Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 585: Sudden Upheaval (Part 4)

Jiang Shaohua moved swiftly like lightning, lifting an archer and throwing him far away.

Bang! The archer flew over ten meters before landing heavily on the ground, his face still frozen in a fearful expression at the moment of his death.

The position on the palace wall was already narrow, making stable footing difficult, and engaging in combat on it was an immense challenge. One careless move would lead to a fall.

Jiang Shaohua moved lightly like a swallow, swiftly grabbing one archer after another and tossing them off the palace wall.

The archers naturally wouldn’t surrender easily, they retaliated with furious shouts. Unfortunately, their strength was vastly inferior. Whether it was their clothes or arms, as long as they were grabbed by the Commandery Princess, they couldn’t escape and immediately faced the pitiful fate of being thrown high and crashing to the ground.

Trusted aides also leaped onto the palace wall and quickly "expelled" all the archers.

Jiang Shaohua leaped down and landed inside the palace wall, reaching out to snatch a weapon from the hands of a rebel.

With a weapon in hand, Jiang Shaohua’s murderous aura surpassed that of Song Yuan.

The rebels at the palace gate were originally hastily attempting an uprising, some greedy for wealth and glory wishing to gamble for a future, others driven by a moment of hot-bloodedness to join the rebellion, with unsteady resolve. Now they were caught in an attack from both sides, hearing the continuous booming of the palace gate being struck, seeing their companions fall one after another with tragic cries, almost leading them to collapse.

Someone first broke down, threw down their weapon, and knelt crying: "I surrender! Don’t kill me!"

With one surrender, came another!

Soon, the inside of the palace wall was filled with kneeling rebels.

Some rebels, unwilling to submit, still swung their weapons. Against these rebels, no further words were needed, they were simply dealt with by killing them.

After two sticks of incense, Jiang Shaohua finally met up with Song Yuan and others.

"The Commandery Princess wasn’t hurt, right?" Song Yuan asked urgently.

Jiang Shaohua said, "No, your left shoulder is injured, quickly bandage it. Others who are injured must also tend to their wounds."

Song Yuan nodded in command, loudly ordering the trusted aides to tie up the captives and to finish off the rebels on the ground who were still groaning in pain.

The screams quickly came to a halt.

As Song Yuan approached Zuo Yue with a knife, Zuo Yue, who had been playing dead, suddenly opened his eyes and shouted: "I surrender, spare my life!"

Song Yuan despised those of disloyalty and injustice, he snorted coldly, ready to kill.

"Commander Song, hold on a moment."

Song Yuan then withdrew his knife.

Jiang Shaohua walked over quickly, looking down at Zuo Yue: "Zuo Yue, who bribed you?"

Facing life and death, Zuo Yue broke out in cold sweat and dared not lie nor had time to. Moreover, such a palace coup had occurred, the victor would be king, the loser would be bandit, there was no need to hide anymore: "It was the Heir of Prince Gaoliang!"

It was indeed Jiang Yi.

Jiang Shaohua’s gaze was icy as she continued to question: "Did Zheng Chen also plot rebellion?"

Zuo Yue was bewildered: "I don’t know. I’ve only met the Heir of Prince Gaoliang, he promised me that as long as I joined him, he would later make me a main general, and head of the Zuo Family."

He was blinded by ambition and lust for power.

Song Yuan looked scornful, whispered: "Commandery Princess, such treacherous scoundrels shouldn’t be kept alive, it’s better to kill them!"

Jiang Shaohua did not speak, just coldly gazed at Zuo Yue, seemingly contemplating where to strike a blow.

Zuo Yue’s face turned deathly pale, trembling as he continued to plead: "Since the Commandery Princess is here, surely she can restore order. I am willing to publicly report and expose Jiang Yi!"

Only then did Jiang Shaohua say slightly: "For now, let’s keep him alive. Tie him up, bring him along to Zhaohai Palace."

Song Yuan bowed in acknowledgment of the order.

At this point, the trusted aides had already opened the palace gate.

Outside the palace gate, Cui Du, Chief Historian Chen, Chen Jinyu, Ma Yaosong, and Yang Zheng finally made a long sigh of relief.

The ground outside the palace gate was littered with horse carcasses, along with heavily injured horses unable to stand. Jiang Shaohua saw this, felt a twinge of sorrow, but did not show it on her face.

The situation in the palace was unclear, everyone’s lives including hers were hanging by a thread. There was no time to sympathize with these war horses now.

"Cui Du, you stay here with Chief Historian Chen and the others." Jiang Shaohua said solemnly: "I will lead people to charge to Zhaohai Palace."

Chief Historian Chen was old and weak, Yang Shi had average skills, Chen Jinyu was ordinary at best, Ma Yaosong was a bit better, however, someone skilled must stay here at the palace gate.

As for Cui Du, it wasn’t suitable for him to go to Zhaohai Palace in this situation.

Cui Du had never been so frustrated for not learning martial arts, unable to kill. He couldn’t refuse such an arrangement, thus he nodded in agreement: "Be careful."

Jiang Shaohua nodded, then turned and walked quickly away.

Song Yuan and the trusted aides followed one after another.

Leaving behind a ground full of corpses, and dozens of captives with tied hands and feet.

Ma Yaosong reacted quickly, picking up several long knives, distributing them to Chen Jinyu, Chief Historian Chen, Yang Shi, also giving one to Cui Du: "If the captives make any move, kill them immediately!"

Cui Du smelled the intense scent of blood, looking at the field of corpses, his stomach churned, but he appeared calm: "Alright!"

Suddenly, Chen Jinyu turned his head and vomited.

Ma Yaosong was shocked, quickly stepping over: "Jinyu, what’s wrong?"

Chen Jinyu finished vomiting, panting as he replied: "Nothing, just suddenly seeing so many corpses, it made me nauseous. Now that I’ve vomited, I’m fine."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of vomiting came from beside him.

Ma Yaosong and Chen Jinyu turned together, looking at Cui Du.

Cui Du also raised his head after vomiting: "I’m okay."

At this moment, whether okay or not, one must endure.

Chief Historian Chen sighed, raising his head to look toward Zhaohai Palace. Prince Gaoliang raised troops to force the palace, the Imperial Guards turned traitor, taking action when least expected.

Chaoyang Gate is the most secluded palace gate, yet even here, the sounds of slaughter within the palace are audible. The dangers near Zhaohai Palace can well be imagined.

Jiang Shaohua only had over a hundred people beside her, relying on these trusted aides to rush into Zhaohai Palace, restore order, was akin to a moth attacking a flame.

"Chief Historian Chen," Cui Du’s voice suddenly sounded: "The Commandery Princess possesses great fortune, today she will surely overcome danger!"

Chief Historian Chen was stunned, meeting Cui Du’s gaze for a moment.

Cui Du indeed seemed truly confident in Jiang Shaohua, his eyes clear and firm.

Chief Historian Chen felt warmth in his heart, saying softly: "You’re right. Our Commandery Princess is imbued with good fortune, the heavens will surely protect her."

...

Will the heavens protect her?

Jiang Shaohua didn’t know, nor had time to ponder these things.

Though she was anxious to go to Zhaohai Palace, she remained rational.

The handful of people beside her couldn’t face a large group of rebels, much less engage in prolonged combat. The best option was to detour, finding a road with the fewest rebels and least danger.

"Go this way!"

Having lived in the palace for several years, Jiang Shaohua was intimately familiar with the palace roads, leading the trusted aides twisting left and right. Luck was relatively good, as they didn’t encounter large groups of rebels but did come across two groups of Imperial Guards fighting to the death.