You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 16 Confined to Qingfeng Palace
what?
Go to Qingfeng Palace to deliver an imperial edict, confining Empress Wu Ying to her quarters.
Zhao Gao's expression changed, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Zhao Gao immediately understood Zhou Chen's thoughts.

That is, whether or not Empress Wu Ying and Zhang De were related is not important.

The important thing is that if Zhou Chen wants Empress Wu Ying and Zhang De to be related, then they must be related.

"besides."

"Mobilize the Imperial Guards to seal off Qingfeng Palace. Except for normal living needs, no one is allowed to enter or leave Qingfeng Palace at will."

Zhou Chen glanced at Zhao Gao again and said.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao immediately bowed and said, "This old servant obeys the decree."

Zhao Gao's heart was in turmoil. He hadn't expected that after the Zhang De incident, Emperor Zhou Chen would change so much.

In the past, Zhou Chen would never have done this.

But now, Zhou Chen is clearly using this as an excuse to target Empress Wu Ying.

It seems that Emperor Zhou Chen has truly realized something.

Zhou Chen waved his hand; "Go and deliver the imperial decree!"

"This old servant takes his leave." Zhao Gao rose and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, his eyes gleaming.

If it were someone else, receiving this decree would probably leave them terrified and at a loss.

After all, Empress Wu Ying was no ordinary person; she was a half-emperor who ruled with two emperors and controlled half of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Although this right has been nominally abolished, its influence still exists.

But Zhao Gao wouldn't.

As the emperor's personal eunuch, Zhao Gao's ambition was unmatched by ordinary people.

It wasn't because Zhao Gao was particularly loyal to Zhou Chen, but because Zhao Gao knew what he should and shouldn't do.

Zhou Chen watched Zhao Gao leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation, his eyes filled with thought.

As Zhao Gao's personal eunuch, he had served him for over ten years. Even the worst person would have developed the ability to understand his thoughts.

Moreover, Zhao Gao was second only to Zhang De in the inner court, so how could he be a bad person?

Zhou Chen did not believe that Zhao Gao could not fathom his thoughts.

However, Zhao Gao was oblivious to the situation, pretending to be stupid and doing things in a conventional manner, so Zhou Chen had to speak up directly in the end.

Is this because they're afraid of being implicated?
Or does he have other intentions?
Zhou Chen tapped his fingers on the wooden table, his eyes gleaming.

"Forget it, let's go check out the prison first!"

Zhou Chen put aside his thoughts, took the small folded document handed to him by Zhao Gao, and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Zhou Chen has not dealt with the matter since Grand Tutor Yan Hua was imprisoned a few days ago.

It's time to go and take a look, after all, he is a minister left behind by the late emperor.

……

Qingfeng Palace.

Empress Wu Ying sat on the phoenix throne, holding a piece of paper in her hand.

The note contained information about Emperor Zhou Chen's daily life over the past few days.

It can be said that Zhou Chen's every move these past few days has not escaped the eyes of Empress Wu Ying.

Empress Wu Ying glanced at the contents of the note, found nothing special, and casually put it aside.

She looked up at Wan'er, the palace maid serving beside her, and asked, "How is it? Have you found anything?"

"Your Majesty, His Majesty's health seems to have truly recovered; it doesn't seem like a final burst of energy before death," Wan'er said softly.

Empress Wu Ying frowned upon hearing this.

Empress Wu Ying had already discerned this from the contents of the note.

If this was a final burst of energy before death, Zhou Chen's life these past few days couldn't have been anything ordinary.

Besides, it's been several days already; if it were a case of a final burst of energy before death, symptoms should have appeared by now. But Zhou Chen showed absolutely no symptoms.

Clearly, Zhou Chen's body may have truly recovered.

But Zhou Chen had been frail and sickly since childhood, and with all the underhanded tactics she had employed over the years, how could Zhou Chen possibly recover so quickly?

Empress Wu Ying was completely baffled.

If Zhou Chen truly makes a full recovery, it will not be good news for the Empress.

Previously, it was because Zhou Chen was in poor health that she was able to rule as the second emperor.

Now, once Zhou Chen has fully recovered, there is absolutely no chance that she will be able to return to court.

Unless we find another way.

"Have you found out anything about Lü Bu and those soldiers who suddenly appeared?" Empress Wu Ying asked again, suppressing her thoughts.

The palace maid Wan'er shook her head; "No, those people seem to have appeared out of thin air, and we can't find a single clue."

Wan'er was also strange.

Logically speaking, there's practically nothing in the entire palace that can escape their notice.

However, the people guarding Zhou Chen were an exception; they had no trace of their origins.

This really makes people suspicious.

Empress Wu Ying frowned even more deeply after hearing Wan'er's words.

In the past few days, she has learned that Zhou Chen has dozens more people around him, but she still can't find out anything about them.

Could those people have really just appeared out of thin air?

Just then, Wei Zhong rushed in looking very anxious.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The Imperial Guards have surrounded our entire Qingfeng Palace!" Wei Zhong said urgently as he walked in.

what?
The Imperial Guards have surrounded our entire Qingfeng Palace?
Empress Wu Ying's expression changed, and she stood up abruptly.

Before they could ask any further questions, Zhao Gao led the Imperial Guards into Qingfeng Palace.

"By imperial decree, the Empress has taken a grudge against Zhang De and is confined to Qingfeng Palace. Without this decree, she is not to step out of Qingfeng Palace."

Zhao Gao's shrill voice echoed throughout the entire Qingfeng Palace.

The palace maids and eunuchs of Qingfeng Palace all changed their expressions drastically after hearing Zhao Gao's words.

It should be noted that the news of Zhang De poisoning the emperor had already spread like wildfire within the palace, resulting in the arrest of many people.

Now, even the Empress herself has been implicated in this matter.

If this is confirmed, all of them will suffer.

Even the palace maids Wan'er and Wei Zhong were no exception; their expressions changed drastically, and there was also a hint of fear on their faces.

They were all Empress Wu Ying's confidants, so naturally they knew much more than others.

Empress Wu Ying was furious upon hearing Zhao Gao's words; "How dare you, Zhao Gao, falsely convey the imperial edict and slander me!"

Empress Wu Ying stared coldly at Zhao Gao, displaying her majestic aura to the fullest.

The aura of a second-rank minor grandmaster erupted, directly pressing towards Zhao Gao.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao broke out in a cold sweat and immediately took out the imperial gold plaque, saying, "Your Majesty, this is the Emperor's decree. I was merely conveying the Emperor's oral order. Please calm your anger."

Zhao Gao was genuinely afraid that Empress Wu Ying, in a fit of rage, would attack him without regard for anything else.

Although his strength was no less than that of Empress Wu Ying, Empress Wu Ying's status was a different story.

He couldn't possibly fight with Empress Wu Ying!
If that were the case.

Then Zhao Gao is probably not far from his death.

Empress Wu Ying's eyes flickered when she saw the imperial gold medal in Zhao Gao's hand.

However, the anger on his face did not diminish at all.

(End of this chapter)