Outside the capital suburbs
Rows of soldiers sat neatly on the ground.
The leading general gazed into the distance, his eyes icy.
"General Gu, aren't we entering the city yet?" the副将 asked in a low voice.
General Gu shook his head, "No hurry."
The副将 was stunned, and smiled bitterly to himself. No hurry? They had been exposed to the wind and sun in these suburbs for several days.
At this rate, the soldiers' morale would be completely dried up.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves came from not far away.
A man on horseback galloped to the front of the army, pulled back the reins, and dismounted. "Is General Gu here?"
General Gu walked forward slowly and said, "I am."
The man said, "Enter the city quickly."
"What for, entering the city?" General Gu asked.
The man was stunned. "General Gu, didn't you make a deal with the Prince?"
General Gu was taken aback, then said, "Yes, this general will lead the soldiers into the city now and capture the traitors."
"Enter the city," General Gu roared.
Chaoyang Palace
In a side courtyard, a small young boy sat there, his expression inscrutable, completely at odds with his young age.
As hurried footsteps approached, a voice said, "Young Master, it's done. Don't you want to see for yourself?"
The young boy looked up, his eyes veiled in mist, making them impossible to see through.
"Jin Ming, why is it that at this point, I suddenly feel uneasy?" the small young boy asked Jin Ming.
Jin Ming smiled and said, "Young Master, you are feeling a little too anxious about gains and losses."
The small young boy stood up. "I feel uneasy."
"Young Master, rest assured, the Prince's plan this time is very thorough, and there will be no mistakes."
The small young boy nodded. "I'll go."
To see for himself how his imperial sister was doing now?
Was she still as desperate as in his past life?
Thinking of this, the scene from his past life reappeared before his eyes. His imperial sister, with a face full of grief and indignation, looked at him with heartache and disbelief.
His heart suddenly ached. He clutched his chest; it had always hurt here.
"Young Master, what's wrong?" Jin Ming couldn't help but ask, seeing the small young boy's face contorted.
The small young boy shook his head. "It's nothing, I just remembered something from the past."
"Young Master..."
"Let's go. I want to see my imperial sister fall before me once more." The small young boy's expression was icy, with a hint of an unfathomable mist.
Jin Ming was stunned. Once more?
But there was no time for him to think further, as they had already arrived at the main hall of Chaoyang Palace.
At this moment, a cold female voice came from within, "I knew long ago that he was not Father Emperor's child."
Jin Ming instinctively looked towards the small young boy, who paused.
The doors of the main hall were wide open, and the surrounding Imperial Guards were so dense that it was impossible for even a fly to get in.
The small young boy hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside. Jin Ming followed.
Inside the hall, a sky-blue dress was stained crimson. The girl's slender figure stood alone. Opposite her were Regent Xue Wenjie, Xue Yunlan, and Feng Yu, who had betrayed her.
The girl's delicate and beautiful face was framed by eyes that shone with a cold light, as sharp as frost.
A trace of blood stained her tear duct, adding a touch of captivating beauty to her otherwise unparalleled, clear features.
She was enveloped in blood, was it tragic?
No, not at all.
She stood like a noble and aloof goddess, looking down at everyone with pity.
Jin Ming couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The Empress was too calm. Such composure, even for the ruler of this desolate land, was unusual for someone only twelve years old. This age should not possess such composure, and it made his unease even stronger.
The girl seemed to sense someone entering and her gaze shot towards them.
Her clear eyes were now as cold as frost, radiating a chill like millennia-old unmelting ice.
"Xue Zixuan, my good imperial brother, you've come too." The girl sneered, the blood at the corner of her lips forming a soul-stirring smile.
Xue Zixuan looked up, gazing at the now unfamiliar girl. She was as beautiful as in his past life, but now she looked at him with pity.
He did not need sympathy, nor anyone's.
"Imperial Sister..." he looked up. The small young boy hesitated for a moment, then said, "Imperial Sister, abdicate!"
"Hahaha..."
He heard the girl laugh, and looked up to see those eyes shining with a cold, enchanting light.
"Abdicate? To you, the bastard born from the affair between Concubine Chao Gui and the Regent?" The girl's expression revealed a meaningful smile.
The small young boy was stunned. At this moment, the girl was unfamiliar to him.
She had never spoken like this before.
Yes, in the past, he had never stood opposite her.
"Xue Zining, surrender obediently, and this King will spare you. Otherwise..." Xue Wenjie's expression turned cold, showing a hint of murderous intent.
The girl sneered, "Blood for blood."
Xue Wenjie's gaze sharpened, filled with a fierce killing intent. "Since you refuse the toast and insist on the penalty, do not blame this King for being impolite."
"Your subordinate Gu Yunhan has arrived to report," a cold voice called from outside.
The Regent laughed, looking at the girl before him, and sneered, "Xue Zining, the fifty thousand troops from Xiling Pass are already in the city. You should surrender?"
The girl stood there, unmoving. The wind blew, lifting her long dress, its hem tangling with the drapery on the ground.
Crimson blossoms stained her long dress.
Her delicate face showed no fear, even as she stood alone against the enemy's vast army.
As her clear gaze swept over everyone, she suddenly curved her lips into a smile, revealing a meaningful grin. "Xue Wenjie, do you really think you can win?"
"Victory is assured," Xue Wenjie said with great pride.
The girl chuckled softly, looking up. Her eyes were as clear as water, without a trace of impurity, or depth, like an endless ocean with no horizon.
For some reason, looking at the girl's smile, Xue Wenjie felt a hidden sense of unease.
"Have you all heard?" the girl suddenly looked behind her.
Behind the screen, many figures appeared.
The girl picked up the long sword from the ground and swung it towards the screen.
The screen split in two instantly, revealing the true faces behind it – the trembling court officials.
Xue Wenjie's gaze turned cold. He had never expected, nor guessed, that the Empress would bring all the court officials here.
The two leading figures stepped forward and bowed to the girl, "Your Majesty, everyone is here except the Prime Minister."
The girl turned to Xue Wenjie and said coldly, "Xue Wenjie, do you see? They have heard everything you said and everything you did."
Xue Wenjie sneered, "Xue Zining, do you think that by bringing them here, this King dares not kill you?"
"So, Xue Wenjie, are you going to commit regicide?" the girl asked word by word.
Xue Wenjie's gaze turned cold, and he sneered, "Without court officials, this King can appoint others as officials. As long as this King is the Emperor of this desolate land."