“You dare strike someone in court, Duke Commander!!”
Everyone present was stunned. Cao Wenxiu flipped several times mid-air and was sent flying backward, blood spewing from his mouth and nose, splattering the floor.
Lin Ming rotated his wrist and said, “This Great Duan Code is pretty good, feels nice in the hand. I’ll have someone bring a few more copies to my residence later.”
What surprised him even more was how his strength had increased so dramatically. When did he become this powerful? Could it be because of that single point increase in combat power just now?
Just 1 point, and it sent a grown man flying, flipping several times mid-air?
As expected of a reward from the golden daddy system—anything it gives is guaranteed to be premium!
“Duke Commander! You’re out of control! This is the imperial court, not your private home! To brazenly assault a court official—do you even still respect Her Majesty?” Li Qiushui’s entire body trembled with rage as she shouted, “Imperial guards, seize him!”
Clang clang!
Over a dozen imperial guards suddenly rushed in from outside, brimming with killing intent!
Leading them was none other than Hu Lin. He let out a cold snort and said, “Duke Commander, do you submit to the law?”
“Submit your father.” Lin Ming shrugged, “I merely slapped a loudmouthed old man for Her Majesty’s sake, and now I’m being accused of insubordination?”
“Absurd! You’ve committed a heinous crime and still dare speak nonsense. Do you not understand your situation?” Li Qiushui was burning with fury. Even the Empress’s expression was already clouded by anger.
[Alert! Empress anger value +99, intelligence +1…]
[Alert! Empress anger value +99, intelligence +1…]
[Alert! Empress anger value +99, intelligence +1…]
[Congratulations! Achievement unlocked: ‘Rising Star’—reward: Token of the Unorthodox Organization. Title granted: Third Generation Unorthodox Commander. You may now command 100,000 death warriors and the Thirty-Six Heavenly Fiends (minimum level: Second-rate Grandmasters)!]
As Lin Ming listened to the system notifications, he realized something incredible—the Empress’s rage from this incident was even greater than when he smacked her bottom last time!
What surprised him even more was the reward—100,000 death warriors? And thirty-six elite experts, all above second-rate Grandmaster level?
The Empress’s forces only extended to the Eastern Capital Chang’an and the Western Capital Luoyang. Even if the two capitals’ imperial guards were combined, they only numbered around 100,000.
Now he alone commanded 100,000 death warriors.
This meant that even without the title of Duke Commander, he now had the capital to challenge the Empress directly!
Of course, the Unorthodox Organization was still a jianghu faction. Against a professional army like the imperial guards, they likely wouldn’t win in a direct clash. But having such a force in these chaotic times gave him solid footing! Find the original chapter at g.com.
Not bad, not bad. A huge gain! Totally worth it!
However, this also meant that the woman in front of him was about to lose it.
“Duke Commander! Give Us an explanation!” Empress Ye Qinghuan forced down her burning rage, speaking word by word through gritted teeth. Her jaws were clenched so tight they might crack.
Since ascending the throne, her top priority in restoring imperial power had been establishing the majesty of the sovereign. Yet in just two days, she had been thoroughly humiliated by this silk-pants brat.
And today was even worse. He had assaulted her official right in front of her. It wasn’t just Cao Wenxiu who got hit—he had struck at Ye Qinghuan’s dignity!
Lin Ming cleared his throat and said, “I am the Grand Commandant, Duke Commander, Prince of Wei—a top-ranked court official. He is just a lowly sixth-rank official from the Ministry of Rites, and he dared to insult me publicly. Should I not respond? He even insulted my father. Her Majesty, my father has served the Great Duan Empire for five reigns, a pillar of the court. If he’s publicly slandered, is it not my duty as a son to respond?”
“Slandering a founding elder is disloyal to the ancestors. Insulting my father is unfilial. As such a disloyal and unfilial man, punishing him on Your Majesty’s behalf is the loyal thing to do!”
He’d made all that up on the spot, and it was thanks to the intelligence boost from the system that it came so easily. His mind had suddenly become razor-sharp.
With his silver tongue, what was previously a flagrant offense now sounded like an act of justice!
Of course, to the officials listening, it still sounded like utter nonsense. Who would believe such a shameless explanation?
The young officials who had previously supported Cao Wenxiu were fuming with righteous indignation.
“Utter nonsense! You’re just twisting logic to suit your crime!”
“Don’t think just because you can throw your weight around in court that you can cover the skies with one hand. In the Great Duan Empire, there is only one true authority—and that’s Her Majesty!”
Li Qiushui also glared at him and said, “If he spoke rudely, Her Majesty would’ve judged him. When has it ever been your place to act in Her Majesty’s stead?”
“I’m speaking to Her Majesty. What business is it of a mere fourth-rank eunuch like you?” Lin Ming retorted sarcastically.
“You—!” Li Qiushui was momentarily speechless, her face flushed purple with rage. As the Empress’s close confidant, the ministers usually fawned over her. No one had ever dared speak to her like this.
This was the first time she’d met such an utterly shameless, despicable official!
Ye Qinghuan frowned and stared at Lin Ming. “Duke Commander, this explanation does not satisfy Us.”
Lin Ming smirked and said, “But today, Your Majesty will have to accept it, whether you believe it or not!”
His message was clear: offering you an excuse is already me giving you face. If you don’t take it, that’s your problem.
Ye Qinghuan’s expression instantly darkened. She clutched the dragon armrest tightly, her eyes flashing with a cold, glacial light. “Duke Commander, is this a threat?”
Hu Lin and the others had already drawn their swords. Outside the hall, a fresh group of imperial guards rushed in, their eyes bloodshot with fury, eager to skin Lin Ming alive on the spot!
Seeing this, Lin Ming’s heart skipped a beat. Not good—Empress Ye Qinghuan might truly have the intent to kill him this time!
This was the Taiji Hall, surrounded inside and out by imperial guards. Even if Lin family’s forces wanted to come to his rescue, they were too far away to help in time!
But Lin Ming knew—if he backed down now, his weakness would be exposed. Ye Qinghuan would definitely tear him apart afterward!
Left with no choice, he raised his voice and continued his dramatic performance, “Your Majesty, since ancient times, when the sovereign orders a subject to die, he must obey. But if the sovereign recklessly kills loyal subjects, I fear the empire itself will be shaken!”
Hearing this, the murderous intent in Ye Qinghuan’s eyes faded slightly. But her anger hadn’t passed. She coldly said, “We will not take Duke Commander’s life, but We want Duke Commander to kneel before all the ministers and perform three kneels and nine kowtows to show proper respect between ruler and subject!”
The Lin family had deep roots—it wasn’t something that could be taken down in a day. Ye Qinghuan wasn’t foolish enough to start a direct war with the Lin family right now.
But suppressing the Lin family’s arrogance was absolutely necessary for her.
Lin Ba had never knelt to the former Emperor or to Ye Qinghuan in the last twenty years despite being a regent minister. So today, she wanted Lin Ming to kneel once!
As long as the officials saw the Lin family submit, she could start winning their support and dismantle the power of these treacherous ministers one by one!
“Impossible!” Lin Ming immediately shook his head and rejected her outright.
With the system’s intelligence boost, he had come to understand many things. For example, in the power struggle with the throne, psychological warfare often took the lead.
Why was his father able to become the greatest traitorous minister and openly defy the Emperor? Because in every clash with the throne, he came out on top.
That’s why people believed he was more powerful than the Emperor—better to follow him than Her Majesty!
But if he gave in today, the crowd would quickly turn back to Ye Qinghuan’s side. The fall of the Lin family would be inevitable!
Ye Qinghuan’s smile gradually disappeared as she said coldly, word by word, “Duke Commander, must you really force Us to kill you? As the sovereign, your life is but a word away!”
Lin Ming, however, replied righteously, “Anyone in the world may kill me, except Her Majesty!”
“Oh? And why not?” Ye Qinghuan was momentarily intrigued. Resting her jade-like wrist on the armrest, she looked at him with curiosity.
She wanted to hear what kind of ridiculous excuse this scoundrel would come up with to make her spare his life.
Lin Ming said, “Because I am your husband. Your man!”