If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

The square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony was already filled with civil and military officials.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and there was a slight chill in the air.

The officials wrapped themselves tightly in their court robes and whispered among themselves.

Today's morning assembly is destined to be anything but peaceful.

Zhou Yang stood calmly in the crowd.

He was dressed in a black flying fish uniform of the Imperial Guard, making him particularly conspicuous.

Several officials who knew him avoided him when they saw him.

No one dared to come up and speak to them.

The news of the Prime Minister's residence being raided yesterday has spread throughout the capital.

Everyone understands.

Today, the Prime Minister is going to fight the General to the death in the imperial court.

"Open the hall—"

As the eunuch's high-pitched voice announced the arrival of the emperor, the heavy palace doors slowly opened.

The officials straightened their clothes and entered in single file according to their rank.

Zhou Yang mingled with the crowd and entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The hall was resplendent in gold and filled with the scent of ambergris.

The emperor was already seated on the dragon throne.

He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes.

Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng stood at the very front, his face ashen.

General Li Wei stood opposite him, his back ramrod straight.

Between the two, it was as if invisible lightning was crackling.

"All of you, rise."

The emperor's voice was deep.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

All the officials bowed in unison.

"What was discussed in the meeting today?"

The emperor asked.

Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng immediately stepped forward and knelt on the ground.

"Your subject has a memorial to present."

"speak."

"General Li Wei is plotting a rebellion!"

The moment the words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

You could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were on Li Wei.

Li Wei's expression remained unchanged, and he gave a cold laugh.

"Prime Minister Zhang, there's a limit to your slander."

"Whether or not I have made false accusations, I have evidence."

Zhang Juzheng took out a stack of memorials from his sleeve and held them high.

"These are the correspondence between the Grand General and the border commanders. Every word reveals a grand plan of rebellion!"

Two eunuchs stepped forward, took the memorial, and presented it to the emperor.

The emperor quickly flipped through the pages, his expression growing increasingly grim.

"Li Wei, what else do you have to say?"

Li Wei knelt down.

"Your Majesty, I have no idea where those letters came from."

"Your Majesty's loyalty is as clear as day!"

"Loyalty?" Zhang Juzheng sneered. "In that case, let's bring witnesses to the court to testify!"

He clapped his hands.

The palace doors opened, and a middle-aged man walked in.

Zhou Yang recognized him.

He was a deputy general at the border, named Wang De.

Wang De walked to the center of the main hall and knelt down heavily.

"This humble subject, Wang De, greets Your Majesty."

"You are the witness?" the emperor asked.

"yes."

"Tell me everything you know."

Wang De looked up at Li Wei, his eyes filled with fear.

"Three months ago, the Grand General secretly sent a message to the generals at the border."

"He said...he said that treacherous officials are in power at court, and His Majesty has been deceived."

"Let us prepare our troops, await the opportune moment, and purge the court of corrupt officials!"

The entire court was in uproar.

If this is true, it would be a colossal case of treason!

Li Wei suddenly looked up, his eyes wide open.

"Wang De! You're talking nonsense!"

"When did I ever write you a letter like this!"

Wang De shuddered in fright and lowered his head again.

"General, now that things have come to this, just admit it."

"Those letters were indeed in your own handwriting."

"besides..."

Wang De took out a jade pendant from his pocket.

"This is a keepsake you gave me. You said seeing this is like seeing you in person."

The emperor narrowed his eyes.

He had seen that jade pendant before.

It was a reward given to Li Wei last year.

"Li Wei."

The emperor's voice was icy.

"What else do you have to say?"

Li Wei's face was ashen, and his lips trembled.

"Your Majesty...I...I am innocent!"

"Injustice?"

Zhang Juzheng stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the witnesses and evidence are overwhelming. The Grand General's treason is irrefutable!"

"Your Majesty, please order the traitor Li Wei to be imprisoned in the Imperial Prison!"

None of the officials in the court uttered a sound.

Everyone knows that sticking out at this time is tantamount to suicide.

The emperor's fists clenched white on the dragon throne.

He looked at Li Wei with a complicated expression.

After years as a subject of the emperor, he refused to believe it.

But the evidence was too conclusive.

"Someone come here."

The emperor finally spoke.

"Li Wei..."

"etc!"

A clear voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone turned to look.

Zhou Yang stepped out from the crowd and stood in the center of the main hall.

"Zhou Yang, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has a memorial to the throne."

Zhang Juzheng's expression changed.

"Zhou Yang? What right do you, a mere low-ranking official of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, have to interrupt me!"

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister,"

Zhou Yang said calmly, "It is the duty of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to monitor all officials. Upon discovering a major case of treason, they are obligated to report it to the authorities."

The emperor waved his hand.

"Let him speak."

Zhou Yang bowed and then took out a letter from his sleeve.

"Your Majesty, I also have a letter here."

"Please take a look."

The eunuch took the letter and presented it to the emperor.

The emperor unfolded it and his pupils contracted sharply.

The letter contained correspondence between Zhang Juzheng and the enemy state of Beidi.

The content is shocking.

"Zhang Juzheng..."

The emperor's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth.

"How do you explain this letter?"

Zhang Juzheng's face turned deathly pale.

"Your Majesty...this is a forgery!"

"It was fabricated by Zhou Yang to frame me!"

"A forgery?" Zhou Yang laughed. "Your Excellency, would you like to see the ink on the letter?"

"That's cinnabar unique to your household. It has a very special flavor."

Zhang Juzheng was trembling all over.

He hadn't expected Zhou Yang to pull this stunt.

"Your Majesty! Don't believe him!"

"Zhou Yang is Li Wei's lackey!"

"oh?"

Zhou Yang turned to Wang De, "Deputy General Wang, you said the General forced you to give false testimony, is that right?"

Wang De nodded vigorously.

"Yes...yes."

"Do you know that the steward of the Prime Minister's residence went to see your mother yesterday?"

Wang De's expression changed.

"How...how did you know..."

"I not only know,"

Zhou Yang pulled another letter from his pocket. "I also know that the Prime Minister gave your mother five thousand taels of silver."

"You must come out today to give false testimony."

"otherwise..."

Zhou Yang paused, then said, "I'll have your whole family executed."

Wang De cried out "Ah!" and collapsed to the ground.

"Who...who exactly are you...?"

Who I am is not important.

Zhou Yang threw the letter in front of him. "The important thing is, are you going to continue giving false testimony?"

Wang De looked at the letter, then at Zhang Juzheng.

Suddenly, he burst into tears.

"Your Majesty! This humble subject is guilty!"

"This commoner was forced into this!"

"It was the Prime Minister who forced this humble subject!"

"He said if I didn't come forward and report that the General was plotting a rebellion, he would kill my entire family!"

"Five thousand taels of silver...that's hush money!"

The main hall was deathly silent.

Everyone was stunned.

The plot twist was too fast.

Zhang Juzheng felt a chill run through him as he looked at Wang De.

"You...you're talking nonsense!"

"I don't!"

"nonsense?"

Zhou Yang then took out a stack of papers from his sleeve.

"This is the testimony of the steward of the Prime Minister's residence."

"Last night, the Imperial Guards invited him for tea."

"He explained it in great detail."

"From how to forge the letter to how to coerce Vice General Wang, not a single word was omitted."

Zhang Juzheng's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

"It's over..."

He muttered to himself.

"It's all over..."

The emperor stood up and stepped down from the dragon throne.

He walked up to Zhang Juzheng and looked down at him.

"Zhang Juzheng."

"I have treated you well."

Why did you betray me?

Zhang Juzheng looked up and a ferocious smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"Betrayal? Hahaha!"

"Li Zhong, do you think you're a good emperor?"

"You are incompetent and foolish, appointing treacherous officials!"

"This world deserves a new master long ago!"

"My cooperation with the Northern Barbarians is to overthrow you, this tyrant!"

"Someone come here!"

The emperor roared.

"Throw this traitor into the imperial prison!"

"Confiscate their property and exterminate their entire clan!"

Several guards rushed up and dragged Zhang Juzheng away.

Zhang Juzheng was still laughing maniacally.

"You wait! The Northern Barbarian army will be here soon!"

"This world belongs to the Zhang family!"

The sound gradually faded into the distance.

The main hall was deathly silent.

The emperor returned wearily to his throne.

He looked at Zhou Yang.

Zhou Yang.

"Your subject is present."

"You have done a great service."

"What reward do you want?"

Zhou Yang knelt down, his expression respectful.

"Your subject dares not ask for reward."

"I only beg Your Majesty to see the truth clearly and not let loyal ministers be disheartened."

The emperor nodded.

"Well said."

"Li Wei."

"Your subject is present."

Li Wei was still kneeling on the ground, still shaken.

"You've been wronged."

"I will make it up to you."

"It is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens."

The emperor pondered for a moment.

"From this day forward, Li Wei shall concurrently serve as Chancellor."

"To oversee all government affairs."

The entire court was shocked.

Grand General and Chancellor.

This is power unlike anything ever seen before.

Li Wei immediately kowtowed.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"

Zhou Yang lowered his head, with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.

Everything was within his expectations.

Li Wei's rise to power is more advantageous to him.

The new prime minister needs to consolidate his power, and Zhou Yang is his greatest contributor.

Zhou Yang.

The emperor then said.

"Your subject is present."

"The position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is still vacant."

Zhou Yang's heart was racing.

coming.

"Who do you think is suitable?"

This is a question directed at him.

It was also a test of him.

Zhou Yang pondered for a moment and replied:

"In my opinion, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is Your Majesty's sharpest weapon and must be commanded by someone of absolute loyalty."

"As for the candidate..."

He paused deliberately.

"Your subject dares not speak presumptuously."

The emperor smiled.

"You slippery little devil."

"That's enough."

"I will decide."

"You go back first."

"You've had a hard day."

"Your subject takes his leave."

Zhou Yang stood up and silently stepped aside.

He saw the way Li Wei was looking at him.

That was gratitude.

It's also a precaution.

A wise person never completely trusts others.

The same goes for Li Wei.

But it's okay.

Zhou Yang thought.

As long as their interests align, they are the best allies.

The morning assembly has ended.

The officials left the hall, each one of them restless.

Today's changes are too great.

The prime minister fell from power, and the general took over.

The political landscape of the imperial court was completely transformed.

Zhou Yang walked among the crowd, feeling countless gazes upon him.

There was awe, fear, and envy.

He doesn't care.

These gazes are proof of power.

When he arrived at the palace gate, Qin Shuang was already waiting for him.

"How is it?" she asked.

"all the best."

Zhou Yang said calmly.

"Li Wei is now the Prime Minister."

Qin Shuang nodded.

"Our plan was a success."

"Yes."

Zhou Yang looked up at the sky.

The sun was already high in the sky.

The sunlight was blinding.

"What's next?" Qin Shuang asked.

"Next..."

Zhou Yang smiled.

"Of course, we sit down and cut the cake."

The situation in the capital is about to change.

And they are the ones who bring about change.