I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 331 What your father can't handle, your mother will! (Please subscribe and vote!)
The Chu family is now related to the imperial family, so naturally, the members of the Chu family have a high status.

After reading the message, Chu Ruoyan immediately told Li Sining and Jiang Rong about it. Jiang Rong felt a headache when she heard this. Doing business is all about making money through harmony. How come there are royal family members causing trouble so soon after opening?

Moreover, even the Imperial Guards have come out, so it seems that the troublemakers are not of low status.

Li Sining, however, said without any anger, "So what if you're a member of the royal family? Who isn't a member of the royal family? I want to see which bastard dares to cause trouble."

She was about to call him a bastard, but then she thought about it and realized that the other person was also royalty. If she called him a bastard, wouldn't she be a bastard herself? So she changed her mind.

Li Sining was angry because she had invested in the hot pot restaurant. It was her first time running a business, and she was actually quite serious about it, waiting for her share of the profits.

If I do well, I might even get praise from Li Chen.

If any member of the royal family causes trouble, she immediately wants to beat that guy into a pig's head.

Just as the three were about to leave the palace, they ran into Li Chen, who was returning to the palace.

When Li Sining saw her emperor brother, she didn't really want to tell Li Chen about this; she wanted to handle it herself.

But Li Chen stopped them directly and said, "I know what you're going to do, but go back."

His statement gave the three women a lot to think about.

Chu Ruoyan wondered: Could it be that His Majesty doesn't want to see conflicts between the women of the harem and the Imperial Guards? As a concubine, I really shouldn't cause His Majesty any trouble.

Jiang Rong observed Li Chen's expression and wondered: Is it because my business expansion is not in accordance with the rules and I'm starting to clash with the powerful figures in the capital?
Li Sining's thoughts were simple: Her brother is truly all-knowing; how did he know all this?

Li Chen knew them best and could more or less guess that they were overthinking things, so he added, "Don't overthink it. The person Li Zhao ordered the Imperial Guards to arrest was me. I'll have Li Sixing come to explain tomorrow."

These words made all three women beam with joy.

Unexpectedly, the one causing trouble was the son of the Imperial Guard Commander. His background was indeed impressive. Even more unexpected was that the person eating hot pot was Li Chen.

Li Zhao offended the emperor, so there was definitely no need for him to go out.

The women naturally took Li Chen's arm and began asking him about the details, curious about Li Zhao's reaction when she saw him.

At the same time, in the first ring road of the capital, a deafening sound of a pig being slaughtered rang out.

The sound came from the residence of Li Sixing, the commander of the Imperial Guards.

Li Sixing's wife was awakened from her sleep. Wearing her nightgown, she walked out of the bedroom and into the yard where the sound came from. There she saw a bloody, mangled 'monster' in front of her.

When the monster saw her, it actually lunged at her with a roar.

Startled, Li Sixing's wife kicked him away, then came to his side with a look of disgust and asked, "Is this the new monster you caught?"

Capturing evil spirits is also one of the duties of the Imperial Guards, but there are very few evil spirits in the capital.

Li Sixing took a breath and said irritably, "That's your son!"

Li Zhaozhen was beaten so badly by his father that even his own mother wouldn't recognize him; he was beaten to the point of being bloody and mangled.

His voice was hoarse from crying, and his skin had been whipped raw by Li Sixing. It was normal that his mother didn't recognize him.

Upon hearing that it was her son, Li Sixing's wife immediately ran over to see him. It was too dark earlier, and she hadn't noticed, but now it was indeed her son.

She identified her son, spoke a few words to him with concern, and then said to Li Sixing, "Are you crazy? You even beat your own son like this?"

Li Zhao's biological mother was from a noble family, and her family held a high position in the Tian Ce Dynasty.

As the saying goes, a doting mother spoils her son, and Li Zhao's temper is all thanks to his mother's indulgence. Li Sixing said indifferently, "He has committed a sin."

"You good-for-nothing! All you do is bully your own people. If Zhao'er offends someone, you can just settle things. You can't even do that right. I was so blind to have followed you back then."

After saying that, she gently turned to her son and said, "Don't worry, if your father can't handle it, Mom will handle it for you."

Upon hearing this, Li Sixing's lips twitched slightly, and he said, "He offended His Majesty."

The loving mother, who had just been angry, showed no anger at all.

The name Li Chen is like a calming agent for countless powerful and wealthy people.

No matter how furious these powerful figures are, the mere mention of Li Chen's name is enough to make them forget their lofty status. After all, no matter how high they are, can they be higher than Li Chen?

In the brief silence, Li Zhao's loving mother no longer cared about what Li Zhao had done wrong; she only wondered if her husband hadn't eaten and hadn't been beaten enough!

Later, Li Zhao's mother even beat him herself.

As she hit him, his mother thought to herself: My dear son, don't blame your mother. It hurts me more than you do.

If Li Zhao knew what his mother was thinking, he would definitely say: What's the use of feeling heartbroken? I'm really in pain!
Spoiling one's son, protecting one's offspring, or caring about face—none of these apply to Li Chen.

The next day, after the court session, Li Sixing approached Li Chen with trepidation, knelt respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty to educate my son. I beg Your Majesty for punishment."

He also checked the background of that hot pot restaurant yesterday, and what he found was shocking.

It seems that his son has offended all the powerful and influential people in the capital.

Li Chen glanced at him and said, "This is a one-time exception. However, I summoned you here to arrange your visit to the southern kingdoms."

Li Chen didn't really take Li Sixing seriously; a mere warning would suffice.

Li Sixing had at least worked diligently after Li Chen took office and had never disobeyed him. Li Chen understood this clearly.

There's no need to dismiss him over such a trivial matter; a combination of kindness and firmness will suffice.

Hearing this, Li Sixing breathed a sigh of relief; he was really afraid of being dismissed.

Offending the emperor is not a big deal, but it's not a small one either; it all depends on the emperor's attitude.

In Li Sixing's view, Li Chen was indeed an emperor worth following, at least this emperor was not so petty.

Li Chen's visit to the southern countries was at the invitation of the authorities.

After he told his concubine Zhu Zhuying about the affairs of the southern kingdoms last time, Zhu Zhuying sent the news to her family.

To demonstrate their loyalty to the Tian Ce Dynasty, these small countries all requested that Li Chen personally come and inspect the country.

Li Chen is going to the southern kingdoms as the emperor of the previous dynasty, so Li Sixing must arrange all the related matters.

These were Li Sixing's tasks, and he said he had no problem with them, willing to do anything to make sure His Majesty was taken care of.

Li Chen told him not to be nervous, as the southern kingdoms would definitely not dare to make any moves unless they wanted to be destroyed.

The southern kingdoms are taking this matter very seriously. After receiving a reply from His Majesty Li Chen, they have begun to build momentum, seemingly wanting the whole world to know their stance!
There was no other way; if their stance wasn't firm, they would be facing an iron cavalry.

The power struggle between the two super powers, the Tian Ce Dynasty and the Yong Zhou Empire, has officially begun!
Meanwhile, in the Guixu Wuyai Sect in the eastern part of the Tian Ce Dynasty, some people were also waiting for Li Chen's visit.

(End of this chapter)