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

The flesh on Ran Ming's face tensed, a fierce gleam flashed in his eyes, and his voice rose an octave, like a thunderclap warning anyone who might be hoping for a lucky break:

"All of you, keep your eyes open and keep your hands under control!"

"Anyone who dares to touch even a tiny bit of the gold, silver, and treasure inside would be committing the despicable act of embezzlement."

"Stretch out your left hand, and I'll chop it off! Stretch out your right hand, and I'll chop it off! No one in your family will have a good time! I, Ran Ming, have said this, and I'll keep my word!"

A series of orders were issued like a machine gun, clearly organized, and using both kindness and severity, fully demonstrating the meticulous and rigorous side of this seemingly rough and brave general.

After ensuring that the two most important things, controlling the personnel and sealing the treasure house, were arranged properly, he took a deep breath.

He suppressed the surging energy and blood caused by the fierce battle and high tension, and casually pointed at a personal soldier who had followed him for many years.

"you!"

The guard immediately straightened up.

"Yes, it's you. Don't just stand there!"

"Ride your swift horses and hurry to the west gate to report to His Majesty!"

Ran Ming's tone slowed down slightly, but he was still anxious. "I, Ran Ming, have fulfilled my mission and have completely taken over the Chang'an Palace. All the important places in the palace are under control, and the treasury has been sealed. Your Majesty, please quickly move to the palace to take charge of the situation!"

"Order!"

The personal soldier clasped his fists and bowed, then responded in a loud voice.

Then he immediately turned around, took big strides, and rushed towards the warhorse that had been prepared outside the palace like an arrow.

He jumped on his horse, kicked the horse's belly, and galloped away towards the west amid the crisp and rapid sound of horse hooves, wanting to deliver this good news that would determine the final victory to Chu Ning as soon as possible.

Ran Ming watched his personal soldiers go away, then slowly withdrew his gaze and looked again at the deep palace and forbidden garden in front of him, which was hidden in the silence and countless unknowns.

He knew that taking over the palace was only the first step. The subsequent purge, stabilization, and many other matters waiting for His Majesty's arrival did not allow for any slackness.

He touched his bald head and took a deep breath of the air that smelled of blood and burnt things.

Afterwards, he continued to stand at the gate of Chengtian like a door god, commanding his powerful troops and firmly grasping this power center that symbolized the old era in the hands of the emerging Chu Dynasty.

As dusk fell, the bloody odor from the west gate of Chang'an City had not yet completely dissipated, mixed with the smell of gunpowder and dust, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.

Chu Ning was still sitting upright on his warhorse, his black armor emitting a cold luster in the dimming sky, just like his eyes at the moment, deep and unfathomable.

At the city gate, Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang, mother and son, had been taken away.

That brief confrontation between dignity and survival seemed to be just a small episode before the end of this grand war, and did not cause much waves in his heart.

A burst of rapid and powerful horse hoof sounds came from far away, breaking the silence at the scene.

A Chu knight with a command flag on his back came galloping from the end of the long street. He stopped more than ten steps in front of Chu Ning's horse and then suddenly pulled the reins. The horse stood up and neighed.

The knight dismounted, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, and spoke in a voice that was a little hurried due to the rapid galloping, with uncontrollable excitement:

"Report! Your Majesty! General Ran Ming has an urgent report!"

"Our army has completely captured the Imperial Palace. The Chengtian Gate is wide open. Any remaining resistance within the palace has been eliminated. All key locations and the former dynasty's treasury are now under our control!"

"General Ran is leading his troops to strictly guard the palace, awaiting the arrival of Your Majesty!"

The sound spread clearly all around, and all the Chu army soldiers who heard the news could not help but reveal excitement and pride on their faces.

The capture of the palace meant that this war that had devastated the nation had finally come to a successful conclusion.

Chu Ning sat upright on the horse and listened quietly.

When he heard "the palace has been completely captured" and "the treasury has been completely controlled", his face, which had always been like the surface of a frozen lake, finally showed a very subtle change.

The corners of his mouth twitched upwards almost imperceptibly, outlining a very faint arc that was full of control and playfulness.

It was not ecstasy, but a kind of calmness that a long-cherished wish had been fulfilled and the overall situation had been decided, and a kind of indifference that came from standing at the pinnacle of power and overlooking the country at one's feet.

This time, we exhausted all our national strength and launched an expedition to the Han Dynasty. It lasted for several months, consumed countless money and food, and the soldiers fought bloody battles. Wasn't it all for this moment?

The capture of the false emperor Liu Xiang and his mother Dugu Jia symbolized the end of the Han Dynasty's legal system.

Now, even the imperial palace, which symbolizes the last authority and accumulation of the Han Dynasty, has fallen into their hands.

This marked that the Han Dynasty, the behemoth that once dominated the East, had completely become the dust of history from this moment on!

"The merit is complete!"

He silently recited these four words in his mind, and a sense of pride and emptiness swept through his heart at the same time.

But they were soon replaced by stronger plans for the future. The old order had been broken, and the new order would be created by him personally.

"Get up and enter the palace."

He didn't say any unnecessary nonsense, just simply spit out four words.

The voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable majesty.

Then, surrounded by a group of elite personal soldiers, Chu Ning urged his warhorse, stepped over the blood-stained stone steps in front of Chengtian Gate, and slowly drove into the heart of the empire that he could only look up to before but was now completely open to him.

Inside the palace, although the fighting had stopped, the air was still filled with tension and solemnity.

Fallen bodies were being cleared everywhere, and teams of Chu soldiers patrolled with sharp shuttles, scanning every corner with vigilant eyes.

Ran Ming had been informed long ago and came forward with big strides. Beads of sweat still hung on his shiny forehead, and the blood stains on his armor had not yet been wiped off.

"Your Majesty! The palace is under the control of our army!" Ran Ming's voice was as loud as a bell, and he saluted with his fists clasped.

Chu Ning nodded slightly, but his gaze passed Ran Ming and went to the building deep in the palace, with tall and thick walls and extremely strict access control - the royal treasury of the Han Dynasty.

There, the wealth accumulated by the Liu family during hundreds of years of rule is gathered, and it is a symbol of the empire's heritage.

"Ran Ming."

Chu Ning spoke in a calm voice, "You personally lead a team of reliable people into the treasure house."

He paused, his tone heavier, emphasizing each word:

"Count all the items inside, whether they are gold, silver, pearls, jade, ancient books, rare curios, or magical medicines and rare materials, and make a detailed list for me."

"The name, quantity, and characteristics of each item must be recorded without any omission or confusion."

Ran Ming's expression was stern. He knew very well that this matter was of great importance. It not only involved huge wealth, but also concerned the stability of the new dynasty and the trust of His Majesty.

He slapped his breastplate hard, making a dull sound:

"Don't worry, Your Majesty! I, Ran Ming, will be watching over this personally and guarantee I won't make a single mistake in counting a single feather! Anyone who dares to raise a hand will have his claws chopped off first!"