Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The Han Dynasty Palace, Suzaku Gate.

The towering palace walls cast a huge shadow in the afterglow of the setting sun, dividing the square in front of the gate into two worlds of light and dark.

The cavalry led by Huo Quji had surrounded the imperial palace tightly. Their black armor reflected a cold luster, like a lurking giant beast, silently exerting suffocating pressure.

On the city wall, Prime Minister Chen Pin looked a little hunched, but his eyes were still crazy.

The last bargaining chip in his hand - Empress Dowager Dou, who was held hostage by two assassins, became his only amulet in despair.

The empress dowager's face was pale, her phoenix hairpin was askew, her gorgeous palace dress was covered in dust, her eyes were filled with fear and humiliation, but she could not utter a sound.

Chen Pin's hoarse voice echoed from the top of the wall, sounding particularly harsh in the silent air: "Huo Quji! Think carefully! If this old man cannot survive, the Queen Mother will be buried with me!"

"When the time comes, will you, Huo Quji, be held responsible for forcing the Queen Mother to death, or will the Prince of Chenliu behind you be held responsible? The spit of the people of the world will drown you both!"

His words were like a poisonous snake, biting precisely at the spot that Huo Quji was most concerned about.

Loyalty to the emperor and protecting the country was his belief. If his attack led to the death of the empress dowager, no matter what the reason, it would be a stain that he could never wash away in his lifetime, and it would also bring a huge moral flaw to Liu Xiu's succession to the throne.

Huo Quji's thick brows were tightly furrowed, and the knuckles of his hands holding the reins turned white from the force.

He looked up and stared at Chen Pin on the city wall and the cold sharp blade across the empress dowager's neck.

Time seemed to stretch indefinitely, and the only sounds around were the restless snorting of war horses and the fluttering of flags.

All eyes were focused on the Duke of Protectorate, awaiting his decision.

Liu Xiu stood aside, his face calm, but his slightly pursed lips revealed his inner nervousness.

He knew Huo Quji's character and concerns very well, and he must not force him at this moment, otherwise it would only backfire.

He had to wait, wait for Huo Quji to make his own choice.

Finally, Huo Quji took a deep breath, as if he had made a great decision. His voice was heavy and slow, but with unquestionable power, it was clearly transmitted to the top of the city wall:

"Prime Minister... lay down your weapons, release the Queen Mother, and surrender. I swear in the name of the loyal and brave people of the Huo family to protect your life!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the huge stone in Liu Xiu's heart finally fell to the ground, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as Huo Quji stood firmly on his side, Chen Pin's life or death was no longer important.

The overall situation is decided!

However, when Chen Pin on the top of the city heard this, instead of compromising, he became furious as if he had heard a huge joke!

His last threat actually failed!

"Huo Quji! Is this your final decision?! Good! Good! Good!"

He said "OK" three times in a row, shaking with anger: "If that's the case, then if anything happens to the Queen Mother today, you, Huo Quji, will be the culprit!"

"You forced the Queen Mother to death! Everyone in the world will see through your hypocritical mask of loyalty!"

Huo Quji's patience was finally exhausted by these shameless remarks. The last trace of hesitation in his eyes turned into cold murderous intent, and he laughed in anger:

"You are so stubborn! You are courting death! If that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

He suddenly raised his spear and shouted, "All soldiers, listen to my orders! Attack the city! Rescue the emperor! Execute the traitor Chen Pin!"

"Roar! Roar! Roar!" The border troops who had been ready for battle for a long time burst into earth-shaking war roars!

The real attack has begun!

Although the walls of the imperial palace were high and thicker than ordinary city walls, Huo Quji brought with him border troops who had fought many battles, had rich experience in sieges, and had high morale.

On the other hand, the remaining imperial guards in the palace were already in low morale. Now they were surrounded by elite border troops that outnumbered them several times. They also learned that their commander, Xiao Yan, was dead and that the prime minister had held the empress dowager hostage. They had no desire to fight at all. Many of them even secretly put down their bows and arrows, their eyes flickering as they looked for a way to retreat.

"Set up ladders! Suppress with crossbowmen!" Huo Quji commanded calmly.

Dozens of heavy ladders were quickly erected on the official wall, and the brave soldiers of the border army, with sharp blades in their mouths, began to climb up like agile monkeys.

The imperial guards on the wall shot arrows sparsely and threw down logs and rocks, but they seemed powerless and could not form an effective block at all.

Border soldiers were constantly being hit and falling, but more of them continued to rush forward, roaring and charging forward!

The city wall suddenly fell into chaos.

The sounds of swords clashing, shouts of killing, and screams were endless.

The border troops fought with great bravery. Once someone climbed onto the top of the city wall, they would immediately form a battle formation and fight to gain space for their comrades who came later.

The imperial guards were defeated one after another, with people being chopped down or simply kneeling down to surrender.

Huo Quji, observing the situation from below, seized the opportunity, gathered his strength, and shouted to the hesitant imperial guards on the city walls. His voice was like a resounding bell, drowning out the clamor of the battlefield:

"Brothers of the Imperial Guards on the city walls, listen up! I am Huo Quji! I know that most of you have been deceived and coerced by Chen Pin, and have no choice!

Now put down your weapons, open the palace gates, and help the royal army capture the rebel leader, then your merits will atone for your sins and bygones will be forgiven!

If you persist in your wrongdoing and continue to collude with the traitors, you will end up dead!"

These words were like cold water dropped into boiling oil, instantly exploding among the remaining imperial guards! They stared at each other, their eyes filled with struggle and a desire to survive.

The promise of the Duke of Protector of the Country gave them a way to survive!

Chen Pin saw this and knew something was wrong. He was furious and raged like thunder, threatening in a shrill voice: "Whoever dares to open the palace gate will be killed by me! His entire family will be exterminated! His entire clan will be exterminated!"

However, his vicious threat had the opposite effect at this moment.

Zhao Polu, a lieutenant of the Imperial Guards who was already extremely dissatisfied with the Queen Mother's hostage-taking, suddenly drew his sword and pointed angrily at Chen Pin:

"Prime Minister! You've disrupted the government and held the Queen Mother hostage. These are already heinous crimes! Now that death is imminent, do you still want to drag me and others down with you?"

"Brothers, stop listening to this old villain's lies! Open the palace gates and welcome the Prince of Chenliu and the Duke of Huguo into the palace to rescue you! This is what soldiers like us should do!"

"Zhao Bolu! How dare you rebel against me?" Chen Pin's eyes were bloodshot.

"Open the palace gate!" Zhao Bolu ignored him and yelled at the soldiers under the palace gate.

Since he had already made his choice, he naturally wouldn't pay attention to what Chen Pin said.

Now that Huo Quji's army is approaching outside the city, no one, except a fool, would continue to fight with Chen Pin at this time.

Now their only way to survive is to open the city gates and surrender voluntarily in exchange for a glimmer of hope.

"Open the palace door!"

Immediately, many imperial guards responded and turned to rush towards the palace gate, preparing to lower the drawbridge and open the city gate.

Chen Pin was almost going crazy, roaring at the last group of death warriors around him: "Stop them! Kill these traitors! Quick!"

Those servants and warriors who were loyal to him immediately drew their swords and rushed towards the imperial guards who were preparing to rebel.