You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 216 Mutual Encouragement Between Ruler and Subject
The retreat of the Dongyi army was good news for the Donghuang army.

After these days of fierce fighting, the Eastern Wilderness Army finally managed to hold Dongyan Pass, preventing the Eastern Barbarian army from setting foot in the Great Zhou.

This is also the only border barrier among the four directions of the Great Zhou that has not been breached by foreign tribes.

The plan for the four foreign tribes to unite and hunt in the Central Plains came to a complete end with the retreat of the Dongyi army.

The final result was that the three alien armies were annihilated, while one alien army retreated in panic.

This was a rare major victory for the Great Zhou against foreign tribes in many years.

Although the Great Zhou was on the defensive, the result was astonishing.

The Great Zhou not only annihilated the armies of the three foreign tribes, but also killed their national advisors within its territory.

Such a record has not been achieved by the Great Zhou for many years.

A message traveled from the Eastern Wilderness back to Luoyang.

……

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen was cultivating the Emperor's Conferring of Gods Technique, and a shackle within his body was directly broken.

A powerful aura emanated from Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen opened his eyes, a burst of light shooting out, before instantly returning to his calm demeanor.

The aura emanating from his body was also concealed.

"Grandmaster."

A slight smile appeared on Zhou Chen's lips.

That's right, Zhou Chen's strength has broken through to the level of a first-grade grandmaster.

In just a few months, Zhou Chen went from an ordinary person with no cultivation and poor health to the current Grandmaster level.

If word got out about this cultivation speed, it would definitely scare a lot of people.

It should be understood that most people cultivate for decades and still may not be able to break through to the Grandmaster level.

Zhou Chen achieved a level that others might not reach even after decades in just a few months.

This can no longer be described as genius.

All of this is thanks to the unique nature of the Emperor's Conferment of Gods Technique.

The stronger the emperor's fortune.

The faster one can cultivate the Emperor's Conferment of Gods Technique.

After making his moves during this period, Zhou Chen's imperial aura has skyrocketed.

This is the real reason why Zhou Chen was able to break through to the Grandmaster level in such a short time.

Just then, Cao Shaoqin entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"Your Majesty, news has come from the Eastern Wilderness that General Zhao has severely wounded the Eastern Yi National Preceptor with a single spear thrust."

"Seeing that the situation was not good, the Dongyi army retreated under the cover of night."

Cao Shaoqin entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation and presented the message from the Eastern Wilderness directly to Zhou Chen.

Oh?
The Eastern Yi army has retreated?

Zhou Chen was taken aback and took the message from the Eastern Wilderness from Cao Shaoqin's hand.

Took a glance.

"The Eastern Yi army certainly managed to slip away quickly."

After reading the message from the Eastern Wilderness, Zhou Chen couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

The retreat of the Dongyi army symbolized the complete failure of the joint invasion of the Great Zhou by the four foreign tribes.

The four borders of the Great Zhou Dynasty are temporarily at peace.

Zhou Chen put down the news in his hand, feeling much more at ease.

Before the end of the year, the fighting at this border finally came to an end.

As for the retreat of the Dongyi army, and the fact that Donghuang Hou and Zhao Yun failed to annihilate the Dongyi army, Zhou Chen did not care.

There is ample time.

These four foreign tribes dared to unite and invade his Great Zhou, and even wanted to hunt down the Central Plains. This matter will not end like this.

As the emperor of the Great Zhou, how could Zhou Chen possibly tolerate the invasion of the Great Zhou by foreign tribes without any counterattack?

Next year, Zhou Chen will retaliate in kind, hunt beyond the Great Wall, and wipe out the foreign tribes.

When the time comes, the fate of those retreating Dongyi armies will be the same.

Zhou Chen looked up at Cao Shaoqin and said, "Cao Shaoqin, your Eastern Depot should also pay attention to news from outside the Great Zhou. Don't just focus on the Great Zhou; you need to broaden your horizons."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Shaoqin's eyes flashed, and he immediately understood Zhou Chen's meaning.

"It seems His Majesty is about to take action against the foreign tribes beyond the Great Wall."

Cao Shaoqin thought to himself as he left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

……

the next day.

The morning court begins.

Early in the morning, civil and military officials gathered outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

In the past two days, news of one great victory after another has come in, which has completely put the officials, who were previously somewhat unsettled, at ease.

The officials gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.

"Lord Fang, who is this Zhou Yu?"

"To think that they could use fire to burn hundreds of thousands of Southern Barbarian soldiers to death is truly unbelievable!"

The Minister of War and Fang Xuanling stood together.

The Minister of War looked at Fang Xuanling in surprise and asked.

News of the great victory in southern Xinjiang has already spread.

Zhou Yu's fire killed hundreds of thousands of Nanman troops, shocking the court officials.

The original strategy of the imperial court was to first eliminate the armies of the Western Rong and Northern Di, while the Southern Frontier and Eastern Yi only needed to hold off the attacks of foreign tribes.

After eliminating the Western Rong and Northern Di, the Great Zhou will then turn its attention to the foreign tribes of the Southern Frontier and the Eastern Yi.

But who would have thought that, following closely behind Xiliang and Beijiang, a great victory also came from Nanjiang.

Moreover, it was done effortlessly; a single fire wiped out hundreds of thousands of Southern Barbarian troops, which astonished the court officials.

None of the court officials had ever heard of Zhou Yu before.

Even Li Yuan, the Minister of War, didn't know who Zhou Yu was, which is why he asked this question out of curiosity.

Fang Xuanling smiled slightly; "Zhou Yu was personally appointed by His Majesty as the Governor-General of Pingnan, and he has the talent to bring peace to the world."

"Lord Li only needs to know that with Zhou Yu in the southern border, the southern barbarian tribes will no longer be a threat."

Fang Xuanling didn't say much, only uttering a simple sentence.

"Oh!"

A hint of surprise flashed across Li Yuan's face.

Li Yuan had become clear about Fang Xuanling's abilities over this period of time.

It was remarkable that someone like Fang Xuanling could say that Zhou Yu possessed the talent to bring peace to the world.

This Zhou Yu was clearly no ordinary person.

"Squeak."

Just then, the door to the Hall of Mental Cultivation was opened.

Li Yuan stopped speaking and, together with Fang Xuanling, led the officials into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

After Zhou Chen sat on the dragon throne, all the officials knelt down and shouted in unison.

Zhou Chen looked down at the officials and said softly, "All of you, rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The officials stood up, sensing that Emperor Zhou Chen seemed to be in a very good mood today.

Zhou Chen glanced at the civil and military officials below and said, "My beloved ministers, last night I received news from the Eastern Wilderness that the Eastern Yi army has retreated."

As soon as Zhou Chen opened his mouth, he directly announced the news of the retreat of the Dongyi army.

what?
The Eastern Yi army has retreated?

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials were stunned for a moment, then their faces lit up with joy.

"it is good."

"The Eastern Yi army has retreated."

"The other three alien armies have also been wiped out by our Great Zhou. Now our Great Zhou's four borders are secure." The civil and military officials all whispered among themselves.

Zhou Chen, seated on the dragon throne, surveyed the civil and military officials and continued, "Our Great Zhou, as a celestial empire, has been invaded by foreign tribes from all sides, who have breached our three strategic passes in succession."

"Although our Great Zhou has now annihilated the armies of the three foreign tribes and the Eastern Yi foreign tribe army has retreated, the prestige of our Great Zhou Heavenly Dynasty has been completely lost in the face of the foreign tribes."

"What's there to be happy about?"

Zhou Chen scanned the civil and military officials below one by one.

"Are you so happy just because my Great Zhou has stopped the invasion of the foreign tribes and the border is safe?"

"We must be mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace. As important ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty, I hope that all of you will have this awareness and vigilance."

"Don't wait until war is imminent and people are at your doorstep before you finally realize what's happening."

Zhou Chen stood up and walked down the dragon platform step by step.

"My Great Zhou has long suffered from accumulated problems, and since I ascended the throne, I have always felt powerless."

"First, the Wu clan seized power, and then powerful families like the Yuan family of Runan colluded with the prince to plot a rebellion, causing turmoil and decline in the strength of our Great Zhou, which gave foreign tribes an opportunity to take advantage of the situation."

"But fortunately, thanks to the blessings of our ancestors, our Great Zhou has finally overcome this current crisis."

"I hope that all my beloved ministers will keep these things in mind and sincerely assist me in revitalizing the Great Zhou Dynasty, so that the majesty of the Great Zhou Dynasty can radiate in all directions and no longer suffer from the threat of any foreign races."

Zhou Chen's deafening voice echoed throughout the hall.

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials knelt on the ground again and loudly proclaimed, "We understand, and we are willing to dedicate ourselves to the restoration of the Great Zhou Dynasty until our dying breath."

"it is good."

Zhou Chen returned to the dragon throne, looking down at the civil and military officials below; "Then let us, ruler and subject, strive together!"

"Begin the proceedings."

Zhou Chen sat back on the dragon throne and began today's morning court session.

Tomorrow is the end of the year.

Today's morning court session is the last major court session of the year, and many things need to be arranged properly.

In particular, the matters concerning the aftermath of the border wars need to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Subsequently, the civil and military officials began to present their reports one by one.

……

Southern Xinjiang.

After Zhou Yu burned hundreds of thousands of Nanman troops to death, he led the Zhennan Army to begin wiping out the Nanman tribes throughout the southern border.

Within just two days, the southern barbarian tribes scattered throughout the southern border were wiped out.

Even the South Gate Pass has returned to the hands of the Zhennan Army.

However, the Zhennan Army also suffered heavy losses after this battle. Of the original 300,000 Zhennan Army soldiers, only 100,000 remain.

Two-thirds of them were killed or injured.

Such losses were undoubtedly devastating for the Zhennan Army.

It can be said that the Zhennan Army was severely weakened by this battle.

The Prince's Mansion.

King Zhou Zhan looked at the casualty statistics compiled by the Zhennan Army and his face turned grim.

Even King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan did not expect that his 300,000-strong Zhennan Army would suffer such heavy casualties in this battle.

"Your Highness, this is all my fault."

"It is this humble general who has failed Your Highness's trust and failed to guard the southern border, resulting in the fall of the South Gate Pass, the death of Zhou Si in battle, and heavy casualties for the Zhennan Army."

"Please punish me, Your Highness."

On Monday, he knelt on the ground and begged for forgiveness.

When King Zhou Zhan left, he handed over full control of the Zhennan Army to Zhou Yi.

However, they failed to defend the southern border on Monday. The South Gate Pass was breached by the Nanman (southern barbarians), and the entire army stationed there was wiped out. They died in battle on Thursday.

The Zhennan Army also suffered heavy casualties.

As the general who guarded the southern border after the departure of the Prince of Kao Shan, Zhou Yi must bear this responsibility.

King Zhou Zhan sighed; "Get up! This is not your fault, you have done your best."

"Who would have thought that the second son would commit such a treasonous act? He has truly failed to live up to the expectations I have placed in him."

"I will personally explain this matter to His Majesty."

"Although you lost the South Gate Pass, you also tied down the Southern Barbarian army. You have both merits and demerits, so let's balance them out!"

"I am the Prince of Kao Shan," Zhou Zhan said somewhat somberly.

Zhou Er is his adopted son. They have spent many years together, and although they are not biological father and son, they have a deep bond.

Unexpectedly, he committed such a betrayal on Tuesday, which directly led to Thursday's death.

This left King Zhou Zhan feeling both resentful and regretful, a complex mix of emotions.

"Thank you, Godfather."

On Monday, he stood up and stepped aside.

Zhou Yi knew very well what kind of temper King Zhou Zhan had.

So, nothing more was said on Monday.

"Zhou Yu, this is the casualty report for the Zhennan Army. Take a look!"

"This time, my Zhennan Army has suffered heavy losses. Of the 300,000 troops, two-thirds have been killed or wounded."

As he spoke, King Zhou Zhan handed the paper summarizing the casualties of the Zhennan Army to Zhou Yu, who was standing next to him.

Zhou Yu didn't hesitate and directly took the paper handed over by Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, and glanced at it.

Looking at the shocking casualty figures above, Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Your Highness, the Zhennan Army has suffered heavy casualties. Report this to the Ministry of War immediately!"

"Give these wounded and injured soldiers double the compensation."

"These soldiers fought for our Great Zhou, and our Great Zhou cannot treat them unfairly."

After reviewing the casualties of the Zhennan Army, Zhou Yu addressed Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kaoshan.

Zhou Yu understood what King Zhou Zhan meant.

Therefore, Zhou Yu spoke directly.

King Zhou Zhan nodded; "Yes! They are all fighting for the Great Zhou, and the Great Zhou cannot treat them unfairly."

"Zhou Yu, I intend to petition His Majesty to allow you to return to the capital, take command of the Zhennan Army, and be stationed in the southern frontier. What do you think?"

King Zhou Zhan looked at Zhou Yu.

Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, already knows about Zhou Yu's abilities.

With Zhou Yu stationed in the southern frontier, King Zhou Zhan could rest assured.

Most importantly, Prince Zhou Zhan has realized the Emperor's plans in the palace.

The Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang were captured, and the Zhenbei Army and the Xiliang Army were taken over by His Majesty's confidants.

Next up are the Southern Frontier and the Eastern Wilderness.

Even if King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan was loyal to the Great Zhou.

But King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan understood the principle that a new emperor brings a new court.

Rather than have His Majesty bring it up, it would be better for him to voluntarily step aside to avoid suspicion.

Besides, King Zhou Zhan of Kao Shan is getting old and is no longer suitable to guard the frontier.

Previously, it was because Zhou Zhan felt that the imperial court did not have a suitable candidate to replace him in guarding the southern border.

But now that Zhou Yu is here, Zhou Zhan can finally shed this burden.

Upon hearing Zhou Zhan's words, Zhou Yu's eyes flickered; "Your Highness, this must be decided by His Majesty."

"His Majesty has appointed Yu to oversee the southern border, so Yu will take up the southern border."

“If Your Majesty sends me to another place, then I must go to another place.”

Zhou Yu said softly.

Zhou Yi's expression changed slightly.

On Monday, Zhou Yu was surprised to learn that his adoptive father wanted to return to the capital and have Zhou Yu take command of the Zhennan Army and be stationed in the southern border region.

Prince Zhou Zhan nodded; "You're right, this matter must be decided by His Majesty."

"However, if I tell His Majesty about this, His Majesty should not object."

King Zhou Zhan, who was known as the "King of the Mountain," said this without dwelling on the topic any further.

Zhou Zhan just wanted to give Zhou Yu and Zhou Yi a heads-up so that they could be prepared.

(End of this chapter)