Chapter 10 — The Prophet Awakens: Shedding the Worthless Shell

The failure of the ambush trap at Hà Câu made Ước Liêm Phong angry but also strengthened his resolve. If he cannot reveal the secret defender of Bắcương with hidden tricks, he will switch to a direct attack, where he is sure to win - the battlefield of law and honor.

"It's time," he declared in front of his trusted advisors in the Nam Xuyên study room. "I will officially submit a challenge to the Northern Council of Elders, citing the terms of the Millennium Agreement."

"Have you prepared enough evidence to convince the council?" Chu Bình asked, still a little worried.

"Enough." Liêm Phong smiled coldly, opened a wooden chest, inside were dozens of letters and documents meticulously collected over the past several months - people's testimonies about "bad luck" from the day Tuyết Doanh got married, reports on the unstable economic situation of Bắcương, and most importantly, detailed records of Cố Vọng Thần's complete "uselessness" over the past six years - never once holding a weapon, no significant achievements, only fame. the toothpick of a promiscuous drunkard.

"I will present to the council that, according to the Millennium Covenant, the person chosen to marry the queen of Bắcương must be 'the one appointed by the stars' to protect the land. But for the past six years, Bắcương has not received any protection from Cố Vọng Thần - on the contrary, he is only a burden, a living proof that the Covenant has been misinterpreted or not implemented properly. If the council still respects the ancestors, they are forced to see reconsider the entire legitimacy of this marriage, and accordingly, the legitimacy of Xa Tuyết Doanh herself."

Three days later, Ước Liêm Phong's official challenge was presented to the Bắcương elder council, accompanied by all carefully prepared evidence.

The council meeting took place in an unprecedentedly tense atmosphere. Elder Bách Niên read out the content of the challenge form in front of all the elders and clan leaders present.

"Ước Liêm Phong, Earl of Nam Xuyên, officially filed a petition to reconsider the legitimacy of Princess Xa, citing the fact that the Thousand Year Covenant was not properly fulfilled during her marriage with Cố Vọng Thần. According to ancient law, the Count requested an official challenge to be held at the Great Thien Truong, in which Cố Vọng Thần - as the representative to protect the queen's reputation - must prove himself worthy of the role assigned by the Covenant, or Xa Nu God must face the challenge himself."

The entire hall fell into a heavy silence before whispers emerged.

Tuyết Doanh sat in the chair, her face cold as stone, but her eyes flashed with anger that was hard to hide. "Ước Liêm Phong is taking advantage of an ancient regulation to carry out a plot to annex Bắcương. The Council cannot assist him."

"Your Highness," Bách Niên replied, her voice full of awkwardness, "although we clearly understand Count Nam Xuyên's intentions, in terms of procedure, this challenge is completely valid according to ancient law. The council must consider it, otherwise it will break the very foundation of the law that Bắcương has preserved for thousands of years." Another elder, who was already shaken by messenger Liêm Phong's advocacy, spoke up. "Your Highness, please forgive my bluntness, but if your husband really has no ability to prove himself worthy, should we consider another option to protect Northern Cuong, instead of insisting on maintaining a marriage that has become a burden?"

That sentence was like a knife stabbing straight into Tuyết Doanh's self-esteem, but she still maintained her composure on the outside. "My marriage is a private matter, unrelated to my ability to rule Northern Cuong for the past six years. I have protected this land through many seasons of drought, epidemics, and small invasions from the border. That achievement cannot be erased just because of an idle application."

"But the old rules are the old rules, princess," Bách Niên said, his voice heavy. "The council must accept this challenge. According to regulations, the challenge will take place at the Grand Trial School within three months from today."

Tuyết Doanh clenched her hands on the armrests of the chair, but in the end she had to nod in acceptance, because she understood better than anyone else, going against the ancient law right now would only make the tribes even more suspicious of her legitimacy.

"Okay. I accept the challenge." She stood up, her sharp eyes scanning the entire council. "But I want to remind everyone here that no matter what the outcome, Bắcương will still stand firm, because this is the land of resilient people, not of those easily swayed by deceitful words from outside."

***

Returning to Nguyệt Trạch, Tuyết Doanh could not hide the fatigue and anger that had accumulated throughout the meeting. She went to Vọng Thần's room, where he was sitting alone by an oil lamp, seemingly knowing the news long ago.

"Have you heard the news?" She asked, her voice filled with fatigue.

"I heard it," he replied, his eyes unusually calm.

"In three months, Ước Liêm Phong will officially challenge you to a duel, and he will aim directly at you to prove that the Thousand Year Agreement was not fulfilled properly." She sat down opposite him, her eyes searching. "Vọng Thần, it's time for you to tell me the truth. Who are you really? Do you really have no ability to face Vu Liêm Phong?"

Vọng Thần looked into his wife's eyes for a long time, torn between revealing the truth right now, or continuing to wait for a more suitable opportunity. In the end, the old fear wins.

"I beg you, please believe me one more time," he said, his voice urgent. "Three months is enough time for me to prepare. I promise, when the day of the challenge comes, I will not let you be ashamed in front of the Covenant."

"You keep saying 'trust me' like that," Tuyết Doanh stood up, her voice choked with disappointment, "but you have never given me any specific reason to trust. You know, this is not only my reputation that is at stake, but also Tiểu Nguyệt's future, and the fate of tens of thousands of Northern Cuong people depends on the outcome of this challenge."

"I know." He stood up and grabbed her hand, a rare action that made Tuyết Doanh stunned. "It's because I know the seriousness of this matter that I need more time to prepare everything thoroughly, instead of acting hastily and causing unpredictable consequences. Please, trust me this last time."

Tuyết Doanh looked down at the hand holding hers, a hand that, although rough from years of wandering, brought a strange sense of security that she could not explain. In the end, she just nodded slightly, withdrew her hand, and left the room without saying another word, leaving both of them with an unprecedented tension, mixed with a fragile trust that was gradually forming between them.

***

The next morning, news of the upcoming showdown spread throughout Bắcương like a storm. At the markets and tea shops, people talked incessantly, divided into two distinct camps - one side still believed absolutely in the queen who had governed this land for the past six years, the other side began to waver before TƯớc Liêm Phong's clever words about "heaven's will" and "The Thousand Year Covenant".

At Nguyệt Trạch, Tiểu Nguyệt also felt the tense atmosphere covering the whole palace, even though she didn't clearly understand what was going on. He sneaked up to his father and pulled his sleeve.

"Dad, everyone says that in three months, something big will happen at the Great Almsfield. Is it related to you?"

Vọng Thần bent down, picked up his daughter, trying to keep his voice gentle and reassuring. "That's right, daughter. But you don't need to worry. I'll make sure everything is okay."

"Dad, promise?" Tiểu Nguyệt looked up, eyes filled with absolute confidence.

"I promise." He hugged his son tightly, but in his heart, the burden of that promise weighed more heavily than ever. Three months, that was the amount of time he had to prepare for a decision that he had been avoiding for more than twenty years - the decision between continuing to hide, or revealing his true strength to the entire Northern Cuong and TƯớc Liêm Phong.

That night, after Tiểu Nguyệt fell asleep, Vọng Thần stood alone in the yard, looking up at the starry sky. He thought of Vân Khinh Nhược, of the old woman's eyes when she saw the mark on his hand, of the invitation "if one day you need a place to say things you can't say to anyone else". Perhaps, the time had come for him to need someone who can understand the burden he was carrying, to help him find a way to face the Covenant without having to sacrifice everything he had tried to protect over the years.