My palace is full of female protagonists.

The Prime Minister, his eyes wide and face contorted with rage, abruptly rose from his seat, his tall, imposing figure standing like a majestic mountain. He opened his mouth and unleashed a deafening roar, as resounding as a great bell: "I, Gao, am willing to personally lead the army to conquer the enemy! I swear to completely quell this chaotic world, restore a clear and bright sky to our capital, and create a peaceful and prosperous era where the people can live in peace and work happily!" His words were powerful and impassioned, like an unstoppable, surging force echoing throughout the spacious and magnificent hall.

Just as Prime Minister Gao finished speaking, Prime Minister Su, sitting to the side, was equally unwilling to be outdone. He quickly stood up and responded, "I am also willing to lead the army to the front lines. Not only that, I will also allocate a full 100,000 taels of silver from the Su family's private treasury to reward the brave and fearless Imperial Guards who are fighting valiantly on the battlefield. This will inspire them to wholeheartedly serve the country and resolutely protect this magnificent and vast land beneath our feet, even if it means fighting to the last drop of blood!" Every word of Prime Minister Su's was filled with unwavering determination and indomitable courage, which moved everyone who heard it.

With these two high-ranking officials setting such an example, the previously heavy and oppressive atmosphere in the court was instantly ignited. Immediately afterward, an elderly minister, his hair and beard completely white, slowly rose to his feet, his body trembling. Although his voice was weak due to old age and frailty, the loyalty and determination within it remained undiminished: "This humble official is now old and frail, and truly incapable of personally going to the battlefield to charge into battle. However, even so, this humble official is still willing to do everything in his power, even at the cost of his entire fortune, to donate fifty thousand taels of silver, just to demonstrate his unwavering loyalty to the country, and to take this opportunity to properly reward those valiant heroes who fought bravely."

These words were like a boulder crashing into a once calm lake, instantly creating countless waves. Ripples spread outwards in all directions with astonishing force, and the entire scene suddenly became noisy and lively.

The officials, usually pampered and privileged, blushed and eagerly shouted, "I'm willing to donate 30,000 taels!" "I'll donate 50,000 taels; it is the duty of a subject to share the nation's burdens!" The calls for donations rose and fell like a stirring symphony, echoing throughout the spacious hall. Every face radiated boundless enthusiasm and pride, as if they were donating not just silver, but their burning patriotism.

Zhao Chengyu sat upright on the dragon throne, a symbol of supreme power. His sharp gaze slowly swept across the entire room, his eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement and exhilaration. At this moment, an unprecedented surge of ambition welled up within him, as if the officials who had enthusiastically donated funds before him had become the sharpest weapons in his hands, capable of helping him to quell all rebellions and foreign enemies in one fell swoop.

Zhao Chengyu slightly raised his right hand and gently waved it downwards, signaling everyone to quiet down. Then, a pleased smile appeared on his lips as he said, "Your sincerity is truly a blessing to our dynasty! I am deeply gratified. Rest assured, I am absolutely not the kind of person who forgets kindness. When that rebellious traitor is completely eradicated and brought to justice, the ill-gotten gains he plundered will naturally be shared with all of you here today. Fang Hujie!"

Upon hearing the Emperor call his name, Fang Hujie dared not be negligent in the slightest. He quickly stepped forward, then bowed respectfully, cupped his hands, and said, "Your humble servant is here."

Zhao Chengyu looked at Fang Hujie with a solemn expression and ordered in a deep voice, "Quickly record the amount of donations from each of you today in detail, compile it into a book and present it to me. Remember, there must be no omissions."

Fang Hujie nodded in agreement and began to do mental calculations quickly. Before long, he confidently replied, "Your Majesty, according to my rough calculations, the officials present today have generously donated a total of 750,000 taels of silver."

Upon hearing this encouraging number, Zhao Chengyu's previously tense face instantly relaxed, and a slight smile appeared on his lips, revealing a look of extreme satisfaction and confidence. Then, he slowly rose from the dragon throne, his posture upright as a pine tree, radiating an invisible pressure.

At this moment, his deep and bright eyes gleamed with a sharp light, as if they could see through everything. With his rising, the atmosphere in the entire court became even more solemn.

Zhao Chengyu spoke in his deep and authoritative voice: "Today, I have truly felt the immense responsibility and supreme glory of being the ruler of a nation. My beloved ministers have followed me through these difficult times with unwavering loyalty and without complaint. How can I stand by and watch your efforts and sacrifices go to waste? When those traitors are completely eradicated, all their assets will be distributed fairly according to the merits of my beloved ministers."

At this point, Zhao Chengyu paused slightly, glancing around at the assembled ministers, before continuing his order: "Where is the Minister of Revenue? Immediately dispatch capable men to the residences of each of you to collect the donations. These funds are specifically for rewarding the Imperial Guards and the 30,000 brave and fearless soldiers of the capital for their efforts in quelling the rebellion. Every penny must be used where it is most crucial, with absolutely no waste or loss permitted. Once this order is issued, anyone who dares to disobey will be severely punished. Not only will their property be confiscated, but their entire family will be exterminated. This is to warn everyone against breaking the law! Have you all understood?"

Upon hearing this, the entire court fell into a deathly silence, as if time itself had frozen. Every official wore a solemn expression, beads of sweat even appearing on their foreheads. Their gazes were fixed on the emperor, who sat high on the dragon throne, their hearts filled with awe. For they all knew clearly that this was an ironclad rule personally established by the emperor, as unbreakable as steel, and absolutely no one dared to disobey it lightly.

Zhao Chengyu's astonishing move was like a thunderbolt from the sky, resounding in everyone's hearts. His resolute gaze and decisive action not only successfully bolstered morale, uniting the army and boosting its spirits, but also deeply moved everyone present, making them look at this young emperor with new respect. Through Zhao Chengyu's series of actions, people clearly saw his firm determination and extraordinary courage to rectify the court and revitalize the country. This determination was like a powerful torrent, unstoppable; this courage was like a towering mountain, awe-inspiring and awe-inspiring.

Zhao Chengyu thought to himself: Let these high-ranking officials shed some "blood" so they'll know the gravity of the situation, and stop them from acting as if nothing's wrong and turning a blind eye to the nation's crisis. His sharp eyes swept over the officials below, and he said in a steady, powerful voice: "My esteemed ministers, the situation on Empress Gao's side is also far from optimistic. She has been frequently sending me letters lately, mentioning that the number of rebels there is even greater, and their reasons for rebellion are varied and endless. This clearly shows that the rebels' influence has penetrated far deeper than we imagined."

He paused, his tone becoming even more serious: "Before this, I didn't pay enough attention to the assassination of the Yi princess and the rebellion at the city gates, merely considering it as foreign enemies using some ignorant lowlifes to cause trouble. But now it seems that things are far more complicated. It's clear that these rebels have their accomplices among our high-ranking officials, princes, and even higher levels. This is a conspiracy involving the entire court and the people; we must uproot it completely and never allow the foundation of our nation to be shaken!"

At this point, Zhao Chengyu's gaze became exceptionally firm. He looked around and continued, "For the sake of the nation's peace and to expose these hidden spies, I have decided that, regardless of rank or whether one is a member of the imperial family, anyone who can provide conclusive evidence to expose these traitors will be rewarded with five hundred taels of gold from my private treasury! This is my promise to the nation and a reward for those who are loyal!"

These words immediately caused a murmur in the court. The officials exchanged bewildered glances, clearly shocked by Zhao Chengyu's move. Five thousand taels of gold was no small sum for anyone; it was enough to ignite both their deepest greed and their loyalty to the country.

Seeing the initial effect, Zhao Chengyu nodded inwardly. He knew that sometimes, a little "stimulation" was necessary. He raised his voice again and emphasized, "Remember, the interests of the nation are above all else! Anyone who dares to betray the nation will be punished most severely! And those who are loyal will be forever remembered by the nation and given the rewards and honors they deserve!"

With Zhao Chengyu's firm and powerful voice, the atmosphere in the court became even more solemn and tense, and an unprecedented purge was about to begin.

As Zhao Chengyu had predicted, after the court session, the ministers who had contributed money, both eager for the reward and worried that their reports would not be accepted, flocked to the Imperial Study, eager to quickly express their loyalty to the emperor and vie to be the "brave ones." In no time, the area outside the Imperial Study was packed with ministers, creating a lively and bustling scene.

To cope with this sudden surge of interest, Xiao Kuangzi—the experienced steward of the Imperial Study—was extremely busy. He hastily mobilized all available personnel in the mansion, including the servants who were usually responsible for cleaning and organizing books, and threw them all into this "reception battle." They moved through the crowd, busy serving steaming hot tea to the waiting ministers, trying to soothe their anxious emotions in this way.

Inside the Imperial Study, Zhao Chengyu had already made all the necessary arrangements. He had specially arranged for the Empress, Yun Feiyu, Fang Hujie, and the Prefect of the Capital to participate in the reception. The four were assigned to small, specially prepared rooms, taking turns to receive the ministers who came to report their grievances. Each room was equipped with writing brushes, ink, paper, and an official scribe to record the ministers' reports.

However, things did not go as smoothly as Zhao Chengyu had hoped. As the ministers entered the room one by one, the accusations they brought gave the four of them a real headache.

An official in a magnificent robe entered the room nervously and immediately began to speak: "Your Majesty, I have a report. Zhang San, the Vice Minister of War, hosted a banquet at your residence yesterday, and during the meal, he expressed considerable dissatisfaction with Your Majesty." Upon hearing this, Yun Feiyu frowned and pressed, "Do you have any evidence? Or what specific words were spoken?" The official hesitated and only said, "I was not present at the time, but this matter has already become the talk of the town in the capital."

Another minister reported, "I have noticed that strangers frequently enter and leave the home of Li Si, a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, and their behavior is suspicious." Upon hearing this, Fang Hujie immediately became alert, but then asked, "Have you personally seen these people? What are their identities? What is suspicious about them?" The minister could only shake his head, saying that he had only heard it from his neighbors.

Even more shockingly, a minister reported, "I suspect that Wang Wu, the Vice Minister of Works, is extremely harsh on the craftsmen and often deducts their wages." Upon hearing this, the Empress frowned slightly and pressed, "Have you personally witnessed him deducting wages? Are there any craftsmen willing to testify?" The minister could only awkwardly admit that he had only heard the craftsmen discussing it privately.

One such incident after another kept the four officials on the run. They not only had to deal with the ministers' barrage of accusations, but also had to sift through them to find valuable clues. Most of the time, however, they only received vague and trivial details, lacking solid evidence and making it difficult to prove their authenticity.

Upon learning of this situation, Zhao Chengyu was deeply worried. He knew that truly uncovering the spies lurking within the court would require much more patience and wisdom. Therefore, he decided to strengthen the collection and screening of intelligence, while raising the bar for whistleblowing to ensure that every piece of information reaching the emperor's attention was truthful and credible. Only in this way could the hidden dangers be truly eliminated for the country, restoring its former peace and prosperity.

Meanwhile, outside the Imperial Study, Prime Minister Gao and Prime Minister Su had become de facto "selection officials." Standing among the crowd, they screened and evaluated the ministers who hadn't yet gone in to report. In order to gain acceptance for their intelligence, the ministers flocked to these two high-ranking officials, wanting to hear their opinions and see if their reports were worth sharing.