Chapter 1: The Empress Arrives

assing through Shenwu Gate, one arrives at the outskirts of the city where a sprawling imperial academy, vast beyond imagination, lies just ahead.Looking at the increasingly imposing academy, Li Chen...Chapter 1: The Empress Arrives

The Imperial Palace of the Qin Dynasty, the prince's residence in the East Palace.

"My Lord, I have a mole on my chest. Would you like to see it"

Li Chen suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for air like a fish out of water.

He stared in disbelief at the elaborately decorated room around him, with its intricately carved dragons and phoenixes, antique furniture, and the breathtakingly beautiful woman sitting by his bed.

"Your Highness, what is wrong"

The woman beside him, far more beautiful than any so-called female star he had seen in his past life, called out, pulling Li Chen's thoughts back to reality. Immediately afterward, a tidal wave of memories flooded into Li Chen's mind, causing him to cry out in pain.

Panting heavily, Li Chen understood.

In this lifetime, I am no longer the office worker who considered 996 a blessing. I am the Crown Prince of the Qin Empire, the heir apparent, and the sole legitimate heir to the vast territory of the Qin Empire!

In this life, I am no longer that timid and powerless nobody. Power, beauty, and the greatest authority in the world are all mine to command!

"I...this palace wishes to see, of course it wishes to see."

Li Chen, regaining his composure, looked at Zhao Rui under the dim candlelight. She was so beautiful and alluring that Li Chen felt a surge of heat in his chest.

Such a woman, in her past life, wouldn't even be eligible to be on the screen-licking queue.

But now, she is so gentle and lovely, appearing to be a ripe plum waiting to be picked. It's truly heart-stirring.

It's laughable to think of my former self. Zhao Rui married into the Eastern Palace half a year ago, yet in that half year, I was so weak that I treated her like a goddess, afraid to even touch her.

But this way is just right, Zhao Rui's purity and innocence are now all hers to enjoy.

Just crossing over and having such perks is basically like getting an ultimate beginner's gift package.

However, having absorbed the memories of his past life, Li Chen knew this favor from a beauty was not so easily obtained.

"With such beauty, if you were to devote your heart and soul to this palace..."

Li Chen's words caused a flicker of unease on Zhao Rui's face, her seductive smile faltering. Her eyes darted around nervously as she said, "My lord, I am devoted to you with all my heart, I assure you. Your words are confusing to me."

"Confused"

“Then let me make this clear. Zhao Xuanji is the prime minister, and even more so, the father-in-law of the emperor. The Empress is his daughter, and you, you are Zhao Xuanji's distant niece. You, along with Zhao Xuanji and the Empress, have a plot. You are to seduce me, causing me to neglect my duties in both literature and martial arts. Then, Zhao Xuanji would cooperate with the Empress to carry out their next plan – to have the emperor depose me as crown prince, so that Zhao Xuanji can install his own puppet as the new crown prince. Is this not true”

As soon as these words were uttered, Zhao Rui, who had been charming and alluring just a second ago, froze in place.

She stared at Li Chen in disbelief, her heart pounding like thunder.

The crown prince, the crown prince knows everything!

"Aiya, Your Highness, what are you saying This servant... this servant doesn't understand..."

"Don't worry if you don't understand."

Li Chen let out a sly smile and pulled Zhao Rui onto him, forcing her to lie beneath him. He wrapped his arm around her delicate waist, gazing at her breathtaking beauty that was right before his eyes. "You wanted me to be the depraved and licentious prince, didn't you I'll show you what I can do."

Noticing Li Chen's wolfish, greedy gaze, Zhao Rui instinctively felt a pang of fear.

"Your Highness, concubine... concubine is afraid..."

Zhao Rui instinctively struggled and resisted, but at this moment, Li Chen's big hand had rudely climbed onto her waist.

"What are you afraid of You poisoned me, causing my body and spirit to gradually weaken, but you're not afraid. Now that I want you to serve me, you're afraid"

Li Chen rolled over, pinning Zhao Rui beneath him.

Zhao Rui let out a cry of alarm, blushing and flustered as she said: "Your Highness, no, it can't be... this servant hasn't prepared..."

Li Chen buried his entire face between Zhao Rui's neck, sniffing the fragrance lingering at his nose tip. Li Chen suppressed the restlessness and impulse in his heart and said: "You have been married to the Eastern Palace for more than half a year, are you not ready yet Rest assured, this palace will treat you well."

As they spoke, Li Chen had already opened his mouth and gently bit Zhao Rui's earlobe.

Zhao Rui tried to resist, her two small, white hands pushing against Li Chen repeatedly. But as a grown man, and one consumed by passion, there was no way she could push him back.

“The more you resist, the more excited I become. Since you've decided to follow Zhao Xuanji's orders and seduce me, this was bound to happen sooner or later. If you're going to seduce me, do it thoroughly! If you're not willing to give yourself up completely, how can you truly make me obsessed with you”

Gasping for breath, Li Chen tore open Zhao Rui's delicate palace attire despite her resistance.

With a tear, the exquisite Su embroidery court gown was ripped open, revealing the milky white garment beneath. Under the dim light, the woman's delicate and frightened form was breathtakingly beautiful.

Li Chen's eyes were bloodshot, he felt an intense restlessness within him. Such a beauty, who could resist the temptation

"No, no..."

Zhao Rui was flustered.

She deliberately tempted Li Chen, causing him to waste his time, but she never intended to truly give herself to him. What's more, despite her wicked intentions, Zhao Rui was still just a woman in her early twenties who had never experienced the world. Caught off guard, she was stripped of her clothes by Li Chen and instinctively wanted to resist and flee.

After the warmth subsided, the dim candlelight cast an ambiguous aura throughout this exquisitely beautiful palace.

The two maidservants guarding the palace gate's expression changed drastically.

Hurry, go to the palace and tell the Empress. There has been a change in the East Palace, quickly ask her to come!

A palace maid, hearing her companion's words, couldn't care less and immediately lifted her skirt and rushed into the darkness.

More than half an hour later, Li Chen got up and dressed contentedly after glancing at the scarlet bloodstains on the sheets.

Verified, original, pristine!

On the bed, Zhao Rui's smooth shoulders were exposed, and she was now crying softly, clutching the blanket.

"Why are you crying Is there anything left to cry about now"

Li Chen's words infuriated Zhao Rui to the extreme. She looked at Li Chen with a hint of coldness in her eyes.

"This palace likes your eyes."

Stroking Zhao Ruo's smooth face, Li Chen slid his fingers into her hair along her ear, his thumb gently rubbing against her lips. He chuckled softly, "Continue like this, the more you hate me, the happier I am."

After finishing his words, Li Chen strode out of the bedroom, ignoring Zhao Rui's intense hatred.

Before even leaving the house, Li Chen heard the sound of horses' hooves and carriages approaching in a hurry.

A squad of imposing Imperial Guards stood before the sleeping quarters, their eyes burning with murderous intent as they fixed on Li Chen. Among them, a leader's gaze was particularly filled with hatred, almost as if he wished to devour Li Chen alive.

Then, on both sides, they parted to make way, revealing in the center a magnificent and resplendent phoenix palanquin. It was exquisitely crafted and exuded an aura of imperial grandeur, embodying the majesty of a mother ruling over her land.

A sharp eunuch's cry of "long live" echoed throughout the East Palace.

"Here comes the Empress!"

"Long live the Empress, long live, long live!"

Throughout the entire courtyard, a throng of people knelt down.

A woman wearing a phoenix robe, exuding the supreme majesty and beauty of an empress who rules over her people, stepped down from the palanquin. She walked over the kneeling eunuchs' bodies.

"My son asks the Empress Dowager for her well-being."

Li Chen, upon seeing Empress Zhao Qinglan who possessed a peerless temperament and a beauty that was breathtakingly stunning, raised his hand in salute.

"Do you still know that this palace is your biological mother"

Zhao Qinglan glared at Li Chen with her phoenix eyes, let out a cold snort, and swept into the hall.

Following closely behind her was the Imperial Guard who had previously glared at Li Chen with murderous intent.

"Halt."

Li Chen spoke lightly, staring at the guard, and said coldly, "The East Palace is my residence, equivalent to the Forbidden City. You, a mere guard, dare to enter the palace Are you tired of living"

Chen Zhi, when he heard this, flushed crimson with shame and indignation. "This official is the commander of the Imperial Guard, responsible for protecting Her Majesty the Empress's safety..."

"Grand Marshal of the Imperial Guard He's just a fancy guard dog, that's all. But still, a guard dog."

Chen Zhi was furious upon hearing this, his eyes narrowed menacingly at Li Chen, his hand already resting on the hilt of the dagger at his waist.

Li Chen's eyes were cold and terrifying. He said coldly, "This world belongs to my Li family, to my father emperor. I am the prince, the heir apparent of the empire. You are nothing but a watchdog raised by my royal family. Dare you bare your fangs at your master"

With a cold snort, Li Chen said, "Dare you draw your sword This palace guarantees that the moment you draw even an inch, it will be considered an attempt to assassinate the crown prince, a crime punishable by treason. Go ahead and draw it for this palace to see"who climbed up from the grassroots, naturally wouldn't understand the kind of troubles you young masters of prominent families have.""However, I also know that if you want to change the labels people...