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

Chapter 701 Losing Both Wife and Army! (Please Subscribe and Vote)
Li Chen admired the scene outside the side hall for a while, and when he felt it was about time, he summoned a trusted palace maid, whispered a few instructions, and handed her a silk scroll covered with names.

The palace maid obeyed the order and quietly walked to Empress Dowager Julia, who was chatting and laughing with several noble ladies. She whispered in her ear and discreetly slipped the list into her sleeve.

Yuriya remained composed, maintaining her elegant and dignified smile. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the ladies, she temporarily left, citing the need to oversee official business.

She went to a secluded spot, unfolded the list, and couldn't help but be slightly startled.

Originally, Li Chen had only selected the wives and daughters of fifteen target ministers, about thirty people in total. But now, forty more names have appeared on the list!
This ancestor of witchcraft certainly has quite an appetite.

However, she had already been completely subdued by Li Chen. Although she felt a little unsettled, she immediately began to plan how to carry out her plan.

Soon after, Queen Yuri announced the opening of several "temples of fasting" in the palace, citing the "long life of the witch god and the endless blessings." She claimed that those who sincerely bathed, fasted, and prayed would receive the witch god's protection and bring good fortune to their families.

With the highly respected Empress Dowager speaking personally, and given the good news, the noble ladies and young women present naturally believed it without a doubt, and even rushed to sign up.

Therefore, the women who caught Li Chen's eye were led to different palaces, either in twos and threes or alone, under various pretexts.

These palaces had already been tampered with, with specially made incense being burned.

This incense is not a drug that bewitches the mind, but it can relax the mind and body, making them feel weak and powerless, while keeping the mind clear. This makes it convenient for Li Chen to provide in-depth guidance.

Of course, some palaces did not light this incense; those were reserved by Li Chen for women who might have stronger personalities and required a different mode of communication.

Among these seventy beauties, each with their own unique charm, one stood out in particular, even making Yuri, the last person in the group, feel a pang of jealousy.

She was the wife of Mikhail, the Imperial Minister of Finance, and her name was Lyudmila.

Lyudmila is not tall, she is petite, but her figure is extremely exaggerated.

Her slender waist was so thin it could be grasped with one hand, while her breasts were unusually full and high. The astonishing curve and size created a strong visual impact against her petite frame, as if the ripe fruit would burst through her clothes at any moment.

This extreme contrast intrigued Li Chen, greatly increasing his interest, and he listed her as his first "mentor".

Over the next three days, Li Chen shuttled between the various palaces, working tirelessly day and night to help these noble ladies and young ladies comprehend the blessings of the witch god and unblock their spiritual energy.

With his superb skills, powerful charm, and somewhat irresistible authority, he successfully "dealt with" everyone on the list, making them deeply "recognize" the greatness and "grace" of the ancestor of witchcraft on both a physical and mental level.

Meanwhile, in the imperial court of the Holy Capital, a turbulent situation was also unfolding.

Emperor Matvey seemed to have suddenly become enlightened, displaying unprecedented "thunderous methods".

Using various pretexts, he successively dismissed several powerful veteran officials who were clearly Ivan's confidants, while vigorously promoting a group of newly rich who were originally unsuccessful but had decent abilities, or were simply controlled by Li Chen through his female relatives.

At first, it seemed like a typical power struggle and reshuffling that occurred after a new emperor's ascension to the throne. Ivan and Romanov, though displeased, remained calm and believed that the situation was still under control.

However, when Matvey accurately dismissed or transferred five key figures from Li Chen's list of fifteen target ministers in a short period of time, Ivan and Romanov finally realized that something was wrong!
"Ancestor! This is not right!" Ivan paced anxiously in the villa. "How could that good-for-nothing Matvey have such accurate insight and courage? Those he dismissed were all people we had placed in key positions! Those he promoted were mostly marginal figures or ministers who were very close to the Witch Ancestor!"

Romanov's face darkened. He hadn't expected the ancestor of witchcraft to act so quickly and use such cunning and ruthless methods.

This is not Matvi in ​​power at all; it is clearly Wuzu using a shell company to erode their power base by controlling Matvi and infiltrating the minister!

“We must stop him!” Ivan’s eyes flashed with a fierce light. “We can’t let Matvey run wild any longer! If necessary, we’ll depose him!” However, when they began to secretly plot to unite with the remaining trusted ministers and find an opportunity to depose Matvey, they encountered tremendous resistance.

The ancestor of the witch openly expressed his support for Matvi, and with his powerful personal strength and high reputation among the wizards of the North, he created a strong deterrent.

Surprisingly, a considerable number of ministers in the court, whether out of reverence for the ancestral shaman, due to the influence of their female relatives, or simply because they were newly promoted beneficiaries, stood up to support Emperor Matvi's assumption of power!

Ivan and Romanov suddenly realized that their control over the court they had managed for decades was rapidly slipping away!
They were caught in a dilemma: forcibly deposing the emperor could very likely trigger a direct conflict with the Witch Ancestor or even a civil war, which they could not afford at the moment; if they did not stop it, their power would be gradually eroded.

Ivan was filled with resentment and anger, and even couldn't help but feel a hint of resentment towards Romanov: "Old Master, this time, we're afraid we've lost both our wife and our army!"

He felt that Romanov's initial calculations now seemed like inviting a wolf into the house, a losing proposition!
From the very beginning, it seemed that they had fallen into each other's rhythm in this game.

At this point, Romanov could no longer sit still.

The whispers within the Holy Palace, Ivan's barely suppressed rage, and the growing influence of the Witch Ancestor all made him feel that the situation was gradually deviating from its initial course.

He decided to meet this mysterious shaman in person to find out his background and true intentions.

The news quickly reached Li Chen's ears through the Empress Dowager's channels, where he was enjoying Anastasia's tender care.

Upon hearing this, Li Chen raised an eyebrow slightly.

Romanov, that old fellow, is finally going to get involved himself.

He knew perfectly well that although he had changed his appearance and restrained the sharp imperial aura he had displayed as the Emperor of Tian Ce, he had simulated the unique natural charm of the Witch Ancestor.

However, when facing a Saint-level peak expert like Romanov who has lived for nearly a hundred years, it is hard to guarantee that he will not detect some familiar soul aura or traces of the essence of power in close contact.

Once their identities are exposed, all previous plans will be in vain, and may even lead to unpredictable consequences.

"We absolutely cannot meet him directly." Li Chen made a decision instantly.

After a moment's thought, he came up with a solution.

He gave the order to have the old sorcerer Canggu arrange a secluded side hall within the Holy Palace and set up an ancient "mist-transmitting sound barrier" inside.

This barrier is not used for defense or attack; its sole purpose is to create a dense energy mist that neither sight nor spiritual sense can penetrate, and to distort and alter sounds that pass through the barrier, making them hollow, ethereal, and difficult to discern their original timbre.

Soon, everything will be ready.

Romanov arrived as scheduled and was led to the side hall filled with strange mist.

He sensed the barrier within the hall that blocked all exploration, and his brow furrowed slightly. He gained a more cautious, or rather, more discerning, assessment of this ancestor's deliberate mystification.

"Lord Romanov, please stop." A voice, distorted by the barrier, sounded grand, indifferent, and devoid of any personal characteristics, coming from the depths of the mist. "My cultivation is at a critical stage, and it is inconvenient for me to meet you in my true form. If you have any important matters to discuss, let's talk about them here across the barrier."

(End of this chapter)