Chapter 9: The Power of Killing

The Green Kite glanced at the two of them, then at the palace maids who were covering their mouths and snickering on the ground. Although they were kneeling, their faces were filled with disdain and contempt. Their attitude was even more arrogant and domineering than if they were standing.

Suddenly, the Green Kite laughed, "The two maids are right."

Madam Zhang's eyes filled with a smug expression, becoming even more disdainful, "If the princess understands the situation, we won't have a hard time."

"Yes, this is the great grace of the emperor," another maid, surnamed Chen, chimed in.

The Green Kite suddenly pointed at a palace maid kneeling on the ground but twisting her body, and asked, "What's your name? Get up and let me have a look."

The maid, not understanding why, approached and said, "I'm called Chunxi."

Before she could finish speaking, she received a solid slap on her face. The maid was shocked, covering her face and staring at the Green Kite without coming to her senses for a long time.

The Green Kite withdrew her hand, her eyes as cold as snow, coldly surveying the stunned crowd.

She smiled, "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong? As palace maids, you should kneel and respond before approaching. Although my Tang country has been destroyed, the palace etiquette has not been lost. Or is it that your Liang country is inferior to our Tang country, a barbaric state without rules and regulations?"

This remark hit a sore spot, causing the two maids and eight palace maids to flush red with anger.

Liang country was in the north, while Tang country was in the south. In reality, Liang country was the result of the constant wars and alliances of some northern barbarian tribes. It was said that both Liang emperors had some barbarian blood. On the other hand, Tang country, inheriting the remnants of the Great Tang, should be considered the legitimate successor.

The insult "barbaric state" struck a chord with them, even implicating the Liang emperor.

Madam Zhang couldn't hold back and cursed, "What kind of thing are you? Just a princess of a fallen country. If it weren't for our emperor sparing your life, could you still be alive now?"

Madam Chen also sneered, "No wonder Tang country was destroyed. With such a master, it's no wonder our subordinates fled without fighting, betrayed the city. It's not unjust."

The two maids led the way, and the other eight palace maids also began to chatter. As the saying goes, a fallen phoenix is no match for a chicken. It seemed to be the case now.

The Green Kite just looked on coldly. When they had said enough, she smiled and said, "Even those who haven't entered the palace act more arrogant than their master. Go back and tell your emperor that without a red carpet and a clear path, I will not enter the palace."

As soon as she said this, the two maids and the palace maids were dumbfounded. They had been ordered to welcome the princess, and if she really didn't enter the palace, wouldn't it mean disobeying the imperial decree?

Madam Chen jumped up and cursed, "You..."

Before she could finish, she suddenly fell silent and immediately knelt on the ground. The other maids saw Madam Chen's sudden change and quickly knelt down, trembling as if they had seen a ghost.

The Green Kite turned her clear eyes and smiled, "His Highness is here."

Suyu Tian and several generals walked slowly. He looked around and asked with a smile, "What is the princess saying? Why is it so lively here?"

The Green Kite leaned comfortably against the carriage's headrest and smiled slightly, "Just now, Madam Chen and Madam Zhang asked me what kind of thing I was, just a princess of a fallen country. If it weren't for His Majesty sparing my life, could I still be alive now?"

With each sentence she spoke, the faces of the two maids became paler. By the time she finished, the two maids, who had been arrogant just now, had collapsed on the ground.

Suyu Tian looked at them and then at the Green Kite, who was smiling like a peach blossom on the carriage. He smiled, "I see."

He smiled lazily, "Guards!"

The two maids turned pale with fear.

Suyu Tian's smiling face suddenly turned cold, "Behead them!"

With a swift motion, two heads rolled in front of them. The eight palace maids screamed, and the timid ones had already fainted.

The Green Kite looked on calmly, her face impassive. Suyu Tian walked to the front of the carriage and smiled, "Is the princess satisfied?"

The Green Kite smiled, her eyes like black lacquer, "Of course, I am satisfied."

She looked at the frightened palace maids and said calmly, "Why don't you help me to the inn?"

The palace maids hurriedly surrounded her and escorted her to the inn, without asking whether the red carpet and clear path needed to be reported layer by layer.

Suyu Tian squinted as he watched her graceful figure disappear, and a counselor-like figure beside him suddenly said, "This Princess Qingyuan is not simple."

Suyu Tian glanced at him.

The man, in his forties or fifties, a scholar named Su, called himself Su Mei. He had served under him for ten years. He was a counselor who was both a teacher and a friend.

"Mr. Su, you're saying this too late. She was never a simple person. Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn't have insisted on her," Suyu Tian said lightly.

The generals behind him followed at a distance, and someone had already come forward to clean up the little incident that had just occurred.

Su Mei frowned, "Then why did Your Highness keep her? She clearly tried to provoke His Majesty just now. If His Majesty uses this as an excuse to punish you, Your Highness may also find it difficult to escape punishment."

Suyu Tian smiled lightly, "Mr. Su, you're wrong. It's precisely because she displayed such arrogance that befits a royal princess. Besides, do you think that if she didn't provoke His Majesty, he wouldn't find an excuse to punish me?"

Su Mei was taken aback, but Suyu Tian had already walked in the direction where Qingyuan had disappeared.

Soaking in the hot spring, the princess's fair body floated in the large white jade pool. The pool was infused with cardamom and fragrant flower petals, creating a misty and fragrant atmosphere like a fairyland.

With her eyes closed, the princess let the water flow through her long, black hair, cleansing away impurities and rejuvenating her.

"Princess, do you need the scar removal balm?" a palace maid asked softly.

Opening her eyes, the princess's gaze was as cold as lacquer, untouched by worldly affairs. She glanced at the maids standing by the pool, who were trembling and dared not to breathe loudly.

She replied calmly, "No, there's no need. Help me up."

Two maids quickly assisted her to stand up. In the large bronze mirror, she quietly observed her appearance. Her skin was as fair as snow, her figure was alluring, but the crisscrossing scars on her body marred her beauty, like blemishes on a masterpiece.

He had said that there would be ointments in the future to heal her scars.

Thinking about this, the princess's lips curled into a cold smile. He naturally pitied her, for if she lost his affection, who else could become a pawn in his hands?

"Princess, rest assured, these scars are not deep. The palace has excellent scar removal balms," a maid approached, trying to please her.