Chapter 93: A Hero

This day was March 19th of the Gengchen year, and it was cloudy.

The gloomy rain clouds gradually dissipated, but the sun did not appear. The sky was gray and the wind was a little strong. The floating clouds kept circling and flowing, changing into different shapes on the horizon.

The vast Jiazhou Palace had been under martial law for days. Forty-three thousand imperial guards, armed with armor and swords, were stationed to protect the imperial city. Those entering the outer court were required to undergo inspection and remain separated from the Jinshui Bridge. No one was allowed to cross the forbidden line, and violators would be executed on the spot.

The dark black armor looked dark brown at the edges under the dim sky, and the snow-white tip of the knife reflected a sharp cold light.

The defense of this Jiazhou Palace was even more severe than expected. There were almost six guards every three steps and ten sentries every ten steps. Anyone who was found out would be killed!

Not even a mosquito can fly in.

Xie Ci curled his lips in a cold smile. It seemed the old emperor was truly afraid of death. Indeed, the more power-hungry and selfish a person was, the more precious their own life became.

He treats all things as straw dogs, and his subjects as ants to be manipulated, yet he himself stands high above them all and reigns supreme!

Xie Ci's smile did not reach his eyes, and he looked up without blinking at the flags fluttering in the moat in the distance.

A group of seven, each wearing the dark black armor with a stand-up collar and a dark cloak of the Imperial Guard, stood against the wall behind the corner of a house just outside the moat. Inside the wall was the small room where they would disguise themselves.

In the distance, a squad of ten Imperial Guards were patrolling. As they reached the nearest point to the wall, a soldier on the other side of the moat scratched an itch and dropped his sword with a thud. All the Imperial Guards, near and far, suddenly looked over. The man hurriedly picked up the sword and apologized, while the sergeant and captain shouted at him.

At the moment they turned their heads, Xie Ci, Yin Luo and seven others rushed out like lightning!

They rushed to the center of the ten-foot-wide bank. At the same time, the three members of their team suddenly jumped up, knocking down the seven imperial guards at once, covering their mouths with sweat towels, and throwing them back with all their strength. From behind the wall, one of their own men, dressed in white marble-colored clothing, rushed out, quickly unfolded a large cloth of the same color, wrapped the men, and quickly retreated.

success.

The seven men stood in their original positions. All of them came from military backgrounds. They stood straight and walked forward at a steady pace without revealing the slightest flaw.

"Wait a moment, we will go to the palace gate." Waiting for the arrival of the fourth prince Li Rong.

Yin Luo, standing in front of Xie Ci, didn't look back. The team marched in unison. He said, "We only have this one chance."

He thanked her, "I know."

After that, no one spoke again.

This trip was destined to be thrilling, but the eve was very calm. The spring breeze in March had completely lost its chill and blew gently in bursts. Even if it was a little strong occasionally, it was not at all as cold as the winter wind and snow.

The spring breeze blows across the country, inside and outside the city of Jiazhou. Willows are sprouting, mosses are looking up, and everything is green and tender. If it weren't for the destruction of Zhongdu and the Northern Rong occupying the area north of Taihang, we would definitely say that this is a good spring.

Xie Ci looked straight ahead and walked at a steady pace. The group walked along most of the bank outside the moat, then followed the Jinshui Bridge into the moat, and walked along the alley of Guanglu Palace, heading towards the direction of Yongle Hall.

The Yongle Hall, excluding the Daqin Palace, was the tallest and largest palace in the entire Jiazhou Imperial Palace. Its architectural specifications were even higher than those of the subsequent Daqin Hall. This was because the Yongle Hall was the venue for major ceremonies, including the emperor's enthronement, congratulations from court officials, offering sacrifices to heaven and praying for blessings, issuing New Year's edicts, and holding banquets for triumphant officials.

Although the Jiazhou Palace is slightly smaller, its architectural specifications and layout are exactly the same as those of the Zhongdu Palace. All the deleted palaces are unimportant palaces. The former dynasty and these important palaces are exactly the same as those in Zhongdu, except that the proportions are slightly smaller.

Even the roads we walked along seemed so familiar.

When Xie Ci was young, whenever there was a grand banquet in the palace and his father was present, his brothers and sisters would let him go, and he was often the one who accompanied his father into the palace to attend the banquet.

At that time, he walked excitedly on the white marble road. He was so bold and naughty that he didn't bump into anything. He followed his father obediently with his hands clasped. The little boy looked up at the majestic Yongle Hall with great awe in his heart.

The little boy who was not even afraid of his father and uncle was in awe of His Majesty the Emperor, the supreme emperor sitting on the nine-tiered jade steps, from the bottom of his heart.

Yes, it is the Son of Heaven.

He followed his father into the seat, sitting properly beside his mother, and listened as the old grandmother at the long table next door hugged the little girl and whispered to her, "That's the sky of our Great Wei."

The one he was referring to was the emperor sitting in the center of the Golden Palace!

After so many years, the thrill and awe he felt at that time are still fresh in his memory. When he walked along the long white marble path to the end and was closest to the Yongle Hall, Xie Ci glanced sideways and couldn't help but raise his lip in sarcasm.

He felt ridiculous for his former naiveté and ironic for the stark contrast. All these emotions intertwined and turned into deep indignation.

What a great Wei!

The clatter of his military boots against the ground felt like stepping on a knife blade. As he got closer and closer to the palace gate, his muscles gradually tensed up. He couldn't help but reach out and touch the goose-feather knife at his side.

——He always knew who was the culprit behind the tragic deaths of his father and brother and the downfall of the Xie family.

But he also knew subconsciously that he might not be able to kill his enemy in this lifetime.

So he never mentioned it.

But I never thought that this day would come so suddenly.

Fathers and brothers, family and country, hatred and enmity, justice, friends and elders, and millions of fellow countrymen.

He never thought that he would kill the emperor, but today, it is no longer just for himself!

…

The wind gradually picked up, and the scattered rain clouds showed signs of gathering again. The muffled wind vaguely foreshadowed something. Gusts of wind, stronger than gusts, passed through the palace gate, brushed across their faces, and their cloaks fluttered behind them.

Things turned out a little differently than they expected, as the Fourth Prince Li Rong had not been seen for a long time.

——Li Rong couldn’t appear in Jiazhou City directly. He had to appear outside the gate of Jiazhou City first before he could go straight to the palace.

It is estimated that Li Rong should appear at around 3:30 pm, maybe a little later, but no later than 6:30 pm.

It is now five minutes past midnight.

Finally, at about six o'clock, Yin Luo's lips moved: "Here it comes."

Everyone was in the standard guards' stance, holding their sword hilts, but their eyes were fixed on the long street outside the palace gate. Xie Ci didn't say anything, but he saw it too.

In the distance, there was the sound of horse hooves. A skinny man in tattered clothes, who could hardly sit still, was riding a horse, pulling the reins. Behind him were several imperial guards guarding the city gate, and they were galloping all the way to the palace gate.

The Northern and Southern Yamen Imperial Guards and the Jinwu Guards who were guarding the front section of Tongtian Street and the palace gate immediately became alert. They pulled out their swords a little and turned towards the street!

The horses ran to the palace gate. Zhang Shen, the commander of the Jinwu Guard on duty, was also there. He walked quickly to the palace gate and the two of them stopped.

Li Rong and the imperial guards dismounted. Li Rong was ragged and dirty like a beggar. He started crying as soon as he got off the horse. He raised his head and tears filled his eyelashes. He stared at the Daqin Hall in the distance for a long time and then went straight in.

The Imperial Guards who followed quickly grabbed him. He frowned and struggled. One of the Imperial Guards quickly whispered to Zhang Shen, "Commander Zhang, this man said he is the Fourth Prince."

The person guarding the city gate was Duan Jue, the General of the Southern Court. He asked someone to wipe the man's face with water. After looking at him, he didn't say anything, but only ordered a few of them to send him into the palace gate.

So, is it or isn’t it?

Zhang Shen had certainly seen the Fourth Prince before, and had seen him many times before. The imperial guards were so strong that Li Rong's fair face was rubbed red, and his hands, neck, and face were all wiped clean.

Li Rong shouted angrily: "Why are you holding me? I want to see my father!!"

Zhang Shen waved his hand, asking the guards to release the Fourth Prince. He was quite surprised, but the affairs of the royal family and their son were not his business. He waved behind him and said, "Come here, some people."

Send the fourth prince in.

Xie Ci, Yin Luo and the others had been waiting for a long time. They immediately pulled out a piece of the snow-white long sword and pulled the hilt back, then quickly stepped forward.

There were seven people, and finally five came up.

Thanks to Ci, Xie Feng, Xie Yun, Yin Luo, and Tian Si.

He turned his body, and his cloak drew a silent and cold arc as he walked inside with the Fourth Prince.

At this moment, Zhang Shen never dreamed that an earth-shattering event had just passed through his hands and was about to happen before his eyes!

…

This is destined to be an extraordinary morning.

There is no one before him and no one after him.

The Fourth Prince's pace was not particularly fast, for he could not afford to reveal any flaws. His fists were clenched tightly beneath his ragged sleeves, tears welling in his eyes. He stared at the Daqin Palace through gritted teeth, stumbling slightly as he walked.

As they passed the outer court along the way, they even saw officials of all ranks in the six ministries. Many of them looked up in surprise, and some even walked to the door with a pen in hand to look out, suspecting that they were seeing things.

From the corner of their eyes, they could even see the Piyang Hall at the far end. In the dimly lit hall, Li Yi was leaning over the desk beside Wen Taishi, saying something, while Wen Taishi was leaning over and writing. Li Yi, with his sharp ears and eyesight, heard the voices and walked towards the door. He was tall and handsome in purple.

Xie Ci followed the Fourth Prince without looking away as they drew ever closer to the Daqin Palace. He paid no attention to Li Yi; at that moment, he completely forgot all irrelevant matters. His senses and muscles tensed to the utmost, ready to burst forth in a flash!

One step after another, they finally arrived at the bottom of the Daqin Hall and stood at the base of the Sumeru pedestal.

The imperial guard raised his hand to stop him and looked at Li Rong in surprise. At this point, even Li Rong had to wait for the announcement and summons. The imperial guard then turned around and went up the stairs.

Of course, the old emperor was in an extremely bad mood right now, so it was absolutely impossible for him to meet Li Rong.

But whether he saw her or not, it had nothing to do with Xie Ci and the other five!

They finally arrived at their destination!

Almost at the moment when the imperial guards turned around, a long sword was unsheathed with a sharp buzzing sound, and five figures shot out at the same time!

"Shua shua shua—" Blood splattered, and all the imperial guards under the front steps of the Sumeru pedestal fell to the ground! Muddy red spilled all over the ground!

These were the Tiger Guards, the old emperor's trusted followers, the ones who aided and abetted the tyrant. None of them showed any mercy! Yin Luo hated them to the core. In an instant, five figures flew to the top of the Sumeru throne, leaving behind a pile of corpses!

Without stopping for a moment, they shook their long swords, tapped the railings and the ground with their toes, and rushed into the Daqin Hall like lightning, heading straight for the top of the jade steps!

It was like a bolt from the blue. There were no officials in the palace at the time. The previous group had just retreated, and the emperor was in a gloomy mood. It had only been seven days since the end of the war. He hated Gao Minggong with a vengeance. The trust he had placed in him over the years was like a waste of money. "How can this be, you scoundrel surnamed Gao!"

Eight consecutive golden orders showed the old emperor's anxiety and impatience. He naturally had many trusted confidants in the army. As soon as Gao Minggong deployed his troops, he immediately realized something was wrong. On the one hand, he ordered the other generals to give their orders, and on the other hand, he was furious and issued urgent orders to Gao Minggong to follow the battle plan!

In the end, he was so furious that he even threatened to execute all nine members of the Gao family if he disobeyed the order!

But Gao Minggong just disobeyed the order!

In grief and indignation, Gao Minggong angrily rebuked Lu Haide, sternly saying, "A general on the battlefield is not subject to the king's orders!"

Lu Haide's head and face were covered with spit.

Lu Haide had never experienced such a thing before, so after he came back, he exaggerated the story and told it again.

The old emperor took more and more medicine, and became more and more irritable, with veins bulging: "I will definitely kill your entire Gao family!"

He couldn't even control his emotions at the time and almost issued an order, which frightened Lu Haide so much that he hugged his thighs tightly and kowtowed desperately: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, you can't do that——"

For a moment, he regretted adding fuel to the fire.

Lu Haide held on tightly, and refused to let go even after his head was broken. He tried his best to stop the emperor's edict and prevent the news from leaking out of the Daqin Hall. After waiting for the emperor to calm down a little, the matter was reluctantly suppressed.

But the old emperor's chest seemed to be on fire! Especially when the good news came, the situation maintained by Gao Minggong was finally achieved, and none of the nine local governors and protectors he wanted to kill were eliminated.

Everyone was overjoyed at the great victory, except the old emperor, who looked as gloomy as if a rainstorm was about to pour down.

——This super invasion by the Northern Rong people and the hasty action of the King’s supporters exposed many things.

The emperor had spies and informants infiltrated everywhere. All of a sudden, these great military governors and protector-generals were regarded as thorns in his eyes and flesh by the old emperor. He planned to get rid of Feng Kun and Lin Guozhang and then he would have time to deal with them.

All of these people were exposed at once. They all exceeded the standard number of soldiers. The quality and quantity of their weapons and armor were much more elite and excessive than what was reported.

One can imagine the old emperor's horror and anger. Not to mention the great victory over Beirong in the first battle, even if he was told now that Beirong could be defeated and expelled from the country soon, he would not feel the slightest bit happy!

Since the Northern Rong had left, it was the turn of these Jiedushi and Grand Protector Generals.

What's the use of this? !

The old emperor didn't even want the Northern Rong to lose the first battle. He would rather the Great Wei be defeated. As long as he could kill these Jiedushi, he would pay any price!

He clearly had this opportunity, and the success rate was quite high. He could sweep away most of the Jiedushi and local protectorate generals, and bring their troops back to the court, and the rest would be insignificant.

"Damn the Beirong people! Damn Gao Minggong!!"

Everything was ruined by Gao Minggong!

The old emperor was filled with hatred as soon as he thought of it. He swept everything on the imperial desk to the ground and said, "Sooner or later, I will cut Gao Mulin and his family into pieces and grind their bones into ashes!"

He was panting and his hands were shaking. He quickly opened the bedside box, took out the medicine bottle, poured out a pill, and swallowed it.

The whole palace was in complete silence. The palace servants and eunuchs didn't dare to breathe. All they could hear was the old emperor's heavy breathing like a wild beast!

But at this moment!

"Ah!" A short scream came to an abrupt end, and five figures suddenly appeared like lightning, with their blades shining coldly, piercing people's eyes!

Xie Ci and his five men killed all the Tiger Guards below the stairs, soared into the sky, flew straight into the hall like a hawk, and headed straight for the imperial steps.

The whole process took less than three breaths. The speed of a top master was as fast as a flash of shadow.

The old emperor raised his head, his cloudy eyes suddenly opened, and he let out a short "Ah!"

A split second between life and death! The old emperor's secret guards appeared.

Seven dark red figures suddenly flew down from the giant painted beams and the square caisson, blending seamlessly with the beams and rafters. Normally, no one would notice them at all. Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded.

“Zheng——”

With a sound, the weapons came into close combat, and the swords suddenly collided, splashing out sharp whistles and sparks!

This was a battle between the world's top masters. A sharp whistle pierced the sky, and the time for Xie Ci and others to act entered an extremely short countdown!

"You go in!!"

Yin Luo shouted, calling out to Xie Ci. Twelve men instantly engaged in a fierce battle. In a short moment, swords and sabers flashed and clashed, and the entire Daqin Hall was in shambles. The entire imperial desk and couch were blown apart. The secret guards shouted, "Who are you? How dare you kill the emperor—"

Yin Luo and the others did not answer. The old emperor retreated quickly in panic the moment he was blocked by the secret guards. Lu Haide crawled and rolled over to help him, but the old emperor grabbed him and pressed a mechanism on the dragon couch. With a "bang", the twelve huge golden nanmu walls behind the dragon couch suddenly opened in two, and the entire dragon couch slipped into the back hall.

Although the Jiazhou Palace lacks an underground tunnel, it does have a mechanism to aid escape in the event of an assassination attempt. The Zhongdu Palace actually has one as well, though it's never been used. Xie Ci and his companions can be said to be the first individuals since the founding of the country to attempt to assassinate the emperor!

Regicide is not an easy thing. If the old emperor had not had difficulty walking, he might have escaped at this point.

When Xie Ci rushed in, the old emperor tried his best to crawl to the other side to press a position on the Duobao Pavilion. Lu Haide got up and rushed over to press it!

Killed by Xie Ci with one knife!

Blood splattered, and the old emperor slapped the armrest under his seat. The entire dragon couch bounced out, retreated to the back, and stopped by hitting the wall.

The small door to the rear hall was only three steps away, but he couldn't get through! The medicine bottle in his hand fell to the ground, and the brown pills rolled all over the floor. The old emperor's head and face were covered in blood. He shouted in horror: "Xie Ci! You are Xie Ci! How dare you kill the king——"

The old emperor quickly recognized the familiar knife-raising posture and the Xie family's swordsmanship, and his eyes were bloodshot!

Xie Ci said nothing, his sharp eyes flashing around, noticing any traps or killing mechanisms, he swung his sharp knife across and suddenly rushed forward.

The emperor turned around and tried to leave, but his legs wouldn't move, and he fell to the ground. He was terrified and turned around suddenly: "Xie Ci, I will kill your entire clan! I really regret not killing your entire clan back then--"

The old emperor had been ill for a long time, and he certainly had thought about death, but he never expected to die like this, and so suddenly.

He screamed loudly, his golden crown fell to the ground, his hair was disheveled, and he looked extremely embarrassed and frightened.

I really never thought that this person would have such an embarrassing day.

But Xie Ci didn't feel happy at all.

He sneered: "Don't you want to?"

The nine clans of the Xie family were not executed simply because of the law and because he didn't care. The old emperor didn't care about the women and children of the Xie family at that time, not because he was merciful.

Kindness has nothing to do with the old emperor, right?

"You've done too many bad things," and one day it will reach a critical point and backlash will come sooner or later.

If there is no thank you, there will be someone else.

When it came close, the old emperor slapped the bottom of the chair and heard the clattering sound of a mechanism. Iron arrows and poisoned caltrops shot out, and the thin steel blade of the boundary shuttle flew straight towards his face.

Xie Ci's whole body was tensed to the extreme, and the thin knife moved as fast as lightning, making clanging sounds all over the ground, but his speed was only slowed down, and he didn't stop at all.

The old emperor struggled to crawl towards the small door in the back hall. Seeing that the iron arrows, caltrops and other objects were becoming less and less, Xie Ci leaped up and dodged the flap on the ground like lightning. He hissed, "Whatever you want! I can give it to you!!"

Death was closer than ever before. His whole body was cold, and his old body was shaking like a sieve. He struggled to crawl, looking more embarrassed and panicked than ever before. "High position and generous salary! Overturn the Xie family's verdict, I can give it to you! Give it to you—"

"I don't want it!"

Xie Ci said sternly, what he wanted was never a high position or a generous salary, okay?

As for overturning the verdict?

No, there is no need for that. It’s meaningless.

In a flash, within just a few words, Xie Ci swept away everything without a scratch.

He took a quick step forward and finally lifted the old emperor's collar with one hand!

"Are you scared?"

Xie Ci listened attentively outside the hall. The old emperor's aged and familiar face was before him. At this moment, he could finally kill the old emperor no matter what.

But out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the imperial meal spilled all over the floor. This was the breakfast that had just been taken away.

One hundred and eight dishes were served in the imperial banquet, including soups, breakfasts, stews, stir-fries, sweet soups, and pastries. The emperor, on his southern expedition to the Jiazhou Palace, had his meal reduced by half due to limited space, but still comprised a total of fifty-four exquisite dishes.

However, he fled in a hurry this time and did not bring any imperial chefs with him. The dishes cooked by the chefs from the Jiazhou Palace and those sent as tribute by local officials were not to the emperor's taste. He only touched a tiny bit of the food each time and then had the dining table cleared with a sullen face.

But he didn't ask for any reduction in meals.

No one could have a bite of it without the emperor's permission. These dazzling array of imperial meals had to be destroyed according to complicated procedures.

What was splashed at Xie Ci's feet was the "Jade Buds", which were silver sprouts fed with human milk.

Gu Guan was ignorant, but Xie Ci had lived in the capital for a long time, and he had heard of this rare thing, which Xie Xinzhong had hated in the past.

"What are you afraid of?"

Xie Ci caught a glimpse of Yu Baoya from the corner of his eye, and he was furious: "Are you really scared?!"

He pulled the old emperor's face and shoved it into the bean sprouts. He was truly filled with hatred: "What were you doing when Beirong was in Hebei?!"

"Do you know how many people died when Zhongdu fell?!"

Xie Ci was so indignant that his eyes were actually bloodshot. "Only two biscuits per person on the front lines! They're risking their lives, you know that?!"

He snapped!

He was heartbroken to the extreme, and his emotions were so excited that tears even appeared in his eyes. Men don't shed tears easily, but he was really extremely sad and angry, and also hateful to the extreme!

For the soldiers under his command, for the families crying miserably in Zhongdu, for the women still being raped in the enemy camp of Beirong, and for the millions of poor people.

If they don’t have enough to eat, and there is no oil or salt, they will die in droves like duckweed at the slightest disturbance.

"How can you eat this?!"

Xie Ci said sternly, "Don't mention my father and brother. I'm not killing you for my father and brother today!"

"You damn thing!!"

Xie Ci shouldn't have even said these few words of nonsense. He suddenly stopped talking, picked up the old emperor with one hand, and threw him against the wall.

With a "bang" sound, the old emperor slammed heavily against the wall, and the severe pain made him scream "Ah!" At the same time, Xie Ci swung his long sword backhandedly. The snow-white blade flashed like white silk and passed by the old emperor's throat.

The screams stopped abruptly, and blood splattered onto the bright red palace walls and all over Xie Ci's head and face.

With a "bang", the old emperor's body fell to the ground with his eyes wide open.

…

At this moment, many things flashed before Xie Ci's eyes: his father and brother, Grand Tutor Wen, Zhang Yuanrang, Pang Huai, Gao Minggong, Zhao Heng, Qin Xian, even Zheng Shoufang and Feng Kun, the prosperity of the capital, the vast and ever-changing north, and so many things, all passing by before his eyes like lightning.

Thrilling.

But Xie Ci did not stop for a moment. After killing the old emperor, he turned around without retracting his sword and rushed out like lightning.

The five of them joined forces and took advantage of the latter's shock to gather their strength. They suddenly attacked fiercely, killing three and seriously injuring two. No one spoke, and they turned around and retreated at lightning speed.

As soon as they left the Daqin Palace, the five of them separated. Yin Luo and Tiansi rushed towards the inner palace, while Xie Ci led Xie Feng and Xie Yun straight to the Ciqing Palace and killed the third prince Li Yi with a single blow!

At this time, there was chaos outside.

Bright blue fireworks exploded into the sky, and sharp whistles rang out throughout the imperial palace. There were sounds of running and shouting. Someone had already rushed into the Daqin Hall. He screamed in fear and rushed out, only to see Xie Ci and the other two rushing out from the back of the Ciqing Palace.

The blood-stained blade dripped onto the vermilion palace walls and golden tiles.

Everyone was terrified, and there were endless sharp screams. There were many masters in the imperial guards, and the two remaining secret guards also came with injuries.

The sound of military boots hitting the ground was extremely rapid. The Glala archers pulled their bowstrings to the fullest. Xie Ci and the other two fled quickly and were eventually blocked on the city wall on the side of the Yudai River that separated the central court and the inner palace.

There are many familiar faces, including Zhang Shen, Long Qian, Shang Rong, Zhang Yuanrang, Yi Zhongling, and even Master Wen.

Everyone's face changed drastically. It was emperor murder! Xie Ci actually dared to murder the emperor!

After several battles, both sides fought seriously. The Xie family's swordsmanship was quickly recognized by those who were familiar with it, and Xie Ci's agile and sharp skills quickly exposed his identity.

Master Wen rushed over, trembling with his cane, and was so angry that tears streamed down his face. "You are crazy, you are crazy!!"

"If you kill the emperor, the army will fall apart!"

He leaned hard on his cane, "What are you doing?! What are you doing?!"

What was he planning so painstakingly for? Did he really like the Crown Prince? Everything he did was simply to gather the Wei army of millions and prevent it from falling apart, so that they could fight against the Northern Rong.

"You thief!"

It’s Zhang Yuanrang!

He held up his sword and jumped onto the railing of Yudai River, filled with hatred: "Old man, I really hate that I helped you back then! I should have let you die! Ahhhh——"

Zhang Yuanrang had been up all night, and just as he climbed out of his bed with disheveled hair, his eyes red and his hair standing on end with rage, he pointed his sword at Xie Ci and said, "I'm going to kill you!"

Zhang Ningyuan once complained about his uncle in private, saying that he was ruined by his studies. Unlike Master Wen and the others, he was a truly stubborn and upright loyalist who was driven by the old emperor and would go all the way to the end.

It was true that he was glaring with anger and gnashing his teeth, wanting to kill as soon as possible.

But it is true that he extended a helping hand to the Xie family members in prison when they were in desperate situation.

No matter what others said, it was of little use. Only Zhang Yuan gave these people some face, and the old emperor gave them some face.

Xie Ci will always remember this kindness. The Xie family is still doing well today, all thanks to Zhang Yuanrang's help that day. If possible, he would have paid for it with his life.

He never forgot, nor did he abandon this wholehearted gratitude because of anything.

Finally, at the moment when Zhang Yuanrang pointed his sword directly at him, Xie Ci clenched the sword tightly and took a deep breath, "What am I doing this for?"

He looked at Grand Tutor Wen, Zhang Yuanrang, and all the familiar and unfamiliar faces, including the imperial guards of the previous dynasty. Everyone was here.

The wind whistled past, and gray clouds swirled and surged. Xie Ci looked up to the sky and took a deep breath. He suddenly lowered his head and shouted, "I do this for the land beneath my feet, for this beautiful land that gave me life! For all the Han people in this world!!"

There were some things he didn't think about deliberately, and he just followed his first impulse. When his unforgettable benefactor pointed his sword at him, old friends and strangers, everyone looked at him with horrified hatred, he gasped and looked around at everything.

The faces of all the people, the imperial guards inside and outside with long swords in hand and bowstrings drawn, the dazzling red-walled and golden-tiled imperial palace, and the tall and short houses with gray walls and black tiles outside the imperial city, and at the very end, the tall city wall in the distance.

"If it were in the past, and you wanted to kill me with a sword, I would refuse without hesitation!"

Xie Ci glanced at everyone and finally returned to Zhang Yuanrang's face, looking into his eyes without avoiding.

The three of them stood between the trunk of a big tree and the roof of the corridor, confronting the imperial guards with swords drawn. Zhang Yuanrang was three meters in front of them, and beside him was Long Qian with a complicated look.

Long Qian was on duty last night. He had just finished his shift and lay down when he rushed out with his sword in hand, his hair still messy.

Xie Ci looked at Zhang Yuanrang and said, "But right now, please forgive me for not being able to obey your order. I still have something very important to do!"

Things that happened from childhood to adulthood flashed by like a revolving lantern. He looked up to his father and brother, whose towering figures were as majestic as mountains, with a competitive spirit; he knelt on the snow and cried bitterly after escaping from Tiekan Temple and killing the military supervisor; he was indignant when he learned about Lu Xinyi; and in the end, he looked up to the sky and roared to protect them in the northwest battlefield with boiling blood!

Covered in blood, but with no regrets!

This is him, Xie Ci. Everything in the past has shaped him into who he is today.

The small graves of my father and brother are located beside the Ba River.

Zhongdu tragically became a ransom for the family who lost their daughter.

The shrill cries are still ringing in my ears, penetrating into my bones!

He didn't even sweat when he killed the emperor and the prince just now, but now he was sweating all over his body and back. All his thoughts finally merged into a firm and powerful will!

"Forcing the emperor to abdicate and supporting the crown prince to ascend the throne is not a good option! Longqing served as a puppet emperor under the former retired emperor for twenty years!"

Master Wen is so old, it’s okay if he is still alive, but what about his successor?

Will the old emperor surrender? I'm afraid that as long as he can breathe, he will counterattack with all possible means!

There is only one way, and that is to kill him!

"And the Crown Prince, reckless and immoral, incompetent and arrogant. Once captured, he actually ordered the Sishui Pass to be opened for the Northern Rong! He has no regard for millions of people in the capital! How could he have the common people in his eyes?!"

Xie Ci looked at Grand Tutor Wen and said, "You weren't in the army, so you didn't know that the emperor had framed and murdered us a few days ago. The army will never be able to recover!"

As long as the old emperor is alive, it is impossible for them to unite again. Even if they try to get together on the surface, they will be cautious and wary in private.

“It is better to destroy before you build!”

These Jiedushi and Grand Protectorate from all over the country, upon receiving the news and the imperial edict, all came with all their might! Because the Northern Rong were different from the others, this was an invasion by foreign invaders!

Xie Ci believed that no one was willing to see the Northern Rong break through the pass and massacre the Central Plains.

The death of the old emperor and the fragmentation of the country gave rise to the possibility of joining forces to resist foreign oppression.

The first effort is strong, the second will weaken, and the third will be exhausted.

This was a critical moment. If we failed to fight the foreign enemy together at a time when people were extremely indignant and resentful of the Northern Rong invasion, as time went on and there were more gains and losses, it would be easy for us to develop our own little thoughts.

So this is a very precious period of time.

The old emperor's third prince must die!

If he doesn't die, the future will be uncertain.

Therefore, Xie Ci would rather enter the palace alone with three people and assassinate the old emperor at all costs, and would rather become a traitor and the target of public criticism.

The admiration of his father and brothers was as high as a mountain, and it was the source of his motivation; and today, he finally had his own understanding and thoughts on this.

The wind was very strong by the river, blowing and swirling the dark cloak. Xie Ci's thoughts were clearer than ever before, and his mind was as hard as a needle in a broken bag!

He looked up at the wind-blown clouds and the towering city walls, and shouted loudly, "I am doing this for my country! From now on, I will no longer need silver or women to buy my country!"

"I want the land that gave birth to me and raised me, and the millions of poor Han people who live on it, to be safe from being slaughtered and brutalized by the northern barbarians!"

"My father and brothers! Pang Huai, Gao Minggong! And the unfinished wishes of so many people I know and don't know! I will do my utmost to complete them!!"

Behind the tall vermilion palace walls and the shadows of the trees, Xie Ci's tall and slender body was as straight as a javelin, and each voice was clear and distinct.

On the side of the Yudai River, all the civil and military officials who had just heroically sacrificed their lives, including Zhang Yuanrang, were speechless for a moment.

The voice is so resounding that there is no way to refute it!

Xie Ci took a deep breath, his voice lowered with a hint of tenderness: "One night in a tent on the northwest battlefield, someone told me what true loyalty and righteousness are."

"Great loyalty is loyalty to the people, loyalty to the country and the mountains and rivers; lesser loyalty is loyalty to the king of the country, but the country is not this country, and the country is not the court."

"Today, I think it's absolutely right!!"

It was calm at the beginning, but suddenly became louder at the end. Zheng Zheng's words were so resounding, like thunder in the clear sky. Only the sound of the wind could be heard, and everyone was speechless.

Zhang Yuanrang stared at him in a daze.

The archers not far away looked at each other and involuntarily loosened their bowstrings.

Xie Ci's eyes were bright and majestic, and his unstoppable momentum swept away all the confusion that had been there before!

He seized the opportunity, let out a long roar towards the sky, and suddenly jumped up and the three of them rushed out like lightning.

At this moment, seven or eight figures rushed over from a distance, and the one leading the way was a figure in gray cloth.

Xun Xiao's hoarse voice: "Thank you! Then--"

A long rope was thrown far away, and with a "whoosh" sound, it crossed the Yudai River and headed straight for the faces of Xie Ci and the other two.

Xie Ci grabbed hold of him, Xie Feng and Xie Yun rushed forward and hugged him tightly, leaping up and pulling the long rope with all their strength!

At a critical moment, they suddenly crossed the Yudai River and found themselves face to face with Xie Ci. He said hoarsely, "Well said!"

Very well said!

Xun Xiao's Adam's apple rolled, "Let's go."

Xie Ci and Xun Xiao looked at each other, he looked up to the sky and let out a long roar, then suddenly turned around and the group rushed towards the palace in an instant.

The author has something to say:

Finally got here, what a dazzling thank you! Wanwan worships heroes, you know haha

A super fat chapter, finally giving the old emperor a box lunch! Spread the flowers and give you a super big kiss! See you tomorrow, babies~ (/≧▽≦)/

Finally, I would like to thank "Wenjiujiujiu" for throwing the mine, pen refills, pen refills!

^

And the big babies who watered Wenwen, muajujuju~