You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Three months passed quickly.

The Imperial City, once the capital of the Azure Dragon Dynasty, has now been renamed Chang'an of the Great Zhou Dynasty, symbolizing longevity and peace.

In the Imperial Palace, on the Golden Throne Hall.

At this moment, civil and military officials dressed in their official robes gathered together.

They stood in two rows according to their official rank.

On the dragon throne, Zhou Chen looked down at the civil and military officials like a tiger lying on a desolate hill, calm yet dignified.

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

Upon seeing the figure on the dragon throne, all the civil and military officials knelt down to pay their respects and shout in unison.

Zhou Chen looked down at the civil and military officials below.

Standing at the front were three people, two of whom were the left and right prime ministers, Li Si and Xiao He, and the remaining person was an elderly man who was already in his seventies.

This old man was none other than Yuan Situ, one of the three dukes of the Azure Dragon Dynasty.

The Azure Dragon Dynasty has three high-ranking officials: the Grand Commandant, the Minister of Education, and the Minister of Works.

They were the highest-ranking officials of the Azure Dragon Dynasty, leading all civil and military officials in the court.

But now, the only one who can still stand in this imperial hall is this Minister Yuan.

As for the other two, they also disappeared into the long river of history as the Azure Dragon Dynasty vanished.

Following them were Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Xun Yu, and the other ministers of the Six Ministries, as well as other civil and military officials.

More than half of the civil and military officials were former officials of the Qinglong Dynasty. They were all officials who abandoned the darkness and were willing to serve the Great Zhou. Only a very small number of officials, such as Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, were former Great Zhou officials who followed Zhou Chen to move the capital.

Upon closer inspection, it was found that less than a quarter of the civil and military officials in the court were former officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty; the majority of the rest were former officials of the previous dynasty.

There was nothing that could be done about it. The Great Zhou had first conquered the other nine dynasties, and now it had taken over the entire Azure Dragon Dynasty. It was already a case of a snake swallowing an elephant.

The shortage of officials is impossible to fill, and it is basically impossible to completely replace these former officials of the previous dynasty. The only option is to retain a large number of these former officials who have abandoned the darkness and are willing to serve the Great Zhou.

Therefore, when Zhou Chen moved the capital to Chang'an, he did not bring many officials with him. Instead, he left most of the officials from the original court in Luoyang, the eastern capital, or transferred them to other parts of the Nine Provinces to stabilize and govern the various places after the turmoil.

After glancing at the civil and military officials, Zhou Chen slowly said, "All of you, rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The civil and military officials stood up, most of them looking somewhat uneasy.

No one knew what the new emperor's temperament was like, or whether he would be harsh on them, the former officials of the previous dynasty.

Those officials who had not yet met the emperor alone were especially anxious.

"Today is the first morning court session since the Great Zhou moved its capital to Chang'an, and it is also the first morning court session since the Great Zhou expanded its territory and conquered the imperial dynasty."

"Some of my beloved ministers have not yet met me, and I know very little about some of them. I will take advantage of this morning's court session to let me get to know you all better."

Zhou Chen stood up and stepped down from the dragon throne, walking slowly along the imperial path.

Upon seeing this, the civil and military officials on both sides bowed slightly and lowered their heads to listen.

"The achievements of our Great Zhou today are inseparable from each and every one of you ministers present here. It is because of your presence that our Great Zhou has been able to grow from a small border country to where it is today."

“Minister Yuan”.

Zhou Chen stopped beside Yuan Situ, who was already in his seventies.

"You deserve much credit for enabling our Great Zhou to conquer the entire imperial territory so quickly and stabilize the situation."

"It is a great fortune for our Great Zhou Dynasty that you have abandoned darkness and embraced the light, joining our court. From today onwards, you will serve in the cabinet and participate in government affairs!"

Zhou Chen understood the principle of spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones.

Zhou Chen needed to properly appease these former officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty who had surrendered.

Only in this way can these former officials of the dynasty be persuaded to submit to the Great Zhou more quickly and serve the Great Zhou willingly.

Moreover, the fact that the Great Zhou was able to stabilize the situation so quickly was indeed due to the allegiance and support of these former officials of the dynasty.

Without the allegiance and support of these former officials of the dynasty, it would not have been so easy for the Great Zhou to seize the entire imperial territory and stabilize the situation.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Yuan Situ looked excited.

The cabinet is the central authority of power in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Joining the cabinet to participate in political affairs is equivalent to squeezing into the center of power in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

For a former official of the previous dynasty, being able to re-enter the cabinet, such a powerful central body, is a great honor.

Yuan Situ thanked the emperor with great emotion, his tiger whiskers, which were about an inch and a half long, trembling slightly.

Although he knew this was Emperor Zhou Chen's way of appeasing them, his former officials, he still felt he should show his excitement and gratitude.

Otherwise, the emperor might think, "I've already granted you a seat in the cabinet to discuss matters, yet your expression hasn't changed at all. What do you mean by that?"
Not satisfied?
Still unwilling?
It has to be said that people become more shrewd as they get older.

Zhou Chen glanced at Yuan Situ with satisfaction, then continued walking along the imperial road toward the next former official of the previous dynasty.

Although Zhou Chen was not very familiar with these former officials of the previous dynasty, all their information had already been sent to him by the Eastern Depot and memorized.

Today's morning court session was primarily aimed at appeasing the former officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty who remained in the court.

Thus, whenever Zhou Chen approached a former official who remained in the court, he would stop and offer him gifts and reassurance.

Before they knew it, the first morning court session after the Great Zhou Dynasty moved its capital had passed.

……

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

The former True Dragon Hall has now been renamed the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The entire imperial palace was named according to the original layout of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

After the court session, Zhou Chen returned directly to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After sitting upright on the dragon throne, Zhou Chen picked up the teacup on the dragon table next to him and took a sip.

Now that the Great Zhou has moved its capital to Chang'an, the entire imperial territory has been incorporated into the Great Zhou's territory, and all the former officials in the court have been appeased one by one.

Going forward, as long as the Great Zhou proceeds steadily and surely, there shouldn't be any major problems.

After setting down his teacup, Zhou Chen remembered something and looked up at Cao Zhengchun, who was standing beside him. "Is there still no news about Bai Qi and Cao Youxiang?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Eastern Depot has not yet discovered any information about the two of them."

"However, this old servant has already sent more people, and Cao Shaoqin has also gone to search for them personally."

Cao Zhengchun is under a lot of pressure.

His Majesty would ask about Bai Qi and Cao Youxiang almost every two or three days.

However, since that earth-shattering battle, Bai Qi and Cao Youxiang have been chasing after the two Great Sages of the Demon Clan and the Demon Court, and there has been no news of them since.

During this period, the Eastern Depot had to help the court stabilize the situation within the dynasty, investigate the remnants of the old dynasty, monitor the world, and track down Bai Qi and Cao Youxiang. It can be seen how much pressure Cao Zhengchun was under.

Upon hearing Cao Zhengchun's words, a look of worry appeared between Zhou Chen's brows.

More than three months.

More than three months have passed since Bai Qi and Cao Youxiang went to chase after the two Great Sages of the Demon Clan and the Demon Court.

However, there has been no news of Bai Qi and Cao Youxiang to this day.

This made Zhou Chen worry that something might have happened between the two of them.

Although Zhou Chen had absolute confidence in top talents like Bai Qi and Cao Youxiang.

However, Zhou Chen also knew that the Demon Clan and the Demon Court's long-term scheme was not so easy to deal with, and no one could guarantee what other tricks those two Great Saints of the Demon Clan and the Demon Court might have up their sleeves.

"How dare you! Who is it that dares to act so presumptuously in my imperial capital, Chang'an?"

Sudden.

at this time.

A deafening shout rang out.

Zhou Chen also turned his gaze towards the outside of the hall, his brows furrowing slightly.

Upon seeing this, Cao Zhengchun, who was standing nearby, immediately said, "Your Majesty, this old servant will go out and take a look."

Zhou Chen shook his head and stood up; "No need, let's go take a look together!"

Zhou Chen could already sense two powerful auras rapidly approaching from afar, and they were doing so without any restraint or attempt to slow down.

When Zhou Chen stepped out of the hall, he saw Yuwen Chengdu, the commander of the Imperial Guards, standing high in the sky, staring solemnly into the distant void.

Besides Yuwen Chengdu, the commander on duty, another figure also appeared in the sky.

This figure was none other than 'Xiliang Jin Ma Chao,' a new outstanding individual that Zhou Chen had signed in over the past three months.

In the past three months, Zhou Chen has signed in three times. In addition to signing in Ma Chao, the "Western Liang Brocade", he has also signed in the "Ten Thousand Factory Guards" and the outstanding person Tian Feng.

Zhou Chen took a step forward and instantly arrived beside Yuwen Chengdu and Ma Chao.

"Your Majesty." Upon seeing Zhou Chen, Yuwen Chengdu and Ma Chao immediately bowed in greeting.

Zhou Chen nodded without saying anything more, and looked up at the distant void.

Two astonishing auras were rapidly approaching from the distant void, and even from a great distance, Zhou Chen could feel their immense power.

Two figures gradually appeared on the distant horizon.

In the blink of an eye, two figures had arrived in front of everyone.

"Who are you?"

"Don't you know to tone down your arrogance when you come to Chang'an, the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

Yuwen Chengdu stepped forward and questioned the two figures.

The two figures were two women in palace attire.

One of them was a middle-aged woman dressed in a purple palace gown, and the other was a woman who looked younger.

The serene and otherworldly aura emanating from the two of them clearly indicated that they were not ordinary people.

Great Zhou?

The young woman frowned upon hearing this; "Isn't this the capital of my Azure Dragon Dynasty? When did it become Chang'an of the Great Zhou?"

"Who are you?"

"Where is my father?"

The young woman glanced at Zhou Chen and Yuwen Chengdu with a puzzled look, her gaze sweeping across the entire imperial city and the inner palace below.

Father emperor?

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen's pupils contracted slightly.

Obviously.

He had already guessed the young woman's identity.

As one of the four great dynasties in the entire Wilderness Realm, the Azure Dragon Dynasty has been based in the Eastern Region for countless years. Its foundation and intricate relationships are far more complex than just the strength within the dynasty itself.

Over the years, countless geniuses have left the royal family and gone to the Central Region.

Among Emperor Long Xingtian's many princes and princesses, some exceptionally talented individuals were sent to the Central Region for cultivation.

Among them was the Ninth Princess, Long Qianqian, who was the most outstanding in talent. She passed the Central Region Holy Land's assessment and entered the Holy Land for cultivation, and it seems that she even became the Holy Maiden of the Holy Land.

If Zhou Chen wasn't mistaken, the young woman in front of him should be the Ninth Princess Long Qianqian, who had become the Holy Maiden of the Holy Land.

“Long Xingtian acted perversely, colluding with the demon race and the demon court to harm our human race, and has been killed by our Great Zhou.”

"The Azure Dragon Dynasty has been replaced by the Great Zhou Dynasty. From now on, there will be no more Azure Dragon Dynasty in the Eastern Region, only my Great Zhou Dynasty."

Zhou Chen glanced at the young woman and spoke calmly.

"what?"

"You destroyed my Azure Dragon Dynasty and even killed my father?"

Zhou Chen's words caused the young woman's expression to change, and her saintly aura suddenly erupted.

"presumptuous."

Yuwen Chengdu roared, his powerful aura bursting forth as he confronted the young woman.

The clash of the two saintly auras stirred up patches of the surrounding void, causing a continuous series of shattering sounds to echo throughout the entire space.

Zhou Chen stood in the void, completely unaffected.

Similarly, the middle-aged woman who was with Long Qianqian stood still and unaffected.

"You deserve to die."

Long Qianqian's murderous gaze was fixed on Zhou Chen and Yuwen Chengdu. Her icy voice, like frost from the abyss, was squeezed out from between her teeth, sending chills down everyone's spine.

She had already surveyed the entire imperial city and palace below.

Indeed, there was no trace of her father's presence, and even her royal bloodline from the Long clan was almost entirely absent, making it impossible to sense.

This shows that her father and the Azure Dragon Dynasty have really encountered some trouble.

Zhou Chen ignored Long Qianqian's almost murderous, icy gaze, glanced at Long Qianqian, and then turned his gaze to the middle-aged beauty next to Long Qianqian.

Long Qianqian's strength was only that of a minor saint among saints, not even a great saint, so Zhou Chen didn't take her seriously.

Given the current strength of the Great Zhou Dynasty, dealing with a Lesser Saint would be a piece of cake, requiring no effort at all.

What Zhou Chen really cared about was the middle-aged beauty next to Long Qianqian.

Zhou Chen felt a strong sense of pressure from the other party; the aura was clearly superior to that of a Great Sage.

This should be a Saint King powerhouse who surpasses even a Great Sage.

Zhou Chen looked at the middle-aged beauty with a solemn expression.

Zhou Chen can disregard the Lesser Saint and the Great Saint.

But with a Saint King as the only one, Zhou Chen had to be cautious.

Given the current situation of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it's not certain that they can handle a powerful Saint King.

"Qianqian, step back."

Just as Long Qianqian's momentum reached its peak and she was about to make a move, the middle-aged beauty parted her jade lips and rang out a clear, cold voice.

The momentum that Long Qianqian and Yuwen Chengdu had been building to their peak vanished instantly after that cold, clear voice rang out.

"Master!"

Long Qianqian glanced at the middle-aged beauty with a puzzled look.

She didn't understand why her master would suddenly stop her from doing anything and tell her to step back.

But after seeing the middle-aged woman's unquestionable gaze, Long Qianqian hesitated for a moment, glanced at Zhou Chen and Yuwen Chengdu with resentment, and finally could only take a step back, staring at Zhou Chen and the other man with murderous intent, without making any further moves.

Yuwen Chengdu also retreated to Zhou Chen's side, but his expression was solemn as he stared at the middle-aged beauty.

The fact that a single voice could suppress the combined aura of the two Lesser Saints who had reached their peak shocked Yuwen Chengdu, making him extremely solemn.

The middle-aged woman ignored Yuwen Chengdu's wary and serious gaze, and instead looked at Zhou Chen; "You say that Long Xingtian colluded with the Demon Clan and the Demon Court to harm our human race, do you have any evidence?"

"besides."

"Don't you know that the Imperial Court has issued a strict order that dynasties within the human race must not attack each other at will, much less destroy each other's kingdoms!"

"Especially since the Azure Dragon Dynasty is the only dynasty in the Eastern Region and one of the four great dynasties of our human race, it has the mission of guarding the Eastern Region and protecting our human race. Do you know what it means to destroy the Azure Dragon Dynasty?"

The middle-aged woman looked at Zhou Chen with a calm gaze and a cold voice.

What does it mean?
Zhou Chen sneered; "There is more than one dynasty in the entire Eastern Region than just the Azure Dragon Dynasty. My Great Zhou is also a dynasty. Whatever missions the Azure Dragon Dynasty can accomplish, my Great Zhou can also accomplish. And what the Azure Dragon Dynasty cannot accomplish, my Great Zhou can still accomplish."

“Guarding the Eastern Region and protecting the human race is not something only the Azure Dragon Dynasty can do; my Great Zhou Dynasty can do it too.”

The middle-aged woman's attempt to pressure him with righteous indignation was utterly ridiculous.

If righteousness is useful, then why use fists?
"As for the evidence that Long Xingtian colluded with the Demon Clan and the Demon Court to harm the human race, if you want it, you can ask anyone in the Eastern Region. I believe they will provide the evidence you want."

Zhou Chen spoke slowly, then changed the subject at the end.

"However, this seems to be a matter between the various dynasties under our Imperial Court, and it's probably not your Holy Land's place to concern yourself with it, is it?"

Zhou Chen was well aware that although the Holy Land was powerful, it did not have the right to interfere in the affairs between the various dynasties under the Imperial Court.

The middle-aged woman didn't seem surprised that Zhou Chen could guess her identity and background; "I will verify everything you've said."

"If any statement is inconsistent with the facts, you should understand the consequences."

"Although my Holy Land does not interfere in the affairs between your various dynasties, it does not mean that my Holy Land has no right to clean up the scum among our human race."

As she spoke, the middle-aged woman gave Zhou Chen a deep look.

"let's go."

The middle-aged beauty said nothing more, casually picked up Long Qianqian beside her, turned around and disappeared into the distance of the void.

Looking in the direction where the middle-aged beauty and Long Qianqian disappeared, Cao Zhengchun said, "Your Majesty, should we...?"

Before Cao Zhengchun could finish speaking, Zhou Chen shook his head.

"Need not."

Zhou Chen understood the principle that if you don't cut the weeds at the root, they will grow back in the spring.

However, given the current situation, eradicating the problem completely is not so easy.

A powerful Saint King is not so easy to deal with. Putting aside whether their current strength is enough to capture this Saint King from the Holy Land, even if they could, the price they would have to pay would be unimaginable.

This is not worthwhile for the current Zhou Dynasty.

Moreover, Zhou Chen didn't believe they could defeat their opponent.

The other party was clearly wary of their strength, which is why they refrained from any excessive actions and decisively turned and left… (End of Chapter)