The Empress Dowager sat up straight, "Since it's all death anyway, you don't need to drag me to Qianqing Palace. Kill me, chop me, I'll accept whatever fate awaits. I'm nearly fifty, I've lived long enough."
"You truly won't go to Qianqing Palace?"
"No!" the Empress Dowager retorted, her neck stiff. "You want me to help your son usurp the throne? Absolutely not!"
"Fine, I'll see just how tough you are!" The Empress looked around as if searching for a weapon. The Empress Dowager remained seated, her eyes full of disdain.
"Your Majesty, bad news, terrible news!" a palace maid rushed in. "They've broken in! Prince Qin is leading his men into the palace! The Grand General is also leading the Divine Capital Camp guards in!"
"Xiao Zhen is breaking in?" The Empress's face paled with urgency. "Quick, go arrest Xiao Man!"
"Someone has already been sent."
"Guard this place, I'll go myself!" The Empress hurried towards Xingqing Palace. As long as she could capture Xiao Man, she could control Xiao Zhen. Prince Qin's Silver Armor Army was outside the city. Now, the four gates were tightly shut, preventing the Silver Armor Army from entering. Prince Qin didn't have many men with him. If Xiao Zhen led the Divine Capital Camp to defect, they wouldn't fail!
The Empress rushed back to Xingqing Palace and her gaze fell precisely on the young woman behind He Qingyi. "Seize her."
The guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the person out. Only then did they realize that the person was not Xiao Man at all, but Xiao Man's maid!
"Where is Xiao Man?" the Empress demanded angrily. She was certain Xiao Man had entered the palace!
"My lady is not here!"
"Does she think she can escape?" The Empress was furious. "Arrest everyone from the Xiao family! Dig three feet deep to find Xiao Man. I want to see if she can escape my grasp!"
Xiao Man, taking advantage of the panic in the palace as Prince Qin attacked the palace gates, infiltrated the Emperor's sleeping quarters. As soon as she entered, she saw Hu Wan carefully attending to the Emperor by the bed.
"Who?"
"Shhh." Xiao Man quickly put a finger to her lips, signaling Hu Wan to remain silent. "Eunuch Hu, how is His Majesty?"
"Princess Yongning, why are you here?"
"As soon as I entered the palace today, I felt something was wrong. I didn't recognize a single one of the palace gate guards. I've entered and exited the palace hundreds of times over the years, how could there be guards I don't recognize!" Xiao Man sat beside the Emperor. "I snuck out, wanting to see His Majesty, but when I saw the heavy guard outside Chengqian Palace, I guessed something had happened. I've already sent a signal to my father, and he will bring the Divine Capital Camp to protect His Majesty soon!"
"It's dangerous here, you should leave!"
"Take His Majesty with us! The Crown Prince and the Empress are attempting rebellion, we cannot leave His Majesty here!" Xiao Man helped the Emperor up. "Eunuch Hu, what are you waiting for? Hurry and help carry His Majesty, and before anyone notices, find a place to hide him!"
"Oh, alright!" Hu Wan glanced at the Emperor, then carried him and followed Xiao Man as they fled.
Xiao Man's daring rescue of the Emperor was already enough to shock Hu Wan. When he discovered Xiao Man was leading them into Qianqing Palace, Hu Wan's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Qianqing Palace was now a battlefield, and Xiao Man, instead, was bringing His Majesty onto the battlefield! Was this person truly here to save His Majesty?
"Princess Yongning, it's not safe here!"
"Eunuch Hu, my father said the most dangerous place is the safest place. Once the Empress's people discover His Majesty is gone, they will surely search the palace. No matter where we hide, we'll be found by the Empress's people. But this place is different."
Hu Wan didn't understand. The most dangerous place is the safest place? What nonsense was that? If they were discovered here, it would be certain death!
"It's not safe here at all, His Majesty cannot stay here!"
"I am a princess, listen to me, hiding His Majesty here is the safest!" Xiao Man hid the Emperor inside the large cauldron in the rear hall, and then told Eunuch Hu to climb in. "Hide inside and stay quiet, watch over His Majesty, and I will go inform my father to bring troops to rescue His Majesty."
"Princess Yongning, this servant is afraid..."
"Eunuch Hu, His Majesty's safety is in your hands! You must protect His Majesty!" Xiao Man patted Hu Wan's shoulder, then closed the lid and slipped away silently.
The spot Xiao Man chose was excellent. Hidden inside the cauldron, the two could clearly hear the voices in the front hall and naturally know what was happening outside. This palace coup tested not only the princes but also the ministers!
Xiao Man sent a signal to Xiao Zhen, changed into a guard's uniform, and quietly joined a patrol of guards. The Empress, who had intended to capture Xiao Man to control Xiao Zhen, found Xiao Man missing and was sending people all over the palace to search for her. Then, the news of the Emperor's disappearance arrived. The Empress was like an ant on a hot pan.
"Useless! All of you are useless! You can't even find two people, what use are you to me?" the Empress roared in exasperation. "What are you standing around for? Go find them!"
The guards retreated quickly and began searching the palace one by one. The palace was vast, but under such a search, it was not easy to avoid detection.
"Your Majesty, please don't worry. His Majesty is unconscious, and even if he's taken away, he'll be a burden and can't escape the palace. I believe he will be found soon."
"Brother, I have a bad feeling about this." The Empress paced restlessly. "The original plan was to capture Xiao Man, control Xiao Zhen, and then the Divine Capital Camp would be unable to move. Then, we would close the four gates, surround the three princes' manors, and once things settled, no matter how capable Prince Qin and the others were, they wouldn't be able to cause any trouble. Who knew that not only could Xiao Man not be captured, but the Emperor is also missing! Prince Qin is now attacking the palace gates with his household retainers. By the time Xiao Zhen receives the news and leads the Divine Capital Camp soldiers to rescue His Majesty, we will be completely at a disadvantage."
Xue Guoguo bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, the rightful successor. If the other princes dare to act rashly, they will surely be condemned by the world!"
"The immediate priority is to find the Emperor!" the Empress's expression became ferocious. "He must be made a complete dead man. Only then can my son legitimately ascend the throne!"
Within the imperial city, the sound of armor was endless. The citizens of the city closed their doors and windows, daring not to go out. The capital, usually a city that never slept, was devoid of its usual clamor tonight.
Some curious citizens peered out through cracks in their windows and saw soldiers in armor, carrying torches, passing by in a hurry. The clanging of weapons and armor was cold and piercing. Even infants who usually cried at night dared not make a sound. Even the stray dogs that usually made their presence known tucked their tails and hid in their kennels, afraid to come out.