“Today there’s been a great commotion outside the palace gates. Judging by last night’s clamor, I imagine the Capital Patrol, Embroidered Uniform Guard, Imperial Guards and others won’t be able to enter the rear palace for some time.”

Qi Qingling spoke calmly, but Song Wan shook her head slightly.

Earlier they had indeed harbored thoughts of regicide and imagined many methods. But whether using the Shang and Song families’ forces or the Dong Chang personnel left by Shen Qianyu, it was extremely difficult to get close to Emperor Wenhui.

Though the rear palace seemed loosely guarded, once it concerned his own safety, Emperor Wenhui’s defenses were impeccable.

Among the Four Offices, Eight Bureaus, and Twelve Directorates, every position that could have contact with the Emperor was filled with Emperor Wenhui’s trusted confidants.

“What even Consort Yun couldn’t accomplish would be even more impossible for us—as difficult as ascending to heaven.”

Shang Rong said, “Moreover, the red pills and old eunuch mentioned that day are likely just one of the Emperor’s methods for preserving his life. In places we don’t know about, there are perhaps even more escape routes.”

Song Wan’s brow furrowed lightly as she stood and walked outside.

“Sister Wan, where are you going?”

Song Wan said, “Only the hundred officials and the people of the realm can force the Emperor to dispatch troops. But if His Majesty truly enters the rear palace and suspends court for ten days, Su River will have no chance of recovery.”

“We cannot let His Majesty enter this rear palace.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Shang Rong stood and walked to Song Wan’s side: “With your strength alone, you’ll find it difficult to block the Emperor’s steps. The Shang residence is willing to contribute what little power we have.”

“I’ll go too.”

“I’ll come with you all.”

Several people hastily spoke up. Lu Youjun said, “We’ll petition His Majesty—delaying him even briefly is better than nothing.”

Song Wan nodded and said to Ji Rong beside her, “I trouble you to send some people to meet the Grand Princess, and if convenient, have them move quickly.”

Ji Rong nodded and had several palace maids and eunuchs from the Eastern Palace accompany them for protection.

“Each of us need only bring one personal maid.”

Shang Rong also said, “Withdraw the Dong Chang people. If a large group goes to block the imperial procession, I’m afraid we’ll be cut down by the Imperial Guards before we even arrive.”

Several people straightened their clothes and walked outside. Heng Zhi gently tugged at Song Wan: “Miss, your condition…”

Song Wan shook her head, lightly patted Heng Zhi’s hand, and walked out together with her.

The group hurried to the vicinity of the Qianqing Gate. Just as they stopped, they saw Emperor Wenhui approaching hurriedly with Imperial Guards. Shang Rong and Wu Xixiang knelt at the front, followed by the four Good Companions from the Eastern Palace, while Song Wan knelt at the very back.

Emperor Wenhui had just taken one step into the Qianqing Gate when he saw several people kneeling before him.

Instantly he felt utterly vexed and wanted to stride away.

“We beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops to reinforce Su River.”

Shang Rong spoke loudly, and the others all echoed in unison.

Hearing the words “dispatch troops” and “Su River” again, Emperor Wenhui’s anger instantly rose from his heart. His gaze became savage and vicious as he looked at the Eastern Palace women.

These past few days, he had heard enough about dispatching troops and had had enough of everyone constantly mentioning Su River.

Just as he was about to rebuke them, he suddenly clutched his chest, his lips and eyes twitching.

“We beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops…”

Just as Shang Rong began to speak, Emperor Wenhui suddenly raised his foot and kicked Shang Rong in the shoulder.

“Good Companion Shang…”

Wu Xixiang knelt and moved forward to help Shang Rong up. Song Wan then said, “Nanqing has already gathered sixty thousand elite troops heading to Su River. If Your Majesty does not dispatch troops, I fear you will leave an infamous legacy for ten thousand generations, despised by man and beast alike.”

“Insolent!”

The piercing voice made several people’s bodies shrink. Emperor Wenhui’s eyes bulged to their limit, filled with bloodshot veins. Whether or not Song Wan had struck his painful spot, Emperor Wenhui’s body suddenly staggered, nearly falling to the ground.

The attending eunuch beside him hastily stepped forward to support him but was shoved away by Emperor Wenhui.

He strode quickly toward Song Wan, kicking her body again and again.

“I know you—you are Song Lan’an’s daughter…”

“Women must not interfere in government affairs. Could it be the Song family has long coveted my empire?”

Zhao Nanzhang moved forward to shield Song Wan beneath her, but her mouth kept shouting loudly for His Majesty to dispatch troops.

Lu Youjun and Zhang Baozhen were so frightened they cried while echoing the others, repeatedly chanting for His Majesty to dispatch troops.

“Damn you all, you all deserve to die.”

In towering rage, Emperor Wenhui jumped up and kicked at them viciously. The several women huddled together, their mouths repeating over and over only one phrase: dispatch troops.

“Drag them all away and beat them to death with rods. After death, deliver their corpses to their residences. I want the world to see the fate of those who defy me.”

Song Wan heard this and cried out loudly, “Your Majesty has used all the courage of your life to harm the women of the rear palace. Can you sleep peacefully at night?”

“You seek death.”

Emperor Wenhui threw back his body and roared again, but this cry was like a torn bellows, exhausted of strength and powerless.

Song Wan pushed the others aside and knelt before Emperor Wenhui, her eyes reddening: “We beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops to reinforce Su River…”

“Your Majesty acts willfully—can you bear the name of a ruler who lost his nation?”

“You…”

Emperor Wenhui clutched his chest tightly. As several Imperial Guards moved forward to drag the women away, Shang Rong suddenly stood: “If Your Majesty wants to become a dog of a defeated and ruined nation, will you also follow as lackeys who aid tyranny? The generals at Su River are all men of Dongning—perhaps among them are your own fathers and brothers from the same family.”

The Imperial Guards ignored Shang Rong’s words and pressed them to the ground with their hands behind their backs. Two more men came forward and threw Song Wan to the ground.

Song Wan’s heart was unwilling. She feared that today she could not delay Emperor Wenhui’s steps and would let him hide away in the rear palace and truly suspend court for ten days.

She wept miserably: “A ruler who loses his nation—his death would not be regretted.”

Emperor Wenhui pushed aside the Imperial Guard restraining Song Wan and was just raising his foot to stomp viciously on her face when he was suddenly embraced tightly around both legs by Lu Youjun, who had lunged forward.

She clamped down on Emperor Wenhui’s legs with all her might. No matter how the Imperial Guards beside her tried to drag her away, she would not let go.

Song Wan wanted to step forward to help, but was suddenly kicked several zhang away by a stooped old man who had appeared in the ranks of the Imperial Guards.

Emperor Wenhui struggled desperately, but Lu Youjun’s hands were locked tight, her jaw clenched, refusing to let go.

The stooped old man stepped forward, raised his palm vertically, and struck viciously at the top of Lu Youjun’s head.

A sharp pain struck. Lu Youjun only felt warm liquid slowly flowing from her ears, lips, and nose.

As her head buzzed, she could only hear the names of her sisters, with whom she had spent day and night, rising and falling around her as they called out to her.

Lu Youjun grinned, revealing a row of white teeth already stained red with fresh blood, yet her hands and feet clamped even more forcefully around Emperor Wenhui.

Sharp pain came again from her head. She cried and closed her eyes, but had only one thought in her heart.

She could not let Emperor Wenhui step into the rear palace. She must protect everyone in the Eastern Palace, including the Crown Prince far away at Su River.

Only if the Crown Prince lived would the others have hope of survival!

The cries of the women and the curses of the aged Emperor gradually became ethereal. Lu Youjun seemed to return to when she was still in the Lu residence, suffering endless bullying from her sisters and brothers.