At the tender age of eight, he was hastily dragged out and made emperor!

Why aren't you saying anything!?

Seeing that Chu Ling remained silent, Xu Zhen'e frowned and shouted sharply, "Where did your arrogant and domineering attitude go in the Taiji Hall?! Answer me!!"

Xu Zhen was furious this time.

Xue Jian, the commander of the Six Doors, was arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Guard, and the Six Doors was also shut down. Even though she said those things, it still happened.

This is trampling on her authority!

Everyone is against her!

What did she do wrong?!

What Xu Zhen found even more unacceptable was that Xu Chu, in front of the entire court, insisted on accepting the imperial edict for selecting concubines issued by Linghua Palace. Her father would rather choose that vile woman than the imperial edict she issued.

This made Xu Zhen feel betrayed!

"What does the Empress Dowager want me to say?"

Chu Ling remained calm as he walked forward under Xu Zhen's angry gaze. Li Zhong and his group followed closely behind the emperor, not daring to slack off in such a special atmosphere.

"Call her Empress Dowager!!"

Xu Zhen glared and shouted, "I don't have a son like you, nor would I dare to!!"

"If Mother says such things and word gets out of the palace, what will the world think and how will they view it?"

Chu Ling remained completely unfazed, saying in a nonchalant tone, "Would it make the world think that the current Empress Dowager is ignorant of etiquette and ancestral rules? Or even dare to overstep the ancestral rules established by the founding emperor?"

"you!!"

Seeing Chu Ling's reaction, Xu Zhen pointed at Chu Ling.

once Upon a time.

She didn't take this illegitimate emperor seriously at all.

Chu Ling's selection as the successor emperor was purely a hasty compromise.

Even before and after the coronation ceremony, and before the outbreak of the rebellion, some of the things Chu Ling did were laughable in Xu Zhen's eyes.

It is truly laughable that someone born out of wedlock, with a weak maternal clan, would dare to try to change anything through their actions and words.

To Xu Zhen's utter surprise, after three years of turmoil, Chu Ling, who had moved out of the Yu Palace, returned to the Yu Palace and the Daxing Hall, and everything had changed.

Especially after that grand court session, Xu Zhen had already figured out how to control the disobedient Chu Ling, but too many things happened afterward, too many complicated things happened, and too many things happened, so much so that Xu Zhen's plan was completely disrupted.

If you fall behind in one step, you'll fall behind in every step.

'From now on, she will no longer be afraid of her grandmother.' Looking at the furious Xu Zhen, Chu Ling, who appeared calm on the surface, felt a sense of emotion.

Xu Zhen's previous predicament was largely due to the worries and concerns she had about Chang Le Palace.

But it is different now.

Once things fall apart, things will change.

Even so, Chu Ling was not afraid.

Without him.

During today's grand court session, Xu Zhen's furious side was clearly seen by all the civil and military officials. As the ruling faction, if they cannot even control their emotions when faced with some unexpected situations, how can they make calm judgments?

After three years of turmoil, what the Great Yu needs most now is stability!

Everyone, regardless of their background, stance, or faction, understands this: if the Great Yu dares to continue in chaos, then everyone should just give up.

What power?

What glory?

What wealth and status?

It's all just fleeting smoke.

"Go to Linghua Palace right now!"

As Chu Ling sighed, Xu Zhen, suppressing her anger, said, "Tell her to withdraw the imperial edict for the selection of concubines. If you do that, I won't hold your attempt to shut down the Six Doors against you!"

Reason ultimately prevailed over anger.

For Xu Zhen, in the current situation, the only way to secure her position is for Linghua Palace to withdraw the imperial selection edict. Otherwise, if the emperor chooses Linghua Palace to send his daughters to the palace for the selection and no one pays attention to her, the blow will be too great.

But how could Chu Ling possibly do something so foolish?

The imperial edict for selecting consorts issued by Linghua Palace was carefully chosen by his grandmother, and it was an important reliance for him to consolidate his imperial power in the future.

His mother, Huang Hua, was simply following her grandmother's wishes.

If I really listened to Xu Zhen, it would not only be shooting myself in the foot, but it would also chill my grandmother's heart. It's better to just listen to what she said.

However, Chu Ling also knew that this was the last chance Xu Zhen was giving him, or at least that's what Xu Zhen thought.

"Mother, I cannot do this."

Facing Xu Zhen's angry glare, Chu Ling said indifferently.

"Can you say that again?!"

Xu Zhen gritted her teeth and said.

"I cannot do it."

Chu Ling said succinctly.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Xu Zhen laughed in anger, suddenly stood up from her phoenix throne, and strode towards Chu Ling. "You think that having some shady people around you means you can take over the reins of power ahead of schedule? Let me tell you, unless I agree, you can forget about taking over the reins of power!"

"Is the Empress Dowager threatening me?"

Looking at Xu Zhen approaching, Chu Ling said calmly.

"Why would I need to threaten you?!"

Xu Zhen coldly said, "As long as you haven't reached adulthood, even if you participate in the selection, you still cannot assume personal rule. Don't forget, the rites and clan rules of the Great Yu are not just for show!"

"Then don't forget about the Empress Dowager either."

Meeting Xu Zhen's gaze, Chu Ling smiled slightly and said, "I am the ruler of Great Yu. Some things cannot be restrained by a mere set of rites and rules."

"I still need to visit my grandmother, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying this, Chu Ling flicked his sleeves and, under Xu Zhen's angry glare, turned and walked out of the hall.

"You come back here right now!!"

"I command you to return!!"

"hateful!!"

Behind him, Xu Zhen shouted angrily, but Chu Ling did not stop. He walked out of the main hall with his head held high. Although he smelled blood the moment he stepped out of the hall, it made him frown slightly.

Even so, Chu Ling felt much more at ease.

Chu Ling felt oppressed when he was with Xu Zhen. What kind of feeling was that?

A near-perverted desire for control.

They wanted to have him firmly under their control.

Like a toy.

As for Chu Ling, how could he be willing to do that? If he really did, wouldn't he become a puppet on a string?

Chu Ling didn't know what Xu Zhen was like in the past, but the current Xu Zhen's arrogant attitude and desire to stand on the moral high ground and manipulate him at will disgusted Chu Ling.

He is a person, a living, breathing person.

I am not anyone's plaything!

"Go to Chang Le Palace."

Thinking of this, Chu Ling said calmly.

"Yes!"

Li Zhong and his party immediately agreed.

"Send someone to Linghua Palace." As he left Fengluan Palace, Chu Ling reached out to Li Zhong and said, "Tell Mother to be vigilant and keep a close watch on Yu Palace, both inside and out. I don't want anything to go wrong in Yu Palace."

"The slaves obey the order."

Li Zhong immediately bowed his head and said, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, this servant will make the arrangements."

Chu Ling responded and walked towards the dragon carriage.

From now on, Chu Ling will never set foot in the oppressive Phoenix Palace again. Since they have already broken off relations, there is no need to maintain any semblance of decorum.