one hundred and four
Even Xiao Weixin did not expect Xia Yinxiu's move.
"This is the tiger seal of the Guanxi Army. Xia Maoan has been holding it for so many years, and the court has always wanted to take it back." He carefully examined the tiger seal and put it in the drawer after confirming that it was genuine. "If the Guanxi Army is gone, it will be like cutting off another arm of Xia Maoan."
You Shu listened to him and hesitated for a while before saying, "So, how do you plan to deal with Miss Xia? It's easy to let her go, but what will she do in the future? As the daughter of a guilty minister, it will be difficult for her to go anywhere."
"That depends on how Vice General Yang arranges it." Xiao Weixin replied calmly, "I only promised her that I would spare Xia Yinxiu's life, but how to deal with the rest of the matter depends on Vice General Yang's thoughts."
You Shu sighed, "In this world, it's probably more difficult for two women to fall in love than for you and me. I hope they can have a good ending."
"When did Xiaoshu start to feel sad?" Xiao Weixin found it funny and raised her hand to pinch his face. "Deputy General Yang is not an ordinary woman. She is as decisive as any man. If she is determined to have Xia Yinxiu, she will definitely not care about other people's gossip and protect her to the end. Don't worry."
"I hope so." You Shu was still a little worried, "Let's wait until the current issues are resolved."
Xia Yinxiu revealed that her father would lead people to attack the city in five days, but in fact it was a day earlier. He probably discovered that the tiger talisman was missing and was afraid that the plan would be exposed, so he had to act in advance. Fortunately, Xiao Weixin had already made preparations, so he could come at any time.
Xia Maoan took action in the middle of the night. Xiao Weixin deliberately let his insider secretly open the city gate to allow the army to march straight in easily. Just as he expected, most of the people in the capital had already gone to bed, and the streets were empty. There were almost no casualties. After all, Xia Maoan's target was only the palace, and massacre was not in his plan.
You Shu squatted on the roof and watched quietly the army marching quickly on the street with torches in hand. He roughly calculated that there were about 10,000 people entering the city, and perhaps 20,000 people guarding outside the city. Without the support of the Guanxi Army, the number of troops in Xia Maoan's hands would be sharply reduced, and he could only fight to the death.
Coming down from the roof, he climbed into the study through the window and suddenly felt warm all over.
Xiao Weixin was sitting in the study reading a book leisurely. When he heard the noise, he put down the book and raised his hand to You Shuwen gently: "Are you done watching the fun?"
"I've finished reading it." You Shu walked over obediently and sat down next to him. "About 10,000 people will enter the city. They can seize the palace in half an hour at most. When do we start?"
"No hurry." Xiao Weixin gathered his clothes for him and replied softly, "It's not even daybreak yet. How can we go in without permission without waiting for the palace to send out a rescue signal?"
"It's still early, Xiaoshu, go get some sleep."
You Shu was somewhat helpless: "How can I still sleep at this time? Besides, why don't you sleep?"
The smile on Xiao Weixin's lips turned cold. "Of course I can't sleep. I've waited for so many years. Now that the grand plan is about to be completed, of course I have to watch it with my own eyes. It would be a shame if I fell asleep."
"Let's end this as soon as possible before the New Year so that everyone can have a good New Year." You Shu sincerely hoped, "It's unlucky to see blood during the New Year."
"Yes." Xiao Weixin replied softly, "This year, we will definitely have a good New Year."
The two of them sat together, leaning against each other, looking out the window quietly. They didn't know how many hours had passed, but they saw the crescent moon in the dark sky outside the window gradually sinking, and a fish belly white appeared on the horizon.
Wang Chen's hurried knock on the door broke the silence in the study, "Your Majesty! Someone from the palace has come with news!"
Xiao Weixin stared out the window for a while, then looked at You Shu again, and suddenly asked him seriously: "Xiao Shu, do you want to go with me?"
"Of course." You Shu was as excited and nervous as he was. He stood up and personally took the armor hanging on the side and put it on him. "I want to go with you to witness it."
When the study door opened again, Wang Chen looked back and saw his prince who was already dressed and ready to go. He turned around hurriedly and said, "Prince, everything is ready!"
"Let's go."
Xiao Weixin, dressed in silver armor, stood in the corridor like a tall green pine, handsome and elegant with a transcendent temperament, while You Shu, dressed in black with a sword at his waist, stood beside him. The two of them were extremely well matched in terms of height and temperament. Even Wang Chen had to admit that it seemed that the only one in the world who was worthy of his own prince was Young Master You.
Outside the palace gate, Xiao Weijing and Liu Tiezhu had already brought a large group of people to guard it. When they came out, they immediately stood at attention respectfully, and each of them was tense like a sword ready to be struck at any time.
It took at least an incense stick of time to walk from Prince Ling's Mansion to the Imperial Palace. It took them a lot of time to clean out the rebels who were left behind along the way. Only when it was bright and the sun was high in the sky did they arrive at the gate of the palace.
The gate of the palace had been occupied by the rebels, and it was not easy to break in from the outside. They brought a battering ram and cooperated with the insiders in the palace. It only took a cup of tea to break through the gate and rush in.
The palace was a river of blood, which was the trace left by the rebels. The bodies of palace servants were everywhere, and Xiao Weixin led the army forward all the way without stopping to look at the tragic deaths of those people. He led his troops into the palace under the banner of "saving the emperor", and he went straight to the main hall with justification and confidence.
Xia Maoan's men had already occupied Taiqing Palace, but before he had time to find Xiao Weishen, he heard that the rescue troops had arrived. He did not expect the reinforcements to come so quickly, it was as if they had been ready and waiting for him.
Although Xia Maoan is old and not as smart as he was when he was young, he is still a figure after all. Thinking carefully from beginning to end, he realized that he had fallen into a trap. No wonder that little beast Xiao Weixin has been claiming to be sick and recuperating in the mansion recently. It seems that he deliberately made him think that there was no one in charge in the court, so as to give him the opportunity to force the emperor to abdicate and lure him out.
After living for most of his life, Xia Maoan considered himself a smart man, but now he had to admit that he was really old. Because of the extreme death of his son, he was less cautious in his actions. Now that he was forced to this point, he would rather fight to death than surrender.
Xiao Weixin had already obtained the defense map of the imperial palace from Na Sutu, and naturally knew the patrol situations of various parts of the palace. He had deployed many people there in advance. With their cooperation, it would be easy for him to attack the Taiqing Palace.
When we arrived at the palace gate, Xia Maoan was already waiting there.
"What are you doing, Prime Minister?" Xiao Weixin looked at him calmly from his horse, and said sarcastically, "I remember that you should have escaped."
Xia Maoan's beard was gray, but his eyes were still sharp. He said disdainfully, "I have been a master all my life, but I never thought I would be defeated by a loser like you. I underestimated you."
"Yes." Xiao Weixin was not angry, but sighed as if in embarrassment, "The Prime Minister has been so wise for so many years, but he has never noticed a small person like me. It's really a pity."
How could Xia Maoan know all this in advance? When he was still a prince, Xiao Weixin was the weakest and least visible one. He would never have thought that this sickly and talentless boy would one day grow up to be such a powerful being. He was able to endure for so many years because he was too conceited.
"I am here on the orders of the Emperor to wipe out the rebels. What else do you want to say, Prime Minister?"
Xia Maoan actually didn't see Xiao Weishen. When he arrived, the palace was empty. Perhaps he had heard about someone forcing the emperor to abdicate, so he hid overnight. Now, naturally, he had nothing to say: "You only brought such a small number of people. If you want to fight against my army, I'm afraid you are not enough, right?"
Things have come to this, but Xia Maoan still wants to take a chance. Including all the people in Zhenbei Camp, Xiao Weixin only has 5,000 men under his command. It is impossible for Yang Qixian to come back so soon with his troops at the border, and those outside the city are all his people, so it will be difficult for Xiao Weixin to escape.
After hearing his words, Xiao Weixin pursed his lips and smiled, "The Prime Minister is really like a stray dog now. There is no trace of his former shrewdness and strength."
"Since you already know that all this was arranged by me, didn't you guess that I naturally had a backup plan?"
Xia Maoan looked at him and it seemed like he was telling a lie. He thought for a moment and then his expression suddenly changed: "Could it be..."
Yang Qixian is indeed good at the border, but half a month ago he asked Xiao Weiming to bring 50,000 troops back to the city secretly for support. Now I am afraid they have already arrived outside the city. It is only a matter of time to deal with those few people outside the city.
"You thought the Western Rong Khan would help you, but you didn't know that there is a new king there, and I'm afraid he is not interested in you." Xiao Weixin said in a deep voice, "Do you want to surrender yourself, or wait for me to take your head?"
Xia Maoan looked at him gloomily, "You little brat! I will fight you to death today!"
You Shu, who had been standing silently beside him, drew out the long sword from his waist and blocked Xiao Weixin in front of him, shouting to the army behind him: "Kill!"
For a moment, at the gate of Taiqing Palace, the two armies engaged in battle. The sound of swords colliding and flesh bursting was almost deafening, and the blood splattered everywhere, making the eyes in front of them blood red. You Shu jumped off his horse and killed the rebels, while Xiao Weixin, dressed in armor, never left his side more than three steps away. The two fought side by side, feeling happy, as if they were expressing the resentment that had been suppressed in their hearts for a long time.
The entire Taiqing Palace was as terrifying as if it had fallen into Asura Hell. If you looked down from above, it was a large-scale killing scene. People kept falling down, and swords stained with blood were constantly raised and dropped. The fighting lasted from morning to noon, and it was almost afternoon.
Youhu was covered in blood, but it was all other people's blood. Fortunately, he was wearing black clothes and couldn't see clearly. However, the strong smell of blood almost made him lose his sense of smell.
He just felt that his sword seemed to be blunt, and suddenly he felt that he didn't want to kill anyone again in his life.