Chapter Eleven: Three Talents

"Your Majesty..."

Ouyang Yu looked somewhat flustered as he picked up the teacup from the floor. Before he could finish his sentence, Li Chen cut him off.

"Ouyang Yu, I know what you want to say. You want to tell me that doing this goes against the actions of a virtuous monarch, and you hope I will retract my order, right? But what I want to tell you is that I brought you here to execute my commands, not to listen to your so-called nonsense!"

Ouyang Yu paused in surprise. When he finally spoke, it was Li Chen who was left more astonished.

"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood. You have just ascended to the throne and wish to promote benevolent governance; I, your humble servant, am overjoyed. How could I possibly oppose such a thing?"

Overjoyed? Looking at your expression just now, there wasn't a hint of joy; it looked worse than crying, didn't it?

"Not opposed? Then why were you so worked up a moment ago?"

"Uh... Your Majesty, that was simply the result of my excitement. Although I could not understand the various actions you have taken lately, today I have suddenly realized that no matter what you do, your goal is to be a virtuous and good emperor."

A... a good emperor? To hell with that! I don't want to be a good emperor; I want to be a tyrant!

"Lord Ouyang, don't think like that in the future. Compared to the previous emperors, I am still far behind. Besides, I have no intention of being a virtuous monarch."

Ouyang Yu took a deep breath. Having served as an official for sixty years, how could he not understand the Emperor's heart? Which emperor wouldn't hope to be a wise ruler? Even though the Emperor is young, he is far too humble.

"Alright, alright. Take this list of mine and just do as it says." Li Chen had lost interest in continuing the conversation.

However, Ouyang Yu did not rush to leave. He picked up the file and examined it very carefully. After a moment, he suddenly frowned. "Your Majesty, I must remind you that some of the people on this list cannot be pardoned!"

"Oh? And why not?"

Ouyang Yu pointed to the file. "Take this one, Fan Tong. Formerly a vanguard captain, he not only embezzled military rations but also secretly communicated with the enemy. Such a treacherous minister cannot be pardoned."

He then pointed to another. "And this one, Qin Gao, formerly of the Imperial Household Department’s Bureau of Guards. When he was in charge of building the late Emperor’s mausoleum, he was imprisoned for embezzlement. He is a thoroughly corrupt official! When the Ministry of Justice raided his home, they found over five million taels of silver, along with countless jewels, including tributes intended for the late Emperor’s burial. How can such a lawless criminal be pardoned?"

The more Ouyang Yu spoke, the more excited Li Chen became. Fan Tong—the name alone suggested he was no ordinary person. A mere captain who dared to embezzle military grain and collude with the enemy? If such a talent were placed on the battlefield, wouldn't they suffer a crushing defeat? Once the myth of the Great Zhou's invincibility is broken under my rule, wouldn't I be the perfect tyrant?

And then there was Qin Gao. A truly massive kleptocrat. To embezzle so much money in a small position, and even dare to touch the funerary objects of the imperial mausoleum... If I put such a person in an official government post, wouldn't it be like a fish in water?

Just as he was thinking this, Ouyang Yu spoke again. "Your Majesty, there is one more, and this one must absolutely not be released!"

"Oh? Speak! Who is it?"

Ouyang Yu found it strange. Logically, the Emperor should be furious upon hearing about such corrupt officials, so why was he so excited?

"It is her, Jia Nanfeng!"

Just looking at the name, Li Chen felt this woman was extraordinary. In the history of his original world, she was a legendary "evil queen," a figure nailed to the pillar of historical shame. He just wasn't sure what kind of talent she possessed in this world to make Ouyang Yu specifically warn against her.

"Her? Isn't it just a charge of lèse-majesté? Although that is considered one of the 'Ten Abominations,' in my eyes, it's nothing. Release her."

Ouyang Yu stepped back and bowed to Li Chen. "Your Majesty, this person truly cannot be released!"

"Why?"

"Although the file states lèse-majesté, if it were only that, I would release her. But in reality, the crime she committed was not lèse-majesté, but treason!"

Li Chen’s spirit soared. "Wow! Is it that serious? Tell me, tell me everything!"

Ouyang Yu took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, this woman was a strategist for Li Hui. Before you ascended the throne, she led troops and gathered a mob to rebel. The plot failed and was suppressed before it could fully unfold, so few people know about it. However, because it involved a member of the royal family—specifically the late Emperor's own sister—the charge was changed to lèse-majesté in the records..."

Li Hui. Li Chen didn't have much of an impression of this person, only remembering from historical records that she was demoted to the remote Youzhou for the crime of disobedience. But Li Chen was more concerned with Jia Nanfeng. Good heavens, treason? That’s a crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan! He didn't understand why she and her family hadn't been executed yet, but it was clear this woman had the courage of a lion. If she dared to commit treason, what wouldn't she dare to do?

All three of these were real talents. If he placed them in important positions in the court, wouldn't they turn the entire Great Zhou upside down? The more Li Chen thought about it, the more excited he became, and he couldn't help but shout, "Good! That's wonderful!"

"Uh... Your Majesty, are you... are you alright?"

Li Chen looked at the bewildered Ouyang Yu and chuckled. "I am perfectly fine. I am better than ever! My dear official, handle this matter immediately. The faster, the better. Especially those three—as soon as they are released, have them brought to see me!"

Ouyang Yu nodded, but then he suddenly realized something. "Wait... Your Majesty, did I hear you correctly? You said to release them and have them come to see you?"

"Yes! You heard me right. Hurry up. Don't worry about 'the faster the better'—I give you only two days. In two days, I want to see all three of them."

...

After leaving the imperial study, Ouyang Yu stared at the sky, full of confusion. What kind of trick was the Emperor playing? He had clearly told him these three were the most heinous criminals, yet he still wanted to release them...

A moment later, it dawned on him. *Oh! I understand. The Emperor has a deep purpose.* He said "release," not "pardon." He must want to personally see these three monsters and interrogate them himself. Or perhaps, after the interrogation, he intends to pass judgment and execute them on the spot. Even if the Emperor is young, he is truly a wise ruler. To think he would handle such a trivial matter personally...

Just after Ouyang Yu left, Li Chen smiled meaningfully. "Hahaha! The rewards even include this? Interesting!"

[Congratulations to Your Majesty for receiving a reward: a steel blade forged in the modern world, and a piece of bulletproof armor, already placed in your storage ring.]

[Choose one of the following two rewards:]

[1. Twenty thousand dan of grain added to the Northern Camp.]

[2. Obtain a Yin-Yang Harmony Pill. After consuming this drug, even the most chaste and virtuous woman will lose her senses and become a licentious woman!]