General Wang of the Nandu army saw this and turned pale as death, knowing that with this military defeat, they would likely implicate their entire clan.

He grabbed his son, Young General Wang, pulling him to his side and shouting loudly: “Quickly! Protect His Highness! Protect His Highness!”

Twenty thousand spirited soldiers from Anping Camp surged like a black tide from behind the Nandu army, joining the chaotic battle. Together with the Patrol Battalion and Imperial Guards in a pincer attack, the Nandu army immediately fell into disorder, fear growing in their hearts. Unable to defend on both sides, defeat was imminent.

Prince Liang’s face instantly turned deathly pale, his palms tightly gripping the hem of his robes. He knew that with Prince Xian’s death… the Nandu army would inevitably fall into complete chaos!

Bai Qingyan’s fine horse landed steadily on the high steps. She pulled the reins, her horse rearing and neighing, kicking over a group of Nandu soldiers holding long spears as it charged rapidly up the high steps…

Fan Yuhuai, covering one eye, saw that slender silver-armored figure in the rain sling the Sun-Shooting Bow behind her back and bend down to seize a long spear from a rebel soldier’s hands.

Fan Yuhuai’s eyes widened, his blood immediately boiling as he shouted excitedly: “Princess Zhenguo! It’s Princess Zhenguo leading the brothers from Anping Camp!”

Fan Yuhuai gritted his teeth and tore off the tie from his head, wrapping it around one eye. He drew his sword and shouted: “Brothers! Princess Zhenguo has brought twenty thousand brothers from Anping Camp! We outnumber the enemy – this battle is a certain victory! Brothers… charge!”

The moment they saw Bai Qingyan charging forward on her swift horse, the Patrol Battalion and Imperial Guards also saw hope!

It was as if countless forces surged up from the feet of the Patrol Battalion and Imperial Guard soldiers who had been fighting while retreating, suddenly generating fierce determination to fight to the death and leave not a single enemy alive.

“Brothers! Charge! Kill these damned Nandu rebels to avenge our fallen brothers!”

“Charge!”

“Come on! You damned Nandu army, let you taste how hard grandpa’s blade is!”

Inside the great hall, the emperor also heard the shouts outside that Princess Zhenguo had arrived, and heard the soldiers’ passionate and battle-ready curses. He couldn’t help but prop himself up with his elbow, looking toward the tightly closed window. But he could only see some vague shadows and hear the increasingly intense battle cries.

Quan Yu, who was lying by the door crack looking outside, saw Bai Qingyan and cried out in excitement. He turned around and shouted almost hoarsely: “Princess Zhenguo has come! Princess Zhenguo has come to rescue His Majesty! Your Majesty… Your Highness! Princess Zhenguo has come to rescue His Majesty!”

The emperor took a deep breath, his heart beating extremely fast, his brows and eyes finally showing joy.

The Crown Prince, kneeling beside the emperor’s bed, straightened his back and shouted happily: “Father Emperor! Princess Zhenguo has come! Princess Zhenguo has come!”

The Grand Princess leaned on her cane and stepped forward two paces, walking to the window. She wanted to look outside through the window crack, but was also worried about seeing her granddaughter injured. She could only rapidly move the prayer beads in her hand, praying to heaven to protect her granddaughter’s safety. Even if it meant shortening her own life by ten or twenty years, dying immediately would be fine!

Bai Qingyan’s horse galloped swiftly, her gaze locked directly on the direction of Prince Xian and Prince Liang. Across the rain curtain, Prince Liang met Bai Qingyan’s sharp and steady gaze, his thoughts racing…

Before him, Prince Liang had only two choices. Either… he could pick up Prince Xian’s sword and fight desperately – perhaps there might still be a chance to ascend the throne.

Or, he could continue acting cowardly and weak as always, begging Father Emperor for forgiveness, saying that Prince Xian had coerced him. He had originally thought Prince Xian wanted to enter the palace to rescue the emperor, but who knew that after Prince Xian killed Prince Xin, he suddenly claimed that Prince Xin had killed Father Emperor and the Crown Prince.

Prince Liang had pretended to be weak his entire life. This time, he finally had this opportunity. His gaze fell through the rainwater dripping from his eyelashes… onto the precious sword beside Prince Xian’s hand. He gritted his teeth and stepped forward, about to reach for that sword…

Suddenly, the heavy shield soldiers surrounding Prince Xian cried out in alarm as they were trampled down by a flying horse. A silver spear carrying cold killing intent descended from above, piercing through Prince Xian’s heart as he lay surrounded by Nandu generals, frightening Prince Liang into falling to the ground.

A fatal strike – Prince Xian didn’t even have time to widen his eyes. The Nandu generals surrounding Prince Xian with scattered morale didn’t have time to draw their swords. They only felt a black shadow sweep past overhead as General Wang of the Nandu army was trampled by horse hooves and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

“Father!” Young General Wang cried out in alarm.

Bai Qingyan gripped the silver spear tightly, pressing the spear’s end against the armor at her waist. Roaring with effort, she used all her strength to lift Prince Xian.

Fu Ruoxi, wearing armor and leading the Anping Camp generals along with the Bai Family guard troops, immediately protected Bai Qingyan’s sides. They leaped down from their horses with swift and deadly movements – wherever their long swords reached, the heads of Nandu heavy shield soldiers fell to the ground.

Bai Qingyan’s arm trembled as she held Prince Xian up with the silver spear, nearly exhausting all her strength.

How to shock the enemy army into not daring to move again?

Bai Qingyan’s action of lifting Prince Xian of Nandu with her silver spear almost instantly crushed all the Nandu army’s will to continue fighting.

In the heavy rain, the Nandu army and Prince Liang all looked up with wide eyes at Prince Xian, who had been pierced through the chest and lifted by Bai Qingyan’s silver spear. Their faces showed complete disbelief, unable to imagine how Bai Qingyan, a frail woman, could accomplish such fierce and valiant feats.

The shocking sight made people’s scalps tingle.

This… was this the legitimate eldest daughter of the Bai Family who had lost all martial arts and had a weak constitution? If the Bai Family men were still alive… how formidable would they be?!

Bai Qingyan gritted her teeth tightly, her torch-like gaze sweeping over the life-and-death battlefield below the high steps where blood flowed like rivers and corpses piled like mountains. She shouted: “Prince Xian of Nandu is dead! Those who resist will die! Those who surrender will not be killed!”

Fu Ruoxi also raised her sword with one hand and shouted: “Prince Xian of Nandu is dead! Those who resist will die! Those who surrender will not be killed!”

The words “Prince Xian is dead, resisters die, surrenderers live” echoed continuously throughout the rain-washed imperial palace.

Prince Xian’s corpse was like a flag… the white flag of the Nandu army’s surrender.

The Nandu army completely lost their confidence to continue fighting and dropped their knives, spears, shields, and swords one after another.

Prince Liang closed his eyes, knowing that even if he picked up Prince Xian’s precious sword now, with these Nandu soldiers’ hearts scattered, there would be no possibility of victory.

He looked toward Bai Qingyan, who was still holding up Prince Xian’s corpse, and in his heart increasingly missed his advisor Du Zhiwei…

Du Zhiwei had indeed been correct – Bai Qingyan was a natural-born military talent. He really should have found ways to recruit Bai Qingyan for his use. But… after his frame-up of Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting for treason and collaboration with enemies, there would probably never be such an opportunity again.

Prince Liang reacted extremely quickly. He suddenly knelt toward the direction of the emperor’s sleeping quarters and cried out loudly: “Father Emperor… Father Emperor, save me! Your son had no idea that Prince Xian wanted to rebel! Before entering the palace, Prince Xian clearly said he wanted your son to accompany him into the palace to rescue Your Majesty. Your son had no idea why Prince Xian would rebel! He just grabbed your son’s arm and dragged your son toward Father Emperor’s sleeping quarters. Your son… your son was terrified to the extreme!”

Bai Qingyan heard Prince Liang’s crying voice and threw down the silver spear with Prince Xian’s corpse still on it. Her arm shook terribly, but she pretended to be calm and composed as she dismounted.