Female martial arts fanatics only love to fight, while men fight for their lives.

48

Competition?

It seemed like Lu Huan hadn't heard anyone mention him in front of him for a long time. Ever since he became famous, he was surrounded by people who fawned on him overnight.

Even though most of the people in the army were his personal guards, they did not dare to actually fight with him during their daily martial arts training.

It seemed that everyone tacitly accepted that he was the strongest and did not dare to compete with him.

Lou Xiao is a Duke of Zhenguo who has no military achievements or official position. It is only rumored that she is slightly proficient in martial arts, but she is ready to challenge him as soon as they meet.

Lu Huan didn't know whether she was testing him or just saying it casually, so he politely refused, "I am a soldier, and I am not very skilled. Now is the day of His Majesty's birthday, a great occasion, so it would be inappropriate to start a war."

I didn't mean to look down on her, I just wanted to avoid her.

Lou Xiao tilted her head and smiled meaningfully, "Are you worried that you might hurt my Majesty and blame me? Marquis Wu'an, don't be too confident."

"I dare not." Lu Huan clasped his fists and bowed his head, and made her a promise, "After the Wanshou, if the Duke of Zhenguo insists on inviting me, I will respectfully obey your order. I hope the Duke of Zhenguo will give me your guidance then."

After his long life, he will have to go back to Beimo, so what advice can I give him?

Lou Xiao snorted, feeling very bored, and quickly walked away from him and rushed to the palace gate.

Because of her status, she did not have to wait, and someone even prepared a sedan chair to pick her up at the palace gate.

He was overjoyed to see her, and if it weren't for the servants supporting him, he would have rushed out to ride with her.

Lou Xiao looked at Xiao Zhengze who was waiting for her and sighed helplessly in her heart. She could not ignore his overflowing anticipation and joy.

"Why are you here?" She had no choice but to lean on her out of habit, being very well behaved.

"I came specially to pick you up, isn't that good?" Xiao Zhengze was also dressed dazzlingly today. He liked gorgeous clothes.

The clothes made for him by the Shanggong Bureau were heavy and gorgeous, attracting a lot of attention, but his beautiful appearance completely overshadowed them.

The familiarity and closeness between them surprised Lu Huan who came later.

Lou Xiao has only been in Beijing for a few days, how did he get involved with this person?

The seventeenth prince, King Hanhai, is the younger brother of His Majesty. He has long been known for his willfulness, his eyes are high and he looks down on everyone. How could he be so closely related to Lou Xiao?

Although he quickly concealed his expression, Xiao Zhengze still noticed it.

He saw Lu Huan and Lou Xiao interacting from a distance, and the two even walked side by side for a while.

He knew Lou Xiao best. She would not hide her admiration for a warrior she liked, but it was just admiration. So he was not as excited as he was when he heard about Li Huaiqing.

"Spring mornings are chilly. You are not feeling well, so you should put on a cloak. Why do you want to pick me up? I will meet you in front of His Majesty."

He remained silent and did not answer, feeling aggrieved for no reason. Lou Xiao could not help but soften his face and asked the servant beside him to pass the cloak to him and put it on him personally.

As he lowered his eyes and fastened it around his collar, Xiao Zhengze greeted Lu Huan, who was taking off his weapon, "Lord Wu'an Marquis Lu, I have long heard of your great name."

"Greetings, His Royal Highness the King of Hanhai." Lu Huan bowed his head again and saluted, "I have been working for Your Majesty, and I do not deserve this empty title."

After hearing this, it was clear why Lou Xiao pushed him aside and left first. It must be because she thought he was too modest and was a little annoyed.

"You are the frontier minister that the imperial sister values ​​the most. Why shouldn't you be afraid of the responsibility? You have to go out of the palace with the guard of state today. Don't disappoint the imperial sister."

He didn't think that Lu Huan would have anything to do with Lou Xiao, because Lu Huan knew what to do and what not to do.

"Yes, Your Highness." Marquis Anding said seriously.

Lou Xiao tied her cloak, glanced at Lu Huan, and then pulled Xiao Zhengze into the sedan chair, "Get up and keep warm, don't catch a cold."

Then he ordered Jiubai and the little servant to follow the ancestor of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion to reunite with the Yu family.

He also got on another sedan chair, and the group went to the palace where Her Majesty the Queen was.

As the sky brightened, the palace was already bustling with activity. Lou Xiao and Xiao Zhengze met the empress together and greeted her birthday privately before everyone else.

It has nothing to do with rules and etiquette, it's just a small gathering of close relatives.

Lou Xiao was about to show the Empress the "New Year's Celebration Letter" that he had copied over the past few days, but she stopped him, "Why are you in such a hurry? It's not time to present the gift yet."

"Senior sister, please take a look at my handwriting first and tell me if it is better than Xiao Zhengdu's."

Lou Xiao said this in a coquettish way, and the Queen pointed at her and laughed, "You're quite promising! What's so great about being better than him? He didn't have the guidance of Li Huaiqing, who is an expert in both calligraphy and painting!"

Xiao Zhengze was dissatisfied with Li Huaiqing's importance and said, "Even without him, the small characters are not bad."

The Queen laughed and scolded at him, "Nonsense! Are you calling her Xiaoxiao? She is older than you!"

There was no blame in her tone, so Xiao Zhengze was not afraid. He just muttered, "I can call you my sister, but I can't. She's only a few months older..."

Just when the atmosphere was good, the Minister of Rites, Gu Daren, came to ask for instructions.

The auspicious time has arrived. Her Majesty must go to the main hall to receive the greetings of the princes, nobles, civil and military officials, and foreign envoys.

"Let's go." Her Majesty stood up, wearing a full set of imperial formal attire, and was supported by Ling Yu's servant.

Lou Xiao and Xiao Zhengze followed closely behind, passing through the imperial garden and long corridors, all surrounded by lanterns and decorations. Whether it was the servants in the palace or the nobles who served the empress,

Everyone was dressed in new clothes and looked very happy.

Lou Xiao looked around but didn't see the figure of Youshan King. She asked Xiao Zhengze in a low voice, "Hey, where is he?"

He is also an important royal brother to Your Majesty, and he usually has a flamboyant personality. Why didn't he come today?

"Him? Who? Xiao Zhengdu? He's busy." Xiao Zhengze said perfunctorily, "The Queen Sister assigned him a task, and he hasn't been seen for a few days."

It was vaguely heard that someone in the capital had planned an assassination against His Majesty. Xiao Zhengdu and the Dali Temple had been investigating and eliminating the threat tirelessly, and had already arrested a group of people and put them in jail.

But it doesn't mean it's safe now. Her Majesty the Queen is surrounded by many guards and secret guards, and she intends to let Lou Xiao follow her, so it's absolutely safe.

He didn't want her to think of others, and just as he was about to say something else, the team had already arrived at the hall.

Countless officials and envoys were waiting in rows outside the palace. Lou Xiao spotted Wu'an Marquis Lu Huan standing at the head of the military officers.

She and Xiao Zhengze stood beside the Queen. As the Queen sat down on the dragon throne, the Ministry of Rites gave a shout.

She and everyone else knelt three times and kowtowed nine times to the Queen, wishing her a long life.

"Long live His Majesty! I wish Your Majesty good health and a long life!"

"Okay! Get up!" The Queen's calm and ambitious voice resounded throughout the palace.

"All the nobles must work with me to maintain the peace of the prosperous times!"

Now that she has become emperor, she wants to leave her name in history books so that future generations will always remember her achievements.