Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 184 Battle of the Imperial City

"Who do we have here? It's the Empress Dowager!" Zhao Mingrui said with a smile.

Zhang Yan walked over expressionlessly, looked up at Zhao Mingrui, and said coldly, "Prince Duan, answer my question."

Sitting on his horse, Zhao Mingrui looked down at Zhang Yan and said with a playful smile, "Sister-in-law, I was just joking with my brother."

"Prince Duan," Zhang Yan said coldly, "mind your manners. A ruler is a ruler, and a subject is a subject. How should you address me and His Majesty?"

Zhao Mingrui chuckled, "Sister-in-law, we're all family, there's no need for that—"

"Dismount and pay your respects!" Zhang Yan said in a deep voice.

"Sister-in-law, you—"

Zhang Yan snorted coldly and struck out with her palm. A surge of energy shot out and hit Zhao Mingrui's front legs directly. Two crisp "crack" sounds rang out at the same time, and the horse instantly knelt down.

Prince Duan stumbled and rolled to the ground.

Zhao Mingrui scrambled to his feet, angrily saying, "Zhang Yan, how dare you—"

"Snap"

Zhang Yan slapped Zhao Mingrui across the face.

Zhao Mingrui was stunned. A bright red handprint instantly appeared on his cheek. He looked at Zhang Yan and exclaimed, "You dare to hit me?"

,””

Zhang Yan quickly kicked Zhao Mingrui in the leg again.

Zhao Mingrui's legs immediately went weak, and he knelt down on the ground.

Zhang Yan said coldly, "Prince Duan has been disrespectful and offended His Majesty. He shall kneel here and reflect on his actions!"

"Zhang Yan, how dare you humiliate me!"

Zhao Mingrui was so angry that his face was distorted. He was about to stand up when Zhang Yan raised her hand and pressed him down to his knees again.

"Prince Duan, do you believe I'll break your legs right now? Guess what the Empress Dowager can do to me?" Zhang Yan said coldly.

Zhao Mingrui was skilled in martial arts, but his skills were no match for Zhang Yan's. After struggling for a moment, he couldn't stand up. He immediately turned to the guards behind him and shouted angrily, "Are you all blind? Help me up!"

Immediately, several guards prepared to come over.

Zhang Yan coldly swept her gaze over them and said, "Prince Duan has acted improperly, and you, as his close attendants, failed to remind him. Your crime deserves death! All of you, kneel down!"

The guards, seeing Zhang Yan, didn't dare to move and instead knelt on the ground.

Zhao Mingrui roared, "You bunch of good-for-nothings, I—"

Zhang Yan withdrew her hand, looked down at Zhao Mingrui, and said, "You can get up now and see if I dare to really break your legs."

Zhao Mingrui, who was about to stand up, trembled. He looked at Zhang Yan with resentment in his eyes, but his body stiffened and he didn't dare to stand up because he knew in his heart that Zhang Yan really dared to break his legs right now.

Zhang Yan is the daughter of the Left Chancellor Zhang Jiexi and is also the Empress. At this moment, Zhang Yan is in the right. Even if his leg is broken, Zhang Yan will not be in trouble afterward. On the contrary, he may be impeached.

For a moment, Zhao Mingrui remained kneeling, not daring to move. His eyes were practically spitting fire as he glared at Zhang Yan. He clenched his fists tightly, cursing inwardly, "You bitch, you old woman, just you wait! I'll repay this humiliation a hundredfold in a few days!"

"snort!"

Zhang Yan glanced at Zhao Mingrui, then walked to Zhao Mingce's carriage, bowed, and said, "I've come to welcome His Majesty back to the palace."

.

Zhao Mingce smiled helplessly, walked to the carriage entrance, reached out and took Zhang Yan's hand, and Zhang Yan got into the carriage and sat down.

Afterwards, the group passed by Zhao Mingrui, who was kneeling, and entered the imperial city.

Zhao Mingrui knelt on the ground until the carriage had disappeared into the distance before daring to stand up. He then proceeded to beat and curse the group of guards, yelling, "Useless! You're all useless! What use are you to me?"

The guards all lowered their heads and remained silent.

After a while, Zhao Mingrui got tired of kicking and stopped, cursing, "Zhang Yan, you just wait!"

On the other side, inside the carriage.

Zhao Mingce, holding Zhang Yan's hand, said, "Empress, you don't need to offend Prince Duan like this. If the Empress Dowager retaliates, you won't have an easy time either. Most of the people in this capital are the Empress Dowager's people!"

"It's alright," Zhang Yan grasped Zhao Mingce's hand in return and whispered, "Your Majesty, don't be afraid, I'm here for you!"

Zhao Mingce shook his head slightly and said, "It's not that I'm afraid, it's just that I feel it's unnecessary. We've always maintained a facade of harmony, but what you just did was tantamount to tearing off the mask. The Empress Dowager is petty, and Prince Duan has a volatile temper; they'll definitely retaliate fiercely, and you'll be in trouble then too."

Zhang Yan smiled slightly and said, "It's alright, they won't be able to cause trouble for long!"

Zhao Mingce asked in surprise, "What did the Empress say?"

"It's nothing," Zhang Yan gently patted Zhao Mingce's hand and said, "I mean, Your Majesty doesn't need to think about those things. You just need to play with the cat. I'll take care of everything else."

"Let the Empress Dowager retaliate; I'll take the blame. That Prince Duan is just taking advantage of your gentle nature, getting more and more arrogant. I've wanted to beat him up for a long time."

Zhao Mingce smiled slightly and said, "Empress, you really are something else, sigh—"

As he spoke, a purple halo suddenly appeared in Zhao Mingce's eyes, and a wisp of purple mist floated out from his pupils, meeting Zhang Yan's gaze.

In that instant, Zhang Yan's gaze suddenly became lifeless, and her whole being became numb.

Zhao Mingce's gentle smile vanished. He looked at Zhang Yan and slowly asked, "Empress, why did you so recklessly beat Zhao Mingrui today?"

Zhao Mingce's voice was very soft, yet it seemed to create ripples in the air, causing a slight tremor in the carriage.

Zhang Yan's eyes were vacant, and she spoke numbly, "Tomorrow morning at court, Wei Tanjin will impeach my father and the Grand General, and present the evidence he has collected regarding my father and the Grand General's embezzlement of military funds."

Zhao Mingce raised an eyebrow and said, "Then the Grand General and the Left Chancellor must have a plan, right?"

Zhang Yan said, "My father and the Grand General will launch a coup, under the pretext of 'purging the court of corrupt officials,' to kill Wei Tanjin and force the Empress Dowager to relinquish power."

Zhao Mingce asked, "Aren't the Imperial Guards all under the Empress Dowager's command?"

"That's no longer the case," Zhang Yan said. "My father has already secretly taken control of most of the Imperial Guards; he's just waiting for the right opportunity."

Zhao Mingce's pupils contracted slightly, then he looked at Zhang Yan, the purple halo in his eyes dissipating.

His gentle smile returned, and he took Zhang Yan's hand, saying, "Alas, Your Majesty, it's best not to offend the Empress Dowager if possible. Oh well, we've already fought, so it doesn't matter anymore!"

Zhang Yan was slightly taken aback, looking at Zhao Mingce in front of her, her mind a little dazed.

Zhao Mingce asked, "Empress, what's wrong?"

Zhang Yan quickly regained her composure and shook her head, saying, "It's nothing, I just suddenly remembered something. Oh, by the way, Your Majesty, how did your meeting with Gu Guanqi go?"

Zhao Mingce shook his head and said, "Gu Guanqi was misled by the Empress Dowager and Wei Tanjin and has a deep misunderstanding of the Left Prime Minister. I have already told him about it, but he doesn't quite believe the Left Prime Minister and doesn't resent him. He only said that he would verify it."

Zhang Yan smiled and said, "That's normal. Wei Tanjin is interfering, and Gu Guanqi has a deep misunderstanding about my father. It's normal that it won't be cleared up in a short time. Hmm, what did His Majesty think of Gu Guanqi after meeting him?"

Zhao Mingce's eyes lit up, and he said, "It's a pity the Empress didn't come with me. Gu Guanqi is even more extraordinary than the rumors say. When I met him, I felt like he was a celestial being descended to earth. Just one glance was enough to shake one's soul!"

Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "Is it really that amazing?"

Zhao Mingce nodded and said, "No wonder he was able to create the Path of Affection. Who wouldn't want to help him cultivate after seeing him?"

The next day, early in the morning.

Sunlight streamed in from above the eastern palace wall, bathing the white marble steps in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in a warm golden hue. The bronze bells on the eaves swayed gently in the morning breeze, emitting a delicate and melodious sound.

Today is the day of the grand assembly.

Civil and military officials arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony one after another, their scarlet robes and blue gowns intertwined, their hushed conversations rising and falling like the tide.

Behind the main hall, in the long palace corridor, sunlight slanted in through the gaps between the pillars, spreading out strips of light and shadow on the blue brick floor.

Zhao Mingce was leading several eunuchs along the corridor toward the front hall.

At the other end of the corridor, Empress Dowager Yuwen was walking towards us with several palace maids and eunuchs.

Today she wore a deep purple phoenix robe, with a black cloak over it, and a phoenix crown on her head. Her face was calm, but there was an unyielding coldness between her brows.

The two groups met in the middle of the corridor.

Zhao Mingce hurriedly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed slightly, and said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Empress Dowager Yuwen stopped, her cold gaze falling on Zhao Mingce. After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke, her voice revealing neither joy nor anger: "When the late Emperor was alive, he always advocated brotherly love and respect. Does the Emperor remember?"

Zhao Mingce raised his head, his expression unchanged, and said respectfully, "I remember."

Empress Dowager Yuwen snorted coldly, her voice soft yet carrying an undisguised questioning tone: "It's not just about remembering, it's also about being able to do it."

Zhao Mingce lowered his eyes slightly and quickly said, "Your subject understands. Yesterday's matter was a misunderstanding between my brother Rui and the Empress. Please allow your subject to explain, Your Majesty."

Empress Dowager Yuwen raised her chin, her tone still cold: "Then you should explain yourself."

Zhao Mingce took half a step forward, closing the distance between himself and Empress Dowager Yuwen. He turned slightly to the side, gesturing for her to proceed, and lowered his voice, saying, "Mother, let's talk as we walk. Let's not keep the court officials waiting."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently took Empress Dowager Yuwen's arm.

Empress Dowager Yuwen then followed.

After taking only two steps, Zhao Mingce turned around again, waved to the eunuchs and palace maids behind him, and said, "You all step back, I have something to say to the Empress Dowager."

The eunuchs and palace maids hesitated, but their eyes all turned to Empress Dowager Yuwen.

At this moment, Zhao Mingce subtly tightened his grip on Empress Dowager Yuwen's hand.

Empress Dowager Yuwen frowned slightly, tilted her head, and her gaze lingered on Zhao Mingce's face for a moment before she waved to the palace servants and said in a calm tone, "You may all leave. I have a private conversation with the Emperor."

The palace servants then bowed and retreated.

Immediately, Zhao Mingce helped Empress Dowager Yuwen walk forward.

Morning light filtered through the pillars, casting two figures on the blue brick floor, one long and one short, quietly spread out between the interplay of light and shadow.

Empress Dowager Yuwen did not look at Zhao Mingce, her gaze fixed straight ahead, her voice still cold: "Speak, what do you want to explain?"

Zhao Mingce lowered his voice and whispered, "Mother, you must think of a solution immediately."

Empress Dowager Yuwen was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.

Zhao Mingce did not look at Empress Dowager Yuwen and continued walking forward. Then he said, "Last night I tricked the Empress into revealing that today the Left Chancellor and the General intend to launch a coup, kill Wei Tanjin, and force you, Mother, to relinquish power."

Yuwen Taihou maintained a normal expression, but her pupils suddenly contracted.

Just then, the two passed by a pillar, and sunlight streamed in through the gaps in its side, falling on Empress Dowager Yuwen's profile. She asked, puzzled, "Weren't you standing on the Left Chancellor's side? Why would you kindly remind me?"

Zhao Mingce tilted his head slightly, facing Empress Dowager Yuwen, and said, "The reason I'm aligned with the Left Chancellor's faction is because my mother and brother Rui have forced me into a corner."

Empress Dowager Yuwen frowned slightly, her lips moved, but she did not speak.

Zhao Mingce continued, his tone calm and without resentment or anger, saying, "However, I know very well that I can die, but I cannot lose the Zhao family's empire. I fought with the Empress Dowager to save my life, but now that the Left Chancellor and the Grand General have launched a coup, if they succeed, then the Zhao family's empire will belong to the Zhang or Yan families."

A morning breeze blew in from the end of the corridor, ruffling the pearl tassels on Zhao Mingce's crown and making a soft clinking sound.

Empress Dowager Yuwen looked at Zhao Mingce with a very complicated expression. After pondering for a while, she said, "Alright, I understand."

Her voice was low, yet carried a complex gentleness.

Outside the corridor, the sunlight gradually rose, making the golden roof of the Hall of Supreme Harmony shine even brighter. In the distance, a long, drawn-out bell rang, signaling the imminent start of the grand court assembly.

Zhao Mingce released Empress Dowager Yuwen's arm, took a half step back, and bowed slightly with great respect: "Mother, please."

Empress Dowager Yuwen glanced at him, said nothing more, strode forward, then beckoned, and several palace maids quickly ran over. The group then entered a large hall and soon disappeared from Zhao Mingce's sight.

A subtle smile appeared on Zhao Mingce's face.

After a long while, a eunuch's loud voice rang out from the Hall of Supreme Harmony: "His Majesty has arrived! Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived!"

In an instant, the Hall of Supreme Harmony fell silent as civil and military officials quickly lined up on both sides and took their places.

Empress Dowager Yuwen and Zhao Mingce entered the main hall one after the other.

Zhao Mingce sat on the dragon throne, but he immediately fell into a daze, while Empress Dowager Yuwen sat on a slightly lower golden chair to the side.

Zhao Mingce remained silent. Empress Dowager Yuwen exchanged a glance with Wei Tanjin in the main hall, their gazes deep. They shook their heads slightly and then discreetly dusted off the corner of their robes.

Wei Tanjin's pupils contracted slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

He had worked with the Empress Dowager for many years and had a unique understanding between them.

The Empress Dowager's actions just now clearly indicated that she wanted him to suspend today's plans.

Wei Tanjin was filled with doubts. They had planned for this day for a long time, and he couldn't understand why the Empress Dowager would make him stop at the last minute.

However, no matter how doubtful he was, he obeyed Empress Dowager Yuwen's orders and secretly sent signals to his men to cancel today's operation.

Then, Empress Dowager Yuwen spoke up: "My ministers, please speak!"

Immediately, the grand court assembly officially began, and as in previous grand court assemblies, the heads of each department began to come out one by one to report.

As time passed, Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun began to have doubts, because they already knew that Wei Tanjin would impeach them at today's grand court assembly, and then when they defended themselves, he would produce overwhelming evidence.

But now, Wei Tanjin's side hasn't made a single move.

The two exchanged a quick glance, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes, realizing that something might have happened today.

"Clang," "Clang"

"————"

Just then, several loud noises came from outside, the sound of several palace gates being closed.

Immediately afterwards, dense and orderly footsteps came from outside the hall, the clanging of iron armor was dull and heavy, and a troop of imperial guards filed in, their armor gleaming coldly in the morning light.

They moved with lightning speed, sealing off the main gate and several side gates in an instant, their spears gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The expressions of the civil and military officials changed drastically.

Several senior officials were shocked and furious. Some instinctively took a half step back, while others looked around blankly. For a moment, everyone in the hall was terrified and in chaos.

"What happened?"

"What are they trying to do? Who summoned the Imperial Guards?"

"."

Empress Dowager Yuwen immediately stood up, her phoenix eyes slowly sweeping over the crowd below the steps. With an air of authority, she said loudly, "My lords, please calm down. I have just received news that someone has secretly mobilized the Imperial Guards to surround the capital, intending to rebel!"

'

These words caused an uproar throughout the hall.

"What? A mutiny?"

"Who is it? Who dares to be so bold?"

'

"Aren't the Imperial Guards under the Empress Dowager's command? How could they be—"

Various low gasps and exclamations rose and fell, like a pot of boiling water churning in the hall.

Empress Dowager Yuwen's gaze swept over the heads of the crowd, landing on the two figures in front of her. She slightly raised her chin, her eyes filled with coldness: "Left Prime Minister, General, aren't you going to explain yourselves?"

These words were like a sharp blade, instantly cleaving through the noisy discussions in the hall.

All eyes turned to Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun, and the officials subconsciously moved away from them.

Zhang Jiexi stood at the head of the left column, dressed in a scarlet official robe, his face calm, as if the recent events had nothing to do with him.

But at this moment, when Empress Dowager Yuwen's gaze fell on him, he slowly raised his eyelids.

The light in the hall slanted in through the high windows, illuminating his face in half-light and half-shadow.

He was silent for a moment, then his face showed grief and indignation, and he shouted hysterically, "Empress Dowager, since you've seen through my plan today, I'll stop pretending!"

He took a step forward, raised his hand and pointed at Empress Dowager Yuwen on the high seat. His voice suddenly rose, filled with a passionate indignation: "You wicked empress, shameless! A mere woman, you take advantage of my lord's youth to seize power, collude with eunuchs, and wreak havoc on the court! My lord is already an adult. By what right do you rule from behind the curtain and control my lord?"

Even if it's just the two of us, the General and I, today, we would rather sacrifice our lives to purge the court of corrupt officials and reclaim the imperial power for our lord!

"6

Before he could finish speaking, the burly figure beside him moved; it was Yan Kunlun.

Yan Kunlun took a step forward, his imposing aura like that of a startled tiger. His voice boomed like thunder, echoing throughout the hall: "You wicked empress and eunuch! You have wreaked havoc on the court and bullied His Majesty's youth! If the late Emperor's spirit is watching from heaven, he will surely protect us and help us to slay the traitors! Today, I, Yan Kunlun, will risk my life to cleanse the court of these corrupt officials and eliminate the traitors!"

6

These words resonated so powerfully that the beams and pillars in the hall seemed to tremble slightly.

As soon as he finished speaking, some officials from the row of officials on the east side of the hall immediately stepped forward. They were all military generals of the Yan faction and former officials of the Eastern Palace, numbering more than a dozen. They all strode forward and stood behind Yan Kunlun and Zhang Jiexi.

"We, your humble servants, swear to follow the Left Chancellor and the Grand General to the death! To purge the court of corrupt officials and punish the traitors!"

The sound echoed through the hall, mingling with the angry shouts of the Empress Dowager's faction, as if the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony had been torn into two camps.

Empress Dowager Yuwen flew into a rage, her face beneath her phoenix crown hardening like iron. She slammed her hand on the armrest, the sound echoing loudly: "You two traitors are truly shameless! How dare you spout such nonsense and distort the truth! You two, one a civil official and the other a military man, control the court, deceiving me and the Emperor, a widow and his young son! Your wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious! And yet you still feign loyalty today! Guards, seize them!"

At her command, another burst of hurried footsteps echoed outside the hall.

The second squad of imperial guards surged in through the side gate, the sound of weapons being drawn particularly jarring in the empty hall. They formed ranks and surrounded Zhang Jiexi, Yan Kunlun, and the people behind them.

The tip of the knife gleamed with a cold white light in the morning glow.

However, just as the Imperial Guards were closing in, Yan Kunlun took a step forward, and with a loud "boom," the blue brick floor of the hall suddenly shattered.

Spiderweb-like cracks spread outwards from his feet in all directions, sending pebbles flying and dust billowing.

He suddenly swung his arm, tearing his clothes apart to reveal a thin, silver-gray armor underneath. The armor plates clung tightly to his body, gleaming with a cold, watery sheen.

Those with discerning eyes immediately recognized it as the Nine Tribulations Armor, one of the legendary Ten Great Armors of the World. It looked as thin as a cicada's wing, but it was made of divine iron from outer space, making it impervious to water and fire, and invulnerable to swords and spears. It also possessed special abilities.

General Yan Kunlun rose to prominence after obtaining the Nine Tribulations Armor by chance fifteen years ago, and has been invincible on the battlefield ever since.

At this moment, Yan Kunlun slammed his fist into the ground.

"boom--

'

A deafening roar shook the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony. The shockwave radiated outwards from his fist, causing the nearby imperial guards to stagger backward. Several of them lost their grip on their spears, which clattered to the ground.

Yan Kunlun straightened up, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over everyone in the hall. His voice boomed like thunder: "Loyal ministers of the Qian Kingdom! Today, the Qian Kingdom shall be restored to its former glory! Follow me to slay the wicked empress and the eunuch! Let us restore a bright and clear world and reclaim our right to rule the court!"

'

This roar was like lighting a fuse.

Chaos erupted instantly inside the hall.

Zhang Jiexi's faction of civil and military officials rushed to pick up the weapons that the Imperial Guards had just dropped, while the Empress Dowager's faction of officials also quickly picked up their weapons, and the two sides were about to clash.

The sounds of clashing swords, screams, and angry shouts mingled together, exploding throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Meanwhile, the neutral officials were completely thrown into disarray.

Just then, amidst the chaos, Shen Qingqiu, the commander of the Six Doors, shouted, "Six Doors men, follow me and protect His Majesty!"

Immediately, she was the first to rush towards Zhao Mingce.

Immediately afterwards, many neutral court officials also reacted and rushed towards Zhao Mingce, protecting him behind them.

On the dragon throne, Zhao Mingce remained seated, anxiously saying, "What should we do? What should we do?!"

"Kill! Slaughter the rebels!"

"kill!"

At this moment, large contingents of imperial guards rushed in, all heading towards Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun.

Zhang Jiexi sent a large group of imperial guards flying with a single palm strike, then roared, "General Yan, kill the eunuch wicked empress first!"

Yan Kunlun's voice boomed like thunder as he responded, "Good!"

His figure rose from the ground like an iron mountain, his Nine Tribulations Armor gleaming with a cold, silvery-gray luster in the palace light. Fine patterns flowed across the armor, as if countless silver snakes were writhing between the armor plates.

He threw a punch in mid-air, and even before the fist arrived, a terrifying sense of oppression, as if it were a tangible force, surged towards Wei Tanjin.

The force of that punch condensed into the phantom of an angry lion in mid-air, its mouth wide open, carrying a murderous aura that could rout a thousand armies.

At the same time, Zhang Jiexi also made a move.

His figure moved gracefully, like a wisp of wind sweeping through the chaotic crowd, heading straight for Empress Dowager Yuwen. With a flick of his right index finger, a pale golden halo appeared where his fingertip touched the air. The halo rapidly expanded, transforming into a giant finger imprint that hurtled towards Empress Dowager Yuwen.

Empress Dowager Yuwen snorted coldly and took half a step back. In the next instant, a figure flashed out from behind her.

He was a handsome middle-aged man holding a long sword, dressed in a blue robe, and very dignified.

Many people recognized him immediately; he was Yuwen Yong, the top expert of the Yuwen family, one of the five great families, and also the elder brother of Empress Dowager Yuwen.

Yuwen Yong wielded a three-foot-long sword, its blade as thin as a cicada's wing, a piercingly cold light gathering at its tip, which flew towards the golden finger mark like a shooting star. As the sword was drawn, the air seemed to be torn open with a dark rift, the sword intent surging like a vast ocean tide, boundless and mighty.

On the other side, Wei Tanjin, seeing Yan Kunlun charging towards him, shouted, "Well done!"

Then, at the same moment, he met Yan Kunlun's punch. He brought his palms together, and his true energy surged rapidly, transforming into a layer of primordial heavenly intent energy that was invisible yet solid. When he pushed out his palms, it was as if an invisible hand reached out from the void and crushed the illusory image of the angry lion in its path.

The four attacks suddenly clashed.

"Boom!" "Clang!"

Two deafening explosions, like thunderclaps from the heavens, extinguished all the candles in the hall instantly. A chaotic shockwave swept outwards from the point of impact in all directions.

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the dozen or so vermilion pillars, each requiring one person to encircle, cracked all at once, the fissures spreading like a spiderweb to the roof. Beams snapped, tiles fell, and the entire hall groaned under the strain as it trembled violently.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

In the chaos, countless court officials cried out and scattered, while the imperial guards and palace guards clashed together.

The constables from the Six Doors were the first to react. They drew their swords, channeled their inner energy, and worked together to shake off the falling bricks and broken beams, protecting Zhao Mingce as he rushed out of the hall.

Shen Qingqiu picked up a short knife, quickly cleaved a fallen beam in two, and shouted, "Your Majesty, retreat quickly!"

Zhao Mingce was escorted away by several experts from the Six Doors, and they quickly escaped. He glanced back at the rapidly collapsing Hall of Supreme Harmony and sighed, "This is all money, all the blood and sweat of the people—"

Before the words were even finished, the Hall of Supreme Harmony could no longer hold on.

"Boom!"

The entire palace collapsed with a deafening roar, dust billowed into the sky, and rubble piled up like hills, burying the four masters and many court officials and imperial guards who hadn't managed to escape in the ruins.

Zhao Mingce was carried away to a distance by two experts from the Six Doors.

Just then, the center of the ruins suddenly exploded.

Broken bricks and beams shot skyward as four figures burst from the ground simultaneously, colliding and clashing in mid-air. Palm strikes, fist strikes, sword shadows, and finger strikes intertwined to create a massive, overwhelming shockwave. The impact rippled from the ground to the eaves and back into the air, each collision causing the remaining palace walls to sway slightly and shattered tiles to fall in a flurry.

Zhao Mingce stopped and looked at the nervous Shen Qingqiu beside him, and said softly, "Minister Shen, come with me to a distance and don't get involved."

Shen Qingqiu quickly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, with this humble subject here, I will certainly protect Your Majesty."

Zhao Mingce shook his head slightly and said, "I'm afraid you'll get hurt, and then I won't be able to explain it to Alliance Leader Gu."

Shen Qingqiu blushed and said, "Your Majesty, what time is it? Why are you still making these jokes?"

As Zhao Mingce retreated, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a green-skinned melon. He broke it in half and offered it to Shen Qingqiu beside him: "Minister Shen, would you like some melon?"

Shen Qingqiu stared in astonishment at the half-eaten melon Zhao Mingce offered, unsure whether to accept it or not: "Your Majesty—"

--this----"

Zhao Mingce had already taken a bite of the melon, the crisp "crunch" sound particularly clear in his ears. As he chewed, he mumbled, "This melon is so delicious!"

Shen Qingqiu hesitated before taking the melon from Zhao Mingce, took a bite, frowned slightly, and thought to himself, "This melon seems pretty ordinary!"

Just then, a huge "boom" sound came from the battlefield ahead.

Wei Tanjin was slammed to the ground by Yan Kunlun's punch, creating a large crater that buried him completely.

Meanwhile, Zhang Jiexi and Yuwen Yong were exchanging blows in the air. Yuwen Yong's sword was incredibly fast, and countless sword energies rained down on Zhang Jiexi like a storm.

However, the sword energy that filled the sky came to an abrupt halt the next moment.

Surprisingly, Zhang Jiexi caught Yuwen Yong's longsword with just two fingers. His long hair fluttered in the wind, and a smile appeared on his face as he casually said, "Yuwen Yong, you've already entered the Dao, but your sword is still as unusable as it was twenty years ago."

As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his fingers slightly and snapped Yuwen Yong's top-tier divine weapon in two. Then he threw the broken half of the sword at Yuwen Yong.

Yuwen Yong swung his broken sword to parry.

"Clang!"

A deafening roar, like a thunderclap.

Yuwen Yong was sent flying backward, crashing rapidly through the air. Just before hitting the ground, his figure flickered, transforming into a wisp of green smoke, and instantly floated towards Empress Dowager Yuwen, shouting, "Third Sister, help me!"

Empress Dowager Yuwen was standing on a rooftop when she heard Yuwen Yong's words. She raised her hands and muttered incantations. In the void, a formation plate made of true energy appeared. As she raised her hands, the formation plate instantly expanded and flew into the air.

In an instant, streams of earth vein spiritual energy erupted from all directions around the palace.

At the same time, lightning flashed and thunder roared in the sky, and a torrential downpour suddenly arrived!