Meng Jiangming's heart trembled slightly. He slowly raised his head and saw the girl's cold, calm face. For some reason, his heart fluttered. "Your Highness, there's no time to lose. Hurry and go!"
Xue Xingyue nodded and walked into the imperial palace.
Duke Ning looked at Meng Jiangming and patted his shoulder. "Jiangming, you did well."
Meng Jiangming shook his head. He turned to look at Ji Wuran, who was leading twenty thousand troops from the Jiang clan. He knew he was ultimately a step too late.
"Young Master, what do we do next?" Meng Ying and the others asked Meng Jiangming.
"Protect Princess Xingyue!" Meng Jiangming retracted his gaze and said.
Xue Tianyue sat in the main seat, with the ministers he had forcibly kept here below him. Soon, the imperial guards came to report that suspicious individuals had forcefully broken through the palace gates and were heading this way.
Xue Tianyue nodded, adjusted his dragon robe, sat on the dragon throne, and watched as a figure appeared at the entrance of the palace, from nothingness to a presence.
He was slightly stunned, let out a breath, and saw a slender figure appear at the entrance of the palace hall.
She was dressed in a dark purple gown, her hair tied up and secured with a single jade hairpin. She walked towards them slowly, like a king descending upon the city, each step carrying majesty.
The light shining in illuminated her fair face, even a little pale, but her eyes were exceptionally captivating, like stars in the night sky, brilliant and radiant, yet exceptionally cold.
At this moment, she stood there like a divine being on high, unprofanity, or like a king descending upon the city, disdainful of the world.
Xue Tianyue looked at the girl, momentarily stunned.
"Xue Tianyue, it's been a while!" The girl's voice was clear and melodious, slowly reaching everyone present.
Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "This... this is Princess Xingyue."
"Indeed, this princess is Princess Xingyue, the only imperial sister of the late emperor."
The ministers gasped. Someone suddenly knelt and shouted "Ten thousand years!"
Xue Xingyue looked at Xue Tianyue, who was firmly seated on the dragon throne, and said coldly, "Xue Tianyue, the tide has turned. Surrender!"
Xue Tianyue finally stood up slowly from the dragon throne and then walked down step by step.
The youthfulness of the boy was gone, replaced by the maturity of a man, as if the boy had grown up overnight.
Xue Xingyue frowned. "Xue Tianyue..."
"Aunt..." Xue Tianyue uttered these two words.
Xue Xingyue could still not pretend to be indifferent. "Xue Tianyue, surrender. I will not make things difficult for you."
Upon hearing this, Xue Tianyue chuckled softly. "Aunt, do you think I have any way back after coming this far?"
Xue Xingyue turned her head away. "Tianyue, you know, aunt doesn't want to fight you."
"Is that so? But Tianyue has to do it."
"Your Highness, be careful!" Meng Jiangming suddenly saw Xue Tianyue draw a dagger from behind and lunge towards Xue Xingyue. He shouted in alarm but was powerless.
After all, they were too far apart.
Xue Xingyue stood still. Just as the dagger was about to pierce her chest, she grabbed it, and blood instantly flowed. "Your Highness..." Meng Jiangming was about to rush forward but was stopped by Duke Ning.
"Father, you..."
Duke Ning said, "This is their battle. Do not interfere."
Xue Tianyue pulled the dagger back. The dagger was stained with blood. Xue Xingyue looked at him, showing no pain.
Xue Tianyue chuckled softly, his smile tinged with bitterness. "Aunt, I always fantasized about having a chance to meet you. I kept thinking about it, thinking and thinking, and finally, I met you. But things have changed. You are not the you of the past, and neither am I."
Upon hearing this, Xue Xingyue felt a pang of sadness. "Tianyue, why? Why did you do it?"
Xue Tianyue gave a wry smile. "When I learned that my father did not intend to pass the throne to me, I admit I panicked. Since childhood, everyone told me that this throne, this empire of the Xue family, was mine.
But one day, when I realized all of this was just an illusion, I became jealous, I became frenzied. I wanted the throne. I wanted to be a good emperor like my father, and I wanted my aunt to not have to compromise for power and marry that useless Meng Jiangming."
Useless Meng Jiangming: "..."
"Xue Tianyue, your intentions might have been good, but what did you do after obtaining the throne?" Xue Xingyue questioned.
Xue Tianyue turned his head away. "There's no point in saying more. Aunt, today, either I succeed or you succeed."
"Yes, you are not wrong." Xue Tianyue was not one to give up easily, and neither was she, Xue Xingyue.
"Come, Aunt!" Xue Tianyue now held a long sword and pointed it at her, shouting coldly.
"Bring me my sword," Xue Xingyue said to the person behind her.
Meng Ying stepped forward and handed her a sword. Xue Xingyue took the sword, looked at Xue Tianyue, her gaze turning sharp, and then she swiftly rushed towards Xue Tianyue.
Xue Tianyue moved to resist. Just as they expected to see the two fighting, Xue Tianyue suddenly threw away the sword in his hand and lunged towards the sword in Xue Xingyue's hand.
It was too late when Xue Xingyue realized. Xue Tianyue was stabbed by her sword and a mouthful of blood spurted out.
Xue Xingyue was shocked and caught the falling Xue Tianyue, asking in disbelief, "Tianyue, you..."
"When... when I heard that everything my mother did was just my father's dying wish, I cried. So, all along, I was just a stepping stone for my aunt's success. If that's the case, then let me add another stroke to your imperial succession."
"Tianyue, don't talk. Aunt will call the imperial physician, and you will get better."
Xue Xingyue shouted, "Imperial physician, where is the imperial physician?"
Xue Tianyue grabbed her hand and smiled. "Aunt, I really, really want to go back to the past. Those times were so good, with Father, with Aunt, and... and Mother..."
"Tianyue, Tianyue..." Xue Xingyue shook the young man in her arms, sobbing.
"Aunt, don't cry. Let Tianyue see, what will the country you govern... what will it be like? Will it be prosperous and peaceful..."
"Alright, Aunt promises you..."