The Bloody Blade Of King Lanling (2021) - Siege Battle Scene

There is the evil minister, Shi Kai, who poses as the Emperor's loyal liege and advisor, but secretly has plans of taking over the throne for himself, right up to framing the heroic Lanling for murder, poison Lanling's sworn brothers, and use a hallucinogen-inducing potion to trick the Emperor into believing the Gods have decreed for him to abdicate the throne to his minister. Used as a plot point. The Evil Vizier and The Usurper who wants the throne for himself, pretending to be loyal to the Emperor, and managed to convince the Emperor that the Gods of Heavens are making a visit to the Palace... by spiking the Emperor's wine. As the Vizier plays a tune on a flute, the Emperor then sees the Gods descending, and giving a royal decree to abdicate the throne to the minister... Lanling's timely arrival in the final scene, beating a drum to break the Vizier's flute music and dispelling the vision of the Gods jams a wedge into the Vizier's plans. The climax ends with the heroine, Duan Mu-Lan (no relation) sacrificing herself by allowing the evil vizier responsible for her father's death to stab her, allowing the hero, Lanling, to impale the vizier. Cue the heroine seemingly succumbing in Lanlin's arms, sad music plays in the background, a scene later Lanling is a newly-promoted minister and building an orphanage in Mu-Lan's honor... and cue Mu-Lan, alive, riding up beside Lanling. It turns out the jade pendant Lanling gave Mu-Lan on their first meeting absorbed what would've been an otherwise fatal stab.