You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 60 Empress Dowager, you must do us justice!
After leaving the court, Zhou Chen returned directly to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The palace is now in a state of panic. Yesterday's rebellion by Empress Wu Ying has once again cast a shadow over this most powerful place in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The imperial guards once again stirred up a bloody storm in the palace, and began a large-scale purge of those who had escaped.

After this purge, it is believed that Empress Wu Ying's influence within the palace will completely disappear.

Zhou Chen sat on the dragon throne, in a very good mood.

Empress Wu Ying and the Grand General are both dead, and more than twenty key officials from their faction have also been removed from office.

Most importantly, the military power of the Six Guards of the Southern Camp of Shenwu has been taken back.

At this point, the entire army of the Twelve Divine Guards was under his control.

After that, no one dared to easily ignore the existence of imperial power.

The first step has finally been taken.

Zhou Chen's eyes gleamed.

Zhou Chen knew that the decline of the Great Zhou Dynasty could not be reversed by killing an empress or a general.

The decadence and corruption of the Great Zhou Dynasty far exceeded expectations.

But he has already taken the first step, and given time, he can rebuild his empire.

At this moment, a palace eunuch entered and whispered a few words in Cao Zhengchun's ear.

Seeing this, Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Zhengchun and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Is something wrong?" Zhou Chen asked.

Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, it was Zhang Guojiu who brought some imperial relatives into the palace. They went to Cining Palace."

Uh?
Zhang Guojiu led some imperial relatives to Cining Palace.

Zhou Chen was taken aback.

Zhang Guojiu was the Empress Dowager's elder brother, and thus held a special status.

At this time, what was Zhang Guojiu doing at Cining Palace with some imperial relatives?
Zhou Chen's eyes flashed, and he laughed; "It seems someone has set their sights on the Empress Dowager."

"Cao Zhengchun".

"The imperial carriage is prepared for the Cining Palace."

Without saying a word, Zhou Chen stood up and walked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

……

Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager sat in the main seat, looking at the dozen or so figures kneeling before her.

"Relatives, please rise!"

"Get up first, then we can talk."

"If I can help, I will definitely help."

The Empress Dowager sighed inwardly.

I originally thought that closing the palace would help me avoid some trouble.

The result is that what you fear most is what comes to pass.

The Empress Dowager was fully aware of the arrest of the Empress, the General, and their cronies yesterday.

Now that these imperial relatives are coming to Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager can guess their intentions without even thinking.

"Empress Dowager, you must do us justice!"

“Those henchmen of the Eastern Depot, along with the Imperial Guards, are arresting people everywhere. Many people from our families have already been arrested.”

"If this continues, we royal relatives will probably all be doomed."

A dozen or so members of the imperial family knelt on the ground and said in a mournful voice.

His expression seemed to suggest that he truly had no way out, making it impossible for anyone to refuse him.

After hearing these words from more than a dozen imperial relatives, the Empress Dowager's expression turned knowing.

As expected, she guessed a bit right; she came for this very reason.

The Empress Dowager glanced expressionlessly at the dozen or so royal relatives; "You must all know about the Empress and the General's rebellion yesterday."

"The Eastern Depot and its guards, along with the Imperial Guards, are arresting people; they are all rebels and traitors arrested on the Emperor's orders."

"You're not going to tell me that none of your families were involved, and that the Eastern Depot and the Imperial Guards arrested your families for no reason, are you?"

The Empress Dowager looked at the dozen or so imperial relatives and spoke slowly and deliberately.

Who is the Empress Dowager?

She's a woman who's been navigating the treacherous waters of the imperial harem for decades. These dozen or so imperial relatives won't be able to fool her so easily.

"Your Majesty, the Empress and the General's rebellion really has nothing to do with us."

"How dare we, as members of the royal family, commit such a treasonous act?"

"We only have some contact with the General and others on a regular basis, but we have absolutely not participated in the rebellion."

"Please, Your Majesty, make this clear."

More than a dozen royal relatives hurriedly spoke up.

At this point, they dared not conceal anything.

This is no joke; one wrong move and your entire family could be wiped out.

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager did not speak again, but her brows furrowed slightly.

Whether what the dozen or so imperial relatives said was true or false, it didn't matter to the Empress Dowager.

The important thing is that once you get involved in this kind of thing, it's impossible to get away with it.

The Empress Dowager was well aware of this.

Even if the Empress Dowager wanted to help, she was somewhat powerless.

Looking at the dozen or so royal relatives kneeling, the Empress Dowager was caught in a dilemma.

The dozen or so royal relatives kneeling there included members of the royal family and members of the Empress Dowager's own Zhang clan; in general, they were all related by blood.

If the Empress Dowager refused, it would seem somewhat heartless.

But even if the Empress Dowager wanted to help, she couldn't do so despite her good intentions!

If it were before Zhou Chen's transformation, perhaps the Empress Dowager's words would have had some effect.

But ever since she last saw Zhou Chen, the Empress Dowager felt that Zhou Chen had become somewhat different from before.

Even if she were his mother, Zhou Chen might not necessarily give her any face.

Especially since this involves the Empress and the General's rebellion.

The Empress Dowager glared fiercely at a slightly overweight man standing beside her.

She secretly blamed the slightly overweight man; wasn't he just making things difficult for the Empress Dowager?

This man was none other than the Empress Dowager's elder brother, Zhang Guojiu.

When Zhang Guojiu saw that his sister, the Empress Dowager, glared at him, he understood that the Empress Dowager was blaming him, so he stepped forward and whispered a few words in her ear.

The Empress Dowager then looked at the dozen or so imperial relatives kneeling before her and said, "Regarding this matter, considering that you are all imperial relatives, I can only say that I will put in a word with the Emperor on your behalf."

"Everything is subject to the Emperor's will."

“If your families are truly involved in the General’s rebellion, then even I cannot save you.”

The Empress Dowager made it very clear.

That is, she will mention this matter to the Emperor.

But in the end, everything depends on the Emperor's decision.

Upon hearing this, the dozen or so royal relatives all kowtowed in gratitude.

"Thank you, Queen Mother."

The dozen or so imperial relatives knew that as the emperor's mother, the Empress Dowager's word was far more effective than any of them having to ask anyone else.

The Empress Dowager said nothing more, and waved her hand: "If there's nothing else, you may all leave!"

"The Emperor probably already knows that you came to the palace to see me."

"You should not stay here with me for too long, lest you arouse the Emperor's suspicion."

The Empress Dowager spoke slowly.

People in the palace are now in a state of panic, and the secret police are investigating the Empress's remaining associates everywhere.

At this time, the timing of these people coming to the palace to see the Empress Dowager was not good.

It's best to let them leave as soon as possible.

The dozen or so imperial relatives understood the Empress Dowager's meaning, and they all rose to take their leave and departed from Cining Palace.

Not long after the dozen or so imperial relatives left, a eunuch rushed into Cining Palace in a panic.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has arrived at Cining Palace!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's expression shifted slightly, and a strange look flashed in her eyes.

(End of this chapter)