In this cyberpunk era, why are you still playing the traditional villain?

This was undoubtedly a huge blow to her, since with her own strength, she certainly couldn't compete with the strongest person in the deeply rooted empire who had been there for many years.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't afraid, especially at a time when I was constantly overwhelmed.

No wonder the intelligence was coming in slower and slower; under these circumstances, how could she possibly keep track of the situation at the Vatican?

But at the same time, she suddenly felt a sense of resignation.

Was Cheng Gujian's rebellion something to be surprised about? Obviously not.

It could be said that from the moment she was no longer that naive young girl, she knew that this day would come sooner or later.

It's just that this day came earlier than she expected.

Then the problem is coming.

What should she do?

"Your Majesty...run!"

The lady-in-waiting beside him was terrified and kept trying to dissuade him, saying, "Cheng Gujian has already begun to surround the palace. He has also sent troops to guard the residences of the other dukes and earls, and even troops from other regions..."

Dongfang Xiao was well aware of all of this.

In fact, if you concentrate carefully now, you can hear the sounds of soldiers outside the palace, as well as the treasonous words of the rebels.

Should we run?

She muttered something to herself.

"His Majesty!"

The female official beside him was quite loyal; in her anxiety, she even cracked her voice, "If we don't run now, it will be too late!"

That makes sense; surrounding the palace would take time, and they would still have a chance to escape.

But once the palace is completely surrounded, nothing more can be said.

As for resistance, it was out of the question. The royal knights personally trained by Cheng Gujian, as well as his own private soldiers, were of frighteningly high quality. Relying on the palace guards to quell the rebellion was simply a pipe dream.

Previously, he could borrow the power of Xu Shi, the imperial tutor, but now he himself is preoccupied with his own affairs, so it is unrealistic to place his hopes on him as well.

The only option left is to run away. There are secret passages within the palace that are unknown to outsiders. If we disguise ourselves, we can at least save our lives.

As long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood.

There is no other way.

only.

At the critical moment of life and death, the little empress suddenly seemed to awaken and made some extraordinary decision.

"I'm not leaving!"

Her voice suddenly rose, and she drew the sword that she usually only used as decoration and hung to the side, "Even if I die, I will die here!"

She admitted that there was an element of spite involved, but more than that, she didn't want to be a loser again and again.

Throughout her reign as empress, she was either manipulated by Cheng Gujian or Xu Shi. Regardless of what others thought, she herself felt that being a puppet emperor was incredibly frustrating.

But she is of imperial blood! The imperial aura etched in her bones cannot be erased!

Even if escaping might save your life, what's the point?

In the future, when people mention her, she will only be a laughing stock.

Therefore, even knowing that she had no chance of winning, she did not want to back down anymore.

At least in the matter of death, she could die with some dignity.

"His Majesty!"

The female official was extremely anxious; why try to be a hero at a time like this?!

"You can leave if you want, but I won't!"

Dongfang Xiao roared, "Mobilize all the manpower in the palace to resist to the death! I will fight the traitors to the last moment!"

"If that moment truly comes, I will take my own life. I will feel ashamed of the legacy laid by my ancestors, but at least I will not have brought ruin upon their bloodline!"

"……Yes!"

Seeing that she couldn't persuade her otherwise, the female official had no choice but to do as she was told.

After she hurriedly went to gather the troops, the little empress, all alone, collapsed again, her hand holding the sword trembling uncontrollably.

That being said, it's impossible not to be afraid when actually facing death.

Sitting alone in an empty hall, this fear is easily amplified.

She suddenly felt helpless.

Why did it still turn out like this? I've already given so much, yet I still can't change anything?

Before Xu Shi arrived, he was filled with anxiety. After Xu Shi arrived, he had to accept Xu Shi's perverse and cruel treatment, but he was still forced to resign. Wasn't his trip a waste?

Listening to the fighting outside the main hall, she suddenly felt like crying.

But she can't cry.

At the very least, don't let the enemy see your cowardly side.

The battle outside didn't last long; the disparity in strength between the two sides was too great, and the fight was completely one-sided.

Without even thinking, Dongfang Xiao knew that Cheng Gujian's men had definitely gained the upper hand, sweeping away all resistance with unstoppable momentum.

And soon.

Flickering firelight appeared on the glass of the main hall, swaying along with the rebels' shouts of "Your Majesty, please abdicate!"

Looking at all this, the little queen felt a little dazed.

When I came to my senses, the person I hated most was already standing in front of me.

"The will of Heaven has changed, and Your Majesty's virtue is no longer worthy of the throne. We urge Your Majesty to abdicate."

Wearing a black cloak, Cheng Gujian remained calm as always. He dismissed his subordinates and looked at Dongfang Xiao with a blank expression, saying, "If Your Majesty takes the initiative to abdicate, for the sake of the late Emperor, I guarantee Your Majesty a life of wealth and comfort for the rest of your days."

This is not a discussion, it is a notification.

"……Is it?"

The little empress slowly raised her head and met his gaze.

However, this time she didn't instinctively avoid it as usual.

Instead, she gave a cold laugh.

"Is this what you, a traitorous scoundrel, wanted to say?"

She stood up, gripped her sword tightly, and roared without any regard for her image, "Then listen up!"

"I'll kick your mother out!"

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 299 Mr. Wen, please!

2023-10-24

"you……"

Perhaps Dongfang Xiao's insults were too blunt, for even a seasoned old fox like Cheng Gujian was momentarily speechless.

To be fair, although the little empress is a mascot, she is still a beautiful vase born into royalty. Her shrewish behavior is really inconsistent with her character.

"...How could Your Majesty utter such vulgar words?"

After a long pause, he finally uttered this sentence, which even carried a hint of disappointment: "It really damages the image of the imperial family."

"Fuck your mother!"

Dongfang Xiao wasn't buying it at all, and continued to curse as if she wasn't satisfied, "You're about to cut my neck with a knife, what's the point of me being respectable? Respectable to your ancestors?"

"That wicked Xu Shi's teaching is quite effective," she thought unconsciously as she continued to scold him.

Yes.

She probably has never been exposed to a single swear word since she was a child, so Xu Shi deserves a lot of credit for her being able to do such a thing.

It's a little embarrassing to admit, but during the time I was treating Xie Qingyan's illness, Xu Shi often dragged her into the arena. After finishing his business, during his "sage time," he would give her a few words of guidance.

He's got the title of Imperial Tutor after all, so he has to live up to his status.

As a psychology instructor, Xu Shi once pointed out incisively that Dongfang Xiao was living too fake a life.

She acts innocent and naive in front of others every day, forcing a smile. Is she really that naive and innocent?

Whether she's stupid or not is hard to say; the last two words have absolutely nothing to do with her.

Of course, it's not entirely her fault. Being in that position, she inevitably has to live behind a mask, not to mention that she's a puppet empress. It's a miracle she doesn't have a severe case of being a succubus.

She knew her situation, but didn't know how to resolve it, so she asked Xu Shi what to do.

Her current approach is Xu Shi's answer.

Actually, the little queen was quite resistant to this kind of thing before. How could she change such a habit after so many years? She had long since accepted that she was keeping all her grievances to herself.

But as she said, now that she's about to lose her life, if she doesn't vent now, she might never have the chance again.

Perhaps because it was the first time in his life that he had rebelled and swore, especially to the traitors who had always oppressed him, Dongfang Xiao felt an unprecedented sense of exhilaration.

"You old scoundrel, you've been controlling everything I do since I was a child!"

"You forbid me from doing whatever I want! You keep saying it's for my own good... Do you need to tell me whether I'm good or not?!"

"To tell you the truth, I've long wanted to tear you to pieces and then throw you into the wilderness to feed the wild dogs!"

"You f***ing..."

Listening to Dongfang Xiao's rapid-fire accusations, Cheng Gujian's eyes flickered, and he even showed a brief moment of doubt.

Was she forcing the emperor to abdicate, or did she bring people to ransack the house?

Fortunately, the Duke of Gujian had exceptional mental fortitude and quickly adjusted his state of mind.

"So this is how Your Majesty has always seen me?"