The early morning sunlight shone on the figures of the people in front of Zhengyang Palace, casting long shadows.

"The dawn has passed!" Princess Shu leaned on the railing and walked away.

Zhengyang Hall was built in the highest area of ​​the imperial palace. From here you can see most of the palaces of the Zhou imperial palace, with almost 10,000 different buildings.

"Report!" Commander Yan Zhuang walked in front of everyone, "All the guards have surrendered, and the palace is safe."

"Is it really safe?" Wang Xiaohai asked.

"While we were chasing the Imperial Guards, I discovered some incredibly strong guys inside the palace. Each of them could defeat dozens of our soldiers," said Commander Yan Zhuang. "Fortunately, we have archers who can threaten them."

"Are they still in the palace?" Wang Xiaohai immediately understood who General Yan Zhuang had met.

"I don't know. They escape very quickly and are very good at hiding." Commander Yan Zhuang answered cautiously. He believed that these powerful enemies were very cunning.

"I guess they're still in the palace." Wang Xiaohai ordered Guan Zeyuan and Yan Zhuang, "Change the search team to a hundred-man force, split 30% to 70% with melee weapons and 70% with bows and arrows. That way we can subdue them!"

"Yes!" The generals passed Wang Xiaohai's order down layer by layer.

The original teams of dozens of people were expanded to a hundred people, and those who were short of bows and arrows had to go to the palace warehouse to get them.

"We can go to Zhengde Hall now," said General Guan Zeyuan.

"Don't worry, go to the side hall first and release the civil and military officials. Once you have their support, go to Zhengde Hall." Wang Xiaohai said, "If we go to Zhengde Hall first to call people in and then release the officials, what if they turn around and support one of the princes?"

"What should we do? We have military force!" Guan Zeyuan said, "Do they dare to object?"

"Even if you have the force, you can't kill all the civil and military officials, the princes, and the late emperor's concubines!" Wang Xiaohai said, "Ask Princess Shu if she's willing to do that."

"I... I don't know. You make the decision when the time comes." Zhou Shuyi didn't know what to do. She had been merciful and let Zhou Jian go before, but Zhou Jian sent soldiers to kill her and killed so many people. She didn't know whether she should let these people go?

"I make the decision?" Wang Xiaohai was a little surprised. "That's not good. It will look like I'm taking your power from you. So, I can only give you suggestions. It's up to you whether you listen to them or not."

"From now on, do as Teacher Wang Xiaohai says, even if it goes against my opinion." Princess Shu said to Guan Zeyuan.

Ten minutes later.

Two soldiers pried open the lock of the side hall of Zhengyang Palace, and with a "bang", the door was opened.

Wang Xiaohai took the lead and walked in.

All the civil and military officials inside used their clothes as carpets to rest on the ground, and a few slept against the wall. However, no one occupied the corners because the civil and military officials had been locked up for a day and had no place to go to the toilet, so they had to go to the corners. Now the place was stinking and the stench could be smelled from ten meters away.

"Are these still high-ranking officials?" Guan Zeyuan said, covering his nose. "Don't they care about their image?"

"You're wrong. It's not that they don't care about their image; they care about it very much," Wang Xiaohai said. "Otherwise, they would just poop in their pants."

"You guys are colluding with the third prince Zhou Jian. Soldiers, drag them all away and put them in jail!" Guan Zeyuan shouted loudly.

The two teams of soldiers drew their swords and rushed towards the civil and military officials on the ground and against the wall.

A historian hurriedly took out a parchment notebook and a quill pen, intending to record this scene.

Yan Zhuang rushed to the historian with five of his confidants, snatched his notebook, put it in his arms, and signaled his confidants to beat the historian up.

"Remember, this scene cannot be written without consent!" Commander Yan Zhuang said coldly to the historian, "Even if you dare to write it, no one will dare to publish or preserve it."

"Your violent behavior is illegal!" the historian said. "My duty is to record history truthfully. Personal preferences and external pressure will not affect impartiality."

"Come on, you can lie to others, but you can't lie to me!" Commander Yan Zhuang kicked the historian. "Did you actually record the Empress's madness a hundred years ago? You only wrote that she suddenly went mad and killed the Crown Prince and several other princes, right? You know the real reason but you didn't write it down. It was the Emperor at the time and a favorite concubine—"

"That's enough!" Guan Zeyuan shouted at him, "Commander Yan Zhuang, come back. I know you're a descendant of the queen from a hundred years ago, but now's not the time to talk about that. Let's detain everyone first. Let's get down to business."

"Stop!" Princess Shu stopped the Yulin soldiers who were about to arrest people. "They are all pillars of the court, and every one of them is indispensable! You can't arrest them!"

"But..." Guan Zeyuan hesitated to speak, his expression seemed to indicate that he didn't want to let these officials go.

"No buts, we must let them go. I will bear the consequences if anything happens!" Princess Shu said in a firm tone.

"Then... I obey your command." Guan Zeyuan looked unwilling and turned to leave the side hall of Zhengyang Palace.

When passing by Wang Xiaohai, Wang Xiaohai whispered a reminder: "I think your acting is a bit exaggerated. You are worthy of learning it from the opera troupe. Your expression is too exaggerated!" Wang Xiaohai meant that most of the officials here are cunning and must have seen through the two people's acting.

Guan Zeyuan slowed down his pace, walked out of the side hall without saying a word, and stood guard at the door.

"Thank you, Princess, for saving my life. I will never forget this great kindness!" An old man dressed in the uniform of a third-rank civil servant knelt down to Princess Shu.

Princess Shu helped the official up and asked him to leave the side hall and wait in the main hall.

"Stop, you two!" Guan Zeyuan stopped two officials who were about to leave the side hall. "Princess Shu saved you, why are you leaving without even a word of gratitude? Can't you at least promise something?"

The two officials who were stopped were angry - this was obviously an attempt to force them to express their stance and take sides!

"Then I won't go out!" The two officials snorted coldly and returned to the side hall.

"It doesn't matter. I remind you that after all the grateful people come out, we will lock the door and won't open it until a month later. I hope you can hold on for a month." Guan Zeyuan threatened.

"Okay, everyone knows that you are working together with Princess Shu--" the two officials who were forced back spoke.

A flash of sword light passed through the throats of the two men. Yan Zhuang walked over and slashed with the sword without any ambiguity or hesitation.

The remaining civil and military officials in the side hall shuddered at the sight, thinking, "This has escalated from deception to direct violence!"

Finally, half of the officials in the side hall bowed their heads, came forward to congratulate Princess Shu, and then walked to the main hall to wait.

"Is there anyone who is grateful and repays kindness?" Guan Zeyuan shouted.

His tone was righteous and his reasons were high-sounding. No one could refute him, nor did anyone dare to refute him!

“If you don’t have it, I’ll close it.”

As he said this, he and the Yulin soldiers left the side hall and put up two new locks.