"We have no ti to lose your Highness," said Bai Li. "We need to get to the throne room before Haoran declares himself emperor. The situation will get really complicated if he takes the Dragon Throne."
"As if it isn’t already," said the Crown Prince sardonically. "But you took the words right out of my mouth, Commander. I couldn’t agree more," Yicai tossed his head sharply in agreent. "We need to defeat my brother today."
Bai Li saluted the Crown Prince in acknowledgnt of his order, and the two n raised their swords, the blades glittering in the sun for their n to see the signal they were to follow their leaders.
"Hyaah!" Yicai turned his horse and kicked Jin into a gallop, his n streaming into place behind him as they rode through the Nanjing city gates.
"Let’s go n!" roared Bai Li. "Follow ! Protect the Crown Prince with your lives!"
"Protect the Crown Prince! Protect the Prince!" echoed the cries of his soldiers all along the column of n.
The army moved rapidly behind their Commander, those on horseback riding ahead through the gates while those on foot ran to keep up, heading in the direction of the Forbidden Palace.
There were very few people on the usually busy streets, the rumours from the palace and the news from those servants who had managed to escape, had sent people scurrying for the safety of their hos, while those who could easily leave the capital had already done so. History had shown the people of Nanjing that it was best to make yourself scarce during tis of political upheaval...
"You take ili ho, Fifth," shouted Third Brother over the commotion.
Fifth looked wistfully at his third and fourth brothers, clearly itching to join them in this historic battle.
"You can rejoin the army after ili is safely ho," Third offered as a compromise.
Fifth nodded with excitent. "Mm," he affird. "Yes gege. I’ll see you all in the palace. Leave so rebels for , won’t you? Don’t be greedy and take them all for yourselves."
Fourth Brother laughed and clapped Fifth on the back. "Don’t take too long then didi. We can’t make any promises."
"Be careful, gege," said ili to her Third Brother. "Look after each other."
He squeezed her hand affectionately. "Don’t worry ii. We’re strategists so we won’t be on the front line of the fighting."
"Swords have no eyes, ge," she reminded him, knowing the situation would be volatile and dangerous, whether her brothers were on the front line or not.
"We’ll be back before you know it, ii, I promise. Tell mother to prepare us a feast for dinner tonight."
"I’ll hold you to that promise, ge. You mustn’t make mother and cry."
"Never!" he rubbed her cheek with his thumb before wheeling away on his chestnut mount.
Once again, ili’s eyes glistened with tears of anxious concern, as her Third and Fourth brothers disappeared into the crowd of soldiers.
"Co on, ii," Fifth urged her. "Let’s get you ho safely," he reached for Tufei’s lead rope and quickly tied the horse to his own so they wouldn’t be separated in the mayhem on the narrow streets.
The two horses took off, ili thrown backwards on her saddle as Tufei leapt ahead before she was ready.
"He just wants to dump at ho so he can join the fighting," she grumbled under her breath as her fifth brother rode Siming like he was on a racecourse, weaving his way through the crowd like the n were pegs in an obstacle course. "You’re enjoying this a little too much too, Tufei," she grouched at her horse as he flew along behind Siming, matching him, peg-for-peg.
The Crown Prince and Bai Li entered the palace through the Lingxing Gate which was already held by the Crown Prince’s n. Bai Li’s army and Yicai’s n flooded through the gate and filled the square before the giant Dacheng Gate.
"My n have control of Dacheng Gate too," the Crown Prince reported to First and Bai Li. "Beyond that, the Rebels hold the territory south of the throne room and beyond."
Bai Li nodded seriously. "Is it alright if the n use the royal entrances?" he asked the prince, gesturing at Dacheng Gate.
Normally, the middle entrance of the Dacheng Gate was reserved for the Emperor, and the left and right entrances were for the princes. Officials were limited to the side doors of the gate.
"Of course," agreed the prince. "Desperate tis call for desperate asures. I’m sure my Emperor Father would agree."
His words hung awkwardly in the air. The uncertainty of whether the Emperor was still alive or not, was an unspoken but palpable concern among the n.
"Commander," said First respectfully. "I recomnd opening the side doors and sending as many troops as we can squeeze through all of the entrances at the sa ti. With a shield wall up and our n at least five rows deep, we should be able to press Haoran’s n back, using the advantage we have in numbers."
"A full frontal attack?" Bai Li questioned First’s proposal, his brow furrowed in thought. "We risk heavy casualties if their defenders are entrenched," he mused aloud, his steady voice shadowed by the weight of responsibility.
"Yes, Commander. If you and the Crown Price want to defeat Prince Haoran today, I’m afraid we don’t have ti for anything less aggressive."
"I agree with i Renlong," voiced the Crown Prince. "The Emperor could be seriously injured after the duel with my eldest brother. He needs our help. And we can’t risk Haoran taking the crown."
Bai Li nodded heavily. The fighting would be bloody and fierce with many lives lost, but it seed like there were no reasonable alternatives open to him at this juncture.
"So be it, then," the Commander and the Prince stared unblinkingly at one another. "Lieutenant Ju!" Bai Li called. "Five rows of n at Dacheng Gate now! Form a shield wall at the front and arm the n with spears."
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