"Sect madam Huo, it has been a long time since we saw each other last but it seems like you haven't aged a bit in years gone by," the emperor remarked with his lips curved into a half-smile, she raised his head at his praise in an elegant manner.

"Your majesty has given me more praise than I deserve, how could I not have aged a bit for eleven years," she replied with a controlled smile, not wanting to say more than she is required to, to prevent unnecessary conversations. ​​

"If you say it like that then it can only mean that I am blind and unable to see you clearly, although you wore a mask during the days of being a disciple, after your mask was removed during a spar with the regional commander, everyone in the nation recognised you for your beauty so it is impossible that I am unable to know if you have aged or not," the emperor insisted, she surveyed his face to see if he truly meant what he said or it is some sort of wordplay that she isn't interested in getting into, Huo Ying just stood there in confusion, since she hasn't had the chance to know how famous her mother was during the years of her youth, she couldn't understand why everyone seemed to be looking at her mother like she was some kind female idol.

"Since your majesty says so then I will have to accept your praise even though I am not worthy of your praise," Sect madam Huo replied humbly.

{Why is mother being so different before the emperor...}

Huo Ying thought inwardly as her eyes scanned the both of them, she wanted to turn her head to scan the ministers but she didn't think it was the right thing to do before the emperor, she didn't want to get into another trouble with her mother.

"I suppose this is the young mistress of the flame sect," the emperor said with one of his eyes squinted, then he lowered his gaze at her, she felt like he was looking at her with searching eyes that didn't seem approving.

"I am Huo Ying, the young mistress of the flame sect," Huo Ying quickly said to break the icy look in his eyes as he glanced over her and cupped her hands, she pushed them forward with her head bowed.

"Please be at ease," the emperor replied

"Thank you, your majesty" Huo Ying replied

"I wonder why the sect leader of the flame sect is not here today?" the emperor questioned in a slightly dissatisfied tone and his lips squeezed to the side.

"My husband has gone into seclusion so he is unable to come with us, I hope your majesty will not mind," she replied.

"If that is the case then it is alright but I suppose the regional commander has already informed you of the reason why I have summoned you to court,"

"Yes, your majesty" Huo Ying and her mother replied

"and what do you have to say about it?" the emperor asked with his back now straightened and both of his hands placed on each of his laps as though he meant business, the serious expression on his face showed that he was no longer in the mood for any dillydallying.

"Your majesty, This news is coming as a surprise to me too, I am deeply shocked that both the alliance and the court would suspect that the flame sect is responsible for murdering a captain who has been appointed by your majesty but I can assure you that my sect has nothing to do with this incident," sect madam Huo answered in a tone that showed that she really is innocent but the emperor is not one to just think that the flame sect is really innocent because of what she said, his eyes still bored into her face with a searching look in his eyes.

"Then how do you explain the appearance of the golden eagle in Yu-Shan city on the day the captain was killed, the golden eagle hasn't appeared outside for years but why did it suddenly appear for the second time on the day the captain died?" the emperor questioned with his doubt and suspiciousness evident in his eyes.

Since the prime minister doesn't have any grievance with the flame sect, he and the other ministers just kept quiet while the emperor did the questioning, for the prime minister, he was quite happy with the reappearance of the flame sect since the emperor considers them as a threat to his reign, they can be a good ally for him as long as they pass this crisis, he has no reason to dispose of them.

"Your majesty, the appearance of the golden eagle in Yu-Shan wasn't our intention, the golden eagle left the sect the first without our knowledge and he returned to the sect on the same day but my daughter was too wild and reckless so she followed the golden eagle the second time he left the sect, I decided to send the guardians to follow the golden eagle and order her to return to the sect but who would have thought that my guardians would find the golden eagle In Yu-Shan where the captain was killed, I beseech your majesty to please not make a judgment based on this coincidence," Sect madam Huo narrated, the ministers in the hall began to whisper to each other, if what she said is true then the flame sect might be innocent since that is the only thing that connects them to the incident, the prime minister and the regional commander just watched the whole drama with a neutral look on their faces, although the regional commander is concerned about the flame sect, he didn't dare to show his worry on his face to prevent any suspicions growing in the emperor's heart again.

"Minister of justice, can what she said be confirmed?" the emperor inquired doubtfully with his gaze now on the minister of justice who quickly stepped forward with his head bowed and his hands cupped and raised forward.

"Your majesty, we cannot confirm what she said but there is indeed no evidence that can prove that anyone from the flame sect was at the scene," the minister of justice answered then he raised his gaze to look at the emperor's face to see what the reaction to his answer is.

"Your majesty, what my mother said is indeed the truth, I have never left the sect since I was little, hence I decided to see what the outside world is like so I followed the golden eagle out of the sect but I couldn't control the golden eagle, my mother was concerned so she sent the guardians after us," Huo Ying asserted with her confidence ringing in her voice, hearing her confident answer, it reminded him of her mother's confident way of speaking in the past and how she repeatedly defied his commands without being afraid of him or his royal status.

"How much of a coincidence could it be that the captain said the word Huo just before he died and you were also in Yu-Shan city, don't you think it is too much of a coincidence?" the emperor questioned, his voice sounded hostile this time and it seemed like he has already concluded in his heart that the flame sect is surely responsible for the incident, at that moment, she realized that if she continues to be passive, the emperor will have the upper hand and then she will no longer be able to protect her sect.

"Your majesty, there are many people with the surname Huo in Yu-Shan city and all over the country, how is it that my sect is being accused of this crime just because of the surname, the captain might have meant something else other than someone's name, your majesty is wise and your wisdom is equal only to the gods, I hope your majesty would make a wise decision regarding this matter," Sect madam Huo implored then she raised her head to meet his gaze while the emperor squinted his eyes, he really couldn't tell what kind of attitude she is giving him at the moment, on one hand, she seems to be sincerely praising him and the other hand, she seemed to be attacking him with her words.

"hmmmn, sect madam Huo, how can you prove that your guardians and daughter weren't at the site of the incident?" the emperor questioned, the minister focused all their attention on her at this moment, in anticipation of her answer, especially the regional commander.

She straightened her back and raised her head confidently with a sharp look in her eyes, she brought down her hands which was still cupped and raised forward then she folded them on her navel and smiled faintly.

"Then I suppose your majesty has evidence that suggests that anyone from my sect is responsible for murdering your captain?" she queried without any hint of respect in her voice, this broke the silence that had originally settled in the hall, the ministers glanced at each other at her boldness, they couldn't believe that she is still this daring to speak to the emperor in that way, as for the emperor, his face became devoid of any colour as soon as she concluded her statement.

{Wow...she is truly my mother}

Huo Ying remarked proudly in her mind, she hated the fact that her mother seemed too humble the moment she entered the court but now that her mother has changed into her original self, she became hyped and couldn't wait for a drama to unfold in the court.

"It seems like you still haven't changed after all these years," the emperor remarked in a supposedly calm manner while she widened the smile on her dark red lips.

"How dare you speak to the emperor in such manner?" the minister of justice rebuked aloud while the minister murmured in agreement with him, they have always known her as Huo Jingyu the most daring woman in the country and they have always hated her guts, if not for the fact that she belongs to the sect alliance, she might have managed to become the only woman in the court but they didn't expect her to still be this daring after so long especially after the downfall of the flame sect.

"If you think I said anything wrong then you can tell me, none of you can present any evidence that incriminates my sect but you have already concluded that the flame sect is responsible for this incident," she raged angrily in a very loud voice, she turned around to face the ministers with an accusing look on her face then she turned back to face the emperor with a glare, and her lips tilted into a smirk before suddenly burst into an elegant but hysterical laugh.

"Your majesty, don't you think it is laughable how the alliance and the court has accused my sect of committing such atrocity just because of our appearance, the reason why my sent went into seclusion after the war was to prevent such things from happening but who would have thought that our one-time appearance will lead to such accusations, I don't have any evidence that can prove that my statement is true but if the court doesn't have any evidence to incriminate the flame sect, then the court accusation against my sect is invalid just like the alliance accusation is," Sect madam Huo concluded in an assertive tone and her eyes widely glaring at the emperor.

The regional commander watched her as she raged in anger then he shifted his gaze to the emperor, he wasn't sure if it is a good idea for her to suddenly burst out in front of the emperor but he hoped that things wouldn't escalate beyond her control.

The emperor clenched his fist tightly on his laps and fixed his gaze on her, it seemed almost as if the both of them were in a staring contest, he lifted his chin in anger and smirked faintly, then he narrowed his eyes at her and glanced at Huo Ying before shifting his gaze back to her mother.

{Mother has really exceeded my expectation this time but this emperor doesn't seem like he is going to let things slide}

Huo Ying thought inwardly!

"Huo Jingyu....oh.....Huo Jingyu...." the emperor pronounced as he stood up slowly and walked down his throne, all the ministers immediately developed a sense of crisis as he stepped down from his throne with a dangerous look on his face.

Indeed, no one has spoken to the emperor in such a manner ever since the flame sect went into seclusion, Huo Jingyu! he has always considered her as a threat to him ever since the competition between her and the regional commander.

Back then, the regional commander just returned from the border and the sects were invited to the palace for a banquet to celebrate his return when the emperor who was proud of his right hand asked if anyone would like to spar with the regional commander, Huo Jingyu unexpectedly raised her hand.

While they were sparring, both of them exchanged weapons during the fight then the regional commander mistakenly shattered her mask using the whip, although she was already regarded as a female champion, at the sight of her face, they all had their mouths wide opened.

The emperor who was previously considering making her his concubine because of her extraordinary abilities was also mesmerized by her beauty, he decided that with someone like her by his side, she would definitely be able to use her wisdom, talents and even the flame sect resources to his advantage but if she doesn't become his then she is a threat to him.

But she already knew his intentions and in order to prevent the emperor from forcibly getting married to her, she slept with Huo Jing before they even decided to get married, the moment the emperor found out about it, he decided that she is a threat he needed to get rid of even if she is a female.

- - -

"Huo Jingyu....oh.....Huo Jingyu," he pronounced slowly as he walked to her front, he stopped in front of her and looked into her eyes with a dangerous glare but she didn't even falter a bit, she gave him the same look he gave her.