You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 97 Zhang Liao?

The next day.

The morning court session has ended.

Not long after Zhou Chen returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the eunuchs and guards came to report.

"Your Majesty, the Minister of War requests an audience."

The Minister of War requests an audience?

Zhou Chen frowned slightly.

"Let him in."

The morning court session had just ended, and Zhou Chen was a little puzzled as to why the Minister of War had come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation again.

The eunuchs and guards withdrew upon hearing this.

A moment later, the Minister of War entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"Your Majesty, I have come to pay my respects." After entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Minister of War bowed respectfully to Zhou Chen on the dragon throne.

Zhou Chen glanced at the Minister of War; "My dear minister, what brings you to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to see me?"

After Grand Tutor Wen Zhong died in battle, the Minister of War was considered one of the representatives of the loyal veteran generals.

Now that Fang Xuanling and the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian have both gone to the four northern prefectures, only the Minister of War can keep an eye on things in the court for Zhou Chen.

The Minister of War said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the messengers sent by the Ministry of War to deliver imperial edicts to the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang have just returned."

"Both the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang have said that the border tribes have been making frequent moves recently, and the Northern Di and Western Rong have been harassing the border from time to time these days."

"The two marquises are afraid of losing the border, so they cannot mobilize troops to go south to quell the rebellion in a short time."

As the Minister of War spoke, he lowered his head slightly.

Are foreign tribes frequently making unusual moves and harassing the border?
Unable to mobilize troops to quell the rebellion in the south?
Zhou Chen sneered after hearing the Minister of War's words.

"I don't think it's because the foreign tribes are making frequent disturbances and harassing the borders that they can't mobilize their troops to go south and quell the rebellion."

"They want to amass military power and watch the Great Zhou Dynasty be engulfed in war!"

Zhou Chen said with a cold laugh.

Zhou Chen's words made the Minister of War tremble involuntarily, and he lowered his head even further.

Such an obvious excuse was clear to him, even as the Minister of War, let alone the one on the dragon throne.

The Minister of War remained silent.

In situations like this, the best option is to remain silent, only using your ears and not your mouth.

"What else?"

Zhou Chen glanced at the Minister of War and asked.

The Minister of War immediately replied, "There are also the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang. They have ordered the entire army to wear mourning clothes for the Grand Tutor for three days."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen sneered again: "Heh, you're quite good at winning people's hearts."

Zhou Chen didn't even need to think to guess the intentions of the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong, a veteran of three reigns, had a profound influence on the border troops.

Countless soldiers in the border army had once served under the Grand Tutor.

The two marquises did this simply to appease those people.

The Minister of War hesitated for a moment, then said to Zhou Chen on the dragon throne, "Your Majesty, since the two marquises cannot mobilize troops to go south to quell the rebellion, what about the matter of the four northern prefectures..."

The Minister of War didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: he was asking Emperor Zhou Chen what to do next.
The two marquises were unable to mobilize troops to go south and quell the rebellion.

Should we issue further decrees to the two marquises ordering them to mobilize troops, or should we simply let it go?

Zhou Chen understood the Minister of War's meaning, and glanced at him expressionlessly; "I understand."

"I never expected them to be able to send troops south to quell the rebellion."

"The affairs of the four northern provinces can be handled by Lü Bu and Marquis Weiwu with 200,000 Divine Martial Guards."

Zhou Chen said calmly.

indeed.

Zhou Chen never intended to rely on the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang to mobilize troops to go south and join forces with Lü Bu and the Marquis of Weiwu to quell the rebellion in the four northern provinces.

With Lü Bu and Marquis Weiwu leading 200,000 Divine Martial Guards, it would be enough to wipe out the rebels in the four northern provinces.

The reason he issued the imperial edict to the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang to mobilize troops was simply to test the attitude of these marquises who had been guarding the border for a long time. He wanted to see if these marquises, who had been stationed abroad for a long time and held heavy troops guarding the frontier, still regarded the imperial court with respect.

Obviously, the result is out.

The Minister of War understood Zhou Chen's words perfectly.

When Zhou Chen issued this decree, all the civil and military officials in the court had already guessed his intentions.

The Minister of War wasn't too surprised that Zhou Chen said it so bluntly.

He sighed inwardly, realizing that the two marquises from the Northern Frontier and the Western Liang had been blacklisted by the man on the dragon throne.

It's just a matter of when and how the person on the dragon throne will deal with these two marquises.

Hopefully, it won't be a large-scale military crackdown.

Otherwise, if war breaks out, the border regions will inevitably descend into chaos.

If foreign tribes seize the opportunity to attack, that would be a huge problem.

"Then I shall take my leave." The Minister of War came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation mainly to report to the two marquises that they would not send troops south to quell the rebellion.

Now that the report has been submitted, the Minister of War should take his leave.

Standing in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, facing the person on the dragon throne, the Minister of War felt considerable pressure.

Zhou Chen nodded and dismissed the Minister of War.

After the Minister of War left, Zhou Chen's eyes flickered as he said, "The attitudes of the two from the Northern Frontier and the Western Liang are clear, so that leaves only the one from the East."

"As for the southern border..."

Zhou Chen paused for a moment; "The Prince of Kao Shan hasn't returned to court for a long time, has he? I wonder if he can still sit still after hearing that the Grand Tutor has died in battle and that the north is in chaos."

Zhou Chen muttered to himself.

Forget it.

Don't think about this anymore.

Let's sign in first!

Since Zhou Chen finished the monthly sign-in gift pack, he has been seeing the Imperial Guard every day he signs in these past few days. He wonders if it will be the same Imperial Guard today.

"Sign in."

Zhou Chen clicked on today's check-in directly.

【bite…….】

[Check-in successful.]

[Congratulations, host, for gaining the loyalty of Zhang Liao.]

Zhang Liao?

Zhang Wenyuan?
Zhou Chen was taken aback.

I never expected to find a character in today's check-in, and it was Zhang Liao.

Although Zhang Liao's martial prowess wasn't particularly high in the Three Kingdoms period, he was still considered a remarkable figure.

Especially in terms of leading troops in battle, he can be considered a rare military talent.

A majestic figure appeared before Zhou Chen.

"This humble general Zhang Liao pays his respects to Your Majesty." As soon as Zhang Liao appeared, he knelt on the ground and bowed to Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen glanced at Zhang Liao's strength; mid-stage First-Rank Grandmaster, not bad.

Although he was not as good as Lü Bu's half-step into the Celestial Realm, he was not as good as Cao Shaoqin's Grandmaster Peak.

However, even a mid-stage Grandmaster is considered a rare expert in this Great Zhou Dynasty.

Zhou Chen looked at Zhang Liao and said, "Wen Yuan, there's no need for such formalities, please rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhang Liao stood up.

Zhou Chen thought for a moment and said to Zhang Liao, "Wen Yuan, the four northern provinces are in chaos right now, and this is exactly the time when we need a general like you. You should immediately set off to Yan Province to serve under Lü Bu and receive orders!"

Zhou Chen knew that although the Southern Camp Divine Martial Guard was under Lu Bu's control, many of its generals had been eliminated, and its strength had been significantly reduced.

Now that Zhang Liao has appeared after signing in, he can be sent to Lu Bu's side to assist him in commanding the Southern Camp of the Divine Warriors.

(End of this chapter)