At this moment, Qin Yining even felt somewhat disgusted with herself for coming up with this plan.

Helping Li Qitian regain the throne was indeed the most beneficial choice for the common people of Great Zhou and for Pang Xiao at present.

Perhaps to those who had long campaigned on battlefields, the casualties in front of the palace gates didn’t count as many.

But how innocent were these sacrificed people? They too had fathers and mothers who bore and raised them, they had flesh and blood and feelings! Such sacrifice was not the least bit heroic, and even made people feel stifled.

Pang Xiao suppressed the emotions in his heart, turned around and embraced Qin Yining, retreating several steps. He brought her away from the edge – from here they could no longer see the bloody scene below.

Qin Yining said sadly, “Let it end quickly. Prolonging this brings no benefit. With this chaos here, the common people are also suffering.”

Pang Xiao nodded, “You’re right.”

Below the palace wall, the casualties from the armed conflict between both sides likewise made Li Qitian’s heart uneasy. Especially as Prince Li’s figure gradually approached leading his charge, Li Qitian roared in uncontrollable fury, “Li Guangzhen! Why don’t you stop! I am here – do you truly intend to rebel!”

Li Qitian directly called out Prince Li’s name, causing even Prince Li’s guards to turn and look.

Not only these people – at this moment even the Five Cities’ Military Commission and Huben Army forces slowed their movements, harboring suspicions about Prince Li.

This was the capital city. Standing on the palace wall were not only His Majesty, Pang Xiao, and Ji Zeyu, but also other court ministers. Prince Li and the Marquis of Qingyang had insisted from the start that the imperial palace was occupied by Tatar spies. Everyone believed it and came for the imperial family they served loyally.

But what about now?

His Majesty was impersonated – but could Prince Zhongshun and the Marquis of Dingbei, along with those important court ministers, all be impersonated too?

That lie could no longer deceive them now.

Prince Li gradually slowed his horse’s pace and finally stopped, drained of strength.

The tide had turned. Continuing to resist would only result in immediate execution.

If the Three Thousand Battalion, Five Army Camps, and Divine Engine Battalion were all alerted to come, his corpse would probably be trampled into mincemeat.

Thinking of this, Prince Li shuddered all over and suddenly snapped to his senses.

No good – he couldn’t continue like this.

If he persisted in being stubborn, there would truly be no room for redemption!

Prince Li flipped off his horse’s back. Because his movement was too hasty, he almost tumbled and crawled as he fell to the ground. Not caring about the pain, he frantically kowtowed repeatedly and shouted, “Your Majesty! Is it really you?! This subject-brother, this subject-brother thought you… This subject-brother heard that bandits and Tatar spies had broken into the palace, so I brought troops here, thinking to rescue the Empress Dowager and Empress and others. I didn’t expect it was really you who returned – truly, the flood has washed away the Dragon King’s temple…”

With Prince Li’s words, the plaza in front of the imperial palace where tens of thousands had gathered became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All armed fighting stopped. The air was thick with the heavy smell of blood, with occasional pitiful groans from the severely wounded.

Prince Li’s voice, nearly breaking from tension, sounded in everyone’s ears and only made people feel waves of speechlessness.

Shameless.

Could there be anyone more shameless than Prince Li?

What had really happened today – everyone knew in their hearts. For Prince Li to now act like a good person, what did that make of those Five Cities’ Military Commission brothers who had died because of him?

Prince Li’s actions not only failed to salvage half his image, but made everyone despise and hate him even more.

The scene’s quiet lasted only a few breaths.

Seeing the situation stabilize, Li Qitian suddenly let out a long breath.

Today’s great battle could finally end.

“Enough.” Li Qitian loudly ordered those beside him, “Open the palace gates.”

“Your Majesty!”

A veteran minister immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying, “Your Majesty, this is improper. What if that group of rebels below charges in?”

The Great Zhou imperial palace was renovated on the foundation of the Northern Ji Kingdom’s palace. The interior and exterior occupied considerable area, with grand and magnificent architecture that was easy to defend and hard to attack. Today’s defenders had been able to steady the situation and prevent villains from charging in precisely because of their current advantage.

But if they opened the palace gates, wouldn’t that be letting hungry tigers in?

Li Qitian looked down at the soldiers below and with a sweep of his robes declared loudly, “I trust my soldiers! Today they, like Prince Li and the Marquis of Qingyang, all came to protect the imperial palace and capture spies. Everyone showed pure loyalty, which deeply moves my heart. Don’t continue your chatter. Open the palace gates and welcome the Five Cities’ Military Commission and all the Huben Army officers and soldiers present into the palace!”

Upon hearing this, several ministers caught on. Those who reacted more slowly continued trying to persuade.

Qin Yining and Pang Xiao exchanged glances, both seeing understanding in each other’s eyes.

Li Qitian’s move was truly clever.

Opening the palace gates and welcoming these troops into the palace was merely finding a spacious place for them to await orders. However, the greatest effect of this trusting gesture was to soothe their fearful hearts.

If Li Qitian showed even a hint of wanting to pursue today’s “rebels,” these innocent soldiers might stage a mutiny to save their lives. If the Huben Army and Five Cities’ Military Commission forces present joined together to attack the imperial palace, could they hold it with only Pang Xiao and Ji Zeyu’s confidants currently in the palace?

Li Qitian would probably die very uglily then!

So now, Li Qitian aimed to stabilize the situation and placate these people so they wouldn’t mutiny.

In Qin Yining’s view, if Li Qitian was smart enough, today’s events simply couldn’t be investigated. Whether it was masterminds like Prince Li and the Marquis of Qingyang, or the officers and soldiers below – not only couldn’t they be held accountable, but they should be rewarded for their “merit.”

As for Prince Li and the Marquis of Qingyang, as long as Li Qitian was firmly seated on the throne again, when couldn’t he deal with these lackeys?

Indeed, as Qin Yining analyzed, seeing Li Qitian act thus, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Even after the palace gates opened wide, before the Five Cities’ Military Commission and Huben Army entered the palace, they first formed orderly ranks under their respective commanders’ leadership and stood quietly in formation in one place.

The Marquis of Qingyang and Prince Li, like before, returned with the ministers to Fengtian Hall for court.

Qin Yining hesitated whether she should continue following.

But Li Qitian smiled and said, “Sister-in-law need not overthink – come along together.” He looked at Qin Yining’s weary expression: “The court session will end quickly. Are you well?”

Such treatment made all the ministers who heard and saw turn to look.

Qin Yining smiled, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s consideration. This subject’s wife is well.”

For a woman to participate in court sessions was already an enormous favor. If she made excuses and declined, it would show she didn’t know what was good for her.

Li Qitian returned to Fengtian Hall and still sat upright on the imperial dais.

Pang Xiao brought Qin Yining to stand with Ji Zeyu in the positions they should occupy during court.

After the ministers took their positions with civil officials on the east and military on the west, the trembling figures of Prince Li and the Marquis of Qingyang kneeling in the center became particularly conspicuous.