noveltune Chapter 5532 Escaping the Household Registration
Chapter 5532 Escaping the Household Registration
Chapter 5532 Escaping the Household Registration
Wanchun Palace.
The battle was nearing its end. Corpses lay everywhere inside and outside the palace gates, and the increasingly heavy rain washed away the blood, which flowed freely and could not conceal the strong stench of blood.
People are courageous as a group. When a group of people do something, they are easily carried away by passion and fearless of death. However, as the number of people around them gradually dies or decreases, their courage often weakens. "Death warriors" are not all "fearless warriors". After the main force is annihilated, the few who escaped the net no longer have the courage and will scatter and flee in panic.
Zhi Shi Shaode, Shi Jian, and others led the "Shenji Battalion" soldiers to gather inside the main hall, ignoring the remaining fleeing soldiers, and respectfully welcomed the Crown Prince and Empress out from the hidden compartment.
Empress Su led the Crown Prince out of the hidden room, and dozens of "Shenji Battalion" soldiers knelt on one knee in unison, shouting loudly: "We were ordered to protect the Empress and the Crown Prince. The traitors have been eliminated!"
Empress Su looked around. Broken doors and windows, fallen corpses, and the pungent smell of blood and gunpowder smoke created a scene of utter devastation, a testament to the brutality of the battle that had just taken place.
Holding the Crown Prince's delicate hand tightly, Empress Su's dignified and beautiful face was full of determination and composure: "You have all made meritorious contributions in eliminating the rebels, killing the treacherous officials, and protecting the Crown Prince. My son and I will remember this in our hearts and dare not forget it. When the rebellion is quelled, we will definitely reward you according to your merits and never let you down!"
At this time, don't talk about empty slogans like loyalty, patriotism, or benevolence and righteousness; instead, give concrete promises of promotion and advancement.
"This is our duty; we will go through fire and water, even unto death!"
"I am willing to die for Your Highness!"
The soldiers of the "Divine Machine Battalion" responded with a thunderous roar, their spirits high.
Li Xiang listened intently to his mother's words, his lips pursed in trepidation.
Empress Su summoned Zhi Shi Shaode and Shi Jian to her side and asked, "What is the situation outside? Have any reinforcements arrived from the Wude Hall?"
Shi Jian shook his head and said in a deep voice, "This group of thieves hid in Foguang Temple north of Dongheng Gate beforehand and suddenly attacked during the rainy night. Fortunately, we were ordered by the Grand Commandant to hide here and protect the Empress and the Crown Prince, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Empress Su pursed her lips, still feeling lingering fear.
Indeed, as Shi Jian said, if the "Divine Machine Battalion" had not been lying in ambush there, even if the mother and child had hidden in the hidden compartment, they would not have been able to escape the bandits' search...
Zhi Shi Shaode said, "There has been no sound from the Wude Hall, and no reinforcements have arrived yet."
The atmosphere was slightly heavy, and everyone knew what that meant.
The Wude Hall is not far from here, and the sounds of battle shouts and gunfire must have reached it, but they have remained on the sidelines until now, clearly showing no intention of providing assistance...
Empress Su took a deep breath and asked, "Has the Grand Commandant given any instructions on how to deal with the current situation?"
Shi Jian said, "The Grand Commandant has ordered that even if we defeat the rebels, we must not take any chances. We should not stay here any longer and retreat to Xuanwu Gate."
Wang Fangyi, the garrison commander of Xuanwu Gate, was a member of the Crown Prince's faction. Although he dared not send troops into the inner palace without authorization, he was certain that as long as he retreated to Xuanwu Gate, there would be no risk of disaster.
Empress Su made a decisive decision: "There's no time to lose, let's go now!"
The inner palace is heavily guarded, and the "Divine Machine Battalion" can lie in wait here, as can thieves. Who knows whether His Majesty is truly unaware or pretending not to know?
If you pretend not to know, are you the mastermind behind the thief, or are you using someone else to do your dirty work?
At this moment, she had absolutely no trust in His Majesty whatsoever.
The only person I can trust is Fang Jun.
"Here!"
Shi Jian and Zhi Shi Shaode led over a hundred "Shenji Battalion" soldiers in a resounding response. They then led the remaining dozen or so eunuchs and palace maids out of Wanchun Palace, crossed the East Heng Gate, and headed towards Xuanwu Gate along the route of Foguang Temple, Shangshiyuan, and Lingyan Pavilion.
However, just after passing the Imperial Kitchen and before reaching the Lingyan Pavilion, someone carrying a torch came chasing after them.
Zhi Shi Shaode made a quick decision and shouted to Shi Jian, "Escort the Empress and the Crown Prince to Xuanwu Gate. I'll stay behind with some men to hold off the pursuers!"
Shi Jian didn't bother with any talk of brotherhood; protecting the Empress and the Crown Prince was the most important thing at this moment. He simply raised his hand and patted Zhishi Shaode's shoulder heavily, adding, "Be extra careful!"
He then led the Empress and the Crown Prince through the west wall of Lingyan Pavilion and hurried north.
Zhi Shi Shaode, leading dozens of men, turned around and looked at the pursuers approaching in the dark night and heavy rain, carrying torches. He shouted, "Squad leader, aim at the torchbearer! The rest of you, fire freely... Ready! Aim—fire!"
Bang bang bang!
In the rainy night, the muzzle flashes became even more distinct. The soldiers of the "Divine Machine Battalion" were all sharpshooters trained by bullets. The first round of fire killed the soldiers holding torches in the pursuit. The torches fell to the ground. They quickly reloaded their ammunition, and the second round of fire followed. The pursuers screamed in agony in the darkness.
The pursuers knew they couldn't give the "Divine Machine Battalion" time to reload; otherwise, no matter how many men they had, they would only become victims of gunfire as they charged through the hail of bullets.
Zhi Shi Shaode shouted, and the soldiers threw their muskets to the ground. More than ten others lit thunderbolts with tinderboxes and threw them into the enemy ranks. The thunderbolts exploded with a bang, and shrapnel flew everywhere, causing the pursuing soldiers to fall one after another.
Li Jingye, who was leading the pursuit, almost gritted his teeth. Fearing that the loud noise of the firearms would alert the entire Taiji Palace, he only hid powerful bows and crossbows, as well as swords and armor in the palace. Unexpectedly, the "Shenji Battalion" infiltrated Wanchun Palace undetected, causing his elite soldiers to suffer heavy losses.
"kill!"
Li Jingye moved with lightning speed, brandishing his sword and charging forward, completely ignoring the thunderbolts that had struck his own ranks.
If he cannot capture the Crown Prince and successfully support the young prince to ascend the throne, he will die a gruesome death anyway, so why should he cherish his life now?
He stepped into the enemy ranks, his sword flashing. First, he kicked a "Divine Machine Battalion" soldier away, then slashed another soldier open with his blade. He then charged forward, his men falling in his wake. Inspired by his bravery, the soldiers behind him were greatly encouraged and charged forward with shouts.
The two sides immediately clashed and fought fiercely.
Although he was repeatedly beaten by Fang Jun and had no power to fight back, Li Jingye's bravery was rare in the army. He wielded a horizontal sword and fought ruthlessly and fearlessly. No one could defeat him. Even Zhi Shi Shaode was beaten by him with several consecutive blows and was left struggling. Then he rushed up and kicked him into a rolling gourd.
Li Jingye paid no attention to the disheveled Zhishi Shaode, for this obstruction had already caused him to lose sight of the Empress and the Crown Prince. Anxious, he shouted, "Don't worry about these people's lives or deaths, follow me to capture the murderer who poisoned His Majesty!"
They continued their pursuit northward with their men.
……
Shi Jian was protecting the Empress and the Crown Prince as they crossed the small bridge over the Jinshui River when he heard shouts of pursuit coming from behind. Seeing that enemy soldiers had caught up, his heart ached, fearing that Zhishi Shaode had perished. But he had no time for grief and said to Empress Su, "This humble general has been impolite!"
He then squatted down and gestured for Empress Su to lie on his back.
Empress Su knew that the pursuers were approaching and that the situation was extremely urgent. Disregarding the strict separation between men and women, she climbed onto Shi Jian's back.
Other soldiers carried the crown prince on their backs, and the group rushed towards Xuanwu Gate, their speed more than doubled...
Running wildly along the garden by the East Sea Pool, some soldiers skilled in running had already broken away from the main force and gone straight to Xuanwu Gate to report the news.
Upon reaching the outside of Chengxiang Hall, they encountered a well-equipped troop coming to meet them. After letting Shi Jian and his group pass, the troops formed a battle formation to block Li Jingye and his men.
Knowing that capturing the Crown Prince was no longer possible, Li Jingye immediately ordered his trusted subordinates to carry his seal and exit the palace through the water gate they had entered through, heading towards the "Hundred Cavalry Division" garrison. He then ordered all the "Hundred Cavalry Division" soldiers in the garrison to attack Xuanwu Gate.
Whether or not the Xuanwu Gate can be breached is not important; the goal is to trap the Crown Prince here so that he can carry out his next plan.
Li Jingye glared at the guards at Xuanwu Gate and turned to leave without hesitation.
The Xuanwu Gate guards dared not pursue them. Venturing into the palace without an imperial edict or military order was a capital offense. Moreover, the situation inside the palace was unclear, and rashly entering the palace could very likely be exploited by the rebels and put them in a passive position. Therefore, they quickly retreated from Xuanwu Gate and strengthened their defenses.
……
After passing through Chengxiang Hall and entering the inner gate, they saw Wang Fangyi leading the guards to greet them in the heavy rain.
"This humble general, Wang Fangyi, the garrison commander of Xuanwu Gate, pays his respects to the Empress and the Crown Prince!"
Empress Su finally breathed a sigh of relief, forcing herself to remain calm, and nodded, saying, "The Crown Prince was almost harmed by treacherous villains. Fortunately, you loyal ministers and righteous men have protected the nation. Your Highness and I are deeply grateful and will reward you according to your merits in the future!"
"This is my duty, and I dare not claim credit!"
"I am unsure of what to do now. Please advise, Empress and Crown Prince!"
The palace is in chaos and the situation is unclear. Although the Empress and the Crown Prince are safe for the time being, Wang Fangyi has no idea what to do next.
Although Empress Su was a woman and had experienced a sudden change, she had calmed down and made up her mind by the time she got here.
"Please, General Wang, send troops to escort me and the Crown Prince through Chunming Gate into the city to Chongren Ward to meet the Grand Commandant!"
Fang Jun is now their lifeline; only by staying by his side can they ensure their safety.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Wang Fangyi immediately dispatched a force of over two hundred men to open the Xuanwu Gate and escort the Empress and Crown Prince out of the city, then they bypassed the Daming Palace and headed towards the Chunming Gate.
However, just outside Xuanwu Gate, countless "Hundred Cavalry" soldiers suddenly charged in the rainy night. Seeing the overwhelming number of enemy troops, Wang Fangyi quickly led his army out of the city to provide support. Although they repelled the enemy's charge, they found that their own forces were outnumbered and it would be difficult to break through the enemy's defenses. They had no choice but to escort the Empress and the Crown Prince back to Xuanwu Gate and defend the gate.
Although Xuanwu Gate is the northern gateway to Taiji Palace, it is only guarded by a few hundred soldiers due to its advantageous location. However, the "Hundred Cavalry Division" is stationed not far to the west of Xuanwu Gate, with more than a thousand men. Now that Xuanwu Gate is completely surrounded, it will be difficult to break through the defenses...
Wang Fangyi wasn't in a hurry. Fang Jun's orders were to ensure the Crown Prince's safety and guard Xuanwu Gate when necessary, and he didn't need to get involved in anything else, no matter how the situation changed.
He selected two agile captains and ordered them to sneak eastward along the palace wall to Anli Gate to exit the palace, then enter the city through Chunming Gate to inform Fang Jun that the Empress and the Crown Prince were both at Xuanwu Gate...