Chapter 179 Chapter 179 The Forbidden City Shocking Change (Part 4)...
Li Xuanbai immediately clenched the hilt of the sword, causing pain in his palm.
In an instant, he was sweating profusely, but his face was still menacing: "Who dares!"
In the dark night, the imperial guards looked at him and shuddered together.
Li Xuanbai pointed his sword at the top of the wall and shouted, "Whoever beheads Chang Da and Gu Zhi will be rewarded with 600 gold!"
The long street was still quiet.
The soldiers turned around and looked at him in silence. Suddenly, they saw a sea of eyes everywhere. But the night was too dark; they could only see the whites of the eyes, not the pupils.
Everyone looked at him dimly, as if he were a ghost.
Li Xuanbai's heart was in turmoil, and he was terrified.
That Gu's martial arts skills were so strong that he intercepted a hail of arrows in front of everyone. These people were all soldiers from the military, how could they have ever seen such martial arts?!
He casually displayed some of his inner strength, shocking the people below so much that they couldn't believe it and believed him blindly!
Those who believe in him will definitely insist that Emperor Jiaqing will not fall tonight, and then they will definitely work hard for him!
Li Xuanbai's eyes slowly narrowed.
The palace gates were locked tightly, and the turtle was caught in the jar, so that both Chang and Li were defeated and perished together.
The guy named Gu is so sinister!
When he looked up, the black-robed figure disappeared into thin air, and the palace walls rose silently in the night.
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound of wind behind me.
Li Xuanbai quickly turned around to block the attack and swung his sword.
With a clang, the sword vibrated and hummed.
Once Gu gave that order, he would no longer be safe even if he had the imperial guards with him!
The most urgent task is to rush into the Purple Palace and capture the madman.
He made up his mind, turned around and pulled his horse's head, and saw another white blade whistling and slashing at his head. He pulled the reins to dodge, but suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. He couldn't dodge in time, and another sword slashed his right shoulder.
It was a heavy blow, and the pain of splitting was preceded by the pressure.
He was knocked halfway back by the blow, and the sword cut into his armor and scraped against his silver helmet with a squeaking sound.
He didn't feel any pain, but only felt a numbness and heat in his shoulder. He knew that everyone was staring at him with wide eyes. He gritted his teeth until they broke, but didn't make a sound. He grinned with a clenched jaw.
"I have already said that I am wearing soft armor on my chest. I want to see how many people will rebel tonight!"
After he finished speaking, he glanced around and saw a man with long hair and thick beard in the chaotic army. It was too late at night and he couldn't tell friend from foe. He didn't care and grabbed the man's long hair with his palm, dragged it in front of him, and slashed with his sword, chopping off the head like cutting vegetables. He pulled the man's hair high and shouted with a fierce smile:
"Chang Da is dead! Here is his head!"
There was chaos on all sides. Some people who didn't hear clearly were still shouting and killing. Those who heard it all looked up and saw a man wearing a dragon cloak standing proudly on his horse among the imperial guards, holding a round head in his hand.
Li Xuanbai shouted again: "Chang Da is dead! His head is here!"
On the other side of the long street, Chang Da's rough shouting could be faintly heard.
But the situation was too chaotic at the moment, with all kinds of information coming in one after another, and no one had time to think deeply. Even if they heard Chang Da's voice, not everyone could see through his deception and looked around in panic.
Li Xuanbai came up with this plan precisely to seize this opportunity when no one could react in time.
He suddenly turned his horse's head, exited the long street, and galloped out.
All the soldiers are here. If Gu gives the order, none of these people can be trusted. Even his personal guards might kill him!
We can't stay here for long!
Why not take a detour to the Zichen Palace and look for that madman without anyone noticing?
He rode all the way, went around the northwest long street, and circled on the palace road.
There were several people following him, and he didn't know whether they were friends or foes. From the sound of horse hooves, he saw about ten people. He didn't have time to turn around to look, so he reined in his horse and turned a corner quickly.
Turning the corner, a crescent moon appeared, cold and clear.
Under the moon, it is like a curved bow, drawn to a full circle, with the arrow pointing straight ahead!
When Chang Da heard Gu Zhizhi's order, he also planned to do the same. He took his men and took a detour, intending to circle back and kill his way into the Zichen Palace, but he heard a burst of hurried horse hooves.
He didn't know who was coming from the other side of the corner, but he didn't care and just killed him as soon as he came!
Li Xuanbai had just taken two steps out of the corner when he saw a star-shaped arrow coming straight at him. Even the bravest man was panicked for a moment. Before he could see clearly, he pulled the reins to the right, but his body tilted.
He fell off the horse and his feet were empty.
In a panic, he made a mistake and his foot slipped out of the stirrup!
The arrow whizzed through the air.
Li Xuanbai didn't dare to feel whether there was any pain on his body.
But he saw the man riding his horse rushing over with a terrified look on his face. He hurriedly took the arrow from behind and put it on the bowstring with trembling hands.
Chang Da cursed with spit flying everywhere: "Stupid thing!"
Li Xuanbai was ecstatic, but he missed!
He suddenly reined in his horse and turned around, not wanting to rush to the Purple Palace anymore. He hurriedly stepped into the stirrup - he suddenly remembered that the Chang family army was an elite force carefully trained by Chang Da, and they had shared life and death together in the desert wind and sand for more than ten years. They would not easily betray them just because Gu Huaijin said "there is a reward"!
Even if you want to rebel, it’s not the time yet!
But what about his people? He had only mobilized the Imperial Guards today for the first time, and even the Golden Sword Guards, with whom he had only a few encounters on a daily basis. The loyalty these people showed him was far from comparable to the loyalty the Chang Family Army showed Chang Da!
A gust of cold wind suddenly blew over my head.
Li Xuanbai suddenly shrank his neck, turned around and looked, and sure enough, it was a man in black clothes with a golden sword guard!
As soon as his eyes met his, the man's face was distorted with fear.
Li Xuanbai was just about to swing his sword back.
The man lost his balance and fell off his horse with a pale face.
The man was trampled by the horse's hooves like a pile of broken bricks.
Li Xuanbai changed direction, turned around and shouted to all the people who accompanied him: "Go to the Zichen Palace to protect the emperor!" But he went straight to the Imperial Garden - the Imperial Garden was full of flowers, plants and rockery, and there was also an imperial lake, where he could hide and enjoy the view from afar.
At this moment, there is no one he can trust around him, and he is no match for Chang Da. The best strategy is to find a place to hide first, and then wait for an opportunity to find Emperor Jiaqing!
The soldiers who followed him did not understand his plan and were afraid that if they followed him, they would be killed by the armored soldiers around Chang Da, so they hurriedly rode away on their horses.
There was no one in the Imperial Garden.
The copper pillars and palace lanterns of the Nine-Bend Yellow River Lantern Array had not been removed yet, but they had all been extinguished, floating on the tops of the copper pillars like white lanterns.
The magnificent Forbidden City was in ruins.
He looked around. There were still shouts and cries of killing all around him, but the imperial garden was still deserted. Some palace servants who heard the noise fled in all directions, but there was not a single soldier in the garden, so he felt slightly relieved.
He dismounted and patted the horse on the rump.
The horse with the embroidered saddle neighed loudly and ran forward without looking back.
He had been so panicked and frightened just now that, after taking a breath, he realized he was bleeding and cold. Both shoulders were injured, but fortunately, his chest was not injured. However, every breath he took was painful, and even lifting his hands was excruciating.
He gritted his teeth and dragged his feet forward.
Chang Da: "See if that little thief is here!"
His heart suddenly jumped, his teeth creaked, and suddenly he felt a strong force that was determined to fight to the death, so he picked up his feet and ran forward.
The clatter of armor and the heavy, exhausted, chaotic breathing roared in his ears. The sound of horse hooves gradually approached, and the rockery in front of him was getting closer and closer. He didn't want to think about anything at this moment. He let the pain go. No matter what, he had to hide in the rockery!
"Sir, I just saw the Regent heading in this direction..."
"Search!" Chang Da roared, startling the birds in the forest. "Search everywhere!"
Within the rockery, peaks rose in layers. Because the entire mountain was constructed from Taihu rocks, there were caves everywhere. While this type of terrain was ideal for spying on the enemy, it wasn't suitable for hiding. He held his breath, crouched low, found a relatively intact rock, and hid in a corner.
The red tassels on the iron helmets of the Chang family army flashed through the stone cave. There were about six or seven of them.
His heart went cold.
There was no one by his side, yet so many people were willing to obey this brutal beast!
He was angry and unwilling, and bent his knees even more, trying to squat with his hands on his knees.
The pain is excruciating.
He nearly fell to the ground with a thud.
I actually forgot that both shoulders were injured!
His left shoulder was pierced by a sword, and his right shoulder was cut by the sword, with the skin and flesh exposed. Blood flowed down from both sides, making his chest and back feel warm.
He leaned against the rockery and breathed heavily, the armor on his chest rising and falling slightly with his chest.
The Chang family soldiers circled the Imperial Garden and said, "Your Excellency, there's no sign of the Regent!"
"Why is he gone?! I saw that little thief galloping towards here with my own eyes! Find him again!"
Li Xuanbai's throat was dry from panting, and his helmet was soaked with sweat.
Six or seven soldiers of the Chang family scattered again and searched deep into the imperial garden.
He clung to the jagged protrusions of the Taihu rock with his hands, evened his breathing, and listened intently to the guillotine slowly rising above his head.
If discovered, he would surely die.
Chang Da brought six or seven people with him, and he couldn't even lift his arms.
Two black leather boots stepped on the thin and crisp fallen leaves and stopped at the entrance of the rockery.
He heard his blood rushing to his head.
The fallen leaves were crushed, making a rustling sound with every step.
The two leather boots stepped into the rockery, walked onto the path, and went deeper inside. After turning the first corner -
Follow the winding path straight ahead until you reach a fork in the road.
To the right——
Damn it, it’s right at the fork in the road on the right!
There were only two rocks separating him from where he was hiding.
At this distance, if one had a keen nose, one would probably be able to smell the blood on him.
This won't work.
Li Xuanbai bit his lips fiercely.
When he lowered his eyes, he was shocked to find that there was a small pool of blood under his feet.
A loud shout echoed through his mind - This won't work!
Looking into the distance, there is a winding corridor in front, and outside the corridor is a silent imperial lake.
In the darkness of the night, the lake was dark and turbid. At a glance, one could no longer tell whether it was the sky or the water.
Li Xuanbai was sweating profusely and swallowed.
The two black leather boots had already turned to the next corner.
Going further, there is only a rock line left from here.
If you don’t leave now, it will be too late!
He acted decisively, swung his arms and flew forward using his lightness skills. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulders, but he ignored it and leaped into the air. The heavy armor collided with each other, making a slight sound. Before the guards could hear clearly, he had already rushed far away.
Fly straight to the corridor under the flower vines.
He stepped on tiptoe with great dexterity.
The pain in his shoulders made him feel dizzy.
He narrowed his eyes fiercely for a moment without making a sound.
The black leather boots had indeed moved to the position where he had just stood.
In an instant, he took a deep breath and flew forward.
"Sir! There is blood here! If the Regent is really here, he must be injured!"
With a splash, he plunged into the lake.
The cold water seeped into his armor from all sides. In the water, the armor felt heavy as a boulder, weighing heavily on his shoulders. His shoulders suddenly felt excruciatingly painful, and he groaned, holding it back, emerging from the water to gasp for air.
Chang Da: "It really is blood." He snorted coldly, "I knew it. Although he has the Imperial Guard's talisman, they are not his own soldiers. How can they be loyal to him? I'm afraid that once the Imperial Master gives the order, the people around him will immediately rebel against him!"
He lifted his skirt and said, "Search for me!"
"yes!"
The nights of Imperial Lake in early autumn were already bone-chillingly cold. His entire body was frozen in the water, and within moments he was numb from the cold. He had already lost a considerable amount of blood, and in the blink of an eye, the cold became unbearable.
But then they heard the Chang family army running by the Imperial Lake, saying, "Pass on the master's order, search the Imperial Garden!"
It’s cold, I have to endure it even if it means I’m dying of cold!
He clung to the rocks near the shore, carefully pulled out a piece of reed from the reed bush, held it in his mouth to breathe, and calmly and slowly sank into the lake.
Chang Jiajun held torches and ran back and forth on the stone bridge to patrol. The light of the torches reflected a turbid rusty green on the bottom of the lake.
He held the reed pipe in his mouth and looked up silently.
Because he was in the water, the blood on his shoulder could not stop and flowed out continuously, dissolving into the turbid green lake water.
He retreated further and further under the bridge, hiding in the shadows.
"Your Excellency, there is no sign of the Regent in the Imperial Garden!"
Chang Da: "Lake! Search the lake for me!"
"yes!"
He cursed filthy things in his heart, his temples were pounding, and he felt a little dizzy.
In fact, he had already started to feel dizzy after losing so much blood, but as he was constantly on the verge of life and death, he didn't even realize that he was weak.
At this moment, his body was finally at the end of its strength and could not be ignored even if he wanted to.
He leaned against a rock near the shore, hidden in the shadow under the bridge, and slightly out of the water so that he could breathe more freely.
He thought he could hold on a little longer, and forced himself to hold on a little longer no matter what, pinching his legs and biting his lips. However, soon, the calls of soldiers from all directions became unclear, and the lake water pushed around him in waves. Gradually, his body swayed with the waves, and even Chang Da's rough roar became blurred and chaotic.
Chang Da's voice seemed to be heard across the water: "... little bastard, today is the day he dies...!"
Gradually, everything disappeared without a trace.
Light and shadow rotate several times.
Then, at some unknown time and place, the scenes before him turned page by page. Suddenly, afterglow slanted through the lattice windows, illuminating the patterned image of the Donghai Guanyin on the wall. In front of the Guanyin statue stood a pair of human-height blue and white vases and a square mahogany table.
His father was sitting at the table sorting out calligraphy.
Chang Da walked around the room in circles, waving his arms hysterically as he walked:
"Little brat! I've told you long ago that this brat is a nemesis for our Chu Xiu and has a fierce and stubborn temper. It's best to send him to the farm as soon as possible!"
His father sighed: "Brother Da, Chu Xiu fell in his room. It was her own carelessness. Xuan Bai is my son after all, the little grandson of the emperor..."
"So what if he's the emperor's grandson? Is this your only son?" Chang Da cursed, spitting everywhere. "You knew he was a jinx, but you still kept him in the East Palace! Now look what's happened! Chu Xiu's knees are broken. If they don't heal, you and I will see!"
His father just pretended to be busy and didn't look up.
Chang Da: "I've already told the Crown Prince, why keep that kid around! My sister is the apple of our family's eye. I love her the most! Since the Crown Prince wants to use Da's power to inherit the throne, he should also treat my sister well!"
His father shook his head but said nothing.
Then suddenly he was the one who peeked through the crack in the door and saw the secret conversation between Chang Da and Chang Chuxiu that day.
His mother's knee injury had healed about 70% of its size, but she was still sitting on the couch crying, and would cry even at the slightest breeze.
Chang Da touched her face, and as a big man, he coaxed her softly for a while, and finally spat:
"You evil creature! You should have died long ago! The plague god of our family, yet you still have the temperament of a monkey, dirty and wicked, naughty and stubborn! Even his room is unlucky for you!"
Chang Chuxiu said to him with tears in her eyes:
"Brother, this monkey is more than just a nemesis to me. A few days ago, I don't know who he learned some boxing and kicking from. Ye'er asked him to beat him up... This kid must not be kept! Let him go, and Ye'er will be at peace, and Chu Xiu will be at ease too!"
"How dare he fight with Ye'er?!"
"He beat me so hard. That kid got a bamboo helicopter from someone, and Ye'er saw he had it and she didn't, so she snatched it from him. As a result, he beat me up!" Chang Chuxiu cried loudly, "Go and see Ye'er, brother, go and see for yourself... He's such a rebellious guy, Chuxiu can't let him stay!"
"In your opinion, where would be the best place to put him? A farm outside the capital?"
Chang Chuxiu yelled, "How can we stay in the suburbs of Beijing? How can we just come back whenever we want? That brat loves to steal Ye'er's things. He wants everything Ye'er has. When the prince ascends the throne in the future..."
The two of them suddenly stopped talking in tacit understanding.
When the crown prince ascends the throne in the future, there can only be one master of the Eastern Palace.
"At the end of the Xiangjiang River, there's a mountain called Tianshan. It's always closed off, riddled with traps, and inaccessible to outsiders. Send that brat to Tianshan, telling the prince he's training in martial arts... Send him up there, and you never know, he might end up dead."
Chang Da leaned over to her ear, his thick, rough beard rubbing against it. "Even if he doesn't die, it's difficult to get down from Tianshan Mountain. He could be trapped for at least seven or eight years. Even if he manages to return to the capital... our Ye'er has already been appointed Crown Prince."
He scraped his index finger along the edge of the woman's face. The woman pursed her lips and smiled shyly. Chang Da raised his finger and said, "When the time comes, I will do my utmost to help my son ascend the throne."
Then the scene suddenly changed, and the afterglow fell on the statue of Guanyin. Guanyin's face did not change, but the rectangle of light had become slanted.
His father remained silent as he studied geography.
"I don't want to go to Tianshan!" He tugged at Chang Da's clothes, biting him like a spoiled child, and hammered his knees. "I don't want to go to Tianshan! How can Li Ye stay in Beijing, while I have to go to that godforsaken place!"
Chang Da raised his leg and kicked him out:
"Because you are an evil star!"
He knocked his head against the ground, unable to even cry, and stared at the person at the table with a shudder, "Daddy!"
Chang Da sat down on the armchair by the window, swinging his legs and crossing them:
"My Lord, I will do my utmost to help you with your important matter. I will not ask for anything else, but this one thing, I hope you will obey me!"
His father then became even more silent.
In the end, his father did not agree, and Chang Da argued with his father for a long time about whether he should stay or go.
Until the emperor's grandfather was critically ill, undercurrents began to surge, and rumors of a change of ownership in the Eastern Palace spread everywhere.
Daddy wants to be the emperor, so I'll do whatever he wants.
On the winter solstice when I was thirteen, there was heavy snow.
He went up Tianshan Mountain alone.
That year, he was still young.
Everyone knew that he was not favored by the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess and was expelled from Luojing.
The stray dogs living in the East Palace are still stray dogs.
Therefore, when the emperor's grandson went to Tianshan Mountain, no one saw him off.
There is only one person.
That man was just a child from a poor family, without any money or power. In the eyes of those around him, he was a pariah who was disgusted at the mere sight of him.
But this was the only person who stood in the snow, his body covered in snow, his nose and cheeks red from the cold, and said to him solemnly:
"Your Highness, you have the ability and ambition to return to the capital."
He stood stubbornly in the wind and snow, his eyes as fierce and unruly as a lone wolf. He sneered and looked sideways at the magnificent ceiling of the East Palace:
"If I come back, I will not just return to the East Palace, I will go to the Golden Palace."
The child bowed his head and said: "When you come back, I will take you as my master."
He half-drooped his long eyelashes, his eyebrows were as white as snow, and he looked indifferent and cold:
"You have to think carefully. If I come back, the Chang family must die."
"Seriously." The boy's ears were red from the cold. "I want to be your knife."
He looked at the boy's serious but childish face.
Both of them are equally childish.
However, human hearts are so fickle, it is too early to say this now.
He didn't take it seriously and got into the carriage alone.
He had not expected that exactly seven years later, the Nine-Star Reverse Wheel would open and a fire would break out on Mount Tianshan. He took advantage of the chaos and went down Mount Tianshan through a small path and returned to Beijing.
When I returned to Luojing, everything had changed.
His father has ascended the throne.
Li Ye has become the crown prince.
Chang Da chose a new mother for him.
His father inherited the throne, he became a prince, his younger brother moved into the Eastern Palace, and he even had a new mother.
All these things happened, and there was not even anyone to send him a letter from Tianshan Mountain.
His new mother had indeed made him experience a little bit of maternal love. Concubine Xie was gentle and kind, and didn't readily believe in the myth of a mother's death. She treated him like her own son. Knowing that he loved Dongpo pork elbow, she ordered the kitchen to make him a portion daily. Knowing that he had a stubborn and unruly nature, she didn't force things, but consulted his opinion on everything.
But Concubine Xie only stayed with him for two years.
It is said that his biological mother was afraid that she would be too favored, so she plotted to kill her.
From that day on, he vowed to kill everyone in the Chang family.
The year Li Ye ascended the throne, he went to look for his only close friend from many years ago.
Many years ago, I went to Tianshan Mountain and he was the only one who came to see me off.
When they were young, they had once conspired to trick Li Jingtai into a lake, causing him to choke on muddy water. They had also secretly plotted against Chang Da, causing him to find bugs in his tea, dung on his bamboo chopsticks, and horse urine in his wine. They had also sat high up in a restaurant, drinking and playing finger-guessing games, and lost so much that he had to give up his gold-carved and jade-inlaid scabbard. Finally, the two of them rode their horses down the street, laughing uncontrollably.
But human hearts are so fickle. After so many years, he could no longer confirm whether his words "I'm willing to be your sword" still held true.
Unexpectedly, in the dark room of the Prince of Qin's mansion, the man knelt on one knee, with a long sword on his waist, and bowed his head respectfully:
"My heart remains the same as before."
"I wish to be my Lord's sharp blade, I wish to be my Lord's precious sword. I wish to be my Lord's eyes, ears, blade, and shield."
"My loyalty remains unchanged, my heart is clear."
"My heart is clear."
His temperament had become even colder and more suspicious by then. He clasped the armrests of the armchair and asked indifferently:
"After so many years, why haven't you changed your mind?"
The man raised his head. Having not seen him for many years, his childishness had faded, his features were sharp and distinct, his skin and flesh stretched tight over his bones, and he looked resolute and steady.
"Years ago, the Duke's son bullied me, and you reached out to me and asked if I wanted to seek revenge."
"The prince is used to bullying me, and everyone looks down on me. You, the grandson of the emperor, have condescended to befriend me, a humble person. I will repay your kindness with all my heart."
"But for my Lord, I will not refuse death."
That was many years ago.
From then on, he sneaked into Prince Ding's palace and became Chang Zhong's deputy general. The two of them only communicated through letters and never met again.
When he saw him again, Li Xuanbai was only shocked.
The sky was getting slightly brighter, and the pale golden morning light dyed the sky a faint green. Willows were swaying by the Imperial Lake. He didn't know when he had come ashore and lay on the ground dying, without even the strength to straighten his neck.
Xu Wei supported his back, removed his breastplate, and pressed his chest again and again:
"My Lord Regent, how are you?"
He was exhausted and vomited out a few mouthfuls of muddy water. His mouth tasted salty and astringent, and he felt dizzy.
He lowered his head and a wine gourd was brought to his lips.
Xu Wei: "Have some wine!"
The wine goes down my throat and fills my lungs with bitterness and spiciness.
Xu Wei quickly took off his armor, put on his armor stained with lotus leaves, and tied his cloak around his neck.
"Chang Da was chased by the three Fuyu guards and fled in the middle of the night. The Jurchens killed several of Chang's army. Chang Da went straight to the Purple Palace. I don't know if the emperor is there. You must go to the Purple Palace quickly. Any further delay will only lead to failure!"
He stared blankly at Xu Wei as he put on the Chang family army's iron helmet for him.
"This armor can only protect against Chang Da of the Chang family army, not the Jurchens. You must be careful!" He finally tied the small rope under Li Xuanbai's helmet. "This is a moment of life and death. Years of preparation depend on this one move!"
Suddenly, several voices shouted from afar: "Where is the Regent? Search!"
Xu Wei put on Li Xuanbai's silver helmet. In the morning light, the fine silver helmet gleamed brightly.
"We part today, and I fear we may never meet again. I have no other requests, but only hope that my Lord will follow your path and fulfill your ideals!"
He clasped his hands together in front of his chest, bowed to the ground, and bowed deeply:
"Just follow your path! Pursue your ambition! Act as supreme! Don't look back!"
"Wei Jin says goodbye!"
After he finished speaking, Xu Wei stood up, mounted his horse, and with a flick of his whip, the horse rushed forward and left in a cloud of dust.
Only the scarlet cloak with coiled dragon pattern is as majestic as fire.
Li Xuanbai lay flat on the lakeshore, staring at the sky quietly for about three quarters of an hour.
After a while, he forced himself to stand up, staggered, raised his head and drank the wine in the wine gourd in one gulp.
He suddenly threw the wine gourd into the lake and wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his hand.
Close friends and lovers left him.
There is no more room for hesitation, and no turning back.
He raised his eyes and looked towards the Purple Palace.
In the dawn light, the golden roof of the Purple Palace is magnificent.
The long golden steps in front of the palace were littered with corpses.
So many years of contempt, indifference, harsh treatment, and injustice. So many years of resentment. So many years of unwillingness, confusion, indignation, and unyielding.
All of this has finally come to an end.
Blood was still flowing from his shoulder and the lake water was stinking. He held his sword in his hand, ignoring everything and staring at the distant Zichen Palace with his eyes.
The Purple Palace is located at the top of the imperial city.
The long steps in front of the palace are endless, and the golden steps are bleeding, winding down.
Looking around, the nobles dressed in silk and satin died tragically under the swords, and red blood splattered on the corridors with carved beams and lacquer paintings. There was a deafening cry of killing and the sound of horse hooves everywhere. The Jinshui River under the white jade bridge was already red, and corpses piled up like mountains on the river bank. Favored eunuchs and stray cats and dogs were piled together in one place.
Even the palace roads were littered with corpses.
Li Xuanbai clutched the hilt of his sword, his face covered in blood and tears, veins bulging in his temples, and he slowly walked up the long steps, step by step.
There is no turning back on the path to becoming an emperor.
He was determined as iron.
So many years... I've been waiting for so many years.
The revenge for the beatings and scoldings, the revenge for having an affair with his mother, the revenge for being exiled to the Tianshan Mountains, the revenge for helping to establish his illegitimate son as the crown prince, the hatred for being poisoned by a tiger and eaten by its own cubs, the hatred for being abandoned by his mother, every one of these things, now has been avenged!
He finally stepped onto the last step of the jade stairs.
The door of the Purple Palace was wide open, and there was a burst of shouting and wailing inside the palace. Li Xuanbai stepped on the threshold and turned around to take a last look into the distance.
It's dawn!
Who will win and who will lose, who will be the king and who will be the enemy, will all be revealed today!
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