Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 582: Sudden Upheaval (Part 1)

Jiang Shaohua rode into the city gates.

Cui Du followed closely behind. Wang Jin, who had come specially to greet them, deliberately slowed down to avoid being in a precarious position, thus lagging behind. Otherwise, being beside the Commandery Princess with Elder Changning on one side and himself on the other would have been quite awkward.

Wang Jin was perceptive and acted with great propriety, so much so that even Cui Du found nothing unpleasant in this rival.

From the city gates to the Imperial Palace was a long stretch of road, normally taking over an hour on horseback. Now, amidst national mourning, all shops on both sides of the street were closed, and there were very few pedestrians. Jiang Shaohua rode much faster than usual.

The journey was silent until they were five miles outside the palace gates.

Jiang Shaohua suddenly furrowed her brows, seemingly hearing something unexpected, and abruptly tightened the reins: "Everyone stop!"

The accompanying two hundred trusted aides, each a master, and Song Yuan, just a moment slower than Jiang Shaohua, also heard the unusual sounds, his eyes flashing with suspicion.

Qin Hu and Meng Sanbao’s ears twitched, and both turned pale: "The sounds ahead are unusual!"

"It’s the sound of weapons clashing!"

In broad daylight, under the open sky. Who dared to assault the palace gates? Or perhaps, the commotion originated from within the palace?

"There must be an incident in the palace!" Jiang Shaohua swiftly turned her head, her eyes glinting coldly: "We mustn’t proceed rashly. Let’s wait and observe. It’s best to gather information before making a decision."

Song Yuan immediately said, "Commandery Princess, please wait here. I will take some people to investigate."

At critical times, Song Yuan was the most reliable and composed.

Jiang Shaohua gave a slight nod: "Take more people with you. Encounter danger, retreat immediately, and ensure your own safety."

Song Yuan bowed in acknowledgment and quickly selected twenty trusted aides. Twenty swift horses shot towards the palace gates like arrows.

Jiang Shaohua watched Song Yuan and his group leave, her heart feeling heavy.

Wang Jin had no martial training, and Cui Du was just an ordinary person. Neither had the keen hearing of the trusted aides. Initially, when everyone stopped, both were confused. Once they calmed their minds to listen, they could hear the peculiar sounds.

Wang Jin’s handsome face turned pale, and he hurriedly rode forward: "Commandery Princess! There’s an incident in the palace! Could it be that someone is taking advantage of the mourning to plot rebellion?"

Jiang Shaohua looked at Wang Jin: "Wang She Ren, you spend your days in the palace. If there’s treachery, you should have some sense. Why ask me?"

Wang Jin was speechless.

Indeed, Emperor Taihe’s death was highly suspicious, involving Prince Dongping and the Li Family, and possibly other members of the Imperial Family. Grand Empress Dowager Zheng confined all Jiang Family members in the palace. Though appearing secure, it was actually rash and impulsive. Cornered dogs leap over walls, panicked rabbits bite; among a crowd of Princes and Commandery Princes, all with Jiang’s bloodline, there must be some unwilling to capitulate without a fight.

For instance, the Heir of Prince Gaoliang, Jiang Yi, who feigned idiocy for over a decade. Whoever thought him genuinely a wastrel was the true fool.

Jiang Shaohua fixed her gaze on Wang Jin, speaking grimly: "I ask you, is there any secret dealings between Jiang Yi and General Bao?"

General Bao held command over the Imperial Army, tasked with guarding the Imperial Palace. With today’s incident, General Bao was the first suspect.

Wang Jin gave a wry smile: "Commandery Princess, you overestimate me. Though Jiang Yi and I are both housekeepers, we have little personal interaction. His private associations, I’m unaware of."

Jiang Shaohua frowned again, thoughts racing, continuing: "Jiang Yi is betrothed to the Sima Family. In your view, if Jiang Yi stirs trouble in the palace, with ambitions for the throne, which side would General Sima take?"

Wang Jin’s handsome face turned pale once more.

The Capital City housed four garrisoned armies. Besides the Imperial Army defending the Imperial City, there were the Divine Martial Camp, Brave Camp, and Heroic Guard Camp. The Imperial Army was divided; General Bao led ten thousand stationed in the palace. The main force of tens of thousands at the military camp was commanded by General Liu.

After General Fan went to the border army, General Sima became the principal general of the Divine Martial Camp. The Brave Camp, led by General Song, went to aid the border army, suffering heavy casualties and presently recuperating, yet to return to the Capital City. As for the Heroic Guard Camp’s main general, it was the Left General.

Counting on fingers, if General Sima sided with Jiang Yi, and Jiang Yi secretly allied with General Bao, they indeed had the prowess to plot rebellion and force the palace.

Jiang Shaohua did not speak further; memories of a past life flashed in her mind. In that past, Emperor Taihe was on the throne for little over a year before dying in a conspiracy. The perpetrators were Jiang Yi and Prince Dongping’s son. Subsequently, the Gao Liang Prince Mansion and Prince Dongping Mansion were both annihilated.

In this life, both she and Zheng Chen were reborn, and much differed from the past.

The true culprits behind Emperor Taihe’s murder were not just Prince Dongping’s son; Jiang Yi surely played a part in secret. What role did Zheng Chen play in all this?

The sudden upheaval in the palace—how many will die in this chaos?

Thump, thump, thump!

Two swift horses galloped in.

Jiang Shaohua quickly snapped back to reality, focusing her gaze. Indeed, the trusted aides returned to deliver a message.

"Reporting to Commandery Princess! The palace gates have been closed!" The trusted aide hastily reported without dismounting: "Within the gates are ambushers wielding crossbows with considerable range. We cannot get close to the gates."

Another personal soldier immediately chimed in: "Commander Song sent us back to report. He asks the Commandery Princess to wait patiently. Commander Song is trying to approach the gates."

Jiang Shaohua’s heart sank suddenly.

The situation was worse than she anticipated!

The palace gates, over two zhang high, once closed, made covert infiltration nearly impossible. Leading an assault on the gates was even more challenging.

The border army could hold Si State due to its tall and sturdy walls. The palace walls were even taller and sturdier than Si State’s. Forcing entry into the palace was practically impossible.

Moreover, she only had two hundred trusted aides. Even with five hundred, it would be futile.

Unless troops were dispatched immediately.

Jiang Shaohua’s eyes flickered as she spoke to Wang Jin: "Go immediately to the Heroic Guard Camp to request reinforcements."

Wang Jin frowned: "With the Left General in the spirit hall, and without the Tiger Talisman or official orders, how can I mobilize the Heroic Guard Camp?"

Jiang Shaohua replied coldly: "The Left General is under Prime Minister Wang. With his skills and influence in the camp, he must have trusted confidants. Only if you go can you persuade the Left General’s people to send troops to aid the palace and quell the uprising."

"Wang Jin, if you don’t want to see countless deaths and rivers of blood in the palace, go to the Heroic Guard Camp now!"

Wang Jin’s mind was a whirl as he subconsciously nodded in agreement.

Jiang Shaohua called Qin Hu over: "Qin Hu, select twenty people to accompany and ensure Wang She Ren’s safety."

Protection indeed, but monitoring wouldn’t be wrong either.

Qin Hu immediately complied, quickly selecting twenty people.

With mixed feelings, Wang Jin looked at Jiang Shaohua. Lacking time to say anything else, he could only bid farewell with a cupped hand and then galloped swiftly to the Heroic Guard Camp.

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