Chapter 701: City Assault

Chapter 701 -700: City Assault

Once everyone had left, the Three-colored Cat finally dared to emerge from a hole in the ice.

It looked at the empty ice coffin.

Hua Manman, who was supposed to be lying inside, was gone.

Frantic with worry, the Three-colored Cat paced in circles before deciding it had to find help.

‘I’m just a little cat right now. Even if I catch up, I won’t be able to get Manman back. I have to ask someone for help.’

It bolted, dashing out of the secret passage.

Only after leaving the Regent Prince Mansion did it learn the truth. Li Ji had already led five hundred thousand soldiers to the very gates of the Celestial Capital.

Panic filled the city. The common people, terrified of being caught in the crossfire, all shuttered their doors and hid at home.

The once-bustling streets were deserted.

The Three-colored Cat wanted to leave the city to ask Li Ji for help. But by the time it arrived, panting, at the city gate, it discovered the gates had been sealed shut.

It couldn’t get out, which meant it couldn’t find Li Ji.

Amid its disappointment, it felt a sliver of relief.

‘Thank goodness the gates are closed. This way, Ah Qi won’t be able to get Manman out of Tianjing anytime soon.’

‘As long as they’re still in the city, there’s still a chance to get her back.’

By now, night had completely fallen.

A bright moon hung silently in the pitch-black sky.

A row of torches lined the top of the city walls, resembling a long, coiling dragon from a distance.

Just as the Three-colored Cat was about to leave, it overheard the soldiers on guard duty gossiping in hushed tones.

They were talking about Li Ji.

“The Regent King has been in the city for hours now, so why haven’t we heard anything? You don’t think the Saint has already…”

The soldier trailed off, quietly making a throat-slitting gesture.

The Three-colored Cat froze.

‘Li Ji is already in the city?’

Another soldier whispered, “I don’t think the Regent King is that easy to deal with. Never mind anything else, that army of five hundred thousand outside the walls is more than we can handle.”

His companion immediately retorted, “If the Regent King dies, the rebel army will be leaderless. What good is an army of five hundred thousand then? Without a commander, they’ll just dissolve into chaos.”

“You’ve got a point… Well, whatever. Let’s just wait and see. I just hope this damn war ends soon.”

The Three-colored Cat tuned out the rest of their conversation.

Only one thought filled its mind—

‘Go to the Imperial Palace and find Li Ji!’

The Three-colored Cat bolted, heading straight for the Imperial Palace.

It hadn’t gone far when a loud shout suddenly came from a sentinel on the city wall.

“We’re under attack!”

Immediately, someone blew a horn, and beacon fires were lit.

Soldiers above and below the wall sprang into action, with figures running everywhere.

Outside the city, Bian Ziming led a cavalry unit, charging toward the city gate behind massive shields.

Arrows rained down on them.

In no time, the shields were bristling with arrows.

His warhorse was struck by an arrow, forcing Bian Ziming to roll to the ground. He immediately raised his shield and huddled together with the surrounding soldiers.

They formed a defensive wall with their shields and continued their arduous advance under the volley of arrows.

As they drew closer to the wall, a military general on the ramparts shouted.

“Ready the catapults!”

「Inside the Imperial Palace.」

Princess Ningyang saw the dazzling beacon fires in the night sky and heard the incessant blare of horns, and she began to pace anxiously.

She wasn’t the only one; the civil and military officials and the members of the Imperial Family were also frantic.

The Left Chancellor couldn’t help but speak up. “Your Highness, we have all surrendered to the Regent King. Why is the Xuanjia Army still attacking the city?”

Once one person spoke, the others all started talking at once.

“If this battle breaks out, not only will countless soldiers die, but the civilians in the city will surely suffer as well.”

“The realm already belongs to the Regent King. There’s no need for more senseless slaughter.”

“Our families are still in the city! If fighting really breaks out, what will happen to our wives, children, and the elderly?”

“Your Highness, please say something!”

…

The clamor gave Princess Ningyang a splitting headache.

She snapped, “Enough! I have already sent someone to find the Regent King. Once he steps in, this battle won’t happen.”

“But the man you sent returned and said the Regent King has already left the Imperial Palace,” the Left Chancellor said. “How could he leave at a critical time like this?”

The Right Prime Minister immediately chimed in.

“Leaving the Imperial Palace is one thing, but how could he do it without a word? We don’t know where he went. We can’t find him at all.”