"Princess, the situation was urgent. There was no time to explain much." Li Chen Zhou cut her off. "If you raised an alarm now, no one would believe me. Instead, it would ruin everything. For now, I can only act in secret. We cannot alert the snake by striking the grass."
Li Chen Zhou explained, "We can discuss trivial matters later. Right now, I need an identity that will let me get close to Tai Xuan Hall first. I suspect the final battle will take place there."
Princess Xuan Yi frowned slightly and gave a soft snort. Unconvinced, she said, "No rush. If Prince Jin truly intends to rebel, there is not much you can do alone." She immediately summoned a young palace maid, whispered several words into her ear, and sent her away.
Princess Xuan Yi looked Li Chen Zhou over again, the corners of her lips lifting slightly as she said with an ambiguous smile, "The official business has been arranged. Now let us discuss private matters."
Li Chen Zhou was dumbfounded. "Things are this urgent. What private matter cannot wait until later?"
Princess Xuan Yi crossed her arms, her face full of stubbornness as she refused to yield an inch. "No. Today, you must give me an explanation. Just what does Nangong Yue have that I lack? You actually called off your marriage to me for her sake."
Li Chen Zhou felt dizzy. "Was there such a thing?"
Princess Xuan Yi immediately flushed crimson with rage and roared furiously, "You bastard! You could even forget something like that?"
Li Chen Zhou said solemnly, "I must have been possessed at the time. Once this matter is resolved, I will definitely give Your Highness an explanation. Would that be acceptable? Right now, I have infiltrated Prince Jin's inner circle and must act according to the plan. If the plan is delayed, it may even endanger Your Highness's precious person."
Princess Xuan Yi thought for a moment, then suddenly pouted and directly grabbed Li Chen Zhou's arm and bit it.
The pain made Li Chen Zhou suck in cold breaths, but he did not dare use his cultivation technique to break free. Just as he was about to scold Princess Xuan Yi, he heard her say, "Consider this the interest. Go on ahead. Once this matter is over, I will settle the score with you."
The princess looked into Li Chen Zhou's anxious yet resolute eyes. After a moment of silence, she slowly nodded.
"Then what do you want?"
"I hope Your Highness can lend me a hand and arrange for me to be as close to His Majesty as possible," Li Chen Zhou said earnestly.
"Impossible. Before I confirm your true purpose, I cannot help you get close to my father."
At that moment, a dazzling signal flare tore through the night sky.
Li Chen Zhou heard the sound and said, "It is over. The operation has begun."
Princess Xuan Yi leaned her little face closer and asked doubtfully, "What operation?"
Li Chen Zhou did not answer. Instead, he asked Princess Xuan Yi, "Do you have a secret passage or secret chamber here?"
Princess Xuan Yi nodded.
Li Chen Zhou placed both hands on Princess Xuan Yi's shoulders, his voice deep as he said, "From now on, hide inside. No matter who calls for you, do not come out. I will find you after this is over."
It was the first time she had been touched by a man. Her face had long since turned red with embarrassment, and she could only nod woodenly.
After saying that, Li Chen Zhou opened the door and walked out. Princess Xuan Yi immediately came back to her senses and called out, "Be careful!" Then she sank once more into her own little thoughts.
The instant he opened the door, Li Chen Zhou's appearance had already transformed into that of a young eunuch. He headed toward Tai Xuan Hall.
At the signal flare's command, Prince Jin finally could not hold himself back any longer. He led the rebel army into the imperial palace like a tidal wave.
Prince Jin had secretly colluded with others beforehand, causing nearly one-third of the palace's Imperial Guards to defect at the critical moment. The rebels advanced with unstoppable force, cutting through barriers and slaying generals all the way until they swiftly reached Xuande Gate, only a step away from the Emperor's residence.
"Kill—"
Roars shattered the silence of the palace walls, and the river of blood formed by rebel torches swallowed the white jade steps in an instant.
Li Chen Zhou watched the slaughter from afar, his five fingers gripping the coiling dragon pillar before the hall as flakes of vermilion paint fell rustling through the gaps between his fingers.
At the critical moment, Liu Xi, the seal-bearing eunuch of the Eastern Depot, led the Eastern Depot's experts out in full force. Like an impregnable wall, they held the gates with deadly resolve.
The Embroidered Spring Blades of the Eastern Depot experts glimmered with cold light beneath the moon, forming a blinding contrast against the rebels' torches.
Upon learning of the upheaval in the imperial palace, the Capital City garrison hurriedly entered the city to rescue the sovereign, but distant water could not put out a nearby fire.
"Protect His Majesty!" Before the commander of the Imperial Guards could finish speaking, a bloody blossom burst from his throat.
The imperial bodyguards fought desperately, yet under the rebels' savage assault, they suffered casualties until none remained.
The rebels had killed until their eyes were red. They cared nothing for life or death as they directly broke through the defenses and charged into Tai Xuan Hall like wolves and tigers.
Prince Jin stepped into the grand hall over shattered glazed roof tiles, his war boots embroidered with python patterns crushing the head of the Imperial Guard commander, whose eyes had not yet closed.
"Stop!" Prince Jin shouted. Both sides halted their movements, locked in a standoff.
Candlelight swayed in the deep night, making the shadows of the memorials atop the dragon desk stretch and shrink.
Within the hall, the Emperor sat calmly upon the dragon throne, casually turning over the memorials on the dragon desk. He seemed not to regard the rebelling Prince Jin as worthy of notice and merely said, "You have come?"
Prince Jin looked at the Emperor before him with the air of one whose victory was already certain. No longer concerned with this momentary delay, he said, "Imperial Brother, you have sat on that dragon throne for thirty years."
The blade swept past everyone before stopping as it pointed at the Emperor. "It is time to change rulers."
The Emperor did not respond and merely continued, "Do you know what I regret most?"
Prince Jin smiled mockingly. "What, Imperial Brother? Do you mean you regret not wiping out your younger brother completely?"
The Emperor tossed aside a memorial, leaned back, and said helplessly, "What I regret most is becoming Emperor. I rise earlier than chickens, sleep later than dogs, and the endless rotten affairs of the realm can never all be dealt with."
Prince Jin sneered. "What kind of joke is Imperial Brother making?"
The Emperor said, "Back when the Former Emperor was still alive, I never wanted to become Emperor. The burden of the throne was too heavy, and I did not wish to bear it. Back then, I proposed that the Former Emperor pass the throne to you. Do you know what the Former Emperor said?"
Before Prince Jin could speak, the Emperor continued on his own, "He said you were unsuitable."
Hearing this, Prince Jin flung out his hand to interrupt him and cursed, "Bullshit! How did he know you were more suitable than this prince?"
The Emperor continued, "Yes, that was exactly what I said as well. So the Former Emperor made a wager with me."
Prince Jin asked, "What was the wager?"
At that moment, a sharp glint flashed through the Emperor's eyes. "We wagered on just how far you would go in order to seize the throne."
At last, the Emperor said despondently, "In the end, I lost. That is why I became Emperor."
After hearing the Emperor out, Prince Jin roared, "What kind of bullshit logic is that?"
The Emperor said, "You colluded with court officials. In order to make them take your side, you shielded their disciples and descendants no matter what crimes they committed. You took in demonic and wicked figures from the martial world, trafficked people, and made the common folk unable to live in peace. What I cannot accept most is that, for your own selfish desires, you even colluded with the enemy and sold out the country, intending to hand over the magnificent rivers and mountains left behind by our ancestors with both hands, all to help you seize the throne. Your heart holds nothing but selfish desire. If an Emperor driven only by selfish desire ascends the throne, it will be an immense disaster for the realm."
Prince Jin said in a frenzy, "These are all your excuses. Once this prince sits in that position, I will naturally do better than you. But there is no need for that now. This prince will take it myself."
The Emperor sighed, his eyes filled with disappointment. "Even now, you remain obstinate and refuse to see reason. Sigh... Do it!" With that, he waved his hand.
Prince Jin thought the Emperor had accepted his fate. Who could have expected that a signal flare suddenly sounded outside, followed by the sounds of battle and killing?
At the same time, a figure slowly emerged from the side hall. It was Duke Zhen Guo, Li Qing Shan, clad in armor and carrying a sword.
Prince Jin's eyes widened instantly, his eyeballs nearly bursting from their sockets. "How could it be you?"
The Emperor grinned slyly as though saying, Little brother, you have fallen into the trap. "Did you truly think I had gone senile? That I would believe Duke Zhen Guo of the Great Qian Dynasty would rebel?"
Upon hearing the Emperor's words, Li Qing Shan hurriedly cupped his hands. "Thank you for Your Majesty's trust."
At that moment, madness appeared in Prince Jin's eyes. "No, no... I have not lost yet. As long as I kill you before the others break in, I will succeed! Hahahaha! Get them!"
Before you continue