The Second World in Ancient Times

Seeing the prince personally leading his army charging forward, I felt no fear. Instead, a resolute fighting spirit surged within me. Today is the day to settle this treasonous plot to usurp the throne.

"Your Highness, you finally showed up. I thought you would just hide in the dark and order others to work for you!" I shouted loudly, with undisguised sarcasm in my voice.

The prince's face darkened and he snorted coldly, "Concubine Yu, please stop being so arrogant. I will kill you today and see how you can continue to flaunt your power in this palace!"

With that, he brandished his sword and charged at me. The sword gleamed coldly in the sunlight, seemingly imbued with murderous intent. I dodged his fierce blow with a flick of my side, effortlessly avoiding it. At the same time, my soft sword swung out, slashing at his arm.

"Your Highness, you're so impulsive. You don't seem like someone capable of great things. Could it be that you've been panicking for a long time, knowing that today's plot is about to fail?" I deftly maneuvered with him, applying my knowledge of modern psychology to try to provoke him with words. In modern negotiation techniques and psychological warfare, I'm well aware that words can sometimes be as powerful as weapons. Through these provocative words, I aimed to disrupt his rhythm, causing him to waver and doubt.

"You witch, stop talking nonsense! My plan is perfect, it's just that you were lucky!" The prince roared, swung the sword in his hand more violently, and every move was fierce.

"Luck? Your Highness, do you think it was just luck? You're wrong. I saw through your scheme from the very beginning. You thought you could usurp the throne by colluding with the Queen and secretly gathering troops? You're so naive! The people of this palace don't favor a rebellious person like you." I continued, my eyes fixed on his expression, observing his every subtle reaction. Like a seasoned psychoanalyst, I didn't miss a single emotional fluctuation.

A hint of hesitation flashed across the prince's eyes, but it was quickly covered by anger. "What do you know? I am the most qualified to ascend the throne. My father is old and incompetent. I should rule this world!"

"Oh? You call Your Majesty incompetent, yet Your Majesty has reigned for many years, diligently and diligently, ruling this country in perfect order. Yet, for your own selfish desires, you have sought to provoke war and plunge the people into dire straits. How can someone like you be qualified to rule the world?" I retorted sharply. Every word was like a sharp blade, piercing his inner vanity and arrogance.

As our heated exchange of words deepened, the battle reached a fever pitch. While the prince's swordsmanship was formidable, I, with my agile form and mastery of modern combat techniques, maintained a steady pace. Sometimes I deftly dodged his attacks like a nimble dancer, and sometimes, like a lurking cheetah, I delivered a swift counterattack when he showed a weakness.

"Hmph, is all you can do is dodge? If you have the guts, fight me head-on!" The prince seemed to be irritated by my evasive tactics, and attacked even more desperately.

I saw the flaw in his anger and, with a sudden impulse, decided to take a chance. I feigned defeat, taking a few steps back and stumbling. This seemingly awkward movement was actually a carefully planned trap, much like the feints used by fighters in modern boxing matches to confuse their opponents.

"What? You can't do it anymore?" Seeing this, the prince thought he had an opportunity, so he strode forward and stabbed with his sword.

Just as his sword was about to pierce me, I suddenly turned sideways, my soft sword wrapping around his blade like a serpent, twisting it with all my might. The prince, startled, tried to withdraw his sword, but it was too late. Using the momentum, I spun around, snatched his sword from him, and simultaneously launched a flying kick into his abdomen. This series of moves, seamlessly integrated with modern martial arts grappling and combat techniques, caught him by surprise and dealt him a devastating blow.

The prince groaned, flew backward, and fell heavily to the ground. I took the opportunity to advance, the tip of my sword pointing directly at his throat.

"Your Highness, you lose," I said coldly. Like a chess player in control, I had him cornered.

The prince lay on the ground, his face pale, but his eyes still showed resentment: "You... you dare to kill me? I am a prince. If you kill me, it will cause an uproar!"

"The crime of treason is punishable by the death of all nine generations of your clan. Your Highness, you have committed such a heinous crime, and yet you dare threaten me?" Unmoved, I thrust my sword forward slightly. I knew that in the struggle for power in the palace, mercy was sometimes a luxury. Facing such a vicious rebel, I must demonstrate absolute toughness.

At this moment, the prince's army saw that their leader had been severely injured by me, and they immediately lost their composure and morale. The soldiers looked at each other, unsure whether to continue fighting or surrender.

"What are you still standing there for? Kill her and save me!" the prince shouted, struggling. However, his voice had lost its former majesty and appeal.

His soldiers, however, had lost their previous fighting spirit and only symbolically moved forward a few steps before stopping. These soldiers had originally followed the prince for fame and fortune, but now that they saw the prince was about to be defeated, they naturally would not blindly fight for their lives anymore.

"Your Highness, your soldiers no longer seem to want to fight for you. You believe you can rely on their strength to achieve your ambitions, but you don't realize that a true leader is one who wins the hearts and minds of the people, and you have already lost them." I looked at the prince and spoke earnestly. In this way, I tried to make the prince realize the root cause of his failure: not just military defeat, but also a complete defeat in the battle for public support.

The prince closed his eyes in despair, knowing his plot had completely failed. And in this life-or-death duel, I, with my wisdom and courage, achieved a crucial victory, taking a solid step toward resolving this palace crisis. But I knew there were still many aftermath matters awaiting my attention, and the peace and stability of the palace still required my tireless efforts.

The moment the prince closed his eyes, I didn't let my guard down. I knew full well that court struggles were unpredictable. Even if he was currently at a disadvantage, there could be a final counterattack or his accomplices could seize the opportunity to launch a new conspiracy. I looked around and shouted to my guards, "Increase your vigilance! Don't let your guard down even a little! Check for any lurking enemies."

The guards sprang into action, conducting a thorough search of the surrounding area. I continued to point my sword at the prince, preventing him from making any unusual movements.

"Afeng, go check on the king's situation and ensure his majesty's safety." I said to Afeng beside me.

A Feng took the order and left. A moment later, he returned to report, "Your Majesty, the King is doing well. He is commanding the army to clear the battlefield. The remaining rebels have begun to surrender."

I nodded slightly, feeling somewhat relieved, but I knew there were still many issues behind this rebellion that needed to be investigated in depth.

"Take the prince away and keep him under strict guard until the king decides his fate," I said to the guards.

Just as the guards were about to take the prince away, a dagger suddenly flew out from his sleeve and shot straight at me. This sudden change caught everyone off guard, but I quickly dodged it with the agile reactions cultivated in modern training.

"Humph, do you think I can be captured so easily?" The prince took advantage of the chaos and wanted to get up and escape.

"Want to run? Not that easy!" I rushed forward and slashed his leg with my soft sword, and the prince fell to the ground again.

The guards rushed forward and tied up the prince tightly. This time, they carefully checked the prince for any other hidden weapons.

"Your Majesty, this prince was too cunning. We almost succeeded." said a guard.

"In the palace struggle, we must never underestimate the enemy's insidiousness. We must be more cautious." I warned the guards.

After dealing with the prince's affairs, I went to the king's place. Upon seeing me, the king's eyes were filled with admiration: "Concubine Yu, your performance today was truly heroic and fearless. Not only did you thwart the prince's plot, but you also displayed extraordinary wisdom and strategy in battle."

I knelt slightly and saluted. "Your Majesty, this is what I must do. Protecting Your Majesty and the peace of the palace is my duty. Although this rebellion has been temporarily quelled, the forces behind it are complex and we must conduct a thorough investigation to prevent future troubles."

"I know, I will arrange for someone to investigate this matter thoroughly. You have worked hard and made great contributions in this turmoil, and I will definitely reward you handsomely." said the king.

"Your Majesty, I do not ask for rewards. I only hope that the palace can be peaceful from now on and the people can live and work in peace. This rebellion has severely damaged the vitality of the palace. Our top priority is to stabilize people's hearts and restore normal order in the palace." I suggested sincerely.

The king nodded in agreement. "Concubine Yu is absolutely right. I will discuss this with my ministers and work out a plan to restore order in the palace as soon as possible. You should go back and rest. You are tired today."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I'll take my leave." I bowed and turned to leave.

Returning to my tent, I didn't rest, but instead fell into deep thought. Although I successfully thwarted this rebellion, it also made me realize the cruelty and complexity of palace struggles. I can't rely solely on my own strength. I need to cultivate more loyal and reliable forces, while also strengthening my own strength and wisdom. Only then can I better survive in this vortex of power in the palace and protect all that I cherish.