Having many children brings many blessings; the struggle for power begins with marriage.

When Lu Chen was still in the Northern Kingdom, he gave each of his women a wooden puppet in their own likeness.

The craftsmen of the Northern Prince's Mansion were very skilled, and the wooden puppets they carved looked very much like themselves. At that time, Chu Yuqin had reminded Lu Chen that if he gave the puppets as gifts, some people might use them to curse him.

Lu Chen hadn't seen anyone use a puppet in his likeness to curse him, but he had seen someone using the puppet to do bad things.

When she saw the palace door suddenly open, Xue Linglong was so frightened that she almost jumped out of her skin. She quickly stuffed the wooden puppet in her hand into the quilt.

Since Lu Chen entered the capital, he has been too busy to come and see Xue Linglong. The main reason is that Linglong Palace is far from the Imperial Study, and he usually sleeps in his own palace.

He would occasionally visit Chen Wanrong, but most of the time he would simply hold Bai Qingqing and fall asleep. Bai Qingqing was not only his maid who served him, but also his personal pillow.

This was Lu Chen's first time visiting Linglong Palace, and on his first visit to Xue Linglong's place, he witnessed this vixen using her puppets to do evil.

Lu Chen thought to himself, "If I had known, I shouldn't have let the craftsman make my puppet so exquisite and smooth."

Lu Chen glared at Xue Linglong and angrily rebuked her, "Witch, how dare you! You actually used my puppet to do such a thing! Are you trying to suffocate me with witchcraft?!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong panicked and immediately knelt on the bed, saying, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong. I will never dare to do it again."

Xue Linglong knelt on the bed with her graceful and exquisite figure, making her look even more alluring.

Although Xue Linglong's fearful expression was indeed somewhat exaggerated and had an element of acting, she was genuinely afraid inside.

After all, it's not uncommon in ancient times that people would have their families wiped out or their clans exterminated for using Lu Chen's puppets.

Those who used witchcraft to cast spells were using scarecrows, but they themselves used Lu Chen puppets, and such exquisite puppets that were highly similar to Lu Chen.

No one knows if Lu Chen will have any reservations about this kind of thing. If you really anger Lu Chen, you might be tortured to death.

Thinking of this, Xue Linglong's delicate body trembled slightly.

Xue Linglong felt a little emotional.

That damned guy, ever since he came to the capital, he's been so busy every day, he hasn't even looked for her once.

So why did you suddenly show up today?

Isn't he very busy?

What are you doing at Linglong Palace?!

And it just so happens that she came to Linglong Palace today, and it was the first time she had used a puppet to do something naughty, and this guy caught her doing it.

At this moment, Lu Chen snorted coldly, "You know you're wrong?"

"A vixen like you, do you really think you'd realize you're wrong?"

"Just wait and see how I deal with you tonight!"

At this point, Lu Chen teleported to the bedside and before Xue Linglong could say anything more, he pressed her down.

Soon, the candlelight flickered inside the Linglong Palace, and Xue Linglong's voice could be heard continuously.

"His Majesty……"

"Mmm..."

"Master, I will never dare to do it again..."

"Waaaaah..."

……

At this moment, Bai Qingqing silently closed the door of Linglong Palace, and then walked to a secluded spot next to Linglong Palace to meditate and rest.

As dawn broke, Xue Linglong finally ran out of energy and completely gave up, letting Lu Chen punish her however he pleased.

Seeing the first rays of sunlight streaming in through the window, Lu Chen realized that it was already daylight.

Although he hadn't slept all night, Lu Chen felt refreshed. Since entering the capital, he had been busy dealing with various matters every day and had hardly ever released his suppressed emotions like this.

He's now a pseudo-celestial being; staying up all night won't cause him any major health problems.

Lu Chen glanced at the demoness beside him and then said, "I will spare you this time, but if I see you using my dolls for filthy purposes again, I will punish you even more severely."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Xue Linglong not only did not beg for mercy, but instead weakly retorted, "This servant is merely His Majesty's plaything. At worst, His Majesty will play me to death."

Lu Chen chuckled and then said, "Looks like you're not convinced?"

Xue Linglong's delicate body trembled slightly, and she quickly said, "I'm convinced, I'm convinced. It's my honor to be played with by Your Majesty."

Lu Chen said, "I received some intelligence these past few days. My elder brother is sending people everywhere to search for you in order to establish a connection with the Taiyin Divine Sect."

Hearing this, Xue Linglong was stunned for a moment, then she turned to look at Lu Chen beside her and said, "No wonder you thought of my place last night."

"How about it? Isn't other people's women nice?"

Having followed Lu Chen for some time now, Xue Linglong knows him quite well; this guy loves playing the role-playing game.

Yesterday, Lu Chen came to my place, probably because he thought Lu Yi was looking for him everywhere. Then his unique fetish was activated, and he came to teach her a lesson.

As a result, he happened to catch himself doing something bad with his puppet, which gave him an excuse to abuse him.

Hearing Xue Linglong's words, Lu Chen reached out, lifted Xue Linglong's chin, and gazed at her alluring face. "Indeed, not bad."

Xue Linglong then said, "It's already dawn, and Your Majesty still has a lot of official business to attend to, so I won't keep you any longer."

Lu Chen stared into Xue Linglong's eyes and said, "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

Xue Linglong's eyes were alluring and sparkling. "How could I dare to send Your Majesty away? I was just worried that it would delay Your Majesty's handling of state affairs. If it does, what if someone impeaches me for bringing disaster to the country and the people?"

Lu Chen released Xue Linglong and said with a smile, "You're a vixen, shouldn't you be bringing disaster to the country and its people?"

Xue Linglong said, "I do wish to bring disaster to the country and its people, but with so many beautiful women in His Majesty's harem, it's not my turn to bring disaster to the country and its people."

At this point, Xue Linglong asked, "When does His Majesty plan to bring the Princess and the others to the capital?"

Upon hearing this question, Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, "I do not plan to bring them here for the time being. The capital is too backward. If they move to the capital, they will find it difficult to get used to life here."

The Northern Kingdom's Northern Prince's Mansion now has electricity, and with the addition of trains and all sorts of new things, Mu Zixuan and her companions have long since become accustomed to life in the Northern Kingdom.

If they were to come to the capital now, to a place where even defecating requires a chamber pot and bathing requires a bathtub, they would probably find it very difficult to get used to.

Moreover, Lu Chen himself couldn't stand staying there, and he had already started to consider moving the capital.

At this moment, Lu Chen released Xue Linglong's soft body and slowly sat up from the bed. "You should rest well. I'll come again tonight."

Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong's delicate body trembled again. She quickly said, "Your Majesty, you should bestow your favors equally. I heard that Palace Master Chen will be returning to Xuan Yue Palace soon. You should visit her more often during this time."

Lu Chen snorted coldly, then said to Xue Linglong, "Last night you used a puppet to cast a spell on me, attempting to suffocate me. How could I let you off so easily!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong's cheeks flushed red. She immediately said, "Your Majesty, how could I possibly know any witchcraft? Besides, that puppet was a gift from Your Majesty. Since Your Majesty gave it to me, there's nothing wrong with me using it, is there?"

Lu Chen said, "Witch, stop talking nonsense to me. For the next seven days, you'll be waiting for me in bed every night after you've washed yourself clean!"

This……

Xue Linglong suddenly felt a dull pain in her stomach.

That scoundrel has become even more ruthless since he became emperor.

Oh no, oh no, is this guy really going to play me to death, this female slave?

If you're going to move the capital, just do it quickly. The sooner she gets back to Yancheng, the better, so she can catch her breath.

Once they return to Yancheng, this guy's attention will no longer be on her.

Xue Linglong feigned a pitiful expression and said, "This servant understands."

Lu Chen chuckled and said, "It's no use pretending to be pitiful. Unless you get pregnant with my child, I will definitely have to favor you frequently."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Xue Linglong instantly understood his intentions. This scoundrel of a man just wanted to get her pregnant.

Lu Chen didn't say anything more and got up. Xue Linglong also got up quickly, enduring her discomfort, and helped Lu Chen get dressed.

After getting dressed, Lu Chen left Linglong Palace. Watching his departing figure, Xue Linglong quickly circulated her inner energy and chuckled softly, muttering to herself, "Trying to trick me? Dream on!"

As she spoke, Xue Linglong used her internal energy to expel the impurities from her body.

Although Xue Linglong was willing to be a slave, she only enjoyed being tortured by Lu Chen; she had no intention of bearing children for this stud.

For the next few days, Lu Chen really did come to Linglong Palace every day. Xue Linglong was in a daze every day, feeling like her body wasn't her own anymore.

Later, Xue Linglong became smarter and went to Chen Wanrong's palace at night.

With Chen Wanrong's help, Xue Linglong finally escaped a calamity.

A month later.

Most matters in the capital have been resolved.

The Xia Emperor was also buried. Although the Xia Emperor's body was gone, an empty coffin was still necessary.

After seeing off Emperor Xia, Lu Chen officially ascended the throne, and the Great Xia Dynasty ushered in the first court session of the new emperor.

Xuanzheng Hall.

The Xuanzheng Hall was completely silent today, as the officials of the Great Xia Dynasty quietly awaited Lu Chen's arrival.

Although Lu Chen has been very magnanimous over the past month and has not settled scores with them, that is only because Emperor Xia has not yet been buried.

Now that Emperor Xia has been buried ahead of schedule and Lu Chen has officially ascended the throne, it remains to be seen whether he will purge some officials in the court.

Just then, a woman's voice rang out in the hall, "His Majesty has arrived!"

Upon hearing a woman's voice, the officials in the hall were taken aback. Women had never appeared in the court before. On his first day of court affairs, Lu Chen brought a woman into the Xuanzheng Hall. This was probably a bit inappropriate.

Soon, Lu Chen, dressed in a golden dragon robe, slowly walked towards the dragon platform in the main hall.

Situ Ce immediately led all the civil and military officials to kneel down, shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Lu Chen said calmly, "Rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Bai Qingqing then said, "If you have something to report, please do so; otherwise, the court is adjourned!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a minister from the Ministry of Rites finally couldn't help but step forward and say, "Your Majesty, since ancient times, there has never been a woman in the imperial court..."

Before the Minister of Rites could finish speaking, Lu Chen interrupted, saying, "I have decided that from this day forward, the eunuch system will be abolished."

Upon hearing this, the Minister of Rites hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you mustn't! If the eunuch system is abolished, what if a thief harms the inner palace?"

Lu Chen said, "When the founding emperor established the Great Xia Dynasty, there were no eunuchs. Why didn't anyone cause trouble in the harem then?"

"Throughout history, those who have brought chaos to the harem have mostly been the palace guards. Do you intend to turn all those guards into eunuchs as well?"

This……

The ministers were taken aback when they heard Lu Chen's words.

However, some ministers soon realized that without eunuchs and their faction, the new emperor would naturally lack a powerful force, which would be a great thing for the civil officials!

At this moment, the Minister of Revenue quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty's decision is in accordance with His Majesty's will. The artificial creation of eunuchs is against the natural order."

After the Minister of Revenue finished speaking, Lin Gaoyuan also spoke up, saying, "I also agree with Your Majesty's decision. Women can do the same things that eunuchs can do, so there is indeed no need to create more eunuchs."

This is a martial arts world, where many women have practiced martial arts and possess exceptionally strong physical abilities. Even the eunuchs in the imperial palace might not be as powerful as those women who have practiced martial arts.

Moreover, controlling a woman's menstrual cycle is not difficult in this world, so the palace only needs women and male guards, and there is indeed no need for eunuchs.

Lu Chen then said, "Alright, that's settled then. It's a small matter, so let's not waste too much time on it."

This……

When the officials heard Lu Chen say that this was just a small matter, they immediately became agitated. Abolishing the eunuch system that had existed since ancient times was just a small matter in Lu Chen's eyes. What would be a big matter for him?

Lu Chen continued, "I intend to move the capital to Yancheng. What are your thoughts, my esteemed ministers?"

These words were like a bomb, causing an uproar among the court officials.

The new emperor actually plans to move the capital!

How can this be allowed? Since the time of Emperor Taizu, their capital has been here. How can we move the capital?

The officials and civil servants began whispering amongst themselves, and the entire hall resembled a bustling marketplace.

At this moment, Lin Gaoyuan stepped forward again, "Your Majesty's decision is approved by me."

Upon hearing Lin Gaoyuan's words, everyone was stunned.

What? Lin Gaoyuan actually agrees to the new emperor moving the capital?

The Lin family has been in the capital for countless generations. Doesn't he ever consider the situation of his own family?

What's going on with Lin Gaoyuan?

Could it be that Lin Gaoyuan was afraid Lu Chen would purge him, a former official of the late emperor, which is why he was so eager to respond to the new emperor's call to move the capital?

At this moment, the Minister of Rites stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, since the time of Emperor Taizu, the capital has always been the city. To move the capital would be a great act of filial impiety!"

For the royal family, the capital city was their ancestral homeland. Yet, as soon as Lu Chen ascended the throne, he wanted to abandon the ancestral land, which was a great disrespect to his ancestors.

As soon as the Minister of Rites finished speaking, many die-hard conservatives stood up and opposed moving the capital.

Lu Chen had long anticipated that so many people would object. After the argument in the main hall had subsided, Lu Chen spoke up and said, "What I mean by moving the capital is not to completely relocate everything from the capital to Yancheng."

"I only intend to establish another capital city and another court in Yancheng. If anyone is willing to go to Yancheng with me, then come with me. If anyone is not willing to go to Yancheng, then stay in the capital."

Upon hearing this, the Minister of Revenue said, "Your Majesty, this might lead to an overabundance of officials."

With two sets of personnel, and two official positions, wouldn't the officials' salaries be doubled?

Lu Chen said, "For me, the current number of officials is far from being redundant. In the future, I will need more ministers to manage my country."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, all the officials immediately realized Lu Chen's ambition. If Lu Chen really intended to unify the world and destroy several dynasties, then the current number of officials would indeed be insufficient to meet Lu Chen's needs for governing the world.

Seeing that the officials in the court had fallen silent, Lu Chen said, "I will give you a month to consider. I will send a Grand Secretary to the capital. Those who are willing to go north with me will go north with me. Those who are not willing to go north with me will stay in the capital to assist the Grand Secretary in handling government affairs."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, the officials exchanged glances, as this was something that had never happened before between two different courts.

Two courts represent a division. What if the officials who remain in the capital have ideas and unite with a prince to cause a split?

The new emperor is incredibly audacious! (End of Chapter)