Father, who is both a heir and a descendant, is still biased; the bound system has gone berserk.

The Yuan residence.

Upon returning to his residence, Yuan Bujin said with a grim expression, "Men, bring that rebellious son here!"

Madam Zhou immediately said worriedly, "Master, please don't get angry. Jingchen is still young. Just ask him what's wrong, please don't hit him!"

"He's still young? He dares to scheme against the granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo!" Yuan Bujin's face was full of murderous intent.

Seeing this, Zhou didn't dare to say anything more, and only sighed softly.

Soon, Yuan Jingchen was brought over by several servants.

Yuan Jingchen's face was as cold as ice as he was forced to kneel on the ground.

"You unfilial son, do you know what you said today?" Yuan Bujin's face immediately turned fierce when he saw him.

Yuan Jingchen sneered, "What did I say today? I don't think I said anything wrong!"

Yuan Bujin was stunned; he never expected Yuan Jingchen to have this attitude.

"You still don't know how to repent?" Yuan Bujin roared.

"Father, what did I say wrong?" Yuan Jingchen asked, looking at Yuan Bujin at the head of the table with a mocking expression.

Madam Zhou quickly advised, "Jingchen, apologize to your father properly, and don't make him angry!"

"Shut up! Who needs your fake kindness!"

Yuan Jingchen glared at Zhou Shi with eyes full of hatred.

Zhou was startled and quickly shut her mouth.

"You unfilial son, how dare you speak to your mother like that!" Yuan Bujin roared and stepped forward, slapping Yuan Jingchen hard across the face.

Yuan Jingchen's face, already swollen from Shangguan Fei's beating, was struck again, and he didn't recover for a while.

Once he recovered, he merely glanced indifferently at Yuan Jingchen before bursting into a somewhat manic laugh.

"Hehehe... You finally stopped pretending. You've wanted to hit me for a long time, haven't you? All because of this woman!"

Yuan Bujin's eyes widened in anger, and he breathed heavily.

Upon seeing this, Zhou's expression changed, and she quickly patted Yuan Bujin's chest to soothe him.

"You unfilial son, you unfilial son!" Yuan Bujin's eyes were filled with disappointment.

Yuan Jingchen looked at him mockingly, and seeing his pain only made him happier.

"You unfilial son, it's one thing for you to be disobedient and unfilial, but what you shouldn't have done is to covet the granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo. How dare you lay your hands on the daughter of the Shangguan family?"

Furthermore, you shouldn't have gone to the Ayu Nanman in front of everyone. Where do you put the face of Beixuan?

How could I, Yuan Bujin, have given birth to such a scoundrel as you!

"Scoundrel? You call me a scumbag?" Yuan Jingchen looked at Yuan Bujin in surprise, then sneered, "In your heart, I am a scumbag!"

"You're just scared because I spoke up for Shangguan Fei. You're afraid I'll really get involved with Shangguan Fei, afraid I'll really climb into the Zhenguo Duke's mansion, aren't you?"

Yuan Bujin looked at him, his eyes filled with shock.

Has this son gone mad?

Listen to what he's saying.

Yuan Jingchen misunderstood his expression and burst out laughing, "What? Did I hit the nail on the head?"

Yuan Bujin stared at him blankly for a long time before slumping into a chair.

He pointed at Yuan Jingchen and said, "You unfilial son, if you really have the ability to climb up to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, I'll give you a thumbs up!"

But can you? Do you have that ability?

Yuan Jingchen was taken aback.

But then he immediately showed a look of disdain.

Then Yuan Bujin said, "The Duke of Zhenguo has spent his life on the battlefield, loyal to the country and hating traitors the most. If you apologize to the Southern Barbarians on behalf of Shangguan Fei, you will make Shangguan Fei bow down to the Southern Barbarians."

In other words, it means making the Shangguan family bow down to the Southern Barbarians. How is this any different from making the Duke of Zhenguo bow down to the Southern Barbarians?

"The dignified Duke of Zhenguo has slain countless enemies, and the southern barbarians were his defeated troops. To ask him to bow down to people of another country—is that currying favor or making an enemy?"

The mocking expression on Yuan Jingchen's face froze.

Yuan Bujin's words were like a thunderclap in a clear sky, leaving everyone bewildered.

He gradually came to his senses and realized where he had gone wrong today.

Seeing his stunned expression, Yuan Bujin added, "Shangguan Fei only slapped you once."

If it weren't for the Third Prince's wedding banquet today, it wouldn't have been enough to just slap you. At the very least, you would have been charged with the crime of currying favor with other countries and disgracing the nation.

Even worse, they might suspect you of treason!

Yuan Jingchen's eyes widened suddenly, and a deep fear appeared on his face.

Seeing that he was afraid, Yuan Bujin said sternly, "Guards, the young master has misbehaved and disobeyed his elders. Give him twenty strokes of the cane and make him kneel for three days!"

Madam Zhou immediately said, "Master, kneeling is enough as punishment, but twenty strokes of the cane..."

"A doting mother spoils her son; I shouldn't say more." Yuan Buqian was determined to severely punish Yuan Jingchen.

Zhou had no choice but to shut up.

Yuan Jingchen was pulled out in a daze.

Only now did he realize the terrible mistake he had made that day.

He was wrong!

Outside the main hall, Yuan Shuohai stood with his arms crossed, watching Yuan Jingchen being dragged out with a mocking expression.

He lowered his voice, each word piercing Yuan Jingchen's heart like a sharp knife: "Yuan Jingchen, who do you think you are? How dare you covet the proud daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion!"

Yuan Jingchen turned around and glared at Yuan Shuohai with eyes full of indignation.

The only response he received was Yuan Shuohai's back, and the instant softening of Yuan Bujin's expression upon seeing Yuan Shuohai.

……

After the second morning court session, the Third Prince and Princess Chiyue entered the palace to pay their respects to Emperor Cangxuan and Consort Xian.

At this time, the Xilin envoy also completed his mission and left the Northern Xuan Imperial City with the drop of life essence that Ying Yufu had left for them.

With the departure of the Western Lin envoy, only the Southern Barbarian envoy remains in the Northern Xuan Imperial City.

As soon as Ying Yufu and her maid stepped into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Shangguan Fei greeted them.

Shangguan Fei glanced at Ying Hengzhi behind Ying Yufu and said, "I heard that the envoys from the Southern Barbarians are going to enter the capital. This time they are riding a wooden horse, which can travel a thousand miles a day, several times faster than a carriage."

The distance between the Southern Barbarians and the Northern Xuan is at least a month's journey.

Even when traveling at high speed.

But now, the envoy from the Southern Barbarians arrived in the Northern Xuan in less than half a month. Such speed is truly astonishing.

Ying Yufu said, "I've long heard that the Southern Barbarians have a magical wooden horse that can travel thousands of miles a day, and I never imagined it was true!"

Shangguan Fei nodded and said, "It's true. That wooden horse can travel thousands of miles a day and is also enormous, capable of carrying hundreds of people and a lot of goods at the same time."

Ying Yufu immediately took a breath.

He asked Xiao Dian: "Xiao Dian, how exactly are these divine artifacts from the Southern Barbarians made, and could they pose a threat to the Northern Xuan?"

After a moment, Xiao Dian replied: "Host, the Southern Barbarians use wooden horses with iron gears and very ingenious mechanisms inside."

That wooden horse is indeed very powerful, but Su need not worry. These wooden horses are extremely expensive to manufacture; the entire Southern Barbarian nation only possessed one, so it poses no threat to Northern Xuan.

"Little Dian, I also want to arrange a wooden horse like this for Bei Xuan." Ying Yufu's eyes were full of longing.

[Host, the system shop has an improved 'Iron Horse'. This Iron Horse is faster and sturdier than the Wooden Horse. It is not afraid of wind and sun, fire and water. It moves more nimbly and steadily, and can also be fitted with gunpowder cannons.]

It can not only transport supplies, but also attack enemies from a distance.

Ying Yufu's heart raced instantly. If such "iron horses" were placed at the border, how many soldiers would be spared from death or injury?

"Little Dian, how many points does one of these Iron Horses cost?" Ying Yufu asked.

Small ones cost 1,000 points, medium ones 1,500 points, and large ones 3,000 points.

Ying Yufu paused for a moment, and realized that it was indeed not cheap.

But it's not expensive.

After all, this thing is so precious and powerful.

She did not buy it immediately, but planned to discuss it with Emperor Cangxuan and the Crown Prince before deciding whether to buy it or not.

Two days after the departure of the Western Lin envoy, a new wave of envoys from the Southern Barbarians finally arrived at the Northern Xuan Imperial City.

Ying Yufu finally saw the enormous "Trojan Horse".