You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 128 Cao Zhengchun, you will die a horrible death.

Ministry of Industry Shangshu Mansion.

Cao Zhengchun grabbed Cui Yongyuan by the neck and squeezed hard under Cui Yongyuan's terrified and shrunken gaze.

"puff."

Cui Yongyuan spat out a mouthful of blood, his pupils filled with terror.

Cui Yongyuan thought he was going to die, but to his surprise, Cao Zhengchun did not take his life, but only rendered him powerless to resist.

After Cao Zhengchun released his grip, Cui Yongyuan collapsed to the ground, feeling as if he had just escaped a disaster.

However, upon seeing that although he had not died, he had fallen into Cao Zhengchun's hands, a deep sense of despair returned to Cui Yongyuan's face.

Cui Yongyuan knew that falling into Cao Zhengchun's hands was worse than death.

Because he fell into Cao Zhengchun's hands, Cui Yongyuan was about to face all sorts of torture and interrogation from Cao Zhengchun.

After releasing his grip, Cao Zhengchun looked down at Cui Yongyuan, who had collapsed to the ground, and said in a sinister tone, "Lord Cui, if you had obediently followed me just now, you wouldn't be in this state now."

It was indeed ironic that the Minister of Works, one of the six ministers in the imperial court, was crawling on the ground like a dead dog.

In response to Cao Zhengchun's sarcastic words, Cui Yongyuan forced himself to glare at Cao Zhengchun and said, "Cao Zhengchun, if you have the guts, then kill me."

"I know what you're planning by keeping me around."

"However, you're probably going to be disappointed; you've miscalculated."

"I advise you not to waste your time. Even if I die, I will not submit to a spineless eunuch like you."

“Someone will avenge me.”

"Cao Zhengchun, you wait."

"Your fate will be ten times worse than mine."

Cui Yongyuan looked at Cao Zhengchun and spoke with all his might, his face filled with undisguised hatred.

At this moment, this was the only way Cui Yongyuan could conceal the despair and unease deep within his heart.

Upon hearing Cui Yongyuan's words, "I won't submit to someone like you, a spineless eunuch," a cold glint flashed in Cao Zhengchun's eyes.

The words "no eggs" in particular intensified Cao Zhengchun's murderous intent.

If Cui Yongyuan weren't still somewhat useful, Cao Zhengchun would have already cleaved his skull open and sent him to hell to meet the King of Hell.

"is it?"

"Someone will avenge you. Are you referring to the Cui family of Boling?"

Cao Zhengchun suppressed the urge to kill Cui Yongyuan with a single blow and gave Cui Yongyuan a cold look.

"If you are referring to the Cui family of Boling, then let me tell you, Lord Cui is likely to be disappointed."

"General Lü has led his army to Boling Prefecture. It is estimated that the Cui family of Boling no longer exists."

Cao Zhengchun said with a sneer.

what?
Lü Bu led his army to Boling Prefecture.
Upon hearing this, Cui Yongyuan's expression changed drastically.

Lü Bu led his army to Boling Prefecture; need I say more about his purpose?
Faced with Lü Bu, a half-step Celestial Being and the Divine Martial Guard army, could the Cui family of Boling withstand him?

Thinking of this, Cui Yongyuan's heart sank to the bottom.

Before Cui Yongyuan could recover from this devastating news, Cao Zhengchun delivered another blow.

"correct."

"I forgot to tell you, Lord Cui, those young masters you sent away earlier have already gone down to scout the way for you."

When Cao Zhengchun said this, Cui Yongyuan was struck dumb.

After General Wu Jin and his men were wiped out by Zhou Chen, Cui Yongyuan sent some of his family members away as a precaution.

Now, Cao Zhengchun tells him that the family members who were sent away have died before him.

How could Cui Yongyuan possibly accept this?

Those are all Cui Yongyuan's own children and grandchildren.

"Cao Zhengchun, you will die a horrible death."

Cui Yongyuan glared menacingly at Cao Zhengchun.

"puff."

He spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground.

Cao Zhengchun watched this unfold and couldn't help but sneer; "She's already fainted. She's really too fragile."

"take away."

Cao Zhengchun waved his hand.

The two guards immediately stepped forward and dragged away Cui Yongyuan, the Minister of Works, who had fainted.

The guards of the Minister of Works' residence all died under the crescent blades of the Eastern Depot's guards.

The residence of the Minister of Works, one of the six ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was thus confiscated.

……

The residence of a third-rank official who was in charge of remonstrating with the emperor.

"Bang……."

The mansion's gate was smashed open from the outside with tremendous force.

A group of imperial guards dressed in eagle-patterned uniforms, carrying crescent-shaped knives, with jade belts around their waists, cold-faced and exuding a chilling aura, rushed into the mansion.

"What are you doing?"

"This is Lord Li's residence, not a place where you can run wild."

No sooner had the guards finished speaking than a cold glint flashed.

"puff."

The heads of the guards inside the mansion flew off, and the guards from the Eastern Depot, carrying blood-dripping crescent blades, rushed quickly into the mansion.

"presumptuous."

"You Eastern Depot are incredibly audacious, daring to bring weapons and storm into my residence."

"Does your Eastern Depot know the consequences of doing this?"

An official in his official robes walked out, surrounded by four guards.

Upon seeing the Eastern Depot guards charging into the mansion with their knives, the official in his robes turned furious and immediately shouted at them.

"By imperial decree, Li Hui has been accused of forming cliques for personal gain, colluding with the Minister of Works, and conspiring with the Yellow Heaven Sect rebels. His crimes are heinous and he shall be punished by having his family property confiscated and his clan exterminated."

"kill."

The Eastern Depot guards shouted loudly, and without saying another word, they took action.

what?
The Emperor has decreed that this official's entire household be confiscated and destroyed.
The third-rank official's expression changed drastically. Before he could even think it through, he saw the Eastern Depot's guards already attacking.

"Asshole."

“Even if the Emperor wants to punish me, it will be the Ministry of Justice that will do it. How dare your Eastern Depot forge an imperial edict? You are truly audacious.”

"Guards, execute these Eastern Depot lackeys who dare to falsely convey imperial edicts!"

This third-rank official no longer cared about the imperial edict; his most important task now was to eliminate the imperial guards who had stormed into the mansion.

As for the others, we'll deal with them after we wipe out the imperial guards who stormed into the mansion.

At the order of this third-rank official, the guards in the mansion and the guards of the Eastern Depot began to fight.

Even the four guards protecting this third-rank official all attacked, heading straight for the imperial guards.

These four guards, capable of providing close protection to a third-rank official, are naturally quite strong, all being experts at the third-rank Grandmaster level.

"A third-grade Grandmaster?"

The guards of the Eastern Depot remained expressionless as they watched the four men who had suddenly appeared.

The leader, who was at the top, said coldly.

"Mount the crossbow."

All the guards took out their crossbows and started firing them.

Under the dense barrage of crossbow bolts, let alone a third-grade grandmaster, even a second-grade minor grandmaster would perish on the spot.

After a volley of crossbow bolts, apart from the Eastern Depot guards, no one else present was able to stand. Even the third-rank official had fallen to the ground, with several crossbow bolts stuck in his body.

"Towed away."

The leader of the Eastern Depot glanced at the third-rank official lying on the ground and waved his hand dismissively.

Since we can't bring back the living, third-rank official, then let's bring back his corpse. ...

"kill."

The residence of a fifth-rank official was stormed into by the Eastern Depot's guards, who rushed in like wolves and tigers.

In just over ten minutes, there wasn't a single sound of resistance within the entire physician's residence.

A fifth-rank official dressed in official robes was dragged out of the mansion by the guards of the Eastern Depot.

"Release me."

"You lackeys of the Eastern Depot are incredibly audacious, daring to storm the residence of a fifth-rank official without any evidence."

"I must report you to the Emperor, accusing the Eastern Depot of wreaking havoc on the court and framing loyal officials."

The fifth-rank physician spoke sternly, struggling incessantly to break free from the restraints of the imperial guards.

Unfortunately, all the struggles were in vain.

The imperial guards remained expressionless and completely unconcerned by the stern words of the fifth-rank official.

They wanted to impeach the Eastern Depot for disrupting the court and framing loyal officials.

It's utterly ridiculous.

Let's not even talk about the fact that the Eastern Depot was acting under imperial orders.

Even if that's not the case, this fifth-rank official still needs to have the opportunity to impeach the emperor.

It's easy to get into the Eastern Depot, but difficult to get out.

Once you're in the Eastern Depot, you can forget about ever getting out.

Besides, is this fifth-rank physician a loyal and virtuous official?
……

Meanwhile, in addition to the residences of Minister of Works Cui Yongyuan and his family being ransacked and exterminated by the Eastern Depot, the residences of more than twenty other officials were also raided by the Eastern Depot.

These officials were basically the power base of the Cui family of Boling in the imperial court, and some of them had connections with local officials and powerful families in the four northern prefectures.

This time, they were all taken down by Cao Zhengchun's Eastern Depot in one fell swoop.

With so many officials arrested and the Eastern Depot making such a large-scale operation, it was impossible to keep it from the various figures in Luoyang.

For a time, Luoyang was once again filled with a climate of fear and unease.

No one expected that the Eastern Depot would suddenly seize the Minister of Works and so many other officials.

Everyone is wondering what exactly happened.

Why did the person in the palace suddenly order the Eastern Depot to arrest Cui Yongyuan, the Minister of Works, and other officials?

It's important to know that Cui Yongyuan is a member of the Cui family of Boling.

The Cui family of Boling was one of the seven great families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, deeply rooted and influential.

Isn't that person in the palace afraid of provoking a backlash from the Cui family of Boling?
……

Prime Minister's House.

Prime Minister Yuan Bo sat at his desk, looking at the steward below with an incredulous expression; "What did you just say?"

"Say it again, what's wrong with the Ministry of Works' residence?"

Prime Minister Yuan Bo thought he had misheard and looked at the steward below to ask again.

"Master, the Ministry of Works' residence has been raided and confiscated by the Eastern Depot."

"The Minister of Works, Cui Yongyuan, was also arrested by Cao Zhengchun of the Eastern Depot."

"Besides Cui Yongyuan, more than twenty other court officials had their homes confiscated by the Eastern Depot."

"And these officials are basically all from the Cui family, some of whom have connections with local officials in the four northern states."

The butler immediately repeated himself with a serious expression.

The butler knew this was no ordinary matter.

Therefore, as soon as the news was received, the steward immediately came to report to Yuan Bo.

This time, Prime Minister Yuan Bo's expression changed immediately upon hearing the steward's words.

How could this be?
Why did the Eastern Depot raid the Ministry of Works' residence and arrest Cui Yongyuan?
Did they also arrest other officials from the Cui family who served in the imperial court?

What happened?

Could it be that the person in the palace is going to deal with the Cui family of Boling?
But that doesn't make sense! The person in the palace wouldn't suddenly target the Cui family of Boling for no reason.

Prime Minister Yuan Bo frowned deeply and stood up, pacing back and forth.

This is no small matter. If that person in the palace really intends to deal with the Cui family, then things will get complicated.

Their families are all connected.

The way that person in the palace dealt with the Cui family—wasn't that just the beginning of reaching out to the powerful families?
Once that person in the palace succeeds, it will be the turn of the other aristocratic families.

Most importantly, Cui Yongyuan, the Minister of Works, was one of them, and he was always present when discussing matters.

If Cui Yongyuan couldn't withstand the torture of the Eastern Depot and said something he shouldn't have, they would probably be in big trouble.

Thinking of this, even a senior minister like Prime Minister Yuan Bo, who had served two dynasties, lost his usual composure.

After taking a few steps, Prime Minister Yuan Bo looked at the steward with a solemn expression; "Do you know why the Eastern Depot ransacked the Ministry of Works' residence and arrested Cui Yongyuan?"

The butler shook his head; "I don't know."

Prime Minister Yuan Bo immediately said, "Investigate, send people to investigate immediately."

"We must find out exactly why the Eastern Depot ransacked the Ministry of Works' residence and arrested Cui Yongyuan and his associates."

This is the point.

Only by understanding this can we find the right solution.
"Yes, sir."

The butler bowed and was about to leave when Yuan Bo called him back.

"and many more."

After calling the steward, Prime Minister Yuan Bo immediately returned to his desk, picked up his pen, wrote two letters, and handed them to the steward.

"Deliver these two letters to the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Revenue."

"Also, find out the details about Cui Yongyuan and prepare for the worst."

After handing the two letters to the steward, Prime Minister Yuan Bo spoke in a solemn voice.

The steward nodded, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, understanding what Prime Minister Yuan Bo meant.

Then the butler left.

……

The Ministry of Revenue's Office.

"what?"

"The Eastern Depot ransacked the residence of the Minister of Works and arrested Minister Cui Yongyuan and other officials from the Cui family in the court?"

Upon hearing this news, the Minister of Revenue was so shocked that he stood up abruptly, his face changing drastically.

Do you know what's going on here?

Why did the Eastern Depot raid the Ministry of Works' residence and arrest Cui Yongyuan and other Cui family officials in the court?

The Minister of Revenue looked at the guard commander who had come to report the news and asked urgently.

The guard captain shook his head; "Sir, I don't know."

"The Eastern Depot acted suddenly, without any prior warning," the guard commander said.

Upon hearing the words of the guard commander, the Minister of Revenue immediately rebuked him angrily, "Then what are we waiting for? Go and find out the truth right away!"

The Minister of Revenue was aware of the seriousness of the matter.

If this isn't handled properly, they'll all be finished.

After all, Minister of Works Cui Yongyuan was quite connected with them; they were all in the same boat.

If Minister of Works Cui Yongyuan, like a grasshopper, were to be fried until he was sizzling, would they, the grasshoppers on the rope, still be able to escape?

"Yes, my lord."

"I will investigate immediately."

The guard commander quickly responded and turned to leave.

……

(End of this chapter)