The Empress Kneels in Her Palace to Admit Her Mistakes After Slaying Her Ways in the Female-Oriented

"Report, report..."

On the walls of Kyoto, a messenger rushed in to report: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the enemy... seems to have retreated."

"What?"

Ren Tianye was taken aback: "Withdraw the troops?"

"What? You've run out of shells?"

The messenger knew what Ren Tianye meant by cannonballs; after all, the image was vivid and didn't require much explanation. He immediately said, "Lord Duke, it doesn't seem like it. They seem to have quite a lot of cannonballs..."

"Well, I don't know what happened..."

"The troops have retreated."

This left Ren Tianye completely stunned.

They rushed back to the city wall of Kyoto and looked down. Sure enough, they saw 200,000 of Lin Zixiao's rebel troops retreating in a grand manner. And then they saw the city wall that had been bombarded by the red-coated cannons...

The exterior bricks and stones are peeling off, the wall is cracked, and it is loosening due to vibration.

and……

Because the twenty cannons all hit the same spot, the rammed earth beneath their feet was mostly shattered, forming a huge depression and a through crack.

This left Ren Tianye even more bewildered.

The walls of Kyoto are made of rammed earth core, wrapped with bricks and stones, and are about twenty meters thick. It can be called a great city in the world. Even Yunji City, where he started his business, would not be able to compare with the defense of Kyoto if it were not for the mountain terrain.

Even with such a strong defense, it has been reduced to this state.

The rebels still had plenty of shells left, so it was almost certain that a few hundred shells would be enough to create an opening for their advance.

Lin Zixiao had twenty red-coated cannons.

It's incredible; the city wall will collapse in just one hour.

Given such a favorable situation...

They withdrew their troops?

No, why did they withdraw their troops?

Ren Tianye had conducted a detailed investigation into Lin Zixiao, because he had perfectly inherited the military leadership abilities of Lin Yi, the commander-in-chief of the Chifeng Army.

Among the four recognized schools of military strategists, he was the commander of the most important military strategist.

It definitely belongs to the realm of military strategy and tactics.

Emphasis should be placed on strategy, planning, military discipline, and overall victory!

He was an opponent that Ren Tianye had always been quite wary of.

This forced Ren Tianye to start thinking about it.

"Does Lin Zixiao perhaps have some other tricks up his sleeve?"

"Is there a bigger scheme at play?"

"But he's already rebelled, so he no longer has any righteous cause. Now that he can capture the capital, this is his best chance. What kind of unpredictable schemes could he possibly have up his sleeve?"

Ren Tianye couldn't understand it.

It wasn't just him who couldn't understand it.

Wei Shuo, Shi Hu, and Wang Ming, who had just received military orders, were also puzzled, so the four of them sent people to inquire.

Lin Zixiao has retreated, so...

Is it still proceeding as planned?

Ren Tianye made his decision after only a moment's thought.

"Wei Shuo's mission was changed to station troops outside the city, commanding the large army outside the city and forming a pincer movement with the capital."

"Shi Hu's mission remains unchanged; we must be prepared for urban warfare."

"Wang Ming, the mission has been changed. Go and inform the people and officials of the capital that street fighting may occur, so everyone should be prepared. At the same time, patrol teams should be deployed to the streets to suppress any evildoers who cause trouble!"

After changing the orders in one go, Ren Tianye stood on the walls of Kyoto for a while, listening to the messages from the scouts.

"Reporting, Your Excellency, the rebels have retreated to within five li!"

"Reporting, Your Excellency, the rebels have retreated to within twenty li."

"Reporting, Your Excellency, the rebels have retreated thirty miles away and set up camp again at the same spot they were in yesterday."

Ren Tianye: "..."

So, what did Lin Zixiao come here for today?

Did they somehow turn back time?

Where do we come from, and where do we go back to?

Ren Tianye felt a little more at ease. Since he was no longer needed on the city wall, he arranged for people to repair it and then returned to the Duke's Mansion.

Simulate the scenario on a sand table.

Regardless, Lin Zixiao's army carried cannons and flintlock muskets, a force unmatched in this era. If Lin Zixiao were to launch another direct confrontation, even if he defended Kyoto, it would be in vain.

We have to launch a surprise attack.

"It seems we still need Wei Shuo to take action. Even if it results in countless casualties, we must strike Lin Zixiao hard before his army can form a complete battle line!"

I've already made up my mind.

Just as they were about to finalize their plan, a personal guard rushed in from outside the door.

"My lord, Lin Zixiao's letter has arrived."

"It specifically requests that the Empress herself open it!"

Ren Tianye quickly took it; it was sealed with red wax, and Lin Zixiao's seal was stamped on the wax.

This was a common method used by the ancients to prevent letters from being read by others, but Ren Tianye only glanced at it and opened the envelope without hesitation.

Inside was a letter written by Lin Zixiao to the Empress.

"Your subject, Lin Zixiao, has led his troops into the capital, not for treason, but solely to seek justice for my father!"

"My late father, Lin Yi, guarded the northern frontier, commanding 70,000 elite Chifeng troops. He dedicated his life to protecting the nation and its people, yet he was executed without cause, his loyal soul resting in unjust death!"

"Now that the army is at the gates of the city, I dare not do anything to harm the imperial city or disturb Your Majesty's peace of mind. This is beyond my ability and is not my intention."

"What I desire is the throne and the power of my kingdom."

"We humbly request Your Majesty to issue an edict of self-reproach, clearly proclaiming to the world: Loyal officials were wrongly executed, and Lin Yi was innocent!"

"Upon receiving the imperial edict, I will immediately withdraw my troops!"

"Do as you please!"

Ren Tianye glanced at the whole thing and his eyes widened.

He looked at it again carefully, his eyes widening even more.

He was so afraid of misreading it that he had his personal guard read it to him, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

He kicked one of his personal guards.

"General, what are you doing?"

"Does it hurt?"

"A little."

"Oh, that's good, it's not a dream!"

Ren Tianye returned to the desk in a daze, his heart unable to calm down, not because of fear, but because... it was unbelievable.

No, bro, you've already stormed the capital! Your cannons are practically breaching the city walls! You're telling me you're not here to steal the throne?

All you need is Xiao Mingzhao's edict of self-reproach?

If Xiao Mingzhao admits his mistake, you'll just let him do whatever he wants with you?

Holy crap!

Why the hell didn't you say so sooner?

You made me worry for so many days!

……