The atmosphere grew even more tense. Though Yuwen Changqing smiled harmlessly, he wore a sword at his side. The Emperor looked up at him, and Yuwen Changqing said in a low voice, “This is the Empress Dowager’s birthday. Your Majesty is a filial son—how can you not drink this wine?”

The wine’s fragrance filled the air, yet the Emperor’s expression was far from pleasant. Holding the wine cup in sullen silence for a long while, he turned to look at those below: “Do my beloved ministers believe this cup of wine should be drunk?”

All civil and military officials of the fourth rank and above were present. Though many ministers had stood up earlier, some still remained seated.

Hearing this question, the Empress Dowager laughed derisively. “The Emperor asks an interesting question. Prime Minister Gu, you answer—should the Emperor drink this cup of wine or not?”

Prime Minister Gu had been sitting all along. At the Empress Dowager’s question, he glanced at the Emperor and slowly rose to his feet with a stiff body. “This wine…”

The banquet hall fell completely silent, not a sound to be heard. Gu Boyang’s back was already soaked with sweat. Both the Empress Dowager’s and the Emperor’s gazes fell upon him. Whatever answer he gave, he was destined to offend one side.

He had always maintained neutrality, carrying out orders as given. But today, it seemed he could only make a choice.

Taking a deep breath, Prime Minister Gu closed his eyes:

“It should be drunk.”

The Emperor laughed coldly and lowered his gaze. The Empress Dowager and Empress both smiled. With the Prime Minister taking sides, some ministers who had been sitting also rose one after another, raising their cups with varied thoughts.

Shen Guiyan also stood up, but carelessly dropped the palace token hanging at her waist.

When outside officials entered the palace, they wore palace tokens at their waists that had to be returned at the palace gates when leaving, as a precaution against infiltrators. Palace tokens required the Empress’s approval and were troublesome to obtain, so Shen Guiyan quickly bent down to pick it up, lest she lose it later.

Glancing inadvertently to the side, she noticed the palace token at Gu Chaobei’s waist was already gone.

“We wish the Empress Dowager fortune as boundless as the Eastern Sea and longevity rivaling the Southern Mountains.” The assembled officials raised their wine in congratulation, and Shen Guiyan followed suit.

The Empress Dowager above was extremely pleased, laughing heartily. “All beloved ministers are excused from courtesy. Be seated.”

“We thank the Empress Dowager.”

After sitting back down, Shen Guiyan ignored those around her and turned to quietly ask Gu Chaobei, “Where is your palace token?”

Gu Chaobei had been lost in thought. At her question, he paused slightly before saying, “I probably dropped it carelessly when using the privy. No matter—when we leave later, Father can mention it.”

“Isn’t that quite troublesome?” Shen Guiyan frowned. “How could you lose it?”

Gu Chaobei waved his hand dismissively. “It’s quite important when entering, but leaving isn’t so strict. Without my token, surely they won’t make me stay in the palace forever? Don’t worry about it.”

Shen Guiyan sighed. Thinking about it, his reasoning made sense, so she continued watching the head table.

Having drunk the wine, the Emperor’s face showed no more smiles. The Empress, however, smiled broadly and raised her hand to summon the Sixth Prince. “Che’er, come pour wine for your Imperial Father.”

“No need.” The Emperor said coolly.

The Empress paused and swept a glance over the assembled ministers before looking at the Emperor. “Why must you do this? You’re making the ministers witness a spectacle. Establishing Che’er is something that must be done sooner or later.”

“I believe the Fifth Prince is more suitable for the throne.” The Emperor would not yield an inch. “The Sixth Prince is good, but at most he would be a ruler of inaction, unable to become a sage ruler for troubled times.”

The Empress stopped smiling, her face turning terrifyingly cold. Without drinking her wine, she smashed the cup to the ground.

“Crash!” Wine splattered everywhere like a signal. Yuwen Changqing immediately gripped his sword and stepped forward three paces. “Your Majesty.”

“How dare you!” The Emperor’s gaze fell sharply on Yuwen Changqing. “In the great hall, without being summoned, why do you step forward?”

Yuwen Changqing frowned. “I only wished to protect Your Majesty.”

“Protect?” The Emperor laughed loudly, though his eyes held no mirth. “Do you mean to protect the phoenix throne or the dragon throne?”

Yuwen Changqing lowered his head without speaking. Shen Guiyan was watching intently when her body was suddenly pulled aside by Gu Chaobei.

“Whoosh—” A large group of black-clothed figures surged from all sides of the banquet, kicking over low tables everywhere. Palace maids screamed and ministers fled in all directions.

“Assassins! Protect His Majesty!” Someone shouted, and the perfectly good banquet descended into complete chaos.

Shen Guiyan found it utterly absurd. How could assassins possibly enter the imperial palace at will, and in such great numbers? If they were truly assassins from outside the palace, she would write her surname Shen backwards!

“Chaobei, head toward the great hall.” With people everywhere, Shen Guiyan gripped Gu Chaobei’s shoulder and called out softly.

Gu Chaobei didn’t even ask why, but led her straight toward the hall.

Yuwen Changqing protected the Empress Dowager and Empress, while several civil officials trembled as they blocked in front of the Emperor. Countless black-clothed assassins rushed in, all charging straight at the Emperor, while the resplendent Empress Dowager and Empress were merely there for show.

“Oh my! Someone call the Imperial Guards!” Eunuch San Quan, gesturing with orchid fingers, shielded the Emperor and cried anxiously, “Your Majesty, flee quickly! Quickly!”

The Emperor looked at the chaos before him, then glanced at Yuwen Changqing with lowered head protecting the Empress Dowager and Empress, and laughed lightly. Then he laughed harder and harder.

“What excellent protection!”

The Empress showed no fear at all. Supporting the Empress Dowager as they stood to one side, she looked at the Emperor surrounded by assassins and said, “I already told Your Majesty why you must do this. You could have sat on the throne a while longer.”

The Fifth Prince drew his sword and stood before His Majesty, his features perfectly calm. “Imperial Father, do not fear. Your son is still here.”

“You?” The Sixth Prince stood at the Empress’s side and laughed softly. “Fifth Imperial Brother remains so stubborn.”

Not one of them knew martial arts. No matter how many people blocked before His Majesty, wouldn’t it all be in vain? Empress Wen helped the Empress Dowager walk outside, saying in a low voice, “The Empress Dowager should accept our condolences.”

“Alas.” The Empress Dowager merely sighed once. Just as they took two steps, they were pushed back by the crowding black-clothed figures ahead.

“What’s happening?” Empress Wen was furious. “Changqing.”

“Your servant is here.” Yuwen Changqing was tall and swept a glance at the situation outside before bowing. “There are too many people.”

“Just this small number requires so many people to handle? What if they jostle the Empress Dowager?” The Empress glared at him and hurriedly steadied the Empress Dowager more securely.

Yuwen Changqing pressed his lips together. “The Empress should forgive me. The people I arranged… there don’t seem to be this many.”

The Empress froze.

Gu Chaobei protected Shen Guiyan with one hand and, surprisingly, managed to enter the great hall quite smoothly, passing through a stream of black-clothed figures before finally reaching the Fifth Prince’s side.

“All set?” the Fifth Prince asked quietly.

Shen Guiyan looked up in confusion, not knowing whom he was asking, but heard the person beside her respond coolly, “Yes.”

Eyes widening, Shen Guiyan glanced at Gu Chaobei. He gently set her down, pushed her slightly behind him, and then stood together with the Fifth Prince.

“Your subject, Shi Fulong, arrives late to rescue His Majesty!” A loud announcement came from outside, and the chaos in the great hall instantly calmed somewhat.

The Empress was shocked, and the Empress Dowager frowned. “Commander Shi was supposed to be dispatched outside the capital today. How did you give him a palace token to enter?”

“Your son did not.” The Empress’s face paled slightly.

Shi Fulong was the commander of the palace’s Imperial Guards, loyal to the Emperor. Since everything had been arranged today, how could she have allowed Shi Fulong to enter the palace?

It was too late to think about this now. With Shi Fulong leading the Imperial Guards into the great hall, all the black-clothed figures would certainly meet no good end.

“Kill!” With no way out anyway, the black-clothed figures lunged at the Emperor even more ferociously.

Gu Chaobei took the long sword from the Fifth Prince’s hand, turned his wrist, and blocked five or six people. The civil officials beside the Fifth Prince who had seemed so frail earlier all stepped forward. When they raised their heads, they were clearly not officials but guards.

This Hongmen Banquet—who could tell who had fallen into whose trap?

Shen Guiyan quickly grasped the whole sequence of events, watching Gu Chaobei holding a sword among the black-clothed masses to protect His Majesty, her heart pounding violently.

He actually knew martial arts. He was actually involved in today’s events. He had actually concealed so many things from everyone?

“Fourth Young Madam Gu.” Someone behind her called out.

Shen Guiyan turned around in a daze.

The Emperor was smiling benevolently again, looking at her. “Earlier I thought he married a good wife. Now I think—you also married a good husband.”

Shen Guiyan opened her mouth, her expression utterly foolish, unable to say a single word.

“When this great chaos passes, I will reward you both.” The Emperor looked at her. “I saw you distributing porridge on the street for three days. You taught me many things. Having subjects like you makes me very happy.”

The Empress and Empress Dowager had already begun to panic slightly. Once Shi Fulong suppressed all the black-clothed figures, today’s attempted regicide would be difficult to cover up.

“General Yuwen.” In her desperation, the Empress drew Yuwen Changqing’s sword.

Yuwen Changqing was startled, then saw her slash fiercely at her own arm.

“Empress!”

The great hall descended into even greater chaos. Shi Fulong wielded his great blade, cutting down black-clothed figures all along the way like chopping cabbage. Blood flowed in rivers. Shen Guiyan felt her shoes had already gotten wet but didn’t dare look down.

Gu Chaobei was injured, though not seriously. She wanted to step forward several times, but remembering she would only be a hindrance, she restrained herself.

This tumult lasted for the time of one incense stick. When Shi Fulong reached the Emperor’s side, everything effectively came to an end.

“Your Majesty, please relocate.” The full-bearded Shi Fulong clasped his fists. “This humble subject arrived late and deserves punishment.”

The Emperor smiled faintly and turned to look at the Empress, but she had already been escorted back to her chambers due to her injury.

“How did Commander Shi enter the palace?” the Empress Dowager asked softly.

Shi Fulong removed the palace token from his waist and presented it before the Fifth Prince. “Thanks to the Fifth Prince receiving word from an informant that there were treasonous persons within the palace, this subject was able to rescue His Majesty in time.”

The Empress Dowager glanced at that palace token, but the Emperor reached out and took it into his own hand. “Today’s great chaos was fortunately resolved by my beloved minister and Imperial Son. By rights, they should be rewarded.”

“We thank Your Majesty.” Shi Fulong kowtowed. “However, those who attempted treason should also be punished. This attempt on Your Majesty’s life absolutely cannot be tolerated again!”