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

Chapter 658 The Impulse of a Scholar to Die for One Who Understands Him! (Please Subscribe and Vote for Monthly Tickets)

Upon hearing Li Chen's words, Sergei's eyes lit up; he understood his master's intention!
This is to use the father's 'injustice' to completely ignite the anger of those former subordinates who are loyal to Grand Duke Andrei!

The interests of those generals and officials were already tied to those of Grand Duke Andrei, and they would not fare well once Andrei fell from power.

To protect themselves and out of righteous indignation, they may choose to stand on their own side!
Then one's position will be more secure.

Whether the truth is as the master said is no longer important. What he wants is a reason, a reason that allows him to act legitimately.

But Sergei still had one last concern: "Master, this plan is brilliant, but what if Emperor Ivan gets angry and sends a large army to suppress us? Our current strength is probably no match for the Empire's elite forces!"

Grand Duke Andrei has many trump cards, but what will be the consequences of openly defying the Emperor of Daluo?

The Great Luo Dynasty stood for thousands of years and had a very rich history.

Li Chen turned around, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through people's hearts. He smiled lightly and threw out a temptation that was enough to drive Sergei completely mad: "Send troops? Ha, have you forgotten that I have an old acquaintance with Emperor Tian Ce? In a critical moment, I will ask him to 'help' us."

These words reassured Sergei somewhat, but also left him with some unease and doubt. Was asking the Emperor of Tian Ce for help too high a price to pay?

Li Chen took a step closer, his voice carrying a bewitching allure, and asked in a low voice, "Sergei, my disciple, do you want to be the emperor of this Great Luo Dynasty?"

"The Emperor?!" Sergei's breathing became heavy instantly, his eyes widened, and his heart pounded wildly as if it would burst out of his chest.

He was an ambitious man to begin with, and before he may have only thought about inheriting his father's power. Now, a supreme throne seems to be within reach!

The immense temptation, like the strongest liquor, instantly overwhelmed all his hesitation and fear.

"Yes! Master! I want to!" Sergei's voice trembled with excitement, and his face flushed with joy.

“Then go!” Li Chen patted his shoulder. “Use your anger to ignite the fury of your father’s old subordinates! Let them know that following you will not only ensure their wealth and honor, but also allow them to possess the entire dynasty in the future! Leave Tian Ce to me.”

"Yes, Master!" Sergei was as if he had been injected with chicken blood. He immediately turned around and strode out of the council hall.

He trusted Li Chen completely, and he did whatever Li Chen asked him to do.

Because he knew that his master was an omnipotent being.

Moreover, the master had no reason to lie to him; there was no good in it.

In other words, if he were to become emperor, wouldn't his master be the imperial advisor?

Sergei quickly summoned all the important generals and officials in the territory.

Standing before the crowd, Sergei's previous panic vanished, replaced by a look of grief and indignation, his eyes bloodshot.

He delivered Li Chen's words in a highly inflammatory and impassioned speech, denouncing Emperor Ivan's treachery and cruelty, and recounting the innocence and injustice suffered by his father, Grand Duke Andrei. He depicted the tragic future of his former subordinates, who would inevitably be purged once Andrei was handed over.
His words successfully aroused the indignation of the crowd below the stage. Thinking of the past kindness of Grand Duke Andrei and the ruthlessness of Emperor Ivan, the crowd was filled with righteous indignation.

Many generals drew their swords and roared on the spot, vowing to follow young Master Sergei to the death and never let the Grand Duke suffer an injustice. Some even shouted the slogan "Purge the court of corrupt officials and punish the tyrant!"

This is certainly not enough. Merely stirring up the hatred and indignation within the Duchy of Andrei is not enough to shake the deeply rooted giant tree that is the Great Luo Dynasty.

Li Chen knew that he had to stir the waters even more.

After Sergei had initially calmed the internal situation, Li Chen summoned him to a secret room and proposed the next step of the plan: "Sergei, you need to immediately send your most capable envoys with generous gifts and my tokens to secretly contact other major lords who border the Duchy of Andrei or who have a history of conflict with Emperor Ivan."

Sergei hesitated upon hearing this: "Master, if we take the initiative to contact them and ask them to hold back, or even delay the Imperial army's advance, wouldn't that be clearly telling them that we are plotting a rebellion? What will they think?"

He worried that this would prematurely reveal his intentions and invite attacks from all sides.

Upon hearing this, Li Chen let out a low laugh, a laugh tinged with mockery and an undeniable air: "My good disciple, from the moment Ivan handed over your father's edict, you and I have had no way out. Rebellion? We are rebelling! Why bother with any more pretense?"

He walked up to Sergei, his gaze behind the mask sharp as a knife: "Ivan isn't stupid. Do you think he'd expect you to obediently hand over your father? He's long considered you a traitor and will definitely send troops to suppress you."

"What you need to do now is not to hide your intentions, but to tell those potential allies and onlookers in a straightforward manner: I, Sergei, have rebelled! But I am rebelling against a tyrannical and incompetent ruler, and I am seeking justice for my father!"

“We don’t ask them to send troops directly to help us. We only ask that they remain neutral, or that they ‘delay’ their actions at certain key junctures. Tell them that if they can do this, they will be richly rewarded once the great cause is accomplished! Don’t forget that you have powerful friends in the South.”

Li Chen deliberately emphasized the word "friends," implying the support of the Tian Ce Dynasty.

When Sergei heard the words "openly and legitimately rebelling," his heart pounded again, filled with both excitement at breaking free from constraints and uncertainty about the unknown future.

After all, he had just suffered a crushing defeat at Hantie Pass, and he was not entirely without doubts about his military command abilities.

The thought of openly rebelling and leading an army to attack the impregnable capital is terrifying.

Li Chen keenly caught the fleeting hesitation in his eyes, and his voice became even more seductive, as if it possessed a kind of calming magic: "Child, have you forgotten what your master told you? Your military talent is something I have never seen before in my life!"

"Your previous failures were not due to a lack of skill, but rather bad luck, and were further hampered by your father and the court! Now that the shackles are gone, the hidden dragon has emerged from the abyss, and it is time for you to show your true colors! The opportunity is right in front of you. Will you avenge your father, purge the court of corrupt officials, and even seize the throne, or will you cower in a corner and wait for Ivan's sword to fall?"

He paused for a moment, then gave the most steadfast promise: "Go for it! If you encounter dire straits, I can at least ensure your safety. But I believe you will never let me down, and you will never need my help!"

These words acted like a shot of adrenaline, instantly dispelling Sergei's last lingering hesitation.

He remembered how Li Chen had pulled him out of despair time and time again, enlightened him, and given him strength and direction.

A surge of immense gratitude and the urge to die for a friend welled up within me.

(End of this chapter)