Chapter 540: The Secret of the Pope and the SaintessChapter 3: The Great Emperor

The light call immediately caught Chen Zhi's attention outside.

"Your Majesty, what has happened"

Zhao Qinglan looked at Li Chen who was smiling smugly at her, looking utterly fearless. Filled with hatred, she gritted her teeth and vented all her anger onto Chen Zhi.

"Mind your own business."

Chen Zhi was scolded severely, feeling even more humiliated.

Fuming with rage, he turned his head and yelled at the eunuch driving the chariot, "Drive steadily! If you jostle the empress again, I'll flay your skin!"

Inside the palanquin, the slightly swaying carriage felt like a cage, leaving Zhao Qinglan feeling trapped and unable to escape.

Sitting on Li Chen's lap, Zhao Qinglan felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

She kept trying to get away, but every time she made a move, Li Chen would roughly pull her back and make her sit tighter.

"You, you truly aren't afraid of this palace killing you!"

Looking at Zhao Qinglan, with her rosy lips, pearly teeth, and silver fangs hidden in her mouth, Li Chen chuckled mischievously: "Would the Empress be willing"

While Zhao Qinglan was distracted, Li Chen's large hand slid down along her waist.

Zhao Qinglan widened her eyes.

She never expected Li Chen to be so bold and reckless.

Instinctively, she raised her hand and pressed down hard on Li Chen's mischievous hand through her clothes. Zhao Qinglan blushed and exclaimed, "Stop it!"

Sticking close to Zhao Qinglan's ear, Li Chen whispered, "I won't move, and you don't move either, okay"

Sitting on Li Chen's lap, Zhao Qinglan was humiliated and indignant.

She understood Li Chen's meaning. He wanted her to take the initiative to sit in his arms, and in return, his unruly hands would stop touching her.

Seeing Zhao Qinglan speechless, Li Chen's big hand started to act up again.

Zhao Qinglan was terrified. She hurriedly pressed down on the hand with all her might and said angrily, "This palace promises you!"

Li Chen chuckled triumphantly, hugging Zhao Qinglan and saying, "Now that's good."

Zhao Qinglan was so ashamed and humiliated that she wanted to die. She turned her head away, not wanting to see Li Chen at all.

The phoenix sedan swayed gently, but in just a moment, it arrived outside the Qianqing Palace.

As soon as the phoenix chariot came to a stop, Chen Zhi immediately cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty the Empress, we have arrived at the Qianyuan Palace."

The curtain of the Phoenix Chariot was lifted, and Li Chen emerged first.

Chen Zhi's eyes turned cold, and he immediately let go of his hands to step aside.

"Where are you going Come here and lie down so that this palace can descend the phoenix carriage." Li Chen said coldly.

Chen Zhi was taken aback, then became furious.

He gritted his teeth and said, “My duty compels me. No, I cannot!”

Li Chen sneered, "Responsibility Your responsibility is to obey the Emperor and this Prince. Come here and kneel down quickly! If you delay my audience with the Emperor, I will have you executed immediately."

Chen Zhi's teeth gritted together, making a grinding sound. If looks could kill, he would have killed Li Chen thousands of times by now.

He walked step by step to the phoenix carriage, Chen Zhi slowly bent down. Before he could lie down, Li Chen stepped on his back with one foot.

Chen Zhi let out a muffled grunt, his body sinking down and sprawling onto the ground.

Lowering his head to hide the murderous glint in his eyes from Li Chen, Chen Zhi's fingers dug into the floor tiles, nails ripped and torn, but even this searing pain couldn't quell the burning rage within him.

After dismounting from the phoenix chariot, Li Chen strode toward the Qianqing Palace.

Outside the palace, knelt the court officials and concubines, a dense crowd filling the space. Everyone was praying for the emperor's well-being.

"The Crown Prince has arrived!"

With a single cry of greeting, all the civil and military officials turned and knelt before Li Chen, bowing their heads and shouting, "Long live the Crown Prince, long live, long live!"

Before the Qianyuan Palace, it was deep at night with heavy dew and the moon hanging low.

A group of people representing the highest power in the empire were kneeling before him, right at the political center of this empire. The scene was quite something: thousands of voices chanting "Long live!" surged towards him like waves. Li Chen felt an immense surge of passion within his chest.

Even the Crown Prince, so esteemed, would be met with such excitement. To one day ascend to the throne, and have all under heaven cry out "Ten thousand years!" what a glorious sight that would be!

Withholding his inner emotions, Li Chen walked calmly towards the Qianqing Palace, took a stride and pushed open the door.

He, about to meet his nominal father, the supreme ruler of the Qin Empire, Emperor Dayan, is also about to be plunged into the most treacherous and dangerous center of imperial politics.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, lanterns were brightly lit, and all officials of the first rank in the capital gathered together, along with members of the imperial family.

If those kneeling outside are the pillars of the Qin Empire, then these people are the backbone that supports the ten thousand miles of Qin's territory.

Li Chen casually glanced at the scene.

The current chief minister, Zhao Xuanji, the biggest traitor at present, has been plotting for decades throughout the court and the people. His influence is so deeply rooted that it's beyond description; he practically rules with an iron fist.

Behind Zhao Xuanji were four of the remaining five ministers from the Imperial Council, along with the Shangshu (ministers) of the six major ministries: personnel, household, rites, war, justice, and works. These are the highest administrative officials.

On the other side were the imperial concubines accompanied by the four princes, six princes, eight princes, and nine princes, along with princesses and others from the royal family.

The entire grand Qianqing Palace was filled with a large group of people kneeling on the ground. Besides the imperial physicians bustling in the middle, there were also palace maids assisting. Outside and inside the main hall, a group of Jinyiwei guards in dual-wing swallowtail robes stood guard like statues.

Throughout the entire Imperial Palace, with the exception of the on-duty Imperial Guards patrolling, anyone found carrying any kind of weapon would be killed without mercy. The only exception to this rule was the Dongchang Jinyiwei, the Emperor's most trusted executioners within the palace.

Behind Li Chen, Queen Zhao Qinglan hurried after him with quick steps.

As the two entered, all present—officials, concubines, princes, and princesses—immediately bowed down in greeting.

"We, your humble servants, pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chen's eyes were like daggers, his lips pressed tightly shut, he strode towards the dragon couch without a word.

"Prince, please wait!"

A figure stood in front of Li Chen.

"The Emperor is currently unconscious and unable to see anyone. Please do not disturb His Majesty's rest, Your Highness."

Li Chen narrowed his eyes, looking at the old man in front of him who was over half a century old, and said, "Who are you"

"I am Chen Huaizhi, an esteemed official holding the position of Grand Scholar at the Wenyuange."

Chen Huizhi's tone was calm and collected, not treating the Crown Prince as anything special.

It's not just him, the whole court knows that the crown prince is a useless good-for-nothing, incapable of both writing and martial arts.

Now that he has stopped, he will not be punished. On the contrary, he may even receive praise from the Chief Minister when they find out.

Li Chen sneered and kicked Chen Huizhi in the abdomen.

Chen Huaizhi, a man over half a century old, how could he withstand the powerful kick from the youthful Li Chen

With that kick, Chen Huizhi cried out in pain and rolled on the ground.

"My father is in grave danger right now. As his child, how could I not be anxious You old man, what are your intentions standing in my way Believe me, if I were to kill you here and now, no one would dare say a word."

Li Chen's furious roar silenced the entire Qianqing Palace.

Everyone stared in astonishment at the former wastrel prince, as if they were seeing a stranger.

No one could have imagined that the Crown Prince would dare to kick a cabinet minister in public.

Chen Huizhi had spent his entire life studying the works of sages. How could he bear this humiliation He lay on the ground, pointing at Li Chen and roaring: "You are merely a prince, yet you treat court officials with such brutality. With such corrupt morals, how can you inherit the throne and become the successor This old minister will surely die remonstrating with the emperor, demanding that you be deposed from your position as crown prince!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Chen's murderous intent soared.

He glared at Chen Huizhi and said in a chilling voice, “Old man, just you wait. Soon, it will be either you who dies or I who is crippled!”

After finishing his words, he walked straight to the dragon throne.

The physicians kneeling before the dragon throne immediately made way.

Li Chen fell to his knees and looked at the Emperor, who was pale as paper and barely breathing on the dragon throne. He immediately began to act.

His eyes welled with tears, his nose tingling, Li Chen gripped the emperor's thin, cold hand and choked out, "Father, your son is here."

On the dragon throne, Emperor Taishang's tightly shut eyelids trembled and slowly rose.

Those turbid eyes saw Li Chen, opening his mouth and rasping out a voice, labored and slow: "You're here..."

"I... am already seriously ill, my time is running out."

The corner of his mouth twitched, as if trying to make a smile. The Emperor Da Xing said weakly, “My body... I know, but right now, I can’t swallow this breath... What you did just now was good.”

"Now that the government is in such turmoil, can you handle it"I'm only responsible for apprehending people. My orders are to arrest you personally, seal your estate, and prevent anyone from entering or leaving. As for whether your family will escape this fate, I...