NCCnovel Chapter 159 Ceremony
Chapter 159 Ceremony
Chu Lan stood in the center of the altar, his hands clasped together, his gaze devout.
Today's coronation ceremony is not only her personal coronation, but also a declaration of the future of the Great Xia Dynasty.
She took a deep breath and slowly spoke: "I, Chu Lan, ascend the throne here today. May Heaven and Earth and the gods protect me, may the Great Xia Dynasty be prosperous and the people live in peace and happiness."
Her voice echoed above the altar, seemingly carrying an invisible power that touched everyone present.
Liu Shan stood below the altar, his eyes fixed on Chu Lan.
Every word and action of Chu Lan will affect the future of the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
He prayed silently that Chu Lan would be able to get through today's ceremony smoothly.
However, at the most crucial moment of the ceremony, a commotion suddenly arose below the altar.
Liu Shan frowned and immediately turned around to check.
Suddenly, a group of assassins dressed in black rushed out from the crowd, wielding sharp blades, and headed straight for the altar.
"Assassins! Protect His Majesty!" Liu Shan shouted sharply, then drew his sword and rushed towards the assassins.
The Imperial Guards reacted swiftly, drawing their weapons and engaging the assassins in fierce combat.
On the altar, Chu Lan remained calm and composed, his gaze cold and stern.
She had guessed that today's coronation ceremony would not go smoothly, and she had already made preparations for it.
Liu Shan clashed with the assassins, their blades flashing, each move deadly.
He was agile and possessed profound inner strength, and quickly knocked several assassins to the ground.
However, the assassins were numerous and each one was highly skilled, making it difficult for the Imperial Guards to resist them.
"Liu Shan!" Chu Lan's voice came from the altar, "You must ensure the safety of all the officials!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Shan felt a chill run down his spine.
He quickly directed the Imperial Guard to form a defensive line, ensuring that the courtiers retreated to a safe area.
The battle intensified, with swords flashing and blood splattering all around the altar.
Liu Shan's clothes inside his armor were already soaked with sweat, and several old wounds on his body had reopened, with blood dripping down his armor.
However, under his leadership, the Imperial Guard gradually regained their footing and began to counterattack.
Seeing this, the assassins, though their attacks were fierce, gradually showed signs of weakening.
Just then, Fang Mingzhe and Fang Mingli suddenly appeared below the altar.
Fang Mingzhe shouted loudly, "Your Majesty, we have come to protect you!"
Chu Lan's gaze was cold and stern as he said calmly, "Minister Fang, you've come at the perfect time. Quickly assist Liu Shan in eliminating the assassins!"
Fang Mingzhe and Fang Mingli exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with helplessness.
They were civil officials; how could they possibly be skilled in martial arts?
The shout of "protect the emperor" was just a verbal show of loyalty.
To everyone's surprise, the Empress did not follow the usual procedure and actually ordered them to fight.
But at this moment, the two had no choice but to bite the bullet and draw their swords to meet the enemy.
Fang Mingzhe and Fang Mingli joined the battle, but their movements were noticeably slow, and they even looked somewhat disheveled.
Seeing this, the assassin seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, his blade almost touching the throats of the two men.
Upon seeing this, Liu Shan roared and swung his knife to parry, saving Fang Mingzhe, but Fang Mingli was taken hostage by the assassin.
The assassin's blade was pressed against Fang Mingli's neck, and he sneered, "Step back, or he's dead!"
In a moment of quick thinking, Liu Shan shouted, "Release them! We'll retreat!"
The Imperial Guards slowly retreated, while the two assassins took Fang Mingli hostage and slowly retreated as well.
The battle had continued until now, and apart from the two assassins who had kidnapped Fang Mingli, all the other assassins had been wiped out.
Liu Shan stood below the altar, panting heavily, his eyes scanning the surroundings, still vigilant.
Chu Lan slowly stepped down from the altar, his gaze cold and stern: "Liu Shan, what do you think of today's events?"
Liu Shan pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty, I believe that today's assassins are no ordinary people, and there must be a mastermind behind them."
At this moment, the assassin, holding Fang Mingli hostage, quickly retreated to a corner of a palace.
The terrain here is complex, which is conducive to concealment and surprise attacks.
The assassin's eyes flashed with cunning and ferocity as he used Fang Mingli as a hostage while confronting Liu Shan and the others.
"Don't come any closer! Or I'll kill him right now!" the lead assassin roared, the blade in his hand trembling slightly at Fang Mingli's neck, a trickle of blood already seeping out.
Liu Shan and the others had no choice but to stop, their eyes fixed on the assassin, searching for any possible opportunity to rescue him.
Under the tight protection of the Imperial Guards, Chu Lan slowly approached, his cold gaze revealing authority and composure as he tried to discern the assassins' intentions from their words and actions.
Suddenly, the two assassins exchanged glances, seemingly reaching some kind of tacit understanding.
One of the assassins suddenly shoved Fang Mingli toward Liu Shan and the others, while the other assassin took the opportunity to charge toward Chu Lan with all his might, his sharp blade gleaming coldly, his target the Empress.
Seeing this, Liu Shan was extremely anxious, but he had no choice but to catch Fang Mingli who was being pushed towards him.
In that brief moment of hesitation, the assassin had already closed in on Chu Lan.
The imperial guards around Chu Lan quickly formed a human wall and fought desperately, but the assassins' attacks were fierce and for a moment they even seemed to break through the defense line.
"Protect His Majesty!" Liu Shan shouted, trying to protect the emperor, but his left leg was held tightly by Fang Mingli, making it impossible for him to move.
Seeing that the opportunity was fleeting, the assassin suddenly leaped up, his blade aimed straight at Chu Lan.
Liu Shan's eyes narrowed, and he roared, "Let go!"
However, Fang Mingli seemed to be possessed, his hands gripping even tighter, his eyes filled with terror and despair.
"Fuck you!" Liu Shan kicked Fang Mingli with all his might.
"Bang bang bang!"
Fang Mingli winced in pain and then released his hands.
Liu Shan broke free instantly and leaped towards the assassin. Amidst the flashing blades, he actually blocked the fatal blow with his own body.
Chu Lan's eyes flashed, and she swiftly drew her sword. With a flash of cold light, it precisely pierced the assassin's throat.
The assassin groaned and collapsed to the ground.
At this moment, the last assassin, enraged by his failed ambush, turned his attention to Liu Shan.
Liu Shan showed no fear; his swordsmanship became even more ferocious, each strike imbued with powerful internal energy, as he engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the assassin.
The imperial guards quickly surrounded Liu Shan and assisted him. Amidst the flashing swords, the assassins were forced to retreat.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Liu Shan dodged the fatal blow by sidestepping, seized the opportunity, and stabbed the assassin in the chest with a backhand strike.
The assassin screamed and fell to the ground, blood splattering everywhere.
With that, all the assassins were wiped out, and the palace was deathly silent, filled with the stench of blood and tension.
Chu Lan slowly sheathed his sword, his gaze cold and stern as he surveyed his surroundings.
Liu Shan, panting heavily and covered in blood, turned to look at Fang Mingli with a complex and unreadable expression in his eyes.
Chu Lan coldly ordered: "Seal off the palace gates and thoroughly investigate the mastermind behind this!"
Then, a cold glint flashed in her eyes: "Fang Mingzhe, Fang Mingli, do you know the origins of these assassins?"
Fang Mingzhe and Fang Mingli's expressions changed slightly, and they hurriedly knelt down: "Your Majesty, we were unaware. We only heard that there were assassins, so we rushed here to protect you."
Chu Lan sneered: "Is that so? Fang Mingzhe, why are you behaving so strangely at this crucial moment?"