The two failed to reach an agreement and parted on bad terms.
Upon returning to the city, Prime Minister Lin immediately reported his conversation with Black Wolf to the Emperor Emeritus.
Meanwhile, the Red Shirts were also making intensive preparations for their attack on the city.
To avoid any unforeseen complications, Black Wolf didn't hesitate and immediately ordered an attack on the city.
The Red Shirts' war drums thundered deafeningly, like rolling thunder from the horizon.
At daybreak, they finally breached the city gates.
The city gate collapsed with a crash, and amidst the rising dust, the Red Shirt soldiers surged in like a tidal wave.
Although the city's defenders fought valiantly, they gradually became overwhelmed by the Red Shirts' unstoppable offensive, and their defensive lines were torn apart one by one.
In the end, the Red Shirts advanced all the way towards the palace gate, while Black Wolf, with a clear objective, led his men to break through the defenses on all sides.
However, at this moment, the Imperial Guards surged out from both sides of the palace gates like a tide.
Clad in silver armor that gleamed coldly in the sunlight, they stood in an impenetrable formation, wielding spears and swords—clearly the city's last line of defense and its most elite force.
The leading general was tall and imposing, noticeably taller than Black Wolf.
His eyes were resolute as he shouted, "Red-robed bandits, how dare you invade the imperial city! Today, you will not leave alive!"
Upon seeing this, Black Wolf curled up a cold smile.
He drew his longsword, its tip pointing directly at the Imperial Guard general, his voice deep and powerful: "The mere Imperial Guard dares to presume to stop the iron hooves of my Red Shirt Army? Today, let us use our blood as ink to write a new chapter in history!"
At his command, the Red Shirt soldiers roared and surged toward the Imperial Guard's lines like a tidal wave.
The two armies clashed, and the sounds of swords clashing and battle cries echoed through the sky.
Although every member of the Imperial Guard was an elite soldier, they were ultimately no match for the Red Shirts' superior numbers and strength.
After a fierce battle, the Red Shirts finally broke through the Imperial Guards' defenses and surged forward like a tidal wave.
The war drums beat ever more fiercely, as if even the heavens and the earth were shaken.
After scanning his surroundings, Black Wolf saw that no one was stopping him, so he ordered his men to arrest and tie up everyone in the court.
"Reporting to the leader, the emperor is not here," a Red Shirt soldier reported.
"Find it and bring it here!" Black Wolf's voice was deep.
The Red Shirts quickly found him in the emperor's bedroom and arrested him along with the people in the empress dowager's palace.
The retired emperor had not expected the Red Shirt Army to be so fast, so fast that they had no time to dodge.
"Xuan'er, it seems that our Jingyuan lineage has run its course. We can only beg them to spare you and at least leave a trace of our Qi family bloodline." The Emperor Emeritus's face was filled with despair.
Upon hearing this, Crown Prince Qi Xuan's eyes reddened, his fists clenched, and a surge of resentment and indignation welled up within him. "Grandfather, as a member of the Jingyuan royal family, how can I live on alone? Today is the day when our Qi family stands with the Red-Shirt Army to face this national crisis!"
The Emperor Emeritus looked at him, a sense of relief welling up in his heart, yet also a deeper bitterness. "Xuan'er, I am comforted by your heart. But the overall situation is already set, and we must assess the situation carefully. You are young and promising; if you can escape this calamity, you will surely be able to revive our Qi clan one day. Your father entrusted the Imperial Seal and the Tiger Tally to me earlier, and today I entrust them to you. When the time is right, we will proceed with the restoration of the kingdom."
As he spoke, the Emperor Emeritus took out a small wooden box from his bosom and solemnly handed it to the Crown Prince.
"Grandfather, your grandson will certainly not fail your trust!" Qi Xuan said with grief and indignation.
After searching, the Red Shirts gathered all the princes, noblemen, empresses, and concubines in the palace.
Sobbing and weeping filled the hall, and the once magnificent palace was now shrouded in gloom.
The emperor lay on the stretcher, his face as pale as paper, his eyes closed, as if he had lost all life.
The Empress Dowager felt as if her heart was being torn apart. Her face turned deathly pale, and she rushed toward the Emperor, her body trembling.
She pushed through the crowd and came to the emperor's side, tears streaming down her face.
The Empress Dowager reached out a trembling hand and gently stroked the Emperor's cheek, her voice choked and hoarse: "Emperor, Emperor, wake up! Why don't you open your eyes and look at me?"
Her tears flowed continuously, dripping onto the emperor's face, as if trying to awaken him.
She held the emperor's hand tightly, feeling the warmth gradually fading, her heart filled with endless sorrow and despair.
The surrounding ministers also lowered their heads and silently shed tears.
The Empress Dowager's blood surged, and she was about to collapse to the ground. Seeing this, Meng Zhelan quickly stepped forward to support her.
"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. The Emperor... he certainly wouldn't want to see you so heartbroken," Meng Zhelan said with a sigh, trying to comfort her.
"Stop arguing!" Black Wolf suddenly shouted, turning to the Emperor Emeritus and advising, "Hand over the Imperial Seal and Tiger Tally, and I will release you and send you out of the city, ensuring that no one is harmed in the slightest."
Upon hearing this, a resolute glint flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes.
She shook off Meng Zhelan's hand and stood up straight.
His gaze, sharp and intense, fixed on Black Wolf, held both sorrow and defiance. "Black Wolf, you mere traitor, how dare you covet the Imperial Seal and Tiger Tally of our dynasty? Do you think these alone can shake the very foundations of our nation?"
She took a deep breath, her tone filled with authority and determination: "How could a petty person like you shake the foundations of our dynasty, which have stood for a century! Although the emperor is on the verge of death, the bloodline of our royal family is not extinguished, and loyal ministers and generals still exist. Your rebellion will ultimately lead to your own destruction!"
Inspired by the Empress Dowager's imposing presence, the surrounding ministers straightened their backs, and a renewed flame of hope rekindled in their eyes.
Black Wolf sneered, nonchalantly brandishing his weapon. The surrounding rebels stirred, and the atmosphere instantly tensed. "Hmph, stubbornness won't save you. I'll ask you one more time: the Imperial Seal and the Tiger Tally—hand them over or not?"
Just at this critical moment, a rapid sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar, sweeping in like a sudden storm.
The sound was deafening, as if it would tear the earth apart. Hearing it, everyone turned to look outside the hall, their eyes filled with astonishment and anticipation.
A group of people dressed in bright red riding tall horses rushed into the palace square at lightning speed.
Leading the group were two extraordinary figures: a holy maiden of the Red Lotus Sect and a venerable elder of the sect. Behind them followed a large number of Red Lotus Sect followers.
The retired emperor and his entourage thought reinforcements had arrived, but it turned out to be the Red Lotus Sect. Wherever they went, the Red-Shirt Army spontaneously made way for them.
A man dressed in a black brocade robe and wearing a hood stepped out from among them.
The surrounding Red Shirt soldiers bowed their heads, saying, "Welcome, Master."
The man was tall and straight, his face partially obscured by shadows beneath his hood, revealing only a slight curve to his thin lips, which seemed to carry a hint of playfulness and unruliness.
"Your Majesty, I have long admired your name." The man's voice was deep and magnetic, but his tone contained no respect whatsoever; instead, it carried a hint of mockery and provocation.
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