The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Xiao Jinyan sat upright in the center of the tent, his face solemn, his eyes flashing with an undeniable determination. He called softly, "Rongzu, go and fetch Generals Wang Xuanyu, Wu Qi, and Xie Dun."

Upon hearing this, Huan Rongzu replied, "Yes, General."

Then, Huan Rongzu turned around and, like a resolute wind, swiftly passed through the hustle and bustle of the camp and sped off into the distance.

Before long, a series of hurried but orderly footsteps sounded outside the tent, which were particularly loud.

Huan Rongzu's figure reappeared in Xiao Jinyan's sight, followed closely by three dashing generals—Wang Xuanyu, Wu Qi, and Xie Dun. They were all dressed in dark green tight-fitting cloth uniforms with bulletproof vests underneath, their uniforms seemingly gleaming with an indomitable light under the sunlight. These were the new military uniforms that Xiao Jinyan had customized for them, which were both lightweight and effective in providing protection.

Wang Xuanyu was the first to step into the tent, looking directly at Xiao Jinyan, his tone carrying a hint of confusion and expectation: "What does the general want with us?"

Xiao Jinyan slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the three of them one by one, his deep eyes seemingly containing a thousand words.

“Three generals,” Xiao Jinyan began, his voice deep and magnetic, “ask yourselves honestly, how have I, Xiao Jinyan, treated you in the past?”

This statement is both a reflection on the past and a test of trust in the future.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuanyu's brows relaxed slightly, and a warm light flashed in his eyes: "Is there any need to ask? The general has been kind to us like a second life, like our own parents. If it weren't for the general, the Tiger Warriors would never be what they are today!"

Xie Dun immediately chimed in, "Yes, the general loves his soldiers like his own children and is exceptionally kind to us subordinates."

Wu Qi was not to be outdone. He stepped forward and said firmly, "Yes, the general has never mistreated us. His kindness to us is as heavy as a mountain."

Xiao Jinyan's gaze was sharp, and his voice was steady and powerful: "Generals, since that's the case, I, Xiao Jinyan, am going to ask you to do something important later. Are you willing to obey my orders completely?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Qi's eyes hardened, and without hesitation, he cupped his hands and said, "I am willing to obey the general's orders, even if it means going through fire and water!"

Xie Dun thought for a moment, then slowly spoke, his tone resolute: "As long as the general doesn't rebel, I, Xie Dun, will do anything, even go through fire and water."

Wang Xuanyu was a straightforward and passionate man. He laughed and said, "General, even if you want to rebel, I, Wang Xuanyu, will follow you closely and die with you!"

Seeing this, Xiao Jinyan felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He glanced at each of them, his tone firm yet warm: "Generals, please rest assured. I, Xiao Jinyan, will never rebel or ask you to risk your lives for me. Remember, everything I, Xiao Jinyan, do is for your future, for the well-being of every soldier in our Tiger Legion. Remember, from this day forward, no matter how arduous the road ahead, I, Xiao Jinyan, will fight alongside you, weathering the storms together."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuanyu's eyes flashed with excitement. He strode forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Jinyan: "Since that's the case, what's there to hesitate about? We, the men of the Tiger Legion, are never afraid of death, only of living a cowardly life! General, we'll follow you!"

Upon seeing this, Xie Dun and Wu Qi almost simultaneously exclaimed, "We are willing to follow the general to the death!"

At this very moment, the glazed tiles of the palace shimmered with an uneasy light under the sunlight, and within the depths of the palace, a storm was quietly brewing.

Crown Prince Liu Zhan, dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, his face pale, was surrounded by a well-trained, heavily armored Imperial Guard, accompanied by only a few loyal personal guards. The air was thick with the stench of blood and tension; every breath seemed to tug at the heartstrings, the murderous aura chilling to the bone.

The commander was a dashing young general, General Liancheng of the Martial Guard. He wore silver armor, and his brows revealed an air of formidable heroism. The long sword in his hand gleamed coldly, pointing straight at the sky.

Behind him, Prince Liu Kun of Guangling and Right Minister Wei Wuji stood side by side, their eyes filled with determination and ruthlessness, as if they had clearly weighed all the pros and cons.

Upon seeing this, Liu Zhan was terrified and involuntarily took a few steps back. His voice trembled, but he still tried to maintain his dignity: "I am the Crown Prince of the Great Song Dynasty, and I am about to inherit the throne and become Emperor. Who among you dares to kill me? Do you intend to rebel?"

Liu Zhan's eyes searched the crowd for a possible exit, but the impenetrable defenses around him filled him with despair. He couldn't help but feel regret, annoyance, and despair. Xiao Jinyan had already sent word this morning that something was amiss in the palace and he must not enter. Why hadn't he listened...?

Sigh... It's all my fault for being too confident, too careless, too eager to enter the palace and inherit the throne, or perhaps I thought Xiao Jinyan was too useless and incompetent, and that his advice was just a fart, not worth mentioning. That's how I fell into the trap of the Prince of Guangling.

It's too late to say anything now. What should I do? Am I really going to die here today?

No! Absolutely not! Most of the Imperial Guards in the palace still obey He Jian's orders, except for the traitor Lian Cheng. As long as I can fight my way out through Xuanwu Gate or Suzhang Gate and escape Lian Cheng's control, I can escape alive.

But escaping is easier said than done...

Liu Kun's lips curled into a cold smile, his voice clear and powerful: "Traitor Liu Zhan, do not be arrogant! You villain, you plotted to murder the Emperor, a heinous crime! Today is the day you are brought to justice! Soldiers, heed my command, execute the traitor and restore order to the court!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhan's eyes widened, a mixture of anger and fear filling his gaze. He retorted loudly, "Fourth brother, don't make false accusations! Father passed away due to illness, and before his death, he bequeathed the throne to me. How can you say he murdered me? You are trying to usurp the throne and are deliberately framing me. This is an outrage against heaven and earth!"

Liu Kun's sneer deepened, his tone filled with unwavering conviction: "Traitor Liu Zhan, stop your sophistry! You secretly used witchcraft to curse the Emperor to an early death, attempting to ascend the throne as soon as possible. The Emperor, being wise, had already discovered your plot and intended to depose you as Crown Prince and appoint me in his place. Unexpectedly, you acted first and cruelly murdered me! Such evil deeds are clear from heaven and cannot be denied!"

Liu Kun knew, of course, that the emperor had died of natural causes, but considering how to quickly neutralize the remnants of the crown prince's faction after killing him, and thus secure his throne, he could only follow Wei Wuji's plan to frame the emperor. Only in this way could Liu Kun occupy the moral and legal high ground and smoothly inherit the throne.

Otherwise, even if Liu Kun killed the crown prince and seized the throne by killing his brother, he would inevitably become an unrighteous, disloyal, and unfilial person, becoming the target of public criticism. How could such a person possibly reach the throne and rule the world?

Liu Zhan trembled violently, his anger surging like a tidal wave. He almost forced out a trembling roar through clenched teeth: "Liu Kun, you traitor! You've twisted the truth and are spouting lies!"