After crossing, I surrounded the capital from the countryside

A team of royal guards came galloping over, apparently having learned of the incident on the city wall and wanting to suppress it.

However, faced with this surging public opinion, they seem so small and powerless.

Seeing this, Xu Qingqing resolutely drew her sword and pointed the tip of the sword towards the palace: "Today, we must not only reveal the truth, but also fight for the future of the Great Zhou! Anyone who is willing to protect this land with me, please stand up and fight alongside me!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a deafening response erupted from the crowd. Countless soldiers and civilians took up arms and rushed to the Royal Guards' defense line, vowing to fight to the death with those traitors.

On the city wall, Xu Qingqing and Zhou Shiyuan smiled at each other.

At this moment, the morale of the Imperial Guards seemed to be shaken by the unstoppable public opinion.

They looked at each other, helpless and shocked by the scene before them.

As Xu Qingqing's firm voice echoed in the night sky, every word struck their hearts like a hammer.

"Brothers of the Imperial Guards," a general who seemed to be the leader finally spoke, his voice heavy, "We have heard those words and seen the determination of the people and the rebels. As the guardians of the Imperial City, we should have sworn to defend the imperial power to the death, but today's matter cannot be resolved by simple loyalty."

He paused, his eyes swept across the faces of every soldier, and continued, "If the one we are protecting is an emperor who has betrayed the Great Zhou and even colluded with the Northern Barbarians, then wouldn't our loyalty be helping the tyrant? Brothers, it's time to make a choice."

"Make way." The general spoke again, without any hesitation from before. "Let the people and the rebels seek the justice they deserve. As for us, we must also be responsible for our own choices."

At his command, the royal guards slowly retreated, clearing a path to the palace for the rebels and angry people.

"So smooth?" Xu Qingqing was a little shocked.

When Xu Qingqing and Xiao Yuheng rode past the Imperial Guard who had spoken first, the Imperial Guard nodded at Xiao Yuheng imperceptibly.

Xiao Yuheng looked at Xu Qingqing in front of him, who was still sighing at the strangely smooth journey, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

The night was as dark as ink, and the lights of the palace flickered in the distance, lonely and fragile.

Xu Qingqing led the rebel army with firm steps, passed through the numerous palace gates, and headed straight for the center of power - the Golden Palace where the dragon throne was located.

Along the way, they encountered sporadic resistance from royal guards, but most of them chose to lay down their weapons or quietly give way after learning the truth. The few who resisted stubbornly were quickly tied up and thrown aside by the rebels.

There was a depressing and tense atmosphere in the air.

The majestic figure of the Golden Throne Hall appeared before everyone's eyes. However, the magnificent hall with its carved beams and painted rafters seemed particularly deserted and solemn tonight.

At this moment, Zhou Shijie was sitting alone on the dragon throne, looking ahead with empty eyes, as if he had foreseen his own end.

Xu Qingqing led the rebels into the hall. Every step she took was so light, but so heavy for Zhou Shiyuan.

"Zhou Shijie, do you have anything else to say?" Xu Qingqing stood in the center of the hall, her voice clear and powerful, penetrating the entire Golden Palace.

Zhou Shijie slowly raised his head and looked at Xu Qingqing, with a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He may have been an ambitious emperor, but at this moment, he is just a loser who is about to lose everything.

"Xu Qingqing, you win." His voice was hoarse and low, "But do you think that just these things can change anything? Is the chaos in the Great Zhou the fault of me alone?"

"You are wrong, Zhou Shijie." Xu Qingqing shook her head, her tone firm, "The chaos in the Great Zhou is indeed not the fault of one person, but your betrayal and greed are one of the root causes of this chaos. Not only have you tarnished the imperial power, but you have also hurt countless innocent people. Today, we must not only expose your crimes, but also seek justice for the future of the Great Zhou and for those suffering people."

Zhou Shijie was silent for a moment, as if he was reflecting on his past.

Finally, he slowly stood up, walked down from the dragon throne, and slowly approached the rebels and Xu Qingqing.

"Well, now that things have come to this, I have nothing more to say. But please remember that the wheel of history rolls forward, and no one can stop it. The justice and peace you pursue may only be a temporary illusion."

"No, Zhou Shijie." Xu Qingqing interrupted him, "Justice and peace are never illusions. We need to fight for them and protect them. As long as we have light and faith in our hearts, nothing can stop us from moving forward."

As Xu Qingqing finished her words, the rebel soldiers responded one after another. Their voices gathered into an unstoppable force, resounding throughout the Golden Palace.

A smile suddenly appeared on Zhou Shijie's lips, and his eyes turned bloodthirsty when he looked at Xu Qingqing.

He suddenly raised his palm and attacked Xu Qingqing. In Zhou Shijie's sudden action, the air in the entire Golden Throne Hall seemed to solidify, and all sounds stopped abruptly.

Just as Xu Qingqing was about to fight back, she saw Zhou Shiyuan suddenly pause. Then his bloodthirsty and calculating eyes became empty and desperate in that instant. All his strength and calculations vanished at this moment.

A trace of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. He clenched his teeth and tried to forcefully mobilize the disordered internal energy in his body to deliver the fatal blow.

However, this force was like a wild horse out of control, running rampant in his body, destroying his fragile meridians and internal organs. He felt an unprecedented pain spreading from his chest, a pain that penetrated deep into his bones and tore his heart apart, as if countless sharp blades were cutting his heart.

Zhou Shijie's face turned pale as paper in an instant. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped onto the cold floor tiles, making a subtle and crisp sound.

His eyes were wide open, filled with fear and confusion.

At this moment, a stream of warm liquid suddenly gushed out of his mouth, bright and dazzling.

He lowered his head suddenly, and blood gushed out uncontrollably, splashing on his lapels and staining the gorgeous yellow cloth red.

The smell of blood instantly spread, filling the entire hall.

Zhou Shijie's body trembled violently as this power was released. He struggled to stand up, but his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead and could not support his weight.

Finally, he fell to the ground powerlessly, his eyes closed, and he fell into a coma.

In the last moment before he fell into a coma, he seemed to see his sister Zhou Shilian appear in front of him, with a strange smile on her cold and familiar face.