The battle ended much faster than people had imagined. In fact, if one were to compare the military strength and equipment of both sides from a god's perspective, the City Defense Army still firmly held the initiative. Even after accounting for the losses when capturing the grand gate of the imperial city, they still had over eight thousand troops remaining.
In contrast, over the years, Xiang Ling managed to conceal less than three thousand troops of the Jiangdong Army in Luojing through various means. Moreover, the weapons sent into the palace with the help of Qiao Sidai were not equipped with heavy armor and large shields due to the need for concealment. Although they were better equipped than the Imperial Guards, they couldn't compare to the City Defense Army.
However, the morale had completely reversed. Xiang Liang could incite the City Defense Army to rebel mainly because of the old emperor's favor over the years, infiltrating the City Defense Army. Many middle-ranking officers had either been bribed or replaced with their own people. Together with Li Yu, who led the City Defense Army, they managed to motivate the common soldiers.
Even so, there were doubts among the lower-ranking officers, but they followed suit as the higher-ups did the same. If they managed to capture the palace as expected, Xiang Liang ascending the throne would naturally not be a problem.
But unfortunately, Xiang Ling led a unit of the Jiangdong Army into the battle. The reputation of the Jiangdong Army within the military was even more widespread than among civilians. Although the City Defense Army possessed the honor of guarding the capital, they could not match the military achievements of the Jiangdong Army.
More importantly, the "thunder" that Xiang Ling had planted within the City Defense Army before became a fatal blow to their morale when the words "punish the traitors" erupted from within their formation.
Xiang Liang, the only Holy Rank present on the battlefield, had not even personally taken action. With the Jiangdong Army flanking on both sides and attacking from the rear, there was already a noticeable gap in the determination of both sides when they engaged in close combat.
"City Defense Army, listen up! The blame for this battle lies solely with Xiang Liang and his group of traitors. The rest who surrender will not be killed!"
"Surrender and you will not be killed!"
"Surrender and you will not be killed!"
As thousands of Jiangdong Army soldiers charged towards the City Defense Army formation, shouting these words, the outcome of this turmoil had already been sealed.
Half an hour later, in front of the Altar of Heaven Square, the Jiangdong Army had begun to clean up the battlefield. The City Defense Army soldiers who surrendered laid down their weapons and lined up neatly on the square. Meanwhile, the Imperial Guards in the palace began receiving the prisoners of war in coordination with the Jiangdong Army.
Soon after, the fighting on the city walls ceased. The patrol riders brought tokens from both princes, ordering the cessation of hostilities. Although confusion reigned inside and outside the city, the fighting reluctantly came to a halt.
Inside the Altar of Heaven, the magnificent hall was now cleared by soldiers, leaving only three contenders for the throne.
Xiang Ling naturally approached the central position that should have belonged to the Supreme Emperor, lightly caressing the armrest of the throne with his back facing his two elder brothers. His slender fingers, calloused from martial arts training since childhood, traced the decorative patterns.
The two brothers looked at each other. Not long ago, they were fighting for their lives. If either had won, their first act would have been to kill the other. Little did they expect that Xiang Ling, who should have still been on her way back to the capital, would intervene at this moment.
Though the process was somewhat fantastical, the outcome of defeat was already set. The result was somewhat lamentable, making the conclusion more delicate.
Xiang Ling seemed particularly interested in the throne, while the two brothers, standing in the position of the defeated, didn't know what to say. Thus, a brief silence ensued.
Both of them contemplated pleading for mercy from Xiang Ling. But faced with a sister who had always been unfamiliar to them, yet suddenly emerged to claim victory, they found it difficult to swallow their pride.
"We have lost."
The one to break the silence was finally Xiang Ji. Although in a way, Xiang Ling had saved his life, he was well aware that it wasn't out of kindness.
"What are you planning to do with us?" Xiang Liang couldn't hold back his impatience any longer and urgently asked the question that was on his mind.
"Haha, hehe, hahaha!" Upon hearing Xiang Liang's words, Xiang Ling suddenly let out a soft laugh, gradually increasing in volume until it evolved into a somewhat unrestrained laughter. Even the Jiangdong soldiers who had followed Xiang Ling for years outside the hall probably had never seen their commander laugh so freely.
"Conquer and be conquered, is it really that funny?" Xiang Ji reached out to restrain his slightly annoyed brother due to the laughter, asking in a deep voice. He didn't sense any mockery in his sister, who had been brought back by the father emperor, amid Xiang Ling's laughter.
"Not funny." The laughter suddenly subsided as Xiang Ling turned around, sitting down and facing the two from a higher position.
"Of course it's not funny. Just for this stiff and cold chair, so many people died outside the palace gates, died in the city area, all are people like us. Some commoners don't even know why they have suffered such a disaster." Xiang Ling propped up his left leg on top of his right, almost interrogating.
Is it worth it? Xiang Ling seemed to hear the questioning voice of a girl from more than ten years ago, who lived in the slums and witnessed countless deaths from riots outside.
But she quickly asked and answered herself, "Of course it's worth it. This is the throne of the emperor, sitting here means ruling over a vast empire, being the most powerful person in the world, able to exert immeasurable influence with a single will."
Only from this position could she completely change the country.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you. I am an outsider; in terms of legitimate succession, either of your two elder brothers is more qualified than me. If I kill you, those ministers and local officials who originally supported you in the court will distance themselves from me. I don't want to inherit a regime that is disloyal and unruly."
— But, isn't it ridiculous? Even as a struggling rat at the bottom years ago, I hated how those in power could cause countless families to be broken and ruined due to their whims, but now that I have touched this position myself, I suddenly understand them.
Perhaps my laughter is mocking myself?
Listening to Xiang Ling's words, the two brothers exchanged a look, seeming to have some thoughts.
"Of course, if either of you elder brothers doesn't plan to cooperate with me and harbors any hidden agenda, I wouldn't mind reshuffling the deck. When I reach the realm of a Earthly Immortal, I believe my lifespan will be long enough. Though it takes a lot of time to recover my strength after a major purge, I can afford it."
That one sentence shattered the last hope of the two brothers.
Yes, she was different from ordinary rulers. Even an emperor, like the one bedridden today, was still a flesh-and-blood mortal. But when this emperor was also a super strong Earthly Immortal, the situation was different.
It's worth noting that the "Overlord" who founded the state of Xichu had lived nearly two hundred years, and on several occasions, when faced with assassination attempts, had killed the assassins single-handedly.
"I am giving you both a chance, don't disappoint my trust."
After friendly negotiations with her two brothers, Xiang Ling left the Fengtian Hall. Immediately, soldiers from Jiangdong came up to report on the battle results and intelligence.
The fighting on the city wall had ceased, and the riots within the city had already been split and suppressed to a certain extent, so there was little to worry about. The next step was to proceed step by step.
First, she would find those nobles and ministers who had helped her before the incident and promote a group of capable individuals marginalized for their allegiance in the struggle between the two princes. Then, she would pit the factions of her two elder brothers against each other, gradually replacing them with her own people and cultivating her own ruling team.
Seems not bad...
Despite thinking like this, Xiang Ling still had a vague sense of inexplicable regret in her heart.
The greedy and selfish noble class, the intricate web of interests... Just the thought of her ambition requiring these to be realized made Xiang Ling feel a bit nauseous.
But it was the right thing to do. The power of a Land Immortal, the "domineering" power, was indeed strong. But to change this country, it wasn't enough to rely on just herself.
*Sigh...* Taking a deep breath, Xiang Ling forcefully slapped her own cheeks. Although she was decisive in killing and had been through numerous battles, she was only in her early twenties this year. If she had to say it, she was still within the realm of a young woman. But in her relatively short life, she had experienced things that ordinary people wouldn't encounter in several lifetimes.
"Really, occasionally... I also want to act coquettish to someone..."
Xiang Ling looked up at the sky and whispered softly in her heart.
Like... the Silver War Maiden?
Hmm? Wait, Silver War Maiden? Where are the Tiran people?!
Xiang Ling's nerves suddenly tensed up again. After looking around, she ordered the soldiers who had followed the squad into the palace with Tiran in the beginning to find Xingjian.
"Going to find someone yourself? Xingjian?"
When she heard it was to find Xingjian, Xiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief. After all, that mysterious woman, though not exactly her partner, had helped her in some ways, like leading the team to visit the Milt after the incident at the Gai Xia Academy.
But what happened next caught everyone off guard.
*Clang!*
Accompanied by a clear and melodious sound, an anomaly occurred.
The first to notice the anomaly were actually the crowds on the city streets.
In fact, order had already been partially restored on the streets. Most of the rioters had been suppressed by the soldiers and the guard soldiers who had struggled out of the beatings cooperated to arrest or subdue them. Some enthusiastic citizens, led by the guard soldiers, began to assist the injured and transport the dead.
At this moment, in the corners of different parts of the city of Luo Jing, under the wall bricks, amidst the house tiles, and in the crevices, a total of 128 concealed corners suddenly burst with dazzling light, guided by the energy connecting the "Dragon Veins" or rather the Earth Veins of this imperial city, turning into light columns shooting straight into the sky.
At the moment the light appeared, every person shrouded in the light experienced bizarre illusions, as if their souls were leaving their bodies, feeling disoriented. Some even seemed to see bodies rising from the ground and rushing into those light columns.
And when they came to their senses, they found that almost all the severely injured patients they had previously rescued had completely stopped breathing.
One hundred and twenty-eight pillars of light shot up into the sky, bending after reaching nearly a hundred meters in height, ultimately converging in the sky above the imperial palace, forming a huge light sphere before silently descending.
The landing spot was the building that stood out in the palace.
The Startracing Tower.
