The Ministry of Justice is still controlled by the Cui Family.

“Court dismissed!”

The Great Court was adjourned, and the ‘Five-Year Plan’ previously discussed by Zheng Yi, the Cabinet, and Ministers of the Six Ministries was gradually being implemented through their vigorous efforts.

Punishment Field.

Formation of the Navy.

Publicity Department.

Military Merit System.

New departments and systems were gradually unfolding.

The first to be revealed before everyone was the Punishment Field, a rule that made all officials tremble with fear, yet wholeheartedly agree.

With this rule, the sons and servants of officials, as long as they hadn’t committed grave crimes like murder or treason, could escape punishment by donating land!

But to small families and commoners, this rule was deeply detested!

The reason was simple. Large landlords and noble families didn’t care about losing dozens or even hundreds of acres of land.

As long as they were willing, they could easily give up thousands or even tens of thousands of acres of land to escape punishment.

Some even called for Punishment Field to be changed to Fine Silver, where any crime could be pardoned with money.

Unfortunately, Zheng Yi had clearly prohibited replacing Punishment Field with money.

After this rule was issued, within just a few days, officials from the Ministry of Revenue, responsible for implementing the Punishment Field, collected tens of thousands of acres of land, all donated by the sons of noble families and officials as punishment.

This did not include the 200,000 acres of land submitted by Cui Jinghao!

Besides Cui Jinghao, there was another person who paid 100,000 acres of Punishment Field.

Zhao Jingyi!

This person, who served in the Central Army Military Department, secretly took a Wu Country woman as his consort, which was exposed by Zheng Yuantao.

He not only paid 100,000 acres of Punishment Field but also lost his position, being demoted to a mere gatekeeper, a truly miserable fate.

The confiscated land was transformed into merit land through another set of operations!

The soldiers of the Divine Strategy Camp and the Imperial Guard, who conquered Yan City, were the first to receive merit land.

While officials and citizens were fervently discussing Zheng Yi’s ‘Five-Year Plan,’ Zheng Yi himself arrived at Baiyu City to meet another group.

Shadow Guard.

Forty or so Shadow Guard members, who had long been carrying out missions, were summoned here, accompanied by over three hundred children.

These children were the Shadow Guard reserves personally selected by Chen Liancang over the past two years.

But today, they received a command from Your Majesty to gather here.

Besides these Shadow Guard members, there were also several others.

Chen Liancang, Liu Zhongyi, Chen Hongxiu, Zhao Tieshan, Meng Guang, Lu Lian, among others.

These individuals were up-and-coming military officials favored by Zheng Yi, and also devoted soldiers pledged to him.

There were actually a few others Zheng Yi wanted to bring into the Emperor Faction, such as Wang Anshi, Shen Xing, and Li Ziyang.

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, he could only focus on this group first.

Zheng Yi sat grandly on the Dragon Throne, with a special banner appearing behind him.

The overall appearance was golden yellow, but it was adorned with another pattern.

A coiling dragon pattern, circular in shape, exquisitely designed, entirely blood-red, intricately detailed, and fierce in majesty.

This was the banner of the Great Yu Dynasty, personally designed by Zheng Yi.

At the same time, it was also the banner of the Emperor Faction!

Today, Zheng Yi summoned these people here to establish the Emperor Faction.

He intended to hold the first membership ceremony of the Emperor Faction.

For the first batch, Zheng Yi only selected Shadow Guard members and his close eunuchs for safety and secrecy.

Zheng Yi sat before the Dragon Throne while Chen Liancang stood before him, with the three hundred Shadow Guard members below them.

“Kneel!”

At the command, over three hundred Shadow Guard members all knelt down.

In a hoarse voice, Chen Liancang said, “We are originally Shadow Guard, sworn to serve Your Majesty!”

“Yet Our Emperor has been gracious, allowing you to join the Emperor Faction!”

“Once you join the Emperor Faction, you act as sons of Your Majesty, considering him in all matters, acting for the people of the world, and living to protect the Great Yu World!”

As soon as he finished speaking, over three hundred people shouted in unison, “To serve Your Majesty unto death!”

“Rise!”

With a swift sound, over three hundred people saluted.

“I swear!”

“I swear!”

In Chen Liancang’s respectful and solemn voice, the other three hundred shouted together.

Among the crowd, Chen Hongxiu, Zhao Tieshan, and Meng Guang exchanged glances.

They received the imperial edict, and before deploying troops, they came to Baiyu City to participate in the induction ceremony.

They originally thought it would be a flag-raising ceremony before mobilizing the army, but unexpectedly, it was this peculiar ceremony.

There were dozens of martial artists who were obviously eunuchs, but their aura was extremely delicate.

Among them, Meng Guang’s eye twitched in disbelief; the martial arts cultivation of these forty-some eunuchs all reached the Third-grade Realm!

Some even had auras stepping into the First-grade Realm.

Your Majesty possessed such formidable forces!

Apart from these eunuchs with delicate aura, there were also more than three hundred children who appeared to be only eight or nine years old.

These children were also here to participate in the Emperor Faction’s oath-making ceremony?

With another swift sound, over three hundred people clenched their right fists, pressing them firmly against their hearts.

“We join the Emperor Faction of the Great Yu Dynasty!”

“We join the Emperor Faction of the Great Yu Dynasty…”

Chen Liancang enunciated each word, and everyone else repeated each sentence after him.

The pledge was short, taking no more than a few breaths to recite completely.

“…Willing to sacrifice everything for Your Majesty and Great Yu!”

“…Willing to sacrifice everything for Your Majesty and Great Yu!”

The voices were powerful and resonant, especially the more than three hundred young children, whose eyes had turned from confusion and panic to sharpness and brilliance.

Children from poor families shoulder responsibilities early on.

Not to mention these children displaced by famine and drought.

From the moment Chen Liancang took them in, they were no longer mere humans but killing machines!

But now, Zheng Yi offered them another path, a path filled with light.

To them, this was salvation.

Their future would be dedicated wholly to Zheng Yi and the Great Yu Dynasty!

Even Chen Hongxiu, Zhao Tieshan, Meng Guang, Lu Lian, and others found their mindset and perspective changed after reciting the oath.

The original intent to be loyal to the emperor now appeared even more pronounced.

To be loyal to the emperor is to be loyal to Zheng Yi!

Which is to be loyal to Great Yu!

“Yes, very good.”

Zheng Yi slowly rose and said, “Gentlemen, congratulations on successfully joining the Emperor Faction.”

“From today, you are one of us.”

A row of little eunuchs came forward, carrying trays with exquisitely designed… badges.

Zheng Yi personally took the badges and pinned them on each member of the group.

The ceremony was solemn and dignified, with some people moved to tears.

Your Majesty, personally pinning the badges on them and speaking kind words to every member of the Emperor Faction, offering encouragement and comfort.

To them, it was… so joyous!

Your Majesty’s grace is a debt that cannot be repaid in a lifetime!

Not only by me but neither my children nor my grandchildren could ever repay it!

“Gentlemen, I entrust Great Yu to you!”

“We dare not fail to serve Your Majesty unto death!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep