Jiang Wuyai panicked immediately and practically jumped up and down to pledge his loyalty:
“If Junior Sister has any instructions, I, your senior brother, will obey them without question.”
"I'd go through fire and water for you, junior sister!"
Qin Zhaoyue sighed. Circumstances forced her to accept this newfound senior brother, even if she had to grit her teeth and admit it: "Senior brother, is what you say true?"
"Absolutely true! More real than real gold!" Jiang Wuyai pounded his chest loudly.
Okay~
"There are four seniors at the second rank here now, and we must ensure that at least one of them stays by the Empress's side at all times."
He used his own spiritual energy to suppress the erosion of the life-giving poison and slow down its loss.
There must be at least one person stationed inside and outside the Imperial Study to ensure the safety of all imperial heirs.
Whenever Third Sister leaves the Imperial Study, she must be accompanied by a second-rank guard.
"How should we arrange the shift rotations? Should we ask Mr. Xue to coordinate this?"
Old Master Xue nodded slowly: "I obey your command."
"Hoo..." Qin Zhaoyue slowly exhaled a breath of pent-up air, and her tense nerves relaxed slightly.
That's all we can do for now, as far as I can think of.
At this moment, the Third Princess Qin Zhaowan came over with the newly drafted imperial edict, and Su Quan carefully presented her with the phoenix beak seal that symbolized the Empress's power.
"Zhaoyue," Qin Zhaowan called softly.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Qin Zhaoyue took the heavy jade seal.
Dip it in vermilion ink and press it firmly onto the end of the imperial edict.
"Hand it over to Prime Minister Pei, and send it to the Fengge Terrace for official seal. Proclaim it to the world at tomorrow's morning court."
"yes."
With everything temporarily settled, Qin Zhaoyue's shoulders suddenly relaxed.
He leaned against the edge of the dragon bed, almost limp, as if all the bones in his body had been removed, and even his fingertips showed a deep weariness.
"Oh my goodness! My little darling!"
Su Quan had been staring at her, and upon seeing this, he immediately exclaimed and stepped forward.
"You must hold on! Don't let go!"
Qin Zhaoyue seemed to have almost no strength left, even to roll her eyes, and waved her hand weakly:
"Okay, okay... Everyone, go ahead and do your jobs."
"yes!"
The group accepted the order and, with heavy yet resolute hearts, quietly withdrew from the Imperial Study.
Only a heavy silence remained, along with the faint sound of breathing.
Above the palace, two whistling arrows, one yellow and one red, suddenly pierced the sky with a mournful whistle.
Like a drop of thick ink falling into still water, it instantly shattered the morning tranquility of Fengjing City.
Immediately afterwards, key locations throughout the city, the towering city walls, and the area outside the city leading to the Beijing garrison were lit in sequence, as if by pre-arranged coded signals.
The same yellow and red whistling arrows rose into the air one after another, and were passed down quickly and orderly along the predetermined route.
The signal spread outwards, reaching a hidden beacon tower thirty miles away from Fengjing.
Suddenly it split into four, spreading out layer by layer in the four directions of east, west, south, and north.
...
Linhai Prefecture.
At noon, the sunlight during the White Dew season carried a hint of dryness, but it wasn't too intense.
The streets were bustling with people, vendors were calling out their wares, and the teahouses and taverns along the street were wafting enticing aromas.
The shop assistants at the silk store were diligently showing newly arrived Hangzhou silk to a lady with a maid. Several mischievous children chased and played as they ran past the street corner. Everything exuded the languid and prosperous atmosphere of this wealthy coastal area.
However, when those two special yellow and red whistling arrows exploded high in the sky, producing a dull yet extremely penetrating bang, something deeply rooted beneath this prosperity was instantly activated.
The old man who always sells fish porridge at the street corner suddenly put down the large bowl in his hand;
The young shop assistant in the calligraphy and painting shop across the street, who was wiping down the antique display shelves, suddenly had a sharp look in his eyes;
Not far away, at the window of an embroidery building, the embroiderer who was threading a needle also stopped what she was doing.
The next moment, the old man selling porridge overturned the boiling pot of porridge and pulled out a gleaming long knife from under his stall.
The shop assistant kicked open a hidden compartment under his feet and pulled out a standard-issue waist knife;
The embroiderer then pulled out a pair of short thorns directly from behind the embroidery frame...
More and more seemingly ordinary people, workers, and vendors put down their work and revealed their hidden fangs.
They emerged from all directions, silently and swiftly converging in the same direction.
At the forefront, a figure appeared like a ghost; it was none other than Zhu You, the commander of the Xuanji Guard, who had been lying in wait for many years.
His face was cold and stern, and he held a long sword with an ancient design but a menacing aura in his hand.
More and more troops gathered behind them, including not only the Xuanji Guards, but also the Qingluan Guards in light armor and the elite Qilin Guards with their imposing auras.
Like streams flowing into a river, they quickly formed a formidable and menacing force.
Without shouting or hesitation, the procession accelerated and transformed into a torrent of steel.
They launched an assault on the colossal Cui family mansion, which had been entrenched in the deepest part of Linhai Prefecture for a thousand years!
Pedestrians screamed and scattered in panic, traffic was in chaos, and the bustling city was instantly torn apart by this sudden attack.
Until the vermilion-lacquered, gilded, towering, and majestic thousand-year-old family mansion came into view.
The gate of the Cui family mansion is magnificent, with two huge stone lions standing solemnly in front of it.
The two characters "Cui Mansion" on the high-hanging plaque were written by a great calligrapher of the previous dynasty, and they still shine brightly despite the wind and rain.
The lintels and brackets are layered upon each other, and the carved beams and painted rafters are exquisitely crafted, silently telling of its millennia-old heritage and supreme glory.
Zhu You drew his sword, exerted force with his feet, and leaped into the air like a roc.
The long sword in his hand sliced through the air, accompanied by a piercing sound of tearing silk.
Boom!
With a deafening roar, the heavy mansion gate, which symbolized the dignity and shield of a thousand-year-old family, was shattered by his single stroke.
Wood chips flew everywhere, and copper nails shattered!
Behind them, an elite force composed of the Xuanji Guard, Qingluan Guard, and Qilin Guard surged in through the breached gate in an instant.
The procession rushed through the shattered porch and was greeted by a huge blue stone screen wall, which was carved with intricate patterns of pine trees and cranes symbolizing longevity.
Beyond the screen wall lies a spacious courtyard paved with bluestone slabs, with winding covered walkways on both sides leading into the depths.
Without stopping, the group split into several streams and quickly advanced along the main road and side corridors.
The servants in the mansion had never seen such a scene before. Some were so frightened that they stood frozen on the spot, while others screamed and ran in panic.
Who are you people?!
"How dare you trespass into the Cui residence!"
Some bold managers tried to rebuke and obstruct them.
The soldiers at the forefront ignored them completely, either striking with their scabbards or knocking them unconscious with a single blow.
Without pausing, they continued their rapid advance deeper into the mansion.
The same intrusion occurred outside the high walls surrounding the Cui residence, clearly indicating that the perpetrators were intimately familiar with the complex layout of this vast mansion.
Whether it's artificial hills and flowing water, pavilions and towers, or maze-like corridors and courtyards, nothing can slow them down in the slightest.
The goal is clear and directly targets the core issues.
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