[{"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-46":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},2336485,4569,"Chapter 46: The Cold Palace Courtyard: The Fallen World","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-46",46,"\u003Cp>The Cold Palace held those who had offended the Emperor but whose crimes did not warrant death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also where imperial consorts ended up after losing palace intrigues—in plain terms, a prison within the imperial palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its walls towered high, covered in mottled moss and tangled vines, as if whispering the passage of time through the palace’s decay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen stepped on the blue stone slabs and entered this area, memories from the past rising in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Li Chen was a carefree prince, spending his days cooped up in the palace tinkering with his toys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, among the imperial princes, the most gifted was not the Second Prince Li Xian, but the Fifth Prince Li Ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that when Li Ran was born, auspicious signs appeared across heaven and earth, and the palace announced that he was a natural cultivation prodigy with a primordial Dao embryo sacred body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From childhood, Li Ran displayed extraordinary talent; by age nine, his literary mastery rivaled the Crown Prince’s, his cultivation aptitude dwarfed the Second Prince by tenfold, and during the late Emperor’s military strategy examination, he left the Third Prince far behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a complete genius, possessing abilities beyond ordinary men, truly the chosen child of heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The late Emperor adored Li Ran beyond measure, taking him along to every court session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When receiving foreign envoys, he would deliberately introduce Li Ran, letting him shine before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even on matters of state, he would “seek” Li Ran’s opinion—just to test him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without doubt, Li Ran performed flawlessly every time; the late Emperor’s favor for him was obvious to all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran possessed privileges even the Crown Prince never had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many court ministers speculated that the late Emperor was hinting at something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran’s mother was also descended from noble warrior clans; fueled by the late Emperor’s favor, her power soared, even threatening to eclipse the Empress Dowager’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, five years ago, someone secretly reported that Li Ran had been having an affair with the late Emperor’s favorite consort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Emperor arrived with the Imperial Guard, he indeed found Li Ran and the consort naked together on the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to rumors Li Chen heard from palace gossips, when the door to the consort’s chamber was kicked open, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince were all present—and so was the Empress Dowager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t ask why Li Chen heard it secondhand—he didn’t even go to watch the spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen could understand why the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Empress Dowager were there—they lived in the capital, even within the palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for the Third Prince to be there was absurd—he spent years stationed at the frontier; was it really a coincidence he returned just in time for this disaster?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said the Emperor flew into a rage, executed the consort on the spot, then ordered Li Ran’s eyes gouged out, his hand and foot tendons severed, and castrated him, before imprisoning him in the Cold Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus fell the world’s greatest genius—many believed it was simply because he had shown too much brilliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen thought it wasn’t that simple, nor was it overly complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given his mother’s power at the time, she must have arranged extensive protections for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those protections vanished suddenly at a critical moment—someone seized the opportunity to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either they were threatened, bribed, or killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ran’s mother and the Empress Dowager were locked in a struggle; whoever lost ended up like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the late Emperor suspected Li Ran had been framed, too many witnesses were present—he had to make a public stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had fewer people been there, he could have sealed the news and investigated quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he was overwhelmed by rage, or perhaps he sought to preserve imperial dignity—he chose this swift, brutal resolution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Palace intrigues were always this plain and brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later reports said Li Ran’s mother spent her days weeping until she died of grief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she really die that way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knows?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial physicians reported it as such.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did Li Chen go low-key because of this? No—his mother had no influence and was in poor health.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen never intended to stand out; he only wanted to play the fool, wait until he reached peak strength, then emerge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This incident only strengthened his resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Li Ran had no real power, yet he angered so many at once—his chances of survival were slim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at Li Chen now—he’s angered even more people, yet nothing happens to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking some distance through the Cold Palace, he arrived at a room’s entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he reached it, a voice came from inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is it?” The voice was weak, with a faintly effeminate tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s me, Li Chen.” Li Chen replied casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Sixth? Did the Emperor lock you up too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I’m just passing by.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps Li Ran still didn’t know the late Emperor had passed away—that Li Chen was now Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuchs and maids who brought him meals wouldn’t tell him such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the palace knew: associating with someone in the Cold Palace led to no good end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Chen was about to test whether the forbidden technique was being cultivated by Li Ran, another sound came from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re just passing by, good. If I remember right, you’re already quite old—go ask the Emperor for a fief, leave this den of intrigue,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait, it seems no one holds ill will toward you—then just watch who ascends, curry favor with them, get a mansion in the capital, become a Prince, and you can still rely on them for help—it’s safer than going to a fief,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh, why am I telling you all this? You’ve survived this long—you must be smarter than I am. I’ve just gone too long without speaking to anyone, and I’m rambling. Just don’t mention meeting me after you leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words Li Ran spoke now probably exceeded the total he’d spoken in the past few years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone was thick with bitterness and weariness, especially that faintly effeminate voice, making his plight even more tragic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I want to become Emperor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen’s words left Li Ran speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All this time, you’re the one with the biggest ambition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ran was thinking: if Li Chen wanted to become Emperor, it would bring him enormous benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, Li Chen could help him escape this den of intrigue—and even seek revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his eyes gouged out, tendons severed, and castrated, he had survived only because his obsession with vengeance sustained him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, with tendons severed, one would lose all capacity to cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ran’s innate talent was extraordinary; he combined hundreds of cultivation arts and devised a forbidden technique that didn’t rely on meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though his initial progress was painfully slow, through daily refinement, he astonishingly discovered that without a penis, his perfected technique cultivated twice as efficiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a sense, it was a blessing in disguise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had planned to cultivate for decades before emerging—until Li Chen’s words stirred a flicker of desire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Li Chen’s help, he might reach the legendary realm far sooner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, he had reached a breakthrough point and accidentally leaked a trace of spiritual energy—detected by Li Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even knowing Li Chen was testing him, Li Ran decided to take the gamble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t warn you again—this path has no turning back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—I’m not afraid. If you’re not, why should I be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Li Chen pushed open the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1277,"2026-06-20T21:59:17.413Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","69f49df2717410dae3969dcbdf99c02f050af7ca4400fc2f1ccfe8f75a3179a1","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-47","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-45",766,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--cover.jpg"]