Chapter 12: Who Said It, Let Them Handle It! (Please Collect, Please Monthly Tickets)

Chancellor Zhao Wenyuan was deeply calculating, not because he sought to usurp the throne, but because he wished only to secure his position within the court.

Those who had reached this level—not just him, but also Grand General Guo Po and the Empress Dowager, even other Imperial Princes—had all offended too many people.

Behind them all stood so-called allies and closest kin, bound tightly to their fates.

Should they ever fall, their kin and allies, even their ancestral clans, would be uprooted by their enemies.

To be stripped of rank and reduced to commoner status would be a favorable outcome; more often, they were exiled to the frontier or executed.

In the Tian Ce Dynasty, official positions and cultivation resources were finite.

Only by removing those who held them could others gain access to these resources.

That’s how it is when the wall collapses and everyone pushes.

Originally, when the Empress Dowager pushed Li Chen to become emperor, Zhao Wenyuan also supported it, because Li Chen had no faction and would not promote his own subordinates upon ascending.

This posed no threat to Zhao Wenyuan; in fact, he could use the opportunity to expand his own influence.

Of course, that was merely his original thought.

Upon learning Li Chen was a Saint Realm cultivator, Zhao Wenyuan now only wished to be a loyal minister.

He had no direct conflict with Li Chen.

To speak plainly, even if Li Chen didn’t become emperor, it wouldn’t be his turn.

Who had a direct conflict with Li Chen?

Naturally, the Empress Dowager and the other Imperial Princes.

The other Imperial Princes needed no explanation—they had endured for years, hoarding their ambition to become emperor, and would never give up so easily.

Zhao Wenyuan believed the Empress Dowager’s ambitions were no smaller; he still remembered her words from yesterday, which were clearly testing the court ministers.

Her goal, most likely, was to rise above the emperor—or wait for the right moment to depose him and become Empress Regnant herself.

Such events were not uncommon in the continent’s history; some neighboring dynasties had also been ruled by female emperors.

Over the years of maneuvering against the Empress Dowager, Zhao Wenyuan had continuously investigated her origins.

Officially, she was descended from noble meritocrats.

That is, her ancestors had rendered great service to the founding emperor of the Tian Ce Dynasty.

If true, her background would indeed be clean.

Though Zhao Wenyuan pretended to be a poor scholar before Li Chen, his survival to this day meant he had his own network.

Ever since the Empress Dowager entered the capital, he had been investigating her.

Even though she hid her tracks deeply, he had received word that her noble clan had recently maintained contact with remnants of the previous dynasty.

Only he knew this, and without any evidence, he could not report it to the late emperor.

Otherwise, the Empress Dowager would turn on him—he’d only be inviting trouble.

Zhao Wenyuan now wished to be a loyal minister precisely because he realized Li Chen had no intention of moving against him.

Thus, all he needed to do was demonstrate his usefulness to Li Chen and his loyalty—his position as chancellor was assured.

A young emperor with terrifying strength and no faction whatsoever offered far more benefits than risks to his ministers.

Zhao Wenyuan was even willing to become Li Chen’s own ally.

Similarly, Guo Po had come to understand this—but perhaps he had miscalculated.

In this court, neither he nor Zhao Wenyuan had direct conflict with Li Chen; how could they not protect him?

Zhao Wenyuan had already “judged” that Li Chen knew this too, which was why he summoned them both to the imperial study yesterday—to gauge their loyalty.

He was already aware of the Third Prince’s rebellion, but according to his estimation, the Third Prince would likely retreat upon learning Li Chen was a Saint Realm cultivator.

If events unfolded this way, Li Chen could easily turn a blind eye; there was no need to escalate matters.

After all, killing his own brother right after ascending the throne would not look good.

But now, the Minister of War had directly presented the Third Prince’s rebellion before Li Chen—Li Chen could no longer pretend ignorance. Since he now knew, he must act; failure to act would damage imperial authority, and if the court saw the Third Prince’s rebellion go unpunished, more would follow.

If the Third Prince learned Li Chen intended to punish him, he would certainly not yield quietly.

This was clearly forcing Li Chen into a deadly duel with the Third Prince—it was an open strategy.

Even Zhao Wenyuan, with decades of official experience, had no idea how to resolve it.

After hearing the Minister of War’s report, Li Chen yawned and said, “Oh, if the Third Prince wants to rebel, then you go and bring him back.”

This left the Minister of War utterly stunned.

What do you mean, “you go bring him back”? That sounds easy, but Your Majesty, do you think I’m a Saint Realm cultivator too?

As the Minister of War opened his mouth to protest, Zhao Wenyuan said coldly, “What? Are you refusing the imperial decree?”

The Minister of War panicked completely—good Lord, Zhao Wenyuan was quick to slap on a charge.

It was my problem to raise, yet you’re making me solve it?

Watching the Minister of War’s miserable expression, Zhao Wenyuan rejoiced inwardly.

!

It seems our emperor still has some skill.

Originally, this was a conflict between the emperor and the Third Prince; now, by sending the Minister of War, it became a conflict between the Empress Dowager and the Third Prince.

If the Minister of War refuses to go, they can simply accuse him of two crimes and strip his official cap—thus weakening the Empress Dowager’s faction.

In this unsolvable situation, Li Chen had still found a way—Zhao Wenyuan was almost impressed.

In truth, he overthought it; Li Chen didn’t care about the Third Prince at all and didn’t know how to handle it, so he simply followed the principle: “Who brought it up, let them handle it.”

If you raised it, then you must have a solution.

If you can’t solve it, what use are you to me—just to bring me trouble?

Under the combined pressure of Li Chen and Zhao Wenyuan, the Minister of War reluctantly said he would return to think of a solution and send his subordinates to ask the Empress Dowager for guidance after court dismissed.

Originally, a rebellion by the frontier troops would have shaken the entire empire.

But the ministers were not panicked.

They were all thinking: Could this be the sense of security a Saint Realm emperor brings?

No wonder the Second Prince had said yesterday, “Without formidable cultivation as support, how can our dynasty endure for ten thousand generations”?

It seems he was right.

But it wasn’t the Second Prince—it was Li Chen.

Some even looked forward to seeing how the Third Prince would end up.

It was nearly noon before Li Chen finally ended the morning court.

The imperial palace, the Empress Dowager’s sleeping quarters.

Immediately after court ended, her maidservants delivered the news, along with the message the Minister of War wished to convey to her.

The Empress Dowager stretched, her chest nearly bursting free of her robes.

Just as it seemed about to escape its constraints, she lowered her arms, avoiding an accident.

“I am already aware of the matter. Go tell Zou Chong to obey the emperor’s decree and leave the capital; take the chance to provoke the Third Prince slightly, avoid major conflict, and meanwhile, check on the Second Prince’s preparations.”

After the maidservant left, the Empress Dowager’s face revealed a sly smile.

Emperor, I truly underestimated you—you’ve surprised me two days in a row.

She wasn’t in the least anxious; she held too many trump cards, each one enough to make Li Chen choke.

But now, she would give Li Chen a little surprise—to remind him who truly ruled this palace!

(End of Chapter)