Ms. Diviner: The Prodigal Daughter's Return Chapter 1382: This Was Exactly What She Saw

"Empress Dowager, I implore you!" Lu Tianxiong slowly drew his longsword, his countenance displaying a hint of arrogance and even more so, disdain.

His words were followed by the arc of his blade.

A flash of lightning split the sky, thunder boomed, and fierce winds whipped up—a tempest brewed.

The Sword Light surged like opposing tides, the Qi roared like a relentless flood, yet Wu Tianxiong's power was demonstrably a realm higher than Wu Zifeng's. With a sweep of his longsword, the air before him warped into a void, as if space itself was being rent. Amidst shrill cries, that potent Qi coalesced into a hurricane, sweeping towards Lu Nianxin.

Lu Nianxin's brow furrowed slightly, and with a sharp cry, she thrust her long saber forward.

"Clang!" A thunderous report echoed, a burst of Qi Light erupted, and the already agitated winds of the Imperial Garden escalated into a sandstorm. Amidst stifled groans, both Wu Tianxiong and Lu Nianxin were forced back several paces.

In their initial exchange, the two were locked in a stalemate, neither gaining an advantage. However, Wu Tianxiong's expression showed no hint of frustration; rather, his fighting spirit intensified.

The reason for this was known to all. Wu Tianxiong's strength had never been a match for Lu Nianxin's. In the past, Lu Nianxin could have easily held her ground, forcing him to retreat repeatedly, perhaps even severely wounding him with a single strike. But now, they had fought to a draw.

If their suspicions regarding Lu Nianxin had been mere conjecture before, this single clash undeniably confirmed their doubts.

The ministers who remained loyal to the Yue Royal Family stood in silent, impassive rows.

"The Empress Dowager is indeed formidable. Pray, accept another strike from this King." Lu Tianxiong let out a hearty laugh and unleashed another rapid sword assault.

"Clang, clang, clang..." In mere moments, the pair had traded dozens of blows.

While they had initially fought on even footing, as the confrontation wore on, Lu Nianxin began to falter, her defenses crumbling under Lu Tianxiong's increasingly ferocious attacks. Her movements became erratic.

Finally, with another explosion of Qi Light, Lu Nianxin cried out, sent flying into the air by Lu Tianxiong's slash, along with her saber.

"Bang!" Upon landing, Lu Nianxin stumbled backward, her retreat halted only when she plunged her longsword deep into the ground. Her face was ashen, her chest heaved violently, and she was drenched in a sheen of sweat.

Defeated. The Empress Dowager had been defeated. She who had single-handedly stabilized the realm and safeguarded the Yue Royal Family for decades, had now fallen.

Witnessing this, bitterness welled up in the hearts of the surrounding ministers, their gazes filled with despair.

"Hahaha, so the Empress Dowager's might is no more than this. The Zue Family, in the end, cannot truly rival the Wu Family." Wu Tianxiong roared with laughter.

"What exactly do you imply by that?" Lu Nianxin's expression shifted, and she demanded angrily.

"With the Empress Dowager's acumen, surely you grasp my meaning?" Wu Tianxiong ceased his laughter, his tone turning cold. "The Yue Family's progenitor merely held a slight advantage over my Wu Family's ancestor and usurped the throne. Now that the Yue Family is in decline, it is no longer worthy of occupying it. Why not seize this moment, with the ministers gathered within the palace, to cede the throne to my Wu Family? It would be a rather grand narrative."

"In your wildest dreams! You believe defeating me grants you the right to seize the throne?" Lu Nianxin scoffed.

"Defeating you does not grant me the throne, but it will allow me to occupy it with greater legitimacy and security." Wu Tianxiong declared, gesturing emphatically.

The mournful sound of a horn suddenly pierced the air, accompanied by the earth-shattering beat of war drums.

Within the city walls, countless iron hooves pounded the earth, creating a thunderous cacophony so profound that even within the deepest chambers of the palace, the vibrations from the charging Red Charcoal Cloud Smoke Beasts could be felt.

"The City Guard!" Lu Nianxin exclaimed in alarm, then fixed a cold, accusing glare upon a veteran general in armor amidst the ministers, grinding her teeth. "Lin Weicheng! The former Emperor bestowed great favor upon you, and the current Emperor treated you as family. Yet, you have conspired with Wu Tianxiong in this act of treason and rebellion!"

Her fury was understandable. As the capital of a nation, it naturally did not maintain a large standing army; within the city limits, only the City Guard and the Imperial City Guards were garrisoned. Lin Weicheng, as the Commander of the City Guard, had once been held in deep trust by the former Emperor and was treated with immense respect by the new Emperor. It was utterly unexpected that he would collude with Wu Tianxiong in orchestrating this coup.

"Empress Dowager, please calm yourself. Our Shangyue Kingdom was built upon martial strength, and in past eras, our formidable armored legions struck fear across the continent. However, the Yue Family's influence has waned, forcing us to re-establish ties even with a subjugated state like Anyun, a true humiliation to Shangyue's former glory. I believe Shangyue requires a new leader." Lin Weicheng's expression was one of shame, yet he pressed his argument with conviction.

"A discerning bird selects a suitable branch for its nest, and a loyal official chooses a worthy lord to serve. Your Zue Family's ability to maintain power across generations is insufficient. You cannot fault General Lin for aligning with a more promising future," Wu Tianxiong remarked, eyeing Lin Weicheng with evident approval and a chuckle.

"Wu Tianxiong, do you truly believe the City Guard alone is enough for you to seize the throne? Do not forget, in addition to the City Guard, there are twenty thousand Imperial City Guards stationed within the city," Lu Nianxin stated, her voice cold after drawing a deep breath.

While the Imperial City Guards numbered twenty thousand, they were a formidable force. Compared to the fifty thousand troops of the City Guard, in a true conflict, the latter would be no match for the combat effectiveness of the well-provisioned Imperial City Guards.

"The Empress Dowager speaks the truth about the twenty thousand Imperial City Guards. However, regrettably, of those under your command, there are merely ten thousand at most. Facing an additional ten thousand Imperial City Guards alongside fifty thousand City Guard troops, what odds do you possess?" Wu Tianxiong responded with unhurried confidence.

A piercing scream echoed through the palace's silence, swiftly followed by the sound of rapid footsteps converging on the Imperial Garden.

Moments later, a chaotic clamor of enraged shouts and the unmistakable clang of steel reverberated.

Even from a distance, the pungent aroma of blood permeated the air.

The City Guard could not have launched such a swift assault on the Imperial Palace; therefore, the perpetrators could only be the Imperial City Guards.

"Mo Yunhai, have you also pledged allegiance to this traitor, Wu Tianxiong?" Lu Nianxin inquired, her voice strained with suppressed fury as she fixed her gaze upon a stout, middle-aged general.

This man was Mo Yunhai, the co-commander of the Imperial City Guards, sharing command of the left and right divisions with Yue Fanchen.

"My apologies, Empress Dowager. The points made by General Lin and Prince Wu have been elucidated; I shall not reiterate them. Nevertheless, the Zue Family's capacity to govern is demonstrably no longer adequate. In my estimation, as Prince Wu has proposed, it would be most benevolent to abdicate the throne to the Wu Family, thereby averting widespread conflict and suffering for the populace. This would be a commendable act," the middle-aged general advised with a placid smile.

"General Mo speaks with wisdom. In ancient times, the Saint Emperor, moved by the plight of his people, magnanimously relinquished the throne to a benevolent ruler, earning eternal acclaim. Should the Yue lineage follow this precedent today, they too shall achieve immortality and be revered for generations to come."

Other civil and military officials, whose disloyalty had long been apparent, joined in the chorus of persuasion.

Han Yan inwardly seethed, labeling them hypocrites who had undoubtedly accepted numerous illicit gains and promises from Wu Tianxiong to utter such brazen words. Despite her internal turmoil, her outward composure remained unshaken.

Is this not precisely the spectacle her grandmother had earnestly desired to witness? Surely, her grandmother would soon bestow a grand surprise upon them all.