The assembled ministers looked at Huai Tongren lying in a pool of blood, sighing deeply with emotion.

Their hearts turned cold. Li Qiao glanced at Duke Wang: “Duke, as long as you’re willing to nod in agreement, I believe all the distinguished officials here would be willing to submit, and that would resolve the current situation. And you… you don’t need to wait for the Second Prince anymore. He simply can’t protect you now. When it comes down to it, you’re an intelligent man, so you should do what intelligent men ought to do.”

Duke Wang was very clear that the situation before him was beyond salvaging.

However, like Yan Na’s words “I’d rather die with dignity,” he would rather die than be willing to degrade himself into becoming someone else’s imprisoned subject!

“Li Qiao, make your move.”

“Are you truly not afraid of death?”

“Even if I truly submitted, Marquis Pingyang would still kill me.”

The Duke had obviously anticipated this. For someone like Li Wenshi, if he truly ascended the throne as king, how could he possibly feel at ease letting him remain in the court? Right now he was merely being kept alive, but sooner or later he would meet his death.

Rather than living in disgrace, better to die cleanly.

Li Qiao deliberated in his heart. His father had ordered: those who don’t submit, kill without exception.

The palace was already in complete chaos. He couldn’t let the situation in the Hall of Mental Cultivation remain deadlocked any longer!

He could only kill!

A ruthless intent flashed in his eyes as he ordered: “Fine, then forgive me for not honoring old sentiments. Kill!”

The surrounding guards raised their swords, ready to massacre and silence them.

Fortunately, Jingrong arrived with his people just in time…

Several dozen soldiers rushed in, bringing the situation under control.

At this moment, thick smoke began spreading around the great hall, and the fire had already spread over…

Jingrong wore armor, his face cold and severe, instructing Lang Bo beside him: “First take these elder ministers away.”

Lang Bo received the order and prepared to safely escort them out.

“No one is allowed to leave!” Li Qiao shouted, looking at the situation that had already spiraled out of control before him. “Who are you people?”

Jingrong stepped forward in his boots, saying coldly: “Li Qiao, take a good look. The palace is already surrounded by the army on all sides. You have nowhere to escape. I advise you to surrender immediately!”

“The army?”

“Marquis Pingyang has already been captured in the Hall of Tongzhi. Your plot to besiege the palace and seize the throne has failed.”

“Impossible!” Li Qiao’s face turned completely red as he looked toward the hall entrance illuminated crimson by the great fire, holding onto hope as he shouted loudly, “Someone, someone!”

No matter how he shouted himself hoarse, the army guarding outside remained completely unmoved.

The facts lay before him.

Jingrong said: “No need to shout. Your troops never entered the city from beginning to end.”

Li Qiao’s face turned ashen, his sword-gripping palm numb with intensity, confused: “Why would this be?”

Clearly the troops had already entered the city last night!

Jingrong told him the truth of the matter.

The always self-confident Li Qiao naturally couldn’t accept it. He said: “For me to surrender, you might as well kill me.”

The Li family were all people of integrity!

He refused to lay down his weapons and surrender, leading his own troops in vowing to fight to the last soldier even unto death.

Jingrong met him with a single sword. The thick smoke in the hall grew heavier and heavier. The great fire that had ignited from the sacrificial altar had already spread into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, while outside the hall was filled with cries for help and the thunderous sounds of beams and roof tiles collapsing. Lang Bo continuously evacuated those elder ministers outside, while Li Qiao led his own troops attempting to break through the siege, intending to go to the Hall of Tongzhi to rescue his father. But when he realized this was something completely impossible—

He chose to take an unconventional approach!

Planning to perish together!

He used every method to restrain Jingrong, trapping both himself and Jingrong inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The two fought fiercely, neither able to break free from the other.

Both were covered in wounds!

The great fire blazed furiously all around them…

Completely trapping them inside.

They couldn’t get out!

Those outside couldn’t get in either.

The assembled ministers were now safe and sound. The palace maids and eunuchs had all been safely evacuated. Only Li Qiao and Jingrong hadn’t yet emerged from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Seeing that disaster was imminent, Lang Bo immediately dispatched people to extinguish the fire and rescue them.

He drenched his body with cold water.

And rushed in.

But the great fire blocked his vision and his path forward.

He could only see his prince engaged in a final deadly struggle with Li Qiao in the sea of flames.

“Your Highness!” He shouted loudly.

But the fire was burning the wooden posts and objects inside with crackling sounds, and his voice simply couldn’t carry through.

He frantically tried to continue rushing in, but was held back by several soldiers.

“You can’t go in anymore. If you go in, you’ll die.”

“Let go!”

The soldiers struggled to drag him outward.

Inside, the fighting was intense. With the final move, Jingrong thrust his sword forward, striking Li Qiao directly in the chest.

Li Qiao, drenched in sweat, knelt on one knee, his sword planted in the ground.

He coughed up fresh blood.

He raised his head, his blood-covered mouth grinning in a terrifying smile.

The smile was extremely sinister.

Then he collapsed!

Motionless.

Already dead!

Jingrong stood before him holding his blood-stained sword, a trace of sympathy flashing in his eyes!

When it came down to it, Li Qiao was merely a chess piece in his father’s hands!

Seeing the fire growing fiercer, Jingrong had no time to concern himself with the corpse before him and supported his injured body to walk outside.

But beams and wooden posts fell down, blocking the exit.

Getting out would be extremely difficult.

As Lang Bo was being pulled outside, he saw his prince was about to come out.

He shouted: “Quickly get water!”

The soldiers hurried to fetch water to rescue him.

Lang Bo also took this opportunity to rush inside again, trying to bring Jingrong out.

Jingrong exerted great effort, using his feet to kick away the obstacles before him one by one. He was just about to get out.

But…

A sword suddenly thrust from behind.

It pierced directly through his heart.

The sword tip was drenched in fresh blood!

Dripping down drop by drop.

Behind him, Li Qiao had used his last breath to thrust this sword.

“My Li family… has never lost!”

He pulled the sword from Jingrong’s body, having sustained himself through that final breath.

His body fell straight backward.

Submerged in the sea of flames…

Dead!

Jingrong looked at the blood continuously flowing from his chest. His already battered and wounded body slowly sank to the ground.

Lang Bo’s eyes widened as he witnessed this scene unfold.

His mind buzzed for several seconds. The fire-reddened wooden posts in the hall continuously crashed down.

Soldiers restrained him as he went mad and lost all reason.

“Your Highness, Your Highness!” He shouted until the veins in his neck bulged.

His eyes turned crimson.

Through the flames, he vaguely saw Jingrong’s body slumped on the ground.

“Your Highness!”

The collapsed wooden posts had completely and utterly blocked Jingrong’s path out.

Jingrong no longer had the strength to support himself to leave this sea of flames. His gaze penetrated the flickering flames before him, meeting Lang Bo’s tear-filled eyes.

His parched lips moved several times.

He said one sentence…

As the words fell, his vision grew increasingly blurred.

The fiery red flames gradually transformed into beams of piercing white light.

He closed his eyes!

At this moment, Ji Yunshu’s clean and refined face with its gentle smile was deeply branded in his mind.

How he wanted to see her, how he wanted to hold her.

Past scenes flashed rapidly through his mind.

From Jinjiang to the capital, from the capital to Houliao, from Da Lin to Huyi.

He still remembered their first meeting—she in men’s clothing, elegant and otherworldly. Just one glance had determined his entire life.

Two years of time, three cold winters.

They had experienced countless separations of life and death.

How he wanted to stay by her side, to use his entire life to fill her heart full of wounds.

But—

Yunshu, I’m sorry.

Overhead, the beam wrapped in flames let out a tremendous sound and crashed down…

Sparks spread everywhere.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation sank into a complete sea of flames.

“Wherever you are, I’ll be there. Wait for me to return!” His promise, at this moment… had turned to nothing!