Chapter 149 Straight to the Heart of the Army From this day forward, this palace will belong to the Jiang family…
Danger always strikes silently.
Emperor Li Cheng was reclining on a soft couch at this moment. The unease he felt because of Jiang Ge's rebellion had long been dispelled by the warm and soft beauty in front of him.
Django's rebellion and ascension to the throne did not affect his enjoyment, only made him a little uneasy. However, it was this unease that spurred him to seize the pleasures before him even more recklessly, as if he wanted to drown all his fears in this world of wine and women.
The joy of [the experience] offset the mental unease and anxiety.
Inside the palace, warm curtains and flowing tassels adorned the scene, where singing and dancing were in full swing.
The dancers, clad in sheer gauze, possessed waists as supple as willows and eyes as captivating as flowing water. They swayed and danced to the enchanting music, their snow-white ankles landing silently on the carpet. The air was thick with the sweet scent of wine mingled with the delicate fragrance of perfume emanating from the women, mixed with the domineering and lingering aroma of ambergris.
Li Cheng half-closed his eyes, one hand holding a golden goblet, the amber-colored grape wine swirling gently within, reflecting his slightly puffy eye bags and the pallor of excessive indulgence. His other hand casually rested on the smooth back of his favored concubine, who was barely clothed and peeling grapes for him, his fingertips unconsciously caressing her.
At the corner of the palace, the historian responsible for recording the emperor's daily life bowed his head, his pen moving across the paper.
"Drink! Drink it all for me!"
Li Cheng laughed heartily, downing the wine in his cup in one gulp. The liquid slid down his chin, soaking the front of his bright yellow nightgown. "Life is short, so seize the day! Jiang Ge, Zhuge Liang, we'll discuss that tomorrow! Today, I only want to be happy!"
The eunuchs and palace maids standing in the hall all kept their eyes downcast, like clay or wooden sculptures, not daring to reveal the slightest emotion. Only the sounds of string and wind instruments seemed increasingly urgent and hollow, as if beating out a rhythm for this apocalyptic revelry.
Just as this decadent lifestyle reached its peak—
"boom!!!"
A deafening roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, suddenly exploded outside the palace gates! This was followed by the clang of metal on metal, short screams, and the groans of the heavy palace gates being violently smashed open!
The singing and dancing came to an abrupt end.
The dancers froze in mid-air, and the musicians' fingers, resting on the strings, could no longer produce a single note. Everyone stared in horror at the two golden, dragon-lacquered palace doors that had once symbolized supreme majesty, now flung wide open.
This is the safest place...
Really?
The cold wind, carrying snowflakes and the stench of blood, instantly filled the warm hall, causing the candlelight to flicker violently and almost go out.
Once the sweet, warm scent dissipated, one could finally see that it was pitch black outside.
A tall, imposing figure, sharp and stern, like a god of death from the deepest hell, stepped into the room, his footsteps treading on the broken door and the still-dry bloodstains.
He exuded a strong aura of menace, and his iron armor was stained with someone's blood, which dripped down the armor plates, spreading out like shocking plum blossoms on the smooth, mirror-like gold brick floor.
Beneath the helmet, his face was as cold and hard as if carved by a knife. His sharp eyes, like those of a hawk eyeing its prey, pierced through the dim lights of the palace and precisely locked onto the emperor on the soft couch, who had just been immersed in ecstasy but was now terrified.
This is?
Li Cheng carefully recalled the portraits of the rebels and finally matched one face to another.
"Huo... Huo Qubing?!"
The golden goblet in Li Cheng's hand clattered to the ground, spilling wine everywhere. As if all his strength had been drained, he sprang up from the soft couch, but his legs gave way and he staggered backward, knocking over the table behind him. Fruit plates and wine pots rolled all over the floor, leaving a mess.
"You...how could you be here? Imperial Guards, where are the Imperial Guards?! Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor at once!" His voice was shrill and distorted, filled with disbelief and horror.
However, outside the hall, there were only sporadic sounds of fighting that were quickly suppressed, as well as the footsteps and clashing armor of Huo Qubing's elite soldiers as they rapidly took control of the situation.
The soldiers he brought were like tigers among sheep, quickly disarming the remaining guards outside the hall and surrounding the entire hall.
Outside the hall were Yuchi Jingde, Qin Shubao, Bai Qi, and others, who had already taken control of the entire situation.
Those eunuchs and palace maids who were originally as still as clay or wood sculptures were now paralyzed with fear, trembling on the ground, some even losing control of their bladder and fainting.
Huo Qubing ignored the emperor's roars. His steps were steady and powerful, each step seeming to tread on Li Cheng's heart. His gaze swept over the disheveled and pale-faced concubines and palace maids in the hall, his eyes showing no emotion, only cold disgust and disdain.
"It's time for your hedonism to end."
Huo Qubing's voice was not loud, but it had a metallic quality, clearly suppressing all the noise in the hall, and even drowning out Li Cheng's heavy breathing.
The flickering candlelight illuminated Huo Qubing's profile, outlining his sharp features in the interplay of light and shadow. The blood-stained armor did not diminish his heroic bearing; rather, it added to the awe-inspiring presence of a seasoned general who had fought countless battles.
He surveyed the hall, his gaze sweeping over the trembling palace servants before finally settling on the disheveled emperor on the ground, his eyes calm and unwavering.
"I'm still a step too late."
Yuchi Jingde's deep voice came from behind Huo Qubing, and it was not hard to hear his regret.
The dark-faced general strode into the hall, his iron boots treading over the mess on the floor, and stopped beside Huo Qubing. He crossed his arms, surveyed the extravagant scene inside, and shook his head.
However, they weren't too disappointed, since they knew Huo Qubing's military prowess well—his greatest skill was blitzkrieg, which caught the enemy off guard and launched surprise attacks.
Such ruthless methods are unparalleled in the entire world.
Li Cheng collapsed to the ground, his magnificent dragon robe crumpled, his golden crown askew, and his hair disheveled. He had never been so destitute since birth, and what he found most unbearable was that neither of these two traitors looked at him directly, as if he, the supreme ruler, did not exist at all.
You must know, he was the emperor!
He is the Son of Heaven, ordained by Heaven! He is the sole ruler of this vast land!
Shame, indignation, humiliation, and resentment gnawed at his heart like venomous snakes.
Li Cheng could no longer suppress his rage. Even though his body was being held down by the guards, he struggled to raise his head and roared with all his might, "I will kill you all! I will exterminate your entire family! I will tear you to pieces!"
A roar was heard.
Huo Qubing and Yuchi Jingde then glanced at him casually. Their gazes were indifferent, scrutinizing, but devoid of any reverence, as if they were examining an insignificant object. At that moment, the same thought arose in the minds of these two renowned generals from another time:
"Not as good as my Emperor."
The thought came naturally.
After all, he was no match for Liu Che (Emperor Taizong of Tang) or Li Shimin (Emperor Taizong of Tang).
Yuchi Jingde sneered, his voice booming: "With your appearance, do you even deserve to be emperor?" His contempt was undisguised. "You indulge in wine and women all day long, neglecting state affairs. Your soldiers fight on empty stomachs, and the people are displaced, while you are here indulging in pleasure!"
Huo Qubing didn't speak, but his slightly furrowed brows and cold gaze already showed his attitude. He turned to Yuchi Jingde and said calmly, "I'm leaving this to you. I'll go and handle the palace gate defenses."
"Don't worry!"
Yuchi Jingde patted his breastplate, making a dull sound.
Li Cheng stared blankly at Huo Qubing's departing figure, and at Yuchi Jingde's nonchalant expression, a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He suddenly realized that these people had no concept of imperial power or the emperor; they looked at him as if he were a... failed city-defending general.
Yuchi Jingde waved to the soldiers holding Li Cheng: "Take him away and keep a close watch on him." His tone was as casual as if he were ordering the disposal of something insignificant.
As Li Cheng was dragged out of the main hall, he glanced back one last time. He saw Yuchi Jingde bending down to pick up a gold cup that had rolled off the ground, weighing it in his hand before throwing it back down with a crisp clatter, as if disgusted.
From this day forward, this palace will be owned by the Jiang family.
——-
Zhuge Liang stood with Jiang Ge on the highest city wall of the palace, overlooking the still stubbornly resisting battle below.
News of the emperor's capture had not yet spread, and the loyal imperial guards were still fighting desperately to defend the palace that symbolized imperial power.
Many of them had never even stepped into the palace, nor had they ever seen what the emperor they swore to serve looked like.
But at this moment, they are pouring out their passion for a monarch they have never met, for a dynasty that has long been corrupt.
Jiang Ge watched as a young soldier was struck in the chest by Zhao Kuangyin's dragon-patterned staff, blood drawing a blinding arc in the air before he collapsed heavily to the ground.
Such a young life, so easily vanished in the changing of power.
"Is it worth it?" she asked softly, unsure whether she was asking Zhuge Liang or herself.
Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, his gaze profound: "Each serves their own lord and upholds their own will. But this lord may not be worth their dying for."
Another spray of blood appeared as Zhao Kuangyin struck a general who had his weapon knocked away by a club, yet he still struggled to get up and fight again.
That's enough.
Django took out a megaphone from her sleeve—something she had redeemed with system points. She took a deep breath and brought the megaphone to her lips.
The next moment, her clear and majestic voice, amplified by the loudspeaker, resounded throughout the entire palace, drowning out all the fighting and shouts:
"The old dynasty has been abolished—"
These four words, like a thunderclap, resounded in the ears of every soldier who had fought valiantly. Both sides in the battle involuntarily paused, instinctively looking up towards the source of the sound.
The lantern light shone perfectly on the rooftop, gilding Django's figure with a golden edge. She stood against the wind, her clothes fluttering, and though she wasn't wearing a dragon robe, she possessed an air of supreme authority.
"Your emperor, Li Cheng, is now a prisoner!"
A commotion erupted beneath the palace walls. The faces of the defending soldiers were filled with shock and disbelief, while the Songyang army's offensive slowed, giving these loyal soldiers time to process the news.
"I know that many of you have never even seen the emperor, who lives deep within the palace." Jiang Ge's voice slowed, carrying a strange penetrating power. "You are willing to die for him not for him as a person, but for loyalty to the emperor, for the peace of your homeland, and for the honor of being a soldier in your hearts!"
These words struck a chord with many of the guards, and their hands, gripping their swords, trembled slightly.
"But do you know that the king you swear to defend to the death is drinking wine worth a thousand pieces of gold in the palace while you stand guard at the palace gates on empty stomachs? While your families are selling their children because of exorbitant taxes, he is squandering money to please a beautiful woman?"
Every word is heart-wrenching.
A disturbance began to break out among the defending troops; some looked around blankly, while others looked indignant.
"Look at your fallen comrades!" Jiang Ge's voice suddenly rose. "Their blood should not have been shed for a tyrant who knew nothing of the people's suffering and only cared about his own pleasure!"
Huo Qubing wisely ordered his men to temporarily halt the offensive, giving the defenders time to regroup. Bai Qi directed his soldiers to carry the wounded defenders aside for treatment—this was Jiang Ge's special instruction; she didn't want slaughter, she wanted conquest.
"Put down your weapons!" Jiang Ge's voice rang out again, carrying an undeniable force. "I, Jiang Ge, swear in the name of the new dynasty: those who surrender will not be killed! Those who wish to return home will be given travel expenses; those who wish to continue serving in the army will be treated equally and will share in the glory of the new dynasty!"
"You are brave warriors, your blood should be shed on the frontier to defend our homeland, not wasted within these meaningless palace walls!"
Clang—
It's unclear who was the first to throw down their knife.
Immediately following, like a chain reaction, the sounds of weapons hitting the ground rose and fell. Once the will to resist crumbled, it was as swift as an avalanche.
An old soldier knelt on the ground, weeping uncontrollably. He was not weeping for the fall of the dynasty, but for the young lives that had died in vain.
He had been to many battlefields, but he still couldn't be indifferent to death.
Huo Qubing waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to step forward and gather the surrendered soldiers.
Zhuge Liang glanced sideways at Jiang Ge beside him, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. Attacking cities is inferior to attacking hearts and minds; Jiang Ge clearly understood this principle well.
Jiang Ge put down the megaphone, looked down at the gradually subsiding fighting below, and said softly, "Prime Minister, issue an order to give all the fallen soldiers a proper burial, regardless of whether they were friend or foe. Also allocate special funds to provide relief to their families."
"Liang, obey the order."
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