Chapter 696: Chapter 697: She Finally Made Her Move

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

Xie Anjun was still deep in sleep when he was suddenly startled awake by a commotion outside.

He sat up in irritation and barked at the door, "What’s going on? What’s all this racket!"

He hadn’t slept well last night to begin with, having had a series of strange, jumbled dreams. Now, being woken up again, his temper flared.

Hurried footsteps approached, and a servant burst in, a look of panic on his face.

"M-Marquis! This is bad!"

Xie Anjun’s brows furrowed. Before he had a chance to get angry, he heard the servant stammer, "S-Someone from the palace... from the palace is here!"

’The palace?’

Xie Anjun froze for a moment, a strange sense of unease creeping into his heart.

He immediately asked, "Who is it? Is it Eunuch Li?"

The servant was on the verge of tears. "N-No... It’s the Imperial Army!"

Xie Anjun’s mind went blank for a second. He almost uncontrollably raised his voice and demanded, "Who did you say!?"

’The Imperial Army!?’

’Why would the Imperial Army be here so early in the morning!?’

The servant pointed outside, trembling so much he couldn’t form a complete sentence.

"Th-They..."

"Useless!"

Xie Anjun’s patience ran out. With a curse, he shot up, hastily threw on some clothes, and strode outside.

But just as he reached the doorway, with one foot over the threshold, he saw that the Imperial Army had already burst in!

They split into two columns and quickly surrounded the courtyard.

Clad in heavy armor, their long spears were menacing!

The grim, imposing pressure was almost suffocating!

Xie Anjun had never witnessed such a scene. The questions he’d intended to demand caught in his throat, and he couldn’t get a word out.

He took a deep breath, trying his best to calm himself. After scanning his surroundings, he spoke in a cold voice,

"What is the meaning of this? I was unaware the Duke Zhongyong Mansion had become a place anyone can just waltz into!"

A soldier in the middle took a step forward.

"Marquis, Your Majesty has a matter to discuss with you. Please come with us."

Xie Anjun’s heart suddenly sank!

A deployment like this, and the way they spoke... it was a clear omen.

His face had already grown pale, but he refused to lose his nerve. He even managed a laugh. "If it’s a decree from Your Majesty, I will naturally obey. But is all this really necessary?"

His words were met with silence, and the atmosphere grew unbearably tense.

The smile on Xie Anjun’s face began to falter, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

He coughed a few times to clear his throat, then put on a calm and composed expression again.

"Since I am to have an audience with His Majesty, I cannot go looking so disheveled. I must trouble you all to wait a moment while I wash up—"

"Marquis, there’s no need for such trouble." The man cut him off mercilessly. "We can wait, but His Majesty cannot."

Xie Anjun’s expression froze.

After a brief standoff, seeing that these men truly had no intention of yielding in the slightest, Xie Anjun could only bite the bullet and say,

"Then... let’s go now!"

...

Xiao Jiayi had once again spent a sleepless night, sitting rigidly on her bed the entire time.

As the sky gradually brightened, she finally felt a touch of exhaustion and sleepiness, and prepared to lie down.

But before her head could touch the pillow, she heard a clamor outside.

She frowned and got up, moving to the window.

Xie Anjun had deadbolted the door to this room from the outside. She couldn’t get out at all. The only source of fresh air was the window, which she could push open just a crack.

However, when she focused her gaze, she saw the servants outside running about in a panic, muttering something nonstop.

They looked as if a great disaster was upon them.

Xiao Jiayi froze for a second, then suddenly realized something and her eyes widened in excitement!

’It’s Ye Chutang!’

’She’s finally made her move!’

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