Xiao Zhongzi listened carefully, and his expression changed. "Your Majesty, it seems... it seems to have come from Taihe Gate."
Chu Chu swayed, gasped for breath, and pushed Xiao Zhongzi, "Go, go take a look." She had a bad feeling.
Xiao Zhongzi quickly accepted the order and left.
Chu Chu was restless in her bedchamber. Before Xiao Zhongzi returned, she received a message from the spies she had sent out: "Your Majesty, we have found out where General Xu Xie is."
The anxious Chu Chu didn't notice the scout's hesitant expression. As if grasping at a last straw, she urgently asked, looking behind her, "Where is he? Why wasn't he brought back?"
"Your Majesty," the scout bowed and said with difficulty, "General Xu is currently in the palace of Kuiyang Kingdom. She... she has defected to Yexi Kingdom and is now leading tens of thousands of soldiers to force the emperor to abdicate."
"What? What did you say?" Chu Chu rushed up to the scout, grabbed her collar, his eyes bloodshot and looking like he wanted to devour her. His usual kindness and compassion were nowhere to be seen. "How come you only came to report such important news now? What have I been keeping you around for?!"
The spies had no way to express their grievances. When General Xu first disappeared, His Majesty didn't even ask them to investigate. It was as if General Xu's disappearance was exactly what she wanted.
But she naturally dared not say these things aloud.
The sounds of fighting ahead grew closer. Chu Chu shoved the scout aside, his face grim and terrifying. "Summon all the Imperial Guards, the Five Cities Garrison, and all available troops from the capital to the palace to quell the rebels! Go now!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Chu Chu didn't have time to think about why Xu Xie was able to appear in the capital with so many troops so quietly. After the initial panic subsided, she hurriedly ran towards the Cold Palace, where there was a secret passage in the palace. She would return after her troops had wiped out these rebels.
However, she had only been running out in a panic for a short while when an arrow whizzed past her ear and embedded itself straight in the pillar in front of her.
Chu Chu's body froze instantly.
Despite being covered in snow, Bi Xie's beauty remained as striking as ever. "Where is Your Majesty going?"
"Xu Xie, you're rebelling!" Chu Chu's eyes turned red as he saw the bloodstains on her sword. "It really is you. You've sided with the Ye Xi Kingdom?" If it was her, then it wouldn't be hard to explain how she managed to sneak into the capital without anyone noticing right under her nose. She always had convincing abilities.
“No,” Bi Xie smiled slightly, “Xu Xie is the General of the Cavalry of Kuiyang Kingdom, a title personally bestowed by His Majesty. How could he possibly defect to Ye Xi Kingdom?”
"Then how do you explain leading the enemy troops into the palace in the dead of night!" Chu Chu was furious.
"Your Majesty might as well take a closer look. What's behind me isn't the enemy army, but the Xu family army," Bi Xie said with a mocking smirk. "Your Majesty can't even distinguish friend from foe. What use are these eyes to you? Why don't I take them off for you and donate them to those in need?"
"How dare you!" Chu Chu was furious. "How dare you speak to me like that? Since you are still alive, why did you go to Ye Xi Kingdom? Tell me honestly, is Ye Xi Kingdom's mobilization of troops to invade the border related to you?" She had been wondering why Ye Xi Kingdom suddenly launched a large-scale invasion, especially after Xu Xie's disappearance. Now it seemed that the two were indeed connected!
"Why does Your Majesty ask questions you already know the answer to?" Blood congealed on the blade as Bi Xie dragged the sword toward Chu Chu. "When Your Majesty administered the Five-Stone Powder to me, you should have known this day would come. Xu Xie is loyal to the Kingdom of Kuiyang, not Your Majesty. Since Your Majesty wants Xu Xie dead, then I can only send Your Majesty off on your journey ahead of time."
Chu Chu stared at the blood-stained sword she raised, his pupils shrinking sharply. He involuntarily took a half-step back. "What... what do you want to do? Xu Xie, open your eyes and take a good look. I am the Emperor of Kuiyang Kingdom, the ruler of all people. How dare you commit regicide?"
"General Xu, wait a moment."
The starlight was dim, the snow was silent, and the white snow reflected the coldness of the sword, which hovered just above Chu Chu's head.
Chu Chu was terrified, her face pale and her body unsteady. Her eyes were fixed on the person walking behind Xu Xie, utterly horrified. "Royal sister..." Wasn't she supposed to have died of illness during her exile? How could she still be alive!
"Royal sister," Chu Wei sighed, her eyes filled with unbearable pain, "We are all of the same origin, why are you so eager to harm me? Royal sister... why can't you tolerate even a grain of sand in your eyes? Chu Wei never thought of competing with you for this position, why are you pressing me step by step, leaving me no way out?"
If it weren't for General Xu Xie showing her and A Huan a way out, the Prime Minister's mansion and she, the carefree prince, would probably be gone by now.
Bi Xie flicked her wrist, sheathed her sword, and instructed Wei Fang to send someone to count the corpses and bloodstains in the palace. She turned to Chu Wei and said, "Since the Prince of Xiaoyao and His Majesty still have things to discuss, this humble general will not disturb them any longer." After saying that, she turned and left, and a group of soldiers behind her immediately surrounded Chu Wei.
Chu Chu was imprisoned.
The next day, when the officials went to court, they were captured by the Xu family army, who had already disguised themselves, as soon as they entered the palace gate.
However, the people of Kuiyang Kingdom were unaware that a tremendous change had taken place in the palace, and the whole country was in an uproar, because when they woke up they learned that General Xu Xie had returned and was about to go to the battlefield to fight the enemy.
The defeats of the past few days had left the once prosperous Kuiyang Kingdom somewhat dejected. Now, the news of General Xu Xie's return has invigorated the entire nation, and the streets have returned to their former bustling state, with everyone spreading the good news.
Several days later, the first victory report since the start of the war indeed came from the front lines—General Xu Xie led reinforcements to rescue General Zhenguo and tens of thousands of soldiers trapped at Guchipo.
The entire nation of Kuiyang was in a frenzy of celebration, with people everywhere dancing lions and setting off firecrackers in celebration.
A few days later, news came from the front lines that the Yexi Kingdom was withdrawing its troops.
On the day the Yexi Kingdom withdrew its troops, Empress Chu Chu, dressed in simple casual clothes, stood atop the Zhaiyue Tower, the tallest tower in the Kuiyang Kingdom.
Some of the people below the city wall recognized her and exclaimed, "Her Majesty the Empress! It's Her Majesty the Empress!" The people knelt down in fear, only to find that their Empress's eyes were very dull. She was holding a stack of Xuan paper in her hand. She walked unsteadily to the edge of the tall building, and with a flick of her wrist, the Xuan paper was scattered by the wind like snowflakes into the hands of the people.
Bi Xie leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, coldly watching Chu Chu, whose consciousness was fading under the influence of the Five-Stone Powder.
"A letter of apology!" someone in the crowd exclaimed in surprise.
Immediately afterwards, the contents of the letter of apology were read aloud by the literate scholar. It clearly described how the Empress had listened to the slanderous words of treacherous officials and eliminated loyal ministers and generals, how she had protected treacherous officials and wrongly accused Prince Xiaoyao, how she had people torture Prince Xiaoyao during his exile, causing him to almost die of illness en route, and how she was wary of General Xu Xie, so she sent the young heir of the Duke of Ningguo's mansion to marry into the general's mansion and forge letters of treason from Xu Xie...
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