Shang Rui led his army to the vicinity of the city gate quickly, and scoffed at the rows of archers and guards on the city wall:

Those who resist to the bitter end shall die!

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all the guards on the high wall fell down and the tightly closed city gate was smashed open.

"Peng!!!"

With the city gates wide open, the scene inside was laid bare. The familiar streetscape, which he had dreamed of returning to, made Shang Rui's eyes bloodshot as he brandished his sword, pointing it straight at the capital city: "Charge in!"

Seeing the streets deserted, with not a single soldier or civilian in sight, some people became concerned and offered advice:

"Your Highness, I'm afraid this is a trap."

Many troops had already obeyed orders and charged into the capital, their morale soaring and their momentum overwhelming, raising clouds of dust.

Shang Rui laughed loudly, unconcerned. He pulled on the reins with one hand and drew his sword with the other, turning his horse around to look at the person who had warned him:

"Lord Qin, you are overthinking it. With so many men, what is there to fear even if there is a trap? Our men have already investigated."

There aren't many troops available in the capital city. Right now, they're either evacuating and settling the people or rushing into the palace to protect my good second brother.

Besides, Yun Luobai is leading a group of men to cover their retreat. If you ask me, you can rest assured!

Seeing his army sweeping through the land and the throne within his grasp, Shang Rui was overjoyed and personally led the entire army into the capital.

At the same time, in the imperial palace.

Heavy troops were gathered in the open space surrounding the palace gates; as far as the eye could see, there was a dense, dark mass of soldiers.

Above the palace gate, rows of archers stood densely packed, and several catapults were already set up with heavy stones ready to be launched.

Inside the towering palace walls, all the high-ranking and powerful ministers had arrived and were currently sitting and drinking tea with Shang Changze.

The aroma of top-grade Da Hong Pao tea is intoxicating, and the aftertaste is sweet.

Fighting has broken out in the capital city. The scale is so large that the sounds of battle are very clear. It's quite interesting to listen to while drinking tea.

Tea brewed by the emperor himself.

Some people drank with great trepidation, constantly wiping the sweat from their foreheads with the wide sleeves of their official robes in the freezing cold, seemingly unaware of what they were afraid of.

Some people drank with great anxiety, not understanding why the Third Prince had returned with his army.

How could the Emperor still be in the mood to call them over to sit together and drink tea, and even order the Fourth Prince to lead troops to defend against the enemy?

These three princes, the third and fourth princes, are brothers born of the same mother.

Isn't Your Majesty taking a bit too risky? What if the Fourth Prince turns against you...?

"emperor……"

After finishing his tea, someone couldn't help but open his mouth to ask a question. Shang Changze picked up the teapot and refilled the person's teacup, gesturing for him to drink some more.

...

Well, the high-ranking officials present exchanged knowing glances, quietly sipped their tea, and put aside their thoughts of asking questions later.

If even the emperor isn't worried, why are these 'eunuchs' in such a hurry?

Shang Changze was not in a hurry, naturally because he had made preparations in advance, and his preparations were to lure the enemy into a trap.

At this moment, the entire capital city was engulfed in battle; the scene was not only chaotic but also very strange.

Because every citizen in the city is very good at fighting. Look, there's an old woman who looks almost eighty years old, and she's taking on two opponents by herself.

As Shang Rui fought, he finally realized something was wrong; these people in the city were no ordinary people.

His skills clearly indicated he was a soldier trained in the military; it seemed there was indeed a trap, and he had underestimated Shang Changze.

So what? There are only so many people...

"Third Brother, it's been a long time."

A familiar voice rang out, and Shang Rui looked in the direction of the sound, seeing Shang Ye appear with a large force. He frowned and spoke in an unfriendly tone:

"Is Fourth Brother here to help his own brother, or to kill him?"

Shang Rui, the elder brother, emphasized each word heavily so that Shang Ye could distinguish between close and distant relatives.

In this situation, a normal person would definitely betray their brother and use this opportune moment to their advantage, bringing a large force to help him.

Unfortunately, Shang Ye is not a normal person; he is an extreme and eccentric madman.

The two brothers were positioned a short distance apart, both riding tall horses and each with someone protecting them.

Born of the same mother, the two share more similarities in their eyes and eyebrows than their other siblings.

at this time,

Shang Ye, with a face that bore a striking resemblance to Shang Rui, stood opposite Shang Rui and answered with a nonchalant smile:

"Of course, we're here to kill you."