If I catch you obeying in public and defying me in private, don't blame me for showing no mercy!

"What happened to you?" Li Chen asked casually, looking at the mud covering Guo Poyun's hands and boots.

"Your Majesty placed me under house arrest for three days, didn't you? With nothing to do, I was planting some vegetables at home. The moment I heard your summons, I rushed right over," Guo Poyun answered from his knees.

"Oh? Are you complaining to me?"

As if Li Chen couldn't tell. This old fox was seizing the opportunity to bring up his three days of house arrest.

As for whether he had actually been planting vegetables or was putting on an act, that was harder to say.

Hearing Li Chen's tone, Guo Poyun kowtowed again and said in fearful sincerity, "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare! What business did Your Majesty summon this humble subject for?"

Li Chen rubbed his chin. "Were you responsible for guarding the crown prince when the incident happened?"

That question frightened Guo Poyun into a cold sweat.

Which bastard wrote a memorial to His Majesty slandering me?

If they really pin that charge on me, I'll be meeting the late emperor straightaway!

"Your Majesty, I've been wronged! A week before the incident, the crown prince had already ordered my covert guards to withdraw. I dare not speak for anyone else, but if I had truly been guarding His Highness, I would certainly have protected him to my dying breath. I have spent decades on horseback and at war, serving the Li family-"

As he spoke, the old general began dredging up the accounts of bygone years, recounting all his toil and hardship.

He had "worked" for the Li family for so many years, shedding blood and sweat. How could he possibly betray them?

The crown prince himself had given that order, and as a subject, he could only obey. His loyalty was true to the core!

"All right, all right. I was only asking. You can go home now."

Tired of listening, Li Chen interrupted him.

Just as Guo Poyun was about to leave, Li Chen called him back.

"Wait."

"Is there anything else, Your Majesty?"

"Seven days of house arrest."

"..."

Good grief, His Majesty really holds a grudge.

All I did was say one extra thing, and now I've got four more days.

Fine, fine. Someone was probably fanning the flames surrounding the crown prince's death right now. He felt it would be best not to become the bird that stuck its head out.

After thanking the emperor for his boundless grace, Guo Poyun left the Imperial Study, trembling with apprehension.

Some dirt remained where he had just knelt, proof that he had indeed been there.

"These old foxes really are shrewd."

Li Chen muttered to himself and resumed reviewing memorials.

But the scene that had just unfolded left Chu Ruoyan stunned.

In her eyes, Guardian General Guo Poyun had been an unreachable figure, a god of war. Yet he was actually this afraid of the new emperor, Li Chen.

If she told her father about this, he probably wouldn't believe her.

After all, "rumors" in the Imperial Capital claimed that Li Chen was merely a puppet emperor. His supposed "strength," along with everything else, could not be verified.

How could an ordinary aristocratic family know so much?

Their information came from servants working under the family members of court officials.

It was all passed from mouth to mouth. Who knew what shape it would take by the end?

But now, whatever else Chu Ruoyan might hesitate to say, she was certain Li Chen was no puppet.

How could a puppet frighten a highly respected veteran like Guardian General Guo Poyun to such an extent?

The innate aura of a sovereign that Li Chen displayed, in particular, stirred waves in her heart.

Not long after Guardian General Guo Poyun left, another heavyweight arrived at the Imperial Study.

Prince Jing'an of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty, Li Longyu, was the late emperor's younger brother and Li Chen's uncle.

Li Longyu had not attended court for a long time and had no idea why Li Chen had summoned him.

If he hadn't heard that Li Chen was in the Saint Realm, he wouldn't have bothered coming.

He was showing respect for the Saint Realm.

Though Prince Jing'an, Li Longyu, was advanced in years, his face remained handsome. He wore sumptuous princely robes, with a jade pendant at his waist symbolizing his status.

When he first entered the Imperial Study, his expression still held a measure of ease and uninhibited confidence, as though he had no inkling of what was about to happen.

In a place like this, outside the Imperial Court, he did not have to kneel and bow. A polite greeting would suffice.

Li Chen said nothing about it and simply tossed a memorial in front of him.

Li Longyu picked it up, and the composure on his face slowly began to fade.

Just then, Li Chen spoke. "Prince Jing'an, this says you've recently been allowing your subordinates to seize fertile farmland by force. Don't tell me you knew nothing about it."

His tone was calm, but his voice carried unquestionable authority.

Prince Jing'an's heart jolted at those words, but he forced himself to remain composed, trying to defuse this sudden crisis with a casual tone. "Your Majesty, I truly haven't heard of this matter. Perhaps those beneath me acted on their own initiative. Once I return, I will certainly discipline them strictly."

Li Longyu genuinely had not done this himself. As an elderly prince occupying such an exalted position, why would he concern himself with such trifling matters?

Most likely, one of his descendants had taken a fancy to some fertile land and used their authority to seize it.

The late emperor had expressly forbidden such things, but people still did them in secret, and Li Longyu had never taken it seriously.

Perhaps, in his view, they were all members of the imperial family. Didn't everything under heaven belong to their family anyway?

We're family. Since you've told me not to do it, I'll give you face and tell my people to stop when I get back. Then we can all leave it at that.

However, Li Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and said in an exceptionally casual tone, "The way I see it, when your people seize the commoners' fertile farmland, the commoners have no land left to grow food. If they can't fill their bellies, they'll rebel. Surely you can see that much? Or are you doing it deliberately to teach me a lesson?"

Hearing this, Prince Jing'an, Li Longyu, felt as though he had plunged into an ice cellar.

With Li Chen having gone this far, Li Longyu realized that this "nephew" of his was already angry.

This matter could be small if treated as small, but grave if treated as grave.

Li Longyu's knees trembled, and he involuntarily sank to the floor. His voice carried fear and pleading. "Your Majesty, I truly knew nothing about this! I will severely punish my subordinates, return all the farmland they seized, and compensate the farmers who suffered. Please show mercy, Your Majesty!"

This time, he firmly insisted that he knew nothing, without the evasive ambiguity he had previously used to try to muddle through.

"I can't be bothered wasting words on you. There's a lot going on lately, so I'll spare you this once. Your punishment will simply be a year's salary, and you will fulfill your promises within three days. I'll find time to inspect things personally. If I catch you obeying in public and defying me in private, don't blame me for disregarding our family ties. Now get out."

"I'll see to it immediately! Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting me leave to get out. I'll get out right away!"

With that, Li Longyu fled as though on wings.

He seemed terrified that Li Chen might catch him with even more incriminating evidence.

Once he returned, he would have to investigate thoroughly. His Majesty might be looking to "rack up achievements" lately, so he needed to make his descendants rein themselves in and simply do their proper jobs.

Had any other prince become emperor, Li Longyu truly would not have needed to be so afraid. He would not even have had to show deference and could have used his position as their uncle to pressure them.

But first, he barely knew this one. Second, Li Chen was in the Saint Realm.

This wasn't even a question of whether to show deference. If Li Chen wanted to kill him, wouldn't it take no more than a flick of his hand?

"Each one puts on a better act than the last."

Muttering once more, Li Chen continued reviewing memorials.

Beside him, however, Chu Ruoyan was already shocked beyond words. She had never imagined that Li Chen would dare punish even his own uncle, showing no consideration whatsoever and leaving no room for negotiation.

It seemed this new emperor truly was not the sorry figure the rumors made him out to be. His excellence even surpassed that of ordinary people.

Perhaps having an emperor like this was a blessing for every citizen of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty.

That was her most immediate impression as a citizen of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty.

Chu Ruoyan grew increasingly eager to discover just how exceptional His Majesty truly was!