Chapter 332 Great Changes in the Deep Palace
The situation in Bianjing City was becoming increasingly tense. If the successful peace talks in the north were only the beginning, then when the urgent military report from Baili reached the palace, the entire court was in an uproar.
The situation was just as everyone expected.
Qinzhou had fallen, and the last gate of Bianjing had been occupied. Xu Zhenying's troops were only a hundred miles away from Bianjing.
If calculated based on the normal marching speed, that is to say, in four or five days at most, Xu Zhenying and her 200,000 troops in the front, and the 200,000 troops from the northern border behind, will surround the city of Bianjing.
Xu Zhenying is here——
That female traitor finally came——
Bianjing City... is about to be broken——
The people of Bianjing City had nowhere to escape to and no plans to escape. They simply closed their doors and did not go out, for fear of being caught in the disaster.
In just a few days, the price of grain in Bianjing City increased several times. Grain merchants even sold old rice at sky-high prices, but even at this price, supply still could not meet demand.
Who knows when this battle to capture the city will end?
Saving more always makes people feel at ease.
The streets were in chaos. This was truly a critical moment for survival. Only officials, soldiers and others walked hurriedly. Occasionally, a soldier on horseback could be seen, with the sound of horse hooves urging people to gallop towards the palace.
The Great Zhou Dynasty is about to end.
For the first time, the people of Bianjing City felt deeply that the situation above them, which had not changed for hundreds of years, was about to change.
Some people with sharp minds had already secretly bought Jinzhou Prefecture's textbooks and took advantage of the time when the doors were closed to study.
There were also officials who secretly collected a lot of monthly reports from Jinzhou Prefecture, seizing the opportunity to understand the developments in Jinzhou Prefecture, hoping that after the female queen entered the city, they might be able to seize the initiative and find a place to use their talents.
Not to mention that all civil and military officials had their own little thoughts.
Seeing that Xu Zhenying's men were about to attack, the Great Zhou was also on the verge of crumbling, and they had to find a way to survive.
Therefore, taking refuge in Jinzhou Prefecture became almost the only way out.
These officials had previously scolded Xu Zhenying harshly in the court, but now they remembered how good she was.
Just the fact that innocent people are not killed indiscriminately is enough to give people peace of mind.
In addition, every time a city was broken, the officials would not be beheaded in public. Instead, an inspection team would move in to investigate the official's life. If he had a good reputation among the people, he could continue to serve as an official.
Even if someone is caught in a crime, the sentencing will only be determined after three trials and when all the evidence is available.
Not to mention, Jinzhou Prefecture did not have harsh tortures such as being torn apart by five horses, beheading, and quartering, nor did it have the custom of exile and collective punishment. At most, it would be the death penalty for an individual, and his family would not be implicated.
Thinking of this, the officials seemed to feel relieved again.
What are you afraid of?
By this calculation, Xu Zhenying is far less scary than the moody Zhou Mian!
It even vaguely reveals the meaning of a wise ruler...
After much thought, the mentality of the minor officials became the same as that of ordinary people in Bianliang City.
Just come.
Perhaps if the emperor was replaced, the Zhou Dynasty would be even better.
Small officials like them might have a better life under Xu Zhenying.
Only the most vicious officials, those who had committed serious crimes, or even those whose hands were stained with murder, trembled in fear, shouting in the court that even if they died for their country, they would never let the Jinzhou cavalry set foot in Bianjing City.
Beneath the dead silence in the city of Bianjing, there was an indescribable huge storm.
The Holy Book Palace was originally a place where ministers and the emperor held meetings, but now, unlike the chaotic outside world, there is singing and dancing here, and the women's laughter seems unaware of the tense situation outside and is still pleasant and gentle.
The dancers are dressed in light gauze, their feet are white as snow, and they are slightly blurred, which adds a unique charm to the autumn.
However, Empress Dowager Mei Zhao had already changed into an inconspicuous casual outfit, and asked her confidants to change their clothes as well and follow her closely.
The nanny beside her was holding five-year-old Zhou Jin in her arms.
These palace maids were all elderly people who had followed her for more than ten years. She used both demonstrations and favors to keep their relatives firmly in her hands, and was not afraid that they would be disobedient.
Along the way, she saw many eunuchs and palace maids trying to escape. She hated them so much that she wanted to cut these traitors into pieces, but she could only turn a blind eye and even pulled up her cloak to cover her face, for fear of being recognized and causing trouble.
A few days ago, she had just beaten to death several palace maids who wanted to escape.
But only two days had passed, and with Xu's relentless advance, the entire city of Bianjing was like a pot of boiling water, in disarray and everyone was in danger.
Now, not only are the palace maids and eunuchs trying to escape, but even the guards are lax in their defense. Moreover, several inconspicuous generals have taken the initiative to surrender to Jinzhou Prefecture and even instigated a number of guards to rebel. A powerful force is secretly forming and is likely to approach soon.
When her confidant reported the news, the Queen Mother was so angry that she spat out blood.
It's really the opposite.
Before Xu Zhenying even attacked, his own family members rebelled first.
If this force is allowed to form, their lives will be in danger!
This palace is not a safe place either. They must escape now while there are no generals leading people to counterattack and attack the city!
She had clearly sent people to look for Zhou Mian before, and all the gold and silver jewelry had been packed up, and even the carriage was waiting at the side door, but there was no sign of Zhou Mian!
When the Empress Dowager found Zhou Mian, he was lying on the jade steps in front of the palace, reeking of alcohol. His shirt was open at an angle, and he was holding a wine jug in his hands, looking completely unaware of the impending disaster.
The Empress Dowager was so angry that her vision went dark.
The dancers had left, leaving only a mess on the ground. The eunuch Li Baoping, who served Zhou Mian, remained loyal to him.
Li Baoping has followed Zhou Mian since he was a child. He is Zhou Mian's only close companion and one of his few true confidants.
Li Baoping hurried forward and said to the Queen Mother, "Your Majesty, please persuade His Majesty! I have begged him repeatedly, but His Majesty refused to leave and even berated me. If this delay continues, I'm afraid... I'm afraid our own people will take action!"
The Queen Mother stepped forward quickly, practically kneeling on the ground, grabbing Zhou Mian's hand and pleading bitterly, "Your Majesty, let's escape. Qinzhou has been lost, and Xu Zhenying's men will be here in a day or two at most! The Great Zhou Dynasty is finished!!!"
"Ignorant woman! How dare you speak nonsense!" Zhou Mian, half drunk and half awake, slapped Empress Dowager Mei Zhao the moment he opened his eyes, messing up her hair. "Who said the Zhou Dynasty is over? As long as I sit on the throne, the world will belong to the Zhou family!"
"Your Majesty! Wake up! Almost all the civil and military officials have surrendered to Jinzhou Prefecture. If we are slow to act, I'm afraid that before Xu Zhenying arrives, those generals under your command will rebel! Your Majesty, the carriage is ready, we can still escape! When the time comes, we can recruit more soldiers and horses, and with the last emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty in our hands, perhaps we can recapture the city of Bianjing--"
Seeing that he was quite drunk and hearing the sound of cavalry outside, Empress Dowager Mei Zhao was filled with fear and ordered her confidants, "Help His Majesty up and change his clothes. We will leave through the west gate."
"I won't leave!" Zhou Mian half-supported himself on the ground. Seeing the nanny beside the Queen Mother holding Zhou Jin, he suddenly looked crazy. "I am the true ruler of the world!"
Zhou Jin was so frightened when he saw his grandfather suddenly go crazy that he hid behind him. But the little boy remembered his father's teachings and immediately straightened his chest and said in a trembling voice: "Grandfather, I am the crown prince appointed by the late emperor. I am the emperor of the Great Zhou!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Mian suddenly flew into a rage. He grabbed Zhou Jin's collar and lifted him up into the air, then threw him to the ground. "Without me, there would be no you! I let you be the emperor, I let you be the emperor!"
The Queen Mother turned pale with fear and cried out—
Fortunately, a young palace maid beside her was quick-witted and quick-handed. She almost immediately jumped over and caught the young Zhou Jin in her arms.
Zhou Jin was obviously frightened and burst into tears.
The Queen Mother was still in shock, her face pale, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... is crazy..."
Zhou Mian staggered to his feet. "It's all Xu Zhenying's fault! I've painstakingly built this up for over a decade, and finally reached Bianjing City six years ago. I thought I had it all figured out, but those old guys were wary of me. Finally, Zhou Zhong died, and it was almost my turn, but Xu Zhenying chose this very moment to come—God is helping her and not me, I won't accept it!"
Empress Dowager Mei Zhao looked at the frantic Zhou Mian with horror. She seemed to hear rapid footsteps outside. Perhaps Xu Zhenying's men had arrived, or perhaps they themselves had rebelled. She said to Li Baoping, "If we don't leave now, it will be too late. Find someone to knock His Majesty unconscious and drag him away!"
"No, I am the emperor of this world! If God doesn't let me sit on this throne, I will try my best to defeat God!" Zhou Mian didn't know what he was thinking about, and suddenly he raised his head and laughed. Everyone thought it was bad, but they didn't expect that the next moment he actually grabbed Zhou Jin, glaring at her with bulging eyes. Zhou Jin's two short legs immediately struggled in the air.
"As long as I draft a letter of abdication for Zhou Jin, I will be the legitimate emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty!"
After saying that, Zhou Mian actually carried Zhou Jin to the rosewood long table, then held down the struggling Zhou Jin with one hand, while he drafted the abdication letter.
Empress Dowager Mei Zhao immediately rushed to grab Zhou Jin, "Your Majesty, you are crazy! Seeing that the Great Zhou is about to fall, what's the point of wanting the throne?! Do you want to be the king who will destroy the Great Zhou Dynasty?"
"Foolish woman! As long as I am the legitimate emperor, even if I temporarily avoid the limelight, in the future I only need to raise my arms and call for help, and perhaps one day I will be able to restore my country."
"Crazy, you're absolutely crazy—"
However, Zhou Jin was obviously frightened to death by his crazy grandfather. Zhou Mian quickly picked up the pen and wrote the abdication edict on the blank imperial edict, and then used a knife to take the blood from Zhou Jin's finger. Zhou Jin was frightened and burst into tears.
"Where is my imperial seal?" Zhou Mian searched everywhere, even completely disregarding his image as an emperor. He curled up under a small table like a dog and searched everywhere.
Empress Dowager Mei Zhao said with some dismay, "The jade seal is with that bitch Yuan Chun!"
"Oh, yes, yes, I actually forgot the most important thing! She refused to hand it over, and even many civil officials protected her. She is indeed the wife of that bitch! Even the man is dead, and this daughter-in-law still refuses to obey. Quick, go find her, and get the Imperial Seal no matter what."
"Is the Emperor looking for the Imperial Seal?"
A cold voice came from outside the palace, followed by the sound of footsteps. The soldiers sent by Zhou Mian to wait outside immediately drew their weapons and confronted the hundreds of people brought by Empress Yuan Chun.
Zhou Mian could still barely recognize the voice. Li Baoping hurriedly supported Zhou Mian, and then the two of them walked to the stone steps in front of the hall.
Zhou Mian took a closer look and discovered that what Empress Yuan Chun was holding in her hand was the imperial seal of the Great Zhou Dynasty!
"Imperial Seal! My Imperial Seal!" Zhou Mian seemed to be crazy, struggling forward, but Empress Yuan Chun took half a step back. Immediately, a soldier stepped forward to block her.
Empress Dowager Mei Zhao had never expected that Empress Yuan Chun, trapped in the deep palace for such a long time, still had guards loyal to her. She immediately pointed at the Empress and said, "Yuan Chun, you bitch! Hand over the Imperial Seal now, or I will kill Zhou Jin!"
Empress Yuan Chun's expression changed slightly. Her reverse scale had been touched, and the usually docile and modest woman turned into a ferocious beast, shrieking in a shrill voice, "How dare you!"
"Hand over the imperial seal if you know what's best for you!"
Empress Yuan Chun almost subconsciously glanced at a maidservant in casual clothes beside her. The maid nodded, and Empress Yuan Chun gritted her teeth and said, "Okay, I'll hand over the imperial seal, but you must also release Jin'er! Father, don't forget that Jin'er is also your flesh and blood!"
Zhou Mian finally regained some consciousness this time. His eyes lit up with joy. "Give me the imperial seal first. As long as I can leave the palace safely, I will send someone to bring Zhou Jin back."
"That's right." Mei Zhao's tone softened, his face kind. "You just said that Jin'er has the blood of my Zhou family. After all, we are a family that is connected by bones and tendons. Now that Xu Zhenying is about to attack, I'm afraid that no one with the surname Zhou in Bianjing will survive. Your eldest brother has already arranged for people to wait at the west gate, so you should come with us. In this chaotic situation, you are carrying the prince and princess. You are an orphan and a widow. I'm afraid you can't even get out of this palace. So just follow us and flee. At least we can take care of each other. Besides, what other choice do you have now besides trusting us? Don't forget, the one in Jinzhou Prefecture is a big devil who kills without blinking an eye. She wants to unify the world and will definitely kill all of us with the surname Zhou!"
These words seemed to move Yuan Chun. Empress Yuan Chun thought for a moment and slowly walked forward.
Mei Zhao's face was filled with smugness and ferocity. It wasn't until Empress Yuan Chun handed the imperial seal to Zhou Mian that she and Zhou Mian met eyes. Then, she raised her hand and saw archers on the city wall a few hundred meters outside the palace hall instantly draw their bows to full length.
As soon as Zhou Mian got the jade seal, his eyes lit up and he wanted to dance with joy. "Haotian is unfair and insists on stopping me, but I want to fight against God!"
"Mom!" Zhou Jin cried in a baby voice, but Yuan Chun had already tried to catch Zhou Jin, and Empress Dowager Mei Zhao almost immediately signaled the people around her to catch Zhou Jin.
However, everything changed at this moment.
Just when everyone thought that Empress Yuan Chun was going to grab Zhou Jin on the right, everyone's attention was naturally on Zhou Jin. But at this moment, Empress Yuan Chun's eyes turned, and everyone saw a cold light flash, and a dagger came out from Yuan Chun's sleeve, turning neatly towards Zhou Mian who was laughing crazily and complacently.
not good!
But it was too late.
Someone shouted, "Your Majesty, be careful!"
Empress Yuan Chun walked around Zhou Mian, raised her arm, and then stabbed Zhou Mian's carotid artery.
Blood gushed out, splashing all over Empress Yuan Chun's face.
She suppressed the nausea that surged in her abdomen, suppressed the trembling in her hands, pressed her arms down, and spun the dagger. At this moment, her five senses were instantly amplified countless times, and she could even clearly hear the sound of flesh being torn and turned.
She is not a natural born killer.
She was just a powerless woman in the deep palace.
In the past, she didn't even dare to kill a chicken, and she even didn't dare to hear the sound of killing a chicken, as she would not be able to sleep at night after hearing it.
But that night, the woman from Jinzhou Prefecture suddenly bypassed the heavy guards and came to her palace, smiling and asking her if she wanted to avenge Zhou Chong.
How could she not think about it?
That day, Zhou Zhong was carried back, covered in blood, without even a single word. He had left with such high spirits, but when he returned, only a cold corpse remained. From then on, the couple were separated by the Yin and Yang.
She thought about it day and night, wishing she could kill her enemy with her own hands or stab him with a knife.
But how could she do that? She couldn't even hold the knife steady, she couldn't bear the sight of blood, let alone the sound of wailing.
In the past, Zhou Chong always said that she was soft-hearted, that the servants in her room were always better off than those in other courtyards, and that he liked her purity and simplicity like a little girl.
But he forgot that she was no longer a little girl. She was the mother of a son and a daughter, and also Zhou Zhong's wife!
So, the man from Jinzhou Prefecture said: Killing can also be practiced.
First, find a dagger, point it at a place in the middle of the coffee table, imagine that it is the enemy's neck, and stab it cleanly and neatly.
Just practice a thousand times every day.
Until a hole was made in the middle of the small table.
Empress Yuan Chun was trapped in the deep palace. The outer walls of the palace were guarded by guards. She could neither go in nor out. Apart from being in a daze every day, the only thing she could do was to mechanically raise her hand, poke, and take out.
At first, her heart would skip a beat every time she got the needle.
I thought if this was a human neck, one cut would kill him.
But as her hand raised and chopped the knife, the pain in her arm and her thoughts gradually became empty, her movements became faster and faster, more and more accurate, and more and more cruel.
Even my mind can no longer contain those complicated thoughts.
She gradually got used to doing things first and thinking later.
The last day is for intensive training.
Someone sent a few live chickens, and she stabbed the chicken's head with a sharp knife. Blood splattered on her face. It was warm and had a strong smell of blood, but her heart was left with confusion.
She then realized that killing was something that practice makes perfect.
Don't think—
Don't think about anything.
Move forward with determination.
But there were tears in his eyes.
Almost at that moment, Empress Yuan Chun drew her sword swiftly, and at that moment when blood splattered, the only sentence that the man said came to her mind.
After killing someone, the scene will be in chaos. Don't hesitate or be afraid, find a place to hide immediately!
"Your Majesty!!!" Queen Mother Mei Zhao screamed shrilly—
Yuan Chun held the dagger tightly in one hand and immediately grabbed Zhou Jin with the other. Zhou Jin was so scared that she burst into tears and hid in her mother's arms, hugging her mother tightly with her little hands.
The two men immediately hid behind the pillar.
At this moment, Feng Er, disguised as a palace maid, saw that the situation was not good and suddenly stood up. She raised her arms and shouted to Zhou Mian's men across the hall, "I am a general under Xu Zhenying of Jinzhou Prefecture. Zhou Mian is dead, and my master will not hold anyone responsible! Those who surrender will not be killed!!! Those who surrender will not be killed!!!"
Zhou Mian had already fallen in a pool of blood. Before he died, he held the imperial seal in one hand and the letter of abdication in the other. His eyes were wide open, as if he couldn't figure out how he had just missed this one crucial moment.
Empress Dowager Mei Zhao embraced his body and burst into tears, while Li Baoping cried out in grief: "General Fan, these are the rebels from Jinzhou Prefecture, kill them! Cover the Empress Dowager and leave——"
The small group of people brought by Empress Yuan Chun only numbered a few hundred, and they were all inconspicuous soldiers and officers in the imperial city. They had long known Feng'er's identity, and at this moment they all protected Feng'er and said in unison: "Young lady, hide first!"
General Fan, standing on the opposite wall, shouted at the top of his lungs, then raised his hand and unleashed a volley of arrows.
Feng'er said it was not good.
It’s over, it seems like I’ve messed up.
I don't know if Xu Huiming can gather some people outside the palace. Bai Ci'en has surrendered. Bai Ci'en's father, the first-rank military marquis, is such a good target for him to win over.
Xu Huiming, my Feng'er's life depends on you.
Feng'er pulled Wang Qiu Shuang and hid backwards, and the sky and the earth were buzzing. The rain of arrows was like a huge gray net, and the "clang clang clang" sound was endless in the ears.
Feng'er silently prayed "Amitabha, please bless me" and could only hide behind.
Empress Dowager Mei Zhao was heartbroken and was almost half-dragged and half-carried out by the servants. They even did not spare Zhou Mian's body. Two officers who looked to be of higher rank carried Zhou Mian on their backs and walked out under the cover of dozens of dead men.
Wang Qiushuang was immediately shocked, "Friends, the Queen Mother is about to run away!"
Feng Er said: "Let her run away, she is of no value, and it would be a waste of food in Jinzhou Prefecture if she were to be captured. Instead, protect the Queen and the Crown Prince——"
Feng'er was smart. She turned the small table over and held it in front of her. She and Wang Qiushuang curled up and hid behind it.
Wang Qiu Shuang heard the puffing sound of the arrow hitting the small table and felt the waves of recoil. She was terrified and pale. But Feng Er managed to smile and held Wang Qiu Shuang's hand tightly. "Don't be afraid, Mr. Wang. People who are shot by arrows will die within half a minute. It won't be a serious disaster."
Wang Qiu Shuang couldn't even cry at this moment, "Friends, please... stop joking——"
"Ever since I decided to follow the young lady in rebellion, I've been hanging my head on my belt every day! I'm not afraid of death. If I die, the young lady will definitely avenge me! And if I die, the young lady will be sad for me and will definitely remember me for the rest of her life. She might even erect a monument or something, and my name will be in the history books. Even if I die gloriously, I won't lose anything! It's worth it to be able to do this with the young lady for once in my life!"
Wang Qiushuang was thinking, she didn't want to die yet——
She took such a big risk to get in position in advance, wasn't it because she didn't want to die?
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