“Your Majesty, let me toast you another cup.” The speaker was a beauty Yang Guang had recently taken, surnamed Zhang. As beautiful as her title suggested, she was absolutely stunning and soul-stirring. Just one glance at her was enough to make one’s soul fly away to the heavens, impossible to forget.

Yang Guang was extremely fond of her, summoning her to attend his bedchamber day and night. He kissed her fragrant cheek and was about to drink more wine when he saw bright firelight outside. Puzzled, he asked Pei Qiantong, who was responsible for duty nearby, “What’s happening outside?”

Pei Qiantong bowed and said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, there was a sudden fire outside. They are fighting the fire.”

“I see.” Yang Guang casually responded and turned his attention back to the beautiful Zhang in his arms. After some playful banter with him, she looked at the palace exterior still bright with firelight and said, “Your Majesty, looking at this, the fire outside seems quite large. Should we go take a look?”

Before Yang Guang could speak, Pei Qiantong had already said, “We cannot go. The fire outside is so fierce that it might alarm Your Majesty and the beautiful lady, which would be terrible.”

Yang Guang nodded in agreement, “Qiantong is right. Besides, what’s interesting about watching a fire? It would be better if you danced another dance for me to see.”

Beautiful Zhang had only spoken casually. Hearing this, she immediately agreed in a charming voice, “Your subject obeys the imperial decree.”

Watching the beauty dancing gracefully below, Yang Guang could never have imagined that there was no fire outside at all, but rather people plotting rebellion. Yuwen Zhiji, who was participating in the rebellion, along with Eagle Yang General Meng Bing, were currently leading over a thousand men to heavily guard the entire imperial palace. Without his awareness, the imperial city had already fallen into the hands of Pei Qiantong and others. He was like a sheep among wolves, ready to be devoured alive by those long-starved wolves at any moment.

Pei Qiantong looked at Yang Guang with unusually cold eyes. Continue then, this will be your last pleasure. After tonight, you will lose everything and become a corpse.

After dawn, Pei Qiantong came to the palace gate where Sima Dekan was waiting. Seeing him approach, he hurriedly asked, “How is it? Has the dog emperor become suspicious?”

The guards on both sides had no reaction to his insolent words because, like Sima Dekan, they had come to take Yang Guang’s life.

“No, when I left, he was sleeping while embracing Beautiful Zhang.” Speaking thus, Pei Qiantong urgently asked, “What about you? How are things?”

Sima Dekan was about to speak when a figure walked in. Before even crossing the palace gate, he said, “Don’t worry, the entire imperial city is under our control. Yuwen and the others are leading people to search and capture those imperial relatives and court ministers.” If Du Ruhui were here, he would definitely recognize the newcomer—this person was precisely Cui Ji, who should have been laboring at the quarry!

“That’s good.” As soon as Pei Qiantong finished speaking, Cui Ji said coldly, “When I came over just now, I went to the Du family residence and found it completely empty. Upon inquiry, I learned they had left several days ago. What’s going on here? Pei Qiantong, don’t forget that you promised to hand Du Ruhui over to me for punishment, and only then would our Cui family cooperate with you. You haven’t been lying all along, have you?” By the end, his eyes already contained a trace of murderous light.

“Don’t worry, since I promised you, I will certainly do it. Although there was a small mishap along the way, fortunately, it didn’t ruin things. Du Ruhui is currently being held in my mansion. Once this matter is accomplished, I’ll have someone bring him over and hand him to you.”

Cui Ji said half-believing, “Really? I remember your younger brother is quite close to him?”

His doubt displeased Pei Qiantong, who said coldly, “Don’t worry, I can distinguish between what’s light and what’s heavy. Since I promised you, I will certainly do it.”

Sima Dekan, fearing they might have a dispute, hurriedly said, “Alright, the main business is important. Other matters can be discussed later.”

Cui Ji also understood that they were now sitting on a volcano that could erupt at any time—one wrong move and they would be shattered to pieces. He then said, “Yuwen will be responsible for the imperial city affairs. What we need to do is charge into Wanxiang Palace and capture Yang Guang.”

Naturally, Pei Qiantong wouldn’t refuse this. He immediately joined them in leading over a thousand soldiers to charge toward Wanxiang Palace where Yang Guang was located. Although there were people blocking them along the way, those imperial guards had already killed with bloodshot eyes, truly killing gods when gods blocked them and killing Buddhas when Buddhas blocked them!

They quickly reached the entrance of Chengxiang Palace. Just as they were about to charge in with one effort and capture that tyrant, they were blocked by one person. This person was the Right Imperial Guard General, Dugu Sheng.

Pei Qiantong recognized this person—a member of the Dugu clan and one of the very few people Yang Guang trusted. Unlike treacherous villains like Wang Wei, Dugu Sheng was exceptionally brave and had once saved Yang Guang’s life.

“Please step aside, General!” Facing Sima Dekan’s words, Dugu Sheng said coldly, “You can still turn back now!”

“Yang Guang is tyrannical and excessive, treating human life like grass. Such a person doesn’t deserve to live at all.” As soon as Sima Dekan finished speaking, Dugu Sheng said with firm resolve, “No matter what His Majesty is like, he is still the sovereign. How can subjects commit treasonous acts!”

“We don’t want such a sovereign!” With Sima Dekan’s words, the imperial guard soldiers behind him clamored to kill Dugu Sheng and charge into Chengxiang Palace.

Pei Qiantong stepped forward and said, “We respect the General’s loyalty and courage, but Yang Guang has acted perversely for many years and must die today. Please step aside, General. We swear we will not make things difficult for you.”

Dugu Sheng brandished his long sword and said, “Unless you kill this general, I will absolutely not allow you to step one foot into Chengxiang Palace.”

Pei Qiantong sighed, “Is it worth protecting a sovereign who has ruined his ancestors’ territories and brought disaster to countless people?”

“As a subject, one receives the sovereign’s salary and should share the sovereign’s worries. If the sovereign makes mistakes, subjects should advise and remonstrate, but absolutely not commit treason and rebellion.” Dugu Sheng took a deep breath and stared at the several of them, “Over these years, His Majesty has shown considerable trust and favor toward you several people, yet you do such things. Are you not afraid of leaving a stench for ten thousand years and being cursed by a hundred generations?!”

Pei Qiantong, fearing that his words might shake the troops’ morale, hurriedly said, “As long as we can save all the officers and soldiers, so what if we few truly leave a stench for ten thousand years?!”

Cui Ji also reacted and said, “The dog emperor couldn’t stay in Luoyang, so he came to Jiangdu. After ruining Jiangdu, he wants to go to Danyang, making so many of us follow him alone running east and west. We were born in Guanzhong and raised in Guanzhong, but now he wants us to settle in Danyang. Wouldn’t that mean we’d have to be away from home our entire lives, unable to see our families?!”

Hearing this, the soldiers behind who had originally quieted down became agitated again, all clamoring that Yang Guang was without virtue, only knowing how to harm the people, and must die!

Cui Ji stepped forward and said coldly, “Dugu Sheng, with you alone, you absolutely cannot protect the dog emperor. You’d better step aside quickly!”

Dugu Sheng snorted coldly and stared at him, “That day you committed a heinous crime, and His Majesty, considering that the Cui family had rendered service for generations, spared you the death penalty. Today you repay kindness with ingratitude, joining them in treasonous rebellion, intending regicide. You truly deserve death!”