A biting wind swept across the city wall, carrying the scent of blood, along with the smell of gunpowder and rust, and fear spread.

The city is about to fall; it can't hold on any longer!

The Northwest Army has been besieging the area for several days, why haven't they surrendered yet?

What's the point of the Ninth Prince persisting?

Xi Chenzhou already said that he came to purge the court of corrupt officials, and the only person he wanted to kill was the Ninth Prince. Why should they risk their lives?

Why don't we just surrender?

Countless eyes, harboring resentment but daring not to show it, peered at Yun Zong. He adjusted his robes, remained unmoved, and stood atop the city wall, glaring menacingly at the besieging army below.

Among the countless soldiers, Xi Chenzhou, clad in gleaming silver armor, stood out the most.

Yun Zong took a deep breath, pointed at Xi Chenzhou, and rebuked him with a fierce but weak tone:

"Xiao Chenzhou! You have committed treason and rebellion, what is your crime! His Majesty is currently in the city, yet you insist on causing chaos, clearly intending to take this opportunity to harm His Majesty and seize the throne!"

As he spoke, the voice of a girl in a yellow robe could be vaguely seen on the city wall. Hisses rose from the city wall, and flickering, suspicious eyes turned toward Xiao Chenzhou.

Seeing this, Yun Zong was overjoyed and secretly gave a wink to the archers hiding behind the wall.

The archers pulled together, and the massive crossbow, with its hundred stones, was slowly drawn back. The sharp arrowheads gleamed coldly as they were aimed at Xiao Chenzhou's chest.

—This kind of standard giant crossbow is not comparable to ordinary bows and arrows. Even if Xi Chenzhou wears the most elaborate armor, he can't withstand these arrows!

Although the crossbow was powerful, its only drawback was that it took a long time to draw and aim. Yun Zong disregarded the danger and climbed onto the city wall to shout at Xi Chenzhou, hoping to attract his attention and buy time.

Thinking of this, he became increasingly agitated. Damn it, why did Qin City fall so quickly?!

Yun Zong's initial consideration was that if the Lin family proposed a marriage alliance, Xi Chenzhou would ruin his relationship with the Empress; if he didn't agree, Qin Cheng would block the army's advance...

But he never expected that Qin City would be destroyed without any resistance!

It was clearly a place that was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and Xi Chenzhou had been in the northwest for many years. How did he know that he could cross mountains and valleys and sneak into Qin City through the cliffs?

That old bastard surnamed Lin is a complete waste!

Yun Zong cursed inwardly, but Xi Chenzhou, under the watchful eyes of the crowd below the city, remained completely calm.

"Those who disrupt the court are treacherous eunuchs. I have only come to serve the emperor and protect the palace. How dare I disrespect His Majesty?"

He didn't even bother to reply to Yun Zong's words. He simply raised his hand, and immediately a loud-voiced messenger rushed out, unfolded a piece of paper, and shouted:

"The usurper, a treacherous eunuch, is by nature neither gentle nor compliant, nor of humble origin. He once served Emperor Gaozu in a lowly position, even as a mere servant changing clothes. In his later years, he wreaked havoc in the imperial palace, plunging the late emperor into folly and leading our sovereign into a pack of scoundrels. Moreover, he is as viper-like in heart and as ruthless as a wolf, associating with the wicked and persecuting the loyal and virtuous. He is rejected by both gods and men, and intolerable to Heaven and Earth—"

This was a proclamation written by Xi Chenzhou long before he raised his army. It listed sixty-eight major crimes, presented a righteous argument, and made a strong first impression. It was used to announce to the world that they should rise up together and played a great role in propaganda and mobilization.

In this proclamation, Xi Chenzhou put a lot of thought into it, exaggerating the suffering Tong Su had endured in the palace and nailing Yun Zong to the pillar of shame, making it quite inflammatory.

When Tongsu first heard it, she wondered if the tragic and pitiful empress in the story was really herself. At the same time, she couldn't help but burst into tears, feeling heartbroken and indignant!