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September 15th, the 26th year of the prosperous era, night.

The moon was completely obscured by dark clouds, and the wise people of the capital reduced their outings.

Even the once bustling Eight Great Hutongs were much quieter, as the sons of high-ranking officials and nobles were all ordered to stay at home.

The entire capital was filled with a tense atmosphere, as if a storm was brewing.

However, the mansion of the Marquis of Anle in the western suburbs of the capital was brightly lit.

From the outside, this mansion with its five courtyards and five entrances looks no different from usual. The old servant at the gatehouse has already gone to sleep, and the courtyard is quiet.

But the main hall in the backyard was packed with people.

Chai Zongxun stood in the center of the main hall, wearing a majestic suit of armor.

This armor was the only relic of his father, Emperor Shizong of Zhou, Chai Rong. He never wore it and kept it locked in a box. Every year, he would take it out, wipe it clean, and then put it back.

He finally put it on today; the cold metal plates pressed against his body, making him tremble slightly.

It wasn't fear, it was excitement, as if he could feel the spirit of his father, Emperor Chai Rong.

At this moment, more than two thousand people were standing in front of Chai Zongxun.

There were Fu family assassins, each one strong and fierce, with ruthless eyes.

Some of the bodyguards and thugs kept by the old bureaucrats, who usually guarded the house, were now armed with knives and guns, ready to kill.

There were also some desperate criminals who had sneaked in from various places, with scars on their faces, blood on their hands, and a fierce glint in their eyes.

There were also some disillusioned individuals who claimed to be close confidants of Emperor Zhou Shizong (Chai Rong), all of whom fantasized about high-ranking positions and great wealth for their service in supporting the emperor and bringing glory to their families.

More than two thousand people filled the entire Marquis's residence to the brim.

Chai Zongxun's gaze swept across their faces one by one, and then he spoke, "Gentlemen, after tonight, this world will have a new master."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than shouts erupted from the crowd: "Long live the Marquis!"

"Charge into the palace and capture the traitor Guo alive!"

"Take back the dragon throne!"

Chai Zongxun raised his hand to stop the shouting.

Then he looked at his trusted confidant Fu Zhaoxin and asked, "Where have those Khitans gone?"

Fu Zhaoxin stood at the front of the crowd, dressed in a black outfit with a knife at his waist.

Fu Zhaoxin nodded and lowered his voice, saying, "The Khitans are already waiting outside the city. The three hundred cavalrymen are the remnants of the army that escaped years ago. They've been waiting for this day for over a decade. The leader is Yelü Dilie, a member of a collateral branch of the Khitan royal family. His father died at the hands of the Zhou army, and although he surrendered to them, he has always hated them to the core."

A slight smile appeared on Chai Zongxun's lips.

The Khitans.

When the Khitan Kingdom was destroyed by the Great Zhou, Yelü Xian was captured, and the Khitan nobles were either killed or fled.

Those who escaped remained hidden in the harsh, cold north, barely clinging to life.

In recent years, the Fu family has been secretly contacting them, promising them countless benefits, and finally persuading them to send troops.

Although there were only three hundred men, they were all elites, raised on horseback, and their horsemanship and swordsmanship were first-rate.

Once we break into the city, with inside help, our chances of victory will be even greater.

“My lord,” Fu Lingtu leaned closer and lowered his voice, “the arrangements at the West Gate have been made. The garrison commander received 20,000 taels of silver from us and promised to open the city gate at 11:45 AM. His men will pretend not to see it and let our men enter the city smoothly.”

Chai Zongxun nodded. "Alright. We'll start precisely at 1:45 AM."

He then scanned the crowd and raised his voice, "Let's go!"

"promise!"

More than two thousand people left the Marquis's residence silently and disappeared into the night.

……

Outside the city, in an abandoned temple, three hundred Khitan cavalrymen were waiting.

The temple was dilapidated, with several large holes in the roof, missing arms and legs on the Buddha statues, and dust and cobwebs everywhere.

But these Khitans didn't care. They sat on the ground, leaning against the wall, silently wiping their knives.

The leader was called Yelü Dilie, in his forties, with a weathered face and a deep scar under his left eye.

He was a member of a collateral branch of the Khitan royal family. His father died at the hands of the Zhou army and he was forced to surrender to the Great Zhou when he was only in his twenties. Now he is over forty.

For more than a decade, he had been secretly gathering and supporting the old Khitan troops, and these few hundred remnants were hiding in the northern grasslands.

They froze to death in winter, starved to death in summer, were bullied by other tribes, and were chased and beaten by the Zhou army.

He dreamed of leading these remnants of his army back to the Central Plains, restoring the glory of the Khitan, and avenging his family.

"Xiangwen," a subordinate leaned over and whispered, "news has come from the capital that Chai Zongxun's men have already made their move. The meeting will be held at the West Gate at 11:45 AM."

Yelü Dilie nodded, stood up, and ordered, "Send the order: Mount up! Let's go!"

Three hundred cavalrymen mounted their horses.

The horses' hooves were wrapped in thick cloth, the men had gags in their mouths, and their knives were not drawn; they moved silently toward the city gate.

Their target is Simon.

The commander guarding the west gate was named Wang Gui. He was over fifty years old and had been in the army for thirty years without ever being promoted.

When the Fu family found Wang Gui, he was worried about his hopeless career and felt that his talents were not being recognized.

He agreed without hesitation when the 20,000 taels of silver were offered.

At three-quarters past midnight, the west gate quietly opened.

Three hundred Khitan cavalrymen filed in.

……

Inside the palace, the imperial study was still brightly lit.

On the dragon bed, Su Ning was still the same, her face sallow and her breathing weak.

The imperial physicians took turns watching over him, never leaving him for a single moment of the day.

Physician Qin sat by the bed, his eyes bloodshot, still clutching the silver needle in his hand.

No one noticed that the inconspicuous eunuch in the corner twitched his ears slightly.

Ah Fu heard it.

Those footsteps, those hoofbeats, those subtle sounds of clashing swords and spears.

It's too far away; ordinary people can't hear it.

But Afu, this artificial intelligence, can hear it.

He stood there like a statue, seemingly not even breathing, yet his ears, like radar, picked up every sound within a radius of several miles.

Three hundred... four hundred... five hundred...

There were quite a few people.

Afu smiled to himself.

Master, the big fish you caught has arrived.

……

Meanwhile, Chai Zongxun's troops met up with the Khitan cavalry outside the north gate of the palace.

More than 500 people, a dark mass, filled the open space outside the North Gate.

The torches illuminated their ferocious faces, and their knives and spears gleamed coldly in the firelight.

Chai Zongxun, mounted on his horse, gazed at the majestic palace gate, his heart pounding.

Twenty-seven years have passed.

After twenty-seven years, he finally returned.

When he was six years old, he was carried out of the Bianliang Imperial Palace, put into a carriage, and sent to the so-called Anle Marquis's mansion.

Then he was forced to move the capital to the capital with that despicable uncle, wasting his life in this desolate place, watching his uncle arrogantly seize the throne that rightfully belonged to him.

From then on, Chai Zongxun never stepped into the palace gates again.

He hates.

He hated the person who stole his throne, hated those people with the surname Guo, and hated the palace that shut him out.

He also resented his father, Emperor Chai Rong, for failing to make proper arrangements before his death, and he also resented his mother, Empress Fu, for being weak and incompetent, only able to advise him to give up his hatred.

Today, Chai Zongxun is coming back.

He must kill all the Guo family members, ascend the throne, restore order, abolish all absurd laws, and then return the capital to Bianliang.

I will definitely become a great emperor who surpasses my father, Emperor Shizong of Zhou, Chai Rong...

"rush!"

Chai Zongxun raised his knife and shouted.

Shouts of battle suddenly rang out.

More than 2,300 people surged toward the North Gate like a tide.

Caught off guard, the guards at the north gate were breached.

Before the guards could react, they were cut down to the ground.

Chai Zongxun's men swarmed in.

"kill!"

"Capture Guo the traitor alive!"

"Charge into the Imperial Study!" The palace instantly descended into chaos.

The eunuchs and palace maids were so frightened that they ran around in all directions, their cries shaking the heavens.

Some hid behind the artificial hill, some crawled into the flower bushes, and some lay on the ground, too afraid to move.

The lantern fell to the ground and caught fire, the flames illuminating the terrified faces.

The palace guards fought desperately, but they were too few to stop the ferocious assassins.

The guards charged forward wave after wave, only to be cut down wave after wave.

Corpses lay scattered on the ground, and blood flowed like a river.

Chai Zongxun rode his horse and charged all the way to the Imperial Study.

Nearly.

closer.

The Imperial Study is just ahead.

The door was open, and the inside was brightly lit.

Chai Zongxun reined in his horse, jumped off, picked up his knife, and walked in step by step.

There was only one dragon bed in the imperial study.

A person was lying on the bed, covered with a bright yellow quilt, and remained motionless.

Chai Zongxun looked at the man, his whole body trembling.

He knew that face all too well.

For twenty-seven years, from age six to thirty-three, every time he saw her at court, at banquets, or from afar, he felt an urge to rush up and stab her.

But each time, he could only lower his head and pretend to be respectful.

Today, I can finally hold my head high, like a king returning home.

"Guo Xin," Chai Zongxun gritted his teeth, speaking each word clearly, "you've finally met your match."

He raised his knife.

The blade gleamed coldly in the lamplight.

Just then, a voice came from behind, "My lord, don't be in such a hurry!"

Chai Zongxun suddenly turned around.

There was a person standing at the door.

Chen Qiao, Commander of the Imperial City Guard.

He was dressed in official robes, standing with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his face.

That smile was gentle, yet it sent a chill down Chai Zongxun's spine.

Behind Chen Qiao, there was a dense crowd of people.

The Imperial Guards, armed with crossbows and torches, completely surrounded the Imperial Study.

The crossbow bolts were aimed at Chai Zongxun, and the torches illuminated his pale face.

Chai Zongxun's expression changed. "Chen Qiao, you... how could you..."

"How did I end up here?" Chen Qiao smiled. "Lord Marquis, do you really think the Imperial City Guard was unaware of your little schemes?"

"..." Chai Zongxun's hands began to tremble.

"The Fu family, the Khitans, and the assassins kept by those old bureaucrats... the Imperial City Guard has been watching you closely and has never let its guard down."

Chen Qiao slowly walked into the imperial study, saying as he went, "Over the years, we know exactly who you've met, what you've said, and what you've bought. Fu Zhaoxin met with Yelü Dilie three times, once outside the city and twice at the Fu family's villa. Fu Lingtu went to Datong Prefecture twice to meet with the remnants of the Khitan. Wang Lun convened five secret meetings at his home, and we have records of who attended each time and what was said."

The knife in Chai Zongxun's hand clattered to the ground. "Then...then him..."

He pointed incredulously at the person on the bed.

On the dragon bed, the person slowly opened his eyes.

Su Ning sat up and looked at Chai Zongxun, "Nephew, I've been waiting for you for so long!"

Those eyes were terrifyingly clear.

His face wasn't sallow, his lips weren't bluish, and he looked very energetic.

Chai Zongxun's eyes widened. "You...you're not poisoned?"

Su Ning got out of bed and walked up to him. "Poisoned? Of course you are."

Chai Zongxun was stunned. "Then how did you..."

"Nephew, I am immune to all poisons."

Su Ning looked at him calmly, "Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? For twenty-seven years, I've known you hate me. I know you want to reclaim the throne. I've been waiting, waiting for you to make your move."

Chai Zongxun's face turned completely pale. "So...this was all a setup?"

“That’s right! It’s a setup.” Su Ning nodded. “From the very beginning, I knew you were plotting something. The Imperial City Guard has been watching you closely. They know exactly who you’ve met, what you’ve said, and what you’ve bought.”

"I deliberately poisoned myself and fell into a coma, just to see if you would take action. I also wanted to see how my sons would react in this situation."

"..." Chai Zongxun trembled all over and couldn't say a word.

"So, you took action." Su Ning turned around and looked at him. "Nephew, do you know what this means?"

"..." Chai Zongxun raised his head, his eyes blank.

"That just shows you're stupid."

Chai Zongxun's face completely fell.

Outside, the shouts of battle had stopped.

The suicide soldiers who rushed in were surrounded by the National Defense Corps.

Some people tried to resist and were shot dead on the spot.

Some people knelt down to surrender and were then tied up.

The Khitan cavalry charged several times from the outside, but failed to break through, and were eventually surrounded.

A palace coup ended before it even began.

Fu Zhaoxin was brought in, his face covered in blood, his clothes torn, and he looked utterly disheveled.

Fu Lingtu followed behind, his legs trembling so much he could barely stand.

Yelü Dilie was bound hand and foot, and two soldiers were holding him up. He was still struggling and cursing in Khitan.

Those former bureaucrats, Wang Lun, Zhang Rang, and Li Yi, were brought in one by one, heads bowed, not daring to look at Su Ning.

Su Ning walked up to Chai Zongxun, looked down at him, and said, "Nephew, I told your mother, Empress Fu, that you would live a life of comfort, wealth, and health. I kept my word. For the past thirty-three years, you've had everything you need—food, clothing, and necessities. Your mansion, land, salary, and servants—you've had it all. If you wanted to study, I hired tutors for you. If you wanted to travel, I arranged it for you. Haven't I been good enough to you?"

"..." Chai Zongxun lowered his head and remained silent.

“But you’re not satisfied,” Su Ning said. “You want more. You want the throne, you want the world, you want to pull me off this chair.”

He suddenly squatted down, looking Chai Zongxun in the eye, and asked, "I ask you, even if you sit in this chair, can you sit steadily?"

"..." Chai Zongxun trembled all over.

Do you know why I haven't appointed a crown prince?

Chai Zongxun raised his head and looked at him. "Because I want to see which of my sons is truly capable of shouldering this empire. I also want to see when you, who are hiding in the shadows, will finally step forward."

"..." Chai Zongxun's face turned completely pale.

"Take him away."

Chai Zongxun was immediately dragged away by the Imperial Guards.

Fu Zhaoxin, Fu Lingtu, Yelü Dilie, and those former officials and assassins were all tied up and taken to the Imperial City Bureau's prison.

The Imperial Study fell silent once more.

Su Ning stood by the window, gazing at the night outside.

Moonlight peeked through the clouds, casting a cold glow on the glazed tiles of the palace.

In the distance, the prisoners were being led away, and the sounds of footsteps, shouts, and cries gradually faded into the distance.

Chen Qiao walked up behind him. "Your Majesty, what should we do next?"

"Investigate," Su Ning said. "Bring the entire Fu family under control. Although Fu Yanqing is dead, there are still several hundred people in the Fu family. Don't let any of them escape. Also, investigate the families of those former officials to see if there are any accomplices. As for the remnants of the Khitan, we can wipe them out in one fell swoop. Have Gao Huaide lead troops to the northern desert and take them all down."

Chen Qiao nodded. "Won't this affect Consort Shu and Prince Wei?"

"Are they connected with Chai Zongxun?"

"no!"

"That settles it! It won't involve them, mother and child."

"What about the princes?"

Su Ning was silent for a moment, then said, "The game is over. I have made appropriate arrangements for them."

Chen Qiao did not ask what the arrangements were.

He knew that His Majesty had his reasons.

Outside the window, the moonlight grew brighter and brighter.

Next, the Great Zhou will surely be stained with blood.

...(End of this chapter)