Chapter 2243: Shan Shan Comes Late

Zhao Ruizhi was caught completely off guard, nearly having his neck slashed by the crescent. Although he dodged just in time, a lock of his hair was still severed.

He now clearly saw that it wasn't a crescent moon at all, but a rapidly spinning weapon, buzzing as it circled a stunning, cold woman with hip-length hair.

Under different circumstances, Zhao Ruizhi would undoubtedly have been thrilled to see such a beautiful woman, but in that moment, he felt no joy.

"Will this ever end?!" Zhao Ruizhi fumed. He had been thwarted twice in a row by women who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Was he fated to be troubled by romantic entanglements today?

The black-robed woman took this opportunity to retreat with Bi Linglong back to Liu Ning's side.

Seeing the woman's distinctive long hair, Liu Ning and Bi Linglong exclaimed simultaneously: "Yun Jianyue, the Demonic Cult Master!"

"Shush!" Yun Jianyue put a finger to her lips. "I don't want the whole world knowing I saved you."

Liu Ning's expression was odd. She had a very strong impression of this woman, who had previously stopped her just days ago, preventing her from reaching the palace gate where an incident had occurred. Yet, later, when Eunuch Lu ambushed her, this very same woman had shown her mercy and helped her block him. So why was she offering assistance now?

Bi Linglong, too, remembered her well. It was Yun Jianyue's assassination attempt in the palace that led to Zu An holding her for the first time to save her, thus sparking their subsequent romance. Furthermore, as the Demonic Cult Master, Yun Jianyue had consistently ranked among the top three on the imperial court's most-wanted list for years.

Suddenly, recalling Liu Ning's recent assistance, her expression turned peculiar. "You're not helping because of Ah Zu, are you?"

"Exactly," Yun Jianyue smiled, observing both women's expressions shift. "Ah Zu is my precious disciple's lover. It's nothing for me to simply look after his female confidantes."

Her expression darkened involuntarily as she thought of her disciple, wondering if Hong Lei could still be saved.

Bi Linglong felt deeply frustrated. Zu An, the esteemed Regent of the imperial court, was inexplicably involved with the Demonic Cult's Saintess. What was even more maddening was that out of all the beautiful women she knew, eight out of ten seemed to have some kind of romantic connection with him. The man was simply unbelievable! Yet, she now had to concede that she should be grateful for Zu An's widespread romantic pursuits; otherwise, she wouldn't have had so many "sisters" coming to her aid.

"Yun Jianyue," Bi Qi said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "since you're known as the Demonic Cult Master, one would expect you to be closer to us, to side with us. We could at least grant you a lordship in the future. Why are you helping them instead?" He had done his research thoroughly, familiarizing himself with all the renowned powerhouses in this world, especially since this woman had also assisted King Wu during the previous coup.

Yun Jianyue stated coldly, "Our Sacred Cult is labeled 'demonic' simply because our philosophy differs from the imperial court's. We are not true demons like yourselves."

"You're asking for death!" Zhao Ruizhi's face twisted in rage. His plans had been thwarted repeatedly today, and he decided he would no longer hold back.

Yun Jianyue offered a faint smile. "I suggest you two start thinking about how you're going to conclude this."

As she spoke, the crescent wheel, still spinning in the air, flew directly to the doorway, smashing a hole through the door. Outside, Rong Mo and Zhang Zitong were frantically pounding on it. Li Guanshi led the Emperor's Guard, Jiao Sigun Piao Duandiao led the Empress's Guard, and Wang Bolin and Zhang Zijiang from the Imperial Forest Army, along with numerous Embroidered Uniform Guards, were all rushing towards the scene.

It turned out that Yun Jianyue's dramatic descent had created such a commotion that, with both the Emperor and Empress inside, everyone had feared they were under attack by assassins.

Upon seeing the rush of people, Zhao Ruizhi and Bi Qi's expressions changed instantly, and they swiftly retracted their previously menacing auras.

Liu Ning and Bi Linglong regarded Yun Jianyue with a hint of admiration. They had initially thought that even with her assistance, they likely wouldn't be a match for the two demons. Little did they know, she had no intention of confronting the demons herself; her plan was to leverage the immense power of the palace's numerous experts.

Liu Ning cast a profound glance at the hole in the door. She herself hadn't been able to breach their barrier moments ago. Although Yun Jianyue possessed the advantage of her weapon, the aura she had just displayed seemed almost on par with an Earth Immortal. It appeared she had held back significantly during their last encounter.

Hmph, ultimately, my progress was delayed only because of how long I had been injured. However, with Ah Zu's miraculous elixirs to nourish me, I expect to catch up to her very soon.

"These two are disguised demons! Guards, seize them!" Bi Linglong reacted quickly, pointing directly at Zhao Ruizhi and Bi Qi, succinctly stating the truth.

Hearing her words, everyone who had rushed over was greatly surprised. What was going on?

Rong Mo and Zhang Zitong were the first to move, shielding Bi Linglong and watching the two with some vigilance.

"Nonsense!" Bi Qi snapped before Zhao Ruizhi could speak. "Linglong, do you truly want to make a fool of yourself before the entire world?"

The guards in the courtyard were even more bewildered.

Bi Qi then explained: "There's just a small disagreement between the Empress and His Majesty. Everyone, disperse."

Bi Linglong quickly stated: "He is not my father! My father was killed by demons long ago, and even His Majesty has fallen victim to their evil schemes. They just tried to kill me!"

Upon seeing this, the Empress's Guard and the Imperial Forest Army quickly drew their weapons, forming a protective circle around Bi Linglong and the others.

Zhao Ruizhi finally spoke: "Linglong, are you still unwilling to let go of that Zu fellow? To the point where you would frame and slander us like this for his sake?"

A sudden uproar erupted in the courtyard. Compared to the notion of Bi Qi and the Emperor being replaced by demons, which seemed utterly absurd, the Empress's relationship with the Regent was widely known, making her motive for such an act seem more plausible.

Seeing Bi Linglong at a disadvantage, Liu Ning stepped forward and declared: "I am the Empress Dowager, and I can also confirm that these two are impostors!"

Upon recognizing Liu Ning, many exchanged glances. As palace staff, many had seen the Empress Dowager before. Now, with both the Empress Dowager and the Empress identifying the Emperor and Bi Qi as demons, their accusation seemed to carry more weight.

Even Li Guanshi, the Palace Attendant-General, instinctively moved a little further away from Zhao Ruizhi, placing his hand on his saber hilt in silent vigilance.

Bi Qi sneered, "You merely harbor deep resentment towards His Majesty and myself due to the downfall of the Liu family, and you're seeking an opportunity for revenge. Moreover, you've even brought in Yun Jianyue, the Demonic Cult Master. It seems you've collectively coerced the Empress and forced her to speak against her will. Your Majesty, please forgive the Empress's recent transgression; her words were not sincere."

Zhao Ruizhi secretly gave a thumbs-up, and upon hearing this, nodded, "Of course, why would I blame Linglong?"

Zhao Si, who had been getting a headache from the escalating situation, worried that he had thoroughly alienated the Empress and Empress Dowager recently, relying solely on his allegiance to the Emperor. If the Emperor truly were a demon, he'd be doomed regardless of which side prevailed. Now, hearing Bi Qi's words, he suddenly had an epiphany. "Precisely! Who is the Demonic Cult Master? She's a known rebel! They're attempting to overthrow the court and have resorted to such ludicrous tactics."

At this moment, the newly replaced guards of Zhao Ruizhi and Bi Qi echoed their sentiments. Soon, the courtyard was sharply divided, with the Emperor's guard on one side and the Empress's guard on the other, both sides with swords drawn, ready to clash.

Bi Qi cast a cold glance at the Imperial Forest Army and Jiao Sigun Piao Duandiao: "You dare draw your weapons against His Majesty? Are you rebelling?"

Hearing his shout, the soldiers on Bi Linglong's side exchanged glances, hesitating for a moment. Openly defying the Emperor was truly an act of treason. They all had families and didn't want to be labeled as rebels.

At this moment, Bi Linglong spoke, her voice remarkably calm: "Actually, it's very easy to determine who is lying. All of us here, including you two, should surrender and allow the palace guards to restrain us with binding ropes. Then, invite high-ranking court officials and academy masters to examine our internal conditions, and the truth will be revealed."

"Nonsense! His Majesty is of paramount importance, and you are the mother of the nation! How can you be bound like this and have your body examined at will? What about the dignity of the court and the royal family?" Bi Qi reprimanded loudly.

What he said was quite reasonable. His subordinate guards secretly nodded; binding both the Emperor and Empress was truly unimaginable.

Bi Linglong secretly frowned. Her opponents were indeed extremely cunning, always managing to nullify her attacks with seemingly legitimate reasons. Things were truly becoming difficult now.

At this moment, Yun Jianyue chuckled softly: "Little girl, don't rush. The truth will be revealed very soon."

"What do you mean?" Bi Linglong and Liu Ning both looked puzzled.

Yun Jianyue simply smiled without speaking. Instead, Bi Qi and Zhao Ruizhi exchanged glances, looking a little agitated.

They knew Zu An had returned to the capital. Heaven knew when he would show up, and if he did, everything would be over.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ruizhi loudly declared: "This is so annoying, so annoying! Seize all of them! Anyone who resists will be charged with rebellion!"

Seeing the Emperor's outburst, his subordinate guards all assented, drawing their weapons and advancing towards the three women, including Bi Linglong.

The Empress's Guard and the Imperial Forest Army hesitated. The Emperor's word was law; if they defied him...

Just then, Xiao Jianren arrived with a group of Embroidered Uniform Guards: "There seems to be a great misunderstanding here. Let's discuss this calmly!"

Bi Qi's expression turned cold: "Minister Xiao, if I'm not mistaken, the Embroidered Uniform Guards are His Majesty's private guard, taking orders only from him. Now, step forward and apprehend that demonic cult witch and the rebellious traitors!"

Xiao Jianren took a deep breath, as if making a firm decision: "The Embroidered Uniform Guards naturally obey His Majesty's orders, but what if His Majesty is no longer His Majesty? All comrades, protect the Empress!"

He wasn't truly sure if the Emperor was real or fake, but recalling the Grand Commander's past instructions, he decided to take the plunge and firmly side with the Empress.

Wang Bolin and Zhang Zijiang were overjoyed. With the addition of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, they felt more confident.

Bi Qi's expression was grim. He knew he couldn't delay any longer and directly ordered: "Apprehend all these rebellious traitors!"

"Yes!" The newly replaced loyalists, especially Zhao Si and others, eagerly obeyed.

Li Guanshi frowned slightly. Although he found the situation somewhat strange, his identity and duty prevented him from saying anything. He decided to first subdue the Empress and the others; otherwise, if the Empress Dowager truly regained power, those who had participated in that night's coup would surely meet a terrible end.

Just then, a lazy voice drifted over: "Who are you calling rebellious traitors?"