Regional warlords held control over tax and military power, so they didn't need to pay any attention to the weak imperial court.These two powers are the instruments for the central government to cont...Chapter 103 What if This Palace Is Determined

Upon hearing these words, the entire hall was filled with astonishment.

No one expected the prince to be so direct.

Especially that sentence, with its overall coldness and murderous intent, made it very easy to feel that this was absolutely not a joke or a threat, but a genuine desire to kill.

Li Chen's firmness caught Zhao Qinglan off guard.

She had anticipated Li Chen's explanation, even his countless denials. But she hadn't expected him to not only readily admit it but also utter words even more terrifying.

Zhao Qinglan stood up from the phoenix carriage and shouted angrily, "Prince! What did you say!"

"You want to behead the Ninth Prince!"

"How dare you go against me so boldly! Don't you fear that I shall confine you until your father awakens, and then inform him of your actions and take back your regency"

Li Chen sneered and said, “If these things could be done, you would have done them already. You know this yourselves. It's not that you don't want to, but that you can't. So why bother threatening me with this”

"Pointing at the pale Prince Nine, Li Chen continued, "Prince Nine was disrespectful to me in the Hall of Imperial Studies. As older brother is like a father, since our father cannot personally teach his younger brother, I, as the elder brother, naturally must take his place and punish him."

“He had lived in the deep palace for so long, he was unaware of the people’s hardships. This was his first time going out to relieve the disaster, and those ministers deceived him, leading him astray. He immediately demanded 600,000 taels of silver for disaster relief. How much of that money was fabricated or exaggerated by those officials for personal gain, he didn’t know, but I do.”

“Because I reduced his budget, he became resentful. As my younger brother, not only was he disrespectful, but he also accused me of plotting against him on purpose. He didn’t even consider that if it weren’t for the disaster victims, I would never have asked him to oversee the relief effort.”

"With such disrespect and lack of propriety, how can I, as your elder brother, possibly be kind to you"

"Brotherly love and respect, Your Majesty the Empress, please don't forget to show respect to your younger brother, so that I can be your true friend!"

His words thundered.

Although Zhao Qinglan stood atop the phoenix chariot, looking down on everyone, Li Chen's aura was like a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss. Every word he spoke was rooted in reason, and no one could refute him.

Zhao Qinglan's pretty face turned as white as a sheet with anger.

Looking at Li Chen, whose sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes were imposing, his expression as solemn as the celestial laws, she knew that this time, there was no way to stop him.

"Chen Tong!"

Li Chen let out a loud shout.

"I am here!"

Chen Tong knelt down.

"Carry out the execution of those three planks, for this palace!"

Chen Tong received the order and dared not look at the Empress's cold eyes. He turned around, took the wooden staff from the Jinyiwei's hand, and had someone press down on the Ninth Prince. He raised the wooden staff high and struck the Ninth Prince's buttocks hard with it.

The previous seven boards' wounds were still there, and when the Ninth Prince ate another board, he cried out in pain.

"Ouch!!! It hurts!!!"

The Ninth Prince's tears and snot flowed together, his hands scrambling on the ground as he cried out to the Empress: "Mother Empress, save your son! Mother Empress!"

Zhao Qinglan's fist clenched tightly inside her sleeve, so angry she could only stomp her foot.

Halfway through, Li Chen didn't give this Empress any face at all.

The other half, is the incompetent son of Qi.

Had he not uttered slanderous words that gave Li Chen a handle, had he not been so unbearable and cried out for mercy in such a pathetic manner, she would not have been reduced to this state of utter shamelessness.

The ninth board fell with a thud.

With a snap.

The nine prince's robes were stained with blood.

***Scarlet blood, shocking to behold.***

The Ninth Prince screamed even more terribly.

“Stop!”

Zhao Qinglan stared intently at Li Chen, her teeth almost biting through. She said coldly: "If this palace insists on taking the Ninth Prince away"before.He had no real affection for the great emperor, but he had to admit that the great emperor was truly pushing him onto the dragon throne.Everything was arranged perfectly by the emperor, not eve...