justice (秋官侍郎, Qiuguan Shilang). It was said that Zhou was involved in the deaths of thousands. In 688, there was a false accusation by a slave of the official Hao Xiangxian () against Hao, whose deceased grandfather Hao Chujun had previously served as chancellor during Emperor Gaozong's reign and had opposed Emperor Gaozong's one-time plan, during his time of illness, to have Empress Wu serve as his regent. Empress Dowager Wu still bore grudges against Hao Chujun for that episode and took this opportunity to have Zhou investigate Hao Xiangxian. Zhou found Hao Xiangxian guilty and sentenced his entire family to death. (On the way to the execution field, Hao Xiangxian tried to flee and also loudly yelled out insults against Empress Dowager Wu and accusations that she was committing immoral acts; he was eventually killed by the guards, but as a result of what Hao Xiangxian did, thereafter until her death, whenever prisoners were to be executed, their mouths would be stuffed with wood so that they would not be able to yell out insults.) Later in 688, in the aftermath of another failed rebellion, led by Emperor Gaozong's brother Li Zhen the Prince of Yue and Li Zhen's son Li Chong the Prince of Langye, Empress Dowager Wu considered wiping out the senior members of the imperial Li clan, and she put Zhou in charge of the plan. Zhou thereafter arrested Emperor Gaozong's uncles Li Yuanjia () the Prince of Han and Li Lingkui () the Prince of Lu, Li Yuanjia's son Li Zhuan () the Duke of Huang, and Emperor Gaozong's aunt Princess Changle and her husband Zhao Gui (), brought them to the eastern capital Luoyang, and forced them to commit suicide. He then further massacred the princes' family and friends. In 689, still bearing grudges against Wei Xuantong, who was a friend of Pei Yan, a chancellor that Empress Dowager Wu had executed in 684 on suspicions that he opposed her, Zhou falsely accused Wei of having said, "The empress dowager is old. It is better to support the emperor, for he will last longer." In anger, Empress Dowager Wu ordered Wei to commit suicide. Zhou also falsely accused the general Heichi Changzhi the Duke of Yan of treason, and Heichi was strangled to death. In 690, Zhou suggested that the Li clan members be stripped of imperial clan status, and Empress Dowager Wu did