The wind entered the carved window, blowing down a piece of rice paper with bright yellow and light dragon patterns, which was actually used by the emperor to draft imperial edicts.
Chu Qiao stepped into the hall, stepped on the imperial decree, looked indifferently at the shadow in the deep veil, and said in a deep voice: "I will take your life."
Zhan Ziyu smiled slightly, and said calmly, "I didn't expect it to be you."
"I also never imagined that meeting you again would be like this. It's not easy for you to climb to such a high position in five years with a downcast body."
Chu Qiao said calmly, her expression was indifferent, and she couldn't see the slightest wave.
Zhan Ziyu smiled and said, "Are you trying to comfort me? It's not bad. It's not easy to be praised by the world-renowned General Xiuli."
Chu Qiao said lightly: "What else do you wish for?"
A trace of loneliness suddenly crossed Zhan Ziyu's face, he frowned slightly, and then said unwillingly: "I'm always unwilling to kill all these benevolent and moral Bian Tang nobles." Zhan Ziyu smiled, " General Chu, why is it that the Li family can sit in this country, but I can’t? Didn’t the Li family take this world from the previous dynasty? Why are they the orthodox world and I am a traitor?”
Zhan Ziyu's eyebrows showed a hint of majesty. He raised his head slightly, looking at the high roof, showing the intention of a hero, and said lightly: "Besides, the Li family owes me, if I take it back, what's wrong?"
Chu Qiao was unmoved, and said calmly, "That's a grievance between you two, and it has nothing to do with me."
She stepped forward slowly, her footsteps were like drumming in the dark night, and echoes resounded through the walls of the hall.
"You killed someone I cherish, and I will kill you for revenge."
The sharp sword was pulled out of its scabbard inch by inch, shining with the cold light of the moonlit night, like a bright spark, coldly shining on Zhan Ziyu's face, a bright white light and shadow streaked across.
"What else do you have to say?"
"Let go of my sister, she is just a woman, everything she does is for me."
Chu Qiao looked at him, without saying a word for a long time, a trace of sourness slowly rose in her heart, the wind outside was blowing from far away, blowing the hem of their clothes, like black Hui ink.
"Sorry, I can not do it."
A cavity of blood suddenly spurted out, splashed on Chu Qiao's dark ink-colored skirt, quickly seeped in, and condensed into a shadow.
Chu Qiao bent down and picked up the human head on the ground. The man's black hair was combed meticulously, his face was as white as jade, and his eyebrows were gentle, as if he had just fallen asleep, but the broken neck was dripping with blood, making it look hideous.
With a pop, Chu Qiao threw the head into the arms of a guard, and said in a deep voice, "Hang the head on the palace gate, and show it to the Central Army who attacked the door." After finishing speaking, she walked out of Lingxiao Palace , got on the horse, and said to the left and right, "Go to Roufu Hall."
The moon didn't know when it got out from the clouds and cast a bleak brilliance. The Lingxiao Palace gradually became quiet, and the soldiers in armor left in a hurry, leaving behind a pile of corpses. The crows in the sky were screaming, and their black wings were like spirit banners of death. In the empty hall, the headless corpse was still sitting quietly on the golden seat of the python dragon, looking eerie.
The battle in Roufu Palace was over at this time, and Tie You and Sun Di came hand in hand, both of them had bloodstains on their bodies, which showed how fierce the battle was.
Chu Qiao jumped off the horse and said to Sun Di, "I have wronged you."
Sun Di smiled and said, "It's okay, it's just that the food in the prison is so bad that I lost a lot of weight due to hunger."
"Girl, Concubine Zhan has been captured." Tie You said in a deep voice.
Chu Qiao slightly raised her eyebrows, "How is the emperor?"
Tie You frowned slightly, "I was just a little frightened."
"That's good." Chu Qiao breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Then why are you so sad?"
"Empress Dowager Yuan is dead. When we rushed in, she thought it was Concubine Zhan's person. Before we could speak, she bumped her head to death."
Chu Qiao frowned immediately when she heard the words, she never thought that Yuan Shi would be so cowardly, it was in vain for her to spare no effort to lay out a way out for their mother and son, yet she died so silently.
"Girl," Sun Di stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "The brothers and sisters of the Zhan family have all the crimes of assassinating the late emperor, forming a party for personal gain, plotting to assassinate the emperor, and attempting to support King Rong. their crimes."
Chu Qiao took it slowly, but she felt that the few pieces of paper weighed more than a thousand catties.
"Let me out! You slaves! Let me out!"
A heart-piercing scream came suddenly, the magnificent Roufu Hall is now in decline, the fire is burning, and rubble and dust are everywhere. Zhan Ziming, dressed in a red Luan robe, is struggling with two healthy court ladies, trying to escape from the bedroom. Her eyes were red, and there was no trace of grace and beauty on her face.
Seeing Chu Qiao, Sun Di and the others, she suddenly froze and stared at her, "Where's my elder brother?"
Chu Qiao said slowly without changing her expression: "Dead."
Zhan Ziming seemed to have expected this day. After a long time, she suddenly laughed shyly, her voice was shrill like a nighthawk above the sky, her eyes turned to ashes, she looked at Chu Qiao with a lifeless look, and said in a deep voice, "Did you kill him?"
"yes."
"Okay, okay, the person he is looking for is really good. No wonder there are three thousand fans in the whole palace, and he is only sincere to you."
Chu Qiao looked at this beautiful but crazy woman with cold eyes, her eyes were full of vicissitudes and pity, as if she could see the depths of her heart through her beautiful skin.
"How do you plan to deal with Rong'er?"
"He is not only your child, but also Li Ce's. I will treat him kindly."
Zhan Ziming nodded dejectedly and said with a wry smile: "Okay, my hands are bloody, and even he was killed. If it wasn't for the elder brother, I would have long since lost my life. You can do it."
At that moment, Chu Qiao seemed to see her heart full of holes through her sad smile. Her childhood admiration for her brother made her obey Zhan Ziyu's arrangements without hesitation, but after entering the palace, she couldn't help but gradually fell in love with Li Ce. Maybe she didn't even realize this love. It wasn't until after assassinating him according to the plan that she understood her heart. Outside the Yixin Palace that day, her sadness didn't seem fake, but it's a pity that the two men she loved in her life, one never loved her, and the other couldn't love her, she became a joke of fate after all.
"Give Concubine Zhan poisoned wine and white silk."
Chu Qiao turned around in awe, and strode towards the outside of the hall. The wind outside blows with a whistling sound, the night spreads like a thick tide, Jinwu’s main gate is brightly lit, but the shouts of killing gradually fade away, a sharp golden sound blows across the cold night sky, the smell of long dust, myriad The smell of killing, the smell of death of countless souls, came overwhelmingly in an instant, surrounding her from all directions.
She held a silver sword in her hand, and was dressed in a blood-stained ink robe. Behind her was a dazzling flame, and the black-armored warriors stood on her left and right. Her gaze was so cold, she was staring firmly at the end of the world. Over there, in the far north, there was a rolling cold silence. Her eyes were unblinking, as if she was looking at someone, but she was finally submerged in a void without a trace.
"Concubine Zhan is dead—" the eunuch yelled out a long and melodious sacrificial tune in a low voice.
The sun's rays penetrated the black clouds at this moment, the sky will be bright, and this long night will eventually pass, but what will be needed to dispel the darkness in my heart
Fate is like a barren fire, burning her to pieces. Those good wishes and expectations for the future will eventually go away with this fire. In this regard, she will strip away all the weakness, sorrow, kindness, kindness, and yearning for beautiful things, truly become strong, and protect everything she cherishes.
Anyone who dares to violate an inch will pay a heavy price for it.
"Auntie!" A childish voice suddenly came, and the child's small figure immediately jumped into Chu Qiao's arms. The emperor was crying, his little face was red, and he cried and said, "The queen mother is dead! Auntie, Yi'er's mother queen is dead!"
The child is still so young, with handsome features, but it is full of Li Ce's shadow.
She squatted down and hugged the child tightly in her arms. Her whole body was cold, but her heart was warm.
This is Li Ce's child, this is Li Ce's country, and this is Li Ce's home. He has guarded her for so many years, and now, it's her who guards him.
"Yi'er is not afraid, you still have aunt."
"Miss." Mei Xiang stood quietly on one side, holding a child in her arms.
Chu Qiao stood up and walked over slowly, only to see that it was Zhan Ziming's son Li Qingrong.
This child, who was canonized as King Rong since birth, is sleeping soundly at this moment, unaware of how bloody the world has turned up because of his birth. His father and mother passed away one after another, leaving behind this devastated land and a precarious country.
"Miss, look how soundly His Highness is sleeping."
Mei Xiang likes children, she smiled and hugged King Rong to Chu Qiao.
Chu Qiao reached out to take it, but the child was woken up, yawned impatiently, and looked at Chu Qiao with half-closed eyes. That appearance was completely a copy of Li Ce.
Chu Qiao's eyes became hot, and she almost shed tears. She hugged the child tightly in her arms, her cheek pressed against his little face, her heart was filled with emptiness.
"My lord, Liu Yuanzong, the son of Mr. Liuge, brought the ministers of civil and military affairs in front of Tai'an gate, and asked what happened. Is the emperor still safe?"
Chu Qiao raised her head, her gaze immediately cooled down, and she said to He Xiao in a deep voice, "I tell you all, the regent Zhan Ziyu and Concubine Zhan murdered the emperor in an attempt to usurp the throne. Queen Mother Yuan died in the chaos, and the emperor is safe and sound. The culprit is already gone." Execution. Don't worry, my lords."
He Xiao went, and after a while, there was a sound of "long live" singing praises outside the palace gate.
The guard came to report: "Liu Yuanzong was the first to express his allegiance. All civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty surrendered. The fighting at the South Gate, North Gate, and Qianguang Gate have all stopped. The rebellious Central Army soldiers have been captured and are waiting for your lord to send them down."
The gate of the palace was wide open, and under the jade steps stood the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and thousands of generals. A round of red sun rises high in the sky, illuminating the universe. Chu Qiao hugged King Rong, led the emperor, and walked up the Baiyu Royal Road step by step.
The sound of "Long live my emperor" resounded through the palace, and the rising sun was shining with a faint golden color on her dark black robe, and on the red cloud battle flag on the white ground, there were faintly two watermarked characters of "beautiful". When the long wind blows, the sky and the earth are empty and lonely.
"Auntie," the emperor called out crisply, pointing to the golden dragon chair on the opposite side, a little shy, and said with a frown, "I don't want to sit there."
Chu Qiao knelt down, touched his face tenderly, and said softly: "Yi'er, that is the seat built by thousands of people with blood and bones, it is your destiny, your father and mother They all died for it, the Tang Dynasty is on your shoulders, and the eyes of all the ancestors are looking at you in the sky, the responsibility lies here, and you cannot retreat."
The emperor was frightened by her words, grabbed her and asked, "What about aunt? Does aunt not want me?"
Chu Qiao helped him to the throne, and said quietly: "Auntie will help you, but there are some things that you have to bear in the end."
Chu Qiao turned around, civil and military officials and all the soldiers bowed down together, the sound of long live resounded in the ears, startled the birds in the sky.
The officials didn't know who they were worshiping at the moment, whether it was the immature son on the throne, or the young woman who held the two major military powers of the Wolf Army and the Xiuli Army. All kinds of ulterior motives are turbulent in the government and the opposition, just like for thousands of years, there is no peace and tranquility.
The dust returns to the ruins, the dust settles, the chess has been played, and there is no room for regret.
Li Ce, don't worry.