"Quickly guard the imperial seal and let me hold it." Empress Dowager He then instructed the young emperor to hand over the imperial seal to her.

I only feel at ease when I have this thing in my own hands.

At that moment, the footsteps and shouts of battle outside grew closer and closer.

Empress Dowager He stood proudly with the young emperor by her side, her eyes resolute, while Wang Zhen, the Imperial Guard General, and other eunuchs, palace maids, and Imperial Guard soldiers looked uneasy.

The group waited at the entrance of Yongle Palace for Li Ru and Niu Fu to arrive.

A raging army, like a fiery dragon carrying torches, surged toward Yongle Palace. Empress Dowager He had already prepared her response.

Suddenly, countless soldiers arrived from the other side. A general in full armor led a large number of armored soldiers to block the Bingzhou army's path and began killing people without saying a word.

The Bingzhou army hastily engaged in battle, and the two sides clashed.

The general rushed over with about a dozen guards: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager!"

"Your subject, Yuan Shu, Commandant of the Capital Region, was ordered by the Grand Tutor to arrive late to rescue Your Majesty. Please forgive me."

The Imperial Guard General and Wang Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, but Empress Dowager He was extremely depressed.

She knew better than anyone that Yuan Shu must have been sent by Yuan Wei, ostensibly to protect the emperor, but in reality to monitor and control the young emperor.

What could Empress Dowager He say?

"General Yuan, I am fine!"

Empress Dowager He said absentmindedly.

Yuan Shu did not notice the deeper meaning in Empress Dowager He's tone. He only accidentally saw the jade seal that the Empress Dowager was holding, wrapped in yellow cloth, and a greedy look flashed in his eyes.

Immediately, he turned around and ordered his soldiers to guard the area in front of Yongle Palace in layers.

With His Majesty and the Empress Dowager safe and sound, we have at least not failed Yuan Wei's mission.

Meanwhile, Li Ru and Niu Fu, with the help of an inside agent, quickly entered the palace with two thousand soldiers. Upon learning that His Majesty was in Yongle Palace, they rushed there.

Just when they were about to succeed, they were stopped by Yuan Shu's troops.

Looking at the densely packed soldiers in front of him, Li Ru stamped his feet in regret.

If it weren't for the delay on the road, Yuan Shu would have gotten there first.

"Attack! Take it back!"

Li Ru gave the order loudly.

A fierce battle broke out in front of Yongle Palace, with thousands of people facing off in front of the palace.

Li Ru and Niu Fu were in a bloodthirsty frenzy, but Yuan Shu was no pushover either, and he commanded his soldiers to prevent the two from getting any closer.

"The Grand Tutor has arrived!"

In the midst of the fierce battle, someone shouted.

Dong Zhuo led a hundred armored soldiers to the front of the battle line, and the two sides stopped.

"Yuan family brat, get out of the way at once!" Dong Zhuo shouted as soon as he saw that Yuan Shu had gotten there first.