494: Chapter 494 Bloodbath in the Imperial Palace

[You turn your head to look at her, bringing your face very close to her cheek. A faint feminine fragrance wafts into your nostrils. You shift slightly to the left:]

["The Emperor is in a coma; we must help the Crown Prince seize power as soon as possible."]

["Otherwise, he won't be able to mobilize anyone, and our search for the tear of eternal frost will be in vain."]

[She giggles and shifts closer to you, hooking her arm through yours: "Mm, with a Great Grandmaster like you around, things certainly are much more convenient."]

[You don't respond further.]

[But Murong Zhaozhao clearly has no intention of letting you off. She is dying of curiosity about your past as a 'martial arts Genius' and pesters you with all sorts of questions.]

[You have no choice but to stall her along the way, casually making up one perilous experience after another.]

[She listens entranced, occasionally gasping or getting misty-eyed, truly resembling a simple girl listening to a story.]

[Meanwhile, news of Wei Jinzhi's death has already reached the Second Prince's ears.]

[He reacts extremely quickly, immediately using Wei Jinzhi's death to claim that the Crown Prince intends to usurp the throne and has slaughtered loyal officials.]

[Leading the civil and military officials, thousands of private soldiers, and the City Defense Army, he marches grandly into the Imperial Palace.]

[By the time you and Murong Zhaozhao arrive, the two sides are already in a standoff before the main palace hall.]

[On the Crown Prince's side, thousands of Imperial Guards are arrayed in a dense, dark formation.]

[On the Second Prince's side, the civil and military officials stand in two rows, backed by thousands of private soldiers and the City Defense Army, their blades and spears forming a literal forest.]

[The Second Prince sits atop his horse, raising a hand to point at the Crown Prince, his voice booming:]

["Crown Prince! First you poisoned Imperial Father, and then you murdered Eunuch Wei in an attempt to usurp the throne! If you do not commit suicide today to atone for your crimes, do not blame this Prince for disregarding our brotherly bonds!"]

[The Crown Prince looks bewildered. He turns to you and lowers his voice: "What is going on?"]

[You step closer and intentionally speak loudly: "Your Highness, Wei Jinzhi instigated this servant to assassinate you. This servant feigned agreement and killed him when he was off guard. Xier and a group of eunuchs and maids saw it with their own eyes; they can testify."]

[The Crown Prince nods, his expression steadying slightly. He then speaks clearly:]

["Did you all hear that? Wei Jinzhi was instigated by my second brother to plot against this Prince, and has been executed on the spot by De Fu!"]

[Commander Duan of the City Defense Army, standing beside the Second Prince, takes a step forward. His hand rests on his saber hilt as he sneers: "Thief, how dare you spout such nonsense? Do you want to see if this old man's blade is sharp?"]

[The Second Prince reaches out to stop him. His gaze falls on you as he says unhurriedly:]

["Everything requires evidence."]

[He turns to Commander Huo of the Imperial Guard, his tone sincere:]

["Commander Huo, you know Eunuch Wei's character best. He was always loyal to Imperial Father; it's impossible for him to have done such a thing. If you help me ascend the throne, the position of Imperial Guard Commander will remain yours once it's done."]

[Commander Huo's face is as calm as still water, his voice like a resonant bell:]

["Second Highness, this general's duty is to guard the palace. Since His Majesty's life and death are currently unknown, I ask Your Highness to withdraw. Once His Majesty wakes, he will make his own decision."]

[His words are airtight.]

[You scan the figures present—the Huo family, the Duan family, and the Lu family of the Prime Minister's residence. They all have descendants in the major cultivation Sects.]

[Unless forced into a corner, none of these people will burn their bridges. They will win over whoever they can or simply wait and see.]

[Prime Minister Lu steps forward with narrowed eyes and whispers: "Second Highness, why waste words with them? Now is not the time for indecision."]

[The Second Prince takes a deep breath and slowly raises his hand:]

["Soldiers, hear my command!"]

[His palm drops sharply:]

["Execute the traitors and rebels! Kill!"]

[Before his voice even fades, the two armies crash into each other with a roar.]

[The vast square instantly turns into a literal purgatory.]

[Thousands of Imperial Guards and thousands of City Defense Armys slaughter one another in a chaotic mass of flashing blades and flying flesh.]

[Screams, battle cries, and the clashing of weapons blend into a deafening roar.]

[Among the combatants, ten percent are Grandmasters, and ninety percent are at the Innate stage.]

[No one retreats, no one hides; it is fist to flesh and blade to blood.]

[The most intense area is the center—Commander Huo and Commander Duan, two Great Grandmasters, are locked in a fierce, inseparable battle.]

[Commander Huo strikes with a palm, his Essence condensing into a physical form that sends ripples through the air.]

[Commander Duan dodges and counters with a horizontal saber sweep. His Saber Qi tears through the ground, causing the bluestone slabs to explode into countless fragments.]

[In the area where they clash, the ground cracks and debris flies everywhere.]

[The people around them tacitly avoid the area, unwilling to be caught in that terrifying aftershock.]

[You stand above the main hall, flanked by the Crown Prince and a dozen Imperial Guard protectors.]

[Xier stands right beside you, watching the scene below with great interest.]

[Opposite you, the Second Prince is surrounded by officials and private soldiers, also staring intently at the battle.]

[Both sides are waiting.]

[Waiting for a breach, waiting for an opportunity.]

[Soon, a result emerges.]

[It is incredibly tragic; severed limbs and corpses litter the ground, yet the two sides are evenly matched.]

[Commander Huo and Commander Duan are both flagging, covered in blood as they retreat to their respective sides.]

[It's unclear if they are putting on an act or are truly exhausted—at this moment, both have lost the strength to continue fighting.]

[But the current situation clearly favors the Second Prince.]

[After all, he still has the civil and military officials on his side.]

[Among those officials, there are quite a few experts in the Grandmaster Realm.]

[Especially Prime Minister Lu—a genuine Great Grandmaster.]

[If the Emperor were here, everything would be easily settled.]

[Unfortunately, the Emperor is in a coma, and so the scales have completely tipped toward the Second Prince.]

[Seeing that the time has come, the Second Prince scans the several Grandmaster-level officials behind him, finally landing on Prime Minister Lu. His voice trembles with excitement:]

["Everyone, success or failure depends on this one move—go!"]

[Before his voice even falls, Prime Minister Lu takes the lead. A dozen Grandmasters follow close behind him, turning into streaks of light as they charge at the Crown Prince from all directions!]

[By the Crown Prince's side, only a dozen Imperial Guards remain.]

[How could they be a match?]

[In just a few breaths, those dozen Imperial Guards fall in pools of blood.]

[The Crown Prince watches this scene, his face deathly pale.]

[Suddenly, he laughs toward the heavens, his laughter filled with desolation:]

["Hahaha... In the end, I'm still going to die for this damned position of Crown Prince!"]

[He closes his eyes and waits for death.]

[However—]

[At the very moment Prime Minister Lu and those dozen Grandmasters reach him, a figure silently blocks the way in front of the Crown Prince.]

[The Crown Prince opens his eyes and sees the back of the person shielding him. His eyes instantly turn red.]

["De Fu..."]

[Tears stream down his cheeks.]

[You turn your head slightly and smile at him, your tone as calm as if you were stating something perfectly ordinary:]

["It is fine, Your Highness. With this servant here, no one can kill you."]

[Wei Xuan, the Minister of Justice, is at the very front. Seeing this, he laughs loudly and strikes with a palm:]

["A mere eunuch dog dares to block the path? You're looking for death!"]