You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 178 Xun Yu, a Talent Qualified as a King's Advisor

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen sat on the dragon throne, looking at some messages sent up by the Eastern Depot.

These messages all concern the outcome of dealing with the three major families.

Inside Luoyang, the Shu King and the three great families were all wiped out, while outside Luoyang, Zhou Chen handed over the full responsibility of the three great families to Jia Xu.

Now, two days have passed, and the results have all been sent back.

As expected, Jia Xu did not disappoint Zhou Chen.

Everything is progressing smoothly.

The Yuan family of Runan and the Zheng family of Rongyang were both exterminated, and their forces were also purged and suppressed, without causing much turmoil.

Even the Shu region was thoroughly pacified by Jia Xu.

It can be said that from this moment on, the plot of the King of Shu and the three great families to usurp the throne has finally come to a complete end.

What Zhou Chen didn't expect was that King Zhou Zhi of Shu had hidden tens of thousands of elite troops in Shu.

Furthermore, King Zhou Zhi of Shu had previously ordered these tens of thousands of elite troops to secretly march to Luoyang.

Fortunately, the hundreds of thousands of elite troops from Shu were intercepted by Lü Bu and his Bingzhou wolf cavalry.

Otherwise, if those hundreds of thousands of elite troops from Shu were to arrive in Luoyang, they would really be in a lot of trouble.

Zhou Chen read through the messages from the Eastern Depot one by one.

When Zhou Chen saw the last message, he couldn't help but frown.

The general of Zhennan Army led his troops to surround and kill more than 30 guards.
Zhou Chen frowned and examined the message in detail.

After reading the message, Zhou Chen fell into deep thought.

The Zhennan Army, which guards the southern border, has always been commanded by King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan.

Who is Zhou Zhan? He is a member of the royal family and, together with the late Grand Tutor Wen Zhong, is known as one of the two pillars of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Zhou Chen had no doubt whatsoever about King Zhou Zhan's loyalty to the Great Zhou.

However, the generals of the Zhennan Army were quite audacious, daring to surround and kill even the imperial guards who were pursuing the remnants of the Yuan family. They were truly courting death.

Zhou Chen put down the information from the Eastern Depot he was holding and didn't care about Cao Zhengchun killing the Zhennan Army general.

In Zhou Chen's view, if the Imperial Guards dared to surround and kill the remnants of the Yuan family, then the generals of the Zhennan Army were just like the Yuan family traitors, both traitors and deserving of death.

What Zhou Chen cares about now is not these things, but the remnants who escaped beyond the Great Wall.

Judging from these reports from the Eastern Depot, remnants of both the Yuan and Zheng families have escaped beyond the Great Wall.

Zhou Chen guessed that the Fan family of Jiexiu was no exception, and that some of them had also escaped beyond the Great Wall.

This is the guiding principle upon which these aristocratic families depend for their survival.

Cunning Rabbit Three Caves.

It must be said that these powerful and wealthy families had already planned for defeat before even considering victory; their preparations were certainly thorough.

Zhou Chen knew that if you don't cut the weeds at the root, they will grow back in the spring.

If the remnants of the three great aristocratic families, including the Yuan family, were allowed to escape beyond the Great Wall, there will likely be considerable trouble in the future.

"His Majesty."

"Minister Du, Minister Liu, Minister Li, and the Eighth Prince request an audience."

At this moment, a palace eunuch came in to report.

"Oh!"

"Let them in."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen suppressed his thoughts and said calmly.

The eunuchs and guards bowed and withdrew.

A moment of effort.

Liu Ye, Du Ruhui, the Minister of War, and Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, then entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"I have met His Majesty."

After the four entered, they bowed respectfully to Zhou Chen on the dragon throne.

Zhou Chen looked up at Liu Ye and the other three; "How is the trial and handling of the matter of the Shu King and the Prime Minister's rebellion and usurpation of the throne going?"

Liu Ye and the other three exchanged glances.

Liu Ye stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, our Six Ministries have already made a judgment on the matter of the rebellion of the King of Shu and the Prime Minister."

"These are the basic results of the trials conducted by our six ministries on those involved. Please review them, Your Majesty."

After Liu Ye finished speaking, he took out a memorial and held it up.

Although Zhou Chen had already issued an edict ordering the six ministries to jointly handle and try the case of the Shu King and Prime Minister Yuan Bo's rebellion and usurpation of the throne.

However, Liu Ye and the Minister of War knew in their hearts that in the end, it was Emperor Zhou Chen who made the final decision.

Their six departments were merely a foil.

If Emperor Zhou Chen didn't want anyone to die, even if the Six Ministries sentenced them to death with their property confiscated and their entire family exterminated, they could still live.

Conversely, if Zhou Chen wanted someone to die, then even if the Six Ministries didn't sentence them to death, they would still have to die.

This is imperial power.

In the past, the imperial power was weak, while the power of the ministers and other factions was strong, which restrained the imperial power.

But now, after Zhou Chen's cleanup, no one can stand in the way of imperial power anymore.

Cao Shaoqin, who was standing nearby, stepped down, took the memorial from Liu Ye's hand, and turned around to present it to Zhou Chen.

Without saying a word, Zhou Chen took the memorial from Cao Shaoqin's hand and began to read it.

The memorial contained a great deal of information.

After all, Prime Minister Yuan Bo and the three great families have a number of officials involved.

Although many officials belonging to the three major families had been purged during the previous investigation of the Ministry of Revenue, there were still quite a few left.

Now, all those who cannot be used by Zhou Chen have been captured in one fell swoop.

Furthermore, among them were some military generals from the city defense and the Divine Martial Guard, as well as nobles and relatives of the emperor.

After glancing at the situation, Zhou Chen looked up calmly at Liu Ye and the other three. "I have no objection to the decision made by your Six Ministries."

"But what I find strange is why there is no record of the punishment for Zhang Guojiu and the Zhang family in the official documents?"

That's right.

The memorial submitted by Liu Ye listed the punishments for everyone involved in the matter, but notably omitted the punishments for Zhang Guojiu and the Zhang family.

Liu Ye, the Minister of War, and the other three exchanged another glance.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Zhang family is involved with the Empress Dowager, and the Six Ministries are unsure how to handle the situation. We beseech Your Majesty to make a wise decision."

This time, the four of them, including the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian, came to the palace together for this very reason.

Zhang Guojiu and the Zhang family were, after all, the Empress Dowager's maternal family, and not the masterminds.

If they were to sentence the entire clan to death, it would seem a bit too harsh.

But if the entire clan isn't sentenced to death, then this is no ordinary matter.

Therefore, the four members of the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian's group had no choice but to enter the palace together and let Emperor Zhou Chen make the decision.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen glanced at Liu Ye and Du Ruhui.

Liu Ye and Du Ruhui both lowered their heads.

Zhou Chen immediately understood why Liu Ye and the other three had entered the palace.

It's likely that Liu Ye and the other three entered the palace for this very purpose.

Also.

After all, Zhang Guojiu and the Zhang family were the Empress Dowager's maternal family, so it was understandable that the Six Ministries were hesitant to readily support their ideas.

Zhou Chen pondered for a moment, then picked up the jade seal beside him and stamped it on the memorial.

Then, Zhou Chen had Cao Shaoqin return the memorial to Liu Ye.

"Death penalty can be avoided, but living crime cannot be avoided."

"You six ministries should consider how to deal with Zhang Guojiu and the Zhang family."

Zhou Chen put down the jade seal and looked up to speak.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The four men, including the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian, bowed and spoke, a bitter feeling rising in their hearts. What does "considering carefully" mean?
There needs to be a standard for this!

Fortunately, Zhou Chen said that while he could escape the death penalty, he would not escape punishment.

This can be considered as giving them a general direction for the six departments.

"There are quite a few vacant official positions in the imperial court right now."

"Although it will not affect the normal operation of the court in the short term, it will inevitably have a significant impact in the long run."

“Especially important positions such as Minister of Revenue and Minister of Justice should not be left vacant for long.”

"What do you four think is the best way to resolve this matter?"

Zhou Chen then looked at Liu Ye and the other three and asked.

As the saying goes, "one radish for one hole," the officials currently lacking in the court can be temporarily relieved by other officials.

But this won't work in the long run.

This is the most pressing issue that needs to be addressed right now.

After a moment of contemplation, Du Ruhui stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Yuan, Zheng, and Fan families, those traitorous families who wanted to defy the heavens, have all been exterminated. The other powerful families are still loyal to our Great Zhou."

"I suggest that some capable officials from aristocratic families be promoted appropriately."

"This will resolve the current predicament facing both the court and the public."

Liu Ye also stepped forward and agreed, saying, "Your Majesty, I agree with Lord Du's opinion."

"Most talented people come from prominent families, but not all people from prominent families are as rebellious as the Yuan family."

"Whether they are officials from powerful or minor families, as long as they are capable and dedicated to serving our Great Zhou, the court should employ them accordingly."

The Minister of War and Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, remained silent.

Judging from Zhou Chen's actions during this period, the two could tell that Emperor Zhou Chen seemed to be intentionally targeting powerful and influential families, aiming to weaken their influence within the Great Zhou Dynasty.

In recent days, most of the officials who have been promoted to reserve positions have come from humble backgrounds.

Even if some people are born into prominent families, they are either from minor or declining families.

This reveals Emperor Zhou Chen's attitude towards powerful and influential families.

Therefore, neither the Minister of War nor the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian dared to speak easily.

After listening to Du Ruhui and Liu Ye's words, Zhou Chen understood what they meant.

They have now firmly controlled the power in the court, and even promoting officials from powerful and wealthy families has no effect.

This way, he could also subtly imply to the powerful families that he, the emperor, could tolerate them and did not intend to eradicate them from the entire country.

It's important to understand that anything in excess is harmful.

The deterrent effect of making an example of a powerful family is sufficient; there is no need to push them any further.

"It seems that after giving the aristocratic families a good beating, it's time to give them a sweet treat."

Zhou Chen thought to himself, then looked up at Liu Ye and the other three below and said, "Let's do it this way!"

"Du Ruhui, you will be in charge of this matter. Fill the vacant official positions as soon as possible."

"As for important positions such as Minister of Revenue and Minister of Justice, each of you should prepare a list."

"I will make a decision after I have read it."

Important positions like the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Justice had to be personally decided by Emperor Zhou Chen.

After all, these six ministers were the pillars and key officials of the imperial court.

Especially for positions like Minister of Justice and Minister of Revenue, which are among the most important in the Six Ministries, extra caution is required.

If mediocre people are put in such positions, the consequences could be dire.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Liu Ye and the other three bowed and said.

"By the way, Du Ruhui, how are the preparations for the imperial examinations going?"

Zhou Chen seemed to remember something and asked Du Ruhui again.

"Your Majesty, these are some memorials concerning the imperial examinations that I, Minister Li, and I prepared together."

"Your Majesty, please review this."

When Du Ruhui saw Zhou Chen asking about the imperial examinations, he immediately took out a memorial and handed it to Cao Shaoqin.

Cao Shaoqin presented the memorial to Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen took the memorial from Cao Shaoqin's hand, opened it, and glanced at it.

It must be said that Du Ruhui's memorial to the throne was very detailed and specific in its description of the imperial examination system.

After reading it, Zhou Chen nodded to Du Ruhui and said, "Du Ruhui, I have no objection to your plans regarding the imperial examinations."

"You should proceed according to your plan."

“Currently, the imperial court has few capable officials available, so a group of officials must be sent to Shu.”

"Therefore, the matter of the imperial examination should be put on the agenda as soon as possible."

Zhou Chen said with a serious expression.

The Shu region, after being pacified by Jia Xu, was also lacking in officials.

To be precise, the problem is a lack of available officials.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has never lacked people who want to become officials, but it lacks capable people.

"The minister obeys the order."

Du Ruhui, the Minister of War, and Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, bowed and spoke.

The imperial examinations were handled by these three individuals.

After reporting some more matters, Liu Ye and the other three left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

……

After Liu Ye and the other three left, Zhou Chen instructed Cao Shaoqin to retrieve all the information about the Eastern Depot that he had already read.

Then, Zhou Chen began his daily check-in.

"Sign in."

【bite…….】

[Check-in successful.]

[Congratulations, host, for gaining the loyalty of the character Xun Yu.]

Ok?
Xun Yu?
Zhou Chen's spirits lifted.

Xun Yu was a famous strategist in the Three Kingdoms period. He devoted his life to the Han Dynasty and can be considered one of the few loyalists to the Han.

He originally joined the ranks of that ruthless hero who said, "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me," hoping to save the Han Dynasty.

But who would have thought that in the end, it was the very forces that had served him and laid the foundation for the Han Dynasty that would bury it?

It has to be said, this is such a cruel twist of fate.

The main reason why that treacherous hero who had a penchant for married women was able to dominate the northern lands and conquer half of the country was because of Xun Yu.

This man was not only a brilliant strategist himself, who devised a blueprint and military strategy for unifying the north for that treacherous warlord, but also recommended a large number of top talents to that warlord.

Geniuses like Guo Jia and theatrical talents like Xun You were all recommended by Xun Yu.

It can be said that without Xun Yu, that cunning and ruthless leader might not have been able to conquer half of the country.

Unfortunately, Xun Yu died in despair.

Zhou Chen never expected that today's sign-in would lead to the appearance of Xun Yu, a remarkable figure.

"Xun Yu greets Your Majesty." A handsome figure appeared before Zhou Chen and bowed respectfully.

Zhou Chen glanced at Xun Yu and couldn't help but admire him inwardly; he was truly a handsome man.

It is said that Xun Yu was a handsome man, and this rumor is indeed true.

"Wenruo, there's no need for such formalities."

Zhou Chen looked at Xun Yu with satisfaction.

With the appearance of this talented advisor, Zhou Chen was greatly enhanced.

Zhou Chen had someone bring Xun Yu a stool to squat on, and then began to ask and answer questions with Xun Yu.

Zhou Chen wanted to hear Xun Yu's views and opinions on certain matters.

(End of this chapter)