Rebirth of the Abandoned Male Empress

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:
“ The Marshal From the West ”

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In the icy path of frozen rails through Frost Gate Outpost, a black carriage with gold accents and a royal dragon mark is pulled by three black horses follow by a long trail of imperial Guards.

Inside the carriage, three men sit face to face. One wears an expression of amusement, another frowns in disappointment, and the last appears rather bored, continuously stuffing his mouth with any available delicacies.

Grand Marshal Wu Junfeng, the man frowning, clicks his tongue in disapproval. In front of him, the mighty Emperor Ju Long seems unfazed, lazily sipping his wine.

"What's wrong with you? Do you know how sacred your body is for you to leave the Imperial palace? What if we did not catch up with you in time?" scolds Junfeng, expressing his disappointment. It's the first time the Grand Marshal has not sided with the Emperor.

Dong Haitao, who has been silent for a while, mumbles a "I told you so" as he munches.

The Emperor decided to travel alone from the capital to the Frost Gate Outpost to find his Empress, without any royal guards or his mighty spiritual beast. If things did not go smoothly, it might lead to his downfall, considering the presence of rogue cultivators in the area. Luckily, the Marshal and Prime Minister managed to track him down, and now the Emperor is on his way to retrieve his Empress safely.

Ju Long rolls his eyes and stares at the scenery outside. "You are overthinking this. Is the Significant One that weak? What do you think my powers are for? A mere display?" he retorts.

Haitao raises his head, nodding in agreement. "He's got a point," earning a glare from Junfeng.

"You know that's not what I meant—" Junfeng begins, but Ju Long raises his hand, cutting him off. The Marshal scoffs, and the inside of the carriage falls silent once again as Haitao decides to speak.

"So? How's your new wife? I heard that you left her behind in the South Nation without a goodbye on the night of your marriage. Why? Do you like her that much?" Haitao asks with a smirk.

This conversation seems to pique Ju Long's interest. Junfeng's frown deepens, displaying his disgust at the mere subject.

"She's as bad as rotten fruit. Is that enough to answer your curiosity?" Junfeng retorts.

The two chuckle in agreement.

"Oh? Grand Marshal, why didn't you tell this Significant One that I disrupted your wedding? Poor Lady Lou hasn't had a chance to even complete the ceremony or spend a night. I'm quite sure Minister Lou is not far from creating havoc right now," Ju Long says with a smirk. He puts down the cup and raises his three fingers, his eyes showing a glint of amusement.

"How about we play a game? I bet that the old man will send this Significant One a letter in three days. If I lose, this Significant One will give you anything you two want. If I win, you both give me your manors. How does that sound?" he asks sincerely.

The two just shrug as if they do not care.

"Fine by me. I need additional place to put my fishes anyway; my manors can't hold them enough," Haitao says.

"I'm fine with anything" Junfeng retort and chugged his wine.

Grand Marshal Wu Junfeng is renowned across five nations for his splendid talents in martial arts cultivation. He is one of the most distinguished members of the Stonewrought Sanctum Sect in the West Nation, known for its Earth Core cultivation, dedicated to Baihu, the God of the West. The disciples of this sect forge a deep connection with the ancient earth, their steps resonating with the pulse of the land. Within the stone halls, they learn to meld their essence with the solidity of the mountains, cultivating strength and resilience akin to the very bedrock that cradles their sanctuary.

With this unique ability, they serve as the backbone of the strong Imperial armies, dedicated to the Imperial Family for generations.

A few years back, after ascending the throne and winning a war, the Emperor  Ju Long dispatched the Great Marshal to rule in the South Nation. His leadership style is considered peaceful by outsiders, but natives in the South claim he is no different from the emperor himself—full of blood, and those who disobey won't see the light again.

The Grand Marshal's entire origin and his connection with the emperor are shrouded in mystery. Only a few details are recorded in the palace records, and his personal life remains a secret known only to the emperor and the Prime Minister. Not even his 'unofficial' wife, Lou Rouwei, knows anything about him.

Despite this, Minister Lou Yao insists that his daughter can only be rightfully married to the Grand Marshal. He raises this topic every morning at court without feeling ashamed, backed by Sect Leader Shen and a few other ministers. Ju Long lazily agrees, recognizing that this arrangement might also benefit him in the future.

As for Lou Rouwei's future, it's up to Junfeng himself to decide. After all, he has been kind enough to agree to this 'marriage.' Unknown to everyone else, there's one thing that the Great Marshal finds disturbing in this world—women. Yes, you heard it right. Women and the Great Marshal don't sit in the same line.

By "same line," it means that he is scared of them and prefers not to be involved. Why, you may ask? Well, that's something very personal.

*Knock*

The conversation among the three was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a royal guard knocking. Junfeng opened the curtain window, and he nodded.

"Report," Junfeng commanded.

"Your Majesty and my Lord, we are here. Does His Majesty wish to announce his presence?" the guard asked. Junfeng looked at Ju Long, seeking his opinion. The emperor nodded, and Junfeng took that as a signal. He jumped down from the carriage, landing gracefully. One of his personnel led his horse to him, and the horse nudged him softly. The Marshal chuckled, patting its head before climbing onto its back and raising his hand.

While his soldiers listened attentively as he gave his orders.

"Surround the area and ensure that the emperor is well-protected. Dispatch some groups to watch at the foot of the mountain and make sure no one comes in or out until the emperor leaves! Spread the word that His Majesty has come to retrieve the Empress! That's my order!" Junfeng declared.

"Understood, Marshal!" The guards bowed and flew into the air, carrying out the orders.

***

Up next: Unexpected Trouble.

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*Note: This is a raw, unedited chapter.

[Note: I have a few things to share. First off, a huge thank you for the incredible 44K READS! That's way beyond what I expected. Second, apologies for the delay in updating, and I'm sorry it's a bit short. Honestly, I've been dealing with writer's block, but since many of you asked for an update, I gave it a shot. This is all I could come up with, and I appreciate your understanding.

On another note, I'd like to ask everyone a favor. Could you please leave comments or marks on chapters where I mention the North Nation? There's a mix-up on my part – I mistakenly wrote North Nation instead of East Nation. After reviewing my old notes, I realized the Azure Dragon is actually the god of the east, not the north.

That's all. Thank you, everyone!]