You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 176 Is this how you repay me?

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Not long after the Minister of War left with Zhang Guojiu, a eunuch from Cining Palace came to Yangxin Hall to deliver a message.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." The eunuch from Cining Palace entered Yangxin Hall and bowed to Zhou Chen on the dragon throne.

Zhou Chen looked up at the eunuch in Cining Palace and asked, "How is the Empress Dowager?"

"You've come to see me at the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Is there anything the Empress Dowager needs?"

Zhou Chen looked at the eunuch of Cining Palace with a serious expression.

While the Empress Dowager was in a coma, Zhou Chen had already visited her once at Cining Palace.

Zhou Chen received the news immediately after the Empress Dowager woke up from her coma.

Zhou Chen originally planned to go to Cining Palace immediately, but then he thought that the Empress Dowager might not want to see him right now.

Zhou Chen then temporarily abandoned the idea of ​​going to Cining Palace.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is well."

"The Empress Dowager learned of the raid on the Imperial Uncle's residence and sent me to convey the message to His Majesty."

The eunuchs of Cining Palace bowed and repeated the Empress Dowager's original words.

After speaking, the eunuch lowered his head.

Zhou Chen's expression didn't change much upon hearing this.

From the moment Zhou Chen issued the decree to arrest Zhang Guojiu, he had already anticipated that the Empress Dowager would not remain indifferent if she learned of the news.

After all, that was the Empress Dowager's maternal family.

No one can truly see through worldly affairs and be free from worldly attachments.

"I understand, please leave!"

Zhou Chen was silent for a moment, then waved his hand and said.

The eunuchs of Cining Palace bowed and withdrew from Yangxin Hall.

The message has been delivered, and the eunuch's task can be considered complete.

As for the outcome, that's beyond the concern of insignificant people like them.

After the eunuchs from Cining Palace left, Zhou Chen sighed softly.

Now that the Empress Dowager had spoken, Zhou Chen had no choice but to consider her feelings.

This gives the Zhang family a way out.

However, while the death penalty may be avoided, punishment is inevitable.

Zhou Chen thought to himself.

……

Two days flew by.

In the past two days, the entire city of Luoyang has been in a state of high alert.

Every day, soldiers and imperial guards are constantly searching for traitors, and people are being arrested every moment.

Court officials, nobles, and relatives of the emperor were especially insecure.

Within just two days, the prisons of the Ministry of Justice, the Eastern Depot, and the city defense guards were all overflowing with people.

The daily morning court session, which has been held every day, has been cancelled for two days now.

Fortunately, this situation only lasted for two days.

By the third day, everything had returned to normal.

Jinluan Palace.

The morning court begins.

Civil and military officials walked in turn along both sides of the imperial road into the Golden Palace.

Zhou Chen, who had not attended court for two days, walked out from the private imperial path next to him, stepped onto the dragon platform, and sat on the dragon throne.

"Kowtow to Your Majesty."

Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!

After Zhou Chen sat on the dragon throne, all the officials knelt down and shouted.

Zhou Chen looked up and down at the kneeling civil and military officials below, noticing that there were far fewer officials in the hall than before.

However, it was still within Zhou Chen's acceptable range.

This is all thanks to Du Ruhui.

If it weren't for Du Ruhui's timely filling of these vacant official positions, after this purge, it would be good if there were still half of them in the court today.

However, now, only a portion of the civil and military officials in the court are missing, which will not paralyze the central government.

Of course, there are still some impacts.

When important positions such as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Revenue, and the Minister of Justice are without a head, certain matters will inevitably be affected.

Zhou Chen looked down at the kneeling civil and military officials below; "Long live the Emperor?"

"Heh, you all shout 'Long live the Emperor!' but deep down you probably all wish I would die sooner!"

This time, Zhou Chen did not ask the officials to stand up, but instead sneered and said.

"I dare not wait."

Without Zhou Chen's permission, the officials remained kneeling on the ground.

Don't dare?

"What are you afraid of?"

“The Prime Minister, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Justice, and even Minister of Works of my Great Zhou dared to collude with the Prince of Shu to rebel and usurp the throne.”

“Even the powerful and influential families of the seven great families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, such as the Yuan family of Runan and the Zheng family of Rongyang, were involved.”

"Tell me, what is there that you court officials wouldn't dare to do?"

Upon hearing Zhou Chen's words, the expressions of the civil and military officials kneeling below all changed.

what?
Did the Prime Minister and his allies conspire with the King of Shu to rebel and usurp the throne?
Did the Yuan family of Runan and the Zheng family of Rongyang also participate?
This news exploded like a bombshell among the kneeling officials below.

Most people did not expect that Prime Minister Yuan Bo and his associates would actually collude with the King of Shu to rebel and usurp the throne.

No wonder, in the past two days, all the officials who had connections with Prime Minister Yuan Bo and his associates have been arrested.

They initially thought something serious had happened.

Unexpectedly, it turned out that Prime Minister Yuan Bo and his accomplices had conspired with the King of Shu to rebel and usurp the throne.

Some ministers had already heard rumors, but when they heard the news again from Emperor Zhou Chen, they still couldn't hide their shock.

"I truly never imagined that these pillars and key ministers of my Great Zhou court would actually rebel against me?"

"Is it because I haven't done a good enough job, or am I incompetent and tyrannical?"

"It is because you hold high positions that you have forgotten your duties as subjects, and even more so your duties and original intentions as officials."

Zhou Chen coldly swept his gaze across the kneeling civil and military officials below, his sharp eyes sending a chill down their spines.

"I have given you high-ranking positions and generous salaries, hoping that you can contribute to the Great Zhou Dynasty and bring benefits to the people."

"But is this how you contribute to the Great Zhou Dynasty and bring benefits to the people?"

"Is this how you repay me?"

"Do you think I don't know about the shameful things you've done?"

"How many of you have a clean record?"

Zhou Chen's cold voice echoed in the hall.

The civil and military officials kneeling below felt a chill in their hearts and couldn't help but shudder.

Even the Marquis of Weiwu and the Minister of War were no exception.

They were loyal veterans devoted to the Great Zhou Dynasty, but that doesn't mean they were all clean.

To put it bluntly, loyal veterans are simply those who share the same interests and goals.

As the saying goes, if you're not in office for power or money, what kind of official are you?

He was incorruptible, dedicating himself solely to bringing benefits to the community.

How many officials can do that?

"Liu Ye, how is the Ministry of Revenue's investigation progressing?"

Zhou Chen looked at Liu Ye, who was kneeling before the officials below. Now that the four regents were gone, the six ministers were now at the very front of the court.

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue's investigation is basically complete."

"In addition to the officials who were previously investigated and removed, I have also investigated and removed quite a few officials in the court."

"Many officials in the imperial court have engaged in corruption and bribery."

"This is the list of officials I have uncovered. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

Upon hearing Zhou Chen's question, Liu Ye immediately spoke up loudly.

After speaking, he took out a memorial and held it high.

The faces of the civil and military officials kneeling in the hall changed immediately upon hearing Liu Ye's words.

Most of the officials turned pale, and cold sweat inexplicably broke out.

Some officials even swayed a few times and almost collapsed to the ground.

Because none of them could guarantee that their names wouldn't be on Liu Ye's list.

Once their names appear on Liu Ye's list, their fate is predictable.

Upon seeing this, Cao Shaoqin, who was standing next to Zhou Chen, stepped down and took the list of memorials from Liu Ye's hand, then returned to present it to Zhou Chen, who was sitting on the dragon throne.

Zhou Chen took the list from Cao Shaoqin's hand and glanced at the civil and military officials kneeling below.

Zhou Chen did not immediately open the document to view it. Instead, he looked at the Minister of War and the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian and asked, "Li Yuan, Eighth Prince, how is the suppression of the rebellion led by the Prince of Shu and the Prime Minister going?"

"Your Majesty, the rebellion of the Prince of Shu and the Prime Minister has been completely wiped out."

"Some of the arrested officials confessed that there were other officials in the imperial court who were involved with them."

"This is the result of the interrogation and the list."

As the Minister of War and the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian spoke, they each took out a memorial and held it up.

Because of the vacancy of the position of Minister of Justice.

Therefore, Zhou Chen temporarily entrusted the Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, to supervise the Ministry of Justice.

Those imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's jail were all under the care of the Eighth Prince.

Cao Shaoqin stepped down again, took the memorial from the Minister of War and the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian, and returned to present it to Zhou Chen.

Now, some of the officials kneeling below turned even paler.

This is absolutely deadly!

Some of them were indeed involved with the arrested officials, but they did not rebel or usurp the throne!
If this gets exposed, they're all doomed.

In this kind of case, it's better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free.

Zhou Chen took the two memorials from Cao Shaoqin's hands again, but did not open them immediately. Instead, he glanced at the civil and military officials kneeling below.

"I believe that many of your names are on these three lists of memorials."

"Once I open it, you should know what your fate will be."

Zhou Chen waved the three memorials in his hand, coldly surveying the kneeling civil and military officials below.

"But I don't intend to open it and look at it."

"I intend to give you another opportunity to contribute to the Great Zhou and bring benefits to the people."

At this point, Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Shaoqin beside him.

"Cao Shaoqin".

"Go and bring up a brazier."

Cao Shaoqin immediately bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Shaoqin turned and left.

In less than a minute, Cao Shaoqin brought a brazier to Zhou Chen.

Without saying a word, Zhou Chen threw the three-part memorial in his hand into the brazier.

Seeing this, the civil and military officials kneeling below all breathed a sigh of relief.

Many people quietly wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads.

They were all a little scared, afraid that their names would appear on the list of those three memorials.

If that were the case, they would all be dragged out, and the outcome would be obvious.

Now that His Majesty has burned the three lists of memorials, it means that His Majesty will not pursue the matter any further.

Then they can feel much more at ease.

After the three lists of memorials were burned to ashes, Zhou Chen looked up at the civil and military officials kneeling below and said, "I hope you remember that I burned these three lists today. This opportunity is given to you by me."

"I do not expect you to be completely incorruptible, but at the very least you must be worthy of the official hats and robes on your heads and the words 'a clear mirror hanging high'."

"If I find that you have failed to live up to the opportunity I have given you, I will take it back from you tenfold."

Zhou Chen's majestic voice rang in the ears of the officials and echoed throughout the hall.

Zhou Chen was neither a saint nor an emperor who would spare officials who committed serious crimes and save all living beings.

The reason he burned the three lists of officials was that the officials on those lists had all been selected through rigorous processes and were people who could serve Emperor Zhou Chen.

Only then did Zhou Chen agree to give these people a chance.

As for those officials who could not be used by Zhou Chen, and those who were involved in the rebellion and usurpation of the throne by the King of Shu, they have all been taken down.

They didn't even have the chance to step through the gates of the Golden Palace again.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I understand."

All the officials bowed their heads and said in unison.

At this moment, whether it was genuine or feigned, at least on the surface, Zhou Chen had temporarily tamed the officials' emotions.

Zhou Chen looked down at the kneeling officials below and spoke again: "From now on, the matter of the Prince of Shu and the Prime Minister's rebellion and usurpation will be jointly investigated and dealt with by the Six Ministries, with the Eastern Depot in charge of supervision."

"Kill those who deserve to die, exile those who deserve to be exiled, and confiscate the property and exterminate the clan of those who deserve to be exterminated."

"Clean this up for me as soon as possible."

Although King Zhou Zhi of Shu died, all the masters of the three great families were also wiped out.

But Prime Minister Yuan Bo and other implicated officials are still alive.

These people must all be dealt with according to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The mastermind, whose crime is the most serious, will naturally face the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their entire clan.

Those with lesser crimes were merely implicated and might survive, but would be exiled.

As for the specific sentencing, Zhou Chen left it to the joint trial of the six ministries.

We can't just chop them all up and exterminate their entire families!

"The minister obeys the order."

Liu Ye, Du Ruhui, the Minister of War, and Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, immediately accepted the order.

Currently, there are only three ministers among the six ministries: Liu Ye, Du Ruhui, and the Minister of War.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, was temporarily placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice, which also counts as one of them.

Therefore, the actual decision-making and handling of this matter rested with Liu Ye and his three companions.

"Retreat."

After issuing the decree, Zhou Chen immediately adjourned the court session, stood up, and left.

After Emperor Zhou Chen left, many of the civil and military officials kneeling below could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.

Their foreheads were covered in sweat.

Those three lists of names in the memorials had really frightened them.

Even now, they still feel a lingering sense of fear.

Fortunately, the one on the dragon throne did not open the three lists of memorials to the emperor.

Otherwise, who knows how many of these officials would have been dragged out, their homes confiscated, and their entire families exterminated.

After a brief respite.

One by one, the officials left the Golden Palace and exited the palace.

(End of this chapter)