The next day;


    Imperial Pce, Phoenix Empire;


    In the morning court session where all officials are present, the new Zhao n''s Patriarch, Zhao Yenping was found kneeling before the Emperor alongside his n''s Grand Elder, a reputed peak stage 6-circle realm expert.


    "Do you have anything to say, Zhao Yenping?" Shang Jun, the Emperor looked so angry that he didn''t even bother to address the other party with the formal title of the governor.


    "We… we have no idea about it, Your Majesty. Please show mercy," Zhao n''s Grand Elder kowtowed and apologized.


    Shang Jun''s anger only increased further, "An army of atleast 500 in numbers entered your territory and did such an act, but you are telling me that your n has no idea?" His voice echoed in the hall, startling the low-level officials.


    Zhao Yenping, on the other hand, calmly cupped his fists while looking down, "Zhao n has nothing to do with this matter. His Majesty mayunch an investigation against us. We will cooperate. If anything, it is the Southern/Eastern division''s job to protect the region from such incidents."


    Shang Jun narrowed his eyes as he got up and slowly walked down from the throne. "First, General Yu and now, you… It looked like you people at high-level positions are ustomed to not having any fear for the Emperor at all. Throwing responsibilities on each other," Letting out a chuckle, he added, "My uncle was really too forgiving on his subjects.


    No wonder there is so much corruption in the Empire."


    As the entire court was stunned by Shang Jun''s remark, thetter reached the kneeling n lord and raised his foot to ce it on his shoulder with his arm ced on the thigh, shocking everyone even more, "Listen carefully, Zhao Yenping. The entire Phoenix Empire is my territory and you are given a job to govern a portion of that territory, which you failed to do it right.


    So, it doesn''t really matter whether Zhao n has a hand in it or not. You ought to be punished alongside the people who couldn''t fulfill their duties too."


    While the old emperor took away the ministries from six major noble ns, the new emperor took a historical decision among the others just within the first week of his ruling, abolishing the vassal system altogether that had been in thew for 1784 years.


    It is how he crushed the arrogance of nobles and gained the respect of the masses. The Generals and the soldiers also followed his decrees because, in their eyes, their new emperor looked like a mighty lion,pared to a peace-lovingzy house cat like their former emperor, Shang Fu.


    While the vassal system has been abolished by Shang Jun, to keep damage to the minimum, he appointed them as the provincial governors. The other six ns still looked after the provinces they ruled before, but they could no longer keep the 15% share of the taxes like before. Instead, all the taxes they collected with go to the imperial pce and it would then be allocated back to the provinces.


    A number of benefits they enjoyed were cut off but at the very least, the governors have sries and their enormous influence within their region will be enough to snatch a share from the allocated resources.


    Hence, for the past few weeks, these six nobles often felt that they were in a higher hierarchypared to the other six major nobles who lost everything.


    Zhao Yenping was the same.


    However, he never expected to be treated in such a way by this new emperor. Not only he was forced to kneel for an act he had no rtion with, but he was also further humiliated by this young emperor who was just insignificant until a while ago.


    He clenched his fists and released them, trying to control his anger, for he understood that Shang Jun would even go as far as massacring his n to prove his ego.


    Eventually, Shang Jun put down the foot from his shoulder and straightened his back as he addressed the rest of the court, "Here''s my decree. For neglecting his duties as the Governor of the Zhao Province, Zhao Yenping will receive a hundredshes in public this noon.


    Each farmer will bepensated with two gold coins for their misfortune and the destroyednd will be purchased by the Imperial Pce as stated in that fake decree. And for a period of 14 days, militaryw will be applied in all the provinces apart from Imperial City. I order each General to take up their warriors and protect thends from these traitors that use my name to do evil things.


    Until then, I authorize the Censorate division under the Department of State Affairs tounch a full-scale investigation and catch those culprits. Under no circumstances, no official or the one who received an investigation stamp from the Censorate shall leave their respective provinces."


    The new ministers and all the officials bowed to the Emperor''s decree, and collectively echoed, "All Hail Your Majesty…"


    After a while, in the imperial grounds where public trails are conducted, Zhao Yenping was tied to a metal pole by energy ropes. His cultivation is sealed for the moment and his upper body is bare.


    One after another, his body was beaten by a whip with spikes. It isn''t a normal whip. This is a special whip of semi-divine grade, used to punish high-level cultivators.


    Even though his cultivation is sealed, Zhao Yenping, who cultivated in the path of Fighter, had a robust body, and hence, needed such a weapon to feel pain.


    Amid thousands of gazes, the whip struck him again and again, increasing his pain with everysh.


    However, Zhao Yenping didn''t scream at all. He had his gaze on the ground and he was trying his best to bear the pain.


    Meanwhile, in the adjacent tent of the royal tent, Supreme Commander Bai was conversing with the third prince as they were watching the scene.


    "His Majesty''s action is like a double-edged sword, Your Highness. I worry that this will only create more mess instead of giving a strong message to the enemies,"mented the Supreme Commander, making sure to keep his voice low.


    Shang Wei replied, "Based on our spies at Yuan n, Eldest Brother secured atleast one million gold coins from his backer and was currently trying to poach all the noble ns. His Majesty was aware that Yuan n was hiding the Eldest Brother but he wasn''t sure whether he was still the one behind that attack.


    This punishment for n leader Zhao will certainly serve as a warning to other noble ns. Even after this, if they join the Eldest Brother, it would mean our suspicions will be true. If they behave, it means that Eldest Brother isn''t a threat and His Majesty would fearlessly raid the Yuan n and arrest him, probably using this incident as an excuse."


    Bai Xun was stunned for a moment, realizing how deep this matter was. "Is this your idea? Or Cao Wen''s?" He asked.


    Shang Wei could only sigh in response, "Obviously, not me. I won''t suggest something barbaric like this. Violence always begets hatred, and hatred only brings violence."


    Bai Xun meaningfully stares at the prince for a couple of seconds and asks, "Let''s say your worries are true. What would you think the next course of action from your brother is going to be?"


    "Civil war," Shang Wei replied without any hesitation, right away. He further added, "A kind of civil war that will destroy this empire in one way or another."


    "What do you mean?" As Bai Xun''s facial expression hardened, Shang Wei exined, "His Majesty isn''t like my father. He won''t make peace treaties. If not for that incident, he would have already proceeded on invading the Western Yan."


    "A war with Western Yan?" Bai Xun furrowed his brows in displeasure, "Going to war with Feng Wu means inviting death. Why do you even think we ceded thatnd in the first ce? As the suprememander of the army, I won''t throw my soldiers into the pit of fire even if it is a decree from the Emperor."


    "There''s a lot you don''t understand, uncle," Shang Wei shook his head with a sigh, "When His Majesty was attacked, he passed the order to Cao Wen to bring his men to the Imperial City. It happened right in front of me. Who are these men, I''m not sure about it.


    But, the fact that he was confident in dealing with a supreme being means that he had the support of a sect or an organization that could protect his throne from such an enemy. This is why I told you there will be a civil war that destroys the empire, earlier."


    Bai Xun thought for a bit and nodded in agreement, "I guess that''s true. When both forces that don''t have pure domination over their opponent go against each other, the result of their sh will continuously generate waves that destroy their surroundings."


    Just as Shang Wei expected, exactly 9 dayster, the imperial pce received a letter from the Yuan n with the seal from their Patriarch. It is an announcement of the formation of Phoenix Rebel forces.


    The head of the Phoenix Rebel forces is naturally the Crown Prince and their demand is the dethronement of Shang Jun.


    Their excuse is his robust policies on nobles, preferring to give trade contracts to foreign merchants instead of favoring local merchants, militaryw to snatch freedom, and showing harsh treatment of his loyal subjects has put a taint on the name of the Shang Dynasty.


    Thousands of soldiers that deployed in the south to control Northern and Southern Yuan provinces, and Shang Jun nned to use them to crush the Yuan n without giving any warning.


    However, the General of the South didn''t follow his orders. Through their spies, the imperial pce got the news that not only the southern division had joined the rebel forces under the Crown Prince, but even the Zhao n had joined the other side.


    The Eastern and Western divisions were still tightly controlling their deployed territories, i.e. Sui, Jin, and Qing provinces, but the Zhao and the remaining two provinces were now protected by the southern division alongside the major ns. As for the northern division, it was still protecting the imperial city and its outer districts.


    All the soldiers who tried to defect from their division were either imprisoned or killed. Of course, some soldiers managed to escape sessfully but they all went into hiding with their families, not intending to risk their lives.


    However, Shang Jun didn''t make any decision and calmly rested as if nothing was going wrong.


    And then, three dayster, on the day his arm finally returned with a miraculous pill, mysterious experts that been hiding in the imperial city for several days made their move at the same time.


    In the span of one night, several leaders and important elders of the six major ns that reside in the imperial city were all assassinated.


    The situationpletely changed for even Bai Xun and Shang Wei.


    Because both of them always showcased their loyalty to the throne, Shang Wei and Bai Xun were house-arrested at their respective homes, in the name of protection. The deaths of nobles naturally put on the head of the Phoenix Rebel force.


    This ruthless action brought a profound response from Mark, forcing him to change his original ns slightly.