Di Tao never imagined that this bastard would actually bite back, not even giving him a chance to speak before directly ordering the Dragon Court Guards to seize them.
Furious, he brandished his long spear to resist while cursing loudly:
“I say it’s you who’s plotting rebellion! You’ve harbored ambition for a long time, deceiving me and Xiao, ”
Clang!
A blade slashed straight toward him. Di Tao hastily twisted his body to meet the strike, his curses cut short. At the same time, Jin Yun and the others were besieged front and back. Swinging their swords in desperate battle, they shouted toward the Imperial Guards inside the city gate:
“The Dragon Court Guard is rebelling! Why don’t you fight alongside us?!”
“Chief…” The guards inside the gate hesitated.
“Don’t be deceived by their lies!”
The commander at their head remained unmoved:
“The Fourth Camp soldiers broke into the capital without orders, besieging this place. That itself is rebellion. Who knows if they’re in league with those outside? Guard the high posts! Shoot to kill anyone who approaches!”
The palace gate must not be opened. If this was all just a ruse and they opened it, wouldn’t that be inviting wolves into the house?
“You, !”
An arrow suddenly flew at the back of Jin Yun’s neck. He quickly swung his sword to knock it aside.
Seeing how obstinate and deaf to reason these palace guards were, Jin Yun couldn’t help cursing aloud.
The situation before the palace gate had almost become a full encirclement. The palace interior’s state was unknown, and if the Dragon Court Guard completely cut off their retreat, they would truly all die here. Yet Di Tao absolutely could not perish in this place, otherwise, the Northwest’s situation would collapse, and there would be no explaining to Di Shuangcheng.
Grinding his teeth, Jin Yun struck down an opponent, then grabbed Di Tao’s arm:
“I’ll cover the rear. You take the men and break through that side!”
“No. We go together, ”
“Quit wasting words, go!” Jin Yun barked angrily, then snapped to the men at his side: “Take Di Tao to the Capital Patrol Camp. Protect his life at all costs!”
“Yes!”
Di Tao tried to protest, but was forcibly dragged away by his arm as they fought to break out.
Jin Yun led a handful to force open a path.
“Move!”
The sudden shift in the crowd immediately caught Shang Qin’s attention. Seeing Di Tao attempting to break through, he sneered coldly:
“Trying to flee? You think it’s that easy?”
There was no way Shang Qin would let Di Tao leave alive. Tonight’s palace assault had to succeed.
He had entered the capital under the pretext of “defending the throne,” then once inside the palace, used the Dragon Jade Order as leverage. The Dragon Court Guard’s takeover of the Forbidden Palace was thus “legitimate.” But news of this could not yet reach Di Shuangcheng. If Di Shuangcheng learned of Shang Qin’s sudden betrayal, he might recklessly abandon Beiling and march his troops into the capital. The Dragon Court Guard could never withstand that.
Di Shuangcheng and Xiao Yan had sent Di Tao into the capital as their sole heir. If Di Tao died here and the capital was seized, the narrative afterward would be whatever Shang Qin decided.
“The palace is already in turmoil! Kill these traitors, don’t let them escape!!”
“Shang Qin, you dare!”
Di Tao turned back, eyes blazing with fury.
“Mere traitors, what wouldn’t this general dare?”
The Dragon Court Guard had not entered with Shang Qin alone, but the other commanders remained outside the city. Those he brought in were his most loyal confidants. The lower ranks barely knew Di Tao. If Di Tao was killed and the capital secured, later even if Di Shuangcheng investigated, Shang Qin could claim it was Xiao Yan’s scheme that led to Di Tao’s accidental death.
“Still not moving?!” Shang Qin roared.
Di Tao was quickly hemmed in again. Each strike around him aimed to kill. His men fell bleeding one after another, and the slaughter before the palace gate grew only more savage.
Though the soldiers of the Capital’s Four Camps were fierce, earlier unrest had already weakened them. After a clash with the Imperial Guards, now facing the Dragon Court Guard they were steadily being pushed back.
Pressed hard, Di Tao was forced back beside Jin Yun. Together with a few others, they were driven nearly against the palace gate.
On the palace walls, the guards’ bows were fully drawn, arrows aimed down at them. Just as Di Tao thought he would truly fall here in humiliating defeat, he suddenly heard a sharp shout from within the gate:
“Stop!”
The taut bowstrings froze. The inner guards recognized the voice, faces breaking into joy.
“Commander Yu?”
“Commander Yu, you’re safe?”
“Thank heaven!”
Yu Yanfeng, leading palace guards behind him, strode quickly to the gate and spoke sternly:
“There has been a coup tonight. Many within the palace lie dead. Young General Di entered the city with troops to rescue the Emperor, no one may harm him!”
The soldiers at the gate looked at one another.
“But Commander Liu said… Xiao Yan plotted treason, and Di Tao colluded with him…”
Earlier, when the black-armored guards suddenly attacked inside, and Di Tao simultaneously besieged from outside, Liu Tong’en had escaped and rushed to the Purple Dawn Hall to rescue the Emperor. Before leaving, he had ordered them to guard the gate and kill any intruders without mercy.
Their numbers were few, and it was only because the Four Camps turned on themselves and unexpected reinforcements arrived that they had suppressed Di Tao’s men. But now Yu Yanfeng declared Di Tao had come to rescue the Emperor…
The men looked confused, more wary than ever.
Yu Yanfeng clenched his fist in anger. He loathed Liu Tong’en to the extreme. First he had plotted with Cui Lin and others to harm him, then without authorization tried to assassinate Xiao Yan and commanded the palace guards against him.
Tonight’s disaster could have passed without bloodshed, yet Liu had thrown the realm into chaos.
Yu Yanfeng’s voice chilled:
“Liu Tong’en misunderstood the Emperor’s will. Tonight’s turmoil arose from an attempt on Overseer Xiao’s life. Overseer Xiao acted only to redress an old injustice.
“The palace unrest has already been quelled. His Majesty decrees the Four Camps are pardoned for storming the palace. The Tiger Tally has been handed to Overseer Xiao, commanding him to block the Dragon Court Guard’s rebellion. I now lead the palace guards to obey his orders.”
“The Tiger Tally?”
The guards gasped. Then from behind Yu Yanfeng, Xiao Yan stepped forward.
“This is the military Tiger Tally. To see it is to see His Majesty himself.”
The young minister, bloodied but unyielding, held the Tally high. Alone, he seemed to stand as the might of ten thousand troops. His presence alone subdued all.
The guards behind Yu Yanfeng knelt in unison:
“Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!”
The palace gate guards hesitated only a moment before also kneeling:
“Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!”
Xiao Yan’s voice rang firm as he raised the Tally:
“Open the palace gates.”
“But Overseer Xiao, the Dragon Court Guard waits outside, ”
“No matter.”
The guards looked to Yu Yanfeng, still hesitant. When he nodded, the commander who had insisted on holding the gate finally rose, waving his flag and shouting:
“Open the gates!”
“Open the gates!!”
The command echoed without end. Archers on the walls shifted their aim, this time targeting the Dragon Court Guard. A rain of arrows fell, forcing Shang Qin’s men back.
Panting, Di Tao gasped: “They… they finally came to their senses… hah…”
Jin Yun leaned heavily on his sword, breathing raggedly. Hearing the palace gate creak open behind them, he nearly lost his balance from relief.
“It’s the Overseer!”
The Overseer had arrived!
The heavy gates pushed open from within, palace guards flooding out to form ranks.
When Di Tao saw Xiao Yan in his scarlet robe and black crown amidst the crowd, he nearly burst into tears of joy, wanting nothing more than to rush forward and throw his arms around him.
“Uncle Xiao, why did you come only now…”
Clutching his spear, bloodied from head to toe, his eyes brimmed with tears.
“If you’d been a moment later, you’d have been collecting my corpse.”
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You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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