The sun falling in the sky lit up the dark night in the Daming Palace, but it could not dispel the haze in the Zichen Palace.
The corpse of Prince Zhou Xiao lay quietly in the palace. The emperor sat next to the former, looking at the white cloth covering the corpse, his eyes empty and motionless.
Guo Ziyi, Fan Jinian and others stood in the hall, their expressions full of worry, but no one dared to go up to persuade him.
At this moment, Guo Xin, who was tired of his travels, came to the outside of the palace and said loudly: "To report to Your Majesty, all the rebels have been wiped out. The leader of the traitors, Luo Anyuan, is being held outside the palace, waiting to be punished."
Guo Ziyi glanced at Guo Xin at the door, then lowered his head and remained silent.
Guo Xin didn't wait for the order for a long time, thinking that he didn't make it clear. Just when he was about to say it again, the emperor's hoarse and heavy voice came from the palace: "Bring it in."
Guo Xin responded.
Not long after, Luo Anyuan, covered in blood and with disheveled hair, was escorted into the palace.
Luo Anyuan was forced to the ground by the guards. When he saw the safe and sound emperor, he was first shocked. Then when he saw the body covered with white cloth, he thought for a moment, and a look of despair suddenly appeared on his face.
Zhou Jun struggled to stand up from the ground and tried twice without success.
Seeing this, Fan Jinian ran over quickly and helped the emperor stand up.
Zhou Jun's eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale and bloodless.
He walked to Luo Anyuan, ignored the latter's trembling body, and asked in a deep voice: "Do you have any close relatives?"
Luo Anyuan did not dare to answer, his body was trembling, and he only said that he deserved death.
Zhou Jun stared at the top of Luo Anyuan's head: "You also have close relatives and regard them as treasures, but you have never tried to give this kind of emotion to others, right?"
Zhou Jun stretched out his hand and patted Luo Anyuan's shoulder gently. His words were as cold as ice in the cold winter: "Since you can't learn it, I'm here to teach you."
After speaking, Zhou Jun asked Guo Xin: "How many people are there in the Luo family?"
Guo Xin: "The Luo family has a total of 315 people."
Zhou Jun: "Too few... There are four from the father's clan, three from the mother's clan, and two from the wife's clan. There are nine clans in total. Let me check carefully. All members of the Luo family will be taken to the execution ground and beheaded in public! As for the leader of the thief, Luo Anyuan,
I want him to watch everyone’s execution with his own eyes and be the last one on the road!”
After hearing this, Guo Xin's heart tightened and she didn't dare to question anything, so she agreed loudly.
Luo Anyuan fell on the ground, knocked his forehead on the ground, cried bitterly, and kept begging for mercy.
Zhou Jun ignored his plea at all. He just turned his attention to the prince's body and added: "The prince's concubine Luo Aiqing is exempt from the death penalty. She has ordered her hair to be reduced to a nun, and she will not be allowed to leave the nunnery for the rest of her life."
Guo Xin called him.
Luo Anyuan, who was paralyzed on the ground, was carried out of the Zichen Palace by the imperial guards.
The entire hall once again returned to deathly silence. Everyone in the hall did not dare to look at the furious emperor, and no one even dared to breathe.
Zhou Jun returned to the throne with heavy steps.
After thinking for a long time, Zhou Jun suddenly said: "Captain Guo."
Guo Ziyi came out of the queue, bowed and said: "I am here."
Zhou Jun: "Beiya guards, Jinyi guards, and court officials, all those who have anything to do with the rebellion must be screened out one by one, so as not to leave any future troubles."
Guo Ziyi: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I know how to do it."
Zhou Jun nodded.
After Guo Ziyi left, Zhou Jun whispered: "Auspicious year."
Fan Jinian was excited and quickly bowed and said: "I'm here, old slave."
Zhou Jun: "Invite the Queen to come to the Zichen Hall, and... place the Prince in the back hall."
Fan Jinian agreed.
Soon, the chamberlains and maids entered the hall and cleaned up all traces in an orderly manner.
With just one stick of incense, the entire Zichen Palace became spotless, as if nothing had happened.
After a while, Yin Yu, accompanied by his servants, stepped into the gate of Zichen Palace.
When she saw Zhou Jun, a variety of emotions including doubt, uneasiness, fear, and resentment appeared on her face.
Zhou Jun watched Yin Yu walk up to him. Before the latter could salute, he said in a deep voice: "Xiao'er is dead."
When Yin Yu heard this, he was stunned for a moment, and then his body began to tremble uncontrollably. The facial features on his face were instantly twisted together. He seemed to have lost his mind and wanted to pounce on the emperor on the throne.
Although Fan Jinian stood aside, his eyes kept staring at the queen.
Seeing the latter's sudden violence, Fan Jinian quickly ordered a group of servants to stop the queen.
Yin Yu looked crazy at this time and asked Zhou Jun loudly: "Did you give the order to kill him?!"
Zhou Jun: "I didn't kill him, he killed himself."
Yin Yu: "I don't believe it!"
Zhou Jun: "His body is parked in the back hall. You can go see him later, but before that, I have something to ask you."
Yin Yu broke free from the obstruction of the chamberlain, his eyes full of anger and resentment, staring straight at the emperor on the throne.
Zhou Jun looked calm and asked: "When did you know about Xiaoer's rebellion?"
Yin Yu said angrily: "At the beginning, you refused to allow Xiao'er to go to court and wanted to send him to Anxi to work. From that time on, I knew that Xiao'er had some objections in his heart!"
Zhou Jun nodded first, then suddenly asked: "Have you and Xiao'er ever been to Anxi?"
Yin Yu was stunned and replied: "I've never been there, so what?!"
Zhou Jun: "Anxi's annual tribute, converted into gold and silver, can reach 23 million guan, which is three times that of the Central Plains. The trade amount of a Daqi trade route alone is equivalent to the total economic value of the entire Chang'an
The Anxi Protectorate has seven sections and twenty-nine towns under its jurisdiction, and controls 300,000 troops. Its military strength is far higher than that of Guanzhong, Jiangnan and other places. In addition, the Anxi Military Factory can produce one million kilograms of explosives, 30,000 muskets, and a
Thousands of long cannons.”
"Anxi's economy, people's livelihood, and military strength have already surpassed those of the Central Plains. The Great Protector of Anxi even reported more than once, suggesting that part of Anxi's military industry and troops be moved eastward to balance the combat power of the eastern and western parts of the Tang Dynasty.
To ensure that Anxi will not be dominated by one company in the future to the point of being uncontrollable."
At this point, Zhou Jun shook his head at Yin Yu and said: "Just imagine, if I really plan to alienate Xiaoer and seize his throne, how can I send him to a military powerhouse like Anxi? If I really plan to alienate Xiaoer and seize his throne, how can I send him to a military powerhouse like Anxi?
If you want to destroy him, just send him to work in the south of the Yangtze River, where apricots bloom and music is played every night. Within half a year, Xiaoer's will will be worn away and he will never want to return to Chang'an."
When Yin Yu heard this, he was stunned at first, and then cried loudly: "Why didn't Erlang say it earlier? Why didn't he say it earlier?!"
Zhou Jun sighed: "Xiao'er led his troops to rebel. After being defeated and captured, he pledged his life as a guarantee and begged me to forgive the queen."
When Yin Yu heard this, she cried even more heartbrokenly.
Zhou Jun: "I have said so much, and it is useless to say more. According to Xiaoer's last wish, I will not deprive you of your position as queen. But your moral conduct is lacking. From today on, you should move out of Hanyuan Hall and go to the West Neiyuan to reflect.
