Chaos reigned at the gates of the imperial city.
Innocent civilians used as shields, border troops and imperial guards slashing fiercely, and debris flying everywhere.
Just as the two figures were about to disappear at the end of the long street, Fang Heng spurred his horse and charged forward.
Jiang Yi and his group immediately followed, their faces filled with murderous intent.
Having trained since childhood and fought against the Tartars on horseback, they had long since developed superb horsemanship skills, easily avoiding innocent civilians. It was only a matter of time before they caught up with Fang Yuan and Zhu Changyu.
Chang Yan's furrowed brows finally relaxed, only to furrow again a moment later.
At the end of the street at the West Imperial City Gate, the densely packed city guards saw Fang Heng and his group rushing by, exchanged glances, and joined hands to form a line.
They built walls with their flesh and blood, they let horses trample them, all to give those behind them a chance to breathe.
"Is it worth it?" Fang Heng roared out the question again.
Hundreds of horses carrying frontier troops charged forward. If the reins weren't tightened, their hooves, trampling over the blood of countless Tartars, would crush the bodies of their compatriots.
Those are our compatriots.
They belong to the same ethnic group, have similar appearances, similar accents, and even know each other.
At this moment, weapons were drawn against each other.
“There’s no question of whether it’s worth it or not. We’ve been indebted to the Second Prince, and now we’re repaying him with our lives,” someone said boldly, before closing their eyes.
The defending troops had no horses and could hardly fight against the cavalry with only iron swords.
It's not difficult to trample on the past; what's difficult is to unite against external forces and crush the ruthlessness of one's own compatriots.
The delay of five thousand lives means that even if they are overcome, it will be difficult to catch up with Zhu Changyu and Fang Yuan.
Fang Heng gripped the reins tightly, suppressing his surging emotions, and turned to gaze at the long banquet in the distance.
In the crowd, the boy gently shook his head.
He couldn't tell whether he was disappointed or sad. He waved his hand, signaling the border troops to collect their weapons and detain the five thousand city defenders for trial.
After bypassing innocent civilians, the Imperial Guards all came to help.
Chang Yan sighed, knowing that this palace turmoil was finally over.
"Xiao Wu, you're just letting those two grandsons escape like that?" Zheng Ruqian leaned closer. "They're a menace; if we don't get rid of them, the consequences will be endless."
"Don't worry." Xu Mo's expression remained unchanged. "There are still 30,000 troops on the outer perimeter. As soon as we encounter them, they will surely be captured."
There's a key word here: "as long as".
That means if you don't manage to bump into it, it can be quite troublesome.
Zheng Ruqian didn't understand, but breathed a sigh of relief and started counting on his fingers to figure out the extent of collusion between officials and businessmen that he could now achieve.
The crowd quickly dispersed, each person busy with their own tasks.
Some were taking stock of the injuries of innocent civilians, some were restoring the lost items in the Fengtian Hall, some were comforting the frightened civil and military officials, and some were reminiscing with tears in their eyes.
"Big brother." Jiang Chengfeng leaped to Jiang Chengyuan's side in a few steps, his eyes bright and expectant. "Why are you back?"
“His Highness the Crown Prince sent a letter requesting elite troops, and I thought I could help in some way.” Jiang Chengyuan chuckled and patted his younger brother on the shoulder. “I heard you passed the provincial examination? You have to take the imperial examination this year, and you must achieve top honors.”
“Of course, brother, you’ve already become a fifth-rank general, how can I fall too far behind?” Jiang Chengfeng flashed his bright white teeth. “Brother, do you have time? I’d like to hear you talk about what happened on the battlefield; the letter was too brief…”
The two brothers chatted and laughed, clearly having a very good relationship.
Fang Heng was watching intently from the side until Zheng Ruqian elbowed him. He instinctively followed up and almost dislocated his second brother's arm.
"Aaaaaah, I've murdered my brother!" Zheng Ruqian screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
Jiang Sheng and Wen Zhiyun were startled and quickly went over to them, one asking questions and the other offering help.
"I didn't, I didn't." Fang Heng awkwardly withdrew his hand, all his daze vanishing.
"You!" Jiang Sheng poked her third brother with her hands on her hips. "Go easy on him, you know? We're family."
The little girl has grown up and has started to speak in a lecturing tone.
Fang Heng suppressed a laugh and decided not to argue with her.
Jiang leaned over and asked, "Miss, does that mean you can be so rough with someone you're not close to?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Wu reached out and pinched the soft flesh on his waist, causing him to burst into tears from the pain.
Jiang San and Jiang Si laughed maniacally, "Fifth Sister has shown us with facts that even close relatives can be dealt with severely."
Jiang Liu, Jiang Qi, and Jiang Ba also laughed, and everyone burst into laughter.
How wonderful!
They're all back.
Chang Yan stood in the center of the crowd, smiling as he looked at Xu Mo, "Where are the people from the Crown Prince's residence?"
This palace turmoil was not only a suppression of a rebellion, but also a touchstone, a key to revealing malicious intentions and treacherous courage.
When Sun Xiaosheng, the former runner-up in the imperial examination, took the initiative to visit Xu Mo, Xu Mo hesitated to speak, thinking that this person was suspected of trying to curry favor, but he did have some talent. He was a kind of "chicken rib" – someone you couldn't trust to use, but it would be a pity not to use.
In the end, it was Changyan who declared that anyone who voluntarily joined the Crown Prince's faction would be accepted.
Whether it's malicious intent or thieving courage, a sincere heart fears no fire, and a straight foot fears no crooked shoe.
Those who are meant to come will not escape, and those who are meant to flee will not get away.
From the very beginning of the palace turmoil, some people were keeping an eye on the advisors in the Crown Prince's residence, observing their behavior and any unusual movements.
Only after the palace turmoil subsided did the personal guard finally appear, bowing and saying, "Your Highness, none of the advisors in the Crown Prince's residence have made any unusual moves."
They were not only well-behaved and honest, but also tried their best to offer suggestions and cooperate with the Imperial Guards in the rescue.
This result was indeed somewhat unexpected.
While Chang Yan was still pondering, Sun Xiaosheng had already rushed over with his staff. When he saw that His Highness the Crown Prince was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince." The advisors bowed respectfully.
Chang Yan's face showed no sign of anger or remorse. "Please rise, everyone. I'm sorry you were frightened."
He paused, then continued, "This palace turmoil was too sudden and unexpected. Do any of you have any thoughts on this?"
The dozen or so advisors to the Crown Prince looked at each other, hesitant and unsure of what to do.
Palace intrigue is a matter for the royal family itself; it can bring about success or failure through the royal family. What does it have to do with the advisors?
Until Sun Xiaosheng seemed to have an epiphany, he stepped forward and asked, "May I ask Your Highness, do you have any doubts about our advisors' initiative to defect?"
The banquet proceeded in silence.
The Crown Prince's residence has only just been established, and without a long period of tacit cooperation, how can there be trust?
Sun Xiaosheng didn't expect a response. He cupped his hands and said, "I was ranked first in the same class as Scholar Xu. I was also jealous of his outstanding demeanor and the admiration and praise he received. But I think that such jealousy can arise in anyone. As long as you control your behavior, it is no different from feelings of joy or displeasure."
“I know perfectly well that His Highness the Crown Prince has a close relationship with Scholar Xu, and I have even been jealous of Scholar Xu, but I still want to join the Crown Prince’s residence because the Crown Prince’s residence is the general trend. Since I have ambitions, it is only reasonable for me to join the general trend. I am open and aboveboard and let people investigate.”
"I also believe that His Highness the Crown Prince has the capacity to tolerate others and assigns responsibilities based on talent, rather than determining closeness or distance based on personal relationships."
"My name is Sun Xiaosheng. I am willing to assist the Crown Prince, fulfill my duties as a subject, and contribute to the world."
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