The six tightly closed carved wooden doors of Luohong Tower remained motionless, not even a wisp of wind entering. The silence was broken only by the chirping of night insects and the gentle breeze rolling in through the six open windows.
“Good! Good!” The Emperor was beside himself with rage, his bloodshot eyes searching everywhere for a suitable weapon. “I will do it myself! I will personally slay this treacherous rebel!”
Bai Qingyan and the Grand Princess watched the nearly mad Emperor with cold eyes, their gazes identically frigid.
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!” Gao Demao desperately clung to the Emperor’s legs, pleading. “Your Majesty, the situation is lost! The situation is lost! Princess Zhenguo is battle-hardened – who could be her match?”
The clouds obscuring the moon scattered with the wind, and the bright moon appeared in the sky. Its clear radiance illuminated Luohong City, where weapons clashed, battle cries filled the heavens, and blood flowed like rivers…
The one hundred soldiers Bai Qingyan had brought into Luohong City rushed toward the city gates the moment she stepped into Luohong Tower, engaging in fierce combat with the forces led by Qin Shangzhi to open the tightly sealed gates of Luohong City.
And today… the great army led by Bai Jinxiu and Lin Kangle, who had escorted Bai Qingyan to Luohong City, appeared legitimately beneath the city gates. The army had not lit torches, making the night their cover. The Jin soldiers standing on Luohong City’s walls could only hear the sound of military banners fluttering in the wind, unable to see how many Great Zhou soldiers stood in that dense darkness.
Bai Jinxiu, clad in silver armor and mounted on horseback at the front, fixed her torch-like gaze on the brightly lit city walls.
Suddenly, chaos erupted on Luohong City’s walls. Torches swayed as panicked guards ran down from the battlements.
Bai Jinxiu jerked the reins sharply, knowing that the one hundred soldiers her elder sister had brought into the city had begun their action. She drew her sword and pointed it toward the city walls: “Warriors! The time to attack has come! Our Great Zhou Female Emperor leads from the front, venturing into danger… for this very moment! Charge!”
The Great Zhou soldiers shrouded in darkness drew their blades in unison, like awakening predatory beasts, roaring as they followed behind Bai Jinxiu in a direct assault on Luohong City’s gates that had stood unbroken for a hundred years.
Breaking the city proved far faster than Qin Shangzhi had imagined. The one hundred soldiers Bai Qingyan had brought into Luohong City possessed a level of valor beyond everyone’s imagination. Their objective was clear – to open the city gates.
They feared neither sacrifice nor death, each move vicious, every step a killing blow. The soldiers who had been dispatched to dig canals were already fearful at heart. Seeing these fierce Great Zhou elite troops advancing menacingly, they surrendered almost without a fight, their legs weak as lambs awaiting slaughter.
Qin Shangzhi had not expected Bai Qingyan to have Bai Jinxiu attack Luohong City at this moment. Bai Qingyan didn’t even care about her safety – was she so determined to destroy Jin?
Qin Shangzhi initially couldn’t understand, but when he saw no sign of Shen Tianzhi coming to reinforce them, enlightenment suddenly dawned – Shen Tianzhi had already surrendered to Princess Zhenguo.
Clad in armor and fighting desperately like a cornered beast, Qin Shangzhi was covered in blood. He had fought until both arms were numb and sore, unable to lift them. Seeing Bai Jinxiu leading the charge into the city, the fire braziers mounted high on both sides of the city flickered in the wind, casting the imposing figure of Bai Jinxiu on her fine horse in alternating light and shadow.
Bai Jinxiu’s gaze was resolute as she surveyed the routed Jin soldiers, her voice ringing clear and strong: “The city gates are broken! Surrender your weapons and you shall not be killed! All Great Zhou forces shall only execute the stubborn resisters and must not disturb the civilians! Violators will be dealt with by military law!”
Qin Shangzhi understood the situation was lost… now the most important thing was to rescue the Crown Prince from the city!
Without another word, Qin Shangzhi ordered his deputy general to fight to the death defending this position, buying as much time as possible, while he leaped onto his horse with twenty soldiers and galloped toward the Crown Prince’s residence.
As long as they preserved the Crown Prince, they would preserve a glimmer of Jin’s unextinguished flame.
In the prison.
Prince Liang slowly raised his head upon hearing the sounds of battle outside.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Hearing the iron chains of the prison door rattling and someone calling “Your Majesty,” Prince Liang turned his head to look toward the prison door…
He saw Hong Qiao, disguised as an old woman, trying keys one by one, attempting to open the prison lock.
“Hong Qiao?” Prince Liang spoke, his voice hoarse.
The lock in Hong Qiao’s hands opened as Prince Liang’s voice fell.
Hong Qiao quickly moved the iron chains aside and entered, taking a set of clothes from the basket on her arm and offering them to Prince Liang: “Your Majesty, quickly change into these clothes and escape the city with this servant! Hong Mei has arranged people outside the city to receive you!”
Prince Liang looked down, his fingers stroking the coarse cloth patched garments. He was now a homeless dog – how could he still be called Your Majesty!
Even when he had proclaimed himself emperor, he had only been emperor for a few days. He asked Hong Qiao hoarsely: “What’s happening outside?”
“Bai Qingyan entered the city today to meet the Grand Princess at Luohong Tower. Bai Jinxiu took the opportunity to lead troops into the city…” Hong Qiao shook out the clothes in Prince Liang’s hands and, caring nothing for propriety, helped Prince Liang put on the sour-smelling garments. “Luohong City is in chaos! This time… the Emperor and the deposed Crown Prince surely won’t survive! Your Majesty, let us leave the city first… and make plans later!”
Seeing Prince Liang remain motionless, Hong Qiao was so anxious that sweat beaded on her nose: “Your Majesty, where there’s life, there’s hope! If we delay any longer, it will be too late!”
Prince Liang gripped the coarse cloth pants tightly in his hands, clenched his teeth, and without another word, put on the pants before speaking: “We’re not leaving the city. We’re going to Luohong Tower…”
Hong Qiao looked at Prince Liang with considerable surprise: “Does Your Majesty intend to kill Bai Qingyan? If so, Hong Qiao is willing to assist. Your Majesty should leave the city – only with Your Majesty alive… can the nation be considered not destroyed. Only with Your Majesty alive… can we truly clear the Second Prince and Consort Tong’s names!”
“Mother Consort Tong and Second Imperial Brother have already received the posthumous honors they deserved. But Hong Qiao… there’s a saying: ‘The victor becomes king, the loser becomes bandit.’ I am a prince of Jin. Even if I committed treason and rebellion, if Father Emperor doesn’t kill me… I’m still a prince of Jin. Someday I can rise again and once more clear Mother Consort Tong’s and Second Imperial Brother’s names!” Prince Liang’s face showed fierce determination. “But if Bai Qingyan proclaims herself Female Emperor and changes the dynasty name to Zhou, we become the defeated bandits… and will never have another chance. Go tell Hong Mei to have all the people arranged outside the city rush to Luohong Tower immediately and do everything possible to rescue Father Emperor!”
The crimes of Consort Tong and Second Imperial Brother were, after all, pinned on them by Bai Weiting. If Bai Qingyan, as Bai Weiting’s most beloved legitimate eldest granddaughter and a member of the Bai Family, truly rebelled, how could she allow Bai Weiting’s reputation to be tarnished?
Then… he would have no power left to fight for Consort Tong’s and Second Imperial Brother’s innocence.
Therefore, Prince Liang had to go to Luohong Tower.
“Have Hong Mei find the Crown Prince and ensure he meets his end within Luohong City.” Prince Liang fastened his belt as he spoke. “The fire oil prepared earlier to defend against Bai Qingyan’s siege can be put to good use at Luohong Tower! Light fires around Luohong Tower – we must ensure Bai Qingyan cannot escape even with wings!”