"Why knowingly walk the path of death!" The response to Pei Changying was Gu Sang's warning, filled with a murderous aura, rather than guilt or unease.
However, the ministers remained motionless.
"We'll protect the Emperor with our lives!"
"Execute the rebels!" Lord Li shouted with righteous indignation.
Pei Changying looked at Lord Li approvingly, realizing that in this crucial moment, Lord Li was still the most loyal.
Pei Changying's gaze, filled with both love and hate, fixed on Gu Sang as he slowly spoke:
"Gu Sang, why are you doing this to me?"
"I've been so good to you. The past is behind us. I've apologized and acknowledged my mistakes. I even offered you the position of Empress and agreed to be faithful to you alone!"
"But you? You still betray me. You've left me utterly heartbroken."
Gu Sang sneered, "You call imprisoning me being good to me? You call stabbing my grandmother being good to me?"
"If you think that's being good to me, then come here and let me stab you a few times."
Pei Changying's face turned ashen, looking at the person before him with a wounded expression: "Gu Sang, I was forced to do those things. If you had stayed by my side willingly, how could I have treated you that way?"
"Do you really think Pei Weiqi and these rebels can overthrow me?"
"Haha, you're too naive."
"Throughout history, how could anyone who ascends the throne not have a few trump cards? I'll give you one last chance. Come here!"
Even at this point, Pei Changying remained confident.
This reaction caused Gu Sang, the Elder Princess, and others to feel a sinking feeling in their hearts, giving rise to an ominous premonition.
It seemed they had overlooked something.
Could Pei Changying still turn the tables?
The Prime Minister stood frozen, staring intently at the Emperor's face, lost in thought.
Suddenly, the Prime Minister raised his head and asked tremblingly, "Your Majesty, have you taken control of the Shadow Gate?"
Shadow Gate???
When this term left the Prime Minister's mouth, Gu Sang instinctively looked at the Elder Princess.
But the Elder Princess shook her head.
It seemed even the Elder Princess didn't know about this.
Seeing this, the Prime Minister stepped back from Pei Changying and began to explain to everyone: "You may all know that His Majesty has Covert Guards, who are already supreme martial artists."
"But few know that the late Emperor secretly trained the Shadow Gate. The Shadow Gate is even more mysterious and cold-blooded than the Covert Guards."
"They were personally selected by the late Emperor, orphans raised from childhood. When they come of age, they engage in deadly combat. Only the ultimate victor joins the Shadow Gate; the rest become corpses."
"The information about the Shadow Gate is so secretive that even I know very little."
"I thought the late Emperor passed away too quickly to tell His Majesty about the Shadow Gate, but unexpectedly, His Majesty now controls it."
Originally, the late Emperor hadn't intended for Pei Changying to succeed him, so naturally wouldn't have told him about the secret only the Emperor should know.
The late Emperor's sudden death led the Prime Minister to believe Pei Changying hadn't been told about the Shadow Gate.
But unexpectedly, not only did Pei Changying know, he had taken control of the Shadow Gate.
This was something even Gu Sang didn't know.
No, not just Gu Sang – even the Elder Princess had never heard her father mention it.
Hearing the Prime Minister inexplicably reveal his trump card with an explanation, Pei Changying narrowed his eyes dangerously.
He fixed the Prime Minister with a scrutinizing gaze and questioned, "Prime Minister, what do you mean by this?"
Pei Changying was already suspicious of the Prime Minister!
At this point, the Prime Minister no longer needed to conceal anything. He had been standing on the outskirts, and now he decisively walked towards the Elder Princess.
Actions spoke louder than words; the Prime Minister had shown through his behavior that he had been turned!
The ministers in the hall were dumbfounded at this sight.
Even Pei Changying was shocked for a moment. With murderous intent in his eyes, he raged, "Good! Good! Good! I never imagined even my most loyal Prime Minister would betray me."
"No wonder Gu Sang could escape the capital. It turns out my Prime Minister had rebelled!"
"Hahaha! And I've only just realized it."
Pei Changying coldly laughed as he pulled out something from his hand.
No one had noticed when Pei Changying's hand had acquired an object.
By the time Gu Sang and the others saw it, a burst of fire shot into the sky.
"Bang!"
Gu Sang's pupils constricted violently. A flare?
Seeing the flare, the assembled ministers' faces lit up with joy.
Judging from the Emperor's tone, as long as the powerful Shadow Gate arrived, they would be saved!
"Capture the rebels!"
"Once the Shadow Gate's assassins arrive, the Elder Princess is doomed!" Lord Li shouted with particular enthusiasm. Though he didn't rush forward, his voice rang out like thunder.
His eyes gleamed with excitement as he thought, haha, the Prime Minister has rebelled!
If he could protect the Emperor today, he might become the next Prime Minister!
The Imperial Guards swarmed in, immediately clashing with the troops Gu Sang had brought.
The Prime Minister stood firmly beside Gu Sang and the Elder Princess, his face solemn as he said, "Elder Princess, quickly kill Pei Changying. He must have something on him to command the Shadow Gate."
"The Shadow Gate only recognizes the token, not the person!"
Hearing this, the Elder Princess immediately drew her bow, aiming an arrow at Pei Changying.
"Whoosh!"
"Protect the Emperor!" Lord Li's heart-wrenching cry rang out.
In that split second, just as the arrow was about to strike Pei Changying, a silver flash darted from afar, reaching the arrow in the blink of an eye.
"Clang!"
The arrow was deflected and fell to the ground.
"Swish!"
"Swish! Swish!"
In an instant, dozens of figures appeared around Pei Changying – black-clad individuals with only their eyes visible beneath their coverings.
Their eyes were numb and cold, like living corpses, but the murderous aura they exuded was impossible to ignore.
These must be the Shadow Gate assassins.
Although they were few in number, Gu Sang didn't dare underestimate them. She whispered to the Elder Princess, "Be careful, I sense these people are extremely dangerous!"
The Elder Princess nodded, but before she could speak, a sudden change occurred.
Pei Changying took out a token and pointed at Gu Sang.
"Leave her alive. Kill everyone else. Leave no one."
Immediately, the Shadow Gate assassins sprang into action.
Gu Sang only felt a blur before her eyes. When she looked again, there were no Shadow Gate members around Pei Changying.
It was only then that Gu Sang realized the lightness skills described in novels were real. Ancient people could actually cultivate such astonishing abilities!
"Thud!"
The Elder Princess beside her couldn't dodge in time and was stabbed in the arm by a Shadow Gate assassin, immediately coughing up blood.
"Wei Qi!"
Gu Sang and the Elder Princess had been standing together, and now Gu Sang quickly supported her.
Then she swiftly pulled out her electric baton, cranking it to maximum power as the Shadow Gate assassin charged again.
"Bzzzzt—"
Everyone only heard a buzzing sound, and then they witnessed the most unbelievable scene.
