The Capital Magistrate replied, “An hour ago, Prince Rong had already reached the foot of Liangshan, but because he lacked Your Majesty’s decree, he was blocked by Magistrate Ji leading a contingent of troops. The Prince sent someone to inform this minister, asking this minister to immediately enter the palace to report to Your Majesty, saying that Prince Rong possesses a testament left by the late emperor. Therefore, he requests Your Majesty’s gracious permission to enter the capital and the palace to present the testament.”

“A testament? When did the late emperor leave a testament?” Emperor Qizhen was suspicious and asked the Capital Magistrate, “What does the testament say?”

“Prince Rong didn’t say.” The Capital Magistrate continued, “Prince Rong only said that the matter brooks no delay, and he asks Your Majesty to issue an imperial edict permitting him to enter the capital. If the late emperor’s testament is false, he’s willing to immediately return to the Imperial Manor.”

Emperor Qizhen couldn’t worry about why Jingrong would have the late emperor’s testament. He quickly nodded, “Immediately take Our verbal decree there and permit Prince Rong to enter the capital and palace.”

“Yes!”

The Capital Magistrate dared not waste time. He withdrew from the hall and hurriedly left the palace.

However—

Emperor Qizhen couldn’t understand how Magistrate Ji would know in advance that Jingrong was entering the capital and had even deployed troops outside the city.

Could it be that the secret decree sent to the Imperial Manor had been discovered?

Moreover, given Magistrate Ji’s nature, he was absolutely not the type to invite trouble. Over these years, he had operated smoothly in the court, never openly participating in factional struggles, unless this time… he was being controlled by someone.

And that person must be Jing Yi!

In other words, Jing Yi had learned about that secret decree, which is why he had Magistrate Ji lead troops to intercept? Put another way, Magistrate Ji, who never openly participated in factional struggles, had already sided with Jing Yi.

Thinking of this, Emperor Qizhen was truly vexed. He had thought that permitting Jing Yi to marry the Ji family’s legitimate daughter would put his mind at ease, but who would have thought that Jing Yi was not only impatient but also an insatiably greedy person.

Alas!

Emperor Qizhen’s eyes deepened…

At the same time, on another side.

The person Ji Li had sent to Prince Yi’s manor had fully reported the situation at the foot of Liangshan to Jing Yi.

“The late emperor’s testament?” Jing Yi was puzzled, but after a moment he understood. “I truly didn’t expect to be outmaneuvered by Marquis Kang.”

Hearing this, Dou Quan didn’t understand. “What does this have to do with Marquis Kang?”

“If this Prince hasn’t guessed wrong, that testament from the late emperor should have been in Marquis Kang’s possession all along. But I don’t know why Marquis Kang would take out that testament to help Jingrong return to the capital. That old fox—this Prince truly underestimated him.”

“Could the testament be fake?”

“Impossible. Even if Marquis Kang dared to pass off a fake as real, Jingrong would never do such a thing.”

Dou Quan said, “Then if it’s a genuine testament, Magistrate Ji can’t block him, and at that time…”

He didn’t continue speaking.

Jing Yi was thinking, “What exactly does that testament say that makes him so confident that holding it will allow him to stay in the capital?”

After a moment of silence, he steeled his heart and ordered the military officer who had come to report, “Jingrong definitely knows that Magistrate Ji didn’t send someone to notify His Majesty, so he must have secretly sent someone to the palace to request a decree. You must leave the city immediately and, before His Majesty’s decree arrives, have Magistrate Ji… kill them without question.”

The military officer seemed startled for a moment but immediately composed himself. “Yes!”

He rushed off.

Jing Yi’s eyes were filled with terrifying bloodlust and an inflated desire for power.

Dou Quan worried, “Your Highness, if you order them killed without question, what if something goes wrong?”

He laughed coldly, his lips curling upward. “Even if something does go wrong, won’t Magistrate Ji be there to take the fall?”

“Your Highness is brilliant!”

Utterly sinister!

Because of his troublesome sister, Ji Li had been forced to become Jing Yi’s pawn, and now he had to become his scapegoat as well. Who knows if, when he finally realizes the truth, he’ll tear this sinister, greedy person into five pieces.

At the foot of Liangshan!

It had been two hours since troops were sent back to the capital to report, and both sides remained motionless, waiting for the decree from within the capital.

Both sides were also sizing each other up covertly.

The military officer who left Prince Yi’s manor was very fast and truly arrived before His Majesty issued his decree.

He delivered Jing Yi’s order to Ji Li word for word.

Ji Li was shocked!

But there was no turning back now.

He advanced with his sword drawn, calling out to Jingrong, “Your Highness, it’s already been two or three hours, and His Majesty’s decree still hasn’t arrived. One can imagine that His Majesty simply won’t agree to you entering the capital. Your Highness should immediately return to the Imperial Manor.”

Jingrong was no fool either!

He knew Ji Li had decided to kill, or more accurately, that Jing Yi had issued the order.

“Magistrate Ji is determined not to acknowledge the late emperor’s testament.”

“Whether the testament is genuine or false remains unknown. This official has no patience to continue this standoff. If Your Highness insists on not leaving, then don’t blame this official.”

Having said that, he raised his hand, and the hundred or so officers behind him drew their swords in confrontation.

At the same time, Jingrong’s people also drew their sharp swords.

They were just waiting for the command.

Jingrong’s cold eyes glinted as he asked, “This Prince will give you one last chance, Magistrate Ji. Will you let us pass? Or not?”

The two faced off.

Who knew—

“Kill!” Ji Li gave the order.

Hundreds of officers surged forward.

The two forces immediately engaged in brutal combat.

At the foot of Liangshan, blood stained the yellow earth, the aura of death spread, and a thick stench of blood filled the air.

Tang Si and Muruo also threw themselves into this battle.

One with bare fists.

One with a silver whip in hand.

Though their martial arts were formidable, the opposing forces were too numerous. Even fighting ten to one, they were at a disadvantage.

Tang Si was a woman after all and lacked stamina. Seeing her about to exhaust her strength under the repeated attacks of numerous officers, Muruo wanted to go help her but was trapped by the dense swarm of officers and couldn’t break free.

At precisely this moment, Wen Xian, who had been observing in hiding, leaped out and helped kill several men.

Tang Si finally had a chance to catch her breath.

“Thank you!”

Wen Xian glanced at her coldly and continued killing enemies.

At this time, Jingrong seized a long sword from an officer and met Ji Li’s blade.

The two fought, evenly matched.

Each wielded their long sword to take the other’s life.

After several rounds, neither had gained the upper hand.

Suddenly, a sharp arrow shot forth, striking squarely at the sword in Ji Li’s hand and forcefully knocking it away.

The sword fell to the ground.

Then, several more arrows appeared, shooting Ji Li’s men dead.

Accompanying this was the thunderous sound of horses’ hooves, and several birds in Liangshan were startled into flight.

“Stop!”

A resonant voice rang out.

Both forces were compelled to stop and looked toward the direction of the hoofbeats and arrows.

They saw Qin Shiyu leading his men on horseback.

Qin Shiyu dismounted, but because he had injured his leg in earlier years, he walked somewhat slowly. He proceeded to the middle between both forces, took out an imperial edict he had brought, unfolded it publicly, his expression solemn, and proclaimed, “His Majesty has decreed: Prince Rong holds the late emperor’s testament, and no one may obstruct him. Anyone who defies this decree shall be executed on the spot. Prince Rong is commanded to bring the late emperor’s testament to the palace immediately without error.”

Finished!

The edict was closed!

The edict had arrived at such a perfect time.

Ji Li looked at the corpses covering the ground, then at the imperial edict in Qin Shiyu’s hands, half-believing. But the person presenting it was Qin Shiyu, a person of considerable weight in the court, so naturally it couldn’t be a false edict.

Then—

He had to withdraw his troops and let them pass!