At that sound.
Visible to the naked eye.
The entire scene—whether those on the street, in the buildings, or even on ladders—
Everyone was utterly dumbfounded.
Only the breeze could be heard across the grounds.
No one dared to speak.
Everyone held their breath, staring fixedly at the stage.
"Clip, clop, clip, clop."
The hoofbeats rippled through the air.
Each strike was like a sledgehammer crashing down upon their hearts.
Duke Cao, clad in gleaming armor, stood atop his warhorse with an Eighteen-Foot Serpent Spear in hand. Behind him followed a thousand armored soldiers as he slowly emerged from the great gate at the end of Longyou Street.
Under the shocked, furious, and excited gazes of the crowd, he calmly urged his horse toward the high platform ahead.
"Outrageous!!!"
All the guards beside the Empress snapped back to their senses.
They all turned toward Duke Cao, who was slowly advancing.
"Shing!!"
Weapons were drawn.
Everyone stared intently at Jiang Chengxi.
The Empress's face remained expressionless.
Yet her hands were clenched tightly together.
Even though Zeng Anmin had laid the entire truth before her, piece by piece, for her to see.
A faint sliver of hope still lingered in her heart.
After all, Duke Cao had been a trusted general utterly loyal to her ever since she ascended the throne.
But just now.
That last shred of hope had been ruthlessly crushed to powder.
In truth, when Duke Cao had specifically requested permission from her tonight to lead a thousand armored soldiers in guarding the altar.
She had vaguely guessed what the thousand soldiers he had specially transferred from the city defense forces were meant to do.
But despite all her preparations.
She still wished to witness the truth with her own eyes.
"Jiang Chengxi, you dare! Do you know that