Stop besieging the city; the entire army retreats thirty li.

Lin Zixiao's action startled the generals of the Lin Family Army, especially his seven sworn brothers.

As the commander-in-chief and the very soul of the army, running to the frontlines during a standoff was incredibly dangerous. If arrows were fired from the capital's walls and he was injured, it would be a massive disaster.

Eldest Brother Xiao Lie, the vanguard general in charge of the siege, was the first to spot Lin Zixiao. He sprinted over and forcefully pulled Lin Zixiao's hand down.

"Commander, it's dangerous here. Please step back!"

In that brief moment, the others also arrived and chimed in to persuade him.

"Commander, with these Red-Coat Cannons, the city will fall in an instant. You should sit safely at the command platform and just wait a moment."

"Yes! In the past, we had only heard Protector Bai speak of how mighty these Red-Coat Cannons were, claiming that no wall, no matter how sturdy, could withstand an hour of their fierce bombardment. Seeing it today, it truly is extraordinary. The capital is the greatest fortress in the world, yet after only a few shots, it is already crumbling."

"Hahaha, Protector Bai said that a few hundred shots would blow the capital's walls to pieces. But the way I see it, we will not even need that many. In less than two hundred shots, there will be a breach."

"When that happens, I will personally lead the cavalry straight through the gap into the capital, wipe out Ren Tianye's army, capture Empress Regnant Xiao Mingzhao, and bring the dragon throne right to you, Commander!"

...

At first, the seven brothers were just trying to persuade Lin Zixiao, but as they spoke, they could not help but grow excited.

They had never had firearms in their army before.

It was only in recent days that they had truly felt the power of such weapons.

However, knowing about them and seeing them used in actual combat with their own eyes were two entirely different things.

Watching the devastating power of the Red-Coat Cannons, they could almost see visions of themselves being granted titles of nobility, appointed as high generals, and reaching the pinnacle of power.

With these cannons, the capital would fall within a day or two. When that time came, the world would belong to Lin Zixiao!

And they would all be the great founding heroes who helped conquer the world.

They were determined to claim the merit of supporting the new ruler!

But at this moment, Lin Zixiao, whose hand had been forcefully pulled down, swept a majestic gaze over his seven brothers.

Lin Zixiao's prestige in the army was incredibly high.

Even though these seven were his sworn brothers.

They still obeyed his military authority implicitly.

Especially in a situation like this, with the two armies facing off.

This caused all seven of them to obediently shut their mouths, waiting to see what Lin Zixiao would say next.

Lin Zixiao said nothing to them.

He simply raised his hand again, facing the capital with his back to the great army, and shouted, "All troops, hear my command! Cease the attack!"

"Everyone, retreat thirty li!"

"Make camp!"

At the frontlines, the rumbling of cannons and the earth-shattering noise drowned out Lin Zixiao's words.

But this was normal. Therefore, a commander-in-chief like Lin Zixiao always had adjutants by his side responsible for relaying orders to the entire army. However...

The adjutant sitting on his horse instantly widened his eyes to the absolute limit.

For a moment, he thought he had misheard.

"Wh-what?"

"Commander, what did you say?"

It was not just the adjutant; the seven brothers who had gathered around also thought they had heard wrong.

"Commander, you said to retreat?"

"Cease the siege? And retreat thirty li?"

"No, Commander, did you misspeak?"

...

The seven brothers, who had just quieted down, began asking questions one after another. Yet, Lin Zixiao's expression did not change in the slightest. Instead, he said with utmost composure, "You did not mishear."

"What I said was..."

"Cease the siege!"

"Everyone, retreat thirty li!"

"I..."

As he said this, a blazing emotion suddenly surged in Lin Zixiao's eyes. Like raging fire or turbulent seas, it was complex and difficult to fathom, yet carried an indomitable, unstoppable momentum.

"I, Lin Zixiao, will seek an audience with Her Majesty alone!"

If the bombardment of the twenty Red-Coat Cannons was a heavenly thunderclap ringing in everyone's ears, then Lin Zixiao's words were a world-destroying thunderbolt striking their very hearts!

Amidst the rumbling.

Everyone gathered around Lin Zixiao thought they were dreaming!

Having a terrifying nightmare in broad daylight!

As a result, they all froze.

They stood rooted to the spot.

Lin Zixiao was the first to react.

Frowning slightly, he said coldly, "Adjutant, what are you waiting for?"

"Go and relay my orders!"

In the army, Lin Zixiao had always loved his people like his own children and treated his soldiers exceptionally well. His conduct and style were exactly the same as his father, Lin Yi.

The Lin Family Army he had built was fundamentally identical to the Chifeng Army.

This earned him the deep trust and conviction of his officers and men, and no one ever dared to disobey his military orders. The adjutant went to relay the command almost subconsciously.

Before long, the entire army heard Lin Zixiao's order.

"Cease the siege, the entire army will retreat thirty li!"

However, Lin Zixiao's seven brothers were not going to accept this.

This was no small matter. Even at the risk of insubordination, the seven brothers had to get to the bottom of it.

"Big Brother, explain yourself clearly. Why are we stopping the siege?"

"Big Brother, the fall of the capital is right before our eyes. How can you stop the siege now?"

"Big Brother, with just one word from you, this world would be ours. Why are you stopping at a time like this?"

"Big Brother, if we do not attack now, when will we? What exactly are you waiting for?"

...

Lin Zixiao closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the depths of his eyes were filled with the weariness of weather-beaten years.

His voice was cold and deep.

"My father spent his entire life in military service guarding the nation's gates, protecting its rivers and mountains with an iron will. From his youth, he drew his sword to defend all borders, and in his middle age, he donned his armor to resist the barbarians."

"My father guarded the cities for Her Majesty and protected her people, but..."

Lin Zixiao's voice suddenly turned sharp.

"My father, Lin Yi, never harbored even a shred of rebellious intent!"

His voice was intimidating, leaving the seven brothers even more shocked.

They could not understand how something that was already a matter of public consensus could affect Lin Zixiao so much that he would suddenly make such an absurd decision.

They then heard Lin Zixiao continue, "We raised our army for the sake of my father, and for the Chifeng Army."

"Not to stain the imperial city with blood, and certainly not to bring chaos to the world!"

"My father was loyal to the sovereign and loved his country his entire life. Until his dying breath, he said: Do not bring chaos to the nation, do not harm the people!"

"As his son, how could I betray his dying words?"

"Today..."

Lin Zixiao looked toward the capital and said, "I brought my troops to the city gates not to seize Her Majesty's dragon throne."

"Nor to rebel!"

"And even less to proclaim myself emperor!"

"What I want..."

Lin Zixiao paused, every word weeping blood: "What I want is an Edict of Self-Reproach from Her Majesty!"

"A single sentence from Her Majesty saying, I was wrong."

"A declaration..."

Lin Zixiao's emotions boiled over, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes: "A declaration to clear my name!"

At this moment, the seven brothers were collectively dumbfounded.

They had abandoned their homes and businesses, braving the risk of having their entire nine generations exterminated to fight their way here with him, and he only wanted an Edict of Self-Reproach from Empress Regnant Xiao Mingzhao?

Did that not make the brothers look like complete clowns?

The usually astute Lin Zixiao did not sense their bewilderment and mental collapse; he was still immersed in his own emotions.

He continued gazing at the capital, his voice soft but exceptionally firm.

"Remember this!"

"I have led an army of two hundred thousand here to demand justice!"

"And even more so, to let Her Majesty know..."

"That our Lin family is loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the country, until our dying breath!"

Among the seven brothers, Second Brother Cheng Shu finally came to his senses and immediately roared, "Eldest Brother, the Empress Regnant is not worthy of this!"

Lin Zixiao's gaze suddenly turned sharp.

"Whether she is worthy or not is her business!"

"Whether I am loyal or not is my destiny!"

Immediately after, he turned around and roared, "All troops, hear my command!"

"You are not to harm another inch of the capital!"

"You are not to take a single step into the capital!"

"You are not to alarm Her Majesty on the dragon throne in the slightest!"

"I, Lin Zixiao, bearing the heroic spirit of my father, will wait right here beneath these city walls. I will wait until Her Majesty is willing to summon me, until Her Majesty admits her mistakes, until..."

"...the whole world knows of my innocence, and knows that my entire Lin family is..."

"...loyal and fiercely devoted!"

...