I summoned all the famous generals of history in another world.

Chapter 861 The Imperial Palace's Foundation, the Cui Family, Minister of Rites

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"

Li Gonggong, Si Yiqi's most trusted eunuch, dressed in magnificent eunuch attire, wearing a hat inlaid with jewels, a brocade robe embroidered with intricate patterns, and soft-soled embroidered shoes, rushed hurriedly towards the Qiankun Palace with an anxious expression.

He still held a slender whisk in his hand, a symbol of his status as a close attendant of the emperor, which now swayed gently as he ran, making it particularly conspicuous.

At that moment, Eunuch Li shouted as he pushed open the door of the Qiankun Palace and rushed inside.

Eunuch Li was pale and anxious. He ran all the way, almost stumbling, to the dragon bed and shook Si Yiqi awake without regard for etiquette.

"What's the matter that you're so panicked?"

Si Yiqi suddenly opened his eyes, a hint of confusion flashing in them, before quickly regaining his senses, sitting up with a furrowed brow.

"Your Majesty, there has been a rebellion in Qiandu! Chaotian Gate has fallen, and the rebel army is advancing towards the palace!"

Eunuch Li's voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating that he was quite frightened by the sudden news.

Upon hearing this, Si Yiqi's expression changed drastically. He quickly jumped off the dragon bed, stood barefoot on the cold ground, and a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes.

Yin Jingyi and the Yin family, Feng family and other forces launched a joint uprising so quickly that the Great Qian Dynasty was caught completely off guard.

Normally, there are not many elite troops stationed in the palace. Now, there is only a small Qianlong Right Guard stationed in the outer palace, while the Dao soldiers - Qiankun Imperial Guards - are in the hands of the royal family and are stationed near the Imperial Clan Court not far from the palace.

"Quickly, issue the order! Have the Qianlong Guards and Qiankun Imperial Guards assemble immediately to guard the palace!"

Si Yiqi commanded in a deep voice. Although his voice trembled slightly, he was not too flustered. Instead, he forced himself to calm down and began to think of a solution.

"Your Majesty, only a small contingent of the Qianlong Right Guard is stationed outside the palace, and... moreover, the Daoist soldiers—the Qiankun Imperial Guards—are controlled by the imperial family and stationed outside the palace. I'm afraid there's no time to mobilize them now."

However, Eunuch Li looked troubled and hesitated for a moment before speaking.

Upon hearing this, Si Yiqi's heart sank; he knew what this meant.

The armed forces that could be mobilized in the palace were far too limited, consisting only of a small force of the Qianlong Right Guard and a remaining force of eunuchs.

"In that case, immediately order the Imperial Guards to go to Chaotian Gate to resist the rebels."

"We must guard the palace gates and not allow the rebels to set foot inside the palace!"

Si Yiqi's face darkened, then he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Panic would be useless at this moment; only by remaining calm could he possibly turn the danger into safety.

Eunuch Li responded and turned to leave in a hurry.

"Go immediately to the depths of the inner palace and summon those old eunuchs from the Cold Palace, whose cultivation has reached the Celestial Realm, to the Qiankun Hall to protect me!"

Si Yiqi pondered for a moment, then beckoned to another eunuch and whispered the instructions.

Upon hearing this, the eunuch immediately responded and left. In the palace, there have always been several old eunuchs who serve as the foundation of the royal family, and each of them possesses unfathomable cultivation. Once they take action, they will surely be able to stabilize the situation.

Upon receiving the order, the guards stationed at the edge of the inner palace immediately prepared to depart. Dressed in black and wielding short blades, they resembled a group of ghosts in the night as they swiftly rushed towards Chaotianmen.

Si Yiqi paced back and forth in the hall, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts, and even a hint of annoyance.

He had only recently ascended the throne when he encountered a series of major upheavals. All sorts of monsters and demons emerged from within the Great Qian territory, and he was almost overwhelmed by each and every one of them.

If he hadn't listened to Grand Tutor Gu and gone through all sorts of hardships to invite Xu Zhongyuan out of Qianlongzhai, his life might have been even more difficult.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards have already set off for Chaotian Gate to defend against the rebels."

Before long, Eunuch Li hurriedly returned and reported.

Si Yiqi nodded, feeling slightly relieved. Although the number of guards stationed on the edge of the palace was small, each of them was a highly skilled individual carefully selected from among the many eunuchs and palace officials. They should be able to buy the palace some precious time.

At this moment, a tense and solemn atmosphere permeated the palace.

The palace maids and eunuchs all hid in their rooms, not daring to go out easily, while the few remaining guards on the outskirts of the palace gripped their weapons tightly, watching everything around them warily.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the next turn of events.

Just then, a deep bell rang from the depths of the inner palace, a signal that the royal family's heritage was being summoned.

Si Yiqi was immediately overjoyed, knowing that the old eunuchs deep in the palace had received his order and were on their way to the Qiankun Palace.

Soon after, several eunuchs dressed in gray robes and with aged faces slowly entered the Qiankun Hall. Each of them exuded a faint aura, the unique pressure of a Celestial Realm expert.

"Your Majesty, we old servants have come to protect you!"

The leading old eunuch bowed and said.

"With you all here, I feel very at ease."

"The palace is in grave danger at this moment. We hope that you will all lend a helping hand to resist the rebels."

Si Yiqi quickly stepped forward to help him up and said gratefully.

These old eunuchs were the foundation of the royal family; their existence was the last bulwark of the dynasty.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, we will do our utmost to protect the safety of the palace."

The old eunuch smiled slightly and nodded.

With the addition of these old eunuchs, Si Yiqi felt more confident, and the tension on his face eased slightly.

...

At the same time, shouts of battle and flames of war rose throughout the imperial city.

In the imperial court, there was one mansion that stood out as particularly tranquil: the Cui family mansion, where the then Minister of Rites resided.

The Cui family, a renowned cultural family in the Great Qian Dynasty, had their mansion located in a corner of the imperial city. It was simple and elegant, filled with the fragrance of books, as if it were isolated from the world.

Amidst the commotion, in the Cui family's back garden, two handsome young men were calmly playing chess, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding noise.

The chessboard is placed on a stone table, with black and white pieces interspersed among them, and each move contains profound strategy.

Moonlight filtered through the sparse clouds, dappling the two of them and adding a touch of tranquility to the tense moment.

One of them, dressed in a light blue long robe, with a thin face and a smile, was none other than Cui Hao, the second son of the current Minister of Rites, Cui family!

He rose to fame at a young age, not only for his exceptional military strategies, but also for his profound knowledge of various prominent schools of thought, including Confucianism, Legalism, Yin-Yang philosophy, and the School of Diplomacy.

His talent was so outstanding that even many old monsters among the Hundred Schools of Thought were amazed and called him "the star of wisdom on the Tianwu Continent".

The young man sitting opposite Cui Hao was also a handsome man, dressed in a blue robe, holding a white chess piece, and exuding an air of unruliness between his brows.

This young man and Cui Hao had known each other since childhood and had a deep friendship.

The reasons for my visit are twofold: first, to visit a long-lost friend, and second, to hear Cui Hao's insights on the current situation.

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