Chapter 433: Clothes Make the Man, Ambiguous Traces

Ji Qingwu turned and said, "Eunuch Li, please wait here. I’m going for a walk."

Li Yuzong said, looking troubled, "But the Holy Emperor specifically instructed this old servant to remain by your side at all times, without leaving for even a moment."

"I don’t need an escort," Ji Qingwu said. "Besides, we’re in a military camp. Nothing will happen. I just want to get some fresh air, Eunuch Li. I won’t go far."

Li Yuzong wanted to say more, but he couldn’t keep up with Ji Qingwu’s quick pace. With her words spoken, her graceful figure vanished from his sight.

The moment Ji Qingwu stepped outside the tent, a cold wind made her shiver.

She hadn’t felt the cold inside the tent. Fortunately, the bun in her hand was still steaming hot, and the oiled paper it was wrapped in served as a perfect hand warmer.

*

「The training grounds of the Northern Border Camp.」

A forest of spears stood tall, their cold tips glinting. They reflected the rising sun, dyeing the training grounds a brilliant golden-red.

Deputy General Feng Xiang’s voice boomed like a great bell as he gave the order, "Form ranks!"

The soldiers roared their assent in unison. The sound of their armor clashing was like rolling thunder, and a solemn, lethal aura instantly filled the training grounds.

Ji Qingwu hid around a corner of the training grounds and took a bite of the savory meat bun in her hand. It was salty and juicy, and a single bite was enough to chase away the morning chill, making her feel completely revitalized.

’I’m so lucky,’ she thought. ’When my older sister gave birth, I forced the "off-duty" childbirth system to activate. I was worried it might crash and my points would be lost, so I exchanged them for a ton of skills.’

’Among them was a physical recovery skill.’

That’s why, even after last night’s passionate encounter, Ji Qingwu could walk around as if nothing had happened, showing no sign of fatigue.

Ji Qingwu’s gaze swept past the soldiers, settling on the imposing figure on the high platform. The corners of her lips lifted, and a flicker of delight sparked in her eyes.

’Gazing at such a handsome face,’ she thought, ’even this meat bun seems more delicious.’

Emperor Wu Su wasn’t wearing his Great Cloak today. He was clad in a suit of Xuan Armor, and the coiling dragon etched upon it seemed to come alive in the sunlight.

Ji Qingwu had to admit that clothes really do make the man—even an emperor was no exception.

Dressed in this armor, he was the awe-inspiring Emperor of the Northern Border Army—a world away from the man who had held her and whispered gently in her ear just last night.

The morning breeze swept by, ruffling a lock of hair at Zhao Mingyan’s temple. Even without his Great Cloak, his majestic presence was in no way diminished.

"What are we practicing today?" he asked in a cold voice.

Wei Ting, his injuries yet to fully heal, was not on the training field itself but stood just below the Emperor.

He stepped forward, cupped his fist, and replied, "Your Majesty, today we practice breaking formations."

Zhao Mingyan nodded and casually picked up a long spear from a weapon rack. With a flick of his wrist, the spear’s tip flashed with a cold light.

At the sight, the soldiers erupted in cheers they could no longer contain, as if they had been eagerly awaiting this very moment.

Ji Qingwu looked on in surprise at the sea of soldiers below. Their faces were alight with excitement and fervor.

Seeing this, Wei Ting gave a resigned smile. The cheers weren’t for the formation-breaking drill, but for the fact that Emperor Wu Su had taken up a spear.

Wei Ting said, "Your Majesty, the men have long been hoping for your personal instruction."

He hadn’t expected Emperor Wu Su to be in such high spirits today. Wei Ting pondered for a moment and realized it was most likely because of Ji Qingwu. At that thought, his breathing grew heavier.

Zhao Mingyan casually twirled the spear in a flourish. Below, the soldiers’ eyes burned brightly, tracking his every move.

"Assume the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation," he said coolly.

The Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation, based on the Eight Diagrams, possessed exceptional defensive and counter-attacking capabilities, making it especially suited for prolonged standoffs.

The soldiers knew well that in the war against Xijin, their forces were evenly matched—if anything, Xijin held a slight advantage. This war was destined to be one of attrition.

Upon receiving the command, the officers waved their flags. The war drums thundered, and the soldiers rapidly shifted into formation.

Zhao Mingyan leaped into the formation. His spear moved like a dragon, felling dummy targets wherever it passed.

His movements were as fluid as flowing water. His Xuan Armor left afterimages in the morning light, making him look like a dragon weaving through the ranks.

Hiding in her corner, Ji Qingwu was so captivated that she forgot to chew the bun in her mouth, her cheeks puffing out like a steamed bun themselves.

Zhao Mingyan suddenly turned his spear, his gaze sharp as lightning, shooting directly toward Ji Qingwu’s hiding spot.

She clearly saw the cold, murderous intent in his eyes. Her heart clenched, and she choked on her bun, completely caught off guard.

Ji Qingwu quickly patted her chest, struggling for a moment before she could breathe properly again.

She had once thought an Emperor’s power was merely an extension of his authority. But now, she understood. His true majesty originated from within himself—an intimidating aura that inspired involuntary reverence.

’His movements must be even more ferocious then,’ she thought. ’A single glance would be enough to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies.’

It had been a long time since she had seen this side of him.

Ji Qingwu couldn’t help but recall her first encounter with Emperor Wu Su in the Empress Dowager’s Cining Palace.

Back then, just the sound of his voice had been enough to make her tremble, too afraid to even lift her head.

’It’s only natural that I’d be terrified meeting a battle-hardened, iron-willed Emperor like that, one steeped in the aura of death and destruction.’

She comforted herself, finding a reasonable explanation for her previously pathetic reaction.

When the bun in her hand had almost gone cold, she took another bite, her gaze still locked on Zhao Mingyan’s agile figure as he broke through the formation. She chewed slowly.

Only when sunlight fully bathed the sandy training grounds did Zhao Mingyan pull back his spear and stand tall, fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.

He gazed at the perfectly uniform military formation, the corners of his lips lifting in a slight smile.

"Not bad."

Hearing this single word of praise from the Emperor, the entire army erupted in excited cheers. The morale of the Beili Army soared.

Seeing this, Ji Qingwu couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving into crescents.

The soldiers weren’t afraid of hardship or that their efforts would go unnoticed. Their real fear was that their suffering would not benefit the common people.

King Liang of the previous dynasty was a grim example. He not only ceded territory and paid reparations in gold and silver, but he ultimately sacrificed the very general who had fought to the death defending the city, offering him to the enemy. That act had thoroughly chilled the hearts of all soldiers.

If you were to ask where in all of Beili the Emperor was most revered, the answer would undoubtedly be among the Beili Army.

However, amidst the entire army, only Wei Ting showed no sign of elation. Instead, he stared blankly, lost in thought.

An officer approached and asked, "General, shall we practice the Wild Goose Returns Formation next?"

Normally, Wei Ting was the one who gave commands during drills. But at this moment, his eyes were narrowed, fixed on the back of Emperor Wu Su’s neck.

A stifling feeling clogged Wei Ting’s chest, so intense he felt he might vomit another mouthful of blood.

There were scratch marks there. Yesterday, there had only been one, an injury from a wild wolf controlled by Xijin.

But now, to the left of the old wound, there were two new, faint red marks.

Who could get that close to the Emperor and leave such marks? The answer was self-evident.

’And under what circumstances,’ he thought, ’could such... intimate marks be left?’

A tremor ran through Wei Ting’s eyes as an indescribable emotion churned in his heart.