The Kyoto Reserve Army and the three armies, who were still fighting fiercely against the Su family army and the Holy King's army, were all stunned when they heard Cao Qi's order.
What's the meaning?
The Emperor issued an imperial edict to open the city gates and welcome the Holy King.
But isn't the Emperor seriously ill? And the Holy King just said that the Emperor has been put into a puppet state by the Third Prince, so how can he still issue imperial edicts on his own?
Xuan Yuanzhan, Mu Lingchen, and the others below were also stunned.
Mu Lingchen looked at Xuan Yuanzhan and whispered, "What's going on? Did Vice General Liu really try to turn Cao Qi to the enemy last night?"
Xuanyuan Zhan blinked, equally confused.
It seems that Cao Qi has indeed betrayed them, but the Imperial Guards...
Mu Lingchen exclaimed excitedly, "You're so clever! You had Vice General Liu persuade Cao Qi to defect beforehand, and you also found the real military token of the Su family army. We can win this battle without shedding a drop of blood!"
Now not only has the Su family army become theirs, but also the remaining Kyoto reserve army, and the entire armed forces...
Mu Lingchen suddenly frowned in confusion, thinking of something, and said, "That's not right. Shouldn't Deputy General Liu have only gone to persuade Cao Qi to defect? What about Jin Lu, Shan Jing, and Liao Fan?"
The reason for trying to win over Cao Qi was that they controlled half of the capital's reserve troops, and Cao Qi was loyal to the emperor. That's why Deputy General Liu was sent to try and win him over.
It is still somewhat possible that Cao Qi could be successfully turned.
But what about Jin Lu, Shan Jing, and Liao Fan?
The Emperor has been controlled by Xuan Yuan Yu for a long time. Given his nature, wouldn't the most important military force in the capital have been under his control long ago?
It's really strange that the three commanders would betray Xuan Yuan Yu and the others at such a critical moment!
Xuanyuan Zhan looked at the imperial edict in Cao Qi's hand on the city wall and vaguely understood something. His eyes suddenly reddened.
Xuan Yuanzhan understood, but Xuan Yuanyu and the others on the city wall were completely confused about what was going on.
"Cao Qi, how dare you collude with the Holy King to rebel! Aren't you afraid of having your entire family executed?" Xuan Yuan Yu glared at Cao Qi with fury, wishing he could exterminate his entire family immediately!
Seeing that he still didn't understand, Cao Qi raised the imperial edict in his hand again: "Your Highness, take a good look. This is an imperial edict personally issued by the Emperor. All the commanders of the three armies have a copy of such an edict. Do you still think we are plotting a rebellion?"
Xuanyuan Yu stared intently at the imperial edict in Cao Qi's hand, his face filled with disbelief: "You say this is an imperial edict personally given to you by Father Emperor, and that it is in the hands of all three armies? How is that possible? Father Emperor... he has been seriously ill for a long time and could no longer issue imperial edicts personally."
As soon as Xuanyuan Yu said this, everyone stared at him with strange expressions.
Mu Lingchen below sneered, "So, the imperial edict to execute the prince wasn't issued by the Emperor at all, it was you, Xuan Yuan Yu, who forged the edict!"
Xuanyuan Yu glanced at him coldly: "Father Emperor has long entrusted all state affairs to me. What's so strange about me drafting an imperial edict for Father Emperor?"
Mu Lingchen angrily pointed at Xuan Yuan Yu and cursed, "The Emperor only asked you to temporarily take charge of government affairs, but you only wanted to harm loyal ministers and the Emperor. You are the one who should be executed!"
Seeing that Mu Lingchen dared to speak to him like that, Xuan Yuan Yu was completely enraged: "What kind of thing are you, daring to point at me like that? I will exterminate your entire family!"
Mu Lingchen coldly rebuked, "Can't you even consider your own situation before you speak? Do you really think you're the emperor, daring to exterminate my entire family!"
His head is still hanging over Jin Ludao's neck, and he still has the nerve to yell at him.
Hearing Mu Lingchen's mocking laughter, Xuan Yuan Yu turned his head slightly and shouted at Jin Lu, "Jin Lu, I will spare your life if you release me now, because you were bewitched by Cao Qi and acted foolishly!"
Jin Lu did not move the knife pressed against Xuan Yuan Yu's neck, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, I am acting under orders."
Xuanyuan Yu's face instantly turned green: "Whose orders are you on? You followed Cao Qi in rebellion, which is punishable by the extermination of your entire family!"
Hearing him repeatedly mention the extermination of nine generations of a family, Jin Lu became displeased and said coldly, "This humble subject is acting on the Emperor's orders and would never dare to rebel."
Xuanyuan Yu didn't believe him at all and looked at the imperial edict in Cao Qi's hand again: "Father Emperor has long been unable to issue imperial edicts. The imperial edict in Cao Qi's hand is a fake!"
Dan Jing, being straightforward, saw that Xuan Yuan Yu still didn't understand what had happened, and said directly: "The imperial edict that His Majesty granted to us was indeed personally issued by His Majesty long before His Majesty appointed the two princes to jointly oversee the country. General Cao and our three army commanders each received a copy, and the content of the edict was the same. That is, whenever the two princes go to war with the Holy King, the capital reserve army and the three armies must unconditionally support the Holy King, no matter who is in power in the capital at that time. Even if it is His Majesty in power, we must strictly implement the contents of this imperial edict. Therefore, we did not disobey the edict, but carried it out completely according to His Majesty's wishes."
Everyone present was stunned after hearing Shan Jing's words.
The Emperor had made arrangements before Xuan Yuan Yu and Xuan Yuan Zhi took over the reins of government. He must have foreseen this day, so he issued an imperial edict to Cao Qi and the commander of the three armies in advance, ordering them to support the Holy King no matter what happened in the capital.
He even included himself in the calculation. Even though he was in power, even though he was the one standing on the city wall today, the Kyoto Reserve Army and the three armies must support the Holy King today!
So he knew he was going to be controlled, he had figured out the Third Prince's thoughts completely.
Mu Lingchen hadn't expected the truth to be like this. She secretly glanced at Xuan Yuanzhan and saw that his eyes were indeed red.
It must be said that although the Emperor has never truly recognized Xuan Yuanzhan's true identity, the person he truly cherishes in his heart has always been Xuan Yuanzhan.
No matter what Xuanyuan Yu and Xuanyuan Zhi do, he will hand over the throne to Xuanyuan Zhan!
Although he may not be a perfect father, he truly loves Xuan Yuanzhan, and this love cannot be faked!
Xuanyuan Yu, Xuanyuan Zhi, and Xuanyuan Duo were also completely stunned.
They never expected that their father had issued such an imperial edict to Cao Qi and the commander of the three armies back then!
Although the emperor outwardly allowed Xuanyuan Yu and Xuanyuan Zhi to jointly oversee the country, he never gave them any opportunity to seize power.
The reserve army and the three armies in Kyoto have all been arranged. The Emperor has long since paved the way for Xuanyuan Zhan, just waiting for him to return after dealing with the affairs of the North.
Xuanyuan Yu stared incredulously at the imperial edict in Cao Qi's hand, not believing a single word he said: "Impossible, Father Emperor would never do this to me. He clearly appointed me as regent, I should be the crown prince of Eastern Chu!"
Xuanyuan Yu, as if possessed, snatched the imperial edict from Cao Qi's hand.
Upon seeing the exact same content as what Shan Jing had said on the imperial edict, Xuan Yuan Yu was so angry that his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys trembled.
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