The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 286 Seven-Part Broken Sword

Thunder rumbled intermittently.

Thick clouds obscured the lightning, and the thunder and lightning seemed to be about to split the dark clouds and crash to the ground.

The cold, lightning-like light reflected on Jiang Jinshuang's mask, making her look like a shrill ghost.

Lu Xiao looked up at the high platform.

The alluring charm in his eyes had faded, and even when facing Jiang Jinshuang's mask, he remained brave and fearless.

The two exchanged a glance, letting the wind howl past.

It was Lu Xiao who spoke first.

"Since Your Highness is here, why not open the city gates as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary casualties?"

After a pause, Lu Xiao chuckled lightly: "The Black Armor Cavalry's abilities are unknown to others, but Your Highness should be aware of them."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinshuang nodded slightly: "I naturally understand."

She looked at Lu Xiao, but her gaze swept past the 300,000 black-armored cavalry and went to the group behind them.

—The 100,000-strong Beihuai army.

Narrowing her eyes, Jiang Jinshuang looked at Lu Xiao and asked loudly, "General Lu, have you led the Black Armor Cavalry to surrender to Beihuai?"

Disgust flashed in Lu Xiao's eyes, and he said coldly, "How could that be?"

Jiang Jinshuang raised an eyebrow: "Then why did Bei Huai and the Black Armor Cavalry come to the city gates together?"

“It’s just a matter of mutual benefit,” Lu Xiao explained. “The Northern Huai Monarch wants to take a gamble and needs the Black Armor Cavalry to make way, while we need the one on the dragon throne in Chang’an to give us an explanation.”

After a pause, Lu Xiao chuckled, "If the Emperor cannot provide a satisfactory answer, and Bei Huai advances, we can pretend not to see it."

This is already a life-threatening situation.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinshuang chuckled lightly: "General Lu, aren't you afraid that Uncle Wang will blame you if he knows in the afterlife that you're aiding and abetting evil?"

“Your Highness, I am no longer afraid of anything,” Lu Xiao looked at Jiang Jinshuang and smiled with relief. “What I have always wanted is an explanation and justice.”

"The border of Wanjin is bitterly cold. For decades, 300,000 black-armored cavalry have guarded the border without complaint, only to end up like this."

"General Ruiyang never intended to rebel, yet he ultimately met his death on the execution ground and suffered a terrible disgrace!"

Lu Xiao stared at Jiang Jinshuang, his eyes bloodshot, his voice cold and sharp: "Does Your Highness know how it feels to be criticized by the world for three years?!"

Jiang Jinshuang smiled and said, "I know."

Of course she knows.

The so-called "criticism" and insults she endured were far more than just three years.

In fact, Jiang Jinshuang didn't care much about how much the world scorned her.

After hearing it so many times, she was able to pretend not to see it and ignore it.

But Uncle Wang is not an option.

She wouldn't allow Uncle Wang, or those who sacrificed their lives and blood to protect Wan Jin, to be humiliated!

Therefore, she knelt outside the Golden Palace for three days and three nights.

Therefore, she remained in seclusion in Baiyujing for three years.

Therefore, even if she was reprimanded by the emperor and suppressed by the empress dowager, she still wanted to find out the truth and clear her uncle's name.

Jiang Jinshuang thought this way, and so she did it.

She looked at Lu Xiao and said calmly, "Lu Xiao, I told you to wait for me. I will clear Uncle Wang's name."

Lu Xiao narrowed his eyes: "Your Highness, this humble general has been waiting for too long."

He extended his long sword, pointing it in Jiang Jinshuang's direction, and raised his voice: "After Your Highness returned to the capital, you may have long forgotten the suffering of Baiyujing, and indulged in the prosperity and hustle and bustle of the capital, having long forgotten the injustice done to Prince Ruiyang."

He chuckled lightly, his meaning ambiguous: "Your Highness, members of the royal family are the least likely to believe in sentimentality."

Jiang Jinshuang took a deep breath, but she wasn't angry when she heard Lu Xiao say that.

I just feel... a little sad.

—She really didn't have anything that others could trust. Jiang Jinshuang just wanted to protect Lu Xiao.

The matter of exonerating Uncle Wang was a crime punishable by death. It was one thing for Jiang Jinshuang to do it alone, but from beginning to end, she wanted to protect Lu Xiao and didn't want him to put himself in danger.

But now it seems that she was overthinking things, which made Lu Xiao suspicious.

He said that members of the royal family are the least likely to believe in friendship.

"Your Highness would be best off opening the city gates as soon as possible and leaving quickly. Otherwise, once the gates are breached, even if Your Highness is the niece of General Ruiyang, the Black Armor Cavalry will not recognize anyone."

This was Lu Xiao's final ultimatum to Jiang Jinshuang.

He was giving Jiang Jinshuang a chance, a chance to escape the capital and fly far away.

Lu Xiao wanted to spare her life.

Jiang Jinshuang looked at Lu Xiao with a fixed gaze: "Lu Xiao, Uncle Wang once told me that no matter what I want to do, he will always stand by my side, listen to me, and support me."

After a pause, Jiang Jinshuang said coldly, "So now, I will not back down."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiao narrowed his eyes dangerously and raised his hand to signal the soldiers behind him.

"Prepare to attack the city!"

Countless black-armored riders, wielding long spears, aimed towards the city gate.

Jiang Jinshuang frowned slightly, her gaze falling on the 100,000 Northern Locust Army hiding behind the black-armored cavalry.

If I'm not mistaken, the one sitting high on the palanquin is none other than the Northern Huai Monarch—Wen Rile.

His willingness to personally lead the expedition this time indicates that this battle is a desperate gamble for the Beihuai army.

If successful, Beihuai will be able to conquer Wanjin and become the strongest country in one fell swoop, receiving the worship of all nations and having no more enemies, thus ending the existence of Wanjin.

If it fails, Beihuai will be devastated and may even disappear from the annals of history.

Wen Rile is getting anxious.

He was getting old and would soon have to step down and hand over the reins to a more capable person. The last battle had already made Wen Rile no longer trust Wen Fengcang.

It can be said that Wen Rile is gambling the survival of Beihuai with this battle.

In that case——

Jiang Jinshuang's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then let's not go back."

Seemingly noticing the murderous gaze Jiang Jinshuang cast from the city wall.

Sitting in the sedan chair, Wen Rile sneered, his tone high-pitched and his voice rising: "Princess Zhaoming? Is that the Princess Zhaoming who hid in Prince Ruiyang's tent back then, not daring to show her face!?"

The palanquin pushed aside the army of black-armored cavalry and slowly approached the front.

Wen Rile was pleased to see Wan Jin kill each other; if he could take Chang'an without losing a single soldier, that would be the best outcome.

So, he came to provoke Jiang Jinshuang.

Looking at the mask of a killing god on Jiang Jinshuang's face, Wen Rile scoffed, his eyes full of disdain: "Princess Zhaoming, don't think that wearing a mask can really give you any divine power. Trying to be a hero."

After a pause, Wen Rile laughed again, "You immature little princess, you'd better run for your life as soon as possible!"

As he spoke, Wen Rile drew the sword from his waist.

The cold light shone on his face, revealing Wenri Lena's no longer young appearance.

"Does Your Highness recognize this sword?"

Following Wen Rile's words, Jiang Jinshuang's gaze fell on the sword.

She raised an eyebrow slightly and chuckled softly, "You look familiar."

Wen Rile sneered, "Back in the day, when Prince Ruiyang Jiang Buhu went to the battlefield, he had a precious sword made of black iron, named 'Twelve Towers'."

“However—” Wen Rile scoffed, “Back then, his Twelve Tower Sword was severed by my sword with one strike, losing three-tenths of its blade, leaving only a seven-tenths broken sword.”

"I heard that the broken sword, which was seven-tenths broken, is now in the hands of Her Highness the Princess?"

Wen Rile smiled contemptuously, wiping the blade of his sword: "Your Highness, why don't you guess how much of your seven-tenths broken sword is left today?"