You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 69 Seizure of the Carefree Prince's Mansion
Zhou Chen's words startled the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian, and his expression changed.

What is the Eastern Depot?
Those were a pack of ruthless henchmen who would confiscate property, exterminate entire families, and kill without blinking an eye.

After these days of fermentation, the infamous reputation of the Eastern Depot has long been deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Wherever the Eastern Depot went, it meant either confiscating property or causing death.

If the Eastern Depot were to handle matters concerning the royal family, those members would undoubtedly suffer a massive bloodbath.

As a tool in the emperor's hand, the Eastern Depot would not care about the status of members of the royal family.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, immediately said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, as the head of the Imperial Clan Court, I will certainly handle my duties well."

King Zhou Xian knew that this was Zhou Chen warning him.

If the Imperial Clan Court couldn't handle the internal affairs of the royal family properly, Zhou Chen would hand them over to outsiders, such as the Eastern Depot.

This is not what King Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, would have wanted to see.

Therefore, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian had to quickly make his stance clear: his Imperial Clan Court was capable of handling its internal affairs on its own.

Zhou Chen nodded upon hearing this; "That's good."

"Then I will entrust the matter of the Prince of Xiaoyao to the Imperial Clan Court of the Eighth Imperial Uncle for handling."

"As the head of the Imperial Clan Court, the Eighth Imperial Uncle is wise and tolerant, which is not wrong."

"But sometimes, ruthless methods are necessary."

"The royal family should be cleaned up where necessary. Don't let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch."

Zhou Chen looked at the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian and said calmly.

Unless absolutely necessary, Zhou Chen did not want to break the rules and let the Eastern Depot purge the people inside the royal family.

After all, royalty is royalty.

Even if they don't fight each other, they still share the same bloodline.

If the rules are broken rashly and outsiders are allowed to clean up the mess, it would be a disgrace to the royal family and to Emperor Zhou Chen.

However, if the Imperial Clan Court of the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian fails to satisfy Zhou Chen, then Zhou Chen will have no choice but to break the rules and let the Eastern Depot take action.

Upon hearing Zhou Chen's words, Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.

Zhou Chen wanted him, the Eighth Prince, to be the villain!

However, it is perfectly reasonable for a subject to share the burdens of his ruler.

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, nodded; "Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhou Chen's meaning was so obvious, how could the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian not understand it!

If you're going to be a bad person, then be a bad person!

It's better than being dead.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Xiaoyao has been dispatched by Your Majesty to the four prefectures in the northwest to assist the Grand Tutor in disaster relief. This matter..." The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, looked at Zhou Chen on the dragon throne as if asking a question.

Previously, both Prince Xiaoyao Zhou Qian and Prince Kang Zhou Qi were sent by Zhou Chen to assist Grand Tutor Wen Zhong in providing disaster relief and quelling civil unrest in the four northwestern prefectures.

Since the Prince of Xiaoyao has not returned, the matter of the Prince of Xiaoyao must be discussed with Emperor Zhou Chen.

If Emperor Zhou Chen wanted to arrest the Prince of Xiaoyao immediately, then the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian should immediately send someone to the four prefectures in the northwest.

Zhou Chen pondered for a moment and said, "First, take down everyone connected to the Carefree King."

"As for the carefree Prince Zhou Qian, we'll make our move when he returns from the four northwestern prefectures."

It's not worth sending someone from the Imperial Clan Court to the four northwestern prefectures again just for the sake of Zhou Qian, the carefree Prince.

Furthermore, at this time, Prince Zhou Qian was assisting Grand Tutor Wen Zhong in disaster relief and quelling the civil unrest.

At this critical juncture, sending men to the four northwestern prefectures to capture the Carefree King is not a good idea.

It would be better to wait until the Prince of Xiaoyao returns from the four northwestern prefectures before taking action.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then I will take my leave first."

With Zhou Chen's instructions in mind, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian knew what to do.

He said his farewell and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian left, Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Zhengchun beside him; "Send the Imperial Guards to keep a close eye on things, just in case anything goes wrong."

"besides."

"Let the Imperial Guard thoroughly investigate all of Zhou Qian's connections in Luoyang."

"In particular, we should examine which ministers in the court have close ties with Prince Zhou Qian and which generals in the army have secret dealings with him."

"Investigate everything related to Prince Zhou Qian."

Zhou Chen spoke calmly, each word distinct. He knew that since Zhou Qian, the Prince of Xiaoyao, was Zhao Gao's backer and wanted to reap the benefits, he was scheming against him.

Therefore, Zhou Qian, the carefree king, must also have his own forces.

Whether in the court or the army, there must be someone secretly colluding with Prince Zhou Qian.

And this force is not small.

The Imperial Clan Court of Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, was only responsible for arresting Prince Xiaoyao and members of the royal family related to him.

As for the other members of Zhou Qian's faction, they will have to be investigated by the Eastern Depot.

"This old servant obeys the decree." A glint of light flashed in Cao Zhengchun's eyes.

Cao Zhengchun originally thought that this matter had nothing to do with him.

After all, they are the sons and grandsons of the emperor. According to the rules of past dynasties, only the Imperial Clan Court had the right to deal with members of the royal family.

Unexpectedly, it took the Eastern Depot to intervene.

Just then, the Eastern Depot had almost finished dealing with the matter of General Wu Jin's maternal relatives' faction, and now there was more work to be done.

……

The city of Luoyang had not been at peace for more than a few days due to the rebellion of General Wu Jin.

This caused another uproar.

On the main streets of Luoyang, squads of Imperial Guards from the Imperial Clan Court were seen moving swiftly through the city.

The people on the street were shocked to see this and quickly made way for him, wondering what had happened that required the Imperial Clan Court's guards to be mobilized.

It should be noted that the guards of the Imperial Clan Court are not usually dispatched easily.

Only when a member of the royal family commits a heinous crime will the Imperial Clan Court and its guards be mobilized to arrest them.

Under the curious gazes of many people, the guards of the Imperial Clan Court crossed the street and surrounded the entire Prince Xiaoyao's mansion.

"What do you want to do?"

"This is the Prince Xiaoyao's mansion."

"This is not a place where you can run wild."

Upon seeing the guards of the Imperial Clan Court rushing into the Prince of Xiaoyao's residence, the Prince of Xiaoyao's steward immediately shouted angrily.

Although the Imperial Clan Court held a special position, it was not a place where one could simply barge into the Prince's residence and run wild.

Especially since it was the residence of the carefree prince.

It's not a place where just anyone can act recklessly.

"Hmph, by order of the Lord of the Manor, the Xiaoyao Prince's Mansion has been raided and all its inhabitants have been imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court."

The head of the Imperial Clan Court guards snorted coldly and immediately ordered the arrests and the search of the Prince of Xiaoyao's residence.

what?
A raid on the Prince Xiaoyao's mansion?

Throw them all into the Imperial Clan Court prison?
Everyone in the Prince of Xiaoyao's Mansion was shocked when they heard the news.

I can hardly believe it's true.

Princess Consort of the Carefree Prince was filled with murderous intent as she angrily rebuked the Imperial Clan Guards who were about to attack her, "How dare you! I am Princess Consort of the Carefree Prince! How dare you lay a hand on me?"

“The Prince of Xiaoyao is the son of the late emperor and the fourth brother of the current emperor. Without an imperial decree, even the Eighth Imperial Uncle has no right to confiscate my Prince of Xiaoyao’s mansion.”

indeed.

Although the Imperial Clan Court was in charge of criminal law for members of the royal family, it still needed the emperor's decree to take action.

Otherwise, the Imperial Clan Court has no right to arbitrarily arrest people.

Everything revolved around the supremacy of imperial power.

"Ha, this is the decree personally issued by the Emperor."

The guard from the Imperial Clan Court sneered and waved his hand.

"Guards, arrest them all!"

Princess Xiaoyao's expression changed, and she shook her head in disbelief.

"Do not."

"I, the princess, do not believe it."

"This princess wishes to see the Emperor."

"How could His Majesty possibly order the confiscation of the Prince of Xiaoyao's mansion?"

……

(End of this chapter)