, it is unacceptable. How can the Crown Prince, who will ascend the throne, engage with such a woman? Ah, the disgrace. No matter if she is a lady, what’s inappropriate remains so. As your mother, I object. It cannot be allowed." "Yet, didn't His Majesty already make up his mind? Whatever I might say, I doubt it will easily sway his decision..." "But this time, the Crown Prince must oppose it. If you dislike the woman being brought in as your partner, and your mother also objects, and with the ministers surely not standing idle while they propose such a woman, if everyone kneels and petitions together, wouldn't the emperor relent this time?" A question suddenly crossed the Crown Prince's mind. They keep referring to her as "that woman." If she's lowly, just call her lowly. If she's a martial world killer, just say so; why hesitate at this point? "Wouldn't His Majesty have had his reasons? Considering the likely opposition from the ministers, isn't it my filial duty to support him—" "Do you see me as nothing more than a servant just because I am not your father? Am I merely a lowly maidservant, and is the emperor the only parent? How can my painful, hard-given child speak like this? Oh, what a harsh life. What kind of law allows this? This cannot be." The empress eventually broke into tears. The Crown Prince was greatly flustered. "Mother, please don't be like this. If you dislike that woman so much, I can banish her to a remote palace corner storage so you won't have to see her—" It was then. The empress tightly grasped the Crown Prince's hand. She gazed at him with mournful eyes, swallowing hard before speaking. "Huiyak. That woman is Yeonsool, your sister, Princess Yeonsool." "What?" "Not the fake Yeonsool currently in the palace; the Heavenly Flower Sword(天華劍) is the real Yeonsool. She is your sister." Suddenly, things turned into a chaotic melodrama! Upon hearing the shocking truth, the Crown Prince froze. Yeonsool, the Heavenly Flower Sword, is the princess? And the one currently known as Princess Yeonsool in the palace is a fraudulent princess, while this renowned martial prodigy set to become the next greatest in the world is my sister? "It was those accursed demon women from Tianchu who did the switch. They took Yeonsool, claiming to save her, only to leave her to die and brought an impostor instead. Yeonsool survived and remarkably grew up well, which I even thanked the heavens for. But now they're saying you're to marry her; what kind of madness is this?" The empress was speaking, clutching her chest, while the Crown Prince felt his heartbeat drop with dizziness. How could this be? How could mother end up with such delusions? It was entirely reasonable for the Crown Prince to feel so. To relate it to Qing's homeland: it could be likened to a corporate conglomerate chairperson pushing their child into marriage. And a madam opposing it. She would rather be buried than see her child with 'that' kind of person. Cross over my dead body! She demands it. Unveiling a shocking truth! In reality, there was a case of a switch by the cleaning lady; the woman (who's the nation's top actress and very beautiful) is actually your real sister! And the current sister is a fake! At least, when the Heavenly Flower Sword turned out to be a nameless, unknown martial wanderer, it might have been more plausible. But the leading youth martial prodigy, the future greatest in the world, suddenly turning out to be Princess Yeonsool is quite something. "Mother, please, as I've said before, Yeonsool is in the palace, my sister, your daughter, completely fine." Moreover, it wasn't the first time. What seemed amiss, why the sudden neglect of Yeonsool, the child who healed from a grave illness, although formerly cherished with enormous affection? The empress, having turned away even when Yeonsool was presented to her, was now much more affectionate of late, sharing meals, accepting morning greetings; they seemed to be improving. "She's a fake, Huiyak, remember. No matter if a person lives and dies, how could they change to this extent? Is that the Yeonsool you remember? That strange woman posing as Yeonsool—can’t you tell?" "That must be because she has no memories, surely, Mother, please, ah, Mother..." The Crown Prince's eyes reddened with tears. He understood. As he had to pacify his sorrowful, weeping mother, he calmly said he understood while he stepped back with the unprecedented agony clutched tightly to his chest. What on earth should he do about this? Ah, my sister Yeonsool's fate is tragic, and for my mother to be unable to escape such delusional thoughts, truly tragic indeed. Seeking the daughter she already has, while that very daughter receives cold treatment from her mother. How could such a dreadful situation come to be? The heavens are indeed indifferent... ... ... ... The doors open, and the Crown Prince steps forward. "The Crown Prince has arrived!!!" The Crown Prince's eyebrows tilted, shadowing over the middle of his eyes. What's this? This very, very familiar posture, the sight of someone prostrating with their head against the ground, and that very, very recognizable back of the head? Bunpilsudang Tae-gam gently nudged his flank with a rod called a hol, a slightly curved stick of uncertain purpose held by officials. At that, like a soggy cat leaping up, a woman sprang to her feet. In that swift motion, the veil with beads strung from her hair fluttered, creating a delightful arc before flopping wetly against her crown. And in that instant, the woman's face was revealed— For a moment, the Crown Prince inhaled sharply. Whether she noticed or not, the woman opened her large eyes and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. Bowing deeply in a traditionally masculine manner, the woman prostrated herself again. Only when Bunpilsudang Tae-gam nudged her again did she emit a small "Ah," and this time, she performed a feminine bow. "Ah! Ah, Your Highness? It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness." The Crown Prince's pupils trembled uncontrollably. What, just what is this? This extremely familiar yet dearly missed, and simultaneously, so embarrassing it was hard to witness sight without cringing?