Chapter 157

With the beheading of core disciples like Sima Shang and Sima Gu.

The Sima Clan, a power minister family that had blazed for over a decade, ultimately still met its end.

And in the capital city, people's hearts were like flowing water.

In that battle watched by all, after Gu Xuan displayed peerless divine martial prowess and bearing like Emperor Gaozu, he won the reverence of almost all commoners on the spot.

He also won the allegiance of more than half the Forbidden Army soldiers.

Everyone who saw or heard this scene, not one failed to be excited to the point of trembling all over, unable to contain themselves!

Because these years, the Great Zhou Dynasty has truly been too humiliating.

Because since Emperor Gaozu established the dynasty, even if one couldn't say he roamed the entire earth with no rival, he at least preserved this peace for the human race.

How could it be like now, where the Quanrong, Jie Tribe and other alien races burn, kill, rape, and plunder with utter abandon within Great Zhou's borders, unknown how many humans have been slaughtered, and women reduced to miserable two-legged sheep.

After the Sima Family launched a military coup and seized power. To consolidate their clan's private interests, and the interests of their allied families.

Internally, they brutally suppressed, granted benefits to the great aristocratic clans, gradually monopolizing most upper-level passages; in a few more years, the so-called Gate Valve Era would inevitably form.

Externally, even though the Quanrong, Jie Tribe and other alien races brutally massacred, the Sima Family most of the time pursued a pacification policy, not hesitating to sacrifice the borderlands and some inland commoners, in exchange for their own peace and comfort.

These matters, in fact many insightful people in the country saw very clearly.

Among them, included most Cold Gate outstanding disciples, and also a few aristocratic scholars.

But seeing clearly is one thing, being able to act is another matter entirely.

As the saying goes, where there are soldiers there is power; in such an era, the Sima Family controlled the capital's Forbidden Army, externally they had the Three Major Heavy Army Groups, and many families as interest allies.

Such a power minister force, absolutely counts as deeply entrenched and inextricably rooted!

Ordinary people, no matter how talented, how could they oppose such an opponent?

They could only watch helplessly as the situation sank day by day, the entire nation step by step becoming a playground for the great aristocratic clans, the bottom-level commoners reduced to food in the mouths of alien races and aristocratic scions!

Under this situation, many people despaired.

Some indulged in dissipation and drank themselves to death day after day, like some clear-headed scholars.

Even more, could only drift with the tide, living one day at a time.

But what no one expected was, the Zhou King His Majesty, originally regarded as a mascot and puppet, actually chose to rise up violently!

And looking over this battle, he obviously was not acting recklessly, but had various meticulous preparations.

For instance, that golden armor and Fangtian painted halberd extremely resembling Emperor Gaozu, and the Po Jun Divine Bow, etc., all won him no small amount of the Forbidden Army soldiers' hearts at the critical moment.

And these, are still only secondary.

What is truly important, is the absolute strength the Zhou King His Majesty displayed in this battle!

One man charging the formation, actually still succeeded greatly, successively beheading the enemy army's highest generals, military flags, etc.

What peerless martial power is this?!

It is absolutely, in the true sense, beheading generals and seizing flags amidst ten thousand armies!

Coupled with that unmatched blood-courage, guts, and decisiveness, etc., not one failed to deeply shock everyone's hearts!

People involuntarily realized, this young Zhou King before their eyes, is absolutely a peerless existence like Emperor Gaozu of old, and may even surpass him!

Therefore.

Within the capital's scope, no one hesitated much, and quickly made their choice.

That is to abandon the so-called power minister Sima Family, and throw themselves under the banner of the new generation's Zhou King His Majesty.

Of course.

Among this, there were still some Sima Clan die-hard confidants, especially the several thousand dead soldiers Sima Shang had raised for many years prior.

These dead soldiers, back during the night the Sima Clan launched their coup to seize power, played an extremely important role.

Afterwards, they were also entrusted with important tasks by the Sima Clan, many serving as high-level and mid-level officers in the Forbidden Army and external heavy army groups.

However.

At least within the capital's scope, these remnant dead soldiers were all dug out, and executed along with the Sima Family.

In this process, Gu Xuan also displayed appropriate political wisdom.

After eliminating the chief culprits like Sima Shang, he did not personally take the field to slaughter again, but sat steadily on the reviewing platform.

On one hand, borrowing the might of the great victory, he rectified the Five Divisions of Forbidden Army — East, West, South, North, and Center — striving to bring this army of nearly thirty thousand men under his command to the greatest extent.

On the other hand, he issued orders in a tight and orderly manner, promptly rewarding meritorious officials, cleaning up remnant enemies.

In this process, he naturally no longer needed to attend to every detail personally.

The original Three Offices and Six Ministries officials, most were not killed by the Sima Clan in their desperate frenzy, but survived.

Among these people, many's merits and faults, virtues, still await future verification, but at least at this moment, they have all turned to the royal house, automatically beginning the operation of court politics.

And not only that.

The general trend like mountain stream flowing, naturally.

Within just two or three days, there were still streams of talented scholars, even some clans, rushing to the reviewing platform requesting an audience.

Because Gu Xuan's appearance, was equivalent to bringing hope to all insightful scholars worried about the state, and the greatest hope at that.

To be able in such a treacherous situation to still counter-kill the power minister Sima Family, this perhaps even Emperor Gaozu of old might not have been able to do!

Without a doubt.

People all believe, if speaking of who can lead the Great Zhou Dynasty to revival, and win a thread of life for those Great Zhou commoners harmed by alien races on the borderlands, it can only be the current Zhou King His Majesty!

For the entire next month.

Gu Xuan basically stayed in the Forbidden Army Grand Camp in the north of the city.

Most of his energy was used to thoroughly control this elite force numbering nearly forty thousand, striving to achieve the level of wielding it like an extension of his own arm.

Now on this land, no matter when, only by grasping military power can one guarantee his will extends to the maximum!

Among these tasks, the most primary point, is to screen out and eliminate the Sima Family's hidden dead soldiers, and the idle good-for-nothings.

On this basis, Gu Xuan vigorously promoted the loyal, brave, and capable Feather Forest Orphans, elevating most of them to middle ranks to replace the Sima Family's original people.

During this process, resentment, indignation, and covert acts of outward compliance but inward opposition were naturally unavoidable.

Even dozens of bloody ambushes targeting the Feather Forest Orphans occurred.

Even Gu Xuan himself suffered two assassination attempts by the Sima Family's remnant dead soldiers; naturally, under Gu Xuan's absolute martial power, they could not succeed.

But under the irresistible trend, the Sima Family remnants' counterattack ultimately turned to ashes.

At least, within the Capital City, the Sima Clan's power has been basically swept away.

Additionally.

Gu Xuan also freed up every morning to receive court officials and discuss state affairs, to stabilize the many matters beyond the military sphere.

The ministers, though clearly somewhat unaccustomed to going to the Imperial Guards Grand Camp for deliberations, had no choice but to slowly adapt.

It is very obvious that the current King is a horseback sovereign.

An even more crucial point: his prestige is practically mythical; in the eyes of the multitude of citizens, he is already regarded as an existence on par with Emperor Gaozu.

……

However.

Although Gu Xuan counter-killed the Sima Clan, it cannot be said that he has already completely turned the tables successfully.

Therefore, the current him can only be considered as barely controlling the central court administration, as well as one of the Great Zhou Dynasty's four major military forces — that is, the forty thousand Forbidden Army within the Capital City.

Outside the Capital City, there are still Three Major Heavy Army Groups, which originally all obeyed the Sima Clan.

Among them, at the Western Border, there are two major groups led by Ma Qi and Yu Chi Rui as the Two Major Generals; they are the Army guarding against the Quanrong Tribe.

At the Northern Border, there is the Border Army led by Cheng Luo as the commanding general, mainly guarding against the Jie Tribe and various other Alien Races.

Each of these three Armies numbers over thirty thousand; their strength cannot be underestimated.

Only by thoroughly bringing the military authority of these three Border Armies back under the center can one be considered a true sovereign in the real sense.

This day.

Gu Xuan, inside the Forbidden Army's Central Army Grand Camp, was deliberating with the newly established Core Advisory Group.

This Advisory Group was naturally formed by him referencing the military system from before his Transmigration, selecting talents from the Feather Forest Orphans, the Ministry of War, and the Forbidden Army soldiers — every single one a man of both loyalty and military talent.

"Your Majesty, this is the analysis summary regarding the Three Major Border Armies, and the corresponding countermeasures."

An advisor presented a document.

Gu Xuan flipped through it briefly; the meaning within was very clear.

Regarding the Northern Border's forty thousand Border Army, its commanding general Cheng Luo was originally Grand General Sima Shang's confidant; only by eliminating him is there any possibility — there is no possibility of winning him over.

Moreover, this man is cruel and ruthless internally; his battle record against the Northern Border Jie Tribe and other Alien Race armies can only be described as mediocre; maintaining a defensive posture is already very strained, let alone any talk of taking the offensive.

In the past, Western Capital Luocheng was burned and slaughtered by the Jie Tribe for three consecutive days; on their return north, they even plundered several small cities, and Cheng Luo did not dare stop them, merely following behind to "courteously see them off the border."

This act also became one of the jokes and humiliations inside and outside the Great Zhou Dynasty.

But in the past, when the Sima Clan was at its peak, no one dared say they could seize Cheng Luo's military authority.

As for the Two Major Generals of the Western Border, Ma Qi and Yu Chi Rui, they are different, and the corresponding measures are also different.

First.

Yu Chi Rui has been famous for a long time; he is an elderly renowned general nearing sixty; over the years he has rendered great merit in resisting the Quanrong Tribe's incursions.

He cannot be called the Sima Clan's confidant; rather, he is more a pure military man, a capable renowned general.

In the past, even when Sima Shang was arbitrarily wielding power, he did not replace him, but out of consideration for the overall situation, still let him serve as the commanding general of one part of the Western Army.

For such talent, one should strive to win him over.

As for the other one, namely the commanding general of Western Army Part Two, Ma Qi, this man can only be called a middling general; his battle record against the Quanrong Tribe is average.

Although he is also one of the Sima Family's confidants, his personality is rather smooth and worldly, rather greedy for money, and quite adept at judging the situation.

For such a figure, one can use the general trend to induce and pressure him, seizing the military authority from his hands.

In summary, this document provided by the Advisory Group differs little from the intelligence Gu Xuan obtained from other sources; it is a credible reference.

And on this basis, regarding how to handle the Three Major Border Armies, the Core Advisory Group, the Ministry of War, and others all had secret audiences and proposed their own different measures, most of them meaning to proceed slowly and plan carefully.

But Gu Xuan himself had his own additional ideas.

……

To stabilize the Three Major Border Army Groups.

After exterminating the entire Sima Clan, the central court dispatched Imperial Edict Delegations at the first moment — one to bestow rewards, two to appease.

Half a month later.

An Imperial Edict Delegation of over a hundred people arrived at the Northern Border Army's garrison.

It must be said, the Border Army soldiers' information is still very fast.

Because twenty-odd days ago, the entire Army Group had learned through various intelligence channels that the entire Sima Clan had been wiped out.

Many soldiers also learned that the current Zhou King's cultivation of the Great Zhou Divine King Art had reached the Great Achievement miracle; they passed it mouth to mouth, but it was quickly forbidden by their superiors, who said it was merely exaggerated talk, impossible to be true.

As the Sima Clan's diehard loyalist, Cheng Luo naturally absolutely never thought of submitting to Gu Xuan.

But to say he would lead his army south to attack the Capital City to avenge the entire Sima Clan — he could not do that either.

Because his original master Sima Shang's entire clan was dead; even if he could take revenge, there was no one left to support, and relying on the Northern Army's forty thousand men alone, he might not be able to breach the Capital City.

Under these circumstances, Cheng Luo united his subordinates and prepared to declare himself king.

And the Imperial Edict Delegation's arrival suited Cheng Luo's wishes perfectly; he wanted to use these people sent by the central court to put on a good show at the Oath-taking Ceremony.

This day.

In the Northern Border Army's large Drill Ground, Cheng Luo sat high on the general's seat on the raised platform, welcoming the Imperial Edict Delegation.

One saw Cheng Luo tall and sturdy, fully armored, with a dark complexion and a face full of curly beard; the whole man was like an incomparably ferocious bear, his aura imposing.

In contrast, the central court's hundred-plus Imperial Edict Delegation were travel-worn, weather-beaten, and very haggard.

Moreover, under Cheng Luo's deliberate arrangement, they walked up the high platform step by step from the stairs.

Judging by the situation, it was exactly like people coming to pay respects to Cheng Luo.

Even more excessive, Cheng Luo had his subordinates and confidants secretly sprinkle some oil on the stairs, causing several members of the Imperial Edict Delegation to fall, nearly tumbling off the high platform.

Such a scene naturally drew mockery from some in the Border Army, further damaging the Central Court's dignity.

Without a doubt, this was done deliberately by Cheng Luo; he was relying on having the Army in his grasp, while the Imperial Edict Delegation could only compromise with this arrangement.

On the high platform.

Facing the Imperial Edict Delegation, Cheng Luo's arrogance and rebellious intent were fully revealed.

Relying on the several hundred elite personal guards at his side, he regarded the dozens of Jin Wu Guards in the Imperial Edict Delegation as nothing, and brazenly declared, "The Zhou King is without virtue, indiscriminately killing the Sima Clan's loyal ministers."

And not only that; the many School Captains behind him had obviously received his instruction, and on this occasion they all bowed their heads together, requesting that Cheng Luo proclaim himself King.

Such an action naturally shocked the Imperial Edict Delegation greatly, and they cursed incessantly, while Cheng Luo casually pointed a finger, intending to have these hundred-odd people all bound and seized.

Of course, he would not kill them; otherwise it would extremely provoke the Central Court and trigger a war, but a humiliation was likely unavoidable.

However.

Just at this moment, a light sigh suddenly rang out.

"Cheng Luo, I originally wanted to spare your life, but it seems that cannot be done either."

His tone was majestic; the voice was not loud, yet it resounded through the entire Border Army Drill Ground, like a winter Thunderclap, and like the chant of an Azure Dragon.

"This..."

Just as everyone was shocked by this Terrifying sound and the meaning contained within it.

People also finally noticed, among the dozens of Jin Wu Guards of the Imperial Edict Delegation, a tall figure clad in golden Kai Zhou.

I?!

What does this mean?

Some still had not reacted at all, but Cheng Luo and the others had indeed long since been greatly shaken in their hearts — Zhou King His Majesty had actually come in person?!

And from his words, he actually had the confidence to seize the main general Cheng Luo amidst these ten thousand armies!

This was obviously somewhat inconceivable.

Because aside from the ten thousand-odd Soldiers who routinely stood guard, there were a full twenty thousand-odd incomparably elite Border Army bear-and-tiger warriors inside the entire Drill Ground.

Zhou King His Majesty actually possessed such boldness and Courage, to come here in person?

(Chapter End)