Chaos erupted at the Summer Palace. After Princess Danyang emerged from the Emperor’s chambers, the ministers surrounded her as Mu Wanyao began directing the defense.

“The Prince of Qin’s forces certainly exceed our regular garrison,” Mu Wanyao declared. “We need not defeat or capture him – buying time is enough. Chang’an will surely send reinforcements when they learn of our predicament. The Prince of Qin is a rebel, acting against righteousness. If he remains calm, why should you panic?”

A minister’s face creased with worry. “Hasn’t the Ministry of War been under the Prince of Qin’s control for years? Will Chang’an truly send reinforcements?”

“Of course,” Mu Wanyao replied.

Of course, they wouldn’t.

If her Imperial Father remained in Chang’an, this battlefield belonged to her and Yan Shang alone. Since Yan Shang had troops, the Emperor would only care about results – he wouldn’t easily dispatch forces from Chang’an.

“Control your expressions!” Mu Wanyao commanded sharply. “How dare you admit defeat before the battle begins?”

“The Prince of Qin has commanded troops for years, while we are all civil officials…” a minister protested.

“What is there to fear? Am I not here with you?” Mu Wanyao declared. “Now come with me to rally the soldiers, have them take up arms against these rebels. Remember my words – anyone who dares retreat one step will be executed as a deserter!”

At this point, there was nothing more to say. The ministers steeled themselves: “Yes!”

When the Prince of Qin’s forces first entered the Summer Palace, it seemed as effortless as entering uninhabited territory. The muffled thunder overhead seemed to encourage his campaign. The Prince of Qin was filled with confidence – once he killed the Emperor here at the Summer Palace, he could seize power amid the chaos and restore order. Who could stop his momentum then?

But that was only the beginning.

When the Prince of Qin’s forces searched the entire Summer Palace without finding the Emperor, he began to grow uneasy.

At the same time, thanks to Mu Wanyao stabilizing morale, the Palace guards organized a counterattack. The Prince of Qin’s assault no longer proceeded as smoothly as before. He ground his teeth in fury: that little girl Mu Wanyao! Always causing him trouble!

He wanted to eat that girl who followed the Emperor’s every step alive!

The Prince of Qin ordered: “Capture the Sixth Princess alive!”

Meanwhile, Mu Wanyao observed the battle from a window, instructing the guards beside her: “To catch a thief, first catch the king. Third Brother will prioritize killing me. Fang Tong, it’s up to you now.”

The guards surrounded Mu Wanyao, protecting her in their midst. As soon as the princess finished speaking, Fang Tong responded loudly: “Rest assured, Your Highness! What chaos is this compared to before? We shall protect Your Highness at all costs!”

Mu Wanyao nodded.

Though she didn’t understand military matters, she didn’t need to learn now. She only needed to maintain morale here – as long as the Palace guards saw her present, they could fight with peace of mind. Mu Wanyao watched the civil officials issuing orders. They kept glancing at her, and though she remained silent, they continued despite their unease.

This battle had room for error.

After all, the Emperor wasn’t here.

Mu Wanyao had this assurance, keeping this secret. She waited for the right moment – the perfect opportunity to spread this news and disrupt the enemy’s morale!

Mu Wanyao issued an order: “Tell everyone that our forces have already dispatched reinforcements to rescue us! Ask the soldiers to hold on a while longer.”

By afternoon, the Prince of Qin’s forces had taken half the Summer Palace, but the other half stood firm as iron with a favored princess commanding. The Palace guards’ morale remained unshaken. As the Prince of Qin failed to find the Emperor and grew anxious about his mission’s error, a scout rushed in breathlessly to report: “Your Highness, a force is approaching with the Imperial Guard’s banner! From what we observed in the corner tower, they appear to number nearly ten thousand!”

Ten thousand troops!

Everyone under the Prince of Qin’s command erupted in shock.

The Prince of Qin’s pupils contracted sharply, but he maintained his composure: “Those are our reinforcements. No need to panic.”

At the same time, Mu Wanyao’s scouts also intercepted the same news. Her beautiful eyes lit up as she smiled: “It must be my husband coming to assist the Emperor! Let’s quickly send troops to meet them!”

Yan Suchen had arrived!

Wasn’t Yan Suchen supposed to be in Taiyuan? To appear here so quickly… The ministers observed the princess’s smiling expression and instantly realized this battle must have been within their expectations. With preparations already made, everyone felt more at ease.

Even though Yan Suchen was a civil official like them… if he could pacify the military uprising in Taiyuan, he could surely pacify this rebellion!

Mu Wanyao announced loudly: “We’ve rested all afternoon and given half the palace to Third Brother. Now, everyone prepares – we begin our counterattack. We must link up with our reinforcements!”

Just as the ministers were about to object that their small force couldn’t possibly assist, Mu Wanyao had them spread a message: “Send a soldier with the loudest voice to stand on the highest tower in the palace and shout for half an hour, as loud as possible. The Prince of Qin’s entire force must know – my Imperial Father is not in the Summer Palace.”

Everyone was shocked again!

As this strategy unfolded, Mu Wanyao watched from the high tower and indeed saw chaos emerge beyond the clear battle lines in the Prince of Qin’s ranks. His side quickly tried to suppress it, but with reinforcements arriving, their formation began to crumble. As the battle entered its most intense phase, Mu Wanyao fixed her gaze on the direction outside the palace and set a new objective: “Capture the Prince of Qin alive!”

On the Prince of Qin’s side came the hoarse command: “Capture Princess Danyang alive!”

The speed of cavalry was most evident on the plains. In just an hour, the ten thousand troops led by Yan Shang appeared outside the palace. As Yan Shang began supporting from the outside, Mu Wanyao counterattacked from within. Their forces coordinated to steadily push back and kill the Prince of Qin’s troops.

The ministers were all energized: “It’s Yan Suchen! It’s Director Yan! Lord Yan has truly returned! We’re saved!”

Another hour later, a gap was broken in the Prince of Qin’s forces. The reinforcements charged in from outside as the Prince of Qin retreated step by step. Yan Shang dismounted and walked through the gardens now strewn with corpses and stained red with blood. Mu Wanyao saw him from the tower and quickly turned to run down.

Her skirts flew in the wind, silks creasing and wrinkling.

Yan Shang wore light clothing as he hurried to the stairs. A young woman jumped down two steps toward him and they embraced.

Yan Shang started in surprise but quickly wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her. They gazed at each other and spoke simultaneously: “Are you hurt?”

Both paused in surprise, then spoke together again: “I’m not.”

They were startled once more, then couldn’t help but laugh – though Mu Wanyao’s laughter shone brilliantly while Yan Shang’s was faint.

Yan Shang gripped his wife’s wrist, his heart still gripped by lingering fear. He had worried he would arrive too late and something would happen to Mu Wanyao here. Now seeing her safe, he finally had the peace of mind to tell her softly: “Private troops from the Li family entered through Jiannan Circuit and will arrive soon.

“This time, the Prince of Qin cannot escape.”

Mu Wanyao nodded: “Let’s capture him together here!”

The Prince of Qin was extremely agitated. The Emperor wasn’t in the Summer Palace, and Yan Shang had joined with Mu Wanyao… This increasingly seemed like a trap laid for him. By now he understood – he had been played by his Imperial Father. His father had known from the start he would rebel… or rather, had hoped for it.

With his rebellion, the Emperor could deal with the Jiang clan.

The Prince of Qin tasted bitterness in his mouth. He gazed into the distance, wondering which dynasty’s prince had ever been driven to this point by their father… Was that still a father?

It was an executioner’s blade slowly slicing him apart.

A scout rushed in again with urgent news: “Your Highness! Several more tens of thousands of troops are advancing on the city, split into two forces – one heading toward us, one entering Chang’an from the north…”

After his initial shock, the Prince of Qin collected himself and questioned the troop situation carefully. This time, his eyes showed joy as he said: “They’re our people! Quick, help them get here!”

They were their people!

They were the Crown Prince’s forces!

The Crown Prince hadn’t deceived him – he truly was cooperating! –

Yang Si’s thirty thousand troops split into two forces – one to support the Prince of Qin, one personally led by him to force entry into Chang’an. The northern city gate of Chang’an had the Crown Prince’s people waiting to open it. Over ten thousand troops entered easily, joining with forces inside the city to advance toward the Imperial City.

“Boom—”

Dark clouds gathered overhead, thunder growing louder.

The city’s commoners had barely reacted when they heard a rumbling even louder than thunder. It wasn’t impending rain – it was over ten thousand troops entering the city!

In the palace, when the Emperor learned of this, his eyes flashed with shock for an instant. He ground his teeth: “Flying Youzhou’s banner? Yang San leading troops? The Crown Prince… the Crown Prince dares cooperate with Third Son! This rebellious child!”

He had anticipated the Prince of Qin’s control of the Ministry of War for years meant he could command more than just those troops. So he had made thorough preparations, even using the Li family’s authority to quietly bring troops to Chang’an as private forces without alarming people… but for all his calculations, he hadn’t anticipated the Crown Prince cooperating with the Prince of Qin!

The Emperor’s hands trembled as he swept the teacup off his desk. The porcelain shattered across the floor as he raged: “The Crown Prince wants to rebel too?! What right does the Crown Prince have to rebel? This empire will be his in the future, what more could he want? I paved every road for him, what more could he want?

“Send the Imperial Guard to the Eastern Palace to arrest the Crown Prince!”

But the Eastern Palace was prepared. Killing and counter-killing began the moment Yang Si’s troops entered the city.

While troops battled outside, blood flowing like rivers, the Crown Princess led several concubines and children to burst into the Crown Prince’s palace hall. They knelt together, faces white with fear: “Your Highness…”

The Crown Prince didn’t look at them. He discarded the chess piece in his hand and turned to look out the window as lightning split the sky.

Spring scenery flourished, reeds and rushes lush green. This should have been a fine season for enjoying spring outings, but now it carried the color of killing, all things stained blood red.

The Crown Prince spoke flatly: “How is the cooperation with the Prince of Qin? Last year, he sowed discord between us brothers over that Nanyang Jiang clan matter, wanting us to kill each other… By then, I had already begun cooperating with Third Brother! Who in the world is that much cleverer than others, and who would be such a fool?

“Why shouldn’t I rebel? Is the empire he gives what I want? He wants to bury the entire Yang clan, preferably exterminate us completely. It was the Li clan before, now the Jiang clan. Once the Jiang clan falls, he’ll move to eliminate the Yang clan. No noble family has a chance to rise again – I could only rely on the commoner forces he provides. Hah, what a fine calculation.

“Clip my wings, cut off my paths, yet expect my gratitude! Expect me to endure for the sake of imperial enterprise! I’ve endured too long… He gave me the Crown Prince position, but he’s the true schemer! They say the future emperor will be me, that I want for nothing, but this is the empire he arranged, not mine!

“He wants commoners to rise, noble families to decline. He has his considerations but never considered me. He never considered me, so why shouldn’t I cooperate with Third Brother?”

The Crown Prince suddenly stood, his wide robes overturning the chessboard. With a series of crashes, black and white pieces scattered like raindrops, striking the floor tiles with clear sounds—

“He was unrighteous first, don’t blame me for being disloyal!

“The game he set up isn’t what I want! I’ll make my own!”—

Liu Wenqi led the Northern Command troops in strict formation, originally to guard against the unexpected, but first encountered Yang Si’s troops entering the city.

Now that Yang Si was the rebel, Liu Wenqi had imperial orders not to show mercy due to status – kill without question.

Liu Wenqi smiled coldly.

He thought – this was Yang San! A born military talent who rose from common soldier to general in Longyou! The Northern Command wanted to kill Yang Si, but could they?

They could only fill the quota with their heads!

Though Liu Wenqi thought this, he still rode without rest to block and kill Yang Si. At the same time, he instructed a soldier to relay a message: “Go to the Summer Palace and request instructions from the Princess – when will Yan Suchen’s troops arrive? Chang’an is short-handed, troops insufficient, the Yang family has rebelled, Chang’an needs reinforcements!”—

In Chang’an’s streets, Yan Xiazhou heard muffled thunder that morning and thought it would rain. Rather than returning home immediately, she stayed at a tavern with friends she’d made in Chang’an, drinking wine while waiting for the rain.

By afternoon with still no rain, Yan Xiazhou bid farewell to her friends. She felt uneasy, sensing something would happen, and hurried back to the Princess’s mansion with her maid. Just then, the city gates opened in coordination from inside and out. With a thunderous sound, Yang Si’s troops launched their assault on the city as civilians fled in panic!

Yang Si commanded loudly: “Attack only the Imperial City, do not harm civilians! Violators will be killed without question!”

At the Zhao Censor’s residence, Consort Zhao Ling had no interest in marriage matters. When troops filled Chang’an’s streets, she refused her parents’ request to stay home. She climbed over the rear courtyard wall, wanting to see Chang’an’s current situation.

With large forces surrounding the city, she worried about Wei Shu’s safety in the Imperial City and secretly made her way there.

The Imperial City was now in chaos with troops and horses. The rebels attacking the city would surely take the Imperial City first, then assault the palace. The Six Ministries, the Secretariat, the Chancellery, and the Censorate were all within the Imperial City. What should have been a routine afternoon of work had all officials on edge, seeking news of the battle everywhere.

The Emperor’s eunuchs ran about sweating profusely, announcing imperial edicts: “His Majesty says the Yang family has rebelled. He requests all noble-born officials to send word home, asking their families’ private forces to be handed over to the Northern Command to assist Lord Liu in stopping Yang San!

“My lords, all your families have private forces. If you withhold them now, your futures will be in doubt once Chang’an falls!”—

At the Summer Palace, after Yan Shang joined with Mu Wanyao, the Prince of Qin’s forces began showing signs of collapse. But things had gone too far for retreat. The Prince of Qin was determined to fight to the death, not stepping back but attacking ever more fiercely.

The enemy attacked with flaming arrows, forcing Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao to abandon the wooden pavilion, leaving the burning area behind. They moved to a rockery, still wanting high ground to observe enemy movements.

Battle reports kept reaching the couple. Yan Shang paused and said: “The Prince of Qin refuses to retreat at all. He must have another plan… Private forces from the south will arrive soon, the Prince of Qin has no escape route, yet why doesn’t he flee but fights more intensely? It’s as if, as if…”

Mu Wanyao met his eyes: “As if he’s buying time for someone.”

They were both stunned.

Then Yan Shang blurted out: “The Crown Prince in Chang’an!”

Mu Wanyao’s eyes widened.

The Crown Prince and Prince of Qin… sworn enemies, yet now cooperating?! To what extent had Imperial Father driven people?

Both felt their hearts tighten as they realized that if the Crown Prince was involved, the Yang family would be too. With the Yang family involved, would Yang Si participate? Setting aside their relationship with Yang Si, his military talent was unmatched… The battle in Chang’an would surely be even bloodier than at the Summer Palace!

The southern private forces should support Chang’an, not them!

Realizing this, Yan Shang immediately ordered: “Relay my command, tell…”

Fang Tong suddenly shouted: “Your Highness, Prince Consort!”

Yan Shang looked up to see several burly soldiers had hidden unseen at the top of the rockery where he and Mu Wanyao stood. As he looked up, the men sneered and shouted as they violently struck the rockery. Rocks tumbled down as soil and dust rolled forth.

Fang Tong and others leaped up to attack the enemy.

The entire rockery, prepared in advance by the enemy, collapsed. Stones rained down toward Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao below.

Mu Wanyao reacted slowly. As she looked up, Yan Shang had already grabbed her, pressing her face to his chest. A boulder as tall as several men fell toward where Mu Wanyao stood. With no time to dodge, in that rushed moment, Yan Shang could only hold Mu Wanyao and turn, letting the massive rock strike his back.

Yan Shang grunted, stumbling several steps while holding Mu Wanyao.

Fang Tong and others couldn’t reach them in time. In the blink of an eye, the entire rockery collapsed, burying the Prince Consort and Princess underneath. In the dead silence, Fang Tong roared: “Hurry and save Their Highnesses!”—

While the Summer Palace rushed to rescue Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao, the battle in Chang’an raged fiercely as they had predicted.

All available troops in Chang’an had been deployed. Though Yang Si had barely over ten thousand men, the Northern Command still couldn’t resist him, retreating step by step. With reinforcements nowhere in sight and retreating nearly to the Imperial City, today’s forced entry into the palace might succeed!

What should have been a well-planned arrangement had become so difficult due to the Crown Prince’s involvement!

Liu Wenqi’s forehead beaded with sweat, growing more agitated with each step of retreat. Unable to wait for reinforcements, he grew angry, suspecting Mu Wanyao had played him, deliberately seeking his defeat. Or did Yan Shang have other intentions? Yan Shang no longer viewed him as a friend, but like other scholars saw him as a dog, an outsider.

The scholars all looked down on him, and Yan Shang was a scholar too.

He had been presumptuous to think Yan Shang would remain constant, and would not become his enemy.

Liu Wenqi laughed coldly, his heart chilled, knowing life’s hardships and that he could rely on no one but himself.

As he pondered this, a general ran up sweating profusely, panting: “My lord, we cannot hold back Yang San’s army… what should we do?”

Liu Wenqi said darkly: “Drag all Chang’an’s civilians out onto the streets, drive them before the Imperial City! For every step Yang San’s army advances, they’ll have to step on these civilians. Let’s see today whether he kills more civilians or more of us.

“Doesn’t all Chang’an praise Yang San as a spirited young man? Well, now I want to see… will that youth of years past kill civilians today to take the city!”

The general was shocked: “How can we involve innocent civilians…”

Liu Wenqi turned to look at him, eyes full of malice: “Otherwise, should we stand in the street waiting for his army to trample us to death? Go give the order!”

Thus, following Liu Wenqi’s orders, Chang’an’s civilians were dragged from their homes like pigs and dogs and forced onto the streets to face Yang Si’s army with their flesh and blood.

In the chaos, Yan Xiazhou managed to hide in a shop, avoiding capture. But she watched in shock as innocent civilians were dragged from their homes by soldiers, not even sparing children. The streets were filled with crying and wailing – before dying at Yang Si’s hands, the civilians had already left a river of blood from being dragged through the streets by imperial soldiers—

Yan Xiazhou’s face went white as she murmured: “They’re mad, they’ve all gone mad…”

The trembling shopkeeper urged Yan Xiazhou: “Miss, quickly hide in the cellar with us, it won’t be good if they catch you.”

Yan Xiazhou bit her lip. She had meant to hide with the kind shopkeeper, but through the door crack, she saw several poor children crying in the street, not knowing when soldiers would return. After consideration, Yan Xiazhou apologized to the shopkeeper and ran out the shop door.

Several children had been separated from their parents in the chaos. Seeing mounted soldiers coming to capture people again, they cried in terror, awaiting their cruel fate. From the side, a pair of delicate white hands suddenly picked up one child, pulling him back.

A gentle female voice whispered from behind the wall: “Come with me.”

The children turned around bewildered to see a beautiful young woman standing in a narrow alley corner who had picked up their friend. She beckoned to them, putting a finger to her lips with a soft “shh” gesture, quietly waving them over.

The woman’s face was kind, her smile gentle. The children followed her with more sobs.

Yan Xiazhou sighed, rubbing their heads as she told them softly: “I don’t know where your parents are and can’t help you find them. But I know a place where the soldiers absolutely won’t dare to search or capture people. If you want to live to see your parents again, try coming with me to hide there. If you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”

She meant the alley where Princess Danyang’s mansion was located.

Soldiers would never dare search a princess’s territory, even if the princess wasn’t currently in Chang’an.

The children looked at each other and nodded tearfully: “Sister, we’ll listen to you. Please don’t abandon us. They say a fierce big brother is coming to kill us, we don’t want to die…”

Fierce big brother.

Sorrow filled Yan Xiazhou’s eyes, but she smiled at them, gesturing them to follow. Though just a young woman who had been in Chang’an barely a year, Yan Xiazhou was clever and quick-witted. She skillfully avoided soldiers in the streets, and more and more people followed her in escape – not just children, but adults too.

Yan Xiazhou didn’t refuse them.

Help those she could, and accept what fate decreed for those she couldn’t.

She only occasionally lost focus, thinking of that young man she met on the ancient road entering Chang’an last year, drunk and sprawled by a stream. His smile was like the winter sun, his expression fearless and proud… how had he come to this point?—

As Zhao Ling moved through the city, she abandoned her initial plan to go to the Imperial City.

She stopped in her tracks, staring at civilians scattering like locusts throughout the city. Chang’an was no longer the sacred place that foreigners yearned for in its glory – today it had become a hell realm.

Killing and looting everywhere.

Some profited from the war, while good people turned evil.

Zhao Ling quietly watched these things—things she thought only uncivilized barbarians in the Western Regions would do—happening in Chang’an.

A soldier spotted the pretty young woman standing in the street. Feeling desire, he swung an iron chain, wanting to bind her, have his way first, and then send her to die before the enemy. As the chain wrapped around Zhao Ling’s neck, she suddenly turned, her ice-cold eyes meeting the soldiers.

There was no killing intent in her eyes, but when her hand touched the chain, the soldier already sensed danger.

Zhao Ling stepped forward, her eyes rippling with unshed tears as she murmured: “I will never let my home become your hell.”

She wouldn’t go to the Imperial City now, wouldn’t go save Wei Shu.

Brother Wei Seven was capable enough to have his methods. Right now, Chang’an’s suffering civilians, the civilians being dragged out to die by the eunuchs… they needed her more.

Yang Si learned of Liu Wenqi’s arrangement.

His face expressionless, he gave no orders about it. He wouldn’t kill civilians, but today he couldn’t give orders… the civilians needed a way to live, and his soldiers needed a way to live too.

Thunder rumbled as Yang Si looked up at the dark clouds overhead—

Let fate decide for each—

In the oppressive silence, Mu Wanyao heard her lord calling softly with a hoarse voice.

She opened her eyes but saw only darkness. After a while, she realized she was held in Yan Shang’s arms.

Yan Shang coughed once: “We’re trapped under the rockery.”

Mu Wanyao gave a muffled response. She tried to move but found herself against a wall of stones, with Yan Shang holding her from the front in a kneeling position. If he couldn’t move, she certainly couldn’t either.

After feeling depressed for a moment, Mu Wanyao took the initiative to comfort Yan Shang: “Fang Tong will rescue us, don’t worry.”

Yan Shang softly said “alright.”

Mu Wanyao suddenly asked: “Are you injured… I smell a lot of blood.”

Yan Shang made no sound.

Mu Wanyao: “Don’t deceive me.”

Yan Shang let out a soft sigh.

He said: “I don’t know either, because I can’t move, I can’t feel much… just that my body is very cold, probably from losing too much blood. I guess the stones must have pierced my back. I can’t move, the stones can’t come out, so the blood keeps flowing.

“But that doesn’t matter. I only worry about Chang’an’s situation. You said Liu Wenqi made preparations, but if the Crown Prince lets Third Brother personally attack the city, who can stop him? I’m concerned about Chang’an.”

Mu Wanyao tried to touch him, but her hands met only jagged stones. She couldn’t even hug him: “Stop thinking about others. Second Brother Yan, why do you always think of others and not us? What about us?”

Yan Shang was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed softly, his voice gentle: “I do think of you. Yaoyao, shall I give you a gift?”

Mu Wanyao sat stiffly looking up as he pressed something warm into her hand. After feeling it for a while, she made out the shape of a jade pendant.

She started, her heart suddenly pounding, and before she could guess, Yan Shang said shyly: “Our family’s heirloom jade pendant, which Yunshu brought back from Nanyang. I’ve always wanted to give it to you, just never had the chance.”