Chapter 546 - 525 First Update
The Wen Family Army, their eyes blood-red with killing, was now slaying anyone they came across. The cunning Crown Prince’s forces would still occasionally emerge from hiding, posing as ordinary civilians, refugees fleeing disaster, or even as their own people. It had become impossible to discern whether these individuals were truly the Crown Prince’s men or just commoners rising up in his name.
However, the Wen Family Army was not entirely without gain. After three grueling days of relentless assaults against the gates, the palace doors and walls of Chenyuan Hall had already turned to ruins, teetering on the verge of collapse, awaiting yet another ferocious attack.
Old Master Wen Kang personally led the soldiers guarding the entrance of Chenyuan Hall. Troops continuously poured into Nanzheng’s Palace. Old Master Wen Kang’s expression grew ever more resolute, his robe now indistinguishable from its original color for the dark red bloodstains. The corpses on the ground had already been dragged away, with no time for burying—some not even pulled far from the walls next to Chenyuan Hall, where they piled up into mounds. There were more of the Wen Family Army, but the losses were not without compensation. Because once the remaining Wen Family Army gathered, Chenyuan Hall would not stand a chance no matter what.
Inside Chenyuan Hall, Prime Minister Lin’s lips had cracked open, revealing deep red wounds. His clothes were the mourning attire from several days prior. Despite the chaos inside Chenyuan Hall, which was not small by any means, there was order in the disarray. A detailed battle map was laid out on two tables pushed together at the center—all those present were grave and tense.
Guards kept shuttling back and forth without a hint of disorder.
"Your Highness, the Wen Family Army has already started assembling toward the direction of the Imperial Palace," they reported. "They are expected to reach the palace in one Shichen." Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Zheng Congyuan sitting at the center. Their eyes held not nervousness or fear, but a faint excitement.
The forces dispersed into small units were faster than the Wen Family Army, more agile and mobile, and their greatest advantage lay in the Crown Prince’s precise judgments. He had successfully attracted all of the Wen Family Army’s forces, leading Old Master Wen Kang to believe that taking Chenyuan Hall would allow him to ascend to the throne.
"Your Highness, what are we waiting for now?" A military general, unable to restrain himself any longer, savored the thrill of slaying enemies as a military general these past few days. Usually suppressed by the Wen Family Army, he was a general in name but actually just a commander without troops.
Yet Zheng Congyuan looked around at everyone, his demeanor still calm; even with the upper hand, his composure was unshaken.