Chapter 390 Fear
After dismissing the court, Zhao Pan went straight back to the Qinzheng Hall. Before he even sat down, Chen Xiuyuan and others came to him.

"Your Majesty, didn't we already discuss it? We should seize Lu Ji in court today. Why did you change your mind at the last minute?" Chen Xiuyuan slapped his thigh in regret. "Now we are in trouble. I am afraid that we will alert the enemy. It will be difficult to take action against him in the future."

Zhao Pan smiled coldly: "Master, do you think that my uncle didn't know about what happened today?"

Chen Xiuyuan was choked.

Zhao Pan continued, "I'm afraid the news of this matter has leaked out a long time ago. Otherwise, how could Lu Ji be so calm in the court today?"

Chen Xiuyuan sighed heavily: "Your Majesty, are you going to let it go?"

He frowned, looking distressed: "We have been planning for this for a long time. If we give up now, won't all our efforts be in vain?"

He added, "I've said it before. The longer you let Lu Ji rule the government, the more powerful he will become. Your Majesty has seen it today. At least half of the people in the court are on Lu Ji's side, especially the military commanders. They simply follow Lu Ji's lead. In their eyes, there is no place for you, Your Majesty. If Your Majesty doesn't take ruthless action soon, once Lu Ji rebels, the century-old foundation of the Great Zhou will be destroyed in an instant."

"Don't say anything, my dear."

Zhao Pan slammed the table heavily and said, "How could I not know about these things?"

He sighed: "Eliminating Lu Ji is my top priority, but I have to be extremely careful. He is a man who kills decisively. If I am not careful, I will be doomed."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiuyuan's eyes turned and he said, "Your Majesty, I do have a plan."

Zhao Pan said, "My dear, please tell me quickly."

Chen Xiuyuan stepped forward, got close to Zhao Pan, and told him his plan in detail. The little emperor listened and nodded continuously, saying, "My dear minister, this is feasible."

The emperor and his ministers were discussing the matter of destroying Lu when they heard an official outside shouting, "The Empress Dowager has arrived."

Before Zhao Pan could react, Empress Dowager Lu had already walked into the Qinzheng Hall in a menacing manner. She had changed her usual fancy attire and was now wearing a tight suit with a sword in her hand. She looked menacing and murderous.

Several ministers in the palace were startled. Zhao Pan hurriedly stood up from the dragon chair and asked, "Mother, what are you doing?"

Empress Dowager Lu didn't even look at her son. She just drew out the sword in her hand. Before everyone could react, the sword with a cold glow "whoosh" and drew a sharp arc in the air. Then, a round black gauze hat with gray hair rolled down "gurgle".

Chen Xiuyuan covered his head with his hands, frightened to death by this sudden change.

"Queen Dowager, please spare me, Queen Dowager, please spare me." He covered his head and knelt hurriedly. His gray hair was all spread out and he looked very embarrassed.

Empress Dowager Lu put the sword on Chen Xiuyuan's neck and said sternly, "Mr. Chen, I warn you to put away those thoughts of harming others. If you dare to have evil thoughts against my family again, I will immediately make you a ghost under my sword."

Chen Xiuyuan was so frightened that he could only beg for mercy: "Queen Mother, spare my life."

"Mother." Zhao Pan came over from behind the dragon case when he saw this. "This is just a misunderstanding. Master Chen is also doing this for the sake of the country." "Shut up." Before Zhao Pan could finish, Empress Dowager Lu interrupted him and scolded him harshly, "You ungrateful little bastard, if it weren't for your uncle, how could you and I be alive today? How could you sit on the throne?"

Zhao Pan frowned and lowered his head in guilt. Empress Dowager Lu pointed at the ministers in the hall one by one and scolded them, "Listen to me, if anyone dares to instigate the destruction of the Regent in front of Your Majesty again, I will never forgive them."

Several ministers nodded in agreement, kept wiping their cold sweat, bent their bodies, and were so scared that they almost crawled out of the Qinzheng Hall.

When only Empress Dowager Lu and the new emperor were left in the hall, Empress Dowager Lu became more and more angry and kept scolding her son. The eunuchs and palace maids outside were so scared that they knelt on the ground. It was not until a beautiful figure hurried in that the old eunuch in charge felt like he had found his savior.

"Empress, you are here. Please go in and take a look. The Queen Mother is angry with His Majesty." The old eunuch was sweating anxiously. "She has been scolding for a long time, but no one dares to go in and persuade her."

Lu Xian'er frowned when she heard that, then quickly walked towards the main hall. When she reached the door of the main hall, she heard the clear voice of scolding coming from inside, and she couldn't help but stop.

"My Queen, please come in quickly."

The old eunuch was rubbing his hands in anxiety, but the young queen was standing at the door of the hall with a complicated expression. Seeing this, the old eunuch's eyes turned slightly, and he stepped forward and whispered to Lu Xian'er: "Your Majesty, please forgive me for my presumption. You are your majesty's queen. As the saying goes, when a couple mentions each other, they share the same fate. You are a daughter of the Lu family, but you are also your majesty's first wife."

After hearing the old eunuch's words, Lu Xian'er frowned. She was just a girl of fifteen or sixteen, and within less than a month of entering the palace, she had experienced the insidiousness and scheming that she had never experienced in her entire life.

This made Lu Xian'er, who had been pampered and innocent since childhood, confused for a while.

Finally, she stepped into the hall. Facing Empress Dowager Lu's accusations against her husband, the emperor, she hesitated but still stood on her husband's side.

"Mother, please calm down." Lu Xian'er knelt at the feet of Empress Dowager Lu next to Zhao Pan. "Mother, His Majesty has always respected my second uncle. He would never do anything to harm my second uncle. All of this is caused by those old ministers behind the scenes. Please don't blame His Majesty anymore."

After listening to her niece's words, Empress Dowager Lu sighed heavily, then personally helped Lu Xian'er up, and then waved weakly at her son.

After Zhao Pan left, Empress Dowager Lu pulled her niece aside and looked at her little girl carefully.

It's been less than a month since she entered the palace, but my niece has become a different person. She is no longer as cheerful and lively as before. She looks lifeless and worried.

"Aunt really regrets letting you enter the palace." Empress Dowager Lu regretted so much that she burst into tears.

"Aunt, please don't say such things." Lu Xian'er forced a smile and said, "Xian'er is useless and can't help Aunt with her worries."

Seeing her niece being so sensible, Empress Dowager Lu felt even more sad, "Pan'er, this child."

She really didn't know what to say to her son.

"Xian'er is a good child. I believe you can win Pan'er's heart." Empress Dowager Lu took her niece's hand and said, "Xian'er, you promised me that you would find a way to win Pan'er over. Only if we win him over can we prevent those people with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation and targeting our Lu family."