243: Chapter 243 Court Purge: Those Who Obey Me Prosper, Those Who Oppose Me Perish

The so-called "evening banquet" was not held in the picturesque Imperial Garden, but rather in the Golden Hall, which symbolized the supreme imperial power.

Night had fallen, yet the Golden Hall was brilliantly lit, as bright as day.

Nine hundred arm-thick dragon-saliva incense candles were burning, illuminating every detail of the great hall.

However, this brilliant light brought no warmth; instead, it illuminated the paper-white faces of the civil and military officials filling the hall.

The nine vermilion gates of the hall were tightly shut.

Mo Han, dressed in black, stood like an emotionless ice sculpture in the very center of the gates, clutching the black dagger that exuded the supreme power of an Emperor.

The faint, chilling murderous intent emanating from her body acted like an invisible chain, completely sealing off the entire hall. Anyone who attempted to approach the gates would feel a chill that threatened to tear their Soul apart.

Above, on the high platform.

Wu Mingkong, still wearing her nine-clawed golden dragon robe, sat on the Dragon Throne, her Phoenix eyes coldly overlooking the scene below as she toyed with the Imperial Jade Seal that symbolized the national destiny of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Beside the Dragon Throne, a wide, soft couch covered in snow-white fox fur had been specially placed.

Xu Chen lay lazily on it, enjoying treatment fit for an emperor.

"Great... Great-Grandfather, eat a grape."

Princess Wu Weiyang knelt at Xu Chen's feet, holding a plate of crystal-clear purple jade grapes.

This Princess of the Great Xia Dynasty, who usually never touched a drop of water, was currently clumsily peeling the grapes, her fingertips stained with purple juice, yet she still left the fruit pitted and uneven.

Because of her nervousness, coupled with the instinctive craving of her Nine Phoenix Rising Sun Body for Xu Chen, her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing was somewhat rapid.

"Oh my, Your Highness Princess, peeling grapes is delicate work."

Hua Jieyu, who was kneeling beside Xu Chen, covered her mouth and chuckled, her voice melting into the bones. She extended her slender, jade-like fingers, peeled a grape with fluid, practiced movements, and fed it into Xu Chen's mouth, her actions incredibly elegant.

"Your hands are usually used to whip people; how can you handle such menial tasks? If you were to soil Great-Grandfather's mouth, that would be bad."

As Hua Jieyu spoke, she intentionally puffed out her chest, showing off to Princess Wu Weiyang.

"You..."

Princess Wu Weiyang was so angry she gnashed her teeth, but seeing Hua Jieyu's practiced movements, she truly could not refute her.

She was anxious inside; she had finally found an opportunity to show off in front of Great-Grandfather, was it really going to be snatched away by this vixen?

No! She had to prove her worth!

Just then, Wu Mingkong on the Dragon Throne suddenly spoke, breaking the strange, flirtatious atmosphere.

"Bang!"

The Jade Seal slammed heavily onto the imperial desk.

"Since everyone is here, let's begin."

Wu Mingkong's voice was cold and dignified, echoing through the hall. "I slept for three thousand years, only to wake up and see the Great Xia Dynasty in ruins. The borders are in crisis, the aristocratic families within the country have grown powerful, and imperial power has fallen. Is this the answer you give Me?"

Below, led by Emperor Wu Tiandao, the officials knelt in unison, shivering and begging for death.

"Death?"

Wu Mingkong sneered and waved her hand, and a prepared list fluttered to the ground.

"Minister of Personnel Wang Xian, selling official posts for bribes, embezzling thirty million Spirit Stones from the national treasury, and his son has forcibly abducted common women, causing dozens of deaths. Such a parasite truly deserves to die."

The first name on the list was read out.

A fat old man kneeling in the front row of the crowd trembled all over, his face ashen. He suddenly raised his head and kowtowed desperately, begging for mercy: "Old Ancestor, spare me! This subject was only confused for a moment! I am willing to hand over all my family assets..."

"Spare you?"

There was not a trace of fluctuation in Wu Mingkong's eyes. "It's too late."

Just then, Princess Wu Weiyang, who had been kneeling at Xu Chen's feet, saw a gleam of light.

The opportunity had arrived!

She could not compete with that vixen at peeling grapes, but she was good at killing! Great-Grandfather must like useful people!

"How can such filth be worthy of the Old Ancestor's own hands!"

Princess Wu Weiyang shouted delicately, her figure instantly surging forward.

"Puff!"

A sharp golden light flashed.

Minister of Personnel Wang Xian did not even have time to scream before a bloody hole appeared between his eyebrows. His corpse fell straight down, his eyes wide open, dying with lingering resentment.

Princess Wu Weiyang retracted her finger and turned to look at Xu Chen. Any trace of clumsiness from before was gone, replaced by an expectant look, waiting for credit: "Great-Grandfather, leave such rough work as killing to your granddaughter in the future! My hands are fast!"

"Not bad."

Xu Chen swallowed the grape in his mouth, nodded approvingly, and reached out to pat her head. "Peeling grapes is no good, but you're quite efficient at killing. I'll reward you with a Spirit fruit."

As he spoke, he casually tossed a fruit brimming with Spiritual Qi.

"Thank you, Great-Grandfather!"

Princess Wu Weiyang took the fruit, happy as a child receiving candy, and did not forget to glance triumphantly at Hua Jieyu: See that? This Princess is useful too!

Hua Jieyu curled her lips, having to admit that the Princess was really trying hard to compete for favor.

Seeing that the killing had begun, the atmosphere in the hall plummeted to freezing point.

Wu Mingkong stood up and looked down: "I gave you all a chance. Since you don't want to be decent, then I will help you be decent."

"Guards! Arrest people according to the list! Kill anyone who resists!"

The Imperial Guards, who had been waiting in the side hall, swarmed in, pouncing on the usually high and mighty nobles like wolves and tigers.

For a time, cries and pleas for mercy resounded through the hall.

However, just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, a powerful aura suddenly erupted from the left side of the hall.

"Wu Mingkong! Do you want to sever the Foundation of the Great Xia Dynasty?!"

An old man wearing purple-gold python robes with white hair and beard stood up. He released his Early Stage Saint pressure without reservation, directly blowing away several Imperial Guards who had rushed over.

This person was the Old Ancestor of the Zhao family, the number one aristocratic family of the Great Xia Dynasty, the current Duke of Zhao, Zhao Tiankuang.

"Half of the civil and military officials in this court have ties to our families! If you really want to exterminate us all, the Great Xia Dynasty will be paralyzed immediately! When the neighboring armies press on the border, let's see what you use to resist!"

Although Zhao Tiankuang feared Wu Mingkong's strength, he gambled that Wu Mingkong would not dare to truly let the Great Xia Dynasty perish. As long as the families stood together, the law would not punish the masses, and even the founding Empress would have to compromise.

"Threatening Me?"

Wu Mingkong looked at Zhao Tiankuang, a trace of mockery flashing in her eyes, "It seems you aristocratic families have been living in comfort for too long and have forgotten who the Great Xia Dynasty belongs to."

"It belongs to the Wu family!"

She stepped forward, her Peak Quasi-Emperor pressure descending like Mount Tai, crushing directly onto Zhao Tiankuang.

Zhao Tiankuang's face changed drastically, struggling desperately to keep his body from kneeling, gritting his teeth and roaring: "Even if you are the Old Ancestor, you cannot be so arbitrary! My Zhao family has been loyal for three generations..."

"Loyal?"

Mo Han, who had been guarding the door, suddenly raised her head, her cold gaze locking onto Zhao Tiankuang.

The Emperor-grade dagger in her hand slightly unsheathed by an inch, and a breath of death that made even a Saint feel suffocated instantly enveloped Zhao Tiankuang.

Zhao Tiankuang's spine went cold; it was the feeling of being targeted by the Grim Reaper.

Wu Mingkong glanced at Xu Chen beside her, a proud arc curling on her lips, "Even if the Great Xia Dynasty really is paralyzed, with My husband here, the sky will not collapse."

"Husband? Just by relying on this soft-eating pretty boy?"

Zhao Tiankuang was pressed so hard his legs were trembling, yet he still roared unconvinced, trying to use a provocation, "Besides relying on women, what other skills does he have..."

"Snap!"

A crisp snapping sound abruptly interrupted his roar.

Xu Chen was still lying lazily on the couch, not even changing his posture, just lightly raising his right hand and snapping his fingers.

"Boom!"

The Saint-level powerhouse Zhao Tiankuang, who had still been clamoring, was instantly crushed like a balloon squeezed by an invisible giant hand.

With a "bang," he instantly exploded into a mist of blood on the spot!

Even his Primordial Spirit vanished into thin air in that instant, not even having time to scream.

Early Stage Saint?

In front of Xu Chen, who now had a Saint-level Physical Body and Perfection-level Sword Dao, he was no different from an ant.

The whole hall was deathly silent.

You could hear a pin drop.

Those aristocratic officials who had been restless and preparing to follow Zhao Tiankuang in forcing the palace were now so scared they were Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and the smell of urine instantly wafted from their pants.

A finger... to destroy a Saint?!

What kind of strength is this?

Even Hua Jieyu and Princess Wu Weiyang widened their eyes.

Although they knew the Young Lord/Great-Grandfather was strong, being strong to the point of casually crushing a Saint exceeded their imagination.

"Sorry, my hand slipped."

Xu Chen blew on his fingers and looked at the crowd innocently, "Who just said I was a soft-eating pretty boy? Say it again, I didn't hear clearly."

No one dared to speak.

Everyone buried their heads in the ground, wishing they could become transparent.

Wu Tiandao banged his head on the floor, roaring in his heart: This is a soft-eating pretty boy? This is clearly a peerless fierce person even more terrifying than the Old Ancestor!

"Alright, the fly is swatted."

Xu Chen clapped his hands, lay back down, and opened his mouth to catch the wine cup handed over by Hua Jieyu, "Continue, wifey."

"Mm."

Wu Mingkong nodded and sat back on the Dragon Throne.

With Xu Chen's deterrent, the subsequent purge went exceptionally smoothly. No one dared to resist, no one dared to plead for mercy, and no one even dared to breathe loudly.

A Hongmen Banquet ultimately evolved into the funeral knell for the aristocratic families.

...

Two hours later.

The purge ended, and the hall had been cleaned up, but a faint smell of blood still lingered in the air.

"Wu Tiandao."

"Grandson is here."

"For these vacant positions, promote people from humble backgrounds and the army. I don't care about their origins; as long as they have talent, use them. If anyone dares to block it, kill them."

"Grandson obeys the decree!"

"Also."

Xu Chen threw a Jade Slip from his Storage Ring, "These are some strategies for governing the country I wrote when I had nothing to do, as well as several combined attack Formations suitable for the army to Cultivate. Take them and have people study them."

"Thank you, Great-Grandfather, for the reward!" Wu Tiandao was like a treasure.

After handling everything, Wu Mingkong dismissed everyone, leaving only her own people.

"Are you tired?" Xu Chen walked to the Dragon Throne and took her hand.

"A little." Wu Mingkong shed her disguise and leaned into his arms, feeling somewhat exhausted.

"That... Great-Grandfather, Old Ancestor..."

Princess Wu Weiyang was still nearby and had not left. Seeing the two of them being intimate, she was both envious and conflicted, "Tonight... I also want to stay and serve Great-Grandfather and Old Ancestor, is that okay?"

She blinked her big eyes, looking expectant.

"Dream on."

Wu Mingkong rolled her eyes at her, "Go back to your own Bedchamber."

"Oh..."

Princess Wu Weiyang answered aggrievedly and left, looking back every three steps. When she reached the door, she was glared at coldly by Mo Han, who was guarding the door, and she hurriedly slipped away.

Xu Chen watched this scene and laughed dumbly.

He picked up Wu Mingkong and walked towards the inner palace with large strides.

"Let's go, my Empress, it's time to rest."