Prince An spoke up at the opportune moment: "Miss Nan didn't leave? It seems that the people I arranged at the palace gates were unnecessary." He then smiled indifferently.
“Prince An is overthinking it,” Nan Zhiyun said in a cool voice.
"What a pity, Miss Nan is so lovely, but Yu Jingchen has ruined you into what you are now," Prince An sneered.
"How about I make a deal with Miss Nan now? As long as Miss Nan and the Empress Dowager are willing to persuade Nan Su to submit to me and support me as the new emperor, then you, Empress Dowager, will remain the Empress Dowager, and I can give Miss Nan the position of Empress. What do you say?" Yu Jing'an said again.
"The Nan family is loyal and righteous, and naturally will not associate with a traitor like you." Nan Zhiyun's voice was not loud, but it gave people a very powerful feeling.
Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun with some surprise.
"Tsk, Yu Jingchen, look at her, what a wonderful woman. It's a pity you're so blind. Fine, I won't force you. Since Miss Nan is so loyal and righteous, then let her die for her country. Guards! Seize her!" Prince An's eyes suddenly turned fierce.
Then someone went to capture Nan Zhiyun, but who knew...
"Who dares to step forward?" Nan Zhiyun pressed a hairpin against her throat.
"Yun'er!" the Empress Dowager cried out in alarm, and Prince An's eyes darkened.
“Prince An, you won’t kill me now. You haven’t obtained the military tally from my father yet, so you wouldn’t dare to kill me,” Nan Zhiyun said.
"Nan Zhiyun, aren't you being too confident?" Prince An asked in a sinister tone.
"Did I say something wrong? If you dare, then let them kill me! Or let them take one more step forward, and I guarantee you'll only see my corpse in the next moment." Nan Zhiyun didn't back down; instead, she pushed the hairpin closer to her neck, drawing blood.
"Nan Zhiyun, do you like Yu Jingchen that much that you're still helping him?" Yu Jingan said.
"I'm helping myself, and helping the Nan family," Nan Zhiyun replied. She had already seen through him; Yu Jing'an was not only ruthless but also treacherous. The fact that he had been able to submit to Yu Jingchen for so many years showed how deep his cunning was.
If Yu Jing'an becomes the emperor, the Nan family will definitely not be safe. However, if she can demonstrate the Nan family's loyalty to Yu Jingchen, then perhaps the Nan family will still have a chance after this ordeal...
Just as Nan Zhiyun's mind was racing, someone rushed in from outside: "Your Highness, Nan Su has surrounded the imperial city with his troops!"
"What!" Yu Jing'an thought he must have misheard.
"Isn't he supposed to be back in the capital in a few days?" Yu Jing'an acted now because he had calculated that Nan Su wouldn't be able to return now.
"The information we gathered earlier was indeed true, but now Nan Su has already led his troops to besiege the city, and he has at least 300,000 men there," the messenger reported.
"Useless!" Yu Jing'an cursed.
When Nan Zhiyun heard this news, she knew that her opportunity had come. She had made mistakes in the past, so today she would only do her best for the Nan family.
Driven to desperation, Yu Jing'an immediately ordered, "Take them down! Death or life!"
Then chaos erupted in the banquet hall, with the two sides fighting fiercely, and some dignitaries were so frightened that they fled in all directions.
Nan Zhiyun also ran to the Empress Dowager's side.
"Yun'er," the Empress Dowager held Nan Zhiyun's hand tightly.
"Your Majesty, everything will be alright. Father will be here soon," Nan Zhiyun reassured the Empress Dowager.
Whether she was already moved or heartbroken, the Empress Dowager couldn't say anything, she just patted Nan Zhiyun's hand.
Yu Jingchen also looked over at Nan Zhiyun, but his eyes revealed no emotion.
Just then, Nan Su led his men in and stormed in. Yu Jing'an's chances of survival were slim. He looked at the people above with some resentment and took advantage of Yu Jingchen's inattention to stab them with his knife. Yu Jingchen had already noticed and could have dodged, but he did not expect Nan Zhiyun to rush up at this moment.
The sound of a sharp sword piercing flesh sent a shiver down Yu Jingchen's spine. Yu Jing'an hadn't expected Nan Zhiyun to block the sword, but unfortunately, he had no chance; Yu Jing'an had already been captured.
Nan Su, who had just entered, happened to see this scene: "Yun'er!" Nan Su's eyes instantly reddened.
The Empress Dowager was also shocked by this scene. She hurriedly tried to step forward, but she couldn't hold on and fainted.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!" The people around also panicked.
Nan Zhiyun opened her mouth, but she had no strength left, so she collapsed into Yu Jingchen's arms.
Yu Jingchen instinctively shielded her, letting her fall into his arms, and then he squatted down as well.
Nan Zhiyun looked at Yu Jingchen: "Your Majesty..."
Yu Jingchen did not speak.
"Your Majesty, I shouldn't have entered the palace. I regret it..."
Yu Jingchen's eyes flickered slightly: "You don't need to block me," he said.
“It was probably a subconscious reaction, Your Majesty. The Nan family has never threatened you. My father is loyal to Your Majesty and has never had any disloyal intentions. Can Your Majesty spare the Nan family?” Nan Zhiyun asked.
"I will make the decision myself," Yu Jingchen said in his usual cold tone.
"And the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager truly loves His Majesty. Even if she is not His Majesty's biological mother, the Empress Dowager still treats you like her own child." Nan Zhiyun's biggest concern right now is the Empress Dowager and the Nan family.
The statement, "She is my mother," was a guarantee to Nan Zhiyun.
Nan Zhiyun smiled, but Yu Jingchen frowned.
“Even if you don’t block this sword, Yu Jing’an can’t hurt me,” Yu Jingchen said.
"Then Your Majesty... can this concubine leave a lasting mark on your heart with my life?" Nan Zhiyun asked.
Yu Jingchen did not answer.
Nan Zhiyun felt a bitter taste in her mouth, but she didn't show it.
“It seems there isn’t any left, but it doesn’t matter, I don’t care anymore,” Nan Zhiyun said.
"Your Majesty, if there is an afterlife, I wish that we would never meet again, and never be seen again in any future life..." Nan Zhiyun said with a smile, then looked at Nan Su, who was still entangled with the traitor in the distance. Tears fell, and her hand fell to her sides.
Nan Su was thus unable to say his last words to his daughter.
The war had ended, and Nan Su felt as if his feet weighed a ton. With each step he took toward Nan Zhiyun, he felt as if he were leaving a footprint on the ground.
Perhaps due to exhaustion, Nan Su coughed up blood and collapsed before he could even reach Nan Zhiyun.
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