I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

He instantly realized that Southern Chu was in grave danger!

Yuwen Quan staggered back several steps, barely managing to stand up by grabbing the table.

The worst result still happened.

Not only did the Great Liang take advantage of the chaos, but they also swept through the entire Yuezhou region with overwhelming force.

Judging from their formation, they don't look like they've occupied any territory at all.

Instead, they wanted to swallow up the entire Southern Chu.

"uncle."

Yuwen Quan looked at Gu Siling anxiously and pleaded with her.

"We can't continue fighting. Yuezhou has fallen. If this continues, our country will perish..."

At this point, Yuwen Quan was already choked up and unable to speak.

"no!"

Gu Xichao, who was standing to the side, suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his eyes burning with anger.

"If we surrender now, we will die."

"In my opinion, if we launch a full-scale attack, we might be able to take the capital before the Liang army arrives!"

bass!

The next second, Yuwen Quan suddenly drew his sword and pressed the blade directly against his throat.

Fresh blood immediately began to flow slowly down the sword's edge.

"surrender."

With tears streaming down his face, Yuwen Quan resolutely declared, "Otherwise, I will die right here in front of you."

"Your Highness, are you trying to force all of us to our deaths?"

Gu Xichao roared angrily from the side.

"Uncle, cousin, please listen to me!"

Yuwen Quan smiled bitterly: "I cannot watch Southern Chu perish."

Gu Siling kept her back to him for a long time before slowly turning around.

He reached out and snatched the sword from Yuwen Quan's hand.

"I can surrender, but Your Majesty must agree to pardon all the crimes committed by my subordinates."

"Otherwise, I would rather perish together with the enemy."

Yuwen Quan nodded solemnly.

He knew his father's character; even for the sake of Nan Chu, he would agree to Gu Siling's request.

That night, the surrender document written by Gu Siling herself was urgently sent to the Imperial Study.

Yuwen Jian handed the letter of surrender to Yan Donglou and others for them to read, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Gu Siling's letter states that the Liang army's advance is aimed directly at Southern Chu, and he is willing to surrender and end the war. What do you think?"

Li Dakang was the first to clasp his hands in greeting and said, "Your Majesty, given Gu Siling's character, he would never surrender unless the Great Liang truly launched a large-scale invasion. This matter is most likely true."

"That's what I think too."

Yuwen Jian's face also darkened completely.

"Therefore, I have decided to answer..."

puff!

A dull thud as a sharp blade pierced flesh abruptly interrupted his words.

Chapter 154 Choosing Between Two Towers

Everyone in the imperial study was dumbfounded.

A long sword suddenly pierced through Yuwen Jian's back and emerged from under the hem of his dragon robe.

The swordsman was none other than the Azure Dragon beside him.

Their expressions gradually changed from stunned to horrified.

"His Majesty!"

Li Dakang let out a mournful cry and charged forward, drawing his sword.

However, he was struck by Qinglong's palm and coughed up blood incessantly.

"Why?"

Yuwen Jian turned to look at Qinglong in disbelief.

The Azure Dragon sneered, "Didn't Your Majesty say I'm a pillar of the state? Then of course I'll attack your ass."

"Look, it's blooming now."

As he spoke, he twisted his wrist, and the sword began to churn violently inside Yuwen Jian's body.

"Why...?"

Yuwen Jian felt a chill in his lower body and trembled with pain.

He looked at this minister he trusted implicitly.

"I have treated you well..."

Qinglong chuckled and patted Yuwen Jian's old face.

"Yuwen Jian, Yuwen Jian, don't you understand yet?"

Why would Consort Qi denounce Consort Hua?

Why would the Crown Prince have an affair with Consort Hua?

"And Lu Shiyu..."

"It was all a trap meticulously planned by Lord Yan and me!"

"you!!!"

Yuwen Jian suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

"How ridiculous of you, you old fool! You've actually driven Yuwen Quan and Gu Siling to their opposites."

"Traitor... thief..."

Yuwen Jian used all his strength to utter two words, and then his pupils began to dilate.

Qinglong shrugged and chuckled nonchalantly, "Oh right, I forgot to tell you."

"Consort Qi, so moisturizing."

"puff!"

Yuwen Jian's eyes widened in anger.

The next second, she spat out her last mouthful of blood and died instantly.

"Qinglong, Yan Donglou, how dare you commit regicide!!!"

Li Dakang stared in horror, struggling to get up from the ground.

He roared in a hoarse voice, "You will all die a horrible death!"

"Noisy."

Qinglong frowned slightly and flicked his sleeve.

Swish!

An invisible sword aura pierced through the air, instantly severing Li Dakang's burly body in two.

His lower body remained in a cursing posture, while his upper body collapsed to the ground.

Then he turned to look at Ye Chen and the Zhenwu Guard General, who were paralyzed with fear on the ground.

The murderous intent in his eyes had not diminished.

"Lord Azure Dragon, spare my life!"

Ye Chen suddenly knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, begging incessantly.

"I am Qi Fei Ye Lanyi's father. Aren't you and my daughter in a marital relationship?"

"We're practically in-laws!"

Upon hearing this, Qinglong smiled dismissively.

"Sorry, I don't intend to let Ye Lanyi go either. You should go downstairs and wait for him."

In an instant, a cold glint appeared.

Both heads flew up at the same time, and Ye Chen's panicked yet obsequious expression was still frozen on his face.

Yan Donglou looked around and saw that there were no survivors in the entire Imperial Study.

He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and asked in a low voice, "What should we do next?"

Qinglong slowly wiped the blood-stained blade of his sword and sneered, "Gu Siling wants a pardon, doesn't he? Then we'll grant his request."

"Forge an imperial edict, saying that the court can grant him a pardon for the rest of the people, but on the condition that Yuwen Quan and the Gu family must commit suicide to atone for their sins."

"As long as they are willing to die, the rest of the soldiers will be forgiven for their past transgressions."

Yan Donglou was stunned for a moment after hearing this.

"I doubt they'll just obediently commit suicide, will they?"

"That's exactly what we want—for them not to commit suicide."

Qinglong laughed, "As long as they defy the imperial decree, this war must continue until the Heavenly Army of Great Liang arrives."

"understood."

Yan Donglou nodded.

That night, the two forged an imperial edict.

Meanwhile, Yan Donglou's trusted confidants were also stationed outside the Imperial Study, surrounding the entire palace completely.

Any palace servant who dared to approach was silently dragged into the shadows and dealt with.

The next morning, Qinglong arrived at the Gu family camp alone, carrying the imperial edict.

The imperial edict was read aloud word by word.

"Considering the loyalty and virtue of the Gu family for generations, Yuwen Quan, Gu Siling, and Gu Xichao are hereby granted permission to commit suicide as an atonement."

"If the ringleader is executed, all the others may be pardoned..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Siling and the other two's expressions instantly turned extremely ugly.

"A tyrannical ruler!"

Gu Xichao suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, his hair standing on end in anger, and he shouted curses.

"We were willing to surrender for the sake of the Yuwen clan's empire, yet he still wants to exterminate us all."

"Your Highness, General Gu, since you both keep saying you're doing this for the sake of the nation, surely you're willing to die for Southern Chu?"

Qinglong extended his hand, feigning respect.

"Please, all three of you."

"This humble official is waiting to return and report."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Quan remained silent for a moment, then tremblingly drew the sword from his waist.

"If you want your minister to die, you will have to die."

"We only hope that Your Majesty will keep your word."