Chapter 521

When the first cannon fired, the Eastern Palace immediately fell into chaos.

The Crown Prince woke up startled from his bed. He loudly asked, “What’s going on? Where is that cannon fire coming from?”

“Your Highness, we don’t know either, the sound just started.”

A group of palace maids serving in the bedchamber said delicately. Ever since Xiao Wenxuan was bedridden, the Crown Prince had been acting recklessly. Few beautiful palace maids in the imperial palace had not been taken by him to the Eastern Palace to serve him.

These days, he truly experienced the unrestrained life of an emperor. Because of this, he became even more obsessed with supreme power. As long as he could ascend the throne and become emperor, no one in the world would ever be able to restrain him.

This country would be trampled under his feet. The wealth and beauties of this world would be taken into his arms. He would live a reckless life and no longer have to worry about being scolded by Xiao Wenxuan.

But at the same time, he became increasingly afraid of losing all of this. These days, he had been woken up several times from nightmares by this fear.

Pushing away the naked body on the bed, the Crown Prince ran out, his clothes disheveled. Although he was incompetent, he understood that the cannon fire meant something big had definitely happened.

As he rushed out the door, Wang Xi ran over in a hurry. Seeing the Crown Prince, Wang Xi said in a panic, “Your Royal Highness, something terrible has happened! The Firearm Battalion has rebelled!”

“What!” The Crown Prince was greatly shocked by the news. “Where is Yang Zhen? Why didn’t he detect this beforehand?”

Wang Xi said hatefully, “Your Highness, Yang Zhen, the person in Lijinmen, hasn’t returned for two days and two nights. Now no one knows where he went. Your Highness, I told you not to trust Yang Zhen and Du Heng, and these two are indeed treacherous villains.”

This news made the Crown Prince’s heart filled with rage. A feeling of being betrayed made him wish he could kill Yang Zhen and Du Heng right now. However, he understood that now was not the time to dwell on these things.

He said, “You are to immediately inform the Right Guard to quell the rebellion. Tell the City Defense Battalion to close the city gates and not allow anyone to enter or exit. The gates can only be opened when the Prince of Zhao’s troops arrive.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Wang Xi heard this and walked out.

After giving the order, the Crown Prince was still uneasy. He called his personal guards and ordered the outer palace guards to immediately close the palace gates and not allow anyone to enter the imperial palace. However, what his personal guard said made him turn pale with fright.

“Du Heng has already entered the palace!” The Crown Prince angrily said, “Kill him immediately.”

At this time, Du Heng, who had arrived at the imperial palace in Princess Pingyang’s carriage that morning, had already entered the inner palace. He was well aware that after joining the Crown Prince, he was no longer trustworthy.

Princess Pingyang’s overnight shelter was precisely because she had become wary of him.

However, unlike Yang Zhen’s betrayal, his feigned allegiance to the Crown Prince was indeed under orders. And now, he would prove his innocence with his actions.

“General Du, you’re quite early.” Zhao Yujie yawned. He had led his men to guard the gate all night.

Du Heng smiled faintly and walked to Zhao Yujie as usual, preparing for the handover. Just as Zhao Yujie was unprepared, he suddenly drew his saber and slashed at Zhao Yujie’s throat.

Blood spurted out like a fountain. The hundred imperial guards at the gate were immediately stunned.

One soldier regained his senses and shouted, “Du Heng is rebelling! Kill him without mercy!”

The imperial guards reacted and immediately rushed towards Du Heng. Just then, “swish swish” sounds rang out, and hundreds of sharp arrows shot towards the imperial guards at the gate.

With a series of tragic cries, half of the imperial guards outside Bīshuǐ Pavilion fell. The remaining imperial guards looked towards where the arrows came from, only to see inner palace guards in black armor surging from all directions, like steel torrents.

“The Crown Prince has rebelled and assassinated the Emperor! The Emperor has given an order: all of the Crown Prince’s accomplices are to be executed without mercy!” Du Heng said loudly.

The remaining imperial guards in front of Bīshuǐ Pavilion suddenly understood. They realized that Du Heng had never been loyal to the Crown Prince.

They exchanged glances. They did not surrender, nor did they rush to meet the enemy. Instead, they turned and rushed towards Bīshuǐ Pavilion. They also carried secret orders: if an unexpected situation arose, they were to immediately kill everyone inside Bīshuǐ Pavilion.

“Kill!” The rebellious imperial guards shouted as they rushed into Bīshuǐ Pavilion.

This sudden noise startled the palace maids in Bīshuǐ Pavilion. Seeing over fifty imperial guards brandishing sabers and rushing towards them, the palace maids’ faces immediately turned pale with fright.

Liuli stood in front of thirty palace maids at this moment. Facing these imperial guards, her body trembled. After all, she was just a woman, so how could she not be afraid in such a situation?

But behind her were Consort Zhen and the Emperor. Just as the rebellious secret guards rushed in front of them, Liuli suddenly shouted in a clear voice, “Fire!”

After speaking, she suddenly took out a short-barreled firearm from her sleeve. With a “bang,” the imperial guard rushing at the very front fell in response.

The other palace maids also tremblingly raised their firearms. At this moment, to survive, they overcame their fear of firearms, and one by one, aimed at the charging imperial guards and pulled the trigger.

“Bang, bang…” Continuous sounds rang out, and half of the rebellious imperial guards fell.

The remaining imperial guards were greatly shocked by the sight and hesitated in their steps. Just then, Du Heng arrived with his men, and the two sides immediately began to fight.

Relying on his formidable martial arts and the large number of his men, Du Heng quickly killed the rebellious imperial guards.

At this time, Du Heng looked at Liuli, who was still holding the short-barreled firearm and unwilling to put it down, in surprise and said, “Miss Liuli, I’m here to protect the Emperor.”

When the Crown Prince broke into Bīshuǐ Pavilion that day, Liuli knew that this boded ill. As Consort Zhen’s confidante, Liuli and Li San had naturally interacted many times outside the palace.

And when King Qi sent gifts to Consort Zhen, Li San sent a box of firearms into the palace, instructing her not to use them unless it was a critical moment.

Now that Consort Zhen and the Emperor’s lives were in danger, she could only take out the firearms and teach the palace maids how to use them.

“You have already sided with the Crown Prince, you’re lying!” Liuli rebuked.

Du Heng gave a bitter smile, realizing that he was now in a situation where he couldn’t clear his name.

“Liuli, let him in.” Suddenly, Consort Zhen’s voice sounded. At the inner palace door, Consort Zhen helped Xiao Wenxuan walk out. “If he wanted to kill us, he wouldn’t have gone through so much trouble.”

“Your Majesty.” Seeing Xiao Wenxuan, Du Heng’s expression became agitated.

The booming of cannons outside the city seemed to be getting closer to the imperial palace. At this point, Xiao Wenxuan said, “It seems Luo Quan already knows what happened in the palace. I truly was blind; my whole life I only believed the slanders of treacherous villains and let down the loyal officials who were devoted to me.”

“Your Majesty, not only General Luo, but also His Royal Highness King Qi’s people are in the city. They are preparing to rescue Your Majesty and Consort Zhen.” Du Heng said, “According to the agreed time, they will arrive in less than half an hour.”

Xiao Wenxuan coughed violently twice. He said, “No, you only need to escape with Consort Zhen and my last will. I will buy you time.”