You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

"It's nothing."

"It's just that the technique has made some breakthroughs."

As Lu Zuo spoke, he put on his clothes, quickly walked to the palace door, and pushed it open.

As far as the eye could see, squads of imperial guards, clad in gleaming armor, marched in unison from outside the palace gates.

With each step, the chainmail around his body swayed, creating a heavy, clanging sound.

"quick!"

"Guard all key locations and strictly prohibit anyone from entering or leaving Jiangyun Palace!"

A general with a full beard and a tall, robust physique, while directing the imperial guards, walked to the front of the main hall, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty."

"This morning, the Black-Clad Guards received a secret report that assassins from the Northern Sui Dynasty had infiltrated the capital, intending to assassinate His Majesty and the Empress."

"Therefore, Lord Shi ordered that more people be sent and that no one be allowed to approach Kunning Palace and Jiangyun Palace."

"Your Majesty, please refrain from moving around unnecessarily, lest you give assassins an opportunity."

This means they're preparing to take action against the Shen family...

Based on yesterday's political performance, Lu Zuo guessed that Shi Wenqing was about to take action against the Shen family and eliminate this major force that relied on the imperial family.

I just didn't expect things to move so quickly.

Thankfully, I stayed in Jiangyun Palace last night and could enter and exit through the underground waterway.

Being placed under house arrest in the Hall of Mental Cultivation or the Jade Retreat would be troublesome...

……

At noon, at Shen An's residence.

"well……"

Kong Fan put down his wine cup, sighed with a sorrowful expression, and said, "Since then, His Majesty..."

"Hey, I'm so ashamed to even talk about this."

"How can I, a high-ranking official in the imperial court, be subjected to such humiliation? How can I continue to serve as an official? How can I live as a person?"

"Nowadays..."

Kong Fan gave a wry smile: "Heh heh, you've become the laughingstock of the entire court..."

Sitting opposite him was a middle-aged man with a tall, upright posture, dignified appearance, and noble demeanor.

And he was none other than Shen An, the Prefect of Nantong.

That is, Chu Yunlong and his men were the ones who tried to intercept the assassins that night.

"A tyrannical ruler!"

"What a tyrannical and incompetent ruler!"

Shen An cursed inwardly a few times, then sighed, "It's a done deal, brother, don't worry about it."

"He is the ruler, I am the subject; what we take and what we discard is entirely up to his judgment."

"Brother Kong, even if you worry until your hair turns white, it will be of no use."

"In my opinion, let's just let it go..."

Kong Fan poured himself another glass of wine, tilted his head back, and gulped it down: "Ha, what can I do if I don't let go?"

"Oh, right..."

"Brother, you must be careful, lest he... he takes a fancy to your wives."

Shen An smiled and said, "Brother Kong, rest assured, I am here in the capital to report on my duties and have not brought any family members with me."

"My only family member in Beijing is my mother."

"He can't possibly be after my mother too, can he?"

Kong Fan waved his hand: "It's not that bad, it's not that bad..."

"Oh, right."

"Brother Shen, have you heard that Eunuch Li Cheng'an will be returning to the capital in three days?"

Shen An's eyes sharpened!

"How did you know, Brother Kong?"

Kong Fan chuckled: "I just came from Lord Shi's residence."

"Oh……"

Shen An nodded and smiled, "Now that Eunuch Li is in power, I'll have to prepare a generous gift for him when he returns."

"As for Lord Shi, I'll have to trouble Brother Kong to take care of things for me."

"Of course, of course..."

……

In the afternoon, at Shen Junli's residence.

A somber and oppressive atmosphere filled the hall, with the dozen or so leaders of the Shen family all looking solemn and silent.

"uncle."

After a long silence, a young man stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "This Shi Wenqing dares to have someone spying on us outside our residence?"

"His wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious!"

"Once Li Cheng'an returns to the capital, he will make trouble for the Shen family!"

"You'd better make a decision as soon as possible."

Shen Junli didn't reply, but looked towards the door: "Is there still no news from Wuhua?"

"Uncle~~!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man hurriedly ran over from a distance.

"uncle."

"The palace is under tight security; the Empress has been placed under house arrest!"

What?

Shen Junli's eyes widened, his face turning ashen: "We can't wait any longer!"

Previously, Shi Wenqing had repeatedly made things difficult for Shen Wuhua in the court, and Shen Wuhua had repeatedly requested an audience with the emperor, but was always refused.

At first, he thought that the tyrannical emperor had listened to someone's slander and been bewitched by those seductive women, which was why he had neglected the empress.

Even when Shi Wenqing went further and further astray, he simply regarded it as a power struggle and did not think anything of it.

Only then did he realize that the political situation had long since taken a turn for the worse!

After that foolish emperor returned to the capital, he promoted and gave important positions to Shi Wenqing and Li Chengan.

These two people were not particularly close to the Shen family, but they were not too distant either.

After being given an important position, he acted out of character, secretly instructing censors in the court to gather evidence of the Shen family's crimes, and frequently interacting with other prominent families to cultivate relationships.

As for the emperor himself?

He frequently left the palace and acted outrageously. As the ruler of a country, he committed such immoral acts as seizing the wives and daughters of his subjects!

It's obvious he's faking it!

That tyrannical Emperor Chen Shubao must have learned during his last incognito visit that the Shen family was secretly colluding with the Northern Sui Dynasty and wanted to wipe them out!

However, he was deterred by the deep roots of the Shen family and the large number of warriors and soldiers under their command, so he secretly plotted and made a plan.

After authorizing Shi Wenqing and Li Chengan, they only targeted the Shen family, while he himself became several times more absurd than before, in order to deceive himself and the Shen family.

He came to believe that Shi Wenqing's targeting of the Shen family was an attempt to seize power.

That foolish ruler was as absurd as ever, and as incompetent as ever in fulfilling his duties!

Wrong, wrong...

Big mistake!

You underestimated Chen Shubao's cunning and shrewdness!

After figuring out all the details, Shen Junli's face turned gloomy, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and a chill ran from his heels straight to the top of his head!

His eyes sharpened, and he said in a deep voice, "Shen Mai."

"How many martial artists have come to the capital, and what are their cultivation levels?"

"Go back to uncle."

The young man who had just barged into the hall replied: "There are ninety-seven innate martial artists and six hundred and eighty-three acquired martial artists."

"And there is Zhuge Wuwo, who can calculate the fate of all living beings, and Li Shisan, the Buddha of the Human World, who is above the two innate realms."

Shen Junli nodded: "With the addition of my Shen family's scions and the soldiers I've trained over the years, do you think we can break through the Imperial Guard's defenses and see the Emperor?"

Shen Mai made a rough estimate in his mind and said in a deep voice, "I'm about 60% sure."

"However, we need to activate our hidden agents within the Imperial Guards and the Black-Clad Guards."

Sixty percent...

That's enough to take a gamble!

After Shen Wuhua was unable to see the emperor, the Shen family summoned a large number of martial artists to the capital, preparing to eliminate the two powerful ministers, Shi Wenqing and Li Chengan.

But since it was Chen Shubao who was making the plan, then we must use all our resources to storm into the palace in one fell swoop and kidnap that tyrannical emperor!

Listen up!

"Li Cheng'an is only three days' journey from the capital!"

"Once he returns to the capital, he will make trouble for the Shen family!"

"Now, my Shen family is at a critical juncture of life and death. Tomorrow night, in the name of 'purging the court of corrupt officials'..."

......

P.S.: There will be another chapter at midnight. Please add it to your favorites, follow the story, and vote!