The poorest member of the Imperial Guard, the Empress begged me to embezzle.

"Yes!"

Chu Xiu's eyes lit up, and he thought to himself.

Sure enough, as long as we eradicate forces like the Qitian Chamber of Commerce that create demons, we're doing something positive.

But what exactly is this Taiyi Golden Elixir?

Even Chu Xiu was hearing this name for the first time.

The voice just fell.

An immense power of ascension appeared in Chu Xiu's dantian, causing his cultivation level to break through from the first level of the Ascension Realm to the second level.

Then, the introduction to the Taiyi Golden Pill appeared in Chu Xiu's mind.

The Taiyi Golden Elixir is a pill that is no weaker than the Ten Thousand Buddha Golden Elixir. Its effects are the same: to cleanse the marrow and enhance the talent and aptitude of martial artists.

"Big money!"

"I never imagined there would be ten Taiyi Golden Pills!"

"Enough to produce a peerless genius, or even a true prodigy, within our Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

A smile appeared on Chu Xiu's face. In his opinion, the reward of the Taiyi Golden Pill was far more important than the power of ascending to immortality.

After all, raising one's cultivation level by one small realm is useful to him, but its effect is far less than that of the Taiyi Golden Core.

"It's time to go to the palace to meet the Emperor!"

Chu Xiu took a step and disappeared outside the study of the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He couldn't possibly be unaware of the King of Qi.

The late emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty had few children, a total of nine sons and two daughters.

The Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty was the youngest, a princess from the previous emperor's reign.

She was also one of the late emperor's most favored daughters.

Another one is the eldest princess.

The eldest princess has a quiet and unassuming personality, so she has always kept a low profile. She and the youngest princess are siblings from the same mother and have an excellent relationship.

However, the nine princes were not simple.

During the reign of the late emperor, a power struggle among the nine princes almost erupted.

Unexpectedly, the late emperor did not choose any of the nine princes, but instead supported Princess Murong Si, who had no powerful family background, as the crown prince, and helped her all the way to become the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

With the support of Qi Tianchen, the Grand Preceptor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Murong Si eventually ascended the throne and became the empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Not bad.

Although Murong Si's mother was favored by the late emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, she did not come from a powerful or aristocratic family.

The nine princes were different. All nine princes' mothers came from powerful and influential families, and seven of them were noble ladies from the Five Families and Seven Noble Families!

Among them, the mother of the King of Qi was from the Hongnong Yang clan, one of the five surnames and seven noble families.

She is the niece of Yang Yan, the current head of the Hongnong Yang family and the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

Therefore, Prince Qi was one of the most outstanding princes among the nine princes vying for the throne.

Even though King Qi has become more low-key in recent years since Murong Si ascended the throne, and usually only holds poetry gatherings and lives a carefree life, people still know that King Qi is one of the owners behind the Qitian Chamber of Commerce.

Chu Xiu felt that this King of Qi might not necessarily become more obedient.

This person is definitely not as simple as they seem!

After a while.

Outside the Taiji Palace.

"Your humble servant Chu Xiu has come to request an audience with Your Majesty."

Chu Xiu stood tall and imposing outside the Taiji Palace, clasping his hands in a fist salute as he spoke.

"Minister Chu has arrived?"

Empress Murong Si, who was reviewing memorials at her desk in the Taiji Palace, frowned slightly, looked at Jiang Wan'er, and said, "Jiang Wan'er, go and bring Chu Aiqing in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Jiang Wan'er exchanged a glance with Pei Guanyin, bowed, and then withdrew.

They were also wondering if Chu Xiu's visit to the palace today was because he encountered some difficulties in the process of annihilating the Qitian Chamber of Commerce.

After all, Chu Xiu had only recently entered the palace to meet the emperor.

The Beijing garrison should have just made its move, and it has just attacked the headquarters of the Qitian Chamber of Commerce in Beijing.

The fact that they entered the palace so quickly means that something major must have happened.

Not long after.

Jiang Wan'er then led Chu Xiu into the main hall of Taiji Palace.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Jiang Wan'er stepped aside and stood there.

"Your humble servant Chu Xiu greets Your Majesty."

Chu Xiu bowed to Murong Si.

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

"Please take a seat."

Murong Si waved her hand, her expression remaining impassive.

"Yes."

A palace maid responded and carried a chair to Chu Xiu's back, placing it there.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness."

After Chu Xiu expressed his gratitude, he sat down.

"Minister Chu, what brings you to the palace at this hour?"

Murong Si glanced at Chu Xiu and said indifferently.

"Your Majesty, I have important matters to report."

Chu Xiu said with a solemn expression.

"Minister Chu, please speak frankly. Whatever the matter is, I will resolve it for you!"

Murong Si said with an air of domineering arrogance.

Chu Xiu remained silent.

Seeing this, Murong Si understood. She said in a low but firm voice, "Everyone except Jiang Wan'er and Pei Guanyin, may leave!"

"Yes."

The palace maids in the main hall of Taiji Palace bowed and quietly withdrew.

A group of palace maids walked out of the main hall of Taiji Palace and closed the main hall door from the outside.

However, the light inside the main hall was not affected in any way; it was still brightly lit even though no lamps were lit.

Only Chu Xiu, Murong Si, Pei Guanyin, and Jiang Wan'er remained in the main hall.

Pei Guanyin and Jiang Wan'er can be considered Murong Si's right-hand women.

If neither of them can be trusted, then there are very few people in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty whom Murong Si can trust.

"Your Majesty, when General Xie Xuan, the deputy commander of the Beijing Garrison, was wiping out the headquarters of the Qitian Chamber of Commerce in the capital, the Chamber's leader, Qian Zhenbei, said that the Qitian Chamber of Commerce was backed by the Prince of Qi!"

"Although I suspect that the King of Qi is likely just one of the owners behind the Qitian Chamber of Commerce."

"However, I dare not be negligent in the slightest. I rushed to the palace to see Your Majesty and wanted to inform you of this matter."

Chu Xiu spoke earnestly and forcefully.

"King Qi?"

Murong Si's pupils contracted, her usually cool and aloof face turning icy cold as she said in a chilling voice, "Minister Chu, do you think the Prince of Qi knows that the Qi Tian Chamber of Commerce was established by the Heavenly Demon Sect?"

The air in the entire Taiji Palace seemed to freeze, condensing into frost that fell to the ground.

Thin layers of ice began to form on the floor of the entire hall, giving people a chilling, icy feeling, as if they were in a snowy wonderland.

"Wei Chen doesn't know."

"However, I have already ordered the Northern Garrison Command's prison to expedite the interrogation."

"We must find out everything in the shortest possible time!"

Feeling the bone-chilling coldness emanating from the main hall of Taiji Palace, Chu Xiu was secretly astonished. Even with his cultivation level, he felt the chill, demonstrating just how terrifying Murong Si's strength was. This was clearly not just ordinary cold air. On the surface, however, he remained calm, shook his head, and said...

"King Qi, it seems my fourth elder brother is still unwilling to relinquish the throne to me!"

“Even after I have ascended the throne, he still wants to seize the throne from me, and he even goes so far as to collude with forces like the Heavenly Demon Sect.”

Upon hearing this, Murong Si gave a cold laugh and said...