Chapter 1 Awakening

The sleeping Forbidden City was awakened by the upheaval outside Yingtian Gate.

On the imperial road that cut through the imperial city, the Golden Guard, clad in armor and wielding blades, stood guard around Jiang Chen.

The inner eunuchs and female officials who served the emperor up close held their breath, standing still on the imperial chariot, not daring to make a sound.

The gloomy look on His Majesty's face when he set out terrified them, afraid that they would be implicated and lose their lives.

He had no time to pay attention to the thoughts of those around him.

Listening to Feng Jin's report, Jiang Chen's eyes shot out a chilling light.

"Besiege Yingtian Gate? And want to bestow death upon Yun'er?! These rebellious officials want to revolt?!"

Feng Jin trembled, his head lowered even further, almost merging with the carpet.

"I ask you, who is the leader? Is it Mei Wenshi?"

"Your Majesty, according to the guards' report, the first to remonstrate was, was Grand Censor Zhang Kang," Feng Jin said cautiously.

Jiang Chen sneered upon hearing this.

"That old fox Mei Wenshi is quite capable of holding back."

"After holding back for so long, he entrusted the matter to Zhang Kang... It's a pity, I originally wanted to take him down with this opportunity, but now I can only catch some small fish to make do!"

After receiving the memorial about the Wei River channel, Jiang Chen knew that the stone tablet incident would not end easily. He had been waiting for Mei Wenshi to make a move, and had made many arrangements for this purpose.

He was prepared to use this as an opportunity to purge the Mei family.

Unfortunately, the old fox was too cautious, and actually pushed Zhang Kang out as a shield, hiding behind the scenes, which made him somewhat disappointed.

Thinking this, Jiang Chen leaned back and said in a low voice, "Jing Yue!"

As soon as he spoke, a tall figure appeared like a ghost and knelt beside Feng Jin.

Jiang Chen untied the token from his waist and threw it to her, saying in a stern tone:

"I grant you the power to act expediently."

"Those military officers who have dealings with the Mei family, you can lead the Dark Guards to watch them all. Whoever dares to act rashly will be killed on the spot!"

"Yes!"

Jing Yue accepted the order, bowed, and disappeared in a flash.

Jiang Chen turned his gaze to Feng Jin again, took out a pre-prepared edict, and said word by word:

"Take this and find the Commander of the Five City Garrison, seal off the inner city."

"Tonight, without my permission, not even a fly or mosquito is allowed to fly out!"

Jiang Chen's cold tone made Feng Jin shudder, and he scrambled to hold the decree and retreated from the imperial chariot.

Having arranged everything.

The furious look on Jiang Chen's face faded away, and his deep eyes stared straight at the sky, with a hint of disdain.

Mei Wenshi, fighting with me... you are not worthy!

Yingtian Gate.

The road leading to the Golden Luan Hall was filled with kneeling officials dressed in scarlet and purple, and occasionally a few glimpses of dark black could be seen.

That represented the members of the imperial clan with the title of Prince. In the entire Wei Dynasty, there were only a few of them, holding high positions and great power, and could not be seen by anyone other than high-ranking officials and nobles!

Many of the kneeling officials, even those whose status surpassed ninety-nine percent of the officials in the Wei Dynasty, were not qualified to appear before these princes. They could only see them at the year-end state banquet.

When Jiang Chen arrived, the first thing he saw was these few imperial uncles in name.

He narrowed his eyes and stopped the imperial chariot.

Under the protection of the Golden Guard, he walked towards them.

"Why are you imperial uncles here? Do you have something to discuss with me?"

"Or are you listening to the bewitchment of treacherous ministers, and want to turn against me?!"

Jiang Chen's tone became colder and colder, almost freezing people to death.

Hearing the emperor's warning, the bodies of the princes stiffened, and they instinctively felt a trace of retreat.

But recalling the emperor's cowardly nature, their own noble status, and the benefits promised by the Mei family.

A flash of greed flashed in their eyes, and they hardened their hearts, saying:

"Your Majesty, we are here for the sake of our Great Wei Dynasty, for the sake of the people of the world!"

"The Wei River stone tablet is an enlightenment given to our Great Wei by Heaven. The Xu family is suspected of rebellion, and the Noble Consort Shu is an enchanting concubine who brings chaos to the harem!"

"We represent the imperial family, and implore you to bestow death upon Noble Consort Shu to appease the people..."

"Impudence!"

Jiang Chen roared, and waved his hand for the Golden Guard to seize them.

"Slandering the imperial concubine, the crime deserves death!"

As soon as he spoke, the princes were stunned, questioning their ears.

His Majesty... wants to kill them? Just because of a woman?!

They are the princes of the Great Wei!

While they were in a daze, the Golden Guard had already drawn their long sabers from their waists, the bright blades reflecting their terrified faces.

Looking at the approaching edge, the princes felt cold all over.

His Majesty, His Majesty is serious!

He really wants to kill people!

Realizing this, their legs trembled, and the words of begging for mercy were stuttered.

"Your Majesty, we, we know our sins!"

"We should not, should not have listened to the slander of villains and misunderstood the Noble Consort..."

Seeing this, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes, and he raised his hand to stop them.

He was not prepared to kill anyone, he was purely trying to scare these old guys.

However, he did not expect them to kneel so quickly, and the subsequent arrangements were not used at all.

However, after this incident, those members of the imperial family should be safe for a while!

Jiang Chen pondered, and said lightly:

"The death penalty can be avoided, but the living penalty is unavoidable!"

"I will fine you three years' salary, ten thousand taels of silver, and ban you from your residences for half a year, are you willing to accept it?"

The princes nodded like chickens pecking at rice, not daring to have the slightest objection, looking completely convinced.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen ordered people to 'escort' the princes away.

Being members of the same imperial family, this bit of face still had to be given.

It was not until the princes left that the officials in the field woke up.

In just a few moments, His Majesty had dealt with the top nobles of their Great Wei, princes who were personally appointed by the late emperor and worshiped by the imperial clan?

Such decisiveness and swiftness, is he still the indecisive, cowardly and incompetent emperor of the past?

While everyone was silent.

Zhang Kang in the front row suddenly turned his head, his face twisted, and glanced at the Vice Censor-in-Chief, his eyes urging him.

The emperor's reaction completely exceeded their expectations.

However, the arrow was on the string and had to be fired, so they could only find another pawn to test the waters!

Receiving the hint, a struggle appeared on the face of the Vice Censor-in-Chief.

The emperor's decisiveness in killing had completely shocked him, and he was somewhat afraid to step forward.

But... his handle of riding a horse in the street and running over a mother and child was in Zhang Kang's hands, so he had to obey.

He gritted his teeth fiercely, grabbed the memorial in his hand, and rushed to Jiang Chen.

"Your Majesty! Now there are rumors everywhere among the people, and the people believe that the Wei River flood was brought by the enchanting concubine Noble Consort Shu! That stone tablet is the evidence!"

"This Xu family is the star of disaster that disrupts my Great Wei. I implore you to execute Noble Consort Shu and the Xu family, to correct the court and appease the people!"

The Vice Censor-in-Chief's actions made the cold Yingtian Gate boil instantly.

In the Yutao Square, almost none of them were Jiang Chen's people, all of them harboring ulterior motives, pricking up their ears, and paying attention to the emperor's movements.

Once it is not handled properly, a coup by the officials is not impossible.

Under the spotlight, Jiang Chen slowly walked to the Vice Censor-in-Chief.

Even though there were department-level bureaucrats with heavy power beside him, Jiang Chen didn't care at all.

"Noble Consort Shu is an imperial concubine of Great Wei, listed in the imperial family tree, and announced to the ancestral temples. How dare you insult her as an enchanting concubine?!"

"The Xu family is an elder who followed the Taizu to conquer the world! Such loyal ministers, how dare you frame them for rebellion?!"

Jiang Chen's face was ferocious, and his stern expression was fully revealed.

He suddenly reached out and used all his strength, and in the blink of an eye, he pulled out the steel saber from the guard beside him!

A flash of silver light, fresh red splashed.

Hot liquid spurted from the Vice Censor-in-Chief's throat...