We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

The afterglow of the setting sun was like blood, sinking little by little under the rows of roofs in the imperial capital.

The dull beat of street drums announced the start of curfew.

At this time of year in the past, the streets had already been closed and pedestrians were hurrying home. Only the sound of the night watchman's footsteps echoed in the street.

But tonight, the imperial capital was filled with an unusual anxiety.

This anxiety did not come from strict orders from the government, but from rumors that spread like wildfire among the people.

"Have you heard? Qingliu Pass is gone. The Fengtian Army has broken through and headed south."

"Yes, the Fengtian Army is coming. They are probably already in Chuzhou now."

"My God, how far is Chuzhou from the imperial capital? Even if the cavalry runs fast, they can get there in a day!"

"Not only that! It's said that even General Zhai...had his head chopped off as a sacrifice!"

"If you ask me, it's a good thing that the Fengtian Army attacked..."

"Shut up! How dare you say that? Are you going to die? If you have anything to say, wait until tomorrow!"

Whispers spread among the remaining customers in teahouses and taverns. The news became more and more specific and terrifying, as if the iron hoofs of the Fengtian Army had already stepped onto the gates of the imperial capital.

Ordinary people began to frantically hoard rice, grain and salt. Shops were sold out, prices soared, and fights over a bag of rice were common.

Ruffians took the opportunity to cause chaos, smashing, looting and the once prosperous streets showed signs of being out of control.

In the army, soldiers were whispering to each other, and the officers' scolding had lost its former confidence.

Fear is enveloping the capital.

Of course, not everyone was in a panic. Only some people were afraid of the impending arrival of the Fengtian Army.

When some others heard the news of the approaching Fengtian Army, they were not afraid but became even more excited.

All of these people are supporters of Li Che, and are discerning people who have long been extremely disappointed with the pseudo-emperor's court.

Many people in Daqing built shrines for Li Che. No one cared about it during the reign of Emperor Qing, but after Emperor Wenchu ​​ascended the throne, he began to strictly prohibit it.

They even sent troops to break into people's homes many times, smash and destroy Li Che's ancestral temple, and steal some things.

These people hated Emperor Wenchu ​​so much that some of them were secretly sharpening their knives at home. Once the Fengtian Army attacked the city, they would seize the opportunity to attack the defenders.

At the same time, in the Imperial Palace, Xuanzheng Hall.

The lights in the hall were bright, but they could not illuminate the gloom on the faces of the people inside.

"What did you say! Qingliu Pass was breached?!" Emperor Wenchu ​​jumped up from the dragon throne, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets, staring at His Highness Qin Huizhi.

Qin Huizhi had lost his usual composure at this moment, his voice dry, "Your Majesty, it is absolutely true. The spies have already confirmed that Qingliu Pass was breached this morning, and Zhai Yan led his men in surrender."

"Where are the battle reports from the front?!" Emperor Wenchu ​​roared, "Why haven't I received any battle reports? What is the Ministry of War for?!"

He waved his arms like a madman.

This was the first time he scolded Qin Huizhi so inappropriately. It was unclear whether it was due to his fear of Li Che or his desperation.

But he forgot that he was just a puppet emperor. Not to mention this time, he had no right to watch the war report from the Ministry of War at the first time before.

Qin Huizhi no longer cared about the emperor's attitude and said urgently, "Your Majesty! Now is not the time to investigate the battle reports. The rumors have spread, and the people are in a panic."

"By tomorrow noon, the vanguard of the Fengtian Army may be at the gates of the city, and the main force of the Fengtian Army will arrive by tomorrow evening at the latest. The situation is extremely critical."

"How is this possible?! Didn't Zhai Yan swear that he could stop the Fengtian Army?"

"He commanded an army of 200,000 and was guarding the fortress of Qingliu Pass. How could he be defeated so quickly? How is that possible?"

"Your Majesty, the situation on the front line is changing rapidly..." Qin Huizhi could only say these clichés weakly.

"What should we do now? Tell me! What should we do now!" Emperor Wenchu ​​was completely panicked. He looked at the officials below like a headless fly.

"You are the ones who pushed me into this position. Now that the Fengtian Army is attacking us, are we going to die together?!"

"Your Majesty! The most urgent thing is to set off immediately and take temporary refuge on the southern tour!" an official shouted impatiently.

"Yes! Your Majesty, conduct the southern tour immediately!"

"Go to Jiannan, the land of abundance, easy to defend but hard to attack!"

"No! Go to Lin'an... and then go further south to Mingzhou or Fuzhou."

The hall suddenly became chaotic, with officials talking at once and vying to propose their own evacuation plans.

Everyone said they were going everywhere, and there was even a scared idiot who wanted to run to Qiongzhou Island!

At this point, no one would be stupid enough to stay and fight with Li Che.

Although the imperial city is the capital, it is not an important city that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

On the contrary, it is basically indefensible.

Emperor Wenchu ​​looked at these ministers who usually appeared to be righteous and upright, but at this moment they were only thinking about escaping, and his heart was chilled.

Abandon the imperial capital and give up this ancestral heritage?

If this happens, wouldn't I really become a tyrant who will be infamous for eternity?

Emperor Wenchu ​​was still hesitating when Qin Huizhi hurriedly urged him, "Your Majesty! There is no time for hesitation!"

"If the Fengtian Army really attacks tomorrow, it will be too late!"

"We must prepare immediately, travel light and leave overnight!"

Emperor Wenchu ​​trembled all over, but in the end, the desire to survive overwhelmed everything.

He waved his hand dejectedly, and with his last bit of strength, he rasped, "Go and make arrangements. Move quickly... and don't make any noise."

Qin Huizhi took the order and left. Everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief and began to secretly plan how to evacuate.

After all, Prince Feng is not fighting under the banner of purging the court, he is coming here seriously to compete for the throne, and he also has a blood feud with the aristocratic families!

In a corner of the palace, a mournful and indignant voice rang out: "Your Majesty! You must not abandon the imperial capital and the legacy of your ancestors!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person who spoke was the general guarding the capital, Guo Si.

He looked very sad and knelt on the ground.

Qin Huizhi frowned and sternly rebuked, "Shut up! This is an emergency. Protecting His Majesty is the most important thing!"

Guo Si stiffened his neck and insisted, "Your Majesty! The imperial capital is the foundation of the nation, the home of the ancestral temples and the country. If Your Majesty were to leave now, how would you be worthy of the late emperor's spirit in heaven?"

"I implore Your Majesty to stay in the imperial capital and fight the powerful enemy together with the army and the people!"

"You're confused!" Qin Huizhi interrupted him. "As long as Your Majesty is here, the world will remain in peace. Staying here now would only put Your Majesty in danger."

"General Guo, if you are truly loyal, you should stay in the imperial capital to buy time for His Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Guo Si suddenly raised his head, tears still in his eyes, and replied in a resounding voice: "Since this is the case, General Guo Si, please stay in the imperial capital!"

"I am willing to lead my men to hold the city to the bitter end, to buy time for Your Majesty... for Your Majesty's southern tour!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Almost all the officials looked at Guo Si as if he were a fool.

Guo Si was a general who was temporarily promoted. He had little military power and his army had only about 3,000 men.

With just these few soldiers, you still want to stay and face the Fengtian Army?

This is clearly courting death!

Emperor Wenchu ​​was only thinking about leaving this dangerous place as soon as possible at this moment, so how could he care about Guo Si?

He waved his hand impatiently, as if to shoo away a fly. "Alright! General Guo is truly loyal and brave. I'll leave the Imperial Capital in your care!"

Guo Si immediately said in a sad voice: "General, I am willing to live and die with the imperial capital!"

However, no matter how much he risked his life for justice, he could not awaken the hearts of the court officials and the emperor.

. . . . . .

That night, the imperial capital was in chaos.

The side door of the palace quietly opened, and the emperor's carriage, the concubines' sedan chairs, and the carriages and horses of many noble families formed a long, hasty and winding dragon.

Under the escort of the soldiers of the capital, he quietly escaped from the capital that was about to face war.

They took away all the gold and silver they could carry, leaving behind an empty city that was almost undefended.

On the city wall, Guo Si stood with his sword in hand, staring coldly at the troops fleeing south in a panic, his face full of determination.

It was not until the last carriage loaded with treasures disappeared into the darkness that Guo Si slowly turned around.

The next second, the 'tragic' expression on his face disappeared without a trace.

He stretched out his hand to call the personal guards who had been following him, and whispered:

"Quick! Immediately withdraw all brothers on the city wall, remove all the flags of the pseudo-dynastic dynasty, and replace them with the flags of the Fengtian Army!"

"Immediately send someone to contact His Majesty. Tell him that the false emperor has fled south in a hurry, and that the imperial capital has been taken over by our forces. We await His Majesty's arrival!"

The guards seemed to be well prepared and were not surprised at all. They immediately clasped their fists and accepted the order: "Yes, General!"

Guo Si breathed a sigh of relief as he watched his personal guards quickly leave to deliver the message.

Then he looked back to the south. The night sky was illuminated by the fleeing fires, and the sneer on Guo Si's lips became more and more obvious.

Do you really think that Guo Si is a fool who would be loyal to an emperor with no real title?

You are a bunch of idiots who can't see the situation clearly and just know how to run. Where can you run to?

Given the strength of the Fengtian Army, it will unify the world sooner or later. Even if it runs to Qiongzhou Island, it will be useless. It will only be the difference between dying sooner or later.

But it’s different for me. These fools all ran away and offered the credit for the city...but it belongs to me alone.