ctnovel Chapter 33 Does he even deserve it?
Chapter 33 Does he even deserve it?
Outside the Golden Palace, the white marble steps gleamed blindingly under the blazing sun.
When Prince Su, Gu Suyue, stepped over the heavy vermilion threshold, his fingertips almost dug into his flesh.
The reason for this was that Prince Su, Gu Suyue, wanted to use the intense pain to keep himself clear-headed and remind himself not to act recklessly in the heat of the moment!
Just now in the main hall, Prince Su, Gu Suyue, believed that Emperor Gu Xiaoxiao had arranged executioners in the inner palace. If he hadn't decisively admitted defeat, he would probably be a corpse condemned to death for "disobeying imperial orders" by now.
"Your Highness!"
Just as Prince Su, Gu Suyue, was filled with lingering fear, suddenly, at that very moment, a slightly rough voice broke through the heavy atmosphere.
Gu Suyue suddenly looked down and saw his three hundred personal guards, clad in black armor, standing like statues beneath the steps.
They were the elite troops who had fought their way back from the Western Frontier with him. At this moment, everyone had their hands on their sword hilts and their eyes were like torches. When they saw him walk out safely, their originally tense shoulders and backs relaxed slightly, but they still maintained their battle-ready posture.
Leading the group was Zhao Shanshan, his personal bodyguard commander, whose face was covered in a thick beard. He was looking at him with a slight sigh of relief.
In that instant, Gu Suyue's heart, which had been hanging in his throat in the Golden Palace... finally settled back into his chest.
As long as his personal guard, who had risked his life countless times with him, was still there, Prince Su, Gu Suyue, was confident that he could fight his way out of the palace alive!
With the confidence gained from these three hundred guards, a new question quietly surfaced in Gu Suyue's mind.
The question is... should he, Prince Su, Gu Suyue, choose to immediately gather his forces and confront Emperor Gu Xiaoxiao in the palace, or wait until he returns to his Prince Su's residence, gather his forces first, and then attack the palace?
At this moment, this question was raging in Gu Suyue's mind.
Forward lies the path to the palace gates, while backward... is the direct route to the emperor's bedchamber!
For Prince Su, Gu Suyue, whether he chooses to launch an attack now or chooses to temporarily avoid confrontation, there are both advantages and disadvantages.
If they choose to launch an attack now, the advantage is that they are in the heart of the palace and do not need to forcefully attack the impregnable palace gates.
With just a command, these three hundred guards would be able to carve a bloody path through the chaos, strike at the heart of the enemy, and subdue Gu Xiaoxiao before she could react.
But the downside is equally fatal—this is, after all, the emperor's stronghold, with the Tiger Guard, the Imperial Guard, the Forbidden Army... their numbers far exceed his personal guards. Once they get into a tug-of-war, reinforcements will pour in from all directions, and their small force will be like a drop of water thrown into the ocean, instantly swallowed up!
If one chooses to temporarily avoid the brunt of the attack and return to the capital to redeploy troops, the advantages and disadvantages will be completely opposite.
Returning to the Prince Su's mansion meant giving up the immediate advantage of the surprise attack, needing time to gather the three thousand elite cavalry from the Western Frontier, and even facing the difficulty of storming the imperial city after the palace gates were closed... but those three thousand elite cavalry were his foundation, the source of his confidence that made the enemy tremble on the battlefield!
With that iron cavalry in hand, he wouldn't care about the Tiger Cavalry, the Imperial Guards, or the Forbidden Army... He didn't take any of them seriously!
As for the losses incurred in attacking the palace gates?
A ruthless glint flashed in Gu Suyue's eyes. As long as he could sit on that dragon throne, what did it matter how many people died?
Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles; the path of the victor is always paved with the bones of the dead.
"Your Highness, the carriage is waiting outside the palace gate."
Zhao Shanshan stepped forward and whispered a reminder to Gu Suyue, while his eyes scanned the patrolling palace guards around him with great vigilance.
Gu Suyue continued walking forward without stopping, but in his heart, he was frantically weighing the pros and cons.
However, whether it was just his imagination or not, Gu Suyue had a feeling that countless eyes were watching him from the shadows in the palace today…
"No! I can't do anything reckless at this time!"
"I only have three hundred men at my disposal right now, while this palace is Gu Xiaoxiao's stronghold..."
"These three hundred men might be able to protect me as I escape the palace, but to think I could kill Gu Xiaoxiao right here in her stronghold is just wishful thinking!"
"If I cause trouble in the palace, I could easily get trapped here and never be able to get out..."
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Gu Suyue took a deep breath, and the air, mixed with the sandalwood scent wafting from the Golden Palace, completely calmed him down.
If we make a move now, the chances of winning are too slim. If we return to the manor now, even if we can't win, we certainly won't lose. At most, we can just go back to the Western Frontier to build up our strength!
"Let's go back to the manor!"
Having already made up his mind, Gu Suyue finally spoke, his voice low but carrying an undeniable determination.
"yes!"
Although Zhao Shanshan didn't know what the prince had been hesitating about, his years as a bodyguard had taught him a lesson: never ask what you shouldn't ask.
Soon, Gu Suyue, accompanied by his personal guards, walked out of the palace. He glanced back at the palace and said, "Gu Xiaoxiao! I'm leaving this palace today. Let's see what you can use to stop my three thousand Western Frontier cavalry later!"
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Prince Su's Mansion.
Gu Suyue stormed into the mansion, not even dismounting his horse, and immediately ordered, "Someone come here!"
The head steward of the Prince's residence rushed out and knelt on the ground: "Your Highness, what's wrong...?"
"Pass down the order!" Gu Suyue strode towards the council hall. "Summon all commanders. I want to see them in the council hall within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn! Also, bring me my heavy armor and the 'Soul Severing Blade'!"
"Yes! Yes!"
Although the steward was puzzled, he had never seen the prince so anxious, so he quickly accepted the order and left.
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Meanwhile, Prince Su, Gu Suyue, waited alone in the council hall for the commanders of the Western Frontier to arrive for a meeting, his eyes burning with rage.
"Gu Xiaoxiao, since you're so heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless too!" Gu Suyue roared through gritted teeth. "Today you humiliated me with a marriage alliance, but later... I'll storm the palace and seize your throne!"
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Soon, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn was over.
At this moment, in the council hall of Prince Su's mansion, more than thirty commanders dressed in armor stood on both sides, creating a tense atmosphere.
These were all Gu Suyue's trusted confidants, the core group he had built up over the years fighting on the western border. Each of them was a fierce warrior capable of taking on a hundred men.
"Your Highness, what are your orders for summoning us today?" A bearded commander spoke first, his voice booming like thunder.
Gu Suyue stood before the main seat, his gaze sharp as he swept over the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "Brothers, that Emperor is going to make a move against me!"
The hall erupted in uproar.
"What? The Emperor wants to harm the Prince?"
"Does he even deserve it?"
"Has he forgotten how easily his soldiers were beaten by us not long ago?"
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