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Before dawn, Princess Taiping and her attendants walked through the open gate.

"No wonder I haven't seen Captain Xiao. It turns out he's trapped at home."

Xiao Wan'er put down the book in her hand and curled her lips. "As Your Highness can see, my junior fellow apprentice and I are unable to break the trap set by our master, so we can only stay at home. Is there anything else Your Highness can do?"

Princess Taiping shook her head and was about to leave, but the attendants she brought with her stood there and refused to leave.

"Captain Xiao, are you really out of ideas? If we lose today, the Great Zhou will fall into the hands of treacherous villains!"

"Shut up!" Princess Taiping, who had been standing still since the servant finished speaking, stopped her and then apologized to Xiao Wan'er. "I, the servant, was anxious, so I spoke rudely. I hope Captain Xiao will forgive me."

Xiao Wan'er was unhappy, but she didn't hold back. "Your Highness, no one wants to stay in such a small space for two whole days. When I say we can't break this formation, I mean it. If you meet Team A, you can ask Yuan Huike if he remembers the people who starved to death in Quanzhou. This is all I can do for you. Your Highness, please return to the palace quickly to avoid missing the opportunity."

Princess Taiping and her entourage looked embarrassed, thanked him and left quickly.

After the uninvited guest left, Xiao Wan'er lost interest in reading. She threw the book to the ground and lay down on the floor.

"Junior brother, I want to sleep. Please wake me up when breakfast is ready."

"Okay." Liu Mingyin agreed without even raising her head.

Pei Yingguan led his troops into Taichu Palace, and as expected, he saw Yuan Kong guarding the palace gate.

"I was restless last night, feeling the threat of trouble in the palace, so I came here to stake out the situation. Sure enough, I saw you, the traitors," he angrily struck the ground with his staff, and behind him appeared an image of a wrathful Vajra. "Traitors, prepare to die!"

Pei Yingguan drew his sword to fight, while the others continued to walk into the palace.

When Princess Taiping entered the palace through the side door with her attendants, the troops led by the crown prince were already engaged in a battle with the palace guards, and Pei Yingguan was also fighting Yuan Kong. She heard footsteps behind her and immediately turned around to see Yuan Hui rushing over.

Yuan Hui was followed by all the monks from Team A. When they saw Princess Taiping, they spontaneously surrounded her without the captain's reminder.

Princess Taiping showed no sense of danger. She smiled faintly at Yuan Hui and said, "Captain Yuan Hui of Fengming Guards' First Squadron, right? Captain Xiao Wan'er of Renjiu Squadron asked me to bring you a message. Do you still remember the people who starved to death in Quanzhou?"

Yuan Hui and the monks who were in the team that day all changed their expressions when they heard this.

"The Queen Mother is old and stubborn, and she values ​​power above all else. Have you also become senile and confused?" Princess Taiping stepped forward, and the monks surrounding her were forced to retreat. "For the sake of Buddhism's transcendent status, you watch helplessly as treacherous ministers and flatterers exploit the people in the name of worshipping Buddha, and even prevent us from eradicating these treacherous officials. Is this the compassion you monks possess?"

"Let the princess go," Yuan Hui finally ordered after a few breaths of silence. "I won't stop you again, but I won't help you either. No matter what the final outcome is, we will accept it."

"Captain Yuan Hui is righteous." Princess Taiping smiled with satisfaction. She and her attendants bowed to Yuan Hui, and then walked quickly towards the Queen's bedroom.

On the way, the attendant sighed softly: "Captain Xiao's words are really useful!"

Shangguan Wan'er paced anxiously in front of the Empress's chambers. She had previously added a sleeping herb to the empress's medicine, and now the empress was sound asleep. Ever since she and Xiao Wan'er drank together, she hadn't made up her mind and was awaiting news from the battlefield ahead.

As she was walking, the young female official she had sent to check the situation came running back in a hurry.

"Sir Shangguan, the prince and his men are about to win!"

Shangguan Wan'er finally made up her mind.

Trapped in the formation, Liu Mingyin put down his spell book, clutched his hungry stomach, and complained, "If I had known I would be trapped in the formation for two days, I wouldn't have given it my all when fighting Master."

His stomach growled with hunger, and he looked towards Xiao Wan'er, who was soundly asleep. Xiao Wan'er was so sound asleep that even if she was hungry, she wouldn't feel it for the time being. He shook his head helplessly, sat cross-legged, and fell into a trance.

The fighting in the palace was still heard outside the palace. Inside Zhang's mansion, a servant knocked violently on Zhang Yizhi's door.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to kill yourself?" Zhang Yizhi was very angry when his sweet dream was disturbed. He vowed to severely punish the person who woke him up, but he was blocked by the servant's panic.

"Sir, the prince is forcing the emperor to abdicate!"

He didn't need to explain anything more; the sound of swords breaking through the door reached their ears. Without even changing his clothes, Zhang Yizhi ran to the wall of Zhang's mansion in just his undershirt. The soldiers had already surrounded the entire courtyard. He stripped the servant's clothes, put them on himself, and then escaped through a dog hole, heading straight for the palace.

When he ran to the Queen's bedroom, he saw that the Queen had not woken up yet and only Shangguan Wan'er was on duty beside her. Zhang Yizhi's legs almost went weak.

"Shangguan Wan'er! The Crown Prince and Princess Taiping are plotting treason. You must quickly write an imperial edict to have him brought to justice!" He ordered Shangguan Wan'er, then broke into the Queen's bedroom and woke her up regardless of the consequences.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please wake up," he reported anxiously when the empress finally woke up. "The crown prince has led his troops in rebellion and has now entered the palace!"

The Queen was furious.

"Where's Shangguan Wan'er? Have her draft an imperial edict declaring the Crown Prince guilty of treason and ordering his death!"

"Your Majesty, don't worry. I have ordered the female official Shangguan to draft the imperial edict." Zhang Yizhi comforted with a smile.

What he didn't know was that it was too late to ask someone to draft an edict now.

The army led by the prince had already won the victory and did not advance further because they were waiting for the outcome of the battle between Pei Yingguan and Yuan Kong.

Pei Yingguan was already covered in wounds, but Yuan Kong was in even worse shape. He had been struck by a sword in the chest, missing his heart by a mere inch. He was still breathing thanks to the strength of a Daoist cultivator. But the angry Vajra behind him had disintegrated, and he was barely standing thanks to his monk's staff.

He looked at Pei Yingguan fiercely and rushed towards him with his last bit of strength. His spiritual energy and body were on the verge of exploding.

Pei Yingguan flashed and appeared in front of him, crushing a talisman with his left hand.

The sword flashed, and Yuan Kong's heart was pierced. His body, which was about to explode, quickly softened, and the violent spiritual energy around him also returned to calm.

Pei Yingguan breathed a sigh of relief, but at that moment, a wisp of signal smoke rose before his eyes. The signal smoke was composed of spiritual energy, and when it rose to mid-air, all the cultivators in the Divine Capital City heard Yuan Kong's voice transmission.

Pei Yingguan angrily twisted Yuan Kong's neck, but it was too late, and no one could stop the sound transmission.

"The Crown Prince is leading his troops to rebel. Come to Taichu Palace immediately to rescue him."

"Damn it!" Pei Yingguan was furious, but things had come to this point and he was powerless to do anything. He threw Yuan Kong's body away and moved forward at full speed to meet up with the prince.

Xiao Wan'er was sleeping soundly when she was woken up by Yuan Kong's voice transmission.

"This is truly a loyal minister. He would rather drag down all the Fengming Guards to protect the empress," she said, feeling noticeably hungry. "Junior brother, are you hungry?"

"Hungry." The answer was just one word, but the resentment was obvious.

"Hey, Master, can't you just set up a trap for the whole yard? At least so we can cook," she muttered loudly, feeling very aggrieved. "How long do we have to wait for others to bring us food?"

Liu Mingyin looked over and suggested seriously, "Sister, why don't you meditate with me? You won't be hungry after you enter a state of concentration."

The Fengming Guard received the message, and most of them waited and watched for the time being. However, a small number of those loyal to the Empress and those who opposed her engaged in a fight. After killing the deputy captain who blocked their way, the captain of Team Ding 4 flew into the palace with a gloomy expression, heading straight for Liuyun's whereabouts.

"Liuyun, what are you doing? Your eldest disciple is rebelling, your second and third disciples are nowhere to be found, and you're just sitting there? As a commander appointed by His Majesty, you actually allowed the Crown Prince to rebel?"

Liuyun stood up and walked slowly towards him. He thought Liuyun was going to suppress the rebellion, so he smiled.

"That's the way it is. As the commander of the Fengming Guard, of course I must be loyal to His Majesty..."

Before he could finish his words, a sword pierced his heart, killing him instantly. As he fell to the ground, his smile hadn't faded, and a hint of doubt had just appeared in his eyes.

Liuyun walked all the way to the Queen's bedroom. Zhang Yizhi, who was already as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Liuyun.

"Now that the Immortal Master is here, I feel relieved."

"Master Zhang, please go and have a rest first." Liuyun agreed to Zhang Yizhi's words and moved him away from the door of the bedroom.

At daybreak, the Crown Prince, along with Princess Taiping, several ministers and a group of soldiers, rushed to the Queen's bedroom.

Zhang Yizhi, aiding the Empress, emerged, pointing at the Crown Prince and angrily swearing, "I warned you long ago that you harbored rebellious ambitions, and today it has come true. If you do not wish to perish at the hands of the Immortal, withdraw your troops and commit suicide. Otherwise, all of you will be suppressed by Immortal Liuyun!"

"ha."

The scene was very quiet and everyone was silent. Only Pei Yingguan couldn't help laughing.

"How dare you!" Zhang Yizhi shouted, "You're so disobedient in front of your master!"

Pei Yingguan laughed even louder. After finally finishing his laughter, he said to Zhang Yizhi, "Master Zhang, how do you think I knew you were going to frame the Crown Prince?"

Just at this moment, Liuyun stepped aside and let the prince and others come forward. Zhang Yizhi suddenly woke up from his dream and looked at Liuyun with a pale face.

"Liuyun, what do you mean? How dare you betray His Majesty? Where is Shangguan Wan'er? Where is the imperial edict?"

Shangguan Wan'er stepped forward holding the imperial edict and began to read it. However, the content of the edict was not a punishment for the crown prince, but rather that the empress was seriously ill and unable to govern the country, so she passed the throne to the crown prince Li Xian.

"You actually forged the imperial edict..." The ministers brought by the prince did not give him the opportunity to continue accusing Shangguan Wan'er. An old minister stepped forward with a crutch, drew the sword worn by Liuyun at his waist, and pierced Zhang Yizhi through.

A generation of flatterers died here.

"Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanwei, Jing Hui, Huan Yanfan, Yuan Shuji... How could it be that even the ministers I personally promoted are rebelling against me?"

"That is not the case," Zhang Jianzhi replied. "The Crown Prince discovered that the brothers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were plotting a rebellion, and we were ordered to execute them. Fearing the news would leak out, we did not report this to Your Majesty first, and instead had Zhang Yizhi take the blame. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."

The Queen looked at the Crown Prince in the crowd and said, "Now that the traitor has been executed, you may return to the East Palace."

Pei Yingguan stepped forward to stop him: "How can the prince return to the East Palace? The Emperor entrusted the prince to Your Majesty. Now Your Majesty is old, and he is also old. The will of heaven and the people have long missed the Li family. The ministers dare not forget the kindness of Taizong and the Emperor, so they respect the prince and punish the rebellious ministers who rebelled against the emperor. I hope Your Majesty will pass the throne to the prince to comply with the will of heaven and the people!"

Everyone shouted in unison: "We hope Your Majesty will pass the throne to the Crown Prince!"

The empress looked at Pei Yingguan, who was filled with hatred for her, the crown prince who hoped for her abdication, Princess Taiping who was protecting the crown prince, and then at the ministers and troops who were guarding the crown prince. She realized that her situation was hopeless. She sighed dejectedly and returned to her chambers.