[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet-":3,"chapter-i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-2":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Just Maxed Out, and You Want Me to Be a Puppet Emperor?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2336441,4569,"Chapter 2: He Can","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>These words plunged the entire court into uproar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could a court session continue after the emperor had left?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker was none other than the Empress Dowager, who had placed Li Chen on the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the ministers had assumed the Empress Dowager would use this puppet emperor to gradually elevate her own allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one expected her to seize power so brazenly, exercising imperial rights—truly infuriating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Censor-in-Chief and his loyal ministers clenched their teeth, their blood boiling as they launched a new round of debate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To them, this was the greatest disgrace since the founding of the Tian Ce Dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other ministers, seeing Li Chen’s genuine desire to leave, assumed he was cowardly and wished to avoid court disputes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had already despised this new emperor; now they looked down on him even more, silently cursing him for lacking spine and utterly destroying the imperial dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this wasn’t really Li Chen’s fault—he had always been a prince who just drifted through life, never imagining he’d become emperor, never studying statecraft, so how could he know how to handle court affairs?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the Empress Dowager sat behind the curtain, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed as she faced the sharp words of the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She appeared to be in her thirties, but her actual age was older.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a lavish, wide-sleeved phoenix robe adorned with deep crimson embroidery, its hidden patterns woven with threads of dark ink and glowing luminescence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint black-gold sash cinched her slender waist, each sway of her figure intoxicating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her long hair cascaded like black silk, her pale violet eyes shimmering with starlike brilliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her powdered fair nose was high and refined, her lips a soft pink, slightly pursed; her snow-white skin exuded an air of elegant grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the wide-sleeved phoenix robe lay two magnificent forms, making her ethereal beauty profoundly alluring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the perfect fusion of dignity and seduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress Dowager was herself descended from noble aristocratic families and held her own power within the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For days, she had coaxed and deceived her way into placing the weakest prince on the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to her plan, today all Li Chen had to do was perform normally, display royal dignity, and she would help him consolidate his position—then reap enormous benefits herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, both she and Li Chen would benefit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Chen hadn’t even spoken a few words before wanting to leave; she thought him utterly hopeless, so she spoke these words to test the ministers’ reactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the court wasn’t stabilized quickly, when the other princes returned to the capital, it would be far harder to deal with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen might not care about the throne, but the others certainly did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had spent their entire lives scheming—some cultivating loyal followers, recruiting powerful assassins; others achieving great military feats on the frontier—all to vie for the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crown Prince had recently died suddenly in the capital; the other princes, fearing the old emperor suspected them, dared not return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen was the prince who loafed and drifted—his name was never even considered for the Crown Prince position, so naturally he was the only prince left in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could have imagined the old emperor would die so suddenly, and Li Chen, bypassing the Crown Prince, became emperor outright?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress Dowager and the court ministers had considered that if the other princes began fighting, the Tian Ce Dynasty would surely descend into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen’s ascension harmed no one, so they swiftly and decisively installed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress Dowager and several senior ministers had even sealed the news, racing to finalize the succession before the other princes returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Li Chen shown even a shred of promise, they wouldn’t be so disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the ministers begin to argue again, Li Chen felt exasperated—Is it really so hard to just clock out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What time is it? Can’t you let me leave already?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t finished his shift, but someone who wanted him gone early had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A powerful voice echoed from outside the hall, shaking the entire palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I say the Sixth Prince can’t be emperor—don’t pressure him. I’ll take the throne myself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words sent shockwaves through the ministers; even the Empress Dowager felt a dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For only one man would dare say such a thing: the Second Prince of the Tian Ce Dynasty, Li Xian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he spoke, Li Xian stepped into the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a magnificent brocade robe, its deep dragon-blue base embroidered with golden-threaded dragon totems, lifelike and majestic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hem swayed gently with his steady steps, each movement radiating imperial authority and nobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the idle, casual Li Chen, his aura was unmistakably that of a true sovereign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Second Prince, he had been the Crown Prince’s fiercest rival, always claiming to train in the wilds while recruiting talented and extraordinary individuals from across the land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had many loyalists in court who followed his lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the one who most desired the Crown Prince’s death; during that time, many suspected him, yet no proof ever surfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, all the other princes had been suspected too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Second Prince, Li Xian naturally had the right to attend morning court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sudden appearance intensified the pressure in the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one had expected him to return so quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress Dowager and the ministers had sealed the news—only to seal nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the upright Censor-in-Chief stepped forward, holding his ceremonial tablet, his expression grave as he stared at the Second Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, this is wrong. The throne has been settled; the new emperor has been enthroned—it is Heaven’s will and the people’s desire. As a member of the imperial family, you must understand the greater good. How can you, for personal ambition, disrupt our court’s order and destabilize our state?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Censor-in-Chief’s words rang strong and clear, each phrase steeped in reverence for imperial authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only these loyal ministers with spine would dare confront the Second Prince face-to-face. Li Xian was not angry—he had anticipated this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had schemed for the throne for years, maneuvered in court for over a decade—how could he be unprepared?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xian’s lips curled into a cold smile, his gaze piercing as he retorted: “Since ancient times, imperial succession has always favored virtue and talent. Tell me, which of our dynasty’s ancestors did not possess both literary and martial excellence to establish this eternal legacy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Censor-in-Chief could reply, the Minister of Rites stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, what qualifications does the Second Prince have to claim the throne?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Minister of Rites sounded like he was challenging Li Xian, even putting him on the spot—but in truth, he was one of Li Xian’s allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In plain terms, he was a stooge, using these words to prompt Li Xian to reveal his own merits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his cue, Li Xian continued smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lords, though the nation appears stable, hidden currents churn beneath. In this age of peace, literary governance matters—but without formidable cultivation as its foundation, how can our dynasty endure for ten thousand generations?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do not boast, but in cultivation, I consider myself unmatched—I have reached the Realm of Observing Heaven!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Li Xian’s cultivation surged forth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thick stream of spiritual power erupted from his palm, transforming into a brilliant light that spiraled and danced in the air like a dragon emerging from the sea, overwhelming in might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the light, faint dragon roars echoed, shaking the entire court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All ministers were stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this world, there are nine realms:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meridian Opening, Essence Condensation, Soul Manifestation, Void Penetration, Void Shattering, Six Harmonies, Observing Heaven, Heaven’s Abyss, Sage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most cultivators spend their entire lives stuck at Void Penetration; those who reach Six Harmonies can found sects and become regional overlords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his age, the Second Prince had already reached Observing Heaven?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What an astonishing talent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could break through to Heaven’s Abyss in his lifetime, he would be the most gifted prince in five hundred years!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such strength, the Tian Ce Dynasty would usher in a new golden age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Xian’s passionate speech, the Censor-in-Chief felt a ripple in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed at the imposing Second Prince—he seemed the emperor he had always dreamed of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Li Chen on the throne—where was the dignity of an emperor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the ministers’ stunned expressions, Li Xian felt deeply satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He avoided mentioning literary governance because he was truly weak in it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only ones who could claim political achievements were the late Crown Prince and the Third Prince, commanding armies on the frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Li Xian simply laid out his strength—proving he deserved the throne, and that he utterly crushed Li Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From start to finish, Li Xian never once looked at Li Chen; he argued solely with the ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his view, once he convinced the ministers and pressured the Empress Dowager, Li Chen, the puppet, would have no choice but to step down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Xian turned his gaze toward the curtain, Li Chen on the dragon throne suddenly spoke: “And then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone dripped with mockery of Li Xian. Li Xian instantly burned with rage—how dare this puppet emperor question me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On what grounds? Does he even deserve to?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a cultivator of Observing Heaven, how could he endure such humiliation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xian immediately decided to give Li Chen a bloody lesson!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next instant, a terrifying pressure—so immense it stole breath—crashed down, engulfing the entire hall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen, seated on the dragon throne, glowed with radiant light, his Daoic brilliance blazing forth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flowers rained from heaven, golden lotuses surged from the earth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mysterious runes swirled, divine radiance like a rainbow!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, golden light blazed ten thousandfold, enveloping the entire hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine divine rings descended from the heavens, encircling Li Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as he lounged lazily on the throne, every minister felt the overwhelming dragon aura radiating from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sage Divine Rings?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Prince Li Xian’s face turned ashen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the pinnacle masters who have reached the Saint Realm possess divine rings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One divine ring is enough to prove a person’s immense strength—yet this puppet emperor has nine?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, Li Xian felt like a flickering candle in the wind before Li Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago radiant, he now stood frozen like a beaten dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had calculated every possibility—but never imagined this insignificant younger brother possessed such power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What even is the Saint Realm? He dared not even conceive of it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ministers were so terrified by Li Chen’s display that not a word escaped their lips; their hearts churned with stormy waves!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A royal of the Saint Realm? Only the founding emperor of the TianCe Dynasty might have such strength!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Censor trembled violently, muttering under his breath: “The gods bless TianCe! The gods bless TianCe!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the curtain, the usually composed Empress Dowager had risen to her feet, her eyes locked on Li Chen seated upon the dragon throne—no one knew what she was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet from the heaving of her full chest, one could tell her astonishment matched that of anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Chen on the dragon throne looked down upon the entire court, his gaze fixed on Li Xian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This intensified Li Xian’s pressure—he felt as if pinned in place, unable to move even a single finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of fear welled up within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the only one who could make Li Xian fear was the old emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, this new emperor could also make him feel fear?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—this was the pressure of the Saint Realm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t really Li Chen’s fault for terrifying him; wasn’t it all his own doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Li Chen’s eyes, a mere Observation Realm cultivator—what the hell are you showing off for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you wanted to argue about anything else, I wouldn’t even bother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But you insist on bringing up cultivation? Sorry—you’re the younger brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m not good at civil governance anyway, yet you insist on comparing cultivation with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then sorry—you’ve got nothing to compare with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2033,"2026-06-20T21:59:17.413Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","577b69255e485ff5b6dc8bc49b6a3a42622925e3f7945bf425c545b7f19378fd","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-3","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-1",766,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--cover.jpg"]