Chapter 136

Chapter 136

After leaving the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Shen Chen feverishly unrolled the imperial edict, reading it once more by the lantern light beneath the corridor eaves. The dimples at the corners of his mouth deepened with each word. Only after he had finished did he carefully roll the edict tight and tuck it securely into his sleeve.

Once the initial euphoria subsided, his remaining shreds of reason quickly returned.

He was acutely aware that Shen Zheng still held the upper hand. The Southern Liu and Northern Jun factions had long been subdued by him, the court was filled with his loyalists, and military power was firmly in his grasp.

His own position as Crown Prince was merely a stopgap measure born of their father's rage and desperation.

If he wanted to crush Shen Zheng in one fell swoop, he still had to rely on the mantle of "legitimacy."

No matter how brilliant Shen Zheng's political achievements were, or how obedient the court seemed, there would always be those old ministers who, in the emperor's pay, viewed imperial decrees as divine law and were willing to defend them with their lives.

As long as he displayed this edict and publicly announced Shen Zheng's crimes of "being deluded by male charms, disrupting moral order, and overstepping his authority to defy the sovereign," these men would surely step forward to lead the opposition against Shen Zheng.

At that point, Shen Zheng would lose all legitimacy to succeed the throne, leaving him with only two paths.

Either surrender meekly, beg for their father's forgiveness, and be reduced to a prisoner henceforth; or, relying on his military power, stage a coup to seize the throne and bear the infamy of a traitorous rebel.

A smirk played on Shen Chen's lips. He didn't need to guess; he knew Shen Zheng would never willingly admit defeat. A coup was his only choice.

But even a coup? Did the Three Great Battalions and the Five City Military Command lack loyalty to the sovereign?

As long as he made clear their father's decree, those officers and soldiers would surely hesitate in their hearts.

Who would risk the extermination of their nine clans for rebellion? Why wouldn't they switch allegiance to him, the legitimate Crown Prince?

Once military morale crumbled, Shen Zheng would become an empty shell, strong only in appearance. Shen Chen himself commanded five thousand Imperial Guards within the Forbidden City. By strictly guarding the four main palace gates and buying time, steadily eroding Shen Zheng's morale and popular support, there might still be a chance to turn the tables.

Thinking this, Shen Chen's smugness crept to his brows.

He summoned four captains. "By His Majesty's decree, I have been appointed Crown Prince. You are to immediately muster all Imperial Guards within the Forbidden City. Secure the Meridian Gate, the Gate of Divine Prowess, the East Glorious Gate, and the West Glorious Gate. If you encounter Shen Zheng's rebel faction attempting a coup, kill them on sight without mercy!"

The four captains promptly accepted the order and departed. Shen Chen personally took command at the Meridian Gate. Five thousand Imperial Guards drew their blades, crossbows were readied, transforming the Forbidden City into an impregnable fortress.

By the time all this was arranged, it was deep into the night.

Palace lanterns hung in rows under the corridors as before, their light flickering in the wind, casting an aura of grim solemnity everywhere.

Palace staff and eunuchs hurried back and forth, heads bowed, steps quick, not daring even to breathe loudly.

Though unaware of the details, they had keenly sensed the impending storm.

Shen Chen stood atop the Meridian Gate tower, now clad in black armor himself. The autumn wind swept across the battlements, but he felt no chill—only adrenaline coursing through him.

Leaning on a crenellation, he shouted towards the soldiers blockading the streets outside the city: "Have Han Zhengping report to me! I demand to know if he, as Commander, still acknowledges the current Emperor's imperial decree!"

The soldiers below stood in strict formation, not a single one responding.

Firstly, their rank was too low to converse with a prince. Secondly, they had strict orders: to heed only the Crown Prince's commands and ignore all else.

With their superiors bearing responsibility, they remained steady, treating Shen Chen's shouts as mere background noise.

The larger the organization, the more rigid its operations. These men would not improvise or defect. They required orders passed down through the chain of command; they needed directives from their immediate superiors.

But with Han Zhengping nowhere to be seen, Shen Chen's edict became an arrow shot into the void.

"Where is Han Zhengping?!" Shen Chen gnashed his teeth, his ferocious intent laid bare. "A mere Commander, how dare he place the palace under martial law and sever the inner and outer imperial districts on his own authority? I think he's tired of living!"

He surmised that with such commotion inside the palace, those outside couldn't possibly be unaware. Han Zhengping must be nearby.

Yet no matter how he tried to provoke, the area below the tower remained eerily silent.

Shen Chen felt the frustration of punching cotton. With nowhere to vent his rage, resentment filled his heart. It was all their father's fault for being so negligent in the past, allowing Shen Zheng to sideline him to this extent!

Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to try another approach.

Shen Chen yanked a captain beside him closer and issued a grim order: "You, immediately select a unit of elite troops. Proceed with all haste to the residences of all officials, great and small, within the capital. Inform them of the change in heir apparent. Furthermore, relay the command: summon all officials to gather outside the Meridian Gate immediately to hear the decree!"

"Your subordinate obeys!"

The captain accepted the order, swiftly selected a hundred elite Imperial Guards, and they surged out through the open Meridian Gate, colliding with the Five City Military Command.

Both sides were soldiers of Da Qian. Though their stances differed, it had not yet reached a life-or-death struggle. The Imperial Guards tried to charge out to deliver the message; the Military Command used their bodies to block them. There was pushing and shoving, yet not a single blade was drawn.

The Military Command ultimately couldn't withstand the Imperial Guards' ferocity. Before long, a breach was torn open. The hundred Imperial Guards seized the opportunity to disperse, rushing into various parts of the capital to summon the officials.

Standing atop the tower, Shen Chen watched this scene and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

A long-absent sense of destiny arose within him. He, Shen Chen, was fated to turn the tide at this critical moment and reclaim the throne that was rightfully his!

But reality soon dealt him a heavy blow.

Those Imperial Guards, after immense difficulty, finally reached the gates of the court officials' residences and knocked. The response they received was, "His Lordship is not at home."

Faced with repeated rejections and constant obstruction from the Five City Military Command, the Imperial Guards' efforts yielded minimal results.

Outside the Forbidden City, the offices of the Six Ministries were brightly lit, having gathered the vast majority of capital officials.

After the capital's lockdown was imposed, an unknown dread overwhelmed everyone. Coinciding with invitations sent by several key Grand Secretaries, they had all congregated here, hoping for some clarity.

But an hour had passed, and still no one could provide a definitive answer.

"What exactly is the Crown Prince's intention? What kind of upheaval has occurred within the palace to warrant a city-wide lockdown?" The Grand Astrologer Zhu Xiwen, being the most forthright, couldn't help but stand up and demand.

Guo Pingmao, with his kindly brows and benevolent eyes, stroked his graying beard and said leisurely, "Grand Astrologer, do not be anxious. This old man is also here keeping you company, am I not?"

"Grand Tutor!" Zhu Xiwen stamped his foot in agitation. "You gentlemen have been speaking in riddles all afternoon. Can't you give a straight answer?"

Lan Jianghe rose, clasping his hands behind his back, his emotions inscrutable. "The Crown Prince detected that someone within the palace intended to take advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. He is merely adapting to the circumstances, luring the snake out of its hole. Everyone, please remain calm. Results will soon be apparent."

"This is too troublesome. I shall go to the palace immediately to request an audience with His Majesty and ascertain exactly who is causing trouble!" One official rose impatiently, preparing to leave the office.

Gu Weizhi held a teacup, sipping unhurriedly while picking up a pastry and placing it in his mouth. With an air of utter nonchalance, he gave a slight glance to the guards.

Immediately, four men stepped forward to block the official's path.

The key Grand Secretaries and the Three Masters of the Crown Prince took turns offering reassurances and dissuasions. The officials were firmly kept within the ministry offices, unable to move, left to wait anxiously.

Incense sticks burned down section by section; time passed minute by minute. The nine gates of the capital were ablaze with light, dyeing half the skyline a fiery red.

Shen Chen stood atop the Meridian Gate tower, eagerly looking out. He waited a full hour before a mere thirty-some insignificant minor officials hurriedly arrived below the wall.

His heart sank.

But he had no other choice. Facing the sparse crowd below, he raised his voice: "His Majesty has deposed the former Crown Prince Shen Zheng. I, having received the decree, am established as heir apparent to the Eastern Palace, commanded to defend the palace city, apprehend traitors, and rectify the court's governance! At this critical moment of survival, you must unite with me to restore clarity and order to our Great Qian!"

Those minor officials, having never encountered such an upheaval in their lives, could only kneel on the ground in panic and trepidation, shouting, "Long live the Crown Prince!"

"Excellent, you are all loyal ministers of Da Qian. Afterwards, I will reward you according to your merits and will not treat you unfairly!" Shen Chen's eyes flooded with crimson.

Before his words had fully faded, a thunderous sound of synchronized hoofbeats suddenly erupted from the direction of Zhengyang Gate in the distance, ripping through the deep night.

The oppressive force of thousands of troops on the march made the ground tremble slightly. Even before seeing any figures, Shen Chen's cheek began to tremble uncontrollably.

He stood on tiptoe, craning his neck, his gaze fixed intently on the distant alleyways. Grabbing the officer beside him, he asked sharply, "Is it Shen Zheng? How many troops has he brought?"

"I... can't make them out, my lord. There are too many!"

Shen Chen shoved him away violently, his voice strident and hoarse: "Close the palace gates! Archers, take your positions! Defend to the death!"

"As you command!"

At the same time, the gates of Zhengyang Gate swung open with a mighty crash.

Mo Shu was already waiting atop the city wall. As soon as he saw the figures of Shen Zheng and Wen Zuo, he immediately ordered the gates opened to welcome them.

Shen Zheng and Jun Dingyuan, accompanied by the commanders of the Three Great Battalions, urged their horses into the city. They joined forces with Mo Shu and Han Zhengping, and without stopping, the entire force charged straight towards the Forbidden City.

Upon reaching Chengtian Gate, Jun Mulan, Liu Kangren, the Marquis of Yongning, and Duke Liu were already waiting there. The two veteran generals had donned their armor once more, holding their reins and commanding their steeds. Though their temples were frosted with age, their heroic spirit remained undiminished.

"Your Highness, Master Wen."

Shen Zheng gave a slight nod, his voice steady: "What is the situation within the palace?"

Han Zhengping stepped forward, clasping his fists: "Reporting to Your Highness, His Majesty has issued an edict, establishing the Sixth Prince, Shen Chen, as the new Crown Prince, ordering him to command the Imperial Guards, defend the palace city, and apprehend the so-called 'traitors and rebels.' Shen Chen is currently directing the battle at the Meridian Gate. He has already summoned over thirty officials to the foot of the wall to cheer for him. However, all the key ministers of the court have been secured by us within the Secretariat and the Six Ministries, and none have moved."

Wen Zuo had long since come to his senses. Upon entering the city, he had gotten an outer robe from Mo Shu to cover the crimson prince's robe of Shen Zheng that he wore.

Now, hearing the situation, a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"It seems Shen Chen knows his sole leverage is an imperial edict. So, he intends to use the five thousand Imperial Guards to defend the palace city to the death, and use the mouths of those minor officials to create momentum, painting Your Highness as a rebellious minister who storms the palace and usurps the throne. As long as he can drag this out until dawn, when the whole city knows, Your Highness will lose popular support, anger the stubborn old ministers at court, and be checkmated."

The Marquis of Yongning frowned deeply: "The Forbidden City is solidly built, and the streets are narrow. A strong assault is impossible. If Shen Chen defends to the death and refuses to come out, we will have difficulty breaching the city for a time. Once it drags on until daybreak, the variables increase greatly. Moreover, we cannot detain the officials indefinitely."

Wen Zuo lifted his gaze towards the brightly lit palace city, his voice calm and firm: "The Emperor's health is frail and failing, nearing his final moments. If it were not so, why would Shen Chen need to expend so much effort on the city tower? If His Majesty were here in person to take command, we would lose the initiative. Since His Majesty cannot appear, the Crown Prince also has an intercepted edict in hand. Both are imperial edicts—which is genuine, which is false? Shen Chen is the traitor here. He took advantage of Your Highness's absence from the palace to imprison the sovereign father and attempt usurpation. Your Highness, hearing of the turmoil, returned to the capital to purge the court of malign elements and execute the rebellious ministers—this is righteous and justified!"

Wen Zuo turned to look at Shen Zheng behind him: "The main roads and passes are sealed, reinforcements are cut off. The Imperial Guards have no external rescue; their morale will crack from within. As the saying goes, 'The highest form of warfare is to attack the enemy's strategy; the next, to attack his alliances; the next, to attack his army; the lowest, to attack his fortified cities.' When the Imperial Guards see the Three Great Battalions, the Ministry of War, and the Five City Military Command all standing by the Crown Prince's side, and the key ministers of the Six Ministries appearing together, of a single mind, they will surely understand that the tide has turned. To resist is to die; laying down their arms is merely a matter of time. Moreover, within the palace city, we already have our own people. I assume Your Highness had already made arrangements when you left the palace. No matter how grand a show Shen Chen puts on now, his back is against the wall."

Shen Zheng looked into Wen Zuo's sharp, dark eyes, a smile on his lips, calm and composed: "Wanshan is right. This Forbidden City—he cannot hold it."

With that, Shen Zheng took the lead, riding forward with the generals, pressing directly towards the Meridian Gate. Above and below, torches blazed furiously, their flames shooting skyward, dimming even the stars in the vast sky.

Shen Chen, sharp-eyed, spotted Shen Zheng and Wen Zuo riding together at a glance.

Wen Zuo was still a mess; his hair was still streaked with dust and moisture, yet his demeanor remained as noble as ever.

Shen Zheng had shed his cumbersome court robes, wearing only a simple gauze under-robe, over which was a black outer robe, secured with a leather belt and knee coverings. He remained dashing and heroic, he radiated authority without a hint of anger.

He wrenched a torch from a soldier beside him, pointing it directly at the foot of the wall, his stern eyes emitting a cold light: "Shen Zheng! You have defied the laws of the state and have been deposed by His Majesty! Now, leading troops to the palace gates—do you intend to rebel and storm the palace?"

The thirty-some minor officials at the foot of the wall, their backs against the palace wall, mustered their courage and chimed in unison: "Since His Majesty has issued a clear edict, the Fifth Prince should surrender!"

"The imperial command cannot be defied. Now, the Sixth Prince is the legitimate Crown Prince!"

"Our ranks may be lowly, but we have loyal hearts for our sovereign! If Your Highness were truly destined by Heaven, why would His Majesty change the heir?"

"Generals and commanders, do you not see the edict in the current Crown Prince's hand? Why do you still follow the rebel?"

"We may die for our loyalty, but our devotion to the Emperor is unwavering!"

Shen Zheng surveyed the group of blustering officials, then raised his hand, holding up the secret edict intercepted from Jiang Ziwei: "I have served as Regent for nearly a year, entrusted by His Majesty above, and obeyed by the officials below. Shen Chen took advantage of my absence from the capital to secretly frame me, abduct the sovereign father, and attempt usurpation! His Majesty, detecting his disloyal heart, secretly dispatched an Imperial Guard to deliver a secret edict to me, ordering me to mobilize the Three Great Battalions and the Ministry of War to capture this traitor alive and execute him without mercy! Your eyes are clouded, your hearts confused—you actually believe the rebel and aid the tyrant!"

The thirty-some minor officials suddenly saw Shen Zheng also produce an edict. Their faces instantly turned ashen. Several who were already wavering immediately threw themselves to the ground in prostration, changing their tune without pause: "Your servant is blind and ignorant, mistakenly trusted a villain, deserving ten thousand deaths! I beg Your Highness for mercy!"

On the city tower, Shen Chen was so furious his vision darkened. He roared hoarsely: "Shen Zheng, what a sharp tongue you have! That edict was originally His Majesty's secret order to execute you and the treacherous official Wen Zuo! You merely seized it by force and glossed it over with clever words!"

Shen Zheng retorted sharply: "Master Wen repaired dikes, managed floods, and provided disaster relief in Mianzhou. His pure reputation fills the land. When did he become the treacherous official you speak of? This shows you are already babbling nonsense, panicked and desperate!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the officials below the wall leaned even more towards Shen Zheng.

Wen Zuo's political achievements were illustrious, his disciples countless—how could he be a treacherous official?

The Imperial Guards on the wall also began to waver. They had not personally seen the edict. What if it truly was Shen Chen conspiring with the officers, forging an edict to rebel? Would they not become eternal sinners?

Seeing the military morale in chaos, the veins on Shen Chen's neck bulged, his face flushed like red charcoal. He only wanted a fight to the death: "Why Wen Zuo is a treacherous official, how you have defied His Majesty—do I need to spell it out? You and Wen Zuo—"

Suddenly, at that moment, a sharp female voice abruptly cut him off—

"The edict in Shen Chen's hand is fake! I have been attending to His Majesty day and night and have never seen His Majesty draft such an edict. Shen Chen intends to rebel!"

Consort Zhen was still in the same magnificent attire from the daytime, her pearl hairpins and dangling ornaments trembling chaotically in the firelight. She had, at some unknown time, stepped onto the city tower.

Her delicate finger pointed sharply at Shen Chen, the corners of her eyes cold and sharp: "Imperial Guards! Why do you not apprehend this rebel? Do you wish to join him in treason?"

The defending Imperial Guards were already suspicious. Now, being personally accused by the Consort, they were even more bewildered and confused, one by one lowering their crossbows.

Shen Chen, shocked and furious, whipped his head around to glare at Consort Zhen, his mind a roaring blank.

When did she ally with Shen Zheng? Why ally? She would abandon her own son, Shen He, to help Shen Zheng?

Before Shen Chen could think it through, he hurriedly pulled the edict from his sleeve, laughing maniacally: "The Consort has gone mad! This edict was written by His Majesty's own hand! You personally ground the ink! Do you dare accompany me before His Majesty to confront this?"

Instantly, Consort Zhen adopted an expression of heart-wrenching pain. Tears welled up in her eyes, her voice sorrowful: "His Majesty is critically ill, long unable to hold a brush. It is you who abducted the sovereign father, using a blank sheet of paper to deceive the Imperial Guards, locked the palace city, intending to commit treason!"

"Nonsense!" Shen Chen trembled with rage. "When the edict was delivered this afternoon, the Imperial Guards outside the door all heard it! How dare you quibble! Guards, seize this madwoman! Do not let her spread bewitching lies!"

Four officers who had personally seen the edict and heard the imperial decree naturally believed Shen Chen. They immediately stepped forward to seize Consort Zhen.

But the Consort suddenly threw herself against the battlements, crying out mournfully to those below: "Crown Prince, save me! Save His Majesty! What Shen Chen holds is merely a blank sheet of paper! He intends to pass off the false as genuine, deceiving the world!"

"Consort, you—" One officer, furious, reached out to grab her, yet dared not be too rough with the Consort.

"Let go!" Consort Zhen struggled desperately, pearls and hairpins scattering, her hair disheveled, a picture of utter wretchedness.

Shen Zheng raised his whip, pointing directly: "Shen Chen! The Consort has personally accused you! What more have you to say!"

Jun Dingyuan's jade-like face darkened, his silver armor dazzling: "Shen Chen, surrender now!"

Duke Liu's white beard fluttered as he pressed his hand to his sword: "I assisted His Majesty in stabilizing the realm in the past. Today, I shall execute a rebel once more!"

Mo Shu reached towards his quiver: "The ministers are united, the people's hearts are united. Will you still stubbornly resist?"

Shen Chen felt the scene before him utterly absurd and preposterous.

He had His Majesty's personal edict, the aura of the true dragon. In his previous life, he had ascended to the throne. Today, he was actually forced into such a predicament by these people.

He threw his head back and laughed wildly, his laughter grating like cracking bones, his face twisted and ferocious: "I thought Wen Wanshan planned with divine skill, Shen Zheng was a heaven-sent genius! So it turns out to be nothing but such despicable methods! You are already at your wit's end!"

He thrust the imperial edict high and gave it a sharp, unfurling shake, the bright yellow scroll spreading in the wind. "The imperial decree is here! You foolish generals, kneel and pay homage!"

Chest thrust out, he lifted his head toward the sky, waiting for the courtiers to prostrate themselves and the soldiers to lay down their arms, expecting Shen Zheng and Wen Zuo to pale in shock.

But the imperial guards atop the city wall saw it clearly: that scroll of the imperial edict was utterly blank, not a single character upon it.

A brief, stifling silence exploded like oil meeting flame—

"This... this is blank paper!"

"It really is a blank sheet! The Consort didn't lie!"

"The Sixth Prince is the traitor!"

The imperial guards broke into an uproar, scattering and retreating one after another, their weapons turning to point at Shen Chen.

The four captains were also dumbstruck, frozen in place, at a loss.

Cold crows swept across the sky, their mournful cries echoing, seeming to lose control as they swooped toward the red walls and glazed tiles, casting a shadow like a black cloud.

Shen Chen did not receive the reaction he had anticipated. His heart lurched. Stiffly, he turned his head to look at the edict in his hand, his pupils contracting sharply!

It was truly blank—devoid of any words!

The decree appointing the heir apparent that he had witnessed with his own eyes, written in his father's own hand, had vanished into thin air. It was as if everything in the Hall of Mental Cultivation had been nothing but a fleeting dream.

"Impossible... absolutely impossible!"

A flash of insight struck his mind. He instantly recalled Consort Zhen's eerily calm demeanor while grinding the ink. A cry of despair burst from his throat: "It was you! You poisonous woman tampered with the ink!"

He rushed forward, grabbing Consort Zhen by the collar. Seeing the viciousness in her eyes, rage boiled up within him, and he slapped her hard across the face.

"Do you think this will work? It won't! It won't! I will have Father Emperor ascend the city tower himself, and then you'll all be finished! All of you!"

Consort Zhen's head snapped to the side, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. But she turned back to him, a triumphant smile curling her lips like a venomous snake flicking its tongue. "Naturally, this move of mine will work."

Just then, Shen Zheng's furious order rang out from below the wall: "Shen Chen conspires to rebel with a blank decree! Execute him immediately, without mercy! Take action!"

Jun Dingyuan drew and loosed an arrow. A sharp, cold whistle tore through the air, slicing through the waves of fire, aimed straight for Shen Chen's face!

Shen Chen was still entangled with the Consort, half his body leaning over the parapet. Startled and off-balance, he twisted frantically. The arrowhead grazed his crown, tearing off a patch of his scalp before embedding itself with a thud into the city brick behind him.

Before he could even cry out in pain, Mo Shu's two arrows arrived—

*Thud! Thud!*

Two sharp arrows pierced through his chest with precision. Hot blood instantly soaked through his armor and robes.

Shen Chen looked down in disbelief. He was clearly wearing armor, clearly well-protected. Yet Mo Shu's arrows could pierce through his armor and into his lungs and heart.

What kind of divine weapon was this? What kind of strength!

His body swayed violently. Blood streamed down from his head, matting his eyelashes, turning his vision crimson.

He tried to retreat, but several more arrows pierced his shoulders and abdomen. He felt the hot flow soaking through his armor, his strength draining away rapidly.

He couldn't understand. Why were the imperial guards watching coldly? Why wouldn't the captains who had witnessed the decree fight desperately for him?

He wanted to glare at them with venomous hatred, to curse them. But an arrow struck his left eye, severing his thoughts. His body slowly began to slide downward.

In his dying moments, piercing through the myriad soldiers and armor, his gaze fell only upon Wen Zuo on horseback.

Wen Zuo watched him quietly, his face devoid of joy or anger, only a few damp strands of hair clinging to his cheeks, trembling gently in the wind.

This day, this moment, was exactly like that day, that moment. Only the positions were reversed. The one pierced by ten thousand arrows was now him.

In his daze, he seemed to hear Wen Zuo's dying curse once more—

"If I could return to Shunyuan 23, the one ascending this position today would not be you."

Unwilling! So unwilling!

He was Emperor Shengde! He was the true Son of Heaven!

Shen Chen reached out, trying to staunch the wounds on his body, but the blood gushed forth even more fiercely, dyeing the blue bricks beneath his feet crimson.

A gurgling sound rose in his throat. Boundless hatred threatened to swallow the heavens and devour the earth. Mustering the last shred of his strength, he spat out with venom: "Wen Zuo... Wen Zuo! If I—"

*Whoosh!*

The final arrow pierced his throat, leaving only a ghastly, bloody hole, severing all his resentment and unwillingness.

Shen Chen's eyes widened, and he fell backward, raising clouds of dust. No sound remained.

Mo Shu shouldered his bow and shouted, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, the treacherous officials have been executed! Please enter the imperial city!"

"Your Highness, please enter the imperial city!"

"Your Highness, please enter the imperial city!"

The generals roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens, startling the crows from the city walls.

The few captains, knowing the situation was lost, immediately discarded their helmets and armor, opened the gates, and knelt in surrender.

Just at that moment, dawn broke in the east.

A faint light pierced the dark clouds, a single ray of sky-glow spilling onto the vast earth, illuminating the gloom of the long night.

Shen Zheng's expression was stern. Protecting Wen Zuo in his embrace, he urged his steed, White Sand Treader, forward and strode proudly into the Forbidden City.