But Liu Zhiwu had already lost his mind and was scrambling to his feet, saying, "This sinful subject Liu Zhiwu respectfully welcomes His Majesty the Holy Martial Emperor! Long live His Majesty!"
It was deathly quiet; you could hear a pin drop.
Only then did the Imperial Guards part to make way for them.
Zhao Huan was clad in black iron armor, his red cloak fluttering in the wind.
His expression was cold, his gaze as sharp as snow in the twelfth lunar month. Surrounded by elite warriors on both sides, he walked to the front.
Du Chong was completely dumbfounded, his eyes wide open, his jaw almost dropping.
He immediately knelt down, then simply prostrated himself on the ground.
This is entirely instinctive.
"This sinful subject kowtows to the Emperor, long live the Holy and Martial Emperor!"
The other officers exchanged bewildered glances. They had only seen the emperor from afar before. Seeing Liu Zhiwu and Du Chong kneel, they followed suit and shouted in unison, "Your sinful subjects kowtow to the Holy Emperor! Long live the Holy Emperor!"
The remaining soldiers of the Xiang Army immediately knelt on the ground and shouted in unison, "Long live the Emperor!"
Some people were so excited that they burst into tears, exclaiming, "The Holy Martial Emperor is still alive!"
"Great! Is the war finally over?!"
"Finally, I don't have to swing my sword at my comrades anymore!"
"..."
These ordinary soldiers did not actually want to rebel against Tokyo.
The King of Liao—no, the new emperor of Youzhou—said that His Majesty the Holy Martial Emperor died in battle in the Western Regions because treacherous officials in the court were embezzling grain supplies in the rear.
The list of treacherous officials has been published in Youzhou, and rumors are spreading throughout the country that someone in the court is plotting to overthrow the country and bring untold suffering to the people.
Liu Zhiwu crawled to Zhao Huan's side, repeatedly banging his head against the ground, crying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Zhao Huan kicked him and said indifferently, "Liu Zhiwu, you have truly failed the trust I placed in you. My good sons, which one of them is not a loyal and patriotic man, yet you have coerced them into rebellion."
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, please let me explain..."
With a wave of his hand, Zhao Huan sent two Imperial Guards soldiers to grab Liu Zhiwu like a chicken or a duck.
Yue Yun rolled off the ground and drew his saber from his waist: "Your Majesty, this saber has slain countless Liao bandits. Today, I will slay this bastard!"
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, spare my life! It's all Sun Bangyuan's fault..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yue Yun had already slashed down with his sword, and Liu Zhiwu's head fell to the ground on the spot, blood splattering everywhere.
Zhao Huan remounted his warhorse and shouted, "You are all my good sons. I know you have been deceived. I don't blame you. I need you. The Great Song Dynasty needs you!"
The soldiers were moved to tears; in the hearts of the Song Dynasty soldiers, the emperor was their spiritual pillar.
Over the past decade or so, whether it was the Central Imperial Guard, the border defense forces, or the local standing troops, they all shared an indelible spiritual imprint: absolute loyalty to the emperor!
The adjutant, Du Chong, was already prostrate on the ground, wishing he could bury his head in the earth, afraid to hear those sounds.
In full view of everyone, Yue Yun dragged Du Chong out and beheaded him in public, holding up his head and shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Song Dynasty!"
All the soldiers roared excitedly, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Song Dynasty!"
Once again, the slogans of the Great Song army were shouted, and everyone's blood boiled with excitement.
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