The door behind him suddenly closed.
Xue Wenjie startled, his gaze chilling, and he roared, "Who dares to play tricks on me? Come out!"
As the words fell, a figure clad in colors of water and sky appeared in his line of sight.
Her flawless, beautiful face, her eyes as clear as water, her entire being exuding absolute majesty – it was the Empress, whom he had always looked down upon!
Seeing the unharmed Empress, Xue Wenjie now understood. This place was likely a trap.
"Xue Wenjie." The maiden's cherry lips parted, each word falling distinctly from her mouth.
Xue Wenjie sneered, "Has Your Majesty decided to stop pretending?"
The maiden's gaze was icy to the extreme, "Hasn't Imperial Uncle also stopped pretending?"
"Then how does Your Majesty plan to deal with me?" Xue Wenjie stood there, exuding immense pressure.
The maiden curled her lips into a faint smile. Her delicate face became exceptionally beautiful with this smile.
Xue Wenjie's gaze flickered. This smile resembled her.
"Xue Wenjie, you usurped the throne, murdered your brother, and harmed loyal subjects. Your crimes are unforgivable!" the maiden declared coldly, her words biting.
Xue Wenjie burst into laughter. After the laughter subsided, his expression turned cold. "What's the use of saying those things? Come on, bring out everything you have. Today, either you die or I die."
Upon hearing this, the maiden said coldly, "Guards."
As the words dropped, about five or six youths appeared from behind the maiden.
Seeing this, Xue Wenjie sneered, "Do you think a few mere youths can kill me? You overestimate yourselves."
The maiden's gaze turned sharp, and she said coldly, "Attack..."
The youths charged forward.
Xue Wenjie sneered. He was a veteran of the battlefield; how could these people stop him?
He dodged one youth's attack and suddenly found his movements becoming sluggish.
He was shocked. What was happening?
He subconsciously looked up at the maiden's delicate, confident face.
What else was there not to understand?
The flaw must lie with that Minggong woman.
However, did she think this was enough to suppress him?
Thinking this, Xue Wenjie exerted his strength. He only needed to hold on until his men arrived.
Xue Zining's heart sank. She had truly not expected Xue Wenjie to be so formidable even with the poison from Wulian.
Seeing Hua Yunxuan and the others being pushed onto the defensive, her gaze flickered. The dagger in her sleeve slid into her hand. Even if it cost her everything, she would capture Xue Wenjie.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard from outside the door, followed by a voice, "Your Highness, this humble general is Yang Yuanying of the Imperial Guard. A palace servant just reported that there are assassins here."
Xue Zining trembled. At this moment, Xue Wenjie suddenly moved towards the door.
She absolutely could not let him escape. She threw the dagger in her hand.
Yang Yuanying heard a heavy thud and then a muffled groan.
"Your Highness..." Yang Yuanying frowned and spoke again.
His hand instinctively went to his sword.
At this moment, the door suddenly opened, and light streamed in from within.
A slender, tall figure stepped out into the light.
Yang Yuanying froze. Upon seeing the maiden's delicate face, his gaze halted. He quickly bowed, "This humble general did not know it was Your Majesty. Your Majesty, please forgive my offense!"
"It is nothing. What did you mean about assassins?" the maiden asked.
Yang Yuanying replied, "A palace maid reported hearing sounds of fighting here. This humble general suspected there were assassins."
"I have been here all along, and there were no assassins."
Yang Yuanying bowed again, "This humble general was rash. Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
"It is nothing. You may withdraw!"
Yang Yuanying bowed, "This humble general takes his leave!"
As he turned to leave, his peripheral vision caught sight of a person being suppressed by several youths. That person was... the Regent.
Xue Zining's heart skipped a beat as she saw Yang Yuanying's gaze. She turned her head, just in time to see Xue Wenjie being pinned down by Hua Yunxuan.
She looked up again, and Yang Yuanying was looking at her as well.
She had never interacted with Yang Yuanying before, but he had been responsible for the palace's security all these years, and nothing had ever gone wrong.
However, the Imperial Physician Ding Pengfei was Xue Wenjie's man, and Yang Yuanying was Ding Pengfei's favored subordinate.
She was not afraid of a single Yang Yuanying, but at this moment, she could not help but fear the Imperial Guards behind him.
"Commander Yang, is there anything else?"
Yang Yuanying froze, then looked up, meeting the maiden's clear, limpid eyes. They were pure and deep, like an boundless ocean without a shore.
Once one entered, there was no coming out.
"Your Majesty, this humble general has no other matters!" Yang Yuanying bowed and retreated, beckoning to the Imperial Guards behind him. "Withdraw."
"Commander, there was clearly fighting inside. Shouldn't we go in and see?" someone asked Yang Yuanying, who was already turning away.
Yang Yuanying looked coldly at the man. "The Empress and her male consort are amusing themselves inside. You want me to enter?"
The man's gaze tightened. "Commander, your subordinate saw the Regent..."
Yang Yuanying's eyes flashed with coldness. He struck the man's chest with his palm and roared, "Seize this man and cut out his tongue."
"Yang Yuanying..." Unfortunately, before the man could finish speaking, he was silenced by Yang Yuanying's men removing his tongue.
Yang Yuanying left without looking back.
The change of dynasty had nothing to do with him. His duty was to guard the safety of the palace. However, if it were that maiden, he curled his lips. It seemed he was anticipating something.
Xue Zining closed the door and slowly walked before Xue Wenjie. At this moment, Xue Wenjie saw the maiden looking down at him. Her delicate face was now filled with a sinister, cold smile, her clear, watery eyes, like ancient, unmelting ice, shooting directly at him.
"Xue Wenjie, now, no one can save you." The maiden's voice was as grim and cold as a messenger from hell.
Xue Wenjie merely smiled. "Your Majesty, do you think I am the kind of person who makes no preparations?"
Xue Zining froze. In that moment of her hesitation, a powerful force erupted from Xue Wenjie. In an instant, Xue Wenjie had flung away Hua Yunxuan and the others who had been pressing him down.
Hua Yunxuan and the others were sent flying in all directions, spitting blood.
Xue Zining's gaze turned cold. As expected, he was the former number one war god of Huangze. His reputation was well-deserved.
She slowly stood up. Xue Wenjie walked towards her, pulling the dagger from his back as he walked, and tossing it to the ground. He sneered, "I underestimated you. I never expected our Empress to know martial arts as well."
Xue Zining clenched her fingers. Watching Xue Wenjie, who was gradually approaching her, he reached out his hand to grasp her neck, sneering, "Xue Zining, this time next year will be your death anniversary."
Suddenly, two people appeared before her.
"Regent, show mercy."
Xue Wenjie looked at the two people in front of the maiden and sneered, "Feng Yin, you are forbidden to interfere in the war of the imperial family. Are you going to break your oath?"