Chapter 2626: Back Against the Wall

As soon as Bi Linglong heard the commotion outside, she quickly dressed. Life in the military naturally didn't require the complex, elaborate attire of the palace. The very next second, she heard the dreadful news.

"Come in!"

Soon, the guards outside opened the door, and Murong Qinghe rushed in anxiously. Tall by nature, she looked truly heroic in her golden armor. However, her brow was furrowed with panic as she repeated what she had just said.

Bi Linglong's expression darkened. "General Murong, do not spread such alarming rumors!" If it weren't Murong Qinghe delivering the news, she might have had her arrested and punished to maintain morale.

Indeed, the surrounding guards and maids began to whisper among themselves, their faces etched with anxiety.

"Your Majesty, it's true! The city suddenly descended into chaos. I had an uneasy feeling today and went to look around, only to discover the rebel princes' army already inside the city. I informed others to intercept them while simultaneously coming to notify Your Majesty," Murong Qinghe said urgently. "It seems those rebels are heading straight for Your Majesty. Please withdraw to a safe location immediately!"

"Impossible! Fenglao Pass is heavily fortified. How could the rebels enter without a sound?" Despite her long-standing trust in Murong Qinghe due to her connections with the Qin and Chu families, Bi Linglong now harbored a faint, almost desperate hope that Murong Qinghe had betrayed her and was deliberately spreading false information. As she spoke, she pushed past Murong Qinghe and walked straight out of the room, looking into the distance.

Her residence was located on a high point within the pass, offering an immediate panoramic view of the situation. Flames now illuminated the pass, cries echoed everywhere, and several groups of soldiers were engaged in a one-sided slaughter. Seeing this scene, her heart sank to the very bottom.

She was utterly bewildered. After days of fluctuating victories and defeats against the rebels, and her meticulous efforts in strengthening it, Fenglao Pass was supposed to be impregnable. How could it have been breached so silently and completely? There must be an inside traitor! This was the only explanation; otherwise, given the pass's defensive strength, the rebels could not have broken through.

"Issue orders for General Gao and General Pei to lead their troops in organizing street battles, to temporarily hold back the forces that have infiltrated the city. Everyone else, gather all units and move into the inner city."

Bi Linglong knew full well that their own forces within the city were no weaker than the rebels. However, it was late at night; the rebels were prepared, while most of their own people were asleep. In such a sudden crisis, fighting individually, they were no match for a concentrated rebel force. The only course of action now was to restore their organization; only then might they have a chance to turn the tide.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid it's too late," Murong Qinghe said. She admired Bi Linglong's composure at such a moment, but as an experienced military commander, she felt compelled to caution her.

"Even if it's too late, we must try." Bi Linglong's knuckles were white as she gripped the railing. She knew all too well that the greatest fear in an army was a night panic. Human panic spreads exponentially; in the dead of night, knowing only that the enemy had attacked, with no information on their numbers, the mind could magnify the terror manifold. Once a panic began, the outcome was almost always complete annihilation. But she had no other choice. She understood that if Fenglao Pass fell, the capital would be in grave danger, and the entire nation would change hands. It wasn't that she coveted the empress's throne; rather, her Ancestor had entrusted this empire to her. If it were lost under her rule after only a few years, how could she face him in the future? Despite the rumors that her Ancestor hadn't returned for many years and was likely dead in another world, she always believed that the man who created miracles would eventually return.

At that moment, a guard, disheveled and frantic, rushed to report: "Your Majesty, the messengers were intercepted and killed by the rebels shortly after they left. We can't reach the two generals at all."

Bi Linglong's heart sank even further; the worst had indeed happened. "Where are the formation masters? Can't they use direct teleportation?" she gritted out. Though activation of teleportation arrays was costly, they could be used in military emergencies. She had spent these past days constructing Fenglao Pass's defense system, which included establishing teleportation arrays at several crucial points within the pass to ensure communication during emergencies.

"I went to check immediately just now; those arrays seem to have been destroyed. They're completely unusable!" At this moment, Zhang Zitong, dressed in military attire, hurried over. As the Commander of the Imperial Palace Guards, it was her duty to stay by the Empress's side.

Bi Linglong was furious. "Every array is a critical part of our defense! How could they be destroyed right under our noses? What were the Embroidered Uniform Guards doing?!"

Zhang Zitong's eyelids twitched. She understood that the Empress had every right to be enraged, as the Embroidered Uniform Guards were responsible for intelligence, yet such a major incident had occurred without any warning. "Lord Xiao said that there are likely high-ranking traitors within the city. He has personally gone to contact the various generals, asking Your Majesty to consider carefully who can be trusted and who cannot." However, as she herself was a former member of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, she instinctively spoke favorably of her old colleagues.

Bi Linglong's expression was icy. To allow rebels into the city and to silently destroy critical arrays in various locations meant the traitors were not only high-ranking but likely more than just one or two.

At this point, the sounds of fighting grew closer. Zhang Zitong grew anxious. "Your Majesty, the rebels have broken through and are attacking this way! We must withdraw immediately."

"Withdraw? Where else can we withdraw to?" Bi Linglong's face was bitter. Beyond Fenglao Pass lay an open plain, allowing the rebels to march directly into the capital. The imperial court would have no means of organizing a counterattack.

Zhang Zitong understood this, but she still urged, "Your Majesty, the Regent entrusted me to ensure your safety. Where there's life, there's hope."

Hearing the mention of her Ancestor, the previously dejected Bi Linglong seemed to find renewed vigor. She took a deep breath. "Issue orders! Raise my imperial standards and the White Tiger Banner, and have all units in the city converge on my position." The White Tiger Banner was an emblem only the Emperor could deploy, symbolizing conquest and slaughter. Clearly, she intended to fight a battle with no retreat.

Zhang Zitong was aghast. "Absolutely not! At night, this would be far too conspicuous. Not only our own soldiers, but Your Majesty's position would be immediately discerned by the rebels. They would pursue relentlessly, and escape would become impossible." If they attempted a covert withdrawal, she was quite confident in escorting Bi Linglong out of the city, but with such a grand display, escape would be impossible.

"Flee? So many soldiers in the city are still fighting. How can I abandon them and flee alone?" Bi Linglong's expression turned cold. "Execute the order, quickly!"

Zhang Zitong wanted to protest further, but Murong Qinghe's eyes lit up. "Excellent! Your humble general is willing to live and die with Your Majesty!" With that, she rushed to the side, retrieved a large horn, and blew it. Soon, a stirring, powerful military bugle call resonated throughout Fenglao Pass. The bright yellow imperial canopy and the imposing White Tiger Banner rose high above the city. Central Army soldiers who had been fleeing in all directions saw this and were instantly re-energized. "The Empress is still here! She's still fighting!"