CHAPTER 640: CHAPTER 97: YUE JINGHUA AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPEROR

Following Little Jinuo, several more empire generals hurriedly made their way to Jiuhua Hall; one of them even had his robes disheveled, clearly indicating the urgency of the military situation.

Duke Mansion had fallen, and the Yue siblings had already been estranged from the military core in the Imperial City for years, thus tonight’s matter likely had nothing to do with either of them.

The two left the palace gates behind them. Just as Yue Jinghua was about to step onto the carriage of Yue Residence, she heard the rapid thuds of Dark Beast landing from the palace gates.

"Hold, is that Yue Jinghua of Duke Mansion ahead? The Emperor has ordered that you hasten to Jiuhua Hall for an urgent military consultation," Yue Jinghua had no choice but to stop when called out in such a way.

"Huahua, there’s a rebellion in Shang Kingdom. You lived there a few years ago, so they likely want your insights into the military situation. Remember, never reveal in front of others that you were once engaged to Fa Xiaoyi; otherwise, it could attract machinations from those with ulterior motives," Yue Minzhi was not summoned, and thus could not follow to meet the emperor, his shrewd mind quickly linked it to Yue Jinghua’s experience in Shang Kingdom.

Thinking of his sister facing the interrogations from the military department officials alone, Yue Minzhi couldn’t help but worry. His sister had offended several people for his sake, and facing the emperor, she was bound to encounter difficulties.

"Don’t worry, brother. It’s just a questioning. I can handle it," Yue Jinghua didn’t take the so-called big shots of the military department seriously. After all, as a top spy, she could easily deceive the highest level of lie detectors in modern times, let alone a group of old antiquities.

Yue Minzhi initially wanted to wait outside the palace gates for Yue Jinghua, but she persuaded him to return first to avoid Lie Rou’s worries, leaving Yue Minzhi no choice but to leave first.

Following the Imperial Guard, Yue Jinghua entered the Inner City of the Imperial Palace.

Wohua Imperial City is divided into outer, middle, and inner cities, roughly the size of a large modern town.

Constructed with miles of lengthy Han Bai Yu (a type of white marble) dragon walls, the training ground where Yue Jinghua attended the Dragon Pulling Test was in the outer city. The outer city also housed the Imperial Guard, military camps of various empires.

The offices of the empire’s major departments - Civil, Population, Rites, Military, Law, and Ministry of Industry - were also in the outer city. The outer city made up about one-third of the entire Imperial City.

The middle city housed the offices where the officials of the Dragon War Empire conducted early morning duties, and buildings such as the welcoming and spectator towers used for receiving foreign delegates were also maintained there.

The inner city served as the residential palaces for the Dragon War Royal Family and their womenfolk, as well as the location of the Imperial Garden, Hundred Treasures Garden, and Linglong Stables. Jiuhua Hall was also located in the inner city.

Under normal circumstances, Long Teng the 72nd met with his courtiers in the middle city, but due to the urgency of the military situation tonight, Yue Jinghua was directly taken to the inner city.

The Imperial City was vast, and the messenger from the Imperial Guard, intentionally making things difficult, did not provide Yue Jinghua with a mount.

Inside the Imperial City, Yue Jinghua couldn’t resort to using Dark Techniques like Instantaneous Movement and had to hurry on foot all the way to Jiuhua Hall.

As she approached Jiuhua Hall, Yue Jinghua felt her knees weaken, as if a majestic pressure was bearing down on her.

To the east, a majestic palace appeared startlingly.

Red Gold Beam, Coiling Dragon Pillar, nine lifelike, gold-inlaid jade stone-carved dragons wrapped around the beams, with the dragons having features of various animals - as if real dragons, the impressive aura of the Emperor’s Palace burst forth.

The strange force that caused Yue Jinghua’s knees to tremble was, in fact, the emperor’s dignified presence.

Jiuhua Hall, a renowned palace through the ages, where seventy-two emperors of the Dragon Battle Empire resided. Over time, the imperial authority within the Emperor Palace grew formidable. Those who faced the court for the first time at Jiuhua Hall, eight or nine out of ten, would lose their composure. Inside Jiuhua Hall, waiting were several key figures from the household, administration, military, and Ministry of Industry departments. At the sound from outside the hall, a flurry of sharp gazes shot over like scattered arrows.

As Yue Minzhi had previously guessed, this upheaval within the Empire involved Shang Kingdom.

Since Old Kulu’s Eagle Department had become ostensibly defunct, very little about Shang Kingdom was known within the Dragon Battle Empire. After Little Jinuo arrived, upon being questioned about Shang Kingdom, he suddenly thought of his "Little Brother Yue."

The curiosity of a woman is as intense as Jin Nuo’s desire to pull Yue Jinghua into the Dragon Rider Team.

Although the Dragon Pulling Test had ended, Jin Nuo still wanted to draw Yue Jinghua into the Empire’s camp.

In Little Jinuo’s view, Yue Jinghua was previously bullied relentlessly by Ji Yun, Qing Zizhu, and Long Jiuzun without any power to resist, merely because she lacked official titles and ranks.

Granted that she was from a declining Duke Mansion with hereditary nobility, with the protection of her ancestors, if she could garner some military achievements, she would definitely secure her place in the Imperial City in the future. Thus, he recommended Yue Jinghua in good faith, leading to the scene where she was stopped at the palace gates.

As Yue Jinghua approached Jiuhua Hall, her knees weakened, but upon realizing the existence of the Dragon Power, she promptly adjusted her breathing, determined not to commit any faux pas in front of the Emperor.

At this moment, she felt a plethora of gazes like flying darts hurtling towards her, with jeering looks from "old acquaintances" like Long Ao, Long Jiuzun, and Ji Yun among them.

Seeing the crowd, Yue Jinghua realized even more clearly that these people were waiting for her to embarrass herself.

The more so it was, the more she wanted them to acknowledge that one should not underestimate the people of the Duke Mansion.

She quietly summoned the Nine Revolutions Creation Power, steadied her mind and stance, bowed her head low, and entered Jiuhua Hall with a posture as if she were well-acquainted with court etiquette from long before.

Seeing Yue Jinghua’s firm steps and bright eyes, unaffected by the Dragon Power on her first encounter, the veteran officials and military generals present were all startled, and admiration increasingly showed in the eyes of Princess Long Xue standing beside Long Teng the 72nd.

She couldn’t help but nod subtly to herself, affirming Zhan Tian’s advice earlier even more.

Long Teng the 72nd also couldn’t help but give Yue Jinghua a few extra glances.

"Subject Yue Jinghua pays respects to the Emperor," she greeted respectfully, her demeanor as dignified and poised as any high nobility disciplined in noble etiquette since childhood.

"Yue Jinghua, how grand you present yourself. The Emperor summoned you prior to midnight, yet you’ve delayed, making us all wait," a military general from the Military Department stood out, speaking gruffly with a fierce demeanor.

Yue Jinghua glanced discreetly and saw Long Jiuzun wearing a scornful expression, understanding that Long Jiuzun had sabotaged her. Little Jinuo, noticing this, furrowed his brows and was about to step forward when an elderly man dressed as a military general stopped him, "Jinuo, you need not intervene in this matter. This battle campaign is full of peril. If he cannot handle matters in the court, how can he manage in the battlefield," the speaker was none other than Old Jinuo from the Pengbo Family.

Little Jinuo reluctantly stepped back.

However, Yue Jinghua simply smiled faintly and slowly began to speak.