You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 314 You'd better watch yourselves.
Cining Palace.

Wen Qingwu withdrew her imposing aura.

Originally, Wen Qingwu intended to use both kindness and force to get the Prince of Kao Shan and the Eighth Prince to agree to her idea.

But now it seems her attempt to intimidate has failed.

Whether it's the Prince of Kao Shan or the Eighth Prince, judging from their resolute attitude, they would never agree with her idea.

King Zhou Zhan, his face pale, stood up and looked coldly at Wen Qingwu.

Under Wen Qingwu's terrifying aura, even a seasoned general like the Prince of Kaoshan felt suffocated.

However, Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, could sense that Wen Qingwu's aura just now was not malicious.

Otherwise, given Wen Qingwu's terrifying aura, if she truly harbored ill intentions towards him, King Zhou Zhan of Kao Shan would be utterly unable to withstand even a single thought from her.

Wen Qingwu ignored the cold gaze of the Prince of Kao Shan and looked towards the outside of Cining Palace; "Since you're here, why stand outside?"

Wen Qingwu said calmly.

Just moments ago, Wen Qingwu had already sensed several powerful auras outside.

As soon as Wen Qingwu finished speaking, a figure dressed in a dragon robe entered the Cining Palace, surrounded by Cao Zhengchun and the others.

The figure in the dragon robe was none other than Zhou Chen, the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

After Zhou Chen arrived at Cining Palace from Yangxin Hall, he happened to hear what Wen Qingwu was saying.

Therefore, Zhou Chen did not immediately enter the Cining Palace, but waited outside it.

Zhou Chen wanted to see how the Prince of Kao Shan and the Eighth Prince would react to Wen Qingwu's request.

Fortunately, Zhou Chen was not disappointed by the attitudes of the Prince of Kao Shan and the Eighth Prince.

Upon seeing Emperor Zhou Chen enter, the expressions of Prince Kao Shan and Prince Ba Xian were immediately taken aback, and they bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

When the Empress Dowager saw Zhou Chen enter, her expression relaxed. "His Majesty has arrived."

In the Empress Dowager's eyes, as long as Emperor Zhou Chen arrived, they wouldn't need to worry about anything else.

"No need to be polite."

Zhou Chen glanced at the Prince of Kao Shan and the Eighth Prince, then waved his hand.

then.

Zhou Chen then respectfully called out to the Empress Dowager in a soft voice, "Mother."

Zhou Chen's address of "Mother" startled the Empress Dowager.

If it were before, Zhou Chen would have addressed the Empress Dowager as "Mother," and she wouldn't have thought anything of it.

But now, with Wen Qingwu, the emperor's own mother, right beside him, Zhou Chen directly calling her "Mother" carries a different meaning.

When Wen Qingwu, who was standing next to him, saw that Zhou Chen ignored her, his biological mother, and instead addressed her as Empress Dowager, her eyes flickered slightly.

It is clear.

How could Wen Qingwu not understand Zhou Chen's actions?
This is Zhou Chen telling her that there is only one Empress Dowager in the Great Zhou Dynasty, the mother of the Emperor, and that is the current Empress Dowager.

As for her biological mother, Wen Qingwu, well…

After calling the Empress Dowager "Mother," Zhou Chen looked at the Prince of Kao Shan beside him and asked, "Uncle, are you alright?"

Zhou Chen sensed Qingwu's aura being directed at Prince Zhou Zhan outside Cining Palace.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine."

"I am the Prince of Kao Shan," said Zhou Zhan, bowing deeply.

Wen Qingwu's imposing manner was not malicious; it was merely a show of force that forced the Prince of Kao Shan to squat on the ground without causing any further harm.

"It's okay."

Zhou Chen nodded, then looked up at Wen Qingwu in the main seat.

This was the first time Zhou Chen had met the late emperor's Consort Zhen, the youngest daughter of the Grand Tutor's family, and also the biological mother of this body.

to be frank.

Zhou Chen truly never expected that his biological mother, Consort Zhen, who had committed suicide by sword in the Golden Palace more than twenty years ago, was still alive.

Moreover, judging from this, things are not what they used to be; their strength is unfathomable.

Similarly, Wen Qingwu also looked at Zhou Chen, sizing up this other son she hadn't seen for over twenty years.

It must be admitted that Zhou Chen, dressed in a dragon robe, is now majestic and domineering, and seems to have a more imperial appearance than Zhou Wudao.

Wen Qingwu never expected that her son, who was born with congenital defects and was barely clinging to life with medication more than 20 years ago, would now possess such majesty.

have to say.

Life is truly unpredictable.

Wen Qingwu had also heard about Zhou Chen's actions in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Eliminating powerful ministers, eradicating aristocratic families, reforming abuses, quelling rebellions, and suppressing foreign tribes—each and every one of these achievements is a monumental feat worthy of being passed down through the ages.

This is something that not every emperor could easily accomplish.

Their eyes met and stared at each other.

For both Zhou Chen and Wen Qingwu, this was the first time they had met in over twenty years.

Unfortunately, during their first meeting, they didn't feel any sense of kinship; instead, they seemed to be on opposing sides.

It has to be said that this is somewhat of a cruel twist of fate.

"It seems that the guards of my palace are all incompetent fools, who have repeatedly allowed people to sneak into the palace."

As soon as Zhou Chen finished speaking, Cao Zhengchun, Cao Shaoqin, Cao Youxiang, and Dian Wei immediately knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, forgive me."

The Imperial Guards were responsible for guarding the palace.

However, the Eastern Depot also had the responsibility of protecting the safety of the imperial palace.

Therefore, upon hearing Emperor Zhou Chen's words, Cao Zhengchun and the other two supervisors of the Eastern Depot, along with Dian Wei and the other three, immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

Only Lü Bu stood to the side without moving.

Lü Bu was a military general, and the security of the imperial palace was not of much concern to him.

Zhou Chen ignored Cao Zhengchun and the other three kneeling on the ground begging for forgiveness, and instead looked at Wen Qingwu, saying calmly, "Do you know what the crime of trespassing on the palace is?"

This was the first time Zhou Chen had spoken to Wen Qingwu.

"Crimes?"

Wen Qingwu calmly said, "I am the late Emperor's Consort Zhen, and you are the Emperor's birth mother. This palace is my home. Do you think I have committed any crime by returning to my own home?"

"Besides, even if I am truly guilty, who dares to convict me?"

Wen Qingwu looked at Zhou Chen and said domineeringly.

As the late emperor's most beloved Consort Zhen, and also the emperor's birth mother, coupled with Wen Qingwu's formidable strength, Wen Qingwu certainly had the right to say that.

"hehe…"

Zhou Chen sneered.

“You are also referring to the late emperor, but now the late emperor is gone. I am the emperor of the Great Zhou. Whoever I say is guilty is guilty.”

Zhou Chen also exuded the domineering aura of an emperor.

"Moreover, if I remember correctly, Consort Zhen committed suicide in the Golden Palace more than twenty years ago."

Zhou Chen's meaning was clear: it was wishful thinking to think that he, the emperor, could use Consort Zhen's status to pressure her.

"I don't want to talk to you about these past events. You should have heard what I just said outside."

"The Wilderness Realm is a place where the strong survive. If the Great Zhou wants to establish itself in the Wilderness Realm and avoid being destroyed, it must have an emperor with extraordinary potential to lead it."

"As for you, you are inherently deficient and your achievements are limited. If this were a small world, you would be a qualified emperor of the Great Zhou."

"But in the Wilderness Realm, you are no longer suitable to be the emperor of the Great Zhou."

"otherwise."

"The Great Zhou Dynasty will soon be destroyed." Wen Qingwu didn't want to waste any more time with Zhou Chen and went straight to the point.

"Ah…"

"So you mean Zhou Wudao is the only one suitable to be the emperor of the Great Zhou, and only he can lead the Great Zhou to establish itself in the Wilderness Realm, while if I become the emperor of the Great Zhou, the Great Zhou will perish?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Yes."

Wen Qingwu nodded without hesitation; "Wu Dao has extraordinary potential. With the added blessing of the nation's fortune, his strength can improve rapidly. In just a little time, he will be able to grow to a level that you cannot even imagine."

"At that time, with Wudao leading the Great Zhou, establishing itself in the Wilderness Realm will be a piece of cake. It's even possible that the Great Zhou could expand its territory and become a hegemon in the Wilderness Realm."

"Besides, if we're really talking about the throne, if Wudao hadn't been taken back to Tianshan by those masters more than twenty years ago, the throne would have belonged to Wudao, and it wouldn't have been your turn to sit on it."

Wen Qingwu spoke frankly.

indeed.

More than 20 years ago, if Zhou Wudao hadn't been taken back to the Tianshan family by those worldly people...

When the late emperor passed the throne, the most likely candidate was Zhou Wudao.

Whether considering seniority or potential, it should be Zhou Wudao's turn to succeed to the throne first, rather than the sickly and weak Zhou Chen, the youngest son of Consort Zhen.

"Hahaha……"

Upon hearing Wen Qingwu's words, Zhou Chen burst into laughter.

"You actually told me that it's not my turn to succeed to the throne."

"Yes, my throne was passed down from the late emperor. Perhaps, if it weren't for that upheaval more than twenty years ago, I wouldn't have been able to ascend the throne."

"But I was able to secure this vast empire of the Great Zhou Dynasty not because the late emperor gave it to me, but because I fought my way through countless battles."

"If it weren't for me, the vast empire of the Great Zhou might not even belong to the Zhou family anymore!"

indeed.

If it weren't for the emergence of Zhou Chen, a great ruler, the decline of the Great Zhou Dynasty would have been a foregone conclusion.

Even if it still bears the surname Zhou, the entire Great Zhou would probably be plagued by popular uprisings, endless wars, and the collapse of the dynasty.

Perhaps, it has already been divided up by those people from Tianshan.

Prince Kao Shan and Prince Ba Xian were aware of this, and Wen Qingwu understood it as well.

The Great Zhou Dynasty is in its current state entirely because of Emperor Zhou Chen.

Otherwise, the situation in the Great Zhou Dynasty would be very different!
"As for extraordinary potential?"

"Then look at these people, which one of them doesn't have extraordinary potential, and which one is worse than your Zhou Wudao?"

"But they all obey my orders. If I tell them to live, they will live; if I tell them to die, they will die."

Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Zhengchun and the other three kneeling on the ground.

When it comes to unleashing potential and talent, who can compare to these legendary figures who have emerged through signing in?

Perhaps Zhou Wudao has good potential, but compared to these great figures throughout history, how many can Zhou Wudao compare to?

Upon hearing Zhou Chen's words, Wen Qingwu's gaze became somewhat fixed.

She knew that Zhou Chen was right.

The people kneeling on the ground are all quite promising.

Wen Qingwu, being a reincarnated person, could see this.

Although Wen Qingwu didn't know where these people came from or why they obeyed Zhou Chen so readily, it was undeniable that their potential was no less than Zhou Wudao's.

If these individuals grow up, they will be an absolutely terrifying force.

“My Great Zhou has never lacked people with potential, not in the past, not now, and not in the future.”

With a system at his disposal, does Zhou Chen lack people with extraordinary potential?

the answer is negative.

It can be said that Zhou Chen has no shortage of people with extraordinary potential.

Given enough time, Zhou Chen could certainly find plenty of exceptionally talented individuals like himself, if not more.

“From this moment forward, the late Emperor Zhen of my Great Zhou is dead, and you have no further connection with my Great Zhou.”

"cut……"

Zhou Chen uttered a single word.

The fate of the entire nation was thrown into turmoil.

Wen Qingwu and Zhou Wudao both had a vague feeling that something about them had been severed.

A shadow crossed Wen Qingwu's face.

Wen Qingwu knew that, as members of the royal family, they were also indirectly affected by the fate of the royal family and the nation.

But now, it seems that Zhou Chen has cut it off directly.

From then on, no matter how prosperous and thriving the Great Zhou Dynasty became, it would have nothing to do with them, and they would no longer be able to enjoy the benefits of the nation's fortune.

"Considering that you were once members of the royal family, I will let it go this time."

"You'd better watch yourselves and leave the palace immediately."

"Anyone who dares to trespass into the imperial palace again will be killed without mercy."

Zhou Chen left Cining Palace with just one sentence.

Zhou Chen has said everything he needed to say.

Whether Wen Qingwu and the others would listen was not something Zhou Chen should worry about.

Considering the special relationship between Wen Qingwu and the others and Zhou Chen, Zhou Chen decided to let them off this time.

If Wen Qingwu and the others still refuse to give up and harbor such inappropriate thoughts, then don't blame Zhou Chen for being impolite.

After Zhou Chenyi left, Cao Zhengchun, Cao Shaoqin, Cao Youxiang, and Dian Wei, who were kneeling on the ground, stood up.

Along with Lü Bu, the five outstanding individuals stared intently at Wen Qingwu, their powerful auras slowly surging.

When facing Wen Qingwu, Lu Bu and the others all had somewhat solemn expressions.

Both Cao Shaoqin and Lü Bu displayed an unprecedented solemnity when looking at Wen Qingwu.

It is clear.

Wen Qingwu put considerable pressure on Lü Bu, Cao Shaoqin, and the other three.

This is enough to demonstrate how terrifying Wen Qingwu is.

Wen Qingwu noticed that Lu Bu and the other four were staring at her with hostile eyes, and her expression flickered uncertainly.

After a while.

"Walk."

Wen Qingwu said nothing more and left with Zhou Wudao.

In an instant, Wen Qingwu and Zhou Wudao walked out of Cining Palace and disappeared into the sky above the palace.

Seeing Wen Qingwu and Zhou Wudao leave, the three—King Kaoshan, the Eighth Prince, and the Empress Dowager—all breathed a sigh of relief.

They were genuinely afraid that Wen Qingwu wouldn't leave so easily and might still harbor those thoughts.

If that were the case, a major war would be inevitable.

When that time really comes, it won't be good for anyone.

After all, Wen Qingwu was the youngest daughter of the Wen family and the late emperor's beloved concubine, while Zhou Wudao and Zhou Chen were twins.

The entire Wen family died fighting for the Great Zhou.

If either party is injured, it could be a tragedy.

(End of this chapter)