You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 43 From this day forward, Zhou Junxian will never return.

Storms raged continuously within Luoyang.

First, the General's Mansion was destroyed, and then a series of civil and military officials, including the Minister of Personnel and the Minister of Rites, had their homes confiscated and their families exterminated.

When the news spread, the officials were shocked.

The people of Luoyang were shocked.

The powerful and wealthy families, as well as the imperial relatives, were shocked.

No one expected that the person in the palace would act so ruthlessly and decisively.

They hadn't received a single tip-off beforehand.

It caught everyone off guard.

Many people began to prepare in secret, fearing that the next imperial edict to confiscate their property and exterminate their entire clan would befall them.

Those who were connected with the Empress's relatives were especially terrified.

After all, so far, all those whose families have been raided and whose clans have been exterminated are civil and military officials from the Empress's family and relatives.

Many of them wanted to use their past connections to secretly leave the city.

But the result was that, without exception, they were all captured or stopped by the Imperial Guards.

With Jin He, the commander of the Imperial Guards who only obeys the emperor's orders and not people, stationed at the four gates and nine cities of Luoyang, no one can leave the city without the emperor's order.

This is probably why Zhou Chen sent Jin He, the commander of the Imperial Guards, to seal off the four gates and nine cities of Luoyang.

Obey only the emperor's orders.

There was no personal relationship involved.

……

While storms raged in Luoyang, unrest also raged within the palace.

Qingfeng Palace.

The imperial guards who were originally ordered by Zhou Chen to seal off Qingfeng Palace were transferred back to Xiyuan shortly after Jinhe left the palace, and replaced by another imperial guard team.

At this moment, inside the Qingfeng Palace.

Empress Wu Ying sat on the phoenix throne, looking at Wan'er with a solemn expression; "What you just said was true?"

"Did Cao Zhengchun really lead the Imperial Guards to the General's Mansion to deliver an imperial edict, and even have the Imperial Guards surround the entire General's Mansion?" Empress Wu Ying asked solemnly.

Wan'er nodded; "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I only managed to escape through the back door."

"The General instructed me to tell Your Highness that if things become unbearable, it would be best to escape first."

Wan'er said, her face pale.

Empress Wu Ying's face darkened immediately upon hearing this.

Previously, Empress Wu Ying had only speculated that Zhou Chen might have some schemes.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Chen's plan was to destroy the General's Mansion.

How dare he?
How dare you do this?

Did he not know that the Grand General commanded the Southern Camp of the Twelve Divine Martial Guards, the most elite forces in the Great Zhou Dynasty?

Isn't he afraid that the Southern Camp's Six Guards of Divine Might will directly cause unrest and lead to a mutiny?

Empress Wu Ying's heart sank to the bottom.

She wasn't naive enough to believe that Cao Zhengchun's surrounding of the General's Mansion with the Imperial Guards was actually a mission to deliver an imperial edict.

Does delivering an imperial edict require several thousand imperial guards and surrounding the General's mansion completely?

It is clear.

This imperial decree was issued with the intention of confiscating property and exterminating entire families.

It's estimated that it's not just the General's Mansion.

It's likely that even the Minister of Personnel and the Minister of Rites, among other civil and military officials under their influence, will not be spared.

Now, the four gates and nine city walls of Luoyang are sealed off by Jin He and the Imperial Guards.

People inside the city couldn't get out, and people outside the city couldn't get in.

It can be said that all news, both inside and outside the city, has been cut off for the time being.

The General's Mansion can no longer rely on the Southern Camp's Six Divine Guards, which it depends on most.

Without the Southern Camp's Six Divine Guards, the General's Mansion is like a man with one arm missing.

Although Empress Wu Ying was well aware of the Grand General's Mansion's strength, she felt that Cao Zhengchun, with the Imperial Guards, might not be able to destroy it.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

Since that person in the Hall of Mental Cultivation dared to plot in this way, they must have some unknown source of confidence.

Thinking of this, Empress Wu Ying knew she couldn't wait any longer. With Jin He leading the Imperial Guards to seal off Luoyang's four gates and nine city walls, and Cao Zhengchun out delivering imperial edicts with the Imperial Guards, he was not in the palace.

The palace is empty.

This was the perfect opportunity for her to make her move.

Regardless of Cao Zhengchun's confidence in leading the Imperial Guards to destroy the General's Mansion.

As long as she makes a move here, she can take down that person in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Then everything settled down.

The palace is the true arena where the final outcome will be decided.

Outside the palace, it was merely a secondary event, an embellishment.

A glint of light flashed in Empress Wu Ying's eyes as she looked at Wan'er and asked, "Have you reached the people I asked you to inform? Are the Phoenix Guards ready?"

Wan'er immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I have informed everyone, and the Phoenix Guards are on standby, awaiting Your Majesty's command."

"and."

“When I returned to the palace, I brought all the experts from outside the palace into the palace.”

Upon hearing this, Empress Wu Ying's eyes gleamed even brighter.

With skilled individuals outside the palace, she can make up for the shortage of manpower within the palace.

This gives us more confidence in our next move.

Empress Wu Ying then looked at Wei Zhong; "Wei Zhong, how are your manpower preparations going?"

"Your Majesty, everything is ready. They can act at any time, as long as Your Majesty gives the order," Wei Zhong replied immediately.

Upon hearing this, Empress Wu Ying said nothing more, but instead looked at the last person in Qingfeng Palace; "And you? What have you decided?"

"You want to watch me die?"

"You still want to see me live?"

"If you want to watch me die, just do it and kill me with one blow."

"To die by your hand, I, Wu Ying, can be considered to have achieved my wish."

Empress Wu Ying gazed at the man and spoke softly, her tone complex yet tender.

Upon hearing this, the man sighed; "Wu Ying, why are you forcing me?"

"You know, I am a member of the royal family. I cannot betray the royal family or the Great Zhou Dynasty."

"Do you really have to go this far?"

"Is it worth it for that dragon throne, for that elusive power?"

The man said excitedly.

On one side is the woman he loves most, and on the other is his royal family.

He couldn't bring himself to kill the woman he loved most.

He couldn't bring himself to betray the royal family and kill that person in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

What should he choose?
What choice does he have?
Empress Wu Ying looked at the man's excited expression and shook her head, saying, "It's not that I insisted on going this far, it's that I have no other choice now."

"You saw it yourself, that person in the Hall of Mental Cultivation wants to kill me and destroy the General's Mansion. What do you expect me to do?"

"I'm not after that position or power, I just want to live."

"do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, the man immediately said, "I can take you away. Let's go far away and never bother with these mundane matters again. From now on, we can live a carefree life in a secluded place and live a peaceful life."

"In this way, even if that person in the Hall of Mental Cultivation wants to kill you, they won't be able to find you."

Empress Wu Ying laughed upon hearing this.

"Zhou Junxian, don't be silly."

"Under the whole world, is it not the king's land."

"Within the whole land, all are subjects of the king."

"If the emperor wants to kill me, how can I find a place to live in this world?"

"I, Wu Ying, will only ask you one question."

"Do you want me to live, or do you want me to die?"

Wu Ying stared straight at the man, showing no sign of backing down.

After a moment of silence, the man sighed and said, "Never mind."

"Zhou Junxian will never exist again."

In the end, he made his choice.