You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 164: The Eastern Depot secretly investigates the prince in Shu.

Zongren Mansion.

Upon returning to the Imperial Clan Court, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian immediately entered a pavilion at the deepest part of the court.

This pavilion is the military storage building of the Imperial Clan Court.

It contains a large collection of cultivation techniques and classic texts.

This Zangwu Tower is also the most important place in the Imperial Clan Court.

Zhou Rushan, the pillar of the royal family, usually resided in this martial arts pavilion.

"Ancestor."

The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian entered the Hidden Martial Arts Pavilion and saw Zhou Rushan lying on a recliner at the entrance. He stepped forward and greeted him respectfully.

"What's the matter?"

Zhou Rushan asked a question casually.

He lay lazily on the chair, his eyes closed without ever opening them.

Even a half-step Celestial Realm expert like Zhou Rushan could tell who the newcomer was without opening his eyes.

"The King of Shu colluded with the Yuan and Zheng families to usurp the throne."

"The Yuan and Zheng families have already sent their people to Luoyang, and Yuan Tianshu has also entered Luoyang."

"His Majesty has decreed that all the experts of the royal family be mobilized to eliminate the Yuan and Zheng families. There must be no mistakes."

"Eighth Prince Zhou Xian bowed and said."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Rushan, still lying quietly with his eyes closed, showed no emotional fluctuation.

It seemed that the earth-shattering news of Shu King Zhou Zhi colluding with the Yuan family to usurp the throne was commonplace to Zhou Rushan.

This did not cause Zhou Rushan much shock or surprise.

In fact, it is true.

For figures at the level of Zhou Rushan and his ancestors, very few things could cause them to have emotional fluctuations.

The news that King Zhou Zhi of Shu colluded with the Yuan family to usurp the throne might be shocking to others.

But for Zhou Rushan, it was just another piece of news.

"Has that old fellow Yuan Tianshu come to Luoyang?"

"Alright."

"It wouldn't be bad to see this old guy one last time before I die."

After a while.

Zhou Rushan opened his eyes and said softly.

After being ambushed and injured by Li Chengjiao and his group from the Yellow Heaven Sect in Xi'an Prefecture, Zhou Rushan's already limited lifespan was further reduced.

Zhou Rushan knew that his time was running out.

If, before dying, one could send someone down to scout ahead, it would be considered a final act of service for the royal family.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, looked somewhat hesitant.

"what are you worried about?"

Zhou Rushan glanced at the hesitant expression of the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian and asked a question in his aged voice.

"Ancestor, now that the matter of the Prince of Shu has come to light, will things between His Majesty and the Empress Dowager...?"

King Zhou Xian did not continue speaking.

But Zhou Rushan understood what the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian meant.

Zhou Rushan hesitated for a moment before saying, "This is not something we should worry about."

“Zhou Chen is not the same Zhou Chen as before. Even if he finds out, he can handle it on his own.”

Zhou Rushan glanced at the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian and waved his hand.

"Go and inform those people in the royal family!"

"Our royal family has been inactive for so long that many people have forgotten what the Great Zhou Dynasty is now."

"Do they really think they have the right to interfere in matters concerning the throne of my royal family?"

After saying that, Zhou Rushan closed his eyes again.

Seeing that Zhou Rushan had closed his eyes, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian wisely left the pavilion.

……

The Palace of the King of Shu.

Inside the council chamber.

The King of Shu sat in the main seat, looking down at Ji Wusheng, who looked travel-worn, his joy undisguised.

Everything is about to begin.

Zhou Zhi originally thought that Ji Wusheng wouldn't be able to make it in time.

Unexpectedly, Ji Wusheng arrived before the plan could begin.

This put Zhou Zhi at ease.

With Youji Wusheng, Zhou Zhi felt at least a lot more at ease.

"Ji Wusheng, I thought you wouldn't make it in time."

"I didn't expect you to arrive at such a perfect time."

"With a wise man like you by my side, I can feel much more at ease."

Zhou Zhi looked at Ji Wusheng and said with a smile.

"Your Highness, I have something very important to say."

Ji Wusheng did not share Zhou Zhi's smile; instead, he looked at Zhou Zhi, who was in the main seat, with a tense expression.

Oh!
Zhou Zhi was taken aback.

Zhou Zhi had never seen Ji Wusheng with such a tense and serious expression before, even though Ji Wusheng had followed him for so many years.

Did something happen?
Zhou Zhi also stopped smiling and looked at Ji Wusheng with a frown, asking, "Ji Wusheng, has something happened?"

Ji Wusheng dared not delay and quickly said, "Your Highness, the Eastern Depot has sent people to secretly investigate everything in Shu and Your Highness's affairs."

"I've also read all the messages the prince sent me."

"His Majesty investigated the Ministry of Revenue, removed the Minister of Revenue, and even issued an edict to exterminate the Fan family of Jiexiu. Something is not right."

"I suspect that His Majesty may already know about the plans that the Prince and the three great families are plotting."

"His Majesty is using this as an excuse to stabilize the situation, take the opportunity to eliminate the influence of the three great families in the court, and then defeat them one by one."

Ji Wusheng rattled off his deductions in one breath.

He rushed from Shu to Luoyang without stopping, just to tell Zhou Zhi the news in time before Zhou Zhi could take action.

Fortunately, he arrived before Zhou Zhi could make a move.

Otherwise, if Zhou Zhi had made a move, it would have been too late.

"What did you say?"

"Is the Eastern Depot secretly investigating me in Shu?"

Zhou Zhi's expression changed, and he stood up abruptly.

Zhou Zhi never expected that the Eastern Depot would send people to Shu to secretly investigate him, the King of Shu.

What Zhou Zhi didn't expect was that Ji Wusheng's speculation shocked him so much that he was at a loss for words.

"you sure?"

Zhou Zhi stared straight at Ji Wusheng, confirming his question repeatedly.

If what Ji Wusheng said is true, then we're in big trouble.

Ji Wusheng nodded; "I have left all the people the Eastern Depot had secretly investigated in Shu with me."

"I rushed to Luoyang without stopping just to tell the prince these things."

"I am about 80% certain of my guess."

Ji Wusheng said very seriously.

An 80% chance?
Upon hearing Ji Wusheng's words, Zhou Zhi's expression showed a hint of panic.

As Ji Wusheng was his right-hand man, Zhou Zhi was well aware of Ji Wusheng's abilities better than anyone else.

Since Ji Wusheng said he was 80% sure, then this matter is almost certainly true.

"how is this possible?"

"How could he possibly know about my and the three great families' plans?"

Zhou Zhi looked shocked.

Although Zhou Zhi found it hard to believe that it was true.

But the facts at hand left Zhou Zhi with no room for doubt. First, the Minister of Revenue was removed from office, and then the Fan family of Jiexiu was ordered to be exterminated.

Then, the Minister of Justice had his home confiscated, and a large portion of the officials from the three major aristocratic families in the court were purged.

Is this really just an investigation of the Ministry of Revenue, or is Emperor Zhou Chen targeting the three great families because of the Grand Tutor's matter?
Previously, Zhou Zhi thought that Emperor Zhou Chen was dealing with the three great families because of the Grand Tutor's matter, and he was unaware of the plot the three great families were plotting against him.

But now, thanks to Ji Wusheng's speculation and reminder...

Zhou Zhicai realized that he had been too confident.

Furthermore, the fact that the Eastern Depot sent people to Shu to secretly investigate him, the King of Shu, already proves that Ji Wusheng's speculation was correct.

His elder brother already knew about his plot with the three great families.

They used the pretext of investigating the Ministry of Revenue to purge the influence of the three major aristocratic families, including the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Justice, in the imperial court.

It's likely that his elder brother told him the secret of Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's death in battle that day at Cining Palace, which was also intentional.

The purpose is to confuse the public.

In an instant, Zhou Zhi understood everything.

Zhou Zhi was quite intelligent.

Judging from the scheming involved in the previous palace incidents, it's clear that Zhou Zhi's scheming was even more profound than that of the carefree Prince Zhou Qian.

Even Zhou Zhi, who was so calculating, felt a chill run down his spine after figuring everything out.

Zhou Zhi never truly took Zhou Chen seriously.

In Zhou Zhi's view, Zhou Chen was just a little luckier than him to get that position.

We need to use our abilities and calculations.

Zhou Chen is far inferior to his younger brother, the emperor.

But now, after this incident, Zhou Zhi realized that compared to Zhou Chen, he was nothing.

His calculations were mere pawns in a petty scheme, while Zhou Chen was the mastermind behind the grand plan.

Throughout the entire game, on Zhou Chen's chessboard, he, the King of Shu, was like a clown, jumping around.

Zhou Zhi paced back and forth in a panic.

Now, his plot with the three great families has been discovered by his elder brother, the emperor.

Needless to say, their every move probably couldn't be kept from his elder brother, the emperor.

What to do now?
Zhou Zhi's brain was working at lightning speed.

After pacing back and forth a few times, Zhou Zhi looked up at Ji Wusheng and said, "Ji Wusheng, since you have deduced that my brother already knows about our plans..."

"So, what do you suggest we do next?"

"The people from the three major families have all arrived in Luoyang."

"Everything is planned and ready to begin."

"Are there any other options at this point?"

Zhou Zhi looked at Ji Wusheng with some anxiety.

I originally thought that no one would know about it and that no one would be aware of it.

But to my surprise, I couldn't hide it from anyone at all.

This caused even the usually calm and wise Zhou Zhi to lose his composure for a moment.

Ji Wusheng pondered for a moment before speaking, "Your Highness, the arrow is on the bowstring now, and there is no turning back."

"The reason why His Majesty did not immediately take action against the Prince is because His Majesty did not want to cause too much turmoil and wanted to first eliminate the influence of the three great families in the court."

"Take advantage of the fact that His Majesty is unaware that the Prince has seen through these matters, and act immediately."

"Since Cao Zhengchun and Lü Bu are no longer in Luoyang, there might still be a chance."

"Otherwise, the longer it drags on, the less hope there is."

Ji Wusheng also sensed that the situation was tricky.

However difficult the situation may be, Ji Wusheng knew that there was no turning back now.

Even if they don't take action, the one in the palace won't let them off the hook.

Once that person in the palace has purged the power of the three great families in the court, then they will have even less hope.

Therefore, there is only one way to go now, which is to take immediate action and maybe we can still achieve a result.

Upon hearing Ji Wusheng's words, Zhou Zhi sat back down in the main seat.

After the initial panic, Zhou Zhi gradually regained his composure.

Zhou Zhi frowned, deep in thought.

Zhou Zhi knew that Ji Wusheng was right; they had no way out now.

Extending one's head is a sword, and shrinking one's head is also a sword.

Only by taking a desperate gamble can we have a chance to turn the tide and survive.

Otherwise, they would all end up with the same fate.

That is death.

Zhou Zhi was unaware that his elder brother, the emperor, knew about his and the three great families' schemes and what kind of arrangements he had made against them.

But as long as Cao Zhengchun and Lü Bu are not around, their plans have a high chance of succeeding.

Zhou Zhi didn't believe that Zhou Chen could pull out a half-step Celestial being like Lü Bu and Cao Zhengchun as his trump card.

You should know that such a half-step Celestial being is not a common occurrence.

Zhou Zhi looked at Ji Wusheng with a solemn expression and said, "Ji Wusheng, since my royal brother already knows about our plan, he must have made some preparations."

"I don't need to say more, you should know that this matter concerns the life and death of all of us."

"What strategy do you have to teach me?"

Zhou Zhi looked at Ji Wusheng.

Ji Wusheng immediately cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, the previous plan has encountered some unexpected problems, and we need to make some changes immediately."

"Please tell me all the arrangements, Your Highness."

"I will fill in any gaps for Your Highness and make extra preparations."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhi nodded and, without hiding anything, revealed all his arrangements.

……

Cining Palace.

After listening to the old eunuch's words, the Empress Dowager slumped into her chair, her face pale for a long time before she managed to regain her composure.

This is because the Empress Dowager, having navigated the ups and downs of the inner palace for many years, has already experienced many trials and tribulations.

If it were someone else, they might not be able to regain their composure so quickly.

The Empress Dowager's expression kept changing as she frowned, pondering what to do about this matter.

The Empress Dowager knew about the things that King Zhou Zhi of Shu had done.

Whether it's colluding with the prime minister and powerful families to rebel.

It still involves those poisonous matters in the palace.

These are all capital offenses punishable by death.

But the Empress Dowager could not stand by and watch the King of Shu, Zhou Zhi, die.

Because King Zhou Zhi of Shu was her son, and her most beloved son.

As a mother, how could the Empress Dowager possibly stand by and watch her son die?

Therefore, the Empress Dowager had to find a way to save the life of King Zhou Zhi of Shu.

Under these circumstances, saving the life of King Zhou Zhi of Shu was no easy task.

The Empress Dowager knew this better than anyone else.

After a moment of contemplation, the Empress Dowager looked at the old eunuch kneeling on the ground; "Wu She, go and prepare immediately, I must leave the palace for the Prince of Shu's residence."

"As for your matter, I will deal with it when I return."

The Empress Dowager looked at the old eunuch kneeling on the ground and said coldly.

In the Empress Dowager's heart, the old eunuch was already a dead man.

Putting aside the fact that the old eunuch dared to get involved in rebellion and those poisonous matters in the palace, just the fact that he dared to keep it from his mistress was enough for the Empress Dowager to sentence him to death.

As a servant, daring to disobey one's master is tantamount to courting death.

No master could tolerate his servant daring to do such a thing.

"Yes, Queen Mother."

Despite being hit by the Empress Dowager's teacup, the old eunuch suffered no injury to his head.

The old eunuch quickly got up and went to prepare.

(End of this chapter)