Tao Guizhi was startled into trembling.

She hurriedly grabbed the bundle and threw it under the bed, pulling down the bed sheet to cover the bottom of the bed. Only then did she calmly sit beside the dressing table.

She saw through the bronze mirror that Xie Shi’an had lifted the curtain and walked in.

She asked indifferently: “What brings you here so late?”

“Where did you go just now?” Xie Shi’an asked in a deep voice. “It’s very chaotic outside with people everywhere. Your identity is special. Unless there’s a special reason, you’d best not leave this tent.”

Tao Guizhi turned around: “Dressed like this, no one can recognize me as the Heavenly Maiden. I just went out for a walk to clear my mind.”

Xie Shi’an didn’t pursue the matter too much and said coldly: “Tomorrow you need to get up two hours early to begin bestowing the sweet dew. Be prepared.”

Tao Guizhi agreed.

That night, she didn’t sleep.

When sounds began coming from outside, she got up. Two maids served her, helping her put on the Heavenly Maiden’s garments.

After dressing completely, she said: “I’m going to pray for blessings over the sweet dew water.”

As the Heavenly Maiden, praying for blessings over the sweet dew was reasonable. Holding green branches in her hand, she walked to the countless large vats.

When the green branches in her hand lightly touched the water’s surface, a packet of medicinal powder was scattered down. Over a hundred packets of medicinal powder in total, continuously scattered into those large water vats…

Because of her status, people in the distance didn’t dare approach, and no one knew specifically what she was doing.

“It’s time to go on stage.” Xie Shi’an’s voice came from behind.

Tao Guizhi’s fingers paused. She immediately hid the remaining medicinal powder in her sleeve and nodded: “Alright, I’ll go up now.”

Two maids supported her as she ascended the high platform.

She looked down at the large water vats. Only the last two vats hadn’t received the antidote. She had done her best.

Countless common people queued to receive the sweet dew, bowl after bowl. The large water vats gradually emptied, and more and more people drank the antidote.

The sun slowly rose higher.

At this time, a guard came rushing to report: “Your Highness, the capital’s main gate has opened!”

Prince Chengguo abruptly stood up: “Is this true?”

The guard was on the verge of tears: “The Imperial Guards from the palace have all mobilized, and the garrison forces outside the capital have also surrounded us!”

“What?” Prince Chengguo turned his head to look at Xie Shi’an in disbelief. “Didn’t you say the court would absolutely not make the first move?”

Xie Shi’an’s expression remained confident: “Although they’ve deployed troops, they still can’t possibly attack.”

Based on his understanding of Yun Chu, she would absolutely not attack common people. She was a kindhearted person and also someone who left herself room to maneuver.

If she killed common people, that would mean opposing all the masses. Even without Prince Chengguo, all the common people would unite and overthrow the current emperor’s rule. Various popular uprisings and regional warlords would emerge endlessly… Yun Chu wouldn’t do something so foolish.

Xie Shi’an walked out of the tent and stood at a high point. Sure enough, he saw they were surrounded by thirty thousand garrison troops from the capital, and at the capital’s main gate stood rows of Imperial Guards wearing armor.

The person leading the troops was Yun Ze of the Yun family.

Yun Ze sat on a tall horse and loudly proclaimed: “Prince Chengguo, surrender!”

Prince Chengguo’s eyes flashed with malice as he coldly ordered: “They have armor, so we’ll use human flesh. Have all the elderly and children stand at the very front!”

His subordinates immediately went to make arrangements.

However.

Just at this moment.

The Heavenly Maiden standing at the highest point suddenly spoke.

For so many days, although the Heavenly Maiden appeared daily, she had never opened her mouth to say even a single word. Everyone’s gaze was drawn over.

“Dear fellow villagers and elders, I am the Heavenly Maiden you speak of. You revere me, care for me, worship me, hoping I would remove your illnesses and pains…” Tao Guizhi slowly began. “I’m sorry, I’ve disappointed you. Actually, I’m not at all the Heavenly Maiden from heaven. Actually, this so-called sweet dew cannot remove illnesses and pains at all…”

The crowd below completely fell into chaos.

Before drinking the sweet dew today, their minds had all been muddled and confused, but after drinking the antidote, they began to think for themselves. Tao Guizhi’s words made them thoroughly wake up instantly.

“I was truly confused these past few days. How could I do such absurd things for this sweet dew? Not eating well, not sleeping well, and making my child suffer along with me.”

“That’s right. I really don’t know what I was thinking, actually following Prince Chengguo. I almost became an accomplice to treason!”

“Prince Chengguo actually wanted my child to block thousands of troops—he doesn’t see us as human at all!”

“Who on earth said Prince Chengguo was favored by Heaven’s mandate? Complete nonsense!”

“No, we can’t stay here any longer. Let’s leave quickly!”

“I’m leaving too!”

“…”

The crowd descended into complete disorder.

Xie Shi’an looked at Tao Guizhi in disbelief.

He understood what Tao Guizhi had done last night and understood what Tao Guizhi had been doing standing by the water vats early this morning.

After all his calculations, he never calculated that Tao Guizhi would actually dare betray him.

He snatched the bow and arrow from the guard beside him, drew the bow, released the string, and the sharp arrow shot toward Tao Guizhi.

Tao Guizhi still wanted to continue inciting the masses. As long as she did enough, she could accumulate enough merit and would surely be able to get Kang’er back by her side.

However, before she could speak her next words, an arrow pierced her neck.

She let out a miserable scream and fell from the high platform, disappearing into the crowd.

“Citizens unwilling to follow Prince Chengguo may leave from the west side!” Yun Ze shouted loudly. “The rest of you, if you still want to assist a tyrant, then don’t blame the swords for being merciless!”

The common people fled westward like madmen. Some who hadn’t had time to drink the antidote also followed in confused flight.

Over two hundred thousand people—there were truly too many. Naturally, trampling incidents occurred unavoidably, but so what? If they had truly gone to the battlefield, the casualties would only have been greater.

Prince Chengguo’s subordinates began killing madly to prevent the common people from escaping.

Yun Ze raised his hand and coldly ordered: “Kill without mercy!”

Thirty thousand garrison troops plus eight thousand Imperial Guards burst forth like fierce tigers released from their cage.

These soldiers had long been unable to restrain themselves. Before, countless common people had served as shields and they had no way to act. But now, they had no concerns whatsoever.

Prince Chengguo only had a group of advisors around him, plus a few thousand private soldiers. Under the powerful assault of the capital’s garrison forces, they had absolutely no power to fight back…

Within less than an hour, Prince Chengguo and all the advisors around him were captured alive and brought below Chengtian Gate.

“I was wrong, I was wrong…” Prince Chengguo cried bitterly. “Empress Dowager, I know I was wrong…”

Defeat came like a landslide. Only at this moment did he realize he had no real strength at all. He had been completely propped up by the common people. Once the common people left, he had nothing…

“Empress Dowager, I truly was wrong…” Prince Chengguo kept begging for mercy. “I originally had no intention of seizing the throne. It was him, it was Xie Shi’an. It was he who instigated me to rebel!”

Yun Chu stood on the city wall, her gaze falling on Xie Shi’an’s head.

Xie Shi’an held his head high, meeting Yun Chu’s eyes.