I, a spoiled young master, conquered the Crown Princess right from the start!

Just then, another unexpected event occurred!

Outside the Prince's Mansion, a cold voice suddenly rang out, sweeping across the entire area like the chilly wind of December.

"The Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion colluded with the barbarians to murder a prince—a heinous crime! The Imperial Guards are here; surrender immediately!"

Marquis Luo Qingyang of Tiannan walked in, dressed in military attire, holding a sharp sword, his face cold and stern.

Behind him were thousands of imperial guards dressed in bright yellow armor and carrying long spears.

Their armor is different from that of the Fierce Tiger Army and the Zhenbei Army. A large "禁" (forbidden) character on their chests highlights their unique identity—the Emperor's personal guard!

The appearance of this army instantly added an even heavier sense of oppression to the already chaotic battlefield.

They were symbols of imperial power, and their appearance represented the emperor's will.

"Luo Qingyang, you have quite the ability to mobilize the Imperial Guards!" Chu Tianyuan looked at the newcomer, a cold glint flashing in his cloudy old eyes, his voice hoarse yet full of penetrating power.

Luo Qingyang's gaze swept over the corpses scattered on the ground, finally landing on Lu Ling's body, which Chu Feng had thrown to the ground. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and then he shouted righteously:

"Chu Tianyuan, your Zhenbei Prince's Mansion is incredibly audacious! First, your heir Chu Feng committed atrocities in the street, disfiguring Princess Zhaohe's face. Then, at the wedding banquet, you brutally murdered the Fourth Prince. Now, you've even colluded with the barbarian tribes, our Great Qian's sworn enemies, plotting a rebellion! Each and every one of these acts constitutes a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family!"

He pointed his sword at Chu Tianyuan, his voice stern and menacing: "I have come to quell the rebellion by His Majesty's secret decree! Lay down your weapons and kneel to await your deaths!"

The eldest princess, Lu Wuyan, who had collapsed to the ground, saw Luo Qingyang arrive with the imperial guards and, as if grasping at a last straw, struggled to her feet, screaming like a madwoman, "Lord Luo! Kill them! Kill them all! Tear these traitors from the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion to pieces!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Qingyang turned his head and gave Lu Wuyan a strange smile.

"Your Highness, rest assured, none of them will escape."

His voice was gentle, but Lu Wuyan felt a sudden pang of heart palpitation for no apparent reason.

The next second, Luo Qingyang moved.

He moved with ghostly speed, appearing instantly in front of Lu Wuyan.

Before Lu Wuyan could react, she felt a chill in her throat.

She looked down and saw a sword tip protruding from her neck, blood dripping down the blade.

"You..." She clutched her throat, her eyes filled with endless shock and confusion as she stared intently at Luo Qingyang.

Luo Qingyang slowly drew his longsword, letting Lu Wuyan's body slump down. He even considerately wiped the blood off the sword with his sleeve, and said softly, "Your Highness, go in peace. I will soon send the entire Zhenbei Prince's Mansion to accompany you."

Having said that, he turned abruptly and roared angrily at the thousands of imperial guards behind him and everyone present, "The Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion is utterly depraved! They actually murdered Her Highness the Eldest Princess right before my eyes!"

"A crime compounded upon a crime, unforgivable!"

"Imperial Guards, heed my command! Raze the Prince's residence to the ground and slaughter all traitors without mercy!"

This framing was executed with masterful skill, turning black into white, leaving everyone present stunned.

"Brothers, let's go!"

At this moment, a middle-aged man who was leading the group shouted. He was Luo Qingyang's younger brother and also the commander of the Imperial Guards.

It was because of him that Luo Qingyang was able to mobilize the Imperial Guards.

Although mobilizing the Imperial Guards without authorization is a serious crime, Luo Qingyang believed that as long as he captured the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, His Majesty would not blame him.

As soon as the commander gave the order, the imperial guards did not hesitate and immediately raised their long spears, ready to charge forward.

But at this critical moment, a roar that was even older, yet even more powerful, came rolling in from afar like thunder.

"Luo Qingyang! How dare you!"

The voice has not fallen,

The white-haired and white-bearded Duke Xiao, also clad in armor and wielding a long sword, strode in, surrounded by a group of experts from the Duke's mansion.

"Duke Xiao!" Luo Qingyang's expression changed slightly when he saw Duke Xiao.

Duke Xiao stared at him coldly and said, "Luo Qingyang, your unauthorized mobilization of the Imperial Guards is a capital offense! Now you have publicly plotted to murder the Eldest Princess and framed the Prince of Zhenbei, making your crimes even more serious! Today, I will cleanse His Majesty's household!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Duke Xiao's figure vanished.

Luo Qingyang's pupils suddenly contracted. He felt an unprecedented sense of crisis enveloping him, and without thinking, he tried to back away.

But it was too late.

The figure of Duke Xiao appeared before him like a ghost, his wrinkled old face now carrying a hint of indifference.

"You..." Luo Qingyang only managed to utter one word.

The long sword in Duke Xiao's hand, though seemingly slow, carried an unparalleled force, piercing directly through Luo Qingyang's chest.

puff.

A spurt of blood gushed out.

Luo Qingyang looked down at the sword in his chest, then at Duke Xiao in front of him. His lips moved, but he died without saying a word.

Pfft!!!

Duke Xiao drew his longsword, and Luo Qingyang's body fell to the ground.

For a moment, all the Imperial Guard soldiers present were dumbfounded.

Luo Qingyang's younger brother cried out in sorrow, "Big brother!"

He glared angrily at Duke Xiao, about to unleash a torrent of curses, when Duke Xiao swiftly swung his sword and severed his head.

Duke Xiao didn't even glance at the corpse. His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the bewildered imperial guards, and he coldly shouted, "You are the emperor's personal guards, yet you have been deceived by treacherous officials and aided and abetted evil! Now that the traitor is dead, why don't you immediately retreat and return to your posts to await His Majesty's judgment!"

The imperial guards looked at each other, and finally one of the generals reacted and quickly ordered, "Retreat! Retreat immediately!"

The thousands of imperial guards arrived quickly and left just as fast, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Chu Feng was secretly astonished by what he saw.

He had long known that Duke Xiao was a renowned war god in his day, but he never expected that the old man would still be so fierce at his age.

To kill a marquis with a single sword strike, that's absolutely awesome!

"Grandpa." Xiao Nihuang approached Duke Xiao and bowed slightly.

Duke Xiao looked at his dashing granddaughter, and a smile finally appeared on his face. But he quickly straightened his expression and turned to Chu Tianyuan beside him, saying irritably, "You old fool Chu! I truly regret marrying Nihuang into your family! Look at this, look at this! On this joyous occasion, you've turned it into a bloodbath! What kind of spectacle is this!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Tianyuan not only wasn't angry, but burst into laughter. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and waved his hand dismissively, "When have we, who have rolled around in mountains of corpses and seas of blood, ever been afraid of seeing blood? Besides, isn't today exciting?"

His laughter vanished, replaced by a murderous glint in his eyes. He ordered the Zhenbei Army behind him, "Leave no one alive! Slaughter them all!"

With Chu Tianyuan's command, the battle, which was already nearing its end, once again erupted into a final, bloody climax.

Those barbarian tribes, Western Region experts, and warriors from the Tiannan Marquis's mansion, who were already in complete disarray, were slaughtered without even a ripple of resistance under the combined attack of the Zhenbei Army and the Xiao Family Army.

The smell of blood was so strong it was almost suffocating.

Crown Prince Lu Yuan and Crown Princess Su Youwei stood in the corner, their faces as pale as paper.

They had never seen such a horrific and bloody scene. Lu Yuan, suppressing the churning in his stomach, cupped his hands to Chu Tianyuan and Duke Xiao, his voice trembling, "Your Highness, Duke, today... today's events... I am unwell, so I will take my leave now."

After saying that, he grabbed Su Youwei and, under the protection of several guards from the Eastern Palace, fled this hellish place in a sorry state.

With the last enemy fallen, the palace and its surroundings finally returned to a deathly silence.

Duke Xiao frowned as he looked at the corpses scattered on the ground: "Old fool Chu, have you thought about what to do next? The Fourth Prince is dead, the Eldest Princess is dead, and the Marquis of Tiannan is dead. This is no small matter."

Chu Tianyuan, however, acted as if nothing had happened, waving his hand dismissively: "To hell with it! If the sky falls, I'll hold it up! The most important thing now is to get my grandson to complete the ancestral worship!"

"Old Fu!"

"This old servant is here!" Uncle Fu hurriedly stepped forward.

"Have someone clean this place up immediately! Continue the wedding ceremony!" Chu Tianyuan ordered.

at the same time,

Deep within the palace, in the imperial study, the atmosphere was incredibly oppressive.

Lu Tianqian, dressed in a black dragon robe, knelt on the ground and respectfully greeted, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Holy Envoy!"