You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 289 This is the consequence of disobeying His Majesty's decree
After leaving court.

Zhou Chen returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After sitting on the dragon throne, Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Zhengchun, who had been serving him, and asked, "Has the imperial decree been issued yet?"

Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant sent out the decree last night, and I estimate that the four border regions have already received Your Majesty's decree."

Cao Zhengchun knew that Zhou Chen was not asking about the decree from the morning court session, but rather the decree issued last night to the Eastern Depot and the border regions.

Last night, after Cao Zhengchun left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he immediately sent out the imperial decree using the Eastern Depot's messenger hawk.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen nodded; "Then you should also make preparations and head to Lingnan first!"

"You don't need me to teach you how to do it, do you?"

Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Zhengchun and said.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, this old servant understands."

Cao Zhengchun bowed and said.

"Go!"

Zhou Chen waved his hand and said no more.

"Old slave, please retire."

Cao Zhengchun withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After Cao Zhengchun left, Zhou Chen fell into deep thought.

Zhou Chen issued an edict to the armies on all four borders, ordering them to prepare for battle as a precaution.

Those who entered the world visited many prominent families and powerful forces in various places, but no one could guarantee how many of these families and forces would side with them like the thirteen prominent families, such as the Chen family of Yingchuan.

Therefore, Zhou Chen had to make arrangements in advance and prepare for the mobilization of troops.

If the imperial court arrests those worldly people and those powerful families don't react, then everything is fine.

However, if, when the imperial court is arresting those who have entered the world, those powerful and aristocratic families dare to make any moves or follow those who have entered the world to oppose the imperial court, then Zhou Chen will not hesitate to send out a large army to wipe out those powerful and aristocratic families as well.

At this moment, a palace eunuch entered and reported: "Your Majesty, the Eighth Prince is requesting an audience outside the palace."

"Summon the Eighth Prince."

Zhou Chen put aside his thoughts and spoke to the eunuchs and guards.

"According to the order."

The eunuchs and guards withdrew.

soon.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, then entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"I have met His Majesty."

After entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian addressed Zhou Chen, who was seated on the dragon throne, with utmost respect.

Zhou Chen looked up at the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian; "Eighth Imperial Uncle, you've come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to see me, surely you still want to persuade me?"

The morning court session had just ended, but Prince Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, did not leave and went directly to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Needless to say, this is probably still because of those worldly people.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, braced himself and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am not against Your Majesty dealing with those worldly people."

"I am worried that if we beat the younger one, the older one will come after us."

“Once His Majesty takes down these worldly people, the forces behind them will certainly not remain indifferent.”

"At that time, facing those powerful figures from Tianshan, our Great Zhou will have no chance of winning."

“Even the main family will no longer protect our branch.”

"I hope Your Majesty will reconsider."

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, spoke earnestly, and Zhou Chen could tell that the Eighth Prince was genuinely worried about the royal family.

"Eighth Imperial Uncle, I understand what you mean."

"But what happened more than twenty years ago, Eighth Imperial Uncle should not have forgotten! The main family cannot be relied upon."

"Eighth Imperial Uncle, let's take a look at these first!"

Zhou Chen picked up some interrogation records next to the dragon table and handed them to the Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian.

Previously, the testimony shown to the officials at the morning court was only a part of the testimony.

Zhou Chen deliberately withheld some information from his confession in order to avoid causing too much turmoil.

But now, Zhou Chen wants to show all this information to the Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, so that he understands that things have reached a point where there is no turning back.

Even if they don't take action against those who enter the world, their royal family will still be swallowed up by the main family and become pawns in the struggle of those who enter the world next.

After reading these messages, Prince Zhou Xian's expression changed several times; "Your Majesty, this..."

The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian glanced at Zhou Chen, unsure of what to say for a moment.

He never expected that even the master's family would participate in this struggle to divide up the secular world.

Can the Great Zhou Dynasty still be preserved?
"Eighth Imperial Uncle, now you should understand the situation we're facing!"

Zhou Chen glanced at the Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, and said.

"In fact, the Left Prime Minister is right about something: the territory of our Great Zhou is not to be coveted by anyone."

A sharp glint flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes.

Those who engage with the world treat the secular world as their arena for competition. What do they consider the secular world to be?
If they still want to divide up the secular world, they'll have to ask this secular emperor if he agrees.

……

Langya.

Wang family.

Inside the council chamber.

The head of the Wang family sat in the main seat.

Below sat two arrogant young men in brocade robes.

One of the young men in brocade robes looked at the Wang family patriarch in the main seat and asked, "Patriarch Wang, what has your Wang family decided?"

Another young man in brocade robes glanced at the Wang family patriarch and said, "Patriarch Wang, you're not going to tell us that your Wang family hasn't made up its mind yet!"

"We don't have much time to give you, the royal family head, to consider this."

"Whether it's acceptable or not, Chief Wang, give us a straight answer today."

The Wang family patriarch, seated at the head of the table, smiled politely and said, "Young masters, as you know, this matter concerns the rise and fall of the Wang family, so we must be cautious."

"Young Master Jiang, if my Wang family is willing to serve you, can you guarantee the absolute safety of my Wang family?"

The Wang family patriarch looked at the young man in brocade robes who had spoken first.

If you want the Wang family to serve you, you must first ensure their absolute safety when facing the imperial court.

If even the most basic safety of the Wang family cannot be guaranteed, then what reason does the Wang family have to serve them?

The young man in brocade robes, who was known as Young Master Jiang, looked at the head of the Wang family in the main seat and said, "Your Highness can rest assured about this."

"Since your Wang family works for us, then your Wang family is one of ours. If your Wang family encounters a crisis, we will not stand idly by."

At this point, the young man in brocade robes, who was also known as Young Master Jiang, changed the subject again: "Of course, this matter mainly depends on your Wang family. Under normal circumstances, we will not easily take action against people in the secular world."

"However, we will give your Wang family some benefits, allowing some of your Wang family members to reach a higher level of strength, and it will be no problem for a few half-step Celestial Realm experts to emerge."

"I believe that if your Wang family had a few half-step Celestials in this mortal world, they would generally have no problem protecting themselves."

Upon hearing Young Master Jiang's words, a hint of joy flashed deep in the eyes of the Wang family patriarch.

One of the important reasons why the Langya Wang family could not compare with the four great clans and feared the imperial court was that the Wang family lacked a half-step Celestial Realm expert to oversee them.

If the Wang family also had a half-step Celestial Being, then the overall strength of the Langya Wang family would reach a new level.

By then, even if the Langya Wang family is not as powerful as the four great clans, they will still have the confidence to sit at the same table with them.

"Young Master Jiang, if it were a member of the royal family who had entered the world and wanted to deal with my Wang family, and was willing to go to any lengths to destroy my Wang family, would you still be able to protect my Wang family?"

The Wang family patriarch suppressed the joy in his heart and continued to ask.

Upon hearing this, the young man surnamed Jiang smiled calmly and said, "Is the Wang clan leader worried that after we offer some benefits to those worldly people from the royal family, they will abandon your Wang family like a discarded pawn?"

The Wang family patriarch gave an awkward, noncommittal smile.

He was indeed worried about this. As the saying goes, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.

As long as the benefits are sufficient, nothing is too valuable to give up.

As the head of a first-class aristocratic family, the Wang family patriarch is more aware of this than anyone else.

Those members of the royal family who had entered the world, and Young Master Jiang and his group, were all worldly people from the Tianshan Mountains.

Nobody knows if they have any connection behind the scenes.

And the Langya royal family, in essence, is merely a pawn in this game.

If, at that time, the royal family's worldly figures offer some benefits to Young Master Jiang and his group in order to destroy the Wang family, then it's not impossible that Young Master Jiang and his group would abandon the Wang family like pawns.

"Your Highness can rest assured. This worldly competition is of great importance. As long as Your Highness serves us wholeheartedly, you need not worry about anything else."

"Whether it's members of the royal family or members of the four great clans, with us here, they can't touch your Wang family."

The young man in brocade robes, known as Young Master Jiang, saw through the Wang family patriarch's thoughts and gave him a clear guarantee.

Upon hearing this, the Wang family patriarch's expression relaxed; "That's good."

Although the Wang family patriarch said this on the surface, he did not take Young Master Jiang's words seriously in his heart.

As a seasoned shrewd old fox from a powerful family who has weathered decades of ups and downs, the Wang family patriarch understands better than anyone that any so-called guarantee is nothing but empty words.

Faced with absolute interests and reality, any guarantee is utterly vulnerable.

But right now, the Langya Wang family is also in a precarious situation and has no choice but to make a decision.

"So, Chief Wang has agreed to work for us?"

The young man in brocade robes, surnamed Jiang, looked at the Wang family patriarch sitting in the main seat.

at this time.

A commotion arose outside the hall.

A butler hurried into the council hall.

"Master, Cao Shaoqin has arrived with the Imperial Guards, along with several hundred Divine Martial Guards."

"Judging from their aggressive demeanor, they seem to have come with ill intentions."

The butler hurriedly said this as he entered the council hall.

what?
The Wang family patriarch's expression changed slightly.

What was Cao Shaoqin doing at the Wang family's residence with the imperial guards at this time?
He also brought hundreds of Divine Martial Guards with him.

The Wang family patriarch frowned and looked at the two young men in brocade robes. "Young Master Jiang, you heard it too. Cao Shaoqin has brought the Imperial Guards to my Wang family. I need to go and see what Cao Shaoqin wants to do."

"We'll talk about our business later."

As the Wang family patriarch spoke, he stood up.

"Clan Chief, let's go together!"

"We also want to see what kind of person Cao Shaoqin, the second supervisor of the Eastern Depot, is."

The two young men in brocade robes also stood up.

The Wang family patriarch originally wanted the two young men in brocade robes to leave.

Seeing that the two young men in brocade robes did not seem to intend to avoid the situation, the Wang family patriarch hesitated for a moment and then remained silent.

The three of them then walked out of the council hall together.

……

now.

The main gate of the Wang family mansion.

Eagle suit.

Crescent blade.

Jade belt.

Hundreds of guards stood coldly, positioned on the left and right sides.

Behind them stood hundreds of Divine Martial Guards, ready for battle.

Cao Shaoqin stood in front, silent.

Cao Shaoqin had just received a secret imperial edict from Luoyang.

Therefore, Cao Shaoqin, without saying a word, led his men directly to the Wang family.

"What wind has blown Chief Supervisor Cao to my Wang family today? It truly brings honor to our humble abode!"

"I wonder what brings Commander Cao and his large entourage to my Wang family?"

The head of the Wang family came out and looked at Cao Shaoqin politely.

As the patriarch of the Wang family, a first-class aristocratic family, the fact that he personally came out to greet Cao Shaoqin showed that he had given Cao Shaoqin enough face.

"Clan Chief, you've said too much. This Chief Supervisor will not say any more."

"His Majesty has decreed..."

Cao Shaoqin didn't waste any words and spoke loudly.

"All powerful and influential families in the land are forbidden from contacting, interacting with, or assisting those in worldly affairs. All those in worldly affairs must go to the Eastern Depot in Luoyang within three days to register their identities..."

Upon hearing Cao Shaoqin's words, the Wang family patriarch's expression changed.

The Wang family patriarch never expected that the imperial court would issue an edict forbidding aristocratic families from contacting worldly people.

The two young men in brocade robes following behind the Wang family patriarch narrowed their eyes slightly, a disdainful sneer appearing on their lips.

A mere imperial decree.

Is it possible to sever the idea of ​​worldly forces siding with those of us who are involved in worldly affairs?

It's laughable that they expect these worldly people to keep their identities in check and abide by the rules of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The two young men in brocade robes didn't know whether this imperial decree was the work of those worldly members of the royal family. If it was, then it was too childish.

It's simply impossible to use this move to tie the hands and feet of these worldly people.

To this day, the other worldly people are still unaware that the worldly people of the royal family have long been prisoners, locked up in the Eastern Depot's imperial prison.

After conveying the emperor's decree, Cao Shaoqin looked at the patriarch of the Wang family and said, "Patriarch Wang, you have heard His Majesty's decree."

"Anyone who dares to disobey the imperial decree shall be treated as a traitor."

"Similarly, all those who enter the world who fail to report their identities in Luoyang within three days will be identified as traitors and will be directly surrounded and exterminated."

As he finished speaking, a cold glint flashed across Cao Shaoqin's face.

"Chief Supervisor Cao, isn't His Majesty's decree a bit too unreasonable?"

"Does His Majesty intend to interfere with the freedom of us aristocratic families?"

The Wang family patriarch looked at Cao Zhengchun with some dissatisfaction and said.

The emperor first abolished the privileges of aristocratic families, then revoked their private armies, and now demands that aristocratic families not have any contact with worldly people.

This is practically equivalent to imprisoning the powerful and wealthy families.

"so."

"The royal clan chief has objections to His Majesty's decree."

Cao Shaoqin's face turned cold.

He slapped the patriarch of the Wang family.

"puff."

Before the Wang family patriarch could react, Cao Shaoqin slapped him away with a single palm strike.

After the Wang family patriarch fell to the ground, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Cao Shaoqin looked at the Wang family patriarch who had fallen to the ground and said in a sinister tone, "This is the consequence of daring to disagree with His Majesty's decree. Patriarch Wang, this is my warning to you. If there is a next time, it will not be as simple as a slap. Your Langya Wang family will be completely wiped out from the Great Zhou."

Cao Shaoqin's icy gaze sent a chill down the spine of the Wang family patriarch.

The Wang family patriarch had no doubt that if he dared to speak again and object to the imperial edict, Cao Shaoqin would directly wipe out his Langya Wang family.

(End of this chapter)