[{"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-81":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},2336520,4569,"Chapter 81: Don","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-81",81,"\u003Cp>No. 7 Changqing Street, Imperial Capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday, Wu Qi suffered a terrible fate in an outdoor secret realm, being brutally tortured by demonic beasts, and only escaped by hiding in a tree hollow until the two hours ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After emerging, Wu Qi sighed: living is truly good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next time anyone asks him to enter such a low-level secret realm, he’d rather die than go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early in the morning, Wu Qi left his residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wu family owns shops in the Imperial Capital; he manages them and also studies and socializes here to enhance his reputation in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s laying the groundwork for inheriting the family business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Qi’s original purpose in coming to the Imperial Capital was to make more friends, ideally infiltrating the upper circles of the younger generation and befriending noble scions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving, he did indeed try hard to integrate into the capital’s younger generation circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until he met Chu Ruoyan, he forgot all about it and became a sycophant for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did he fail to make friends, he also made enemies among many due to Chu Ruoyan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take Liu Hao from the circle—he’s a scion of a great noble family. Wu Qi didn’t even maintain good relations with him; now they’re outright enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is pure reverse psychology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, the family seemed to be recalling him, planning to send another disciple in his place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meaning was clear: Wu Qi’s abilities were inadequate, and they intended to replace him with a new Wu family heir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, a few days ago he flattered Li Chen a bit, using his supposed acquaintance with His Majesty as an excuse, and gained some internal family support, allowing him to remain in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, he’d already be back in Huju City receiving his father’s “friendly” greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Chu Ruoyan left the circle, Wu Qi has returned to normal, his cultivation speed has accelerated, and the shop’s business is thriving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these are secondary matters; cultivation isn’t something achieved in a day or two, and the shop would run fine without him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Qi was thinking: if he could forge a connection with Li Chen, it would surpass befriending every high-ranking official in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen is the very core of power in the entire Imperial Capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the key question is: how to grovel before Li Chen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s merely rich; he doesn’t wield any influence like Liu Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from going through Chu Ruoyan, he couldn’t think of another way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d heard the Chu family was hosting a grand housewarming banquet in the capital’s first ring; as a junior, he wasn’t invited by the Chu family head—but he still planned to show up shamelessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he’d been a sycophant for so many years that the Chu family head knew his face; surely, if he showed up, they’d let him sit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he was preparing to get a gift—he couldn’t possibly go empty-handed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He figured Chu Ruoyan would likely attend; perhaps he could say something to her, ask her for guidance, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ideally, he’d find a chance to introduce his aunt to Li Chen, and then he, too, could rise to prominence like the Chu family head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, since returning yesterday, his aunt had been distracted and lost in thought, for no apparent reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since attending the Chu family banquet was fine alone but inappropriate with others, Wu Qi exchanged a few casual words with Wu Nanzhi and then left the estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since returning yesterday, Wu Nanzhi had been thinking: had that man heard what she said?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would they ever meet again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That man’s behavior was vile—he made her walk naked through the forest; it was a profound humiliation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she couldn’t stop thinking about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truth was, when a man has the means and is sufficiently cruel, a woman will never forget him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether she wanted to punish Li Chen or thank him, she could never forget this incident—she might never forget it for the rest of her life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since emerging from the secret realm yesterday until nightfall, the man never appeared, as if he’d vanished into thin air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This morning, she wondered if perhaps he’d been busy yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it was the second day—why hadn’t he come yet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he truly not heard her? Or was there another reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Nanzhi was lost in these thoughts because she had nothing else to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d picked nearly all the flowers in the courtyard apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, don’t let me catch you—if I do, I’ll make you regret it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She “guessed” Li Chen might be playing hard to get, but the tactic had worked—Wu Nanzhi’s once-still heart had been stirred. Every time she thought of Li Chen, she gritted her teeth in rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Li Chen she longed for was now attending morning court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, the ban on Grand General Guo Poyun was finally lifted, and he rushed to court early, eager as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Budebushuo ， Wujiangmenshizhenbuhuijianghua ， Yigegeshanglaizhuheguopoyun 。\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Poyun was puzzled: what was there to celebrate? Congratulating me on my “release from prison”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait until I’m granted command of the northern campaign before you congratulate me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On another note, Guo Poyun had planned to petition Li Chen today, but Li Chen had already said the northern campaign command would be decided at the Spring Hunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he brought it up now, wouldn’t that be defying His Majesty again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being punished with another house arrest was minor; Feng Huai’s fate was the real concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Guo Poyun simply attended court as usual, with no further thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was determined to win the Spring Hunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t believe anyone could outmatch him in this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had many allies in court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how many of these generals dared compete with him? How many dared not show him respect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m taking the command—let the rest fight over the other positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Li Chen arrived, Guo Poyun wouldn’t be polite to anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a legendary general of the Tian Ce Dynasty, he had rendered immense service to the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he led troops into battle, most of these generals were still nursing at the breast—how dare they compete with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely by glancing at them, he could make these generals shrink half a head lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Guo Poyun’s gaze fell upon Pang Jin, he paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Haven’t been to court for a few days, and there’s a new face here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant pays respects to General Guo,” Pang Jin replied with utmost humility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His rank was not low, but Guo Poyun’s was higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, he was indeed a newcomer to court—he needed to show proper decorum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he’d long heard tales of Guo Poyun’s legendary exploits; meeting him in person stirred a small thrill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Poyun patted his shoulder, encouraging him to work hard and ease His Majesty’s burdens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pang Jin pledged he would do his utmost to repay His Majesty’s patronage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Li Chen hadn’t arrived yet, Guo Poyun continued greeting court officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His actions appeared warm, but in truth, he was telling everyone here: though I’ve been absent a few days, I’m still the leader of the generals—speak to me with respect from now on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t provoke me, or you’ll regret it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He indeed had the seniority to intimidate these court ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because one of his duties was precisely this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader of the generals and the leader of the civil officials both needed to establish authority here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenyuan stood at the head of the civil officials, looking as frail as ever, eyes half-closed, resting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Poyun walked over and probed: “Any major developments lately? I heard progress in the Crown Prince case?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wenyuan opened his eyes slightly and replied: “You should ask the Minister of Justice. Why ask me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still spoke with perfect caution—outside his official duties, he had nothing to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he knew, he wouldn’t speak of it here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They chatted idly, one laying traps, the other avoiding them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the norm of court life for decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Li Chen’s arrival, the civil and military officials returned to their positions and bowed respectfully to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Chen, seeing Guo Poyun’s presence, offered a perfunctory greeting: “General Guo, it’s been many days. Are you in good health?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1379,"2026-06-20T21:59:17.413Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","26de026e054a926fc2a4dc0ce130df7452a78d6b67011d1c25cee394bc2f0f56","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-82","i-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--chapter-80",766,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-just-maxed-out-and-you-want-me-to-be-a-puppet--cover.jpg"]