I, Kangxi, am here to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming!

But Ao Bai had only run a couple of steps when his steps suddenly froze.

He was horrified to discover that the remaining dozen or so young guards had all pulled out firearms from their waists that were exactly the same as those in the young emperor's hand!

A dozen or so dark gun barrels were all pointed at him!

In that instant, Ao Bai felt as if he were being targeted by a group of death gods, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

Hong Xiguan walked step by step toward Ao Bai, his face bearing the expression of a cat playing with a mouse.

"Lord Ao, are you surprised? Unexpected?"

"You think you're the only one with trump cards? I knew you'd rebel today! I've been waiting for this day for a long time!"

Driven to desperation, Ao Bai finally broke down completely, letting out a desperate and frenzied roar like a mad dog with nowhere to run:

"Kangxi, you little brat! Stop pretending! Do you think you've won?"

"Let me tell you! He's not Emperor Shunzhi's son at all! He's clearly the illegitimate son of that old witch Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and the traitor Hong Chengchou!"

"You have the inferior blood of Han Chinese flowing in your veins! You have defiled the legitimate bloodline of the Manchu imperial family! You are utterly unworthy to rule the Qing Dynasty!"

These words were like a thunderclap.

The young guards who had been holding guns were all stunned by this shocking revelation. Their eyes widened, and disbelief and a brief moment of hesitation appeared on their faces.

The Emperor... is actually a Han Chinese?

Hong Xiguan had anticipated this, and with a cold snort, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

Trying to wage a propaganda war against me? You're still too green. Little do you know, these young men are all Han Chinese bondservants! What's the point of talking to them?

"Even on the verge of death, you still dare to spread rumors and mislead the masses! Anyone who disrupts morale will be executed without mercy!"

Hong Xiguan surveyed his surroundings, his voice as hard as iron, devoid of any emotion—the absolute authority befitting an emperor.

"All of you! Hear my command, execute them!"

"Bang bang bang bang bang..."

At his command, more than a dozen gunshots rang out almost simultaneously, echoing through the sky.

A dense hail of bullets instantly covered Ao Bai and his four personal guards.

Before gunpowder-powered lead bullets, Manchu warriors and those clad in black iron armor are all equal.

"Uh...ah..."

Ao Bai trembled all over, and more than a dozen blood flowers burst from his body in an instant, as if a dye shop had been opened.

He staggered back two steps, his wide-open tiger eyes still holding the last vestiges of resentment, fear, and disbelief.

Ao Bai never understood why, after a lifetime of dominance, he had finally fallen to these little brats wielding "fire pokers."

Finally, his massive body could no longer hold on and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The powerful minister Ao Bai met his end.

The four top henchmen who had followed him for many years had already been riddled with bullets in the first round of gunfire, lying neatly on the ground to accompany their master.

As the smoke cleared, the Imperial Garden returned to its deathly silence, with only the strong smell of blood and gunpowder lingering in the air.

Hong Xiguan put away his pistol, looked at the corpse on the ground, and gently shook his head.

"My lord, times have changed!"

Is it over once Ao Bai is killed?

No, this is just the beginning!

Although Ao Bai, this great tree, has fallen, his roots are still deeply intertwined, especially the arrogant and fierce generals of the Bordered Yellow Banner, who hold real power.

If these people cause a ruckus, the capital will turn into a battlefield tonight.

"Cao Yin!"

Hong Xiguan called out as he strode out.

"Your servant is here!" Cao Yin emerged from the corner, holding a small notebook in his hand, which contained his intelligence summary.

"What's the situation with Suo'etu? If Murima gets away, our performance today will be a complete disaster."

Mulima is Aobai's younger brother and currently serves as the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, holding half of the military power in the palace. If this guy were to break out of the Forbidden City alive and raise his voice, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Cao Yin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "Your Majesty, Lord Suo is also a ruthless man. As soon as he heard that Ao Bai had entered the Imperial Garden, he immediately led the guards of the Plain Yellow Banner and Plain White Banner to take action. Now the Taihe Gate is in complete chaos, and the scene is extremely heated."

"Trending? Then let's add fuel to the fire."

A cold glint flashed in Hong Xiguan's eyes: "Come with me to Taihe Gate and teach those lackeys of the Bordered Yellow Banner a lesson!"

……

Taihe Gate Square had now become a scene of gangster fighting.

The shouts of the guards of the Upper Three Banners were deafening, and swords flashed and shadows danced.

On one side was a mixed force of Plain Yellow Banner and Plain White Banner led by Songgotu and Tong Guowei, and on the other side were the elite troops of Bordered Yellow Banner, loyal to Mulima.

It must be said that the soldiers brought by Ao Bai were indeed quite capable. Although the number of guards from the Bordered Yellow Banner was not superior, they were all fearless and fought in formation, forcing Suo'etu and his men to retreat step by step.

"Song'etu! Tong Guowei! You two lackeys, have you lost your minds? How dare you rebel?!"

In the center of the crowd, a fierce general brandished his broadsword as if he were in an empty field. He was none other than Ao Bai's younger brother, Mulima.

His eyes were bloodshot at this moment. He cleaved a Plain White Banner guard in two with a single stroke and pointed at Suo'etu, cursing him loudly.

Although Songgotu was also a trained fighter, he was still too inexperienced compared to this fierce general who had crawled out of piles of corpses. He could only barely manage to hold on: "Mulima! I'm here on imperial orders to relieve you! But you, openly defying orders, do you want your entire clan to be buried with you?!"

"By imperial decree? What imperial decree of yours!"

Although Murima is reckless, he is not stupid.

My elder brother has been gone for so long without a sound, and now Suo'etu has suddenly made a move. If you say there's nothing fishy going on, even a ghost wouldn't believe it.

A very ominous premonition welled up in my heart.

My elder brother... I'm afraid he's in grave danger.

Thinking of this, Murima's anger flared even more. If that's the case, then let's fight our way out! As long as we break through these palace gates and gather the army outside the city, the outcome will be uncertain!

"My comrades! Songgotu has forged an imperial edict and rebelled! Follow me and fight our way out! Go to rescue His Excellency!"

Murima roared, and the morale of the Bordered Yellow Banner guards soared. They were about to break through the defense line.

At that moment, a clear and authoritative shout, like a thunderclap, exploded across the square:

"Mulima has defied the imperial decree and is plotting rebellion! Guards, seize him!"

Everyone instinctively turned around.

On the high platform of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hong Xiguan stood with his hands behind his back, surrounded by a group of young guards. The autumn wind blew his robes, making them flutter. His composed and unhurried imperial demeanor instantly captivated the entire audience.

The two sides, who were still hacking and slashing, stopped what they were doing at the same time.

When Murima saw Hong Xiguan standing there unharmed, his heart sank.

"Your Majesty?!" Murima gritted his teeth, his eyes twitching. He looked around, but the familiar tall figure never appeared.

"Where is Ao Zhongtang? Where is my elder brother?!" he roared hoarsely.

Hong Xiguan looked down at the trapped beast and uttered a few words indifferently: "Ao Bai attempted to assassinate the emperor, but he has been executed on the spot by me!"