Li Mao had calculated the timing carefully – unless Bai Qingyan had sprouted wings, she absolutely could not lead troops back within the fifth month.

Seeing everyone still unable to recover from the shocking news of Princess Zhenguo’s return, Shen Jingzhong suddenly turned around and thrust his arrow toward Prince Liang’s direction. Fu Ruoxi and Xie Yuchang shouted loudly and suddenly rose, knocking down the Imperial Guards beside them who were watching over them, crying out: “Chancellor Lu! Lord Dong, Lord Lu, run quickly!”

“Protect His Majesty!” Fan Yuhuai shielded Prince Liang behind him, drawing his sword and shouting.

Prince Liang was wearing extremely heavy ceremonial robes. When Fan Yuhuai pulled him backward, he tumbled to the ground, was helped up by the Imperial Guards, and retreated into the hall to take shelter.

Prince Liang roared in fury: “Kill them! Leave none alive! Kill them all!”

Seeing this, the Crown Prince stumbled and crawled up, rushed toward the white jade railing nearby, and hid there holding his head.

The court ministers who had been forced to kneel before the great hall took advantage of the chaos to rise one after another, shoving aside the Imperial Guards beside them and fleeing in all directions. Some perished under the guards’ blades, while others managed to escape in disarray.

Outside the great hall, chaos erupted instantly.

“Report…” Another scout rushed up, crying out: “Reporting to Your Majesty! Princess Zhenguo is personally leading troops in a fierce battle with the Pingyang army. The Yuanping rebel army and Shouyang rebel army, seeing this, have thrown open the gates of the capital city. The Pingyang army is under attack from both front and rear!”

Fan Yuhuai, Li Mao, and the others widened their eyes in shock, never expecting that Bai Qingyan could return so quickly. How many days had it been… Had Bai Qingyan truly sprouted wings? Could it be that the garrison commanders of all the cities Bai Qingyan’s army had passed through offered no resistance or obstruction whatsoever?

“Lord Fan!” Li Mao hurriedly squeezed beside Fan Yuhuai, grabbing his arm tightly: “Princess Zhenguo has returned. All our hopes rest on the Pingyang army. We can no longer defend the palace to the death. We should dispatch the Imperial Guards to break out of the imperial city and contain the Yuanping rebels and Shouyang army from behind. Otherwise… if the Pingyang army is attacked from front and rear, and if the Pingyang army is lost… all our hopes will be gone!”

Prince Liang pushed away Fan Yuhuai, who was protecting him: “What do you mean all hopes are gone? Have you forgotten? We still have leverage! Bai Qingyan raised troops to serve the king precisely for my father emperor, and the Crown Prince. We have my father emperor, in our hands… and the Crown Prince too, so what is there to fear! Go… seize the Crown Prince!”

Prince Liang had publicly claimed that the deposed Crown Prince had assassinated the emperor, that the imperial physicians were powerless to save him, and that the emperor had died. But in reality… Prince Liang had not harmed his father emperor.

He had ordered Emperor Jin to be placed under house arrest. He wanted to keep Emperor Jin alive to let him witness with his own eyes that even without Emperor Jin’s support, he could still legitimately and securely occupy the throne.

He especially wanted Emperor Jin, who had always refused to personally issue an edict clearing Consort Tong and the Second Prince, to watch closely as he overturned their cases.

Although Li Mao and Fan Yuhuai had both disagreed at the time, unexpectedly keeping the emperor alive had given them an additional bargaining chip.

Soon, the Crown Prince, who was trembling all over and unable to stand, was dragged in by the Imperial Guards.

Li Mao said to Prince Liang again: “Even so, we still must rescue the Pingyang army!”

“Fan Yuhuai, deploy twenty thousand Imperial Guards to leave the city and rush to aid the Pingyang army. Also, dispatch five thousand men to push the deposed Crown Prince up to the city tower. As long as Bai Qingyan dares to attack the city, immediately push the deposed Crown Prince down! Order these five thousand to delay as much as possible and defend the imperial city.”

Prince Liang’s voice was calm, as if he had already calculated everything: “The remaining five thousand men… shall immediately escort me and the lords to quietly break out of the capital through the east gate. As long as the father emperor is in our hands, even if they break through the capital, what does it matter! Our foundation will remain!”

Li Mao mentally calculated briefly and nodded: “Your Majesty speaks truly! However, this minister believes… pushing the deposed Crown Prince down from the city tower might provoke those rebels to attack the city even more fiercely. Moreover… news of the late emperor’s death has already spread. If Bai Qingyan is only loyal to the Crown Prince and does not recognize the Grand Emperor, then we’ll be in trouble!”

Prince Liang nodded, thinking Li Mao was right, and instructed Fan Yuhuai to proceed according to his orders.

Fan Yuhuai immediately transmitted the commands.

Li Mao and Chu Zhongxing huddled together to discuss where they should go. Chu Zhongxing believed they should go to Guangling City, as Guangling City had the natural barrier of the Guanghe Canal in front of it and had always been easy to defend and difficult to attack. But Li Mao thought they should go to Luohong City instead.

Li Mao felt that Guangling City was too close to the Yan state. Rather than going to Guangling City, it would be better to go to Luohong City, north of the Guanghe Canal. Luohong City was currently constructing the Guanghe Canal and had both troops and provisions. Moreover, it was close to Yanwo. Once the Guanghe Canal was completed… Yanwo would become the Jin state’s enormous granary and absolutely could not be lost!

“Although our military strength is only sufficient to break out through the east gate, after leaving the city, we should scatter in different directions… to confuse pursuing troops! This will buy time for Your Majesty!” Li Mao pointed on the map, lowering his voice: “It would be best if Your Majesty’s group travels light, while the other groups make more of a show – it doesn’t matter if they’re more conspicuous, as their main purpose is to attract the pursuing forces! Moreover, aside from you and me, no one else can know Your Majesty’s destination!”

Prince Liang paid no attention to what Li Mao and Chu Zhongxing were still discussing. Sitting on the dragon throne, he only stared at the deposed Crown Prince, who was craning his neck to look outside, sneering coldly: “What… are you still hoping for Bai Qingyan to break in and then support you as emperor? Look at yourself now… groveling before me in front of all those court ministers, and you’ve wet yourself twice – the stench is still there! How dare you think of sitting on this chair?”

Prince Liang’s fingers caressed the dragon throne, his gaze sharp as blades.

Hearing this, the deposed Crown Prince withdrew his gaze, becoming even more aware of the still-damp… cool sensation beneath him, making him burn with shame.

Wetting himself, groveling before Prince Liang… he truly could not hold his head up to face anyone!

But at that moment of life and death, how could the deposed Crown Prince have cared about dignity?

“Your Majesty…” Li Mao spoke at the right moment: “Your Majesty, this minister and the Minister of Revenue have already made arrangements. Please travel light and prepare to depart with us immediately.”

Outside the capital city.

The moment the black banner with white python appeared from the rolling dust clouds stirred up by thousands of troops and horses, the Pingyang army’s commanding officer panicked. He knew that currently opposing them within the capital was Princess Zhenguo’s younger sister, Bai Jinxiu, so when the black banner with white python representing the Bai family made its appearance, it must be coming to reinforce Bai Jinxiu.

When the Pingyang army’s commanding officer Wang Meng saw the figure charging at the front on a swift horse – white horse, silver armor, red cloak fluttering, holding the Sun-Shooting Bow – he immediately felt overwhelmed. It was Princess Zhenguo personally leading troops.

Then hearing the cheers of the rebel army on the capital’s city walls, and Bai Jinxiu’s command to open the city gates for a pincer attack from inside and outside, according to wartime adaptability, at this moment… the Pingyang army should retreat rapidly.

However… the Pingyang army’s commanding general Wang Meng understood clearly in his heart that if they retreated now, with Princess Zhenguo’s forces entering the capital, the imperial city would be in danger! His Majesty would be in danger!