At this moment, Li Tianjiao finally realized that perhaps when Old General Cui Shanzhong had captured Bai Qingyu and the Bai Family Army and brought them into the city, what they had thought was their impregnable fortress of Yun Jing… had already become a sieve in the eyes of Great Zhou’s army and Yan forces!

For some reason, Li Tianjiao suddenly thought again of Cui Fengnian, who had disguised herself as a male merchant.

At this moment… Li Tianjiao was certain that Cui Fengnian was a Great Zhou spy, not from Jin Country. From the very beginning, her entry into Western Liang to buy fur and jade brocade from the people at high interest rates while simultaneously lowering grain prices was all to prepare for the Great Zhou’s future attack on Western Liang!

So after the Bai Family Army and Bai Qingyu were captured and brought into the city, for those deeply buried Great Zhou spies, it was equivalent to their backbone entering the city—they could spring into action!

Thinking back to how the Imperial Physician had said Bai Qingyu’s injuries weren’t fatal, but his pulse was very chaotic, and his continued unconsciousness was likely due to triggering an old ailment, now Li Tianjiao understood. It wasn’t that Bai Qingyu’s injuries had triggered any old ailment; Bai Qingyu had simply been feigning unconsciousness!

Ha… this man truly had remarkable endurance, lying in bed for so long, enduring the Imperial Physician’s acupuncture at various pressure points and the pain of having his fingernails picked, his body remaining completely motionless. He truly could endure!

Their palace had stood for a hundred years, with countless eunuchs and maids—how many spies had infiltrated during this time? After bringing Bai Qingyu into the palace… Bai Qingyu had probably been pretending not to wake up all along, while having the spies in the palace continuously send out information. That’s how the granary fire came about! That’s how the poisoning came about.

Then… how long ago had Bai Qingyan begun planning to overthrow the Jin Dynasty? Perhaps Bai Qingyan’s overthrow of the Jin Dynasty wasn’t really because the Jin Emperor wanted to use children to refine elixirs—that was merely an excuse. She might have been preparing to unify the realm long ago!

How early would that need to be?

In this lightning-flash moment of life and death, thousands of thoughts flooded Li Tianjiao’s mind, and her heart grew half cold.

Thinking about these things now was useless—Western Liang… would ultimately perish at her hands.

“Your Majesty, now there’s only one path left—escaping the city. Our Western Liang Palace has a secret passage built precisely for today’s situation. Your Majesty, where is this secret passage?” Old General Cui Shanzhong spoke solemnly. “This old minister will escort you there immediately!”

Li Tianjiao’s hand gripping the sword trembled almost imperceptibly. The name of a ruler who lost his country would forever be shamefully attached to her, impossible to remove.

Moreover, both Great Zhou’s Emperor and Western Liang’s Emperor were female emperors… both ascending the throne in the same period. She would inevitably be compared to Bai Qingyan by future generations.

However, if Bai Qingyan had truly begun planning to unify the realm so long ago, then she, Li Tianjiao, accepted her defeat wholeheartedly.

“Old General, originally, you should have stayed away from warfare to enjoy your twilight years peacefully!” Li Tianjiao’s voice was hoarse. “It was I… who knelt and begged you to come out of retirement. Let these soldiers escort you out of the palace! Whether it’s Great Zhou or Yan Country, they would surely give a famous general like you an affluent old age as long as you surrender…”

“Your Majesty!” Old General Cui Shanzhong was greatly alarmed. “What are you saying?”

Li Tianjiao was also afraid—her hand gripping the sword was trembling: “Old General, when Father Emperor passed away suddenly that year, I don’t know where the secret passage is, but… even if I knew, I wouldn’t go! I, Li Tianjiao, am Western Liang’s Emperor, and should live and die together with Western Liang! I… would rather die in battle than live dishonorably!”

“Why must Your Majesty go to such extremes!” Old General Cui Shanzhong grasped Li Tianjiao’s trembling arm that held the sword. “While there are green hills, there’s no fear of lacking firewood! Your Majesty is still young, there’s still a chance to start over!”

“Does Old General believe these words yourself?” Li Tianjiao shook her head and smiled. “It was I who led the Tianfeng Nation into Western Liang, allowing Tianfeng Nation to plunder grain and supplies in my Western Liang, causing the people to… exchange children for food, break bones to cook! This time, even though Old General Cui came out of retirement, how many commanders were unwilling to come? Why? Because Great Zhou holds Li Tianfu, and Great Zhou used Li Tianfu to claim they were invited by Li Tianfu to drive out Tianfeng Nation, to help Li Tianfu, the legitimate emperor, reclaim Western Liang. How many city defense generals, therefore, refused to come to support me as Western Liang’s Emperor!”

Li Tianjiao couldn’t help but sigh: “At first, I thought Great Zhou’s Emperor was foolish for sending Great Zhou’s grain to our people, wasting food to feed us Western Liang people. But later I realized that Great Zhou’s Emperor Bai Qingyan wasn’t foolish—she had the magnanimity to embrace all the realm’s people! Great Zhou’s court ministers likewise have this magnanimity, so they’re willing to spare no effort transporting grain to Western Liang.”

“When Father Emperor was alive, he once said that if one has ambitions to dominate the various states, one must first have the vast magnanimity to accept talented scholars from all states… to serve in Western Liang’s court! Like Qin Country accepting Shang Yang and Zhang Yi! Only then… could Western Liang possess the people of other nations and the territories of other nations!” Li Tianjiao’s voice choked up. “Great Zhou’s Emperor and Great Zhou’s court are united in purpose. What their hearts can contain… are all the realm’s people, so Great Zhou will surely gain the realm. Western Liang no longer has room for a death struggle!”

“Old General!” Li Tianjiao closed her swollen, aching eyes. “Western Liang’s fortune has run out.”

How could Old General Cui Shanzhong not know what Li Tianjiao was saying?

Old General Cui Shanzhong looked at Li Tianjiao and spoke in a low voice: “That Your Majesty can recognize your shortcomings compared to Great Zhou’s Emperor, that you dare to speak them aloud, shows your future is still limitless! Your Majesty… this old minister will take these remaining soldiers and escort you out of the city! Perhaps Your Majesty cannot make a comeback in the short term, but this old minister believes that with an emperor like you, Western Liang will eventually… restore our nation! This old minister… awaits that day!”

Old General Cui Shanzhong spoke with deep feeling.

But Li Tianjiao seemed to have made up her mind, shaking her head: “I have resolved to fight to the death for my country. Old General, it’s I who have implicated you! Old General, quickly escape the city!”

Old General Cui Shanzhong’s eyes, lined with deep wrinkles, showed a moved expression. After hesitating for a long time, he suddenly smiled at Li Tianjiao, like an elder speaking to a junior, showing a kind smile he had never shown Li Tianjiao before: “I never expected that Your Majesty, a young woman, would have the courage to fight to the death for your country! Good…”

“This old minister is already over eighty years old. Today, this old minister will sacrifice his life to accompany Your Majesty!” As Old General Cui Shanzhong spoke, he clasped his hands and solemnly bowed deeply to Li Tianjiao. Straightening up, his eyes blazed as he looked at Li Tianjiao: “Fight to the death for our country!”

“Old General…” Li Tianjiao had always thought Old General Cui Shanzhong was a cold-hearted person, and later it was only because she, as emperor, had set aside her dignity to kneel and beg that Old General Cui had reluctantly agreed to come out of retirement.

She never expected that Old General Cui Shanzhong would actually say… he would sacrifice his life to accompany her!