The Imperial Academy was filled with jubilation. The dozens of students selected by Hu Guang packed their bags and headed to Xuzhou to take up their posts. Those who were not selected were also full of hope, some even hoping that the emperor would arrest more corrupt officials so that they could fill the ranks.

At the same time, powerful families such as the Zhong, Chen, Xun, Yuan, and Sima families, as well as the Chen family from Xuzhou and other surviving families, all spoke out to condemn the illegal activities of the powerful families in Xuzhou.

In the blink of an eye, the powerful families of Xuzhou who had been executed became the targets of everyone's condemnation.

As for the Emperor's reprimanding edict, it reassured many people. It seemed that Yang Qiu and Zhang Jian's preemptive action had angered the Emperor, but because they had indeed performed meritorious service, the Emperor allowed them to remain in office to observe their future performance. Some people even seemed to have a hope that they could bring down these two butchers at any time.

Then, another imperial edict from Liu Hong once again attracted everyone's attention.

Because some students of the Imperial Academy were recommended by Hu Guang to serve as local officials in Xuzhou, there were vacancies in the Imperial Academy's quotas. Therefore, Liu Hong issued an edict ordering the Zhong, Xun, and Yuan families, which had always supported the emperor, to begin recommending their sons to fill the vacancies in the Imperial Academy.

Originally, the Zhong family was just a middle-class family in Yingchuan. However, after Zhong Yao became a close minister of the emperor, the Zhong family's momentum became uncontrollable. It was only after Xun Shuang became the Minister of Justice that they began to show signs of competing with the Zhong family.

After realizing this, the previously wavering members of the powerful families began to defect and pledge allegiance to the emperor.

Upon seeing the list of recommendations submitted by Zheng Xuan in Deyang Palace, Liu Hong chuckled and then sent someone to tell Zheng Xuan that he would only accept recommendations from the Xun, Zhong, Sima, Yang, and Yuan families.

As for the rest, we'll discuss that after the assessment next spring.

Those aristocratic families understood Liu Hong's actions clearly. The emperor was telling them that if they wanted their families to grow stronger, the only way was to align themselves with him. There was no other way.

Although the emperor was young, his shrewdness in handling affairs was admirable. Even though many people knew the emperor's intentions, they still followed him.