Yun Zong screamed and shouted, "Who is spreading rumors? Kill him!"
The person shouting was far away in the army outside the city, a dense mass of soldiers whose heads were indistinguishable; how could they possibly kill him? All that could be heard was his loud, clear shout:
"Yun Zong usurped the reins of power, embezzled public funds, framed loyal officials, and disregarded the lives of many. He was as ruthless as a wolf and tiger, and his crimes are beyond reproach! To serve him and be his lackey is a disgrace. When you die, will you have the face to meet your parents in the afterlife?!"
The soldiers hesitated, standing still.
"General Huo, with his valiant and unparalleled bravery, led six swift campaigns to the Han Sea, conquering the northern barbarians and being enfeoffed as the Marquis of Zhenbei, thus protecting His Majesty! Don't you all understand who the righteous path truly is?!"
The soldier's arms trembled, and his eyes were filled with panic.
At the same time, several soldiers guarding the city gate also shouted:
"Protect the Holy Lord, restore power, purge the court of corrupt officials, and cleanse the palace! Yun Zong, the treacherous eunuch, has committed heinous crimes. Brothers, we cannot be deceived by him any longer. Surrender now!"
Their voices were extremely loud and clear, instantly spreading throughout the area in front of the city gate. While shouting, they were also running quickly toward the city gate, actually trying to push open the door bolt!
"Yun Zong is a bloodthirsty man. If you follow him, you'll be killed by him sooner or later! His Majesty is benevolent, the general is brave, and the laws are clear with low taxes! If you want to live a peaceful life with enough to eat, tell me, who should you follow!"
The soldier trembled and slowly turned around.
"The general has decreed that it is not too late to repent and reform. Those who surrender will be pardoned! Those who capture the capital will be richly rewarded! Those who achieve outstanding military merits will be ennobled! Those who kill Yun Zong will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold!"
A generous reward and a noble title will be bestowed upon him!
Ten thousand taels of gold!
With a loud crash, the blades of the soldiers in the capital's main camp turned towards the capital.
"—Kill Yun Zong!"
Yun Zong's face suddenly turned deathly pale.
His men actually turned against him!
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, let's retreat quickly! It's too dangerous here. Once the rebels break into the city, it will be too late—"
Several of his trusted men wiped the blood from their foreheads and fought their way to him, pleading for mercy. Yun Zong looked at the soldiers fighting below the city with a complicated expression and held on.
"No!" he said bitterly. "I am the Ninth Prince, why should I be forced to flee in such a sorry state? I climbed from someone whom no one looked down upon to a position higher than the throne, why should I have to run away?! I will rather die than let him have his way—bring that person up here!"
The confidant was taken aback, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and went off to do his work.
Xi Chenzhou stared intently at the army that was still resisting in front of Chengcheng, which was retreating step by step. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before they could ride into the capital.
From now on, the palace that once imprisoned her will only be trampled under her feet!
The throne should be hers; no one can take it from her.
Just then, a fantastical sound came from ahead. Looking up, I saw a girl in bright yellow clothes, looking terrified, being bound hand and foot by some menacing soldiers and pushed down from the top of the city wall!
Yun Zong grabbed the girl, held the shield in his other hand to protect himself, leaned over the wall, and shouted:
"Xi Chenzhou! This is the Emperor you've been so eager to protect, the one you've been shouting slogans about!"
The soldiers who were fighting fiercely below the city walls suddenly stopped in their tracks, gripping their weapons. They looked up in astonishment and cried out in disbelief, "Your Majesty?! How could you put His Majesty in such a dangerous position! Put His Majesty down immediately!"
Xi Chenzhou's expression instantly darkened, his eyes turning icy and filled with murderous intent.
"Yun Zong, what are you doing?!"
“I will not do anything. You say you are a loyal minister, and that your uprising is only to purge the court of corrupt officials, punish treacherous ministers, defend the imperial family, and protect His Majesty, but now the very His Majesty you are protecting is right here on this city wall!”
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