Puppet Emperor, the Empress Wields All Power and Calls a Deer a Horse

Chapter 31 Public Opinion of Imperial City! Tyrant!

Great Zhou Dynasty!

The majestic imperial palace, imperial study.

[Ding, mission completed: Eliminate the Empress Dowager’s faction, causing shock among all civil and military officials. The host receives 20,000 plot points!].

The system’s notification rang.

Gu Changsheng sat upright on the dragon throne, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, his face full of smiles.

After tonight.

With this event, Empress Dowager’s faction had suffered heavy losses, and their control over the court would be greatly diminished!

“System, consume 20,000 plot points, and draw twice!”

Gu Changsheng silently commanded in his heart.

[Ding, System is drawing…]. [Ding, Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Tongshen Pill!]. [Ding, Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Heaven-Defying Nine Steps (Emperor-level divine ability)!].

After spending the 20,000 plot points, Gu Changsheng inspected the items he had drawn.

[Tongshen Pill: A pill for those in the Life and Death Realm. After consumption, it can significantly enhance cultivation, reaching the rank of a King!].

What a treasure!

Gu Changsheng’s eyes lit up.

The timing of this pill was perfect.

Without hesitation, Gu Changsheng directly swallowed the pill, instantly feeling a surge of pure energy flooding his body.

After a while, Gu Changsheng had fully refined the pure energy within, and an unprecedented, vast aura erupted from his body.

His cultivation level skyrocketed, breaking through several minor realms from the Life and Death Realm, reaching the King realm.

A King-level expert was not considered weak, even within the Great Zhou Dynasty.

As far as he knew.

Among his several elder brothers, except for the Crown Prince, who had reached the level of a Great Expert, the rest were all in the King Realm.

“Heaven-Defying Nine Steps, an Emperor-level divine ability!”

The corners of Gu Changsheng’s mouth lifted into a smile. He hadn’t expected to draw an Emperor-level divine ability.

Heaven-Defying Nine Steps, an Emperor-level divine ability. This technique could be used not only to escape but also to engage in combat.

It was practically tailor-made for him.

With a century of Hundred-Year Sword Dao Enlightenment and mastery over the Emperor-level sword technique ‘Ten Thousand Sword Technique’, he had no flaws in his offensive abilities.

But when it came to movement techniques, he had been lacking.

Now, with the Heaven-Defying Nine Steps, this Emperor-level divine ability, his shortcomings were completely filled.

Just as Gu Changsheng was pondering, the head eunuch, Xia Wudao, slowly approached and respectfully bowed, speaking in a low voice:

“Your Majesty, Commander Lu Tao of the City Defense Force requests an audience outside the imperial study.”

“Let him in.”

Gu Changsheng’s expression remained indifferent as he responded coolly.

Soon, a middle-aged general clad in black armor, with a solemn expression, entered the imperial study. He cupped his fists and bowed deeply, saying:

“Your humble servant, Lu Tao, greets Your Majesty. Long live the emperor!”

“At ease.”

Gu Changsheng, as if expecting Lu Tao’s arrival, nodded slightly.

“Was tonight’s mission successful?”

“Your Majesty, your humble servant did not disappoint. Hundreds of officials who betrayed the empire and colluded with the enemy have all been eliminated!”

“Well done, Commander Lu. You’ve worked hard tonight!”

Gu Changsheng smiled, full of praise.

Even he hadn’t anticipated that tonight’s operation would go so smoothly, wiping out hundreds of the Empress Dowager’s loyalists.

It was clear that the Empress Dowager had not taken him seriously at all.

Otherwise, when he deployed the City Defense Force and the Imperial Guards, the Empress Dowager would have intervened to stop it.

At that point, it would not have been so easy to eliminate these treacherous officials.

“Your Majesty, the deaths of hundreds of officials have caused a significant stir.

The Empress Dowager will surely retaliate once she realizes what has happened,”

Lu Tao said with a serious expression, issuing a reminder.

Even he hadn’t expected such decisive action from the emperor, wiping out hundreds of the Empress Dowager’s faction members in one night.

With this incident, Empress Dowager’s influence in the court had been severely diminished, and she would undoubtedly be furious.

Next, they would face her fierce retaliation.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Gu Changsheng’s face was filled with cold indifference and pride. A subtle, mocking smile played on his lips as he said:

“These hundreds of officials were all guilty of heinous crimes, and under the laws of the Great Zhou, they deserved to die many times over.”

“As long as I present the evidence, even if the Empress Dowager wants to retaliate, she will have nothing to say!”

“Your Majesty is wise!”

Lu Tao smiled humbly, full of admiration.

It seemed the emperor had anticipated everything.

Seeing Lu Tao’s flattery, Gu Changsheng smiled but said nothing, waving his hand to dismiss him.

Tonight, he could finally sleep soundly.

But surely, the Empress Dowager wouldn’t be able to sleep!

…

Great Zhou Dynasty!

The majestic imperial palace, Cining Palace!

“Useless! A bunch of useless fools!”

“Tonight, hundreds of officials in the imperial city were killed.”

“Why am I only hearing about this now?!”

Empress Dowager Lin Yaoji’s face was filled with rage as she sat on the phoenix throne, her cold eyes narrowing as she stared at the dozens of ministers present, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

At her words!

The dozens of ministers present trembled, drenched in sweat, and lowered their heads in fear, not daring to speak.

None dared to utter a word and risk further angering the Empress Dowager.

They had all received news of tonight’s events.

Hundreds of officials had been ruthlessly slaughtered, and their families exterminated.

Tonight, the imperial city was a river of blood, with corpses strewn everywhere!

The fact that all of this had been orchestrated by the new emperor filled the ministers with terror, causing their scalps to tingle.

The new emperor’s methods were far too ruthless.

At the same time.

Some ministers felt fortunate that the new emperor had not targeted them.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have had the chance to gather here in Cining Palace to discuss the matter!

“Hmph!”

Seeing the ministers’ dejected looks, Empress Dowager was deeply displeased. She snorted coldly, gritting her teeth and saying:

“A bunch of useless, good-for-nothing drunks! You’re all a waste!”

“Please calm down, Empress Dowager. Tonight’s event unfolded too quickly. We didn’t even have time to react.”

“Otherwise, these hundreds of officials wouldn’t have died.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed in black court robes, with a sinister expression, stood up and respectfully said.

This middle-aged man was Liu Wu, the Right Prime Minister.

He too had been shocked by the emperor’s audacious move tonight.

Hundreds of officials in the imperial city had been slaughtered, their families exterminated.

As the Right Prime Minister of the Great Zhou, he hadn’t received the news in time.

This incident clearly showed that the emperor, Gu Changsheng, controlled a terrifying intelligence network that had evaded their spies.

In the political game at court, intelligence was crucial.

With that in mind, Right Prime Minister Liu Wu felt a growing sense of crisis and murderous intent. He must quickly ally with the Empress Dowager to eliminate the new emperor.

Only then would his position remain secure.

Seeing the Right Prime Minister speak up, Empress Dowager forcibly suppressed her rage, her expression softening as she said in a low voice:

“Hundreds of officials have been eliminated by the emperor, leaving many vacancies in the court. We must quickly place our loyalists in those positions.”

“I understand!”

Right Prime Minister Liu Wu nodded slightly.

The loss of hundreds of officials was a significant blow to the Empress Dowager, but if they could swiftly replace them with their own people, they could buy themselves some time.

After all, in the eyes of both the Empress Dowager and the Right Prime Minister, the lives of these dead officials were of no importance.

What mattered was the power these officials wielded in the court.

“This loss, I won’t swallow easily!”

“Spread the word about tonight’s events! Let it be known that the new emperor, in his foolishness and tyranny, has massacred hundreds of the empire’s most loyal ministers. He is nothing but a tyrant, ruling with violent oppression…”

The Empress Dowager’s face was icy as she sneered mockingly.

At her words.

The dozens of ministers present immediately understood her intentions.

Sometimes, public opinion can be deadly.

Rumors, once spread, can become unstoppable.

Before long.

Even if Gu Changsheng was not truly a tyrant, in the eyes of the people and the empire, he would be one!