Seeing the prince with his head bowed and the eunuchs and maids trembling all over, Jin Fengluan's twitching face revealed a pair of silver teeth that were almost ground to powder.

Jin Fengluan was heartbroken.

After years of war and turmoil, the country finally came to peace and prosperity, with all nations submitting to its rule, thus creating the glorious era we enjoy today.

This is something that even the previous emperors failed to achieve.

And yet, she, a woman, accomplished it.

This achievement is worthy of being recorded in history and enjoyed for thousands of generations.

But in this peaceful and prosperous era, a traitor emerged.

It has only been half a year since he started his rebellion in Beiliang, and we have watched him take Tongwei City, break through Anyang County, and wreak havoc on all sides at Yanluo Mountain.

And now, they actually managed to get the signal fires from Bailiyuan all the way to the capital.

Jin Fengluan didn't understand.

Why does the traitor have so many soldiers? Why are those people so willing to help him rebel? What benefits were promised?

Why did the generals I sent repeatedly pat their chests and say they could definitely suppress the rebels, only to end up either being wiped out or routed?

Now things have gotten really bad; he's almost at the capital.

Historically, regardless of which side one fights with, there are always victories and defeats, back and forth, and it is common for battles to drag on for months or years.

But why was this suppression of the rebels such a complete rout, with no victories achieved even once?

"Where are my capable generals? Where are my mighty armies?"

Jin Fengluan cried out silently, her heart filled with bitterness.

Last time, Jin Jiande confidently patted his chest and guaranteed that he could suppress the rebels when he went with the barbarians, but in the end he returned to the capital in a sorry state, having lost a leg.

This time, Kim Geon-in confidently patted his chest and guaranteed that the heavy cavalry he handed over to Xiong Qian was powerful and invincible, a true lion in every sense of the word.

But now, they've been forced to light beacon towers and urgently send out signal fires to deliver urgent military intelligence.

"Not a single person can keep their word! Do I... do I truly have no one left to rely on?"

Jin Fengluan's chest heaved violently. She bent over, one hand supporting herself on the dragon throne, the other stroking her furrowed brow.

"Your Majesty, your health is of utmost importance..." a palace maid said cautiously.

"Shut up! Don't speak!" Jin Fengluan shouted angrily without even raising her head.

The palace maid trembled and dared not utter another word.

Jin Fengluan's brows furrowed more and more, and her thoughts became increasingly chaotic.

The signal for war has arrived, and it seems that the battle at Bailiyuan is doomed to failure. If the rebels advance from Bailiyuan into Zhongnanguan, the imperial city will be in imminent danger.

Even if thousands or tens of thousands of them come in, they'll be like rats running around everywhere—hard to kill and hard to catch. If they manage to get to Nanjing, they might just sneak up and assassinate me at any time.

This is only the most conservative estimate.

If the rebels march straight in and attack, then we'll have to fight them to the death in the capital.

Winning would be wonderful, but if we lose, then the world would truly be lost.

She lowered her head, looked at the ornately decorated dragon throne, and touched it with her hand.

"This is my empire, this is my dragon throne! I will absolutely not let that traitor sit on it!" she suddenly shouted in a shrill voice.

The sudden scream really startled the eunuchs and palace maids.

A young eunuch couldn't help but raise his head and steal a glance.

Jin Fengluan keenly noticed the gaze. She raised an eyebrow, straightened up, and then glared at the young eunuch with a face full of anger, coldly shouting:

"Am I right?"

"Your Majesty is right."

The young eunuch was terrified by Jin Fengluan's gaze and hurriedly knelt down, replying hastily.

"Then why are these traitors almost at the capital?!" Jin Fengluan shouted again in a shrill voice.

The little eunuch dared not speak; his head was pressed to the ground, his whole body trembling, and he was so frightened he almost peed himself.

With a loud "bang," Jin Fengluan, burning with anger, grabbed the pen holder from the table and threw it down.

The pen holder hit the little eunuch on the back, and the little eunuch's heart skipped a beat. He felt a hot rush in his lower abdomen.

His eyes narrowed, and he hurriedly kowtowed, but before he could utter a sound, Jin Fengluan's angry shout shattered his heart.

"Damn you! Drag him away and execute him!"

Without the slightest hesitation, the eunuch beside him grabbed the young eunuch and dragged him away.

Two people grabbed his arms, one grabbed his feet, and one covered his mouth.

Two more palace maids were seen crawling on the ground wiping the floor.

Before the young eunuch could even utter a sound, he was swiftly and decisively dragged out of the hall.

Just as they stepped out of the hall, two people were coming up into it.

It was none other than Prince Qing and Jin Jiande.

Jin Jiande, pale-faced, watched the young eunuch being dragged away and then whispered to Prince Qing:

"Father, Her Majesty...she...is angry."

Prince Qing remained calm. He shook his head and then told the imperial eunuch that he wished to see His Majesty.

A moment later, the two were informed and then entered the hall.

Upon entering the hall, Jin Jiande saw Jin Fengluan's ashen face as she sat on the dragon throne. Looking at her slightly disheveled hair, Jin Jiande sighed inwardly.

Before the worship could even begin, Jin Fengluan's icy voice suddenly rang out:

"Jianren has sent troops again. Will they arrive in time?"

Prince Qing lowered his eyes and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, urgent news arrived via beacon fire, but the war is still ongoing, and in this time..."

He paused for two breaths at this point, then continued:

"Forgive my bluntness, but I'm afraid it might not be in time."

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