You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 173 King of Shu, You Can't Escape
Luoyang City.

With the deployment of the Imperial Guards, the Eastern Depot, and the city's defense forces, the entire city of Luoyang was plunged into a strange panic.

On the street, the three groups were arresting people everywhere.

Many people, including court officials, nobles, and relatives of the emperor, were arrested.

Even the Prime Minister's residence and the Prince of Shu's residence were not exempt; they were directly raided and destroyed by the Eastern Depot and the Imperial Guards.

Anyone who dared to resist was directly suppressed and shot dead in the street.

Many people realized that something extraordinary might have happened in the imperial court.

But no one really knows exactly what extraordinary event happened.

……

Luoyang City, a hundred miles away.

In a grove of trees.

King Zhou Zhi of Shu and Ji Wusheng fled in a sorry state.

More than thirty bodyguards closely followed and protected Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng.

These elite warriors were trained by Zhou Zhi with considerable effort.

In terms of loyalty, these assassins were undoubtedly the most loyal group under Zhou Zhi's command.

Even if it meant dying for Zhou Zhi, these warriors would absolutely be willing to die for him without hesitation.

"Your Highness, we can't keep running away like this."

"Sooner or later they will be caught up by the Eastern Depot's henchmen."

As Ji Wusheng ran away, panting heavily, he spoke to Zhou Zhi.

Ji Wusheng originally thought that once they left Luoyang, they could escape freely, like fish leaping in the sea or birds soaring in the sky.

Unexpectedly, they were still too slow to escape; the Eastern Depot reacted much faster.

Before Ji Wusheng and his group had escaped far from Luoyang, they were spotted by the Eastern Depot's henchmen.

Ji Wusheng's previous plan involved sending people to escape in various places in an attempt to divert the attention of the Eastern Depot and confuse the public.

Ultimately, they failed and could not hide it from the Eastern Depot's henchmen.

Throughout the journey, the Eastern Depot's guards were relentlessly pursuing them.

Originally, Ji Wusheng and his men had hundreds of assassins by their side, but now only thirty or so remain.

The others died at the hands of the Eastern Depot's guards in order to buy time for Ji Wusheng and Zhou Zhi and to block the pursuit.

“I know about Ji Wusheng.”

"But what other way do we have to get rid of the Eastern Depot's henchmen now?"

Zhou Zhi said with a grim expression.

He, the dignified King of Shu and the ninth son of the late Emperor of the Great Zhou, has now become a homeless dog.

He was constantly being chased by a group of factory guards, running away and hiding.

The frustration and resentment I feel are truly indescribable.

"Your Highness, I will stay behind with some men to draw away the Eastern Depot's henchmen behind you."

"Your Highness, you should take some men and escape first. I will buy you more time."

"Hopefully, this will allow His Highness to shake off the pursuit of the Eastern Depot's henchmen."

Ji Wusheng said with a solemn expression.

If they try to escape like this, they won't be able to shake off the pursuit of the Eastern Depot's henchmen.

It's only a matter of time before they get caught up by the henchmen of the Eastern Depot.

Therefore, Ji Wusheng could only stay behind with a few people to divert the attention of the Eastern Depot's henchmen.

This would give Zhou Zhi, the King of Shu, more time to escape.

Only in this way might Zhou Zhi, the King of Shu, have a chance to escape the pursuit of the Eastern Depot's henchmen.

Otherwise, none of them will escape.

Upon hearing Ji Wusheng's words, Zhou Zhi opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Zhou Zhi knew that at this moment, anyone who stayed behind to lure away the Eastern Depot's henchmen would surely die.

Ji Wusheng decided to stay behind to distract Zhou Zhi from the Eastern Depot's henchmen who were relentlessly pursuing them, leaving Zhou Zhi speechless for a moment.

Now, Ji Wusheng is the only person Zhou Zhi can use.

If Ji Wusheng stayed behind to draw away the Eastern Depot's henchmen, then Zhou Zhi would have no one left to use.

But if Ji Wusheng didn't stay behind to distract the Eastern Depot's henchmen who were chasing them, none of them would be able to escape.

"Your Highness, there are no other options now."

"Only in this way might His Highness be able to shake off the pursuit of the Eastern Depot's henchmen."

"Your Highness has shown me great kindness and recognition, and this is all I can do for you now."

Ji Wusheng noticed Zhou Zhi's hesitation and said earnestly.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhi sighed and said, "Then be extra careful."

Since Ji Wusheng had made this choice, Zhou Zhi couldn't say much more.

All he could say was to tell Ji Wusheng to be careful.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I will be careful." Ji Wusheng nodded.

"Walk."

Zhou Zhi said no more and led more than ten assassins to separate from Ji Wusheng and the others, escaping in another direction.

Just then, a sharp sound came from a distance behind.

"Walk?"

"Where is Your Highness heading?"

As the sharp sound rang out, a figure rushed up from behind.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived in front of Zhou Zhi and his group.

"Cao Shaoqin?"

Upon seeing the figure rushing towards them, both Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng's expressions changed.

Zhou Zhi and the others did not expect that Cao Shaoqin would catch up so quickly.

Indeed, the figure rushing over was none other than Cao Shaoqin, the second supervisor of the Eastern Depot.

Following closely behind Cao Shaoqin were hundreds of imperial guards.

As soon as the guards rushed over, they surrounded Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng.

The thirty-odd bodyguards around Zhou Zhi formed a circle around him and Ji Wusheng, creating a standoff with the Imperial Guards.

Cao Shaoqin stopped not far from Zhou Zhi and the others.

Cao Shaoqin glanced at Zhou Zhi and the others, his gaze settling on Ji Wusheng; "You must be Ji Wusheng! You've been full of ingenious schemes along the way, drawing away most of my Eastern Depot's manpower."

"You've caused my Eastern Depot considerable losses; you certainly have a clever way of doing things."

Cao Shaoqin looked at Ji Wusheng with a sinister gaze.

Along the way, Ji Wusheng used various methods to lure away most of the Eastern Depot's manpower.

Furthermore, Ji Wusheng also devised an ambush against the Eastern Depot's guards, causing them to lose some manpower.

If the Eastern Depot hadn't been born for this job and hadn't had so many methods of tracking, they might have actually been able to escape with Ji Wusheng and his men.

Ji Wusheng glanced at Cao Shaoqin and remained silent.

His expression shifted between light and dark.

After Cao Shaoqin finished speaking, he ignored Kuai Wusheng and looked at Shu King Zhou Zhi. "Your Highness, you cannot escape."

"Your Highness, with only these people in front of you, where do you think you can escape to!"

"This humble servant advises Your Highness to obediently surrender and stop making futile struggles."

Cao Shaoqin looked at Zhou Zhi with a sinister gaze, and without any unnecessary words, spoke directly.

Just surrender?

A cold smile curled at the corner of Zhou Zhi's lips.

"I have never considered surrendering without a fight."

"I know that my elder brother must have given you a secret decree, and I am doomed."

"However, even if I am to die, I will die in battle, not surrender and wait to die."

Zhou Zhi knew that from the moment Cao Shaoqin caught up, he would no longer be able to escape.

However, it was impossible to get Zhou Zhi to surrender and wait for death.

"kill."

Zhou Zhi's face turned cold, and he drew his sword, charging towards the Imperial Guards first.

Without a word, the thirty-odd assassins followed Zhou Zhi and charged towards the Imperial Guards. Even Ji Wusheng was no exception, joining the fray.

The sounds of war suddenly arose.

Cao Shaoqin stood there without moving, watching the scene of fighting with a cold expression, showing no intention of making a move.

A hundred Imperial Guards would be enough to deal with Zhou Zhi and his group.

There was absolutely no need for Cao Shaoqin to take action personally.

A few minutes later.

The thirty-odd assassins around Zhou Zhi all fell to the ground and became corpses.

Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng were also surrounded by more than a dozen guards, their faces pale and their bodies covered in wounds.

Zhou Zhi glanced at the dozen or so guards surrounding him and Ji Wusheng, then exchanged a look with Ji Wusheng.

"Clang."

The two men simultaneously threw down their weapons and collapsed to the ground.

More than thirty suicide soldiers have been wiped out.

The remaining two were also covered in wounds and could barely stand.

There's not much point in resisting any further.

Therefore, both Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng laid down their weapons and collapsed to the ground.

Zhou Zhi raised his head and glanced at Cao Shaoqin; "I want to know, did my imperial brother bestow upon me imperial wine or a three-foot-long white collar?"

Zhou Zhi's expression was very calm.

From the moment he began planning this, Zhou Zhi had already prepared for this outcome.

Seeing that Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng had both put down their weapons, Cao Shaoqin didn't say anything more and simply waved his hand.

A guard from the imperial guards came out carrying a pot of imperial wine.

Imperial wine?
Zhou Zhi smiled casually as he looked at the wine jug brought over by the imperial guards, and said to Ji Wusheng beside him, "Ji Wusheng, you haven't tried Imperial Wine yet!"

"Today is perfect, so why don't you join me for a few drinks of Imperial Wine!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Wusheng smiled and nodded; "It would be nice to be able to have one last drink of imperial wine with the Prince."

After the guards put down the wine pot, Zhou Zhi personally took the pot and poured a cup for both Ji Wusheng and himself.

The two of them continued drinking as if nothing had happened.

Cao Shaoqin saw this and waved his hand.

The dozen or so guards surrounding Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng all sheathed their crescent blades and stepped aside.

After a few drinks, both Zhou Zhi and Ji Wusheng had blood trickling from their foreheads and the corners of their mouths.

But the two continued to pour themselves the imperial wine and drink it, reminiscing about the past.

Cao Shaoqin silently turned his back.

A cold wind blew.

One by one, the fallen leaves drifted down.

Upon hearing a thud behind him, Cao Shaoqin waved his hand, turned around, and left without looking back.

The King of Shu, a prince with a special status who was obsessed with that chair, met his end just like that.

Similarly, Ji Wusheng, a man of considerable strategic acumen, whose schemes were said to bring no survival, lived up to his name: his schemes were always utterly devised and never returned alive.

……

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen sat on the dragon throne.

Standing below is Cao Shaoqin.

After listening to Cao Shaoqin's report, Zhou Chen remained silent for a long time.

After a long silence, Zhou Chen sighed and looked at Cao Shaoqin below, saying, "Although the King of Shu has committed a great crime, death is the end of all evil."

"The King of Shu cannot be buried in the imperial mausoleum, but his funeral arrangements cannot be taken lightly."

"Let the Eighth Prince handle the funeral arrangements for the King of Shu!"

That's all Zhou Chen could do.

The Prince of Shu was, after all, his ninth brother, and there was also the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace.

Although the King of Shu committed a heinous crime, he is now dead, and some considerations must still be taken into account.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Shaoqin bowed and said.

"Go!"

Zhou Chen waved his hand.

Cao Shaoqin withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

……

Inside the city defense yamen's prison.

A man dressed in brocade and silk shouted loudly, "Let me out immediately! I am Zhang Guojiu, my sister is the Empress Dowager, and my nephew is His Majesty. You dare to arrest me? You must have a death wish!"

Indeed, the man dressed in brocade robes was none other than Zhang Guojiu, the Empress Dowager's elder brother.

The Ministry of Justice prison and the Eastern Depot prison are now overcrowded.

Therefore, this Zhang Guojiu was imprisoned in the city's defense yamen jail.

"Zhang Guojiu, please stop calling him that."

"You are involved in the matter of the King of Shu colluding with the three powerful families to plot a rebellion and usurp the throne, which is a serious crime."

"This is an imperial decree personally issued by His Majesty."

"Even the Empress Dowager can't save you. You'd better behave yourself!"

At this moment, the Minister of War walked in.

Upon hearing Zhang Guojiu's loud shout, the Minister of War spoke coldly.

"Lord Li, stop making baseless accusations."

"How could I possibly help the King of Shu usurp the throne from His Majesty! His Majesty is also my nephew."

"You must have made a mistake."

"I want to see the Empress Dowager."

"I want to see His Majesty."

Upon seeing the Minister of War enter, Zhang Guojiu immediately spoke loudly.

“Zhang Guojiu, you know in your heart whether I’m making false accusations or not.”

"The reason why I, the Minister of War, was able to be imprisoned is partly due to your influence, Zhang Guojiu!"

“You should know how serious this matter is, Zhang Guojiu.”

"Now, if you confess everything honestly, there might still be a sliver of a chance."

"Otherwise, even if you are the emperor's brother-in-law, you will not escape death."

The Minister of War looked at Zhang Guojiu and said.

Even at this point, Zhang Guojiu is still trying to argue; he's truly courting death.

Treason and usurpation are historically taboo.

No matter how noble or special one's status, once involved in this matter, there's no turning back.

Upon hearing the Minister of War's words, Zhang Guojiu's expression changed.

He certainly knew how serious this matter was.

Zhang Guojiu hesitated for a moment, then said to the Minister of War, "Lord Li, I was deceived by the Prince of Shu."

"The King of Shu told me that His Majesty was not born to the Empress Dowager and was not my biological nephew at all. That's why I was so bewitched and believed the King of Shu."

Zhang Guojiu understood the current situation. He knew that if he didn't take the initiative to confess, he would really have no chance.

So Zhang Guojiu recounted in detail how the King of Shu had dragged him into this mess.

The Minister of War's expression changed immediately upon hearing Zhang Guojiu's words.

what did you say?
His Majesty is not the son of the Empress Dowager.

Zhang Guojiu's words startled the Minister of War.

The Minister of War thought he had misheard and looked at Zhang Guojiu with a shocked expression.

A tremendous wave of emotion surged within me.

If what Zhang Guojiu said is true, then this involves secrets of the imperial palace.

(End of this chapter)