After being exiled, I led my whole family to rebel.

Chapter 336 Harem Discussion
Xu Zhenying raised her hand quickly to stop everyone from speaking. She said directly, "I conservatively estimate that I will have to persuade at least half of you to quit. As for how to evaluate, first, we will refer to the old rules of the previous siege. Zhao Qiaonian's inspection team will take the lead and set up a public opinion collection point at the entrance of the palace to see if there are any reports from the people about your corruption, bribery, disregard for human life, and infringement of national interests. At the same time, the inspection team will send people to evaluate your past achievements and reputation and make a comprehensive judgment; the second is to see your performance in the next month. After one month, there will be an internal evaluation and scoring, both from your superiors and your colleagues. Through these two methods, a comprehensive score will be obtained in the end, and only those who rank higher will have the opportunity to continue to be hired."

One stone can cause a thousand ripples. When it comes to their own interests, everyone becomes emotional.

"Your Highness, please think twice. We have been working diligently and conscientiously at our posts. Your Highness, if you come and start to make drastic changes to the officialdom, this will be detrimental to the stability of the entire country—"

"Yes, Your Highness. Although we are useless, we have been on the job for many years. If you suddenly lay off at least half of the staff, how will Bianjing City operate? This will inevitably cause a new round of chaos in Bianjing City—"

"You should all know that when the rebel army enters the city, they usually kill a few ministers to offer sacrifice to the gods." Xu Zhenying said this with a fake smile. Although she was smiling, her eyes were a little sinister. "Not only did I save your lives, I also gave you a chance. I think people should be content. Don't you agree?"

The entire Baohua Palace fell silent in an instant.

It seemed that at this moment, everyone remembered that this princess made her fortune by being a rebel! She probably had many lives on her hands!
The timid officials were so frightened that their faces turned pale.

The people in Jinzhou Prefecture all looked fearless.

"Also, don't think that the court can't function without someone. There are a lot of good men and women in my Jinzhou Prefecture, all of whom are good at both literature and martial arts. I led them to turn the impoverished Jinzhou Prefecture, Qiongzhou Prefecture, Bao'an Prefecture, and other impoverished cities into wealthy and prosperous places. Although I may not have been in office as long as you, my administrative experience and achievements may not be inferior to yours."

"Everyone, stop thinking that scholars in the Great Zhou Dynasty are precious. The literacy rate of people in my Jinzhou Prefecture has reached more than 30 to 40 percent. Among ten people, three or four can read. Don't think that you are irreplaceable. As I said before, those who don't want to stay, don't want to eat this bowl of rice, and don't want to abide by my rules, Xu Zhenying, should go to the Ministry of Revenue to settle the salary immediately, and make room for the good men and women in my Jinzhou Prefecture. They have been eager to try and are fully prepared."

These words caused the entire Baohua Hall to fall silent.

Even Wang Qiu Shuang was so frightened that she could hardly stand.

Is this the grace of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao?

When he gets angry, it's really scary.

General Bai, through his contact with Feng'er in the past few days, knew that Xu Zhenying's words were mostly meant to scare people. At this moment, he stood up and asked sincerely, "Your Highness, if the civil officials want to report on their work, how should the military officers be arranged? There are few military officers who can read, and most of them are not good at writing. Is this competition method unfair?"

"Military commanders have their own special responsibilities. During this period, there are other tasks, so they will be put on hold for now. We will make arrangements after the Jinzhou Prefecture's army enters the city."

His Royal Highness Prince Zhao's first court meeting ended in a fearful atmosphere.

After Xu Zhenying left, all the civil and military officials were still frightened.

The timid one wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Oh my God, writing a performance report with detailed data in two days is really too difficult! Why don't we protest collectively? Even if we can't make His Highness change his mind, we can at least delay it for a few days-"

A colleague nearby glared at him, as if he thought he was very short-sighted. "Why do you think His Royal Highness Prince Zhao asked the people of Jinzhou Prefecture to report together? His Royal Highness looks down on us, the old officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and wants to use these new officials to suppress us. What we can't do, the people of Jinzhou Prefecture can do. Doesn't this mean that our level of governance is not as good as Jinzhou Prefecture's?"

The man realized it later and said, "So that's it."

But then he still wailed: "This Prince Zhao took drastic measures right from the start, and was even harsher on us subjects. If we fall into her hands, even if we pass this civil servant assessment, I'm afraid we'll have a hard time in the future—"

"Alas, Lord Liao, let's get through this difficult time first. It's just that the people from Jinzhou Prefecture haven't arrived yet. Once they come, there will be no chance for us to show our abilities. I heard that the people from Jinzhou Prefecture fight each other even more fiercely. We old officials may not be their opponents."

"When I think about having to share the same palace with a woman in the future, my heart aches."

As soon as this man said this, several colleagues around him immediately moved away from him, as if they were afraid of being seen as his accomplice.

The situation is still unclear now. They keep saying that women should attend court, but don't you see that the most powerful person is a woman?

Inside the Qifeng Hall, young Zhou Jin and Zhou Yu were lying on the table practicing calligraphy.

Zhou Jin was very focused.

But Zhou Yu found that his mother was always absent-minded.

Although Zhou Yu is only eight years old, she has experienced a lot in the past period of time and can already read people's expressions at a young age.

She also understood that after her father's death, she seemed no longer the noble princess she once was.

She also gradually realized how dangerous the situation they were in was.

She tugged at her mother's sleeve, looked up uneasily, and asked with a questioning look: "Mom, is someone here to arrest us?"

Empress Yuan Chun shook her head and hugged her daughter tightly. "No. I just heard a commotion outside and wondered if something happened."

"Did His Royal Highness Prince Zhao come into the palace?"

Yuan Chun was shocked, "My son also knows His Royal Highness Prince Zhao?"

Zhou Yu nodded, "I heard it from Nanny Li and the palace maids. I was hiding in the garden and heard them whispering that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao was a good man, and maybe the eunuchs and maids in the palace could leave the palace early and go back to find their parents—"

Empress Yuan Chun was slightly stunned, she just hugged Zhou Yu tightly but said nothing.

She didn't know whether Xu Zhenying was a good person or not.

But she knew that Xu Zhenying was an extremely powerful person.

She was already terrified just having to mediate with Feng'er, let alone with Xu Zhenying.

Kings in ancient times were all ruthless.

Xu Zhenying rose to this position as a woman, and her methods and schemes might be even more vicious than Zhou Mian's.

How could they, an orphan and a widow, escape from such a man?

They had just escaped from the tiger's den, but fell into the wolf's lair.

Sure enough, soon, when it was getting dark, Empress Yuan Chun heard a chaotic sound of footsteps outside the Qifeng Palace. The personal maid Li Ma hurried in with a shrill, frightening voice, "Empress, Prince Zhao is coming down——"

Empress Yuan Chun's heart skipped a beat and she subconsciously protected her son and daughter behind her.

The lights flickered slightly.

The sound of swords clashing is pleasant to the ears.

Her Qifeng Palace had not seen so many soldiers for a long time.

The soldiers came in like fish pouring into water. Empress Yuan Chun saw shadows of people outside the window paper, and finally stopped in front of the door of her main courtyard.

There was a gentle knock on the door, revealing the indifference and confidence of the comer.

As if sensing their mother's uneasiness, Zhou Jin and Zhou Yu both hid behind Empress Yuan Chun.

Zhou Jin even recalled the terrible experience some time ago. This time, he held his sister's hand tightly like a man. Even though the little guy was shaking with fear, he still comforted his sister: "Don't be afraid, sister, I will protect you!"

A familiar voice sounded.

"Your Majesty, I am Wang Qiushuang. Your Highness is here to see you. Please open the door."

Sure enough it was her.

Empress Yuan Chun's chest rose and fell slightly, and she forced herself to calm down. She looked around, but there was nowhere to hide, so she could only comfort her children with a few words, and then asked Nanny Li to open the door.

So what if you don’t open the door?

If she hesitated any longer, the soldiers with swords would kick open the door of her palace and drag her out without mercy.

As soon as the door opened, Empress Yuan Chun saw Xu Zhenying in the crowd.

Young indeed.

Ridiculously young.

He is so young that people can hardly believe that he is the famous Prince Zhao.

However, this person does not look like the legendary rat-like or dull-faced person. She looks very ordinary, even pretty, with two shallow dimples on her lips, which makes people feel close to her.

Especially when she saw herself, there was a smile on her face, which slightly loosened the string in Empress Yuan Chun's mind.

As the saying goes, the face reflects the heart. Xu Zhenying's face looks very friendly, and there is not even any murderous intent in his eyes.

She was also accompanied by Feng'er, Wang Qiushuang, Eunuch Luo and several military generals.

She walked into the room calmly and confidently, and Empress Yuan Chun immediately looked at her warily.

As soon as Xu Zhenying walked in, he saw Empress Yuan Chun's two children.

Empress Yuan Chun protected the children behind her like a hen protecting her chicks.

Xu Zhenying noticed that Empress Yuan Chun was nervous, so she squatted down and pinched Zhou Jin's cheeks. Then she took out two pieces of winter melon candy from her bosom and handed them over, while trying to smile as kindly as possible, "What a beautiful child. Here, sister will treat you to some candy."

Zhou Jin stared at her blankly, with tears still glittering in his eyes.

Zhou Jin subconsciously looked towards his mother. Empress Yuan Chun kept her lips tightly shut and remained on guard. Little Zhou Jin sensed something and didn't dare to reach out to take it.

Xu Zhenying smiled and pulled Zhou Yu's hand over, stuffing the candy into her hand, "Take it, share some with your brother."

Zhou Yu took it in his hand.

Empress Yuan Chun said, "Zhou Yu, you and Nanny Li take your brother out to play for a while."

Zhou Yu looked at his mother with some worry, then at Xu Zhenying.

She knew that the cheerful and talkative sister in front of her was the legendary His Royal Highness Prince Zhao.

Soon, His Royal Highness Prince Zhao will replace his brother and become the new emperor.

After the two siblings left, Xu Zhenying waved his hand again, signaling everyone else to leave, leaving only Feng'er, Zhou Houfang, Qian Zhenniang, Ming Xiaoshuang, Chang Yuanshan and others.

Seeing so many women in the house, and even female soldiers patrolling outside her palace in the past two days, Empress Yuan Chun was shocked.

I knew that women in Jinzhou Prefecture could become officials or soldiers, but when I saw it with my own eyes, I was still shocked.

He even had a small hope in his heart: Xu Zhenying, who could get women to work, must not be a simple character. Maybe she was really different from other rebels. Maybe the three of them could really have a way to survive.

Xu Zhenying sat down, and then said to everyone, "Choose a seat and sit down. Empress Yuan Chun...well, I will call you Madam Zhou from now on, please sit down too."

Empress Yuan Chun sat down, but her tense body betrayed her nervousness.

"Mrs. Zhou, don't be nervous. I came here to ask you what your plans are for the future."

Yuan Chun smiled bitterly, "What can I plan? The life and death of the three of us, mother and son, depends entirely on your Highness's decision."

Xu Zhenying said, "It seems that Madam Zhou has a lot of misunderstandings about me. I don't like killing people. I don't like to use violence for anything that can be solved with my brain. It's not easy for everyone to come to this world, and life is priceless. Madam Zhou is only in her twenties now, and she is in good health. Why are you always so pessimistic?"

Yuan Chun thought to herself: Xu Zhenying's words are too condescending. Yes, the winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. She won the Bianjing City, so naturally everything she said was right.

Empress Yuan Chun lowered her head and asked, "Your Highness, are you here to ask for the Imperial Seal?"

Xu Zhenying was slightly stunned, then looked at Feng'er, "Didn't they say that the Imperial Seal was stolen by Zhou Mian's men? But they were caught by our men halfway, and we didn't hear anyone say who had the Imperial Seal?"

Feng Er said, "That's right, but I had already thought that they would definitely try to steal the imperial seal, so I made a fake one in advance and gave it to the queen."

Xu Zhenying was stunned by Feng'er's trick and said, "It's hard to forge the imperial seal, right? Zhou Mian must be familiar with the imperial seal. How did you trick him?"

"A blind cat meets a dead mouse. I was just giving it a try. I bet Zhou Mian would not have the time to be distracted in such an urgent situation. I asked Master Xu to have a craftsman make a fake jade seal of equal weight. Zhou Mian was crazy and drunk at the time, so he probably didn't notice that the seal was fake."

Empress Yuan Chun was slightly surprised when she heard this. Xu Zhenying didn't even know that the real imperial seal was in her hands?
If that's the case, then why did she come to see me in such a hurry?

Empress Yuan Chun had experienced a palace coup and was sensitive. She wondered in her heart, could it be that the master and servant were acting in front of her?

But Xu Zhenying's astonishment didn't seem fake.

As expected, Xu Zhenying turned his head and looked at Empress Yuan Chun, "The real imperial seal is in Madam Zhou's hands?"

Yuan Chun's shoulders tensed, "Yes. I know you all want this imperial seal, but..."

Empress Yuan Chun had a look of despair on her face, and she knelt on the ground with a plop. There were tears in her eyes, and her voice was mournful. "Your Highness, my Zhou family has no one left. We have no soldiers, no power, no people. We are an orphan and a widow, and we can't achieve anything, let alone restore our position. I am willing to offer the imperial seal to you with both hands, and I only ask you to give us a way out. Or... or..."

Empress Yuan Chun was shaking, and she prostrated herself on the ground respectfully. "Or you can spare my children's lives... You can take my lives... But Zhou Jin and Zhou Yu are still young, so I beg Your Highness to show mercy and let them go! They will just be common people in the future, and will never hinder Your Highness's great cause. I beg Your Highness to let them go and let them grow up safely, considering that I killed the retired emperor and did my best for Your Highness's great cause of unification—"

Xu Zhenying didn't say anything, but Feng'er got anxious first, "Hey, I told you so much before, but you didn't listen to a word."

Xu Zhenying stood up and helped Empress Yuan Chun up. She smiled helplessly, "Why do you all think that I, Xu Zhenying, am a demon who kills without blinking an eye? My great cause has been accomplished. Why would I want to take the lives of a woman and a child who can't even lift a chicken?"

Empress Yuan Chun was pale and trembling slightly. "Your Highness, from ancient times to the present, no king who lost his country has ever had a good ending. But my son... he is only five years old, and he hasn't even had time to be crowned. He can't be considered an emperor..."

Xu Zhenying helped her up, and Zhou Houfang and others also hurried to help, letting Empress Yuan Chun sit in the chair.

Xu Zhenying then asked: "I understand Madam Zhou's concerns. But I also have a few questions for you. First, are you loyal to your army?"

Empress Yuan Chun looked at her with confused eyes, then shook her head slightly.

"Secondly, do you have any subjects willing to follow you?"

Empress Yuan Chun shook her head.

"Finally, do you have the money and food to support the operation of a country? In other words, do you have the ability to recruit soldiers and horses?"

Empress Yuan Chun seemed to have thought of something, and there was a gleam in her eyes.

"When I broke into Bianjing City, it was almost effortless. All the civil and military officials obeyed my orders. No one listened to your Zhou family's orders, and no one was willing to fight for your Zhou family. The Zhou family lost the hearts of the people, and the common people welcomed my arrival with lights and decorations. Madam Zhou, don't you understand that the reason why the king of a fallen country has no good end is because he is still valuable to be used by others, or in other words, there are still people who miss the previous dynasty. But look at this Bianjing City, listen to the cheers in the city, you should know that the Zhou family is doomed, and no one is willing to follow your Zhou family. You are of no value to me."

Empress Yuan Chun clenched her teeth tightly. She didn't know whether she should be happy that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao seemed to really want to give them a chance to live, or sad that the Zhou family was so unpopular.

Xu Zhenying said slowly: "Zhou Zhong... is also a miserable person. He was pushed to the throne like a target, and lost his life for the throne that did not belong to him, leaving you and your widowed mother alive in this world."

At this point, Empress Yuan Chun burst into tears and even cried uncontrollably.

I didn’t expect that the person in the world who understood my late husband’s grievances the most was the always hostile Prince Zhao.

Xu Zhenying supported Empress Yuan Chun and sighed softly, seeming to feel sorry for Zhou Chongming who was wrongly killed. "Since the Imperial Seal is in your hands, you must hand it over. It is not safe to keep it in your hands. I will build an archive, and the Imperial Seal will be placed in it as a memorial of an era for future generations to admire. This palace will also become a place where only offices are used but not people, so you will naturally have to move out."

It was not until this moment that Empress Yuan Chun was certain that Xu Zhenying really had no intention of killing them!
The tight string in my mind also relaxed.

At this moment, she was overwhelmed by the great joy of escaping death. She was so happy that tears streamed down her face and she didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

Feng Er also sighed, "Madam Zhou, I've told you before, our princess is different from everyone else in the world! She is a very kind person, what can she do with your lives?"

"Mrs. Zhou, I came to see you today mainly to reassure you, and also to give you two choices. The first is that I will give you some money and let you leave the city, and from now on you will live your own life in anonymity. The second is to keep your name and identity, stay by my side, and I will protect you. Of course, you can also work like Secretary Wang. Your children will be like ordinary people, and they can also become officials and soldiers. Your children will be like other people."

Xu Zhenying originally thought that Empress Yuan Chun would hesitate for a moment, but she blurted out without hesitation, "I choose the second option! I... don't want to be a deserter, and I don't want to disgrace my late husband's reputation. I want to live with my children in dignity."

Xu Zhenying was stunned, as if he had thought of something, and then smiled, "Okay. When you are settled outside the palace, come to me, and I will arrange for you to attend the first batch of literacy classes. After you graduate from the literacy class, I will arrange for you to do something."

Empress Yuan Chun was overjoyed and walked into the house. Soon, she brought out a wooden box.

Xu Zhenying knew that it was the imperial seal that Zhou Mian refused to let go of until his death.

The ancients seemed to attach great importance to this thing, as if with it, they could just raise their arms and become emperors, stirring up the world.

In other words, whoever obtains the imperial seal will rule the world.

Such a dead object is given a meaning that far exceeds its own value.

I really don't understand materialists like Xu Zhenying.

Xu Zhenying didn't even take over and let Chang Yuanshan take over.

Chang Yuanshan was frightened, his arms were tense and he was obviously very nervous.

How can you not be nervous?

Possessing this imperial seal means that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao is the legitimate emperor of the Great Zhou!

Moreover, he was the first person in Jinzhou Prefecture to touch the imperial seal!
This honor is unique in the world!
Chang Yuanshan suddenly felt that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders!
"Okay, since you have nothing to do, I won't bother you anymore. But you have to vacate the Qifeng Palace as soon as possible. This palace will be turned into a place for official business, and no one will live in it, so whether it's you or other palace servants, you will all have to leave. If you have any problems in your life, feel free to ask Secretary Zhou to solve them."

Zhou Houfang quickly saluted to Empress Yuan Chun, "Madam Zhou, if you have any questions, feel free to come to me."

Empress Yuan Chun's chest rose and fell, as if she couldn't believe that she had escaped death like this -

However, Xu Zhenying had already turned around and left with his men. When passing through the yard, Zhou Yu stood in front of his brother calmly and pulled his brother behind him.

Zhou Yu was obviously afraid of her, but he still smiled at her. It was really weird that such a young person had already learned how to fake a smile.

Xu Zhenying noticed her little action and smiled bitterly in his heart: She is such a kind and amiable little sister, why do children avoid her like a monster?

In her previous life, she was very popular with children——

Forget it.

No matter how hard she tried to smile in a friendly manner, the little princess probably thought she was here to take her life.