The Rebirth of a Concubine's Daughter and Her Heartless Lover!

Life and death, bloody storm

At dawn, the atmosphere in the capital city grew extremely tense. Palace guards locked the city gates, and tens of thousands of troops were silently mobilized under Shen Yiyao's orders. Every street and alley was under strict surveillance, and a sense of impending urgency hung in the air. The entire capital seemed to be under a time bomb, poised to explode at any moment.

Shen Yiyao stood in the imperial study, deep within the palace, her eyes unfazed. She had always believed that power was a complex game, one that could never be relaxed. She understood that what she faced now wasn't just a coup, but a turning point in her own destiny. Shen Xuantong's plot had entered its final stages, and she was ready for the final, life-or-death battle.

She turned to the trusted minister beside her and said, "Notify the Eastern Palace to prepare to dispatch troops immediately. They must enter the East Gate before nightfall. At the same time, seal the West Gate to prevent Shen Xuantong's troops from suddenly entering."

The trusted ministers bowed their heads and obeyed the order, and quickly carried it out.

Shen Yiyao knew that Shen Xuantong not only had the support of a powerful military, but also was secretly manipulated by external forces. She had learned that Shen Xuantong had mobilized most of his troops under the pretext of a "bloody battle in the northern border," all to cover up his ultimate ambition: to provoke civil unrest through a fake war and seize the opportunity to launch a coup.

However, her plan had already been quietly laid behind the scenes. Some of her closest associates were already embedded within Shen Xuantong's army, ready to respond the moment battle broke out. She not only wanted to crush Shen Xuantong's coup, but also to root him out at its source, completely eliminating this hidden danger.

Undercurrents and behind-the-scenes game

While Shen Yiyao was secretly mobilizing troops to prepare for Shen Xuantong's challenge, Shen Xuantong's conspiracy was also quietly proceeding in secret. His supporters were all over the court, and even several important officials had been bribed by him, ready to launch a fatal attack on Shen Yiyao at a critical moment.

Shen Xuantong's army has assembled on the border, poised to breach the capital's defenses in one fell swoop, launching a massive war dubbed the "Blood Battle of the Northern Frontier." This sham campaign, nominally intended to defend the nation, is in reality a cover for mobilizing troops and concealing a coup. His deeper plan is to exploit the external chaos to regain the support of the court officials and ultimately bring about Shen Yiyao's demise.

Shen Xuantong stood in his tent with a sneer, gazing at the capital on the map. A smug smile played on his lips. "Shen Yiyao, you can't escape again," he muttered to himself, a sinister glint in his eyes.

However, he did not realize that Shen Yiyao had already made careful arrangements behind the scenes, secretly sending her own confidants into his camp. These confidants were not only responsible for monitoring Shen Xuantong's every move, but also ready to overturn his plan at the critical moment.

Betrayal and loyalty, a heartbreaking choice

As Shen Xuantong's deployment gradually took shape, Shen Yiyao began to tighten her internal control. The ministers within the palace engaged in a tense and secretive standoff. Some began to discuss the situation secretly, and many important officials expressed different positions. Among them, one of Shen Yiyao's most trusted ministers chose to betray her at this moment.

This minister, Sima Feng, was one of Shen Yiyao's closest aides and was usually loyal. However, Shen Yiyao had no idea that he was secretly colluding with Shen Xuantong, planning to target her and eliminate her during Shen Xuantong's attack on the capital.

When Shen Yiyao heard the news, she could hardly believe it. Sima Feng's betrayal dealt her a heavy blow, a pain that came from deep within her heart. She had placed high hopes on him and had thought he would be her most steadfast supporter.

But Shen Yiyao was not shaken by this. She had long been accustomed to betrayal and the game of power. Betrayal would never make her back off, but instead made her even more cold-blooded and ruthless.

"Pass the order down, Sima Feng is plotting rebellion and must be dealt with immediately." Her voice was as cold as ice, without a trace of emotion.

The palace sent a message, and Shen Yiyao's personal guards quickly arrested Sima Feng and brought him before her. At that moment, Sima Feng's eyes were filled with astonishment and helplessness, but he did not struggle, but simply bowed his head and accepted the judgment of fate.

"Do you think you can succeed?" Shen Yiyao looked down at him, her tone revealing a cold determination. "You are just a chess piece, a chess piece that is not worth mentioning under my nose."

A trace of despair flashed in Sima Feng's eyes, but he still lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I was wrong, Your Majesty, please spare my life."

Shen Yiyao remained unmoved, waving her hand to signal him to be taken away. Moments later, Sima Feng was executed, forever lost in the maelstrom of power.

The final conflict, a decisive battle

As the traitors in the palace were eliminated one by one, Shen Yiyao's plan entered its final stages. Shen Xuantong's "bloody battle in the northern border" had begun, and the situation in the capital was becoming increasingly tense. Shen Yiyao knew that Shen Xuantong's goal was not only to break through the capital's defenses, but also to seize the chaos and launch a coup to seize her throne.

She had no time to wait any longer. Shen Yiyao decided to personally go into battle, completely suppress this political storm, and end this life-and-death battle.

The gates of the capital were tightly sealed. Shen Yiyao's personal guards stood guard at the gates, and all the soldiers were on standby, ready to go into battle at any time. Shen Yiyao, wearing a dragon robe and riding in the imperial carriage, surrounded by thousands of troops, personally commanded the army to meet Shen Xuantong's army.

The choice of fate, the end of power

The battle horn had sounded, and the armies of both sides, like two surging torrents, collided, and a fierce battle began. The fates of Shen Yiyao and Shen Xuantong were already closely linked. All the plans and calculations would determine the final outcome at this moment.

The bloody storm in the capital has finally reached its most tragic climax - this desperate battle for power is destined to change everything.

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Chapter 52: Life and Death, the End of Power