Grand Commandant Shen initially felt something was amiss, because it seemed that Prime Minister Xia had previously "stepped down," so why was he suddenly acting so aggressively? Besides, wasn't the Tiger Tally still in the Prime Minister's hands? Wasn't the young emperor being too hasty in turning against him like this?
But gradually, he sensed that Qi Yu was becoming increasingly irritable in the court, even killing people at the slightest disagreement, causing widespread panic. This made Grand Commandant Shen feel that "the time had come."
However, he didn't know that it was all just a show.
Late August was the height of summer, humid and sweltering, with wind and rain looming.
After that night, Qi Yu didn't bother her all day the next day, which made Xia Yixin wonder. However, after dark, when Ying Qi knocked on the door, she knew the reason.
"Miss, it's time to prepare to leave."
Grand Commandant Shen couldn't wait any longer and led thirteen warlords in rebellion.
Then she heard the system notification sound.
"Ding! Congratulations on completing the sub-quest 'Cultivating Pillars of the Nation' at 100% completion! The young emperor has grown into a cunning and ruthless ruler. You have gained 1000 points. Your total points are now... Congratulations!"
She had already changed into a palace maid's clothes. After confirming that all the palace maids and eunuchs in Fengqi Palace had been knocked unconscious and carried out, Xia Yixin took a deep look at Fengqi Palace and suddenly remembered something. "Wait, I still need to go to the stables."
The wind is still here; if she's going to leave, she should take it with her.
There are many valuable horses in the Imperial Stables, but horses like Tafeng and Liuyun are served by dedicated staff. It's been almost half a year since Xia Yixin last saw Tafeng.
This sight completely shocked them. They didn't know when, but Liuyun had ended up in the same stable as it, and the two horses seemed to be inseparable.
Since the two horses first met last winter and were raised together after returning to the palace, they have indeed developed a bond.
Xia Yixin touched Tafeng and immediately noticed something was wrong—it was pregnant! It was at least five months along; the horse was heavily pregnant, but not bloated, and its whole body radiated maternal glow.
Seemingly sensing its master's emotions, Tafeng nuzzled against her, while Liuyun also wanted to join in, but was pushed away by Xia Yixin.
"You lecherous horse, my Tafeng is still a young mare, how could you bring yourself to bite her."
She couldn't help but glance sideways at the white cloud-like horse; its personality was just like its owner's.
However, for safety's sake, she decided to take Ta Yun with her.
At first, Tafeng didn't know what was going on and let Xia Yixin lead it out of the stable. After walking more than a hundred meters, Liuyun began to feel uneasy and kept whinnying. Tafeng wanted to respond, but Yingqi forcibly took it from Xia Yixin's hands.
"Miss, the fire has started, we must leave quickly," Shadow Seven warned.
Xia Yixin looked to the west, and sure enough, Fengqi Palace was on fire.
She suppressed her reluctance and followed Yingqi onto the horse, while Tafeng's reins were tied to another horse, and she passively followed along.
Behind them came the neighing and roaring of the flowing clouds, and the other horses seemed to sense it and neighed along with them.
late at night.
Thick dark clouds obscured the entire palace, a strong wind rose, thunder rumbled, and a storm was brewing.
Just like in the original story, Grand Commandant Shen bribed the guards at the city gate, and the Shen family army, along with thirteen other warlords, suddenly launched an attack in the middle of the night, taking advantage of the darkness to storm the capital. Their pretext was "purging the emperor's inner circle," and they coerced Qi Yu to dismiss Xia Jingfeng from his post and dismantle the Northern Martial Cavalry.
However, there are some differences.
Leading the thirteen warlords and Shen's army were three teenagers of similar age.
Grand Commandant Shen has quite a few children, and all three are considered to be of outstanding appearance, but Shen Shaoyang is the most outstanding.
Shen Shaoyang was only in his early twenties.
The famous little tyrant of the capital is the eldest son of Grand Commandant Shen, and he is quite handsome.
Tall and slender, clad in silver armor, he exuded a sharp and arrogant air. His handsome features did not appear effeminate, but rather noble, as if he were born superior to others. His narrow eyes burned with ambition.
The other two are: one is the eldest son of Grand Commandant Shen, a prized student of a renowned Confucian scholar, and highly regarded within aristocratic circles; the other is the second son of the Shen family, a master of martial arts, whom even the Shen family army admires.
Although the three came from the same family, they fought their own battles. This time, they each worked hard to recruit the thirteen warlords. Shen Shaoyang, being born out of wedlock, had no status or position and only managed to recruit three warlords. The remaining thirteen warlords were split in half between the other two.
Today, whoever seizes the imperial seal first will become the next head of the Shen family. Unfortunately, Shen Shaoyang was asked by the other two to bring up the rear because he "brought the fewest people," and he was at the very back of the group.
However, this still couldn't extinguish the madness in Shen Shaoyang's eyes, a desperate gamble.
He had endured for over a decade, feigning indifference, but in reality, he had been waiting for this day. Thinking of the promise the Grand Commandant had made to him, his resolve strengthened; a little girl was waiting for him to come and fetch her. Shen Shaoyang had a younger sister named Shen Ruyu, seven years his junior. Unfortunately, when she was young, a Taoist priest had predicted she would be a jinx to the Shen family, destined to cause chaos and misfortune.
So she was raised in a temple when she was a child. At first, he could still see her, but later the Grand Commandant sent her to a more distant place. Shen Shaoyang has been searching for her for many years, but to no avail.
This time, Grand Commandant Shen finally relented. As long as the matter succeeded, he would know Shen Ruyu's whereabouts, and the temptation of power was too great.
Shen Shaoyang was fed up with playing dumb. He was going to slap those people in the face!
The thirteen warlords plus Shen's army.
The 500,000-strong army split into three routes and launched a night attack on the Beiwu Iron Cavalry's four-sided camp.
To their surprise, the Northern Martial Cavalry put up only a brief resistance before fleeing immediately, while the other cavalry groups celebrated.
The only odd one was Shen Shaoyang, but now, the die was cast and the arrow had to be released.
However, he was cunning and deliberately left his men to cover the rear, while his two older brothers went to scout out the situation first.
at the same time.
Just as Shen Shaoyang led the thirteen princes to break into the palace at night, Xia Yixin also began preparing to leave.
Nangong Yingqi set fire to Fengqi Palace, which also seemed to ignite the flames of war that night.
Before long, the eunuch who discovered the fire exclaimed, "Fire! Fire in Fengqi Palace!"
The fire quickly turned half the sky red.
With a deafening roar, the palace gates opened, and the Shen family army, along with the thirteen allied lords, rode into the palace. Passing through the first palace gate and across the Divine Martial Avenue, they would reach the main hall and then storm into the emperor and empress's bedchamber.
"Treason! The Shen family has betrayed us!! Ah!" In the darkness, a young eunuch who was in a hurry to escape cried out in alarm, and soon he too became a victim of the blade.
Thousands of cavalrymen stormed into the palace, and the thunderous sound of hooves could be heard throughout the capital that night.
The second son of the Shen family, unable to contain his impatience, charged to the front, his blade stained with blood, his eyes bloodshot, raising his sword high and roaring, "Purge the court of corrupt officials! Restore the Han Dynasty!"
However, when this procession of tens of thousands of people walked out of Shenwu Avenue and arrived at the vast main hall square, they suddenly felt something was wrong. Apart from the eunuchs who couldn't dodge in time and the gatekeepers, there were no imperial guards or Northern Martial Guards!
Something's not right, something's really not right.
However, it is easy for tens of thousands of troops to enter, but difficult for them to retreat.
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