You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 243 Hand over the items, and I'll leave you with your bodies intact.
The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian naturally understood the meaning behind Zhou Chen's last words.

Now, the Great Zhou has eliminated rebellious factions within its borders and exterminated foreign tribes, a situation that is indeed vastly different from before.

The so-called resistance is only relative to the previous Great Zhou. For the current Great Zhou, there is no resistance that can stop the court's policies.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, left the palace and returned to the Imperial Clan Court.

After returning to the Imperial Clan Court, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian went to the Hidden Martial Pavilion.

Upon seeing the figure lying at the entrance of the Hidden Martial Pavilion, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian immediately stepped forward and respectfully greeted, "Ancestor."

Zhou Rushan lay reclining on the chair, not even opening his eyes; "Did Zhou Chen summon you to the palace for something?"

Zhou Rushan, pale-faced, asked a question with his eyes closed.

In the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, the only person who would dare to call this emperor Zhou Chen "youngster" is probably the royal patriarch Zhou Rushan, who is right before us.

"His Majesty inquired about the Fifteenth Princess and her companions' cultivation practices, and His Majesty instructed the Imperial Clan Court to teach all members of the royal family cultivation from now on."

"Your Majesty also wishes to establish a royal academy to gather the talents of the land and teach both civil and military subjects."

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, briefly recounted how Zhou Chen had summoned him to the palace.

There was nothing for the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian to hide from his ancestor, Zhou Rushan.

"It seems that Zhou Chen is somewhat dissatisfied with the fact that none of the royal children in the palace are being taught cultivation."

Zhou Rushan opened his eyes and coughed lightly.

Upon seeing this, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian hurriedly asked, "Ancestor, are you alright?"

Zhou Rushan shook his head; "Zhou Chen did the right thing. From now on, the Imperial Clan Court should do its best to cultivate and teach all the royal children."

"Especially those with good talent, we should give them more resources so that they can grow quickly."

"Cao Zhengchun and Lü Bu and their ilk are indeed powerful, but they are outsiders after all, not members of the Great Zhou royal family."

"They are loyal to that kid Zhou Chen, but a hundred years from now, if a new emperor ascends the throne, will these people still be as loyal to the new emperor as they were to Zhou Chen?"

As Zhou Rushan spoke, he coughed lightly again.

Compared to the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian, Zhou Rushan, the ancestor of the royal family, considered things much more deeply.

Although Zhou Rushan didn't know where Zhou Chen had found Lu Bu and his group.

But in Zhou Rushan's view, these people were always outsiders.

They may be loyal to Zhou Chen and to the Great Zhou for a time, but they can never be loyal for a lifetime.

Just like Chancellor Yuan Bo, General Wu Jin, and Marquis Zhenbei, they were all loyal to the emperor and the Great Zhou at the beginning, but what happened in the end?

People's hearts are always changing.

Therefore, Zhou Rushan believed that only members of the royal family were the most reliable and capable of protecting the vast land of the Great Zhou and ensuring its continued existence.

This time, Zhou Rushan coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, immediately changed his expression; "Ancestor..."

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, shouted urgently.

Zhou Rushan waved his hand, indicating that it was alright; "I don't have many days left."

"However, being able to see my Great Zhou wipe out the alien races from all directions and achieve its current strength before I die is enough to put my mind at ease."

Zhou Rushan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said.

Zhou Rushan's lifespan was already limited, and after the previous battle with the leader of the Yellow Heaven Sect and the killing of two barbarian priests, he had exhausted his life force.

Especially those two barbarian priests, both of whom were powerful individuals who had reached the half-step Celestial Realm.

Although they all died at Zhou Rushan's hands, Zhou Rushan also paid a considerable price.

It can be said that Zhou Rushan's life has come to an end.

When Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, heard Zhou Rushan's words, his eyes reddened.

Zhou Rushan has been in charge of the royal family for many years and has always been the pillar of the Great Zhou royal family.

But now, this pillar of the royal family is about to fall, which is hard for the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian to accept.

Although the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian already knew that Zhou Rushan's lifespan was not long and had made preparations.

However, when the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian actually faced this scene, he still felt deeply saddened.

"Grandfather, His Majesty already knows that he is not the Empress Dowager's son."

"Furthermore, Cao Zhengchun is secretly investigating information about Consort Zhen from more than 20 years ago."

Despite the deep sorrow in his heart, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian spoke.

"Oh!"

Zhou Rushan exclaimed in surprise, his gaze becoming deep and unfocused.

It seems like they are reminiscing about the past.

After a while.

Zhou Rushan sighed; "More than twenty years have passed. I never imagined that the child who almost died back then would now become the restorer of the Great Zhou. The world is truly unpredictable!"

"Xiao Ba, let nature take its course!"

"He is already the emperor of the Great Zhou, and a qualified one at that. I believe he knows what is important."

Zhou Rushan said.

"But……"

Eighth Prince Zhou Xian wanted to say something, but Zhou Rushan interrupted him: "Little Eight, I know what you're worried about."

"But since Zhou Chen already knows, there's no way to hide it from him now."

"Judging by the time, those people will be entering the world again soon!"

Zhou Rushan's eyes flickered inexplicably.

I don’t know how long it took.

Zhou Rushan had already closed his eyes and lay back on the recliner to rest, while the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian had also left the Hidden Martial Pavilion.

……

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Not long after the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian left, Xiao He arrived outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"His Majesty."

"Prime Minister Xiao requests an audience outside the palace."

The eunuchs and guards reported this.

"Let him in."

Zhou Chen said.

moment.

Xiao He entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"I have met His Majesty."

After entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Xiao He bowed respectfully to Zhou Chen on the dragon throne.

"Prime Minister Xiao, there's no need for such formalities."

Zhou Chen waved his hand and looked up at Xiao He; "Prime Minister Xiao, is there anything you need to do at the Hall of Mental Cultivation?"

"Your Majesty, this is the compensation situation for the soldiers who died in the great battle."

"Please read this, Your Majesty."

Xiao He took out a memorial and said.

Cao Zhengchun, who was standing to one side, stepped forward, took the memorial from Xiao He's hand, and presented it to Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen took the memorial from Cao Zhengchun's hand.

I opened it and started reading.

It must be said that although this great battle outside the pass resulted in the extermination of the foreign tribes from all sides, the Great Zhou also suffered considerable losses.

Both the border troops and the Divine Martial Guard suffered heavy casualties.

After reading the memorial detailing the circumstances of the fallen soldiers, Zhou Chen sighed softly.

However, Zhou Chen also knew that people would die in any war.

The saying "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand" perfectly captures the cruelty of the battlefield.

Zhou Chen put down the memorial in his hand and looked up at Xiao He; "Prime Minister Xiao, you have been in court for some time now, and you should be basically aware of the problems within the Great Zhou."

"Now that the external enemies have been eliminated, the next step is to resolve the internal problems of the Great Zhou."

"Prime Minister Xiao, which aspect do you think we should start with?"

Zhou Chen looked at Xiao He and asked.

"Your Majesty, it seems that there are quite a few problems within the Great Zhou Dynasty."

"But in summary, it boils down to just two points."

"The first issue is the governance of officials. Whether it's the promotion of officials or the corruption in local areas, these are problems that the Great Zhou urgently needs to solve."

"The second point is taxation. A person cannot stand without wealth, and a horse cannot get fat without grass."

"Silver is indispensable for the revitalization of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

"Therefore, I think we can start with either of these two points."

Xiao He cupped his hands and said.

Zhou Chen nodded; "The reason I previously ordered the Ministry of Revenue to measure and survey the land throughout the country was because of the tax issue."

"Although I previously confiscated the property and exterminated the families of some officials and noble clans, which replenished the national treasury, it only temporarily solved the immediate problem."

"Solving the tax problem is the long-term solution."

"The Eastern Depot has sent word that the Ministry of Revenue has basically completed the survey and statistics of the land throughout the country."

"Xun Yu will return to Luoyang soon."

At this point, Zhou Chen looked at Xiao He; "Prime Minister Xiao, regarding the issue of land taxation, you and Fang Xuanling should first come up with a basic strategy." "We'll discuss the specifics after Xun Yu returns to Luoyang," Zhou Chen said.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Xiao He's eyes flickered, and he immediately understood Zhou Chen's meaning.

The first step is to address the drawbacks of the land issue.

Afterwards, Xiao He reported some other matters and then left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After Xiao He left, Zhou Chen pondered for a moment and glanced at Cao Zhengchun, who was standing beside him; "Is there any result regarding the Fifteenth Princess?"
"Was it a coincidence, or was someone directing things behind the scenes?"

Zhou Chen seemed to remember something and asked casually.

"Your Majesty, it was a coincidence."

"The Fifteenth Princess would practice martial arts there whenever she had time."

Cao Zhengchun bowed and said.

Zhou Chen nodded and said nothing more.

……

drive……

On the official road leading to Luoyang.

More than twenty people rode fast horses, whipping them into action, galloping towards Luoyang.

"Chief Supervisor Cao, we've been traveling all day. Let's find a place to rest up ahead!"

Xun Yu said to Cao Shaoqin.

"Alright, let's do as Minister Xun says and rest for a while up ahead."

Cao Shaoqin nodded.

That's right.

These twenty-odd people were Xun Yu, Cao Shaoqin, and others who had finished surveying and counting the land and were returning to Luoyang.

After running for several more miles, they came to a pavilion.

Xun Yu and Cao Shaoqin dismounted and entered the pavilion.

Ok?
As soon as he stepped into the pavilion, Cao Shaoqin raised an eyebrow.

"who?"

Cao Shaoqin's eyes, sharp as an eagle's, swept across the surrounding woodland outside the pavilion.

brush.

brush.

brush.

One after another, masked men in black, wielding long knives, charged out swiftly from the woods surrounding the pavilion.

in a blink.

The men in black surrounded the entire pavilion, numbering well over a hundred.

Each of the men in black exuded a fierce aura, clearly not weaklings.

"Hand over what you have, and we'll spare your lives."

"As for what it is, I'm sure you all know in your hearts, so I don't need to say more!"

One of the men in black looked at Cao Zhengchun and Xun Yu and said coldly.

"Heh, you actually dared to intercept and kill this Grand Eunuch, demanding that I hand over my things. You are truly audacious."

"It seems that the reputation of my Eastern Depot is not big enough, and some Tom, Dick, and Harry dare to provoke the tiger of my Eastern Depot."

Cao Shaoqin looked at the men in black with a sinister gaze, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

"Hmph, what kind of bullshit Eastern Depot is this? Others may be afraid of your Eastern Depot, but we are not."

"Hand over your stuff quickly, and I'll leave you with a whole corpse."

"Otherwise, chop them all up and feed them to the dogs."

The leader of the men in black spoke arrogantly, seemingly not taking Cao Shaoqin seriously at all.

Upon hearing the words of the leader in black, Cao Shaoqin laughed in anger.

I've seen arrogant people before, but I've never seen anyone so arrogant.

Even the four great clans wouldn't dare to be so arrogant in front of the Eastern Depot.

Cao Shaoqin didn't know whether these men in black were so arrogant as to be ignorant, or whether they truly had the capital to challenge their Eastern Depot.

"good very good."

“Even more arrogant than my Eastern Depot, I’d like to see who gets chopped up and who gets fed to the dogs.”

Cao Shaoqin was angry, his face flashing with an unprecedented coldness.

To be honest, this was the first time Cao Shaoqin had ever heard anyone dare to speak so brazenly about chopping him up and feeding him to the dogs, the second-in-command of the Eastern Depot.

"prick."

Cao Shaoqin's soft sword was already drawn from its sheath.

A cold light flashed.

Sword energy erupted forth.

The first few men in black were instantly covered in blood and fell to the ground.

"kill."

Hundreds of men in black also raised their knives and attacked Cao Shaoqin and Xun Yu.

The twenty-odd guards following Cao Shaoqin also drew their crescent blades and charged at the man in black.

A fierce battle suddenly broke out inside the pavilion.

Cao Shaoqin thrust his soft sword directly at the black-clad leader.

"puff."

After one sword.

The black-clad leader's head was sliced ​​off.

“These ants dare to rant in front of me; they are truly courting death.”

Enraged, Cao Shaoqin attacked and killed the black-clad leader with a single sword strike.

Cao Shaoqin had initially thought that the black-clad leader was arrogant because he had some merit.

But the result greatly disappointed Cao Shaoqin.

As Cao Shaoqin killed the leader of the men in black, two more men in black rushed out from both sides and attacked Cao Shaoqin.

Cao Shaoqin swung his soft sword again.

Streams of sword energy shot straight away.

"Puch."

The sword energy sliced ​​past the two figures in black.

The two figures in black suddenly exploded in mid-air, their blood splattering as they fell to the ground.

Cao Shaoqin did not stop, continuing to swing the soft sword in his hand.

Those hundreds of men in black were almost completely wiped out in the blink of an eye.

Xun Yu stood in the pavilion without making a move, but frowned slightly as he watched the black-clad men who had suddenly appeared.

These men in black were nothing more than ants to Cao Shaoqin.

But to the average person, these men in black are not weak.

In particular, there are three grandmasters among them.

This kind of group of people is not something that can be sent out by ordinary people.

The things these men in black demanded from them, if all goes as expected, should be the data results from the land survey.

Wave……

Just then, a barrage of crossbow bolts rained down from the woods surrounding the pavilion.

"court death."

Cao Shaoqin leaped into the air and unleashed several consecutive strikes with his soft sword.

The sword energies intertwined, forming a barrier of light that blocked the incoming rain of arrows.

Then, Cao Shaoqin struck casually.

The light screen formed by the interwoven sword energy transformed directly into specks of cold light, radiating outwards.

Screams immediately echoed from the woods surrounding the pavilion.

Cao Shaoqin took a step forward, and with a few leaps, he entered the surrounding woodland.

……

A few minutes later.

Hundreds of men in black had already fallen to the ground, turning into corpses.

Previously, the clamoring black-clad leader didn't even leave behind a complete corpse.

The woods surrounding the pavilion were littered with the corpses of men in black, and Xun Yu and his companions were no longer in the pavilion.

This sudden battle came quickly and ended just as quickly.

The pavilion, which had just been filled with the deafening roar of battle, has now returned to calm.

If it weren't for the corpses scattered all over the ground, no one would have thought that a fierce battle had just taken place in this pavilion.

Xun Yu and Cao Shaoqin were not affected by the ambush and continued their journey towards Luoyang.

(End of this chapter)