The prince is more stable

Chapter 821: Fighting

Inside the Prince Duan's residence, Zhao Ji was in a very bad mental state, showing signs of a breakdown and madness.

If an ordinary person trips and falls on flat ground, they will just feel unlucky, curse a few times, and then go about their business.

But what would it feel like to fall from the highest clouds?

They probably won't have a chance to taste it; with a snap, dust to dust, earth to earth, blood to blood, and flesh to flesh.

Emperor Huizong's current state is like falling from the clouds to the ground; he's not dead, but his spirit has collapsed.

He sat on the throne in Yanfu Palace yesterday, but before he could even settle into a comfortable position, the Imperial Censor Lu Changshen began his attack.

From that moment on, he never touched the throne again; he was busy defending himself, busy being furious, and busy being utterly despondent.

Then, the Empress Dowager issued an edict to depose him, which was of no use to the officials. The Court of Imperial Clan Affairs stripped him of his princely title and imprisoned him in the Prince Duan's residence.

As things continued to unfold, within a few days, Zhao Ji was reduced to a commoner, leaving Bianjing with heavy wooden shackles and being exiled to Lingnan. He would never be able to return to Bianjing for the rest of his life, and so would his descendants.

Fate played a cruel joke on him.

From the emperor to a prisoner, the process takes only half a day.

Among all the emperors throughout Chinese history, he was probably the one with the shortest reign. Perhaps his reign will not even be recorded in history books, and his enthronement ceremony is more like a joke to entertain future generations.

After being escorted back to Prince Duan's residence, Zhao Ji was completely desperate.

He had no power, no soldiers, no foundation, no influence—he had absolutely no leverage to turn the tide.

Mentally, he was killed with a single blow, his soul scattered and never to be reincarnated.

A person who has lost all spirit is like a heartless puppet, eating and dressing as if in a dream.

After being taken back to the palace, Zhao Ji was in a state of mental breakdown, sometimes muttering to himself, sometimes cursing through gritted teeth, and sometimes roaring and sobbing hysterically.

In the courtyard of Prince Duan's residence, he was guarded by imperial guards from the Palace Guard. No matter what Zhao Ji did or said, the guards acted as if they hadn't heard a thing, as long as he was still alive.

Eunuchs still served him with his food, bathing, and clothing. The eunuchs dared not speak to him, as if he were infected with a plague, and kept their distance while serving him.

In the morning, Emperor Huizong sat in the courtyard like a withered tree, quietly looking up at the sky.

The sky was overcast, making one feel inexplicably hot and short of breath.

At this peaceful moment, a loud bang suddenly came from the gate of the Prince Duan's mansion, followed by another.

Moments later, the gate of Prince Duan's mansion collapsed with a crash, and a group of imperial guards rushed in.

The imperial guards watching over Zhao Ji were shocked. The moment their hands touched the hilts of their swords at their waists, a sword was already at their necks.

Zhao Ji turned around blankly, staring at the imperial guards pouring in through the gate, his mind completely blank.

A moment later, Zeng Bu, dressed in official robes, strode in. When he reached Zhao Ji, Zeng Bu's knees buckled, and he knelt down facing Zhao Ji.

"Your Majesty has suffered greatly. Your Majesty, I am sorry for my late arrival to your aid!"

Emperor Huizong's expression remained blank; even now, he still didn't understand the situation.

Zeng Bu emphasized his words and said solemnly, "I have taken over the military power of the Palace Guard. Today, I welcome Your Majesty back to the throne! If any treacherous officials in the court dare to obstruct you, I will fight my way through them!"

"You are the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, and there is only you. Anyone who covets that position is a traitor and a rebel, and I swear to kill them!"

After he finished speaking, Zhao Ji's blank expression finally changed.

A glimmer of light gradually rose from the depths of his lifeless eyes, growing brighter and brighter, intense and fierce.

"You... are Zeng Bu? Privy Councilor Zeng Bu?" Zhao Ji finally spoke, his voice hoarse as if tearing silk.

"It is indeed your subject! I heard that yesterday the traitors caused chaos and framed Your Majesty, leading to Your Majesty's deposition by the Empress Dowager. It is laughable that not a single civil or military official in the court dared to uphold their integrity and die for Your Majesty. I am unworthy, but I am willing to be the first to come to Your Majesty's aid and welcome you back, so as to set the record straight for the people of the world!"

Emperor Huizong lowered his head and suddenly let out a strange laugh.

Then the laughter grew louder and louder, turning into boisterous laughter.

He laughed until tears streamed down his face. Zhao Ji clutched his stomach, bent over, and still couldn't stop laughing.

Above the Prince Duan's mansion, a dark, gloomy cloud rolled and shifted, with the faint sound of thunder.

Emperor Huizong closed his eyes, threw his head back, and laughed loudly, tears streaming down his face.

Life is unpredictable. Unexpectedly, he found himself with a chance to turn things around in his desperate situation!

"I am the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty! It can only be me!" Zhao Ji's laughter suddenly stopped, and he roared to the sky. His voice was like a sharp sword piercing the heavens, each word as bloody as blood, full of unyielding spirit.

"I request that the Palace Guards be mobilized to surround Yanfu Palace. I intend to stage a military remonstrance against the Empress Dowager and request an imperial decree to seek justice!" Zhao Ji said through gritted teeth.

"I accept the decree."

…………

Outside Bianjing city, the Yan-Yun army camp.

Last night, Zhao Xiaoqian did not return to the city. He only slept for two hours in the commander's tent. When he woke up, his eyes were bloodshot and he kept yawning.

The struggle for the throne tests not only one's mind but also one's physical strength.

If it were someone with a weak constitution, they would have died suddenly before even touching the throne.

At this moment, Zhao Xiaoqian felt dizzy and lightheaded. The pain of sleep deprivation was affecting every organ in his body. For someone who had always been a lazy bum, experiencing this kind of torment was like torture. Zhao Xiaoqian was forcibly awakened by Chen Shou, who told him that another major change had occurred in Bianjing City last night.

Zhao Hao spread the news from the city that Zeng Bu had gone mad. He killed Han Song and took over the military power of the Palace Guard. Now, nearly 200,000 Palace Guard troops inside and outside the city are all under Zeng Bu's control.

Zhao Xiaoqian was quite surprised. Zeng Bu had quietly disappeared during the coronation ceremony yesterday, and he felt that things had changed. Zhao Hao later also secretly slipped out of the palace, intending to send someone to control Zeng Bu.

It seems that Zhao Hao's men ultimately failed to capture anyone, and instead lost Han Song, who was stripped of his military power in Bianjing by Zeng Bu.

After dressing properly, Zhao Xiaoqian ordered his generals to gather in the command tent.

Generals such as Zhong Jianzhong quickly gathered inside the command tent.

Since no one was in the mood for small talk, Zhao Xiaoqian decided to get straight to the point.

"Bianjing is in chaos, and things have spiraled out of my control. I originally planned to contain the chaos within a small area, but it seems that won't work now. We must immediately storm Bianjing, capture Zeng Bu, and disarm the Palace Guards," Zhao Xiaoqian said in a deep voice.

Zhong Jianzhong said confidently, "Your Highness, rest assured, we can easily break through the gates of Bianjing."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded, knowing that the Yan-Yun army was well-prepared for its return to the capital.

The soldiers not only prepared firearms and ammunition, but also red-coated cannons.

During this period, Zhao Xiaoqian invented nearly two hundred red-coated cannons. Half of them were given to Zhao Hao, and the other half were sent to the Yanyun Camp. When Zhong Jianzhong led his troops to the capital this time, the red-coated cannons were also dismantled and transported to Bianjing by the logistics and supplies.

No one in this world knows the power of the Red Cannon; in its presence, the gates of Bianjing are as fragile as paper.

“After Zeng Bu takes control of the military, his first task will inevitably be to welcome Zhao Ji back, control the Empress Dowager, and declare himself emperor again. We cannot let him run wild.”

"We must break through the gates of Bianjing, rush into Yanfu Palace, seize the high ground as soon as possible, and announce to our subjects that Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu have launched a rebellion before Zhao Ji ascends the throne again."

Zhong Jianzhong and his generals bowed in unison and said, "Please give the order, Your Highness!"

Zhao Xiaoqian's face darkened. At this moment, he was once again the commander-in-chief who commanded the three armies and arranged their formations in the command tent.

After lying dormant in Bianjing for several months, the tiger finally returned to the mountains, letting out a roar that commanded all beasts to submit.

"Zhong Jianzhong, obey my command!"

"The general is here!"

"I will give you 10,000 troops to launch a feint attack on Jingyang Gate in the north of Bianjing, to draw away the troops of the Palace Guard."

"Follow the order!"

"Di Zi, listen to my orders!"

"The end will be here."

"Give you 10,000 troops to launch a feint attack on Chaoyang Gate in Bianjing East City to draw away the defending forces."

"Follow the order!"

Zhao Xiaoqian looked around and asked, "Where is Zong Ze?"

"The end will be here."

"You are in charge of the main attack on Jin Yao Gate in the west of the city. Bring out all the red-coated cannons. When the east and north of the city launch a feint attack, the red-coated cannons will immediately break through Jin Yao Gate. You are given 30,000 troops to rush into the city. Remember, you must not harm the civilians or plunder. Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!"

"The general will obey the order!"

"I will personally command the remaining 50,000 troops. Zhe Keshi will be under my command and ready to meet the enemy forces outside the city who are trying to encircle and annihilate us. They should be in formation in advance."

Zhe Keshi clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This subordinate obeys your command!"

Zhao Xiaoqian lowered his eyes and sighed. Indeed, there is no easy way to obtain the throne. The throne that he originally planned to seize peacefully has finally turned into a bloody battle.

Everything has its predetermined course, but also its variables. When faced with a situation, all you can do is brace yourself and deal with it.

After the troop movements, Zhao Xiaoqian felt a vague sense of unease.

While Zhao Ji and Zeng Bu were causing trouble in the city, Zhao Hao was still inside. If his father were captured by the rebel army, the situation would become very complicated.

Despite his slight worry, Zhao Xiaoqian still had a blind trust in his living father.

Despite his bloated and obese appearance, Zhao Hao is more cunning than anyone else. As soon as chaos broke out in the city, he would definitely have already fled.

Zhao Xiaoqian even dared to bet that when Zhao Hao fled for his life, he would not take any of the dozen or so concubines in the palace with him, and would leave them to fend for themselves in the palace.

Without a doubt, Huo's father is a typical scumbag; he would definitely do something like this.

In any case, we must quickly capture Bianjing and control the situation; we cannot allow it to descend into chaos again.

Outside the command tent, the rumbling of war drums resounded, a familiar rhythm, a familiar killing intent.

The soldiers' chaotic footsteps, accompanied by the general's angry curses, kicked up clouds of dust.

The generals were busy mustering their troops, preparing weapons and firearms. Warhorses neighed excitedly among the crowd, and long bugle calls rang out. An unexpected war was about to begin.

Half an hour later, the generals led their troops out of the camp and headed to the east, west, and north sides of Bianjing to prepare for the attack.

At the same time, Zhe Keshi was ordered to lead 20,000 light cavalry northward to intercept and ambush the three armies outside Bianjing.

Zhao Xiaoqian left the command tent and followed Zong Ze's troops to the Jin Yao Gate of Bianjing's western city. He watched as soldiers pushed out rows of red-coated cannons. About a mile from the city gate, nearly a hundred cannons were lined up, their dark muzzles pointed at the Jin Yao Gate of Bianjing.

(End of this chapter)