The nearby rockery and potted plants were shattered, and he fell to the ground in a sorry state, unable to get up.
"What a formidable young master, to defeat us with mere physical strength!"
The remaining guards were stunned. Was this still human? It was like a ferocious beast!
"Do you know who we are? We are the Imperial Guard. If you dare to harm us, the royal family will surely not let you go!"
"The royal family? So what? Royal power is nothing but bullshit! Today, I will kill you!"
Chu Chen's tone was extremely cold, as if a demon king had descended. With each step he took, the entire imperial court trembled violently.
"You... what are you going to do?"
"Quick, someone save the Emperor!"
These guards were terrified, their souls fleeing their bodies.
Chu Chen's footsteps stopped. He stood with his back to the guards and said indifferently, "Listen well, from now on, I am a prince of the Great Qian Dynasty. If you are not convinced, feel free to call for reinforcements. I will be waiting in the imperial palace."
With that, Chu Chen left.
"Great Qian Dynasty? A prince?"
"He claims to be a direct descendant of the Marquis of Chu's mansion?"
"How come I've never heard of a Chu Chen in the Marquis of Chu's mansion?"
Within the imperial court, people were in an uproar, expressing doubt about Chu Chen's identity.
But regardless, Chu Chen was indeed a member of the royal nobility, that much was undeniable.
Meanwhile, deep within the imperial court, in a luxurious and opulent bedchamber.
An old man knelt on the ground, his forehead covered in cold sweat, filled with anxiety. "Greetings, Your Majesty. How are you feeling?"
This old man was named Li Zhong, the Emperor's personal eunuch and a loyal servant who had followed him for hundreds of years. He had accompanied the Emperor on countless campaigns and achieved great merit.
"Cough, cough, I'm fine. You don't need to worry." Emperor Qian Yuan coughed a few times and slowly opened his eyes, his consciousness slightly blurred.
"Your Majesty, your condition just now was very dangerous. Please allow this old servant to take your pulse and examine you again!" Li Zhong said cautiously.
Emperor Qian Yuan nodded and handed his right hand to Li Zhong.
A moment later, Li Zhong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Fortunately, it's just a common lung fever. This pill should cure you."
"A common lung fever?" Emperor Qian Yuan was surprised.
Li Zhong nodded and said, "Your Majesty, your health was not very good when you were young. Years of excessive drinking have accumulated in your lungs, leaving some ailments."
Emperor Qian Yuan remained silent, his eyes filled with reminiscence. After a long while, he said softly, "This matter is not to be told to anyone, including the Empress Dowager, the Marquis of Wuwei, the Prime Minister, or the Grand Master of Zhenguo!"
"Yes! This old servant understands!" Li Zhong nodded solemnly.
"You may go now and let me have some quiet time." Emperor Qian Yuan closed his eyes, seemingly processing the memories in his mind.
A moment later, Emperor Qian Yuan's eyes suddenly snapped open, his gaze deep and unfathomable, like the vast expanse of the starry sky.
"Chu Tianxing, Chu Tianxing, I never thought your bastard son was still alive, hahaha, Heaven helps me!"
Emperor Qian Yuan couldn't help but laugh, his laughter bordering on madness, yet tears welled up in his eyes. "I thought I would never have a chance for revenge in this lifetime, but you, you beast, have come to my doorstep yourself!"
Chu Tianxing, Chu Chen's father, was once the most outstanding genius of the Great Qian Dynasty, hailed as the foremost figure of the three kingdoms!
Alas, heroes fade with time. The Chu family gradually declined and was even framed for rebellion, leading to the extermination of the entire clan. Only Chu Tianxing escaped, becoming a rootless wanderer, drifting from place to place, eventually ending up in Lingnan Prefecture.
Not only that, but Chu Tianxing also married and had a son, Chu Yunhe, the eldest grandson of the Chu family, who was Chu Chen's father.
As Chu Tianxing had only this one child, he doted on him excessively, even breaking ties with his family for Chu Chen's sake.
"Chu Tianxing, Chu Tianxing, you never would have calculated that your son is still alive, would you?" Emperor Qian Yuan said coldly.
...
Leaving the imperial palace.
Chu Chen stood on the street, looking up at the sky, and murmured, "My father is dead, my mother is dead. This debt, I'll hold you, my father, responsible."
With that thought, he headed straight back to the Chu family.
"Chu Chen, what kind of attitude is that?"
In the main hall, a group of people were sitting around a table, drinking tea and chatting. When they saw Chu Chen return, their faces immediately darkened.
"Hmph, you've returned this time and even skipped the polite greetings? I think you're itching for a beating!"
"You few, hurry up and teach him a lesson, otherwise, he'll really think he's something!"
Several young men and women stared at Chu Chen with mocking smiles.
"You..." Chu Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold glint flashing within them.
"Chu Chen, you must not be rude to Eldest Brother and Second Sister!" Just then, Chu Feng, Chu Chen's cousin, reprimanded him.
"Oh?"
"Feng'er, you don't understand. Although this fellow's surname is Chu, he is not one of us from the Chu family. I've disliked him for a long time. If we don't deal with him now that he's back, how can we vent our hatred!"
"That's right, Brother Feng, no need to speak up for this good-for-nothing. If he's not satisfied, he can come fight me!"
"Come on, don't be a coward!"
These two Chu clan members glared provocatively at Chu Chen, a playful smile on their lips.
The others also crossed their arms, crossed their legs, and sneered at Chu Chen, as if they had him cornered.
*Clang!*
Chu Chen strode to a chair, picked up a teacup, and hurled it violently!
*Pfft!*
A tooth flew out of the Chu clan member's cheek and landed on the ground with a crisp sound.
"You... you dare to hit me?!" This Chu clan member clutched his bleeding jaw, his eyes wide with disbelief.
According to the Chu family's genealogy, Chu Chen was a concubine-born son. By ancestral law, a concubine-born son must kowtow and admit fault to a legitimate son!
But Chu Chen not only refused to kneel but also struck first, injuring someone, completely exceeding the boundaries of Chu family rules!
"Not only will I hit you, but I will also kill you."
Chu Chen said indifferently, a dense aura of killing intent emanating from him, causing the surrounding temperature to drop significantly.
This chilling killing intent startled the group of wastrels.
"Chu Chen, I warn you, I am a member of the Chu clan. If you dare to touch me, the clan leader will not spare you!" the Chu clan member gritted his teeth and said fiercely.
Upon hearing this, Chu Chen grinned, revealing his pearly white fangs. "In that case, you can't blame me!"
As he spoke, Chu Chen leaped up, his body moving like a phantom as he darted to the side of the Chu clan member, grabbed his throat with his left hand, lifted him up, and his fingers tightened.
*Crack!*
The sound of bone breaking was clearly audible.
The Chu clan member's face contorted instantly, his arms hung limply, and his neck was snapped by Chu Chen!
The Chu clan member was dead!
"Chu Chen!"
"You scoundrel!"
"You're insane!"
The other clan members were enraged.