The empress let out a long breath of relief. As long as Pang Xiao hadn’t rebelled, the Great Zhou Dynasty still had hope of salvation. She didn’t consider herself a particularly intelligent woman and couldn’t compare to Princess Consort Zhongshun, but having held high position for so long and frequently interacting with the wives of noble families, the empress did know something about court affairs.

Whether the realm remained stable didn’t depend entirely on Li Qitian, but on Pang Xiao. If Pang Xiao was willing to remain a loyal subject, everything would be manageable. But if Pang Xiao ever harbored rebellious thoughts, Li Qitian would be fundamentally unable to resist him. This was precisely why Li Qitian had repeatedly tried to eliminate Pang Xiao.

As long as Pang Xiao wasn’t rebelling, they wouldn’t face enemies on both fronts, and there was still hope of resolving the current crisis.

The empress forced a smile and persuaded, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Prince Zhongshun is following imperial orders for disaster relief, and purchasing grain to feed the people is also his duty. Please don’t be upset. This is precisely a time of internal and external troubles when Your Majesty and your ministers need to work together with united hearts to resist the Tatars. If Your Majesty misunderstands Prince Zhongshun at this moment, I’m afraid you’ll fall into the trap set by those with ulterior motives.”

The empress spoke in measured tones, carefully observing Li Qitian’s expression as she finished her words. When she didn’t see Li Qitian erupt in immediate fury, the empress secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking privately that His Majesty was ultimately a smart man who wouldn’t act without considering priorities at such a critical moment.

But perhaps she relaxed too soon. Li Qitian stared at the empress with a dark expression for a long while, then suddenly grabbed something at random and hurled it at her.

The two weren’t far apart, and the empress had no defenses. She only felt her head ring with a loud buzz as a hard object struck her forehead directly, the pain causing her vision to darken and even lose consciousness for an instant.

Looking at the porcelain dish that had fallen to the ground and shattered into several pieces, Li Qitian roared like a raging lion: “Good, very good! After all these years, I’ve actually raised an empress who belongs to someone else!”

The empress had just regained her senses when she heard these words, her heart jumping with alarm as she immediately realized she had spoken too much.

Lifting her skirts, she knelt properly and kowtowed three times in succession, not caring about the ringing in her ears or the pain in her head.

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Everything this subject does is for Your Majesty’s sake. Now is precisely the time when we urgently need to resist the Tatars – there truly isn’t time to consider other matters. Your Majesty is a wise ruler of this age who thinks everything through clearly. This subject was simply worried and spoke out of turn. This subject shouldn’t interfere in court politics and won’t dare do so again.”

Li Qitian squinted as he stared at the empress’s figure, his anger slightly abated.

He still had some understanding of his wife. This woman was just an ordinary village woman – honest and capable in her work. She was fortunate to marry him, which gave her the opportunity to become empress. Over the years, she had always been well-behaved and never meddled much in court affairs. She was also clumsy in how she dealt with people and situations…

If she knew how to handle people and situations, where would she find the nerve to speak up for Pang Xiao?

Though Li Qitian could think it through, his feelings remained unsettled. He mocked, “You’re exactly the type who can’t tell inside from outside. Those court ministers each belong to different factions with their own considerations, but I never expected even you to be like this. It truly disgusts me!”

The empress felt cold all over, as if she’d been thrown into an ice cave in the depths of winter.

When they were just an ordinary couple, even if they couldn’t be called deeply affectionate, they still had a harmonious marriage.

But the higher Li Qitian climbed, the further she grew from him. Now he had actually come to look down on her!

She was aging and losing her beauty, but there were plenty of delicate, flower-like young girls in the palace. It seemed that after years of marriage and seeing all manner of splendor, Li Qitian had worn away even their marital affection to nothing.

Though thinking this way could comfort her and she could understand it, a voice in the empress’s mind denied her reasoning. Pang Xiao and Qin Yining had also been married for many years, yet Pang Xiao would never treat Qin Yining as Li Qitian treated her – publicly humiliating her, making her lose face, or even laying hands on her.

The empress lowered her head, pressing her lips tightly together, not knowing how to persuade Li Qitian or what else she could say. She felt utterly disheartened and no longer had the energy to care about what Li Qitian intended to do.

Seeing the empress fall silent, Li Qitian found Kunning Palace boring and felt even more nauseated looking at the empress’s appearance. He immediately stood and headed outside.

The emperor’s thunderous rage in the empress’s palace, even throwing dishes at her, quickly spread throughout the inner palace. When the concubines came to pay respects the next day and saw the empress’s bruised forehead, they couldn’t help but steal extra glances, some even laughing wildly in their hearts.

The empress sat properly in the place of honor wearing an appropriate smile, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

Some concubines kept probing with their words, making the empress increasingly annoyed.

She decided to speak directly: “Regarding the warfare outside, even if I don’t speak of it now, I imagine you’ve all heard something. The Tatar forces are unstoppable, and our dynasty cannot match them. Marquis Dingbei has been forced to lead his troops in retreat toward the capital.”

The room fell completely silent, without even the sound of sparrows. The concubines seemed to lose all interest in investigating the empress’s injuries.

Ji Zeyu was leading troops to defend the capital, meaning Tatar forces would surround the capital’s walls. Once the city fell, how could any of them survive?

“Your Majesty, has His Majesty said how we sisters should be arranged?” one bold concubine asked.

The empress smiled slightly, looking at the young woman beautiful as flowers and jade, and said gently, “You and I are all His Majesty’s concubines. To speak bluntly, if that day truly comes, we would naturally maintain our chastity for His Majesty.”

So if they truly faced defeat, all these concubines would have to collectively slit their throats?

Some of the younger ones were already pale with fright, and some even began crying on the spot.

The empress said, “Things haven’t progressed to that stage yet – we’re not at the point of total collapse. But I’m saying this to give you sisters a warning. During these days, think carefully about any regrets you have and resolve them quickly. If you miss your families, write letters to contact them soon. If that day truly comes, I won’t allow anyone to betray His Majesty.”

The empress narrowed her eyes as she surveyed everyone, saying sternly, “Do you all understand clearly?”

“Yes.” All the women rose and bowed in unison.

The empress nodded and dismissed everyone, then instructed a nanny beside her to go to the Cold Palace: “Tell the managing palace maid there that Consort Shun’s matter should also be handled.”

“Yes, this servant will go immediately.”

After the empress’s arrangements, the concubines were all terrified and confused, not knowing what to do. Some went back to cry under their quilts, while others hurriedly wrote letters home, hoping to secure a way to survive.

For a time, the palace was filled with nervous tension, and even the Empress Dowager and Li Helan heard the news.

The two had no time to blame the empress because they too had fallen into fear.

Though the Empress Dowager was elderly, she wasn’t much more composed. Thinking about how she, as the emperor’s mother, had nowhere to flee, she couldn’t help but be overcome with sorrow, holding Li Helan and crying scene after scene.

Instead, Li Helan appeared more composed.

She was Ji Zeyu’s wife. If Ji Zeyu died in battle, she would certainly be captured and humiliated by the Tatars. If that day truly came, as the empress said, they would probably all meet their end with white silk nooses.

Understanding this point, Li Helan actually became calmer. At this time, what mattered wasn’t worrying about her own fate, but finding ways to help the Great Zhou survive this crisis.

Li Helan shared her analysis and thoughts with the Empress Dowager, who immediately ordered someone to find Li Qitian.

Li Qitian was extremely busy – where would he find time to visit Ci’an Palace to pay respects? When the Empress Dowager couldn’t see him, she had a eunuch beside her relay a message to Li Qitian: “Tell the emperor that this old woman says the most urgent matter now is how to preserve the Great Zhou’s territory from being trampled by Tatars. Pang Zhixi is experienced in warfare, and if he cooperates with Ji Lan, they can certainly repel the Tatars. Tell the emperor to think carefully and take a long-term view.”

The eunuch was sweating profusely upon hearing the Empress Dowager’s words. He didn’t want to go but didn’t dare disobey her wishes. Yet if he went, he had a bad feeling that His Majesty might not spare him either. This situation was basically a dead end.

But the eunuch had no choice and went to the imperial study, softening the sharp edges of the Empress Dowager’s words while conveying their meaning.

Li Qitian sat behind the paulownia desk in the imperial study, gradually tightening his grip until he was clutching the bright yellow brocade table covering. “You dog slave, these words came from the Empress Dowager?”

“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager did indeed instruct this servant to say this.”

The eunuch kept kowtowing, feeling his life was over.

Li Qitian gave a cold, mocking laugh, “She can’t help with court affairs at all, but she never delays in creating trouble.”

The eunuch didn’t dare respond, wishing he could pretend not to exist.

“Go tell the Empress Dowager to prepare herself. If the Tatars truly break the city, the Empress Dowager must set an example. Has the Empress Dowager been wise her whole life only to have less insight than the empress now?”

This was clearly telling the Empress Dowager to prepare to “depart this world.”

The eunuch retreated with trembling fear.

Returning to Ci’an Palace and relaying His Majesty’s instructions, as expected, the Empress Dowager rose abruptly in fury: “Nonsense! How could the emperor speak to this old woman like that? You base slave, you must be making this up!”

“Empress Dowager, please see clearly – even if this servant had the greatest courage, I wouldn’t dare falsely transmit an imperial edict. His Majesty truly said this.”

The Empress Dowager was so angry she felt dizzy and jumped about in rage. If not for her dignity as Empress Dowager, no longer being the village woman she once was, she would have probably cursed with every foul word imaginable.

If even the Empress Dowager was in such panic, what about others?

Throughout the entire palace, from top to bottom, everyone was frantic, searching everywhere for connections to save their lives.

Though Li Qitian was occupied with court affairs, he had heard several versions of the palace rumors.

Before the enemy even reached the capital, people had already determined his certain defeat.

Would he truly be unable to overcome this obstacle?

When Pang Xiao had everything prepared and his troops were ready to march, three days had passed.

Qin Yining held an exquisite carved hand warmer, carefully supported by Pang Xiao as they walked out of the Qin mansion’s inner quarters. They boarded a carriage and left through the side gate, heading toward the old capital’s city gates.

Pang Xiao’s mount Wu Yun followed alongside the carriage, with other guards protecting it from front, back, left, and right.

But when everyone had just exited the city gates and saw the scene before them, they were all immediately stunned.