Who was Princess Zhenguo?!

She was the legitimate eldest daughter of the century-old military Duke Zhenguo’s mansion, the woman whom Bai Weiting, the backbone of Jin State and Duke Zhenguo, called a heavenly general’s talent. Such a figure, even though she was a woman, as long as she carried the loyal and righteous blood of the Bai Family, naturally commanded respect from others.

Not to mention that Princess Zhenguo was invincible in battle. In the two great wars of Nan Jiang and the northern frontier, she turned the tide and reversed the Jin State’s military defeats, beating Xi Liang and the Great Liang until they knelt and begged for mercy. How could these hot-blooded military generals not hold reverence and fear in their hearts?!

“General!” The Nandu soldier’s hand trembled slightly as he nocked his arrow, fear growing in his heart.

Earlier, when they attacked Wude Gate, they had superior numbers, and many fought with death-defying resolve to take down the city gate. But now they had less than five hundred men defending the city, while twenty thousand from Anping Camp approached. Moreover, the city gate had been nearly destroyed by them. With offense and defense reversed, who wouldn’t feel fear in their heart?

When they entered the city earlier, they had shown no mercy to the Imperial Guards, killing everyone they saw. Now that it was their turn, they already sensed they would be slaughtered.

The magnificent Anping army, led by Bai Qingyan, marched toward the Imperial City. That silver-armored woman raised her hand… nearly twenty thousand Anping soldiers obeyed orders with perfect discipline, their movements synchronized as one, striking awe into hearts.

On the city tower, the Nandu soldiers’ throats rolled, their hands holding arrows, trembling, hearts filled only with panic and chaos, completely devoid of any chance of victory.

Bai Qingyan, mounted on her white horse, rubbed the reins with her fingers and turned to signal the Bai Family guard beside her.

That guard rode forward, randomly pulling out a jade token from his robes, falsely claiming it was the Crown Prince’s order, shouting: “Princess Zhenguo follows the Crown Prince’s command to lead Anping’s army into the palace to rescue His Majesty! See this jade token as seeing the Crown Prince himself! Quickly open the city gate!”

Prince Xian and Prince Liang had entered under the banner of rescuing the emperor. If Bai Qingyan now led troops to attack their way in, Prince Xian and Prince Liang could claim they were protecting the emperor.

But Bai Qingyan was certain that the Nandu soldiers on the city tower had received orders to guard Wude Gate to the death. If this Nandu general wouldn’t let them pass even upon seeing the Crown Prince’s token… who would believe that the Nandu army wasn’t rebelling?

Rather than charging forward as imagined, they demanded that the city gate be opened quickly.

The Nandu general hesitated instead. He turned back and asked: “Did we send someone to report to Prince Xian?”

“Yes, General! Already sent!”

“Send two more people! Quickly!” the Nandu general shouted.

The Bai Family guard sat on his horse, his war steed stamping its hooves. He pulled hard on the reins, the horse stamping and turning in a circle, shaking rainwater from its mane. The Bai Family guard spoke again: “Princess Zhenguo follows the Crown Prince’s command to lead Anping’s army into the palace to rescue His Majesty! See this jade token as seeing the Crown Prince himself! You Nandu soldiers don’t quickly open the gate – could it be you intend to rebel?!”

The young Nandu officer on the city tower dared not speak, constantly turning back to look toward the emperor’s sleeping quarters, where battle cries shook the heavens, anxious and restless. He then responded: “Princess Zhenguo, please wait. This humble officer has already sent someone to request instructions from Prince Xian…”

“Does this imperial palace belong to Prince Xian’s family? You won’t open the gate upon seeing the Crown Prince’s jade token, but instead must request instructions from Prince Xian. Could it be that Prince Xian and Prince Liang are using the banner of rescue to rebel and murder the Crown Prince and Prince Xin to help Prince Liang ascend the throne?” Fu Ruoxi shouted.

Bai Qingyan wasted no more words. She drew a feathered arrow and nocked it on her Sun-Shooting Bow. Without waiting for the young Nandu officer to speak again, she narrowed her eyes, drew the bow fully, and released the arrow…

The arrow pierced through the rain with a whistling sound, instantly penetrating the Nandu general’s throat and embedding in the wall. The bloodied arrow shaft trembled, like the trembling hearts of the Nandu soldiers on the city tower.

The Nandu soldiers on the city tower fell into chaos: “General!”

“General!”

Bai Qingyan lowered her bow, turned her horse around, and shouted: “Prince Xian and Prince Liang appear to be rescuing the emperor but are rebelling! His Majesty and the Crown Prince are in mortal danger! If His Majesty and the Crown Prince die, allowing Prince Xin, who treats the people like grass and dogs, to ascend the imperial throne, or allowing Prince Liang, weak and incompetent as another’s puppet, to ascend the imperial throne, how can the people and realm of the Jin State find peace?! Anping soldiers! Those who dare follow Bai Qingyan in sacrificing their lives to protect Jin State’s peace, kill!”

Bai Qingyan’s voice was vigorous and resonant, powerful and forceful, carrying strength that made blood boil.

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

Nearly twenty thousand Anping soldiers were filled with passionate fervor, shouting “Kill!” three times. The sound was mighty and vigorous, splitting the nine heavens and shocking hearts and eyes.

Fu Ruoxi drew her sword, the blade pointing straight at the palace gate: “Charge!”

Instantly, the Anping army’s vanguard rushed toward the palace gate.

Thanks to the Nandu army, Wude Gate’s palace doors had already been battered until they swayed precariously. The massive door bolts inside had been broken by their ramming. Three hundred men… even if they all went to block the door, how could they match Anping’s army?

The violent rain poured down like a densely woven giant net, making it impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

Outside the high steps of the emperor’s sleeping quarters, Prince Xin’s Imperial Guards were caught between the Patrol Battalion and Nandu army in a pincer attack, retreating steadily in defeat.

Prince Xin had already taken two arrows to the chest, continuously spitting fresh blood from his mouth. Yet Bi Heng still supported him, protecting him with a sword in hand. Seeing the encirclement continuously shrinking and their cause lost, Bi Heng still thought of escorting Prince Xin out.

Prince Xin raised his eyes and saw below the high steps his younger brother Prince Liang, who stayed close to Prince Xian…

In the violent rain, Prince Liang was already completely soaked and dripping with water. He held up the hem of his robe, his face still that same pale color, but when he raised his eyes, his gaze no longer held the weak, incompetent, and dull look of the past. That gaze was venomous like a snake that had been lurking in the darkness, waiting to strike.

Prince Xin’s eyes widened as he stared fixedly at Prince Liang. Seeing the smile playing at Prince Liang’s lips, Prince Xin’s mind buzzed. Between heaven and earth, it seemed only the sound of the pelting rain remained, along with the sound of his blood boiling.

It was Prince Liang who said… Brother, since ancient times, the legitimate heir should be established as heir, but the Father Emperor deposed the brother for the Crown Prince. Your foolish younger brother was incompetent and had no way to save brother then, but now… since Father Emperor wants to build the Nine-Tiered Platform and pretend to fall from his horse, brother could make the pretense real, accuse the Crown Prince of attempting to harm Father Emperor, capture them both, and legitimately ascend the throne. Once the brother becomes emperor, no one will compete with the brother anymore.

It was Prince Liang who said… Brother, now that Fu Ruoxi has been discovered, if we don’t act before Father Emperor awakens, it will be too late.

It was still Prince Liang who said… Brother, this younger brother’s life is worthless as grass. I only hope that brother, as the legitimate orthodox heir, can obtain the imperial throne he deserves and protect his younger brother’s peaceful life.

What a peaceful life! Prince Xin now understood. So Mother Consort was right… he was no match for Prince Liang. It wasn’t that Mother Consort overestimated Prince Liang, but that he had underestimated Prince Liang and became the blade Prince Liang used.

He lost due to arrogance, lost due to foolishness!

Prince Xin spat out another mouthful of fresh blood, unable to support himself as his knees gave way toward the ground.

But he died unwillingly! So unwillingly…

“Your Highness! Prince Xin, Your Highness!” Bi Heng quickly knelt on one knee, using his sword to support both their bodies.

But Prince Xin had already breathed his last, his body completely limp and unable to exert any strength.