Martial Arrogance Dragon Soul-Chapter 469 - 437: Breaching the Imperial Palace

As Qin Ren and Bai Qiuhe were discussing among themselves, a soldier nearby overheard their conversation.

Soon after, the soldier approached them and said in a low voice, "Ninth Prince, you are unaware of the current situation outside... The circumstances now are very unfavorable for the Great Qian Royal Family."

"Hmm?"

Qin Ren, Bai Qiuhe, and the others quickly turned their attention to the jailer.

After being thrown into the Heavenly Prison, they had no knowledge of the outside world.

Naturally, they were unaware of the current situation.

"The palace gates have been breached."

"The Imperial Guard is making their last stand, but I fear they won’t last much longer..."

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked.

The situation outside had actually turned out like this?

"Why has it come to this?" Zhao Tianyin asked in astonishment.

"General Zhao!" The jailer gave a bow to Zhao Tianyin and continued, "Ever since you were convicted, the Northern Pass army has been advancing southward under the command of General Zhao Danchen. Additionally, Li Hetai of the West Gate has joined the attacking forces."

"For the past year, civil strife in the Qian Country has been ongoing..."

"During this time, the three armies have already laid siege to the Imperial City."

"Originally, General Li Hetai and General Zhao Danchen had been captured, but then Qin Qing arrived... With his arrival, he cut down the Redflame Ancestor..."

As the jailer spoke, he suddenly knelt before Zhao Tianyin and Qin Ren, "Ninth Prince, General Zhao! My name is Chen Chu, and I hereby declare my loyalty. I wish to follow the Ninth Prince and General Zhao."

"Stand up!" Qin Ren ordered.

"Yes!" The jailer stood up and then unlocked the prison door, freeing everyone from their shackles.

"Chen Chu, what are you doing?"

At that moment, two other jailers walked in.

Seeing Chen Chu unshackling Zhao Tianyin and the others, their expressions changed drastically.

"Captain He, Old Fu!" Chen Chu looked at the two jailers and quickly said, "You should also be clear about the current situation. The Ninth Prince is known for his great kindness and righteousness, and General Zhao’s loyalty is renowned. Our service here is merely for the salary we receive to work for the Imperial Court.

Now that the palace gates have been broken through, this world is about to change drastically. Our positions will cease to exist."

Chen Chu’s words were like a wake-up call to a dreamer.

Yes, the world was going to change, and their original positions would naturally no longer exist, so there was no need for them to remain dutifully loyal.

Moreover... during this time, everyone in the palace was on edge. General Zhao’s forces were already advancing, and by taking initiative to pledge allegiance to Zhao Tianyin, they might even secure a position.

At once, the two jailers immediately removed their jailer uniforms.

"Ninth Prince, General Zhao, and all sirs..."

"We have offended you in these times, but we were merely following orders, and we hope you can understand!"

"Boom!" Just then, a loud noise erupted.

The prison’s main gate was destroyed from the outside.

Soon, soldiers dressed in the armor of the Northern Pass army came streaming in.

"General Zhao!"

The one leading the charge was Liao Chong.

During the great battle at the Mohe Pass, Liao Chong served as the commander of the vanguard for the Northern Pass army.

"General Zhao, I have arrived late!" Liao Chong said as he approached.

"Liao Chong, how is the battle progressing?" Zhao Tianyin asked.

"We’ve won!" Liao Chong replied with emotion and tears in his eyes, "We’ve broken through the Imperial City, Qin Sheng is still putting up a struggle, but they won’t last long!"

...

In another cell.

Qin Tao and the others were imprisoned here.

Qin Tao and the other Qin family members were isolated on one side, and according to the original plan, these individuals were to be executed today.

Zhao Tianyin, on the other hand, was imprisoned together with Xu Fang, Qin Ren, and others.

At this moment, Qin Tong and the others were worried about Qin Qing, unaware of what was happening outside.

But just then, a muffled sound occurred as the prison’s outer door shattered.

Then several figures walked in.

"Qin... Qin Qing?"

When the people who entered were seen, who could it be leading them if not Qin Qing?

"Second Uncle, Seventh Uncle, Seventh Aunt..."

Qin Qing came over, shattered the cell lock directly, and opened the door.

The jailer from this cell was nowhere to be seen, likely having absconded upon realizing the turn of events outside.

Qin Qing looked at the Qin family members with a guilty expression, especially the Seventh Aunt.

Seventh Aunt appeared very haggard and disheveled, with whip marks on her body, but despite this, she still held the baby in her arms tightly.

"I have come too late and made you all suffer!" Qin Qing said as he approached.

"Qin Qing, you shouldn’t have come!" Qin Tong frowned, looking helpless, "How could you be so impulsive? Qin Sheng captured us to force you to return. You shouldn’t have..."

"Seventh Uncle! It’s all right now!" Qin Qing shook his head, "I am prepared this time, and moreover, General Zhao’s and General Li Hetai’s forces are attacking Luochuan. The entire Luochuan has fallen, our troops have stormed into the Imperial Palace, and it won’t be long before we capture Qin Sheng alive!"

"What?"

Hearing what Qin Qing said, Qin Tao, Qin Tong, and the others were astounded, eyes wide open.

In recent times, they had been entirely unaware of what was happening outside and had no idea that the three armies had joined forces to attack Luochuan.

"It’s true, Second Brother!" Qin Yi also spoke up at this moment, "The Imperial Guard has been almost annihilated by us, only a small portion remains resisting in the inner palace. The Qian Country is about to fall!"

"The Qian Country is about to fall..."

Upon hearing this sentence, Qin Tao and the others couldn’t help but feel melancholic.

Ever since its establishment thousands of years ago, Qian Country had stood steadfast, yet these recent days brought sudden news that it was on the brink of collapse.

"Qian Country has long been in a state of decay; that dog of an Emperor is even more incompetent and unjust, favoring treacherous officials, and indiscriminately slaughtering the loyal and good. The fall of Qian Country is a good thing!" Qin Tong said excitedly.

"Yes, it’s good that it falls," Qin Tao nodded. "From now on, we will no longer be fugitives, no need to keep hiding and running for our lives!" Qin Tao declared.

"Mhm!" Qin Qing nodded. "Once the battle at Luo River ends, Second Uncle, Seventh Uncle, you can return to Tianjue City with my father."

"Return to Tianjue City?" Upon hearing this, Qin Tao’s eyes couldn’t help but show yearning and nostalgia.

The other members of the Qin Residence felt the same.

Having been away from Tianjue for so long, everyone’s heart was thinking of it.

Even if Luo River was prosperous, it lacked any sense of belonging.

And with the turbulent times they had experienced, they all longed for home... to return to the home that was Tianjue!

...

After rescuing the members of the Qin Residence, Qin Qing immediately set out to find the cell of his master, Bai Qiuhe, and the others.

As luck would have it, he ran into Bai Qiuhe and his group who were coming from the other direction as soon as he left the prison.

"Master!"

Upon seeing Bai Qiuhe, Qin Qing quickly went up to him and knelt down respectfully, "Master, your unfilial disciple is to blame for your suffering!"

"Silly disciple," Bai Qiuhe responded with a smile that seemed to make all troubles seem light and insignificant.

He helped Qin Qing up and said, "Since I have accepted you as my disciple, your matters are my matters. There’s no such thing as a burden."

Qin Qing was deeply moved. Ever since he met and got to know his master, his master had always been helping him. It started in Tianjue City, then during the crisis of Qiushui Villa, and this time, his master was imprisoned because of his involvement.

"Director Xu, Director Qingyuan!"

Qin Qing gave a formal greeting to Xu Fang, Xu Qingyuan, and several other Elders of the Great Qian Martial Institute.

Xu Fang and others were apprehended and thrown into the dungeon for attempting to save Bai Qiuhe.

"Qin Qing!"

At that moment, Zhao Tianyin and Zhao Danchen, among others, approached. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"General Zhao!" Qin Qing returned the salute with a fist bump to Zhao Tianyin.

"Zhao Danchen told me everything, Qin Qing. We truly owe you a great deal this time!" Zhao Tianyin looked at Qin Qing appreciatively.

The first time he saw Qin Qing at Qiushui Villa, he immediately took a liking to the young man.

Hence, Zhao Tianyin risked opposing Shangguan Yong and triggering a crisis that could shake the Imperial Court, all to protect Qin Qing.

At that time, Zhao Tianyin could probably never have imagined that in such a short period, Qin Qing would have grown to his current stature.

Looking across the entire Qian Country, there were few who could contend with Qin Qing head-on.

"Indeed, a hero emerges from youth!" Zhao Tianyin couldn’t help but exclaim.

"General Zhao... it’s also because of me that you stayed in the Imperial City, leading to your imprisonment by Qin Sheng," Qin Qing waved his hand and said.

Originally, Zhao Tianyin stayed in Luochuan to ensure that Qin Qing and his clan members could safely leave.

"Qin Qing, if that’s the case, then you should be even more grateful to the Ninth Prince!" Zhao Tianyin said, then stepped aside to reveal the figure behind him.

It was Ninth Prince, Qin Ren, who was dressed in a slightly worn cotton robe and appeared serene.

"Qin Qing!" Qin Ren nodded at him with a smile.

"This time the Ninth Prince not only came to save us but also to protect your Qin Residence members. That’s why he offended Qin De and ended up in the dungeon," Zhao Tianyin said.

"That’s right. Qin Qing. If it weren’t for the Ninth Prince, our situation could have been much worse. We would likely have been executed long ago..." Qin Tao followed up.

Qin Qing nodded, looking at Qin Ren.

In fact, Qin Ren had also offered assistance to Qin Qing several times.

Of course, Qin Qing had also saved Qin Ren’s life, forging a bond between them forged through life and death.

"Ninth Prince, I can’t thank you enough," Qin Qing said.

But Qin Ren simply shook his head lightly, "Qin Qing, there’s no need to call me Ninth Prince now. Qian Country will likely soon cease to exist, and I am no longer the Ninth Prince!"

"That may not necessarily be the case," Zhao Tianyin interjected. "Your Highness, although the current situation is chaotic, and His Majesty may not remain Emperor for long, I don’t believe Qian Country needs to perish. If Your Highness could ascend to the throne, I’m sure you would be able to revitalize the nation."

Zhao Tianyin’s words also brightened Qin Qing’s eyes.

If Qian Country truly perished, what then?

To the common people, what difference does it make which dynasty rules?

Who is the Emperor, and what does that have to do with them?

What’s most important is to have an enlightened Emperor, a benevolent ruler who can bring prosperity to the land and its people.

And there is no doubt that Qin Ren is the most suitable candidate.

For Qin Qing as well, as long as the right person was the Emperor, it mattered little who sat on the throne. In any case, Qin Qing had no intention of taking the throne for himself.

To common people, the throne might have a huge allure, but for a prodigy like Qin Qing, it was of little significance.

His stage could naturally not be confined to a place like Qian Country.

"General Zhao!"

Just then, an officer from the Northern Pass’s army hurried over in a rush.

"There’s been a development. Lu Tianlong has arrived with the Lu clan’s elites, and the situation is not in our favor!"

The officer first saluted Zhao Tianyin, Qin Qing, and the others, and then immediately informed Zhao Danchen of the recent events.

Zhao Danchen was in command of the Northern Pass army’s campaign against Luochuan, responsible for all war operations.

"Lu Tianlong has made a move, has he?"

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Qin Qing’s eyes.

Being forced to leave Qian Country was thanks to Lu Tianlong, and on that day, had it not been for the Zhuiri Ancestor and Liu Hongxue mobilizing the forces of the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion, Qin Qing would have already died at Lu Tianlong’s hands.

"Let’s go! I’ll meet with Lu Tianlong," Qin Qing said coldly.

...