Chapter 106 - 105: The Substitute Eldest Miss 21

Chapter 106: Chapter 105: The Substitute Eldest Miss 21

Ji Xiaosong frowned, looking at the bodies covering the ground.

"Father Emperor, Qingyun’s poison is cured. No matter what we suspect, we must first secure the Eastern Palace. Furthermore, King Wu may have other forces. We must seize this chance to wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

Chu Qingyun also stepped forward. "Yes, Father Emperor. King Wu must have had something to rely on to make a move today. He just never expected my poison would be neutralized so quickly."

The Emperor mulled it over for a moment before giving Chu Qingyun a command token.

"Go to the North Suburb and mobilize the troops. First, wipe out King Wu’s remaining forces."

The moment Chu Qingyun took it, Ji Xiaosong realized something was wrong.

"It’s too late. The Eastern Palace is surrounded. They’ve disguised themselves as commoners, hiding among the city blocks. They won’t leave anyone who steps out of the Eastern Palace alive."

King Wu may be dead, but those who rebelled with him know they have lost as well.

For something like this, anyone involved knows there’s no good end for them. Their only choice is to fight to the death.

At Ji Xiaosong’s words, everyone’s expression grew grim.

But she quickly reassured them. "Don’t panic! King Wu launched this sudden attack because he knew the Eastern Palace’s defenses were weak today. There are over ten thousand enemy soldiers outside, while we have only a thousand men. Our odds in a direct confrontation are slim. I can fly to the North Suburb to rally the troops. You just need to hold out for fifteen minutes. The reinforcements will arrive by then. When they do, we’ll coordinate an attack from both inside and out. We will surely drive them back!"

Chu Qingyun glanced at the Emperor. Seeing him nod, he handed the command token to Ji Xiaosong.

"Song, we’re counting on you."

"Don’t worry. I’ve already set a new Barrier around the Eastern Palace. No one from the outside will get in."

This time, Ji Xiaosong sealed the main gate as well.

She hadn’t sealed it before, partly out of habit, and partly for fear of tipping them off.

Now, it had to be sealed.

No one inside the Eastern Palace could get out, but no one from the outside could get in either.

Ji Xiaosong summoned Rongrong. To the others, she seemed to ride the clouds away, looking no different from a celestial Fairy.

The Second Prince and Third Prince hurried to Chu Qingyun’s side, their faces filled with undisguised envy. They looked at him as if he were some priceless treasure.

The Second Prince spoke first, his voice a mixture of curiosity and awe. "Brother, is sister-in-law truly a fairy from the heavens? Her whole bearing is so otherworldly, and every move she makes has an indescribable, ethereal quality. It’s not something a mortal could possess."

The Third Prince chimed in, a look of thoughtful confusion on his face. "He’s right, Brother. Sister-in-law’s everyday words and actions, not to mention the miraculous abilities she’s displayed... she’s just like an Immortal from the legends."

Their questions left Chu Qingyun a bit stunned. An image of his wife surfaced in his mind. He hesitated, then said slowly, "I suppose so..."

His tone was tinged with uncertainty, as if even he hadn’t completely grasped the truth of his wife’s identity.

The Third Prince frowned, his expression turning to one of concern. "Brother, will she ascend one day, like Master Xuan Yuan? You’re a mortal with a limited lifespan, but if she’s an Immortal, she has an eternity. When your time comes, what will become of her?"

He shook his head gently as he spoke, his eyes filled with anxiety.

The Second Prince sighed as well. "Brother, what can you do? In the end, there’s a chasm between an Immortal and a mortal that’s impossible to cross."

As they went back and forth, the worry on their faces deepened.

Not far away, the Emperor’s calm expression flickered. Upon hearing the words ’Immortal’ and ’long life’, his eyes shifted and his eyelids twitched, but he quickly composed himself, his expression as stoic as ever, as if nothing had happened.

But his fingers tapped twice, unconsciously, on the armrest of his throne. This subtle movement betrayed the slightest ripple in his composure.

Outside the Eastern Palace, the din of battle rose and fell like a surging tide, each wave louder than the last. King Wu was dead, but his advisors were still mounting a desperate last stand, refusing to retreat.

Clad in black robes, their faces were grim, their eyes glinting with a deadly resolve. They led the remaining soldiers, guarding the gates of the Eastern Palace like a pack of starving wolves.

In the streets, commoners panicked at the bloody scene, their screams overlapping one another.

They dropped whatever they were doing and scattered for home like frightened rabbits, SLAMMING their doors shut, terrified of being swept up in the terrifying conflict.

The lead advisor stepped forward, crossed his arms, and tilted his head back to yell at the gates of the Eastern Palace. "Your Majesty, if you don’t open these gates, then don’t blame us for what comes next!"

A savage sneer twisted his lips, a mad glint in his eyes. "Look around you! The ones who live near the Eastern Palace are all high officials and noble families, used to a life of luxury. So, tell us, which house should we make an example of first? The Empress’s family at the all-powerful Prime Minister’s Mansion? Or the residence of the Chief of Staff, a man whose wealth could rival a nation’s?"

As he spoke, he slowly scanned the surrounding mansions, his eyes like those of a butcher choosing a lamb for slaughter.

Another advisor, not to be outdone, brandished his long saber and roared, "That’s right! If you don’t surrender, we’ll slaughter our way through them, house by house! We’ll let these officials who throw their weight around every day get a taste of our power! When these streets and alleys run red with blood, it will all be on your heads!"

His voice was sharp and piercing, cutting through the clamor of battle.

Yet another advisor fanned the flames, speaking in a sarcastic, passive-aggressive tone. "Your Majesty, surely you wouldn’t endanger all these innocent commoners and officials for your own selfish desires. Just think, they are all so loyal to you. Can you really bear to watch their families be shattered and their lives lost, all because of you?"

His face wore a mask of false concern, but his tone dripped with provocation and threats.

The gates of the Eastern Palace remained sealed shut. No matter how the men outside shouted and threatened, the interior was as silent as a tomb, offering no response.

Seeing this, the savage look on the lead advisor’s face intensified. After a moment of thought, he abruptly waved his hand and commanded viciously, "Pile up the wood! Set it ablaze! Start with the Eastern Palace, and don’t spare the Prime Minister’s Mansion! I’d like to see just how long they can hide in there!"

The soldiers moved at once. In the blink of an eye, they had piled firewood and kindling around the Eastern Palace and the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Then, they lit torches and tossed them onto the stacks.

In an instant, a raging inferno soared into the sky. Tongues of fire licked greedily at the surrounding buildings as billowing smoke blotted out the sun. The air filled with a deafening CRACKLE and a searing wave of heat.

Hiding in their homes, the people watched the terrifying scene through their windows. Cries and screams intertwined as the entire district descended into a hopeless sea of fire.

Just as the flames raged ever fiercer and all seemed lost, the clarion call of a horn suddenly echoed from the sky.

Ji Xiaosong appeared, clad in red and holding a longsword. A soft light emanated from her as she led the army from the North Suburb, flying through the air like divine soldiers descending from heaven.

The soldiers rode fine steeds whose hooves trod upon the clouds, creating a crisp sound like the coming of a thunder god.

Ji Xiaosong gazed down at the sea of fire, her brow furrowed and her eyes filled with fury and resolve.

She chanted under her breath, her hands forming a series of rapid seals. A crystal-clear ball of blue light slowly materialized in her palm.

With a wave of her hand, the blue light instantly transformed into innumerable streams of water, which lunged toward the blaze like great water dragons.

Wherever the water flowed, the fire was swiftly suppressed. The once-raging flames were gradually extinguished by this immense Spiritual Power, leaving behind nothing but scorched ruins and billowing steam.

The lead advisor witnessed this, and the smug look on his face vanished, replaced by boundless terror and shock.

His eyes widened as he stammered, "Th-that’s impossible! How can she have such powerful Mana?!"

The other advisors and soldiers were frozen in place, so terrified by Ji Xiaosong’s Spell that their weapons clattered to the ground.