I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

He noticed the deep tracks left by the horse-drawn carriage wheels in the snow.

This is far beyond the weight of ordinary silk.

"It seems we need to move the black fire."

Just as Zhu Houcong had predicted, Yan Que indeed used his authority to transfer the Eastern Depot's search personnel away from the West Gate, leaving only ordinary soldiers from the patrol battalion guarding the city.

The soldiers yawned lazily, casually lifted two boxes, glanced at the silk covering them, and waved them through.

After seeing the carriages pass through the West Gate smoothly, Zhuque changed into a merchant's outfit and rode an inconspicuous gray horse far behind the carriages.

After leaving the city, the carriage suddenly accelerated and sped along the main road for about ten miles before turning onto a secluded side road.

Once the carriage entered a secluded valley, those disguised as laborers immediately revealed their well-trained true colors.

They nimbly unloaded the wooden crates and quickly dug deep pits in the open space of the valley.

"Something's not right, they're trying to destroy the Blackfire!" Zhu Houcong narrowed his eyes.

The group carefully opened the wooden box, revealing black powder wrapped in oiled paper.

It was that batch of missing gunpowder!

They planned to pour the black powder wrapped in oiled paper into several pits and burn it to destroy it.

Just then, Zhuque suddenly stopped, and his aura suddenly surged.

He pointed his right hand together like a sword, and a burst of sword energy shot out from his fingertips, drawing a perfect arc in the air.

Puff puff!

Wherever the sword energy passed, more than ten people were cut in half at the waist before they could even scream.

Blood sprayed like rain, and severed limbs were scattered all over the ground.

Their eyes remained wide open until their deaths, as if they couldn't believe what was happening before their eyes.

Zhuque then slowly withdrew his sword finger and fell down from the cliff.

His cold gaze swept over everyone present before he slowly spoke.

"Who among you knows Yan Que?"

The man who appeared to be in charge narrowed his eyes slightly: "Who are you?"

Zhuque ignored her and continued, "Who can tell me who Yan Que is?"

His voice was soft, yet it sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"hehe!"

A burly man with a face full of scars grinned as he drew his long sword.

"Now that you've found out this far, you're not leaving today."

Zhuque remained motionless, only slightly raising her eyelids.

"I've already asked twice; you'd better not make me ask a third time."

"Hmph, what a boastful tone!"

Dozens of knives were drawn simultaneously, their cold gleam creating a continuous line of light in the valley.

Upon seeing this, Zhuque knew that these people were also well-trained assassins, and further questioning would be futile.

He slowly took out a copper coin from his pocket.

With a flick of the thumb, the copper coin traced a bright arc in the air.

"I guarantee that only five people will remain standing in this valley until this coin hits the ground."

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already disappeared from the spot.

The next moment, a burst of blood shot into the sky.

The first man in black had just had his head blown off when the second man's heart was pierced.

The Vermilion Bird's figure moved through the crowd like a ghost, each strike precisely reaping lives.

The copper coin was still spinning in the air when three more corpses crashed to the ground.

The assassins reacted, roaring as they attacked simultaneously, their blades flashing and shadows instantly engulfing the entire valley.

However, their offensive was like child's play in front of Suzaku.

The man at the very front had only raised his long sword halfway when his throat was pierced by the Vermilion Bird's blade of energy.

Then four or five more leaped into the air.

Before he could even assume a stance, he was slammed to death in mid-air by a palm strike of true energy.

The Vermilion Bird's figure moved through the crowd like a ghost, each flash accompanied by a burst of blood.

Chapter 75 Changing the Era Name to Jiajing

When only five people remained, including him, the coins finally began to fall.

The moment it touched the ground, the Vermilion Bird was already in front of the scarred man.

"Now do you believe me?"

His eyes were colder than human eyes, and his gaze swept over the remaining four people like lightning.

"Are you... are you a human or a ghost?"

The scarred man stared intently at Zhuque, his voice trembling with fear.

His pupils contracted sharply, large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and the veins on his hand gripping the knife bulged.

"That's not something you should be asking. You should know very well how Yan Que smuggled black fire into the capital."

"And surely he knew he wanted to use this gunpowder to kill the current emperor?"

Upon hearing this, the four men turned deathly pale.

Zhu Houcong tempted them, saying, "As long as you are willing to identify Yan Que, I guarantee you will not only live, but also receive a reward you can never spend in your lifetime."

The scarred man suddenly burst into wild laughter, his laughter filled with sarcasm.

"Hahaha…"

The next second his eyes suddenly became resolute.

"dream!"

No sooner had he spoken than a soft "crack" was heard, and a line of dark blood suddenly oozed from the corner of his mouth.

"not good."

Zhuque's expression changed drastically. Just as she was about to step forward to stop them, she saw the other three simultaneously revealing strange smiles.

They uniformly crushed the poison sacs hidden in their teeth, black blood gushing from the corners of their mouths.

"That dog emperor...may he...die a horrible death."

The scarred man uttered his last few words with difficulty before collapsing to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, four corpses lay on the ground, each with a strange smile frozen on their face.

Zhuque stared at the corpses on the ground with a ferocious expression, his eyes blazing with fury.

These traitors were clearly plotting the heinous crime of regicide, yet before their deaths they adopted a posture of heroic sacrifice, as if they were the truly loyal and righteous ones.

"Damn it!"

He kicked the nearest corpse to pieces, watching the face with the frozen, eerie smile explode into fragments, his anger flaring even more.

"Yan Que, you've certainly raised a pack of good dogs!"

At this moment, Zhu Houcong, sitting in the Fengtian Hall, immediately made up his mind.

Since that's the case, then don't blame me for being ruthless.

Zhu Houcong immediately made up his mind to use the black fire that Yan Que had smuggled to send Empress Yan and Yan Yujin to their deaths on the way to the altar for the sacrificial ceremony.

Let him see with his own eyes how the Yan family line ends.

Today is the day for the imperial court to discuss etiquette. Inside the Golden Palace, civil and military officials lined up on both sides, and the air was filled with a tense atmosphere.

The two eminent scholars, each invited by Prince Yu and Xie Yu, stood in the hall, where a debate concerning the system of rites was about to unfold.

Beside Prince Yu, Zhou Xuanqing wore a plain Confucian robe, his silver beard flowing, and his expression was calm and composed.

However, the group of Confucian scholars beside Chen Yuanzhi were on high alert.

"His Majesty,"

Zhou Xuanqing stepped forward first, his voice clear and resonant like a bell.

"In my opinion, the essence of ritual lies in reverence for Heaven and respect for ancestors. The current system of sacrifices should be based on the Zhou Rites..."

"Mr. Zhou, you are mistaken. Although the *Zhou Li* is ancient, times have changed, and I believe we should consult the *Li Ji* as well..."

The two Confucian scholars went back and forth, quoting classics and historical texts, and a heated debate ensued in the hall.

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, all the officials' eyes were focused on the heated debate between the two great Confucian scholars, while Zhu Houcong absentmindedly stroked the armrest of the dragon throne.

His thoughts had already drifted to the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven the day after tomorrow.

"Since you're going to get rid of Empress Yan, why not take all the concubines in the harem with you?"

A cruel smile curled at the corner of Zhu Houcong's mouth as an even more ruthless plan gradually took shape in his mind.

He unconsciously thought of those old geezers in the harem, and a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes.

Lady Yue and Consort Hui were both exceptionally beautiful, so naturally they were kept.

As for the other concubines…

Zhu Houcong tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, as if he were counting people.

On the day of the ceremony, Empress Yan, as the head of the six palaces, was to lead all the concubines in the procession.

At that time, all I need to do is find an excuse to keep Lady Yue and Consort Hui by my side.

Once these old problems are resolved, it's time to start the talent show.

Thinking of this, a hint of pleasure finally appeared in Zhu Houcong's eyes.

The debate in the court gradually subsided, but Zhu Houcong remained engrossed in his own schemes.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty?"

Seeing this, Yan Song cautiously approached, his voice extremely low.

Zhu Houcong suddenly came to his senses and found that all the civil and military officials were watching him with bated breath.

These great scholars also maintained a bowing posture.

"Distinguished scholars, please rise. The debate just now was truly brilliant!"

He instantly put on a warm expression, as if his momentary lapse in concentration had never happened.

Then he stroked his beard, pretending to be serious.

"I also gained a great deal from listening to this."

"However, since this is a debate on etiquette in the imperial court, there will naturally be winners and losers."

Zhu Houcong's gaze swept between Prince Yu and Chen Yuanzhi before finally settling on Zhou Daru.

"I find Elder Zhou's words to be absolutely correct. Therefore, let the ritual specifications for the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven be in accordance with Elder Zhou's suggestion!"

Although he didn't hear a single word of the debate.

But the outcome of the debate was already a result of his divine dictatorship before it even began.

He had advised Prince Yu on matters of etiquette when he was in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, so naturally he had to stand on Prince Yu's side now.

Since we're going to take Empress Yan away again, why not give Prince Yu some more sweet treats?

Zhu Houcong's gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials in the hall, finally landing on Chen Yuanzhi, who was trembling with fear.

"Chen Yuanzhi, you have served as Minister of Rites for decades, and our Great Liang has always governed the country with propriety. Yet you don't even understand the system of rites. What is your punishment?"