You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 281 I'll wipe them all out.

royal palace.

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen sat upright on the dragon throne, flipping through the memorials.

Just then, a palace eunuch came in and reported, "Your Majesty, the Left Chancellor, Lord Xiao, is requesting an audience outside the palace."

Zhou Chen casually said, "Summon him in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The eunuchs and guards bowed and withdrew.

moment.

Xiao He then entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"Your subject Xiao He greets Your Majesty."

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

Zhou Chen closed the memorial and looked up at Xiao He; "Left Prime Minister, no need for formalities."

"What important matter brings you to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, my dear minister?"

Zhou Chen asked.

Xiao He immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to report on the Ministry of Revenue's investigation into the illegal acquisition of land by powerful local families."

“In recent days, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue who have been investigating land in various places have not been as successful as before.”

"Some powerful and wealthy families have stopped cooperating with the Ministry of Revenue officials as before, and have stopped making any moves to investigate and pay back the taxes owed for the land they seized on their behalf..."

Xiao He explained in detail all the problems that the Ministry of Revenue was encountering in its land surveys.

With Xun Yu absent, the Ministry of Revenue's affairs were usually handled by the Vice Minister of Revenue.

But for something as important as this, it had to be reported to Xiao He.

After all, Xiao He was the Left Chancellor, in charge of all civil and military officials. Even when the Minister of Revenue was absent, Xiao He had the right to inquire about the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen nodded. "I am already aware of this matter, and I will hand it over to the Eastern Depot to handle."

With the existence of the Eastern Depot, Zhou Chen had already received information about these matters from them.

Zhou Chen could also guess why these powerful families dared not cooperate with the imperial court as before.

This is probably all related to those who are involved in worldly affairs.

After reporting some more matters, Xiao He left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After Xiao He left, Zhou Chen's gaze became somewhat profound.

Since those people entered the fold, it did indeed affect the smooth progress of the Ministry of Revenue's investigation of those lands.

Some powerful and influential families thought that by relying on these worldly people, they could stand against the imperial court. What a pipe dream!

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Cao is requesting an audience outside the palace."

At this moment, the eunuchs and guards came in to report.

Oh!
"Cao Zhengchun is back!"

Zhou Chen's spirits lifted.

Cao Zhengchun left Luoyang on his orders to investigate the assassin's den.

Now that he's back, there must be some results.

"Let him in."

Zhou Chen spoke to the eunuchs and guards.

soon.

Cao Zhengchun, looking travel-worn, entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"This old servant pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun bowed respectfully.

Zhou Chen looked at the travel-worn Cao Zhengchun and asked, "How is the matter I entrusted to you progressing?"

Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant has found the lair of the Assassin's Tower."

"This old servant personally led the Imperial Guards to wipe out the Assassin's Lair. Not a single person escaped, and the entire Assassin's Lair no longer exists."

"Through interrogating the mastermind of the Assassin's Tower, I have uncovered the mastermind behind the interception of Prince Kao Shan and the assassination of the Ministry of Revenue officials."

"However, there are many powerful families involved behind this, and this old servant dares not make a decision on his own."

"These are the results of my investigation. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it to Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen opened it and glanced at it.

Zhou Chen's face immediately darkened. Just as Zhou Chen had expected, the people behind the ambush of the Prince of Kao Shan and the assassination of the Ministry of Revenue officials were indeed powerful and influential families.

What Zhou Chen never expected was that the people behind this were not just one or two families, but more than a dozen.

Besides these aristocratic and wealthy families, there are also worldly people involved behind the scenes.

To be more precise, behind this event, it was actually those worldly people who were pushing it forward.

After reading the contents of the memorial, Zhou Chen's face turned ashen.

Zhou Chen looked up at Cao Zhengchun and asked, "Are all of these true?"

These prominent and wealthy families are not small or insignificant households.

Zhou Chen wanted to double-check the results to make sure there were no errors.

Cao Zhengchun nodded affirmatively; "Your Majesty, this old servant has confirmed these facts repeatedly, and they are all true."

After receiving confirmation, Zhou Chen did not hesitate and said coldly, "Since it is all true, then kill them for me."

"I will wipe out all those powerful families who dare to hire assassins from the Assassin's Guild to ambush Prince Kao Shan and assassinate court officials."

"Leave no one behind."

A cold glint flashed across Zhou Chen's face.

Zhou Chen never showed mercy to these powerful and influential families who dared to oppose the imperial court.

Zhou Chen wanted to see just how tough these powerful families really were, and whether they were afraid of death.

"Old slave obeys the order."

Cao Zhengchun bowed and said.

Zhou Chen then looked at Cao Zhengchun and asked, "What about the six worldly people who were arrested?"

Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, those six people have already been imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, but we haven't had a chance to interrogate them yet."

Having pried open the mouth of the leader of the Assassin's Tower, Cao Zhengchun immediately returned to Luoyang.

There wasn't enough time to interrogate the six worldly people.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen immediately said, "We need to get them to talk as soon as possible and find out what their purpose is in entering the WTO this time."

"Especially regarding the situation in the Tianshan Mountains, have everything clarified for me."

Zhou Chen knew very little about the situation in Tianshan.

Even the Eighth Prince only knew a little bit about it and didn't understand much.

Therefore, if Zhou Chen wanted to understand the situation in Tianshan, he could only start by talking to these worldly people.

"Old slave obeys the order."

Cao Zhengchun bowed and said.

"besides."

"Issue an edict throughout the land, telling those who are involved in worldly affairs that this Great Zhou is not Tianshan. In the Great Zhou, one must abide by the rules of the court."

"otherwise."

"I will wipe them out directly."

This is Zhou Chen's ultimatum to those who are involved in worldly affairs.

He didn't care who those people who entered the world were, as long as they were law-abiding citizens and followed the rules of the Great Zhou.

Then everything is negotiable.

Zhou Chen wouldn't bother with them.

But if they dare to cause trouble in the Great Zhou and disregard the rules of the Great Zhou, Zhou Chen will not hesitate to suppress them.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

A glint of light flashed in Cao Zhengchun's eyes.

Cao Zhengchun knew that this was His Majesty issuing another ultimatum to those who were involved in worldly affairs.

If those worldly people heard this, then nothing would happen, and everyone would be fine.

If those worldly people are ungrateful and ignore His Majesty's ultimatum, then their days are numbered.

"Go do it!"

Zhou Chen said nothing more and waved to Cao Zhengchun.

"Old slave, please retire."

Cao Zhengchun turned and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Next, the Eastern Depot will confiscate his property and exterminate his entire family.

(End of this chapter)