Within moments of entering the Great Luo Dynasty's Sacred Palace, Li Chen keenly sensed just how stifled Matvei was as emperor.
Without his "master" at his side, he probably would have struggled even to give orders to a palace maid or guard.
Making himself so utterly insignificant as emperor was a kind of "talent" in its own right.
The root of it was simply that Matvei was too timid and lacked a powerful backer. Having spent his childhood meekly enduring his brothers' infighting, he had long since grown accustomed to being ignored and bullied.
Li Chen took it all in and made his own plans.
Under the pretext of teaching him cultivation, he summoned Matvei to a secluded spot and began to "enlighten" him.
"Matvei," Li Chen said, his voice calm yet carrying an unquestionable force, "now that you have ascended the throne, you must understand what it means to be an emperor. Today, your master will teach you your first lesson."
When it came to being an emperor, Li Chen was an absolute authority. He himself was the Heavenly Strategy Emperor, whose power dominated the Northern Region.
Now, in his guise as the Witch Ancestor, he was playing the role of "imperial tutor." Teaching the New Emperor how to govern was only natural-it could not have been more reasonable.
Rather than discussing profound cultivation methods, he explained the art of imperial power in simple, accessible terms.
"The way of an emperor begins with balance." Li Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his voice steady. "Within the Imperial Court, factions crowd together like trees in a jungle. An emperor must never let any one faction grow supreme, nor allow any one faction to lose all its power.
"You must be like a master chess player, sometimes supporting the