I was to be executed by Zhu Yuanzhang, and Empress Ma smashed Zhu Yuanzhang's jade seal.

"Zhu Chongba".

Her voice was no longer calm; it had fallen from the clouds to hell.

"You didn't even feel heartache when your fifth brother died."

"I only cut my palm."

She paused, then squeezed out each word through gritted teeth.

"Give me back my son's life!"

Zhu Yuanzhang froze on the spot, his face contorted with fear and heartache.

He looked at Empress Ma's bloodless face, at her lifeless eyes, and at the sword less than half an inch from his nose, still dripping with her blood.

A chill ran from the soles of his feet straight up to the top of his head.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat blocked, unable to utter a single word.

He wanted to say, "Girl, put down your sword first, let's talk things over."

He wanted to say, "Girl, your hand is important. Let's have the imperial physician bandage it for you first."

But under the watchful eyes of Empress Ma, he couldn't utter a single word.

Because he saw utter despair in those eyes.

It was a kind of despair that was greater than the death of the heart.

"Sister... Sister..."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was terribly dry. He swallowed hard, "What...what are you doing...we...we didn't mean that..."

"That's not what you meant?"

Empress Ma sneered, a laugh more unpleasant than a cry, "Then what do you mean?"

She took another step forward, closing the distance.

The cold blade of the sword was almost touching Zhu Yuanzhang's skin.

"I only scraped my hand, and you're making a huge fuss, calling for the imperial physician and showing such concern. Zhu Chongba, who are you trying to fool with this act?!"

"Is this for my benefit? Or for the benefit of all the officials in the court? To show them how much you, the Hongwu Emperor, care about me, the Empress?"

"Let me tell you! I, Ma Xiuying, don't care!"

Her voice grew louder and colder with each word.

Every word was like a knife, stabbing deeply into Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face turned pale and then red as he was scolded, and he retreated repeatedly.

"I...I'm not...Sooyoung, please let me explain..."

"explain?"

Empress Ma sneered again, "Fine, explain yourself! Explain to me what heinous crime the Fifth Prince committed that you would force him to his death like this!"

"He...he's plotting a rebellion!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was cornered and could only use this one reason as a shield.

"rebellion?"

"rebellion?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuying felt as if she had heard the most absurd and heartbreaking joke in the world.

The deathly stillness in her eyes suddenly surged with a blood-red glint, her frail body trembled slightly, the veins on her hand gripping the sword hilt bulged, and the wound on her palm was forcefully pulled open.

Warm blood slowly slid down the cold blade, drop by drop, landing on the hem of Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon robe, spreading out in dazzling red spots.

"Zhu Chongba, put your hand on your heart and tell me!"

"The Fifth Prince has followed you through countless battles since childhood, fighting across thousands of miles, shedding blood on the northern frontier, licking blood from the edge of a blade to protect the northern border of the Ming Dynasty for you. His military exploits are outstanding, and the scars all over his body are for you and for this vast land! He is loyal and pure by nature, and he would not even bear to lightly harm an ant. How could there be any talk of rebellion?"

She pressed closer, the blade brushing against Zhu Yuanzhang's cool neck.

"You fear his overwhelming power, his command of the northern frontier, and his unparalleled prestige within the army! You dare not touch the deeply entrenched noble families of Huaixi, nor the powerful ministers of the aristocratic families who dominate the court, so you can only force the most loyal Prince Ying, whom you raised with your own hands, to his death!"

"Your so-called rebellion is nothing but an excuse for your 'killing the dog after the rabbit is caught' and 'discarding the bow after the birds are gone'!"

With his back against the cold palace wall, Zhu Yuanzhang had nowhere to retreat, and his supreme imperial majesty vanished completely.

He stared at his wife, her eyes wide with fury and her heart filled with despair, his throat bobbing repeatedly, a thousand words stuck in his chest, unable to find a way to refute her.

He knew in his heart that every word Ma Xiuying uttered was a piercing of his deepest suspicions and cold-heartedness.

Zhu Muying was loyal and brave, and never had the slightest rebellious thought. However, the chaotic world had been settled and the country was firmly established. For an emperor, his dazzling military achievements and prestige were always the most glaring threat.

The hall was deathly silent, with only the sound of the wind passing through the windows.

At this critical juncture of life and death, with the emperor and empress locked in a standoff and the court and the public silent, a sudden, earth-shattering sound of rapid hoofbeats erupted outside the palace!

"Urgent dispatch—!"

Urgent report from Northern Xinjiang!

The Yellow River defense line has been completely breached!

The urgent and shrill announcements pierced through the layers of palace walls.

The winds and sandstorms, the bloodshed, and the crisis of national subjugation on the frontier crashed down on the ears of the emperor and his ministers.

The rapid sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, thundering across the long bluestone streets of Yingtian Prefecture.

The Imperial Guard scouts, clad in flying fish robes and embroidered spring knives, were covered in blood and dust. Their warhorses, foaming at the mouth and galloping with all four hooves flying, moved with lightning speed, ignoring the officials who had made way for them along the street. They broke through layers of security and arrived at the gates of Fengtian Hall.

The warhorse suddenly braked, let out a long neigh, and knelt down with a thud. Its legs trembled, and its mane was soaked with blood and sweat.

The Imperial Guard scout tumbled and scrambled off his horse, his armor shattered, his body covered in frost and snow, his knees crashing heavily onto the steps of the palace, his hands raised high with the blood-stained military report.

His voice was hoarse and broken, filled with the panic of being on the verge of despair.

"Your Majesty! Urgent report from the northern frontier! The iron cavalry of the north, with the full strength of the nation, have launched a fierce attack on nine defensive lines along the Yellow River, causing our army to suffer a complete rout! The natural barrier of the Yellow River has fallen, and the barbarian cavalry have crossed it, advancing south in a massive wave, their advance aimed directly at the heart of the Central Plains, sweeping away everything in their path with unstoppable force!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the Fengtian Hall fell into a deathly silence, followed by a tremendous uproar!

The civil and military officials on duty outside the palace suddenly changed color, their faces turning ashen. The courtiers who had just been secretly speculating about the emperor and empress's dispute and discussing the Prince of Ying's crimes were now frozen in place, a chill running through them.

The Yellow River is the first natural barrier in the Central Plains and the last barrier of the northern frontier of the Ming Dynasty. Once this natural barrier is breached, there will be no more obstacles in the vast Central Plains, and the barbarian cavalry can gallop freely and directly approach Yingtianfu!

Zhu Yuanzhang was jolted awake. The panic and embarrassment he had felt when questioned by Empress Ma vanished, replaced by the deepest and most piercing fear of an emperor.

He abruptly turned his head to look outside the hall, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

He knew better than anyone what this urgent report meant.

The Ming Dynasty had only recently been established, and the country was still in the early stages of peace. The land, which had been ravaged by war, had not yet recovered, and the troops in various regions had not yet been properly organized.

The northern frontier is filled with fierce generals and elite troops. Many of the generals who have accompanied the army are unruly, bloodthirsty, and murderous. Only Prince Zhu Muying, who has guarded the northern frontier for many years and whose prestige is known throughout the north, can keep these arrogant and fierce generals in check with his outstanding military achievements and absolute prestige.

With Zhu Muying present, all the generals bowed their heads, the morale of the army in the northern frontier was stable, and the iron cavalry of the north dared not easily march south.

With Zhu Muying dead, the northern frontier was leaderless, and no one could control the group of veteran generals who had made great military achievements and were known for their unruly personalities!

In the past, Zhu Muying was stationed at the Yellow River defense line. He was strict in his military discipline and skillful in his command. In more than a hundred battles, large and small, he never allowed the northern barbarian cavalry to cross the Yellow River even half a step.

He combined kindness and severity in the army, sharing life and death with the soldiers in the northern frontier. His prestige was unmatched, and he was the pillar of the entire northern frontier defense line.

But now, this pillar that supported the vast land of the northern border has been broken by Zhu Yuanzhang himself!

"Further report! Detailed battle situation!"

Zhu Yuanzhang roared in a deep voice, his voice trembling uncontrollably, his body taut like a bow beneath his dragon robe.

The Imperial Guard scout prostrated himself on the ground, tears streaming down his face, each word dripping with blood: "The Northern Allied Forces took advantage of our army's wavering morale and weakened defenses to launch a fierce attack day and night!"

The defending generals along the line fought independently, without any command or coordination. Many generals held their troops and watched from the sidelines, while some soldiers deserted and fled. Nine defensive lines collapsed one after another!

Without His Highness the King's deterrent, the Northern Army advanced south day and night, capturing three cities in succession. Prefectures and counties along the way surrendered without resistance, and their advance was already approaching Dezhou!

The news struck like a thunderbolt over the Fengtian Hall, instantly causing an uproar among the court officials, with fear creeping across every face.

The civil officials were pale and their hands and feet were ice-cold. They whispered among themselves, their words filled with fear.

Having served in the imperial court for a long time, they were well aware of the dangers of the chaos in the northern frontier, and they knew even more clearly that no one in the court could replace Zhu Muying.

The veteran generals in the court were either too old and frail or had been living in the court for too long and had become detached from military affairs. The new generation of generals were inexperienced and lacked prestige, so they were simply unable to control the group of fierce and ruthless generals from the northern frontier who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

In the past, with the King of England in charge, even the most arrogant generals dared not overstep their bounds. The military discipline in the northern border was strict, and the defense line was as solid as a rock.

But now that the King of England has passed away, the generals are left without checks and balances. Each has his own troops and plans, and instead of uniting to defend against the enemy, the army's morale has collapsed and its command has failed. The beautiful land has fallen in an instant.

The generals also wore solemn expressions, bowed their heads in silence, their eyes filled with helplessness and fear.

They were all veterans of battle and knew the fierceness and arrogance of the soldiers in the northern frontier. If it weren't for Zhu Muying's military achievements and the power of his kindness and loyalty, no one could have commanded him.

The great edifice is about to collapse, and there is no one to support it. The northern border of the Ming Dynasty is already on the verge of collapse.

The entire city of Yingtian Prefecture was shaken, filled with fear and unease.

When the people on the streets heard the news of the fall of the Yellow River and the southward advance of the barbarian cavalry, they spread the word in fear and unease, and the prosperous capital was instantly shrouded in a gloom of defeat and national crisis.

Above the Fengtian Hall, the dragon's aura stagnated, and its majesty dissipated.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood frozen in place, chilled to the bone, even more so than by the wind and snow in the borderlands.

He gazed at the panicked officials outside the hall, listening to the incessant exclamations around him, and the image of Zhu Muying in his past battles repeatedly surfaced in his mind—joining the army as a young man, charging into battle in armor, rushing to the aid of the enemy from afar, defending the northern border to the death, risking his life for the country time and time again, never uttering a single complaint.

In order to consolidate his imperial power and eliminate any suspicion in his heart, he forced his most loyal, capable, and stoic prince to his death.

While the imperial power may seem secure, the Ming Dynasty is suddenly in turmoil.

"Hahaha……"

A mournful laugh suddenly broke the chaos in the hall.

Ma Xiuying slowly sheathed her sword, the cold blade slowly lowering, blood dripping from it and hitting the gold bricks with a piercing sound.

The last vestige of tenderness in her eyes vanished, leaving only endless desolation and despair. Gazing at the emperor before her, who possessed the entire world yet had single-handedly destroyed the very fabric of his empire, she spoke with a heart-wrenching lament, each word dripping with blood: "Zhu Chongba, did you see that?"

"You didn't just force a rebellious son to his death, you forced the Great Wall, which guarded half of your Ming Dynasty's northern border, to its death!"

"You've won over the suspicions and secured your imperial power, but your Ming Dynasty is doomed! Do you regret it?!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her body swayed, her blood surged, and she spat out a mouthful of blood, staining her plain palace dress red and also staining Zhu Yuanzhang's panicked gaze.

Empress Ma's body fell straight back onto the Fengtian Hall!