You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 287 Your Majesty, those worldly people have spoken.
East Factory.

Cao Zhengchun sat in the supervisor's chair, glanced at the head constable standing below, and asked, "How is the interrogation of those worldly people going?"

Previously, after Cao Zhengchun returned from Shu, he handed over the six worldly men to his subordinates and then hurriedly left Luoyang for Yingchuan.

Cao Zhengchun never had a chance to inquire about the interrogation of the six worldly men.

Now that the matter of the thirteen prominent families, including the Chen family of Yingchuan, has been resolved, Cao Zhengchun's attention has turned back to these six worldly people.

"Reporting to the Eunuch, those six men are very stubborn and have not spoken yet."

"The factory manager instructed us beforehand that they must not be allowed to die."

"Therefore, our subordinates dared not use excessive force."

The foreman cupped his hands in greeting.

"is it?"

Cao Zhengchun smiled sinisterly, "Since that's the case, then I'll go and meet them myself to see just how tough they really are."

Cao Zhengchun stood up and headed to the Eastern Depot prison.

Generally speaking, given Cao Zhengchun's status as a high-ranking official, he would not have needed to personally torture or interrogate prisoners or use torture to extract confessions.

All you need is the following factory security guard.

However, these six people who had entered the world had special identities, and the matters involved were of great importance. His Majesty had personally instructed him to find out their purpose for entering the world as soon as possible. Cao Zhengchun dared not delay and could only feel at ease if he handled it personally.

The Eastern Depot's prison was extremely dark.

A sinister atmosphere permeated the air.

When ordinary people step into the gates of the Eastern Depot prison, they feel a chill run down their spines.

As the head of the Eastern Depot, Cao Zhengchun was already accustomed to the gloomy atmosphere of the imperial prison.

Cao Zhengchun entered the prison and went to the deepest interrogation cell.

Inside the interrogation cell, a worldly man was hanging there, while two imperial guards were mercilessly whipping him.

With each lash, a bloody welt would appear on the body of the worldly person who was suspended in the air.

The worldly man hanging there was the masked man who was the first to attack Cao Zhengchun in Shu.

At this moment, the masked man no longer possessed his previous arrogant demeanor. The mask on his face was gone, revealing a young face covered in wounds.

"Factory manager."

Upon seeing Cao Zhengchun enter, both guards immediately bowed and saluted.

Cao Zhengchun waved his hand.

The two factory guards stepped aside.

Cao Zhengchun looked at this worldly man; "You have already witnessed the cruelty of the Eastern Depot. I don't want to waste any more words. If you are honest and tell me everything I want to know, I can give you a quick death."

The worldly man, now without his mask, glared at Cao Zhengchun with intense resentment. "Cao Zhengchun, if you dare to cripple us or torture us, you're dead."

“Not only you, the eunuch, but also the emperor, you are all doomed. No one can save you.”

"It won't be long before you find out what price you'll pay for doing this."

The worldly man, now without his mask, looked at Cao Zhengchun and said menacingly.

To think that they, dignified people who transcended worldly affairs, had become prisoners of a worldly eunuch, was such a disgrace.

Most importantly, Cao Zhengchun also crippled their strength.

It can be said that from this moment on, they are useless people, and Cao Zhengchun has completely cut off their path to becoming strong.

This level of cultivation is no different from that of someone who murdered their parents.

This worldly man, now without his mask, hated Cao Zhengchun to the extreme.

"Hey…"

Cao Zhengchun sighed softly, "Why bother? It seems you want to continue experiencing the tortures of the Eastern Depot."

"Someone is coming."

“Let him experience all 108 kinds of tortures from my Eastern Depot, one by one.”

"If that doesn't work, try it again in turn."

"I'd like to see if these people who think they're above worldly concerns are truly worthy of their pride."

Cao Zhengchun said in a feminine tone.

What he despised most were these self-righteous people who, relying on their privileged background, considered themselves superior and regarded all living beings as ants.

When dealing with such people, Cao Zhengchun had only one word: beat them until they behaved.

"Master, his abilities have been crippled. If we use excessive torture, I am worried that his body will not be able to withstand it."

The guard following behind Cao Zhengchun couldn't help but speak up.

The 108 cruel tortures of the Eastern Depot represent the ultimate suffering in the world; whipping and lighting lamps are merely appetizers.

Someone whose strength has been crippled like this probably won't last long.

Don't let them kill you under torture before you can get anything out of him.

"Don't worry, with me here, he can't die even if he wants to."

Cao Zhengchun said in a sinister tone.

No sooner had Cao Zhengchun finished speaking than the worldly man, who had no longer worn a mask, spoke up: "Isn't what you all want to know is the purpose of our involvement in this worldly affair?"

“I can tell you these things.”

"Uh?"

Cao Zhengchun was taken aback.

"I thought you were tough as nails, but it turns out you're all bark and no bite!"

Cao Zhengchun gave the worldly man hanging there a sinister look.

Just moments ago, this worldly person had a murderous expression, but unexpectedly, he relented in the blink of an eye, which was quite unexpected for Cao Zhengchun.

"Hehe, these are no secrets. You will all find out soon enough. I don't need to suffer torture for these things."

"Of course, most importantly, I want to see your expressions of horror, worry, fear, and despair after you find out these things."

The worldly man, now without his mask, sneered at Cao Zhengchun, naturally discerning the sarcasm in Cao Zhengchun's words.

However, this worldly person, now without his mask, didn't care.

He was eager to see what kind of expressions Cao Zhengchun and his group would have when they learned that Tianshan was going to divide up the secular world.

It must be worry, fear, even terror and despair.

Cao Zhengchun glanced disdainfully at this worldly man, said no more nonsense, and directly ordered the Imperial Guards to begin recording the interrogation.

Half a day later.

Cao Zhengchun looked at the interrogation records in his hand. Not only did the worldly person who had lost his mask give his testimony, but the other five worldly people had also spoken.

The Imperial Guards not only learned the purpose of these worldly people's involvement in this matter, but also extracted a lot of information about Tianshan from them, as well as the forces behind these six individuals.

Cao Zhengchun frowned slightly as he looked at what these worldly people had told him.

Cao Zhengchun never expected that the 'Tianshan Mountains,' which transcended worldly affairs, would actually be eyeing worldly matters.

This is no small matter.

Cao Zhengchun dared not delay. He immediately got up, took the information given to him by these worldly people, left the Eastern Depot, and headed for the palace.

……

The Prince's Mansion.

Inside the council chamber.

The Prince of Kao Shan sat in the main seat.

Below sits Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince.

Zhou Xian looked at Prince Zhou Zhan and said worriedly, "Uncle, isn't it said that those who are involved in worldly affairs generally don't interfere in secular matters?"

“Why is it that this time, these worldly people not only visited various forces, but also orchestrated your assassination attempt and had assassins kill court officials? These worldly people seem to have ulterior motives.” Zhou Zhan nodded. “Indeed, the actions of these worldly people this time are very different from the past, and they clearly have some kind of purpose.”

"How are those worldly people in the master's household doing?"

Zhou Zhan looked at the Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, and asked.

The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian sighed; “The four worldly men from our master’s household have been imprisoned in the Eastern Depot’s prison by His Majesty, and one of them has even been deposed by Cao Zhengchun. If our master’s household investigates this, we will all be in big trouble.”

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, had a somber expression.

King Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, had deep reservations about those who were worldly-minded.

The Eighth Prince had personally experienced the turmoil that occurred more than twenty years ago. He knew that in the face of those people, the mortal world was as insignificant and fragile as ants.

Now, not only has Zhou Chen imprisoned the main family's worldly representative in the Eastern Depot's prison, but he has also taken down the worldly representatives behind the Yingchuan Chen family and the Assassin's Tower.

This could not help but cause concern for the Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian.

One main family was enough to worry Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, not to mention the power behind other worldly people.

When the time comes and they are held accountable, will they be able to withstand the consequences?

"Alas, these are turbulent times!"

King Zhou Zhan sighed softly.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had just quelled internal turmoil and wiped out the foreign tribes from all directions outside the Great Wall, showing signs of a revival.

Unexpectedly, those people suddenly entered the world ahead of schedule.

Furthermore, those who entered the world with ulterior motives stirred up trouble in the secular world and harbored ill intentions towards the imperial court.

This was indeed something no one could have predicted.

……

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Just as Zhou Chen was about to rest, the eunuch from the Imperial Guard came in and reported, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Cao is requesting an audience outside the palace."

"Let him in."

"According to the order."

The eunuchs and guards bowed and withdrew.

soon.

Cao Zhengchun then entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"This old servant greets Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation and bowed respectfully.

Zhou Chen looked at Cao Zhengchun and said, "Cao Zhengchun, is there something you need to see me about so late?"

Cao Zhengchun is not on duty today.

It's so late, and Cao Zhengchun has come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to request an audience. Zhou Chen guesses that Cao Zhengchun must have something important to discuss.

"Your Majesty, the six worldly people I captured in the 'Assassin's Tower' stronghold in Shu have already spoken."

"This is the information they have provided; please review it, Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun took out the confessions of the six worldly people from his sleeve and presented them to Zhou Chen.

"Oh!"

"is it?"

"It seems that these worldly people are all bark and no bite, and are not as fearless as I imagined."

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

The testimonies contained information provided by those six worldly people.

Zhou Chen glanced at it, and his face immediately darkened.

"Hehe, I really didn't expect that those people would actually want to divide up the mortal world and my Great Zhou."

Upon seeing these messages, Zhou Chen sneered.

Now, Zhou Chen understood why those worldly people were visiting various forces; it turned out they had this in mind.

However, what Zhou Chen couldn't understand was why those people were plotting against the secular world.

Logically speaking, those people are a group of people who are detached from worldly affairs and look down on worldly matters.

This can be seen from the arrogant attitude of those who are worldly-wise.

So, they've suddenly set their sights on worldly territory?

"Did those six worldly people explain why those people from Tianshan set their sights on the secular world?"

Zhou Chen looked at Cao Zhengchun and asked.

Cao Zhengchun shook his head; "Your Majesty, those six people only told us this much. They said that their status was not high and they did not know why those people from Tianshan had their eyes on the mortal world. They had only heard from the forces behind them that the world was about to change and that fortune was gathering."

Is the world about to change?

A convergence of fortunes?

Zhou Chen frowned and muttered to himself.

Zhou Chen pondered the deeper meaning behind these words. In fact, they were not difficult to understand from the literal meaning, but whether they were as simple as they appeared was unknown.

However, there was one thing Zhou Chen was clear about.

That is, if those who transcend worldly concerns can look up to the secular world, then there must be some benefits in the secular world that are enough to tempt them.

As the saying goes, no one gets up early without a reason.

If there weren't enough enticing benefits, how could those who transcend worldly concerns possibly look down on such mundane and mundane things?

However, regardless of their reasons for targeting the mortal world, it is the territory of his Great Zhou, and Zhou Chen will absolutely not allow it.

If they want to divide up the secular world, they have to ask Zhou Chen, the emperor of the Great Zhou, if he agrees.

Zhou Chen put down the news in his hand, looked up at Cao Zhengchun and said, "Immediately investigate the whereabouts of all those who have entered the world, and keep a close eye on the actions of the powerful families that they have visited."

"Issue an order that the armies at the four borders must prepare for battle, and that Lü Bu, Zhao Yun,..."

Zhou Chen issued several decrees in succession.

Now that he knew the purpose of those worldly people, Zhou Chen could not sit idly by and wait for his doom.

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and said, "This old servant obeys the decree."

"besides"

"Interrogate those four worldly people who trespassed into the palace before, and see if they know anything more."

Zhou Chen seemed to remember something and spoke to Cao Zhengchun again.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun bowed again.

Previously, Zhou Chen had only imprisoned Zhou Wudao and the other three in the Eastern Depot's prison. Without clear instructions, Cao Zhengchun did not dare to interrogate Zhou Wudao and the other three on his own.

After all, Zhou Wudao and his three companions had somewhat special identities.

Especially Zhou Wudao, who looks exactly like Zhou Chen, even a sharp-eyed person would have a rough idea of ​​what was going on, let alone a shrewd person like Cao Zhengchun!

Now that the emperor has given clear instructions, Cao Zhengchun can begin interrogating Zhou Wudao and the other three.

Cao Zhengchun didn't care about the identities of Zhou Wudao and his three companions, or the relationship between Zhou Wudao and His Majesty.

Cao Zhengchun cared about the emperor's orders. As long as Emperor Zhou Chen gave the order, Cao Zhengchun would obey without question.

Zhou Chen didn't say anything more and waved to Cao Zhengchun.

"Old slave, please retire."

Cao Zhengchun politely took his leave and withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

(End of this chapter)