latelenovela Chapter 105 The Substitute Bride 21
Chapter 105 The Substitute Bride 21
Ji Xiaosong frowned as she looked at the corpses scattered on the ground.
"Father, Qingyun's poison has now been cured. Regardless of our speculations, let's deal with the Eastern Palace first. Also, the Prince of Wu may have other forces at play; we should take this opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop."
Chu Qing stepped forward and said, "Yes, Father, the Prince of Wu must have something to rely on for his actions today. But he didn't expect that my poison would be cured so quickly."
After a moment's thought, the emperor gave Chu Qingyun a token.
"Go to the northern suburbs to mobilize troops and wipe out the remaining forces of the King of Wu."
As soon as Chu Qingyun took it, Ji Xiaosong realized something was wrong.
"It's too late. The Eastern Palace is surrounded. They've disguised themselves as ordinary people and are hiding in the streets. Anyone who leaves the Eastern Palace will not be allowed to escape."
Although the King of Wu was dead, those who had rebelled with him also knew that they had lost.
There's no chance of a good ending for anyone involved in something like this, so they have no choice but to take a gamble.
As soon as Ji Xiaosong spoke, everyone else's expressions turned serious.
However, she quickly reassured everyone, "Don't panic! King Wu's sudden attack is because he saw that the Eastern Palace is weak today. There are more than 10,000 enemy troops surrounding us, while we only have a little over 1,000. We don't stand a chance of winning in a head-on confrontation. I can fly to the northern suburbs to gather reinforcements. You only need to hold out for a quarter of an hour, and the reinforcements from the northern suburbs will arrive in a quarter of an hour. Then, we can coordinate our attack from within and without and defeat the enemy!"
Chu Qingyun glanced at the emperor, and seeing him nod, he handed the token in his hand to Ji Xiaosong.
"Song'er, everything is in your hands."
"Don't worry, I have re-established the barrier in the East Palace, and no one outside will be able to get in."
Ji Xiaosong has now sealed off the main entrance as well.
She didn't seal it just now out of habit, and also because she was afraid of alerting the enemy.
It must be sealed off now.
People in the Eastern Palace can't get out, and people outside can't get in either.
Ji Xiaosong summoned Rongrong. To others, Ji Xiaosong seemed to float away on clouds, just like a fairy from heaven.
The second and third princes quickly walked to Chu Qingyun's side, their faces full of undisguised envy, as if they were looking at some rare treasure.
The second prince spoke first, his voice filled with curiosity and amazement: "Brother, is sister-in-law really a fairy from heaven? I see her extraordinary temperament, and every move she makes carries an indescribable ethereal quality, which is not something that ordinary people can have."
The Third Prince chimed in, his face full of doubt and contemplation: "Yes, elder brother. Sister-in-law's daily words and actions, as well as the amazing abilities she has displayed, are really just like those of a legendary immortal."
Chu Qingyun was taken aback by their questions. His wife's image flashed through his mind. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly said, "Is that so..."
There was a hint of uncertainty in his tone, as if even he himself wasn't entirely sure of his wife's true identity.
The Third Prince frowned, a worried look on his face: "Brother, will sister-in-law ascend to immortality like Daoist Xuanyuan in the future? You are a mortal with a limited lifespan, but sister-in-law is an immortal with a long lifespan. What will happen to sister-in-law after you pass away?"
As he spoke, he shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with worry.
The second prince also sighed: "Brother, what should we do? There is ultimately an insurmountable gap between immortals and mortals."
The two talked back and forth, their worries growing deeper.
Not far away, the emperor's originally calm face flickered slightly when he heard the words "immortal immortality," and his eyelids trembled slightly. However, he quickly returned to normal, his expression remaining as composed as ever, as if nothing had happened.
But his fingers unconsciously tapped lightly twice on the armrest of the seat, a subtle movement that betrayed a slight fluctuation in his heart.
Outside the East Palace, shouts of battle rose higher and higher like a surging tide. The King of Wu was dead, but his advisors were still putting up a stubborn resistance and had not left.
They were dressed in black robes, their faces grim, their eyes filled with determination and ruthlessness. They led the remaining soldiers, like a pack of hungry wolves, guarding the gate of the East Palace.
On the streets, people were terrified by the bloody scene, and screams echoed everywhere.
They dropped what they were doing and fled home like startled rabbits, slamming their doors shut as if afraid of being caught in the crossfire of the terrible fight.
The leading strategist stepped forward, crossed his arms, looked up at the gate of the East Palace, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Your Majesty, if you do not open the gate of the East Palace, don't blame us for being ruthless!"
A sinister sneer appeared on his face, his eyes flashing with madness. "Look around here. The people living near the Eastern Palace are all from high-ranking official families, used to living a life of luxury. Tell me, which family should we target first? The powerful Empress's family, the Prime Minister's residence, or the wealthy Minister's mansion?"
As he spoke, he slowly scanned the surrounding mansions with the look of someone selecting lambs for slaughter.
The other strategist was not to be outdone. He brandished his long sword and roared fiercely, "That's right! If you don't surrender, we'll storm in house by house and let these arrogant officials who usually act like bullies taste our power! When the streets and alleys are stained with blood, it will all be your fault!"
His voice was sharp and piercing, standing out starkly amidst the cacophony of shouts and cries of battle.
Other advisors, however, fanned the flames, saying in a sarcastic tone, "Your Majesty, don't let your own selfish desires implicate these innocent people and high-ranking officials. Think about it, they have always been loyal to you. Can you bear to watch them lose their families and lives because of you?"
His face held a hint of feigned concern, but his tone was full of provocation and threat.
The East Palace gates remained tightly shut, and those shouting outside found that no matter how much they yelled and cursed, no one inside would respond.
The chief strategist pondered for a moment, then commanded, "Pile up firewood and set it on fire! Start burning the Eastern Palace, and don't spare the Prime Minister's residence either!"
The gates of the East Palace remained tightly shut, and no matter how much people outside shouted and threatened, there was no response from inside, only deathly silence.
Seeing this, the chief strategist's face grew even more ferocious. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly waved his hand and viciously ordered, "Pile up firewood and set it on fire! Start burning from the East Palace, and don't spare the Prime Minister's residence either! I want to see how long they can hide!"
The soldiers immediately sprang into action, piling up firewood around the East Palace and the Prime Minister's residence in the blink of an eye. They then lit torches and threw them onto the piles of firewood.
A raging fire instantly shot into the sky, flames licking at the surrounding buildings, thick smoke billowing and obscuring the sun, accompanied by crackling sounds of burning, and waves of heat hitting you in the face.
People hid in their homes, watching the horrific scene through their windows. Cries and shouts mingled together as the entire neighborhood was engulfed in a desperate inferno.
Just as the fire was raging and everyone thought the situation was hopeless, a loud horn sounded from the sky.
Ji Xiaosong, dressed in red and wielding a long sword, radiating a soft light, led the army from the northern suburbs, flying down from the sky like divine warriors descending from heaven.
The soldiers rode fine horses, their hooves striking the white clouds with a crisp sound, like the arrival of thunder gods.
Ji Xiaosong looked down at the sea of fire below, her brows furrowed, her eyes revealing determination and anger.
She muttered incantations, her hands rapidly forming hand seals, and a ball of crystal-clear blue light slowly condensed in her palms.
With a wave of her hand, the blue light instantly transformed into countless streams of water, rushing towards the fire like water dragons.
Wherever the water flowed, the fire was quickly suppressed. The flames that had been raging just moments before were gradually extinguished under the powerful spiritual energy, leaving only a charred ruin and billowing water vapor.
Upon witnessing this scene, the smugness on the leader's face vanished instantly, replaced by boundless fear and shock.
His eyes widened, and he stammered, "This...how is this possible? She actually has such powerful magic!"
The other strategists and soldiers stood frozen in place, terrified by Ji Xiaosong's magic, and their weapons fell from their hands.