Many children, many blessings; a stunningly beautiful wife is given to you right from the start.

His finger slowly traced across several specially marked areas on the map.

King Qi, King Miao, King Hai...

These so-called "protective barriers" bestowed by the emperor are now all armed and independent, each harboring their own ambitions.

A calculating glint flashed in Xia Jie's eyes.

He returned to his desk and spread out a blank sheet of paper.

"Someone come here."

A dark figure appeared silently in the shadows of the study and knelt on one knee.

"Draft three letters."

Xia Jie's voice was as cold as ice.

"To King Qi."

"Tell them that Lin Mo, the traitor from the Northern Border, has committed treason and murdered the Prince of Zhenbei, a crime deserving of death. Father is currently in seclusion, praying for the nation's well-being, and will soon achieve his goal."

"However, a country cannot be without a ruler for a single day, nor can it tolerate traitors going unpunished."

"As a prince, I should share my father's burdens. I hereby order your troops to immediately dispatch troops to punish the traitors."

"When Father Emperor emerges from seclusion, I will certainly plead for your merits. The first to breach Zhenbei City and bring Lin Mo's head to me..."

Xia Jie paused for a moment, then uttered another sentence.

"...He is enfeoffed as the King of the Northern Border, a hereditary title."

He handed the letter to the shadowy figure.

"Write the same content in three copies, one for the King of Qi, one for the King of Miao, and one for the King of Hai."

The shadowy figure took the letter without hesitation and quickly retreated into the shadows.

A moment later, three identical letters were neatly copied and sealed with sealing wax.

Xia Jie picked up one of the letters and held it up to the candlelight.

"Use the fastest eagle."

He tossed the scalding hot letter to the shadowy figure.

"Tell them not to keep me waiting too long."

"Yes."

The shadowy figure obeyed and vanished completely.

The study returned to silence.

Xia Jie pushed open the window, and the night wind rushed in, making his robes flutter.

Lin Mo...

You want to be the Prince of Zhenbei?

can.

Let's see if you, this worm, can defeat those three bloodthirsty wolves!

……

Three magnificent gyrfalcons soared into the sky from the capital, tearing through the clouds, and sped off in three different directions.

……

Western Wilderness, the territory of the King of Qi.

"Drink! Ha!"

On the vast training ground, tens of thousands of heavily armored soldiers were conducting formation training, and the ground trembled with every step they took.

This is the Qi King's personal guard, the West Wind Heavy Armor Battalion.

On the high platform, a burly man stood with his hands behind his back. He was none other than the younger brother of the Emperor of Great Xia, Prince Qi, Xia Yuan.

A guard rushed up the platform and knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness, a messenger from the capital!"

Xia Yuan ripped off the letter tube, unfolded the letter, glanced at it, then let out a cold laugh and crumpled the letter into a ball.

"That little brat Xia Jie, he's barely grown up, and he's already trying to give orders to his royal uncle?"

His advisor stepped forward, picked up the crumpled paper, unfolded it, and read it, his face showing deep thought:

"Your Highness, the Third Prince wants you to be the one to take the lead and fight Lin Mo to the death."

"I know!"

Xia Yuan kicked the railing of the high platform, and the hard ironwood groaned under the weight.

"Does he think I can't see through his little schemes? But so what?"

Xia Yuan's face was full of arrogance.

"I've long disliked those scheming bastards from the Lin family! Perfect, I'll take them down this time!"

"Let's also show that elder brother in the capital, who's obsessed with cultivating immortality, and that good-for-nothing nephew Xia Jie, who's the true pillar of this Great Xia empire!"

He just wants to fight!

Fight fair and square!

"Pass on the order!" Xia Yuan roared at the audience.

A messenger came running.

"Order the entire West Wind Heavy Armor Battalion to prepare for departure and head north in three days!"

"I'm going to personally twist that Lin family bastard's head off and use it as a chamber pot!"

……

Eastern Regions, the Sea King's Territory.

The Sea King Xia Heng was lying on a chaise lounge, letting two beautiful maids feed him a peeled lychee.

"Mmm...sweet."

He squinted, looking completely relaxed.

A middle-aged man who looked like a butler respectfully presented a letter.

"Your Highness, you're from the capital."

Xia Heng waved his hand lazily, and the maid understood. She took the letter, unfolded it, and whispered it in his ear.

After listening, Xia Heng burst out laughing.

"The King of the North, a hereditary title. Tsk tsk, my third nephew, he certainly has a grand scheme."

The steward whispered, "Your Highness, that fool Prince Qi is probably already braying about sending troops. We..."

"Stupid donkey? No, no, no." Xia Heng shook his finger.

"That's called each going their own way. Let the brutes do the rough work of fighting and killing, while we smart people... should figure out how to make money."

He sat up and waved away the maid.

"That young master Lin is our future tycoon."

The steward asked, puzzled, "Your Highness? Aren't we talking to the Third Prince...?"

"Shh." Xia Heng made a shushing gesture, his face beaming with barely concealed joy. "Baby, we can't just bet on one side."

"The Third Prince has won. We are the wise princes who are loyal to our lord."

"The Lin family won; we are their benefactors who helped them in their time of need."

"If they both suffer heavy losses..."

Xia Heng paused for a moment, then smiled even more broadly.

"Then we are destined to clean up the mess."

The butler suddenly realized.

"Your Highness is wise! Then... how should we reply to the Third Prince?"

"reply?"

Xia Heng yawned.

"Of course, it's about righteous indignation and stern words, denouncing the traitors and declaring a vow to never coexist with them!"

"Then tell him that a group of pirates has appeared out of nowhere in the East China Sea, plundering our merchant ships with utter depravity!"

"I am preparing to mobilize the entire navy and spare no effort to wipe out this scoundrel in order to secure the foundation of the nation!"

The butler's lips twitched.

That group of "pirates," isn't it the one you raised yourself, Your Highness?

"Draft another letter."

Xia Heng lay back down and changed to a more comfortable position.

"Send it to Zhenbei City and say that you have long admired Young Master Lin's heroic deeds and wish to lend him a helping hand. Send 30,000 arrows and 100,000 catties of grain first to show your sincerity."

Xia Heng closed his eyes, and another lychee was stuffed into his mouth. He mumbled something indistinctly.

"Remember, deliver it in the name of pirates."