Lu Chen remained completely unaware that the remnants of the Chen Kingdom had already set their sights on him. With the arrival of the Jinyiwei, his daily affairs became even more hectic.
The flow of intelligence from the Jinyiwei was relentless, and he now spent hours each day in his study, poring over reports and files they had compiled.
One had to admit—the Jinyiwei were frighteningly capable.
Even without his explicit orders, they had managed to unearth deeply buried secrets from the past, peeling back the layers of old events from the Great Xia Dynasty with incredible precision.
Among the revelations were details of his mother's death, and the tragic entanglements between Emperor Xia and the powerful aristocratic families—how they had once supported him, only to eventually become adversaries.
At that moment, Lu Chen sat in the study, flipping through yet another batch of documents. His brows grew tighter with each passing page.
[TN: The english term for Jinyiwei is Embroidered Uniform Guard]
According to the intelligence gathered by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Emperor Xia's most beloved woman had perished at the hands of Lu Chen's mother. As a result, the emperor had harbored bitter hatred—not just toward her, but toward Lu Chen as well. In fact, it was said that from the moment Lu Chen was born, Emperor Xia had contemplated erasing his very existence.
And the reason his mother had committed such an act? Petty harem squabbles over the position of Empress—nothing but internal power struggles and jealousies.
Lu Chen had no interest in the trivialities of palace drama. What concerned him now was the path back to the capital. Judging by the emperor's current attitude, returning under normal circumstances was no longer an option. If he ever wanted to set foot in the capital again, it would likely be over a pile of corpses.
Others could join the contest for the throne, but he—the King of the North—was destined to be excluded. Emperor Xia would never allow his return.
To return meant rebellion.
Just as Lu Chen was lost in thought, a soft, melodious voice called from outside the door.
"My Lord, are you here? I have an urgent matter to report."
Wang Qingci's voice was unmistakable.
Lu Chen set the reports down with a sigh. There was too much weighing on his shoulders, and no immediate answers. Some matters could only be unraveled slowly, over time.
He still had time. No need to rush.
"Come in," he said calmly.
The doors opened, and Wang Qingci stepped gracefully into the study, clad in her usual red veil, her presence as elegant and alluring as ever.
Now fully loyal to Lu Chen, she had seemingly fallen deeper under his spell. Perhaps it was the frequent time they spent together, but she had become more radiant than ever, exuding a sultry charm that bordered on the bewitching.
Her delicate nose, soft crimson lips, slender waist, skin like flawless jade, and a subtle fragrance that clung to her—it was enough to stir desire just by walking past her.
Were it not for Lu Chen's cultivation reaching the ninth rank, the residual effects of the Dragon-Tiger Pill might have still overwhelmed him whenever she appeared.
Of course, just because he could restrain himself didn't mean he had to.
Especially during the pregnancy of Mu Zixuan and the others, it was Wang Qingci who stayed by his side almost daily, tending to his needs without complaint.
Compared to the rest, there was an inexplicable pull toward her—a deeper, almost primal desire. Perhaps it was the contrast between her identity as a once-celebrated courtesan and her current role as his obedient slave girl. The more he thought about it, the more satisfying it became.
Indeed, identity often added another layer to beauty.
As Wang Qingci entered, she greeted him gently, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Lu Chen glanced at her, then casually reached out, pulling her into his embrace.
Wang Qingci didn't resist in the slightest. She settled into his lap with practiced ease. In front of this man, there was no reason to resist—no ability to, either. She was his slave. Her body, her loyalty, everything belonged to him.
Lu Chen asked plainly, "What's the matter?"
Wang Qingci answered softly, "Your Majesty, the Eighth Prince sent word. He says the owner of the Blood Moon Tower intends to come to Beijun in person. He's asked me to gather information on recent happenings within the palace, particularly anything about the mysterious expert hidden here."
"Hm?"
Lu Chen blinked, momentarily stunned.
Had his eighth brother still not given up?
He had been stationed in Beijun for quite a while now. By this point, it should've been obvious to the Eighth Prince that the Chu family had yet to make contact. Why persist in stirring trouble?
Lu Chen gently stroked Wang Qingci's soft body as he asked, "The Blood Moon Tower's master is likely at least a grandmaster, no? Is he coming to assassinate me?"
Wang Qingci shook her head. "The Eighth Prince didn't say that. He only instructed me to report any changes in the palace and whether the mysterious expert has made any moves."
Lu Chen's gaze darkened.
His eighth brother probably had no idea that their father was preparing to make a move against the Jiangnan clans. Still hoping to rope in the Chu family?
He'd best be careful not to drag the Chu family down with him.
Just then, Wang Qingci seemed to recall something. "Your Majesty, there's something else I heard."
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"I heard... the entire Mu family has been exiled to the northwest."
Misty Rain Pavilion's information network was formidable in its own right. It didn't take long for news from the capital to reach Wang Qingci's ears.
Knowing that the princess was Duke Mu's daughter, she figured Lu Chen might care about this matter and had brought it up herself.
But upon hearing it, Lu Chen replied without emotion, "I already know."
Wang Qingci nodded obediently. "Then I have nothing else to report."
She shifted slightly in his arms, clearly feeling a bit stiff from how she was seated.
Lu Chen chuckled. "No, there's still one more thing."
"I was feeling rather tired just now... and I could use a little relaxation."
Wang Qingci shot him a resentful glance, then rose gracefully, leaning over the desk to tidy the scattered documents.
…
[The host and Wang Qingci have cultivated their relationship. Qi Refining Technique experience +20, Rejuvenation Hand experience +20. Congratulations, host has reached level 2 in Rejuvenation Hand.]
The system prompt rang in his ears, and Lu Chen glanced at Wang Qingci, who now lay curled up on the couch, drained of strength.
He frowned slightly.
He knew that it was generally harder for warriors to conceive children. But Wang Qingci had been visiting the palace almost daily, and they had been cultivating together frequently for nearly a year—yet there was still no child.
She was a ninth-rank warrior, but… wasn't this a bit too difficult?
Could there be an issue with her body?
Lu Chen naturally never considered the problem might lie with him. After all, he had taken the Dragon-Tiger Pill and regularly drank Dragon and Phoenix Tea—his vitality was exceptional.
There could only be something wrong with Wang Qingci.
With that thought, he activated the second-level Rejuvenation Hand and gently placed his palm on her abdomen.
The moment his hand touched her, her internal condition unfolded vividly in his mind's eye.
Surprisingly, there was nothing abnormal.
Wang Qingci's body was in perfect health—no hidden ailments or fertility issues. She was just like any ordinary woman.
Now that was puzzling.
If neither of them had a problem, why was conception proving so elusive?
Was it truly because she was a ninth-rank warrior?
Would it become even harder in the future for him to impregnate other high-ranking female cultivators?
Just then, Wang Qingci stirred and spoke softly, "My Lord, when are you going to take your Aunt Chu? She's been increasingly jealous lately… and she's started resenting me more and more."
Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback before he let out a laugh. "What's that supposed to mean? Do you think I'd do something improper to her?"
Wang Qingci rolled her eyes. "As soon as Your Majesty hears her name, your expression turns fierce. What else am I supposed to think?"
Lu Chen snorted, chuckling as he said, "It seems you still haven't learned what it means to be a slave girl. Daring to meddle in my affairs?"
"I'll have to teach you a lesson today."
"Ah! My Lord, I admit my mistake!"
"…Good girl."
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