Governor-General Gong Xiyan of Hongwu commanded the armies on behalf of the Emperor. Princess Royal Tang Wenxue of the Moonbreak possessed the true power to "break the moon."
They were arguably the most formidable married couple in Jing State, and also the central pillars of the Imperial Faction.
Even Emperor Tang Xianqi of Jing had to look after both sides, often taxing his mind over their family affairs.
He had once said, "Xiyan is My arm, Wenxue is My heart and liver. That they could join in such a fine union is as though they were originally one body."
There was no equal in the empire to the trust and favor he placed in them.
"A mighty Hegemon State emperor covering up his brother-in-law's illegitimate son—such a thing has never been heard of since ancient times!"
When Princess Royal Moonbreak mocked him coldly, the Great Jing Emperor could only wipe dry the spit from his face.
If Gong Weizhang could return openly and honorably to the Gong family, inherit its ancestral rites and lineage, then with the talent and accomplishments he had displayed, he would surely become one of the foremost figures in the Great Jing Empire, wielding power over court and country.
Moonbreak had loved the blade all her life and possessed the heart of a powerhouse. To pass her trial, winning glory for the state atop River Viewing Terrace and standing out among the prodigies of All-Under-Heaven City became the obvious choice.
This was also the path the Gong family elders had hoped for.
Gong Weizhang had indeed come, and he had indeed cut his way through every obstacle, reaching the quarterfinals. The one thing no one had expected was... he had never intended to return through the Gong family's gates. He did not covet that "open and