emperor
The chill of the spring night in the capital has not yet faded, but this night, an unprecedented heat surges through the streets.
At first, there were sporadic footsteps, mixed with suppressed whispers of excitement, like a stone thrown into a quiet lake, creating ripples, and soon, the ripples turned into waves.
Outer city, deep in Tofu Alley.
"Boss! Boss! Wake up!" Mrs. Wang anxiously pushed her sleeping husband, her voice trembling with excitement.
Zhang Doufu sat up dazedly, mumbling, "What's wrong? Is it daybreak? My tofu hasn't been ground yet..."
"It's not tofu, it's His Highness! Princess Mingzhu has entered the city! Yongding Gate is full of people welcoming His Highness!" Mrs. Wang spoke incoherently, and quickly grabbed her husband's tattered cotton jacket and put it on him.
"What?" Zhang Doufu shuddered, completely awake. "Really? Is she the princess who fought the Qiang people in Heshuo and even paid to redeem the people herself?"
"It's absolutely true! Li Ergou and the others next door have all run away! Hurry! Wake up the kid! This is the day to welcome the real dragon! Once you miss this opportunity, you'll never get it again!" Mrs. Wang ran to wake up her sleeping son.
The family hurriedly dressed and pushed open the creaking wooden door. The alley was already filled with people, and neighbors were greeting each other.
"Fifth brother, hurry up!"
"Here it comes!" Zhang Doufu pulled his son and followed the crowd as they ran out, his heart pounding. They were about to see a real dragon!
It wasn't just Zhang Doufu's family. Throughout the capital, the sounds of knocking on doors, calling out, and hurried footsteps could be heard everywhere. Countless doors and windows were hastily pushed open. Men, women, young and old didn't even have time to dress properly. They just threw on their coats and greeted each other, joining the growing crowd, rushing towards the Yongding Gate in the outer city.
There were already crowds of people inside and outside Yongding Gate.
The torches lit up the night sky as bright as day, and countless faces were filled with anticipation and excitement, as they were all waiting.
When the big Pearl flag finally appeared in sight, and when Ning Lingyi came riding slowly on horseback, surrounded by the crowd, the crowd instantly became excited.
"Long live!"
"Long live Princess Mingzhu!"
"Long live the princess!"
The cheers were like a tsunami, deafening and almost overturning the city walls.
Zhang Doufu and his family squeezed in the crowd, standing on tiptoe, looking at the princess under the flag, and shouted excitedly. They quickly picked up their son and let him see what a real dragon is!
Ning Lingyi reined in her horse, looking at the endless dark crowd in front of her, and the pairs of eyes reflecting the firelight. This world will eventually be hers.
She waved her hand lightly, and the elite troops behind her moved forward slowly. The crowd automatically made way for a path, and then closed together like a tide, carrying their flags and surging towards the inner city.
*
The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the capital.
When Emperor Guangqi was awakened by the eunuch, he could hardly believe his ears.
"What do you mean tens of thousands of people opened the city gates?"
Emperor Guangqi felt that it was a ridiculous and unprecedented joke. The city gate that the Western Qiang people could not open was opened by Ning Lingyi without any soldiers?
He was stunned for a few moments, then picked up his sword and went to the West Garden of the Imperial Palace.
His face was calm as he walked step by step towards the palace where the retired Emperor Ning Zhen was resting. The trusted eunuchs behind him were frightened out of their wits, but no one dared to stop him.
In the Western Garden, Emperor Guangqi was already standing in front of the bed of the retired emperor.
The retired emperor's eyes remained open, hollow. Emperor Guangqi leaned over and spoke in a low, distorted voice, "Father, did you hear that? Your good daughter has come, bringing with her a group of untouchables, to seize your son's kingdom! Are you happy?"
He stood up suddenly and shouted sternly, "Bring everyone to the Purple Palace! The Empress, the Crown Prince, and the two criminal women in the Western Garden, all of them!"
*
Ning Lingyi's team grew like a snowball. When she arrived at Zhengyang Gate, there were no less than 100,000 soldiers and civilians gathered behind her!
At this time, in a mansion not far from Zhengyang Gate.
There are bright lights in the study.
Sun Jingxian, a new doctor in the Ministry of Works who had been in office for only half a year, was listening to the housekeeper's breathless report, his face changing constantly.
"Master, it's absolutely true! Yongding Gate has been opened, and the people are pouring in like a tide to welcome Princess Mingzhu. They've probably already reached Zhengyang Gate! It's packed with people, and the shouts of "Long live the Princess" are deafening! Many soldiers from the Beijing camp are following them!"
Sun Jingxian couldn't believe it. He was a "newcomer" promoted after Emperor Guangqi ascended the throne. He should have been grateful, but at this moment, cold sweat oozed from his forehead.
"Father," the eldest son whispered beside him, "I'm afraid His Majesty's situation is hopeless. We..."
Sun Jingxian raised his hand to interrupt his son, took a deep breath, and a decisive look flashed in his eyes. "No need to say more, Your Majesty, it's not true. It was Ning Yanli who acted perversely, ceding territory and selling out the country, which angered heaven and resented the people. Now Her Royal Highness Princess Mingzhu is following the will of heaven and the will of the people, restoring order, which is a blessing for our dynasty!"
He stood up and said in a firm tone, "Change your clothes! Prepare a sedan chair! No, no need for a sedan chair, just walk! Follow me to welcome His Highness!"
He quickly changed into his most formal official robe, with his hat and clothes straightened, as if he was not going to participate in a potentially bloody coup, but to attend a long-arranged event.
He knew that once he took this step, there would be no turning back, but the huge waves before him left him no room for hesitation. He had to gain more power in this great change.
*
Ning Lingyi's team was already approaching the south gate of the imperial palace.
The defenders and eunuchs here were already in chaos, listening to the deafening cheers of "Long live the emperor" outside the palace and looking at the endless sea of light formed by torches in the distance.
"Open the door! Open the door quickly and welcome His Highness into the palace!" a eunuch shouted in a sharp voice.
"How dare you!" a guard captain shouted, his sword drawn. "It's our duty to guard the palace! How dare you open the palace gates without His Majesty's express order? Are you thinking of rebellion?!"
"Rebellion?" Another older eunuch sneered, pointing at the deafening roar outside the palace. "Listen! Who is actually rebelling in this world? Is it His Highness, who is supported by the people outside, or His Majesty, who is sacrificing land for glory inside? His Majesty has already lost the support of the people. Can a palace gate stop him? Why should we, ants, be buried with him?"
"We must be loyal to the emperor and eat his salary! We..."
Before the captain could finish his words, a young guard who had been silent beside him suddenly had a fierce light in his eyes, and he suddenly drew out his sword and stabbed it into his waist from behind!
"You!" The captain staggered and looked back in disbelief.
The young guard drew his sword with a ferocious look on his face and roared, "You bastard! Ning Yanli is a traitor to the country! Killing you, this foolishly loyal fellow, will be a stepping stone for me to advance!"
The surroundings were suddenly quiet, and then some people exclaimed, while others remained silent.
The young guard kicked the twitching captain to the ground, raised his bloody knife, and shouted to the stunned guards and eunuchs around him, "Who else wants to stop us from welcoming His Highness? This is what will happen! Open the door!"
The smell of blood filled the air, and the heavy palace gate was slowly pushed open.
When Ning Lingyi rode into the palace and passed through Chengtian Gate, royal family nobles, civil and military officials, eunuchs and guards who had rushed over after hearing the news were already kneeling on the ground.
Sun Jingxian was also squeezed in the crowd, his official hat slightly tilted and his breathing rapid.
They shouted "Welcome Your Highness" and "Restore order", and their voices echoed in the empty palace gardens.
*
The lights in the Zichen Hall were bright.
Emperor Guangqi stood before the throne, holding a sword.
Inside the palace, the Empress, the Crown Prince, the Empress Dowager, Concubine Yu and others who were forcibly brought in were silent. The few loyal ministers, such as Zhao Deben, all had pale faces.
The prince clung tightly to the queen, trembling with fear. Concubine Yu's hair was slightly disheveled and her face was as pale as paper, but she tried to straighten her back and stared at the palace door with great worry in her eyes.
Zhao Deben's voice trembled: "Your Majesty! The traitor has entered Chengtian Gate, and almost all the officials have gone to greet her! We should temporarily avoid the attack, perhaps..."
"Shut up!" Emperor Guangqi interrupted him abruptly, his eyes bloodshot. "Escape? All under heaven belongs to the king. Where can I hide? You are all traitors! Rebellious ministers and traitors! You!"
The tip of his sword swept across the kneeling ministers. "Are you also thinking of using my head to exchange for your own wealth and glory?"
The ministers kowtowed profusely and said they dared not.
At this moment, a more majestic and powerful sound came from outside the hall:
"Her Royal Highness Princess Mingzhu is respectfully invited to take up residence in the Purple Palace!"
"Guangqi is unrighteous, Princess Mingzhao!"
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"
The sound came from the direction of Taihe Gate, from the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians pouring into the imperial city! The sound was so huge that it seemed as if the entire palace was shaking.
A young eunuch tumbled in, collapsed to the ground, and screamed, "Your Majesty! There are people everywhere outside, a dark mass that stretches as far as the eye can see! They, they all want Your Highness..."
Emperor Guangqi's body shook violently and his sword fell. He slowly turned his head and looked at the night sky outside the palace illuminated by the fire. The last trace of blood on his face faded.
He heard that the thunderous cheers of "Long live the emperor" were not directed at him.
His empire collapsed overnight.
Everyone in the hall looked pale. The queen hugged the prince tightly and closed her eyes.
Only Concubine Yu, when she heard the overwhelming cries calling for her daughter, tears instantly rolled down her eyes. Yier, you are still fine, that's enough.
Emperor Guangqi slowly closed his eyes and opened them again. He bent down and picked up the sword again. The tip of the sword trembled slightly, but it was pointed steadily at the bound Concubine Yu and others.
Outside the palace is the new master supported by all the people.
Inside the palace is the old emperor who is at the end of his rope.
Ning Lingyi finally stepped into the palace, onto the land that she was so familiar with, looking towards the Purple Palace and the dragon throne.
Her father had sat in this seat, the former crown prince wanted to sit in it, and Emperor Guangqi was currently sitting in it.
The emperor has the power of life and death in his hand, and everyone follows his will.
But look at her father and her brother, one was paralyzed, one was killed in a car accident, and one went crazy, all because of the throne, but she is different.
She came here today not to be imprisoned by this title, but to completely trample the emperor, the dragon throne, and this rotten sky under her feet.
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