The Prodigal Son

As Qin Yu walked out of the courtyard of the Yan Kingdom delegation, he was stopped by the people of the Northern Qi delegation.

"Speak your mind, or shut up!"

Qin Yu said impatiently, "Can't you see I'm busy?"

The newcomer's face stiffened, forcibly suppressing his anger. "Young Master Rong invites Young Master Qin to the courtyard for a discussion!"

"I'm busy!"

Qin Yu refused in annoyance and walked away.

It's obvious that Rong Jiu wanted to use the method to cure the congenital meridian as a condition for getting the old man to help them obtain the fragments of the Nine Dragons Pendant.

But Zhao Zhen's meaning was already quite clear.

The Nine Dragons Pendant could never be given to Bei Qi!

Why even talk about a feather duster!

It's better to act like you have no interest and then think of another way later.

Watching Qin Yu leave without looking back, the man clenched his fist and quickly returned to the courtyard to report to Empress Murong.

After hearing the report, Empress Murong was somewhat bewildered.

Is Qin Yu really not interested in any method to cure his congenital incurable meridians?

The Qin family is a family of military generals!

Doesn't he want to achieve anything in martial arts at all?

Is he content to be a spoiled brat for the rest of his life?

He's Qin Fumeng's grandson, how can he be so unambitious?

However, thinking of Qin Yu's reputation, Empress Murong shook her head and smiled bitterly.

Which ambitious person would be like Qin Yu?

"Qin Yu is just a spoiled brat with no ambition. He probably doesn't want to cure his congenital meridians so he can live a peaceful and carefree life."

Lu Ji looked up at Empress Murong and said, "Perhaps the only way to resolve this matter is to talk to Qin Fumeng."

Empress Murong lowered her brows and pondered for a moment, then instructed, "Have Minister Xiao make a visit to the Qin residence later!"

"Um."

Lu Ji nodded slightly and said, "Qin Yu has come to the Sifang Pavilion several times to have long talks with Yan Li. It seems that Ning Kingdom intends to restart trade with Yan Kingdom. Should we...?"

"Need not!"

Empress Murong interrupted him, saying calmly, "The Yan Kingdom is an ungrateful wolf! If the Ning Kingdom wants to raise this wolf, then let them!"

The State of Yan itself served as a check on the State of Ning.

The Yan state also had frequent private dealings with the Northern Qi.

Previously, the Yan state had also sent envoys to Beiqi, proposing to purchase a large quantity of grain from Beiqi.

However, although Beiqi possesses a vast territory, its true major grain-producing areas are only the Fengshou Plain and a few prefectures south of the Moma Mountains.

Moreover, due to its geographical location, Beiqi's foreign trade was far inferior to Ningguo's, and it simply did not have enough grain to sell to Yanguo.

Ningguo, however, is different.

Ningguo itself is rich in grain, and it can also purchase large quantities of grain from the Chu state to the south.

As a result, Ningguo had a large amount of grain to sell to Yanguo.

Allowing Ningguo to fatten up Yanguo would actually benefit Beiqi as well.

Lu Ji frowned slightly. "Isn't Young Master worried that Ning and Yan might join forces against us?"

"There's nothing to worry about."

Empress Murong smiled calmly, "Although the Yan people are fickle, they are not stupid! They understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'..."

The State of Yan was surrounded on three sides by the States of Ning, Min, and Beiqi.

Ningguo and Minguo have always been on good terms.

Once Beiqi suffers a severe blow, Ningguo will inevitably turn its attention to destroying Yanguo.

If Bei Qi is in real trouble, Yan will lend a hand!

Therefore, the Yan state is destined never to genuinely unite with the Ning state!

Of course, the Yan state could not genuinely form an alliance with the Northern Qi.

The way the Yan state survived was by repeatedly switching between the Northern Qi and Ning states.

Lu Ji understood and said no more.

……

As dusk approached, Qin Yu returned to the palace.

"His Majesty is practicing martial arts. Young Master Qin, please do not disturb him. Just wait here."

Shangguan Youyi led Qin Yu outside the training ground.

"Uh-huh."

Qin Yu nodded and craned his neck to look into the training ground.

Inside the training ground, Zhao Zhen, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, was sparring with Yun Ying.

Zhao Zhen held a large spear, while Yun Ying held a knife.

clang clang...

The two men's weapons clashed fiercely.

Zhao Zhen wielded a large spear, its tip flashing coldly like the moon. Her moves were as fierce as thunderclaps, and with each turn of her wrist and the spinning of the spear, a murderous aura condensed and did not dissipate. Her eyes gleamed with a cold, sharp light.

Damn it!

This female demon is incredibly skilled in martial arts, yet she forbids herself from practicing!

This is a classic case of "the magistrate can set fires, but the common people can't even light lamps!"

This female demon definitely wants me to be a useless person for the rest of my life!

In this way, with no one to carry on the Qin family line, she can finally rest easy!

Cunning!

abnormal!

That's completely unreasonable!

Qin Yu cursed inwardly, then asked Shangguan Youyi, "Your Majesty should possess the strength of a fifth-level martial artist, right?"

"More or less!"

Shangguan Youyi gave an ambiguous answer, then asked, "Has Young Master Qin reached an agreement with Yan Li?"

Qin Yu nodded. "We've discussed it most of the way through. All we need is for His Majesty to agree."

"Congratulations, Young Master Qin, for once again rendering great service to the imperial court!"

Shangguan Youyi smiled and asked casually, "Young Master Qin doesn't practice martial arts regularly, so you must have pondered quite a few of these strange and unusual strategies, right?"

uh-huh?

Is this girl testing me?

Qin Yu was suspicious, but pretended to be profound and said, "This is all accumulated over time! Others think I just spend my days indulging in pleasure, but actually I'm learning great wisdom among the common people!"

Shangguan Youyi smirked and chuckled dryly, "Young Master Qin is truly remarkable; he's managed to learn so much from the common people!"

"Thank goodness, thank goodness!"

Qin Yu chuckled and changed the subject: "Lord Shangguan, how old are you this year?"

"I'm twenty-six."

Shangguan Youyi replied.

"Really?"

Qin Yu exclaimed in surprise, "I always thought you were only eighteen!"

"Am I really that young?" Shangguan Youyi smiled sweetly.

"Of course!"

Qin Yu glanced at her, then moved slightly closer to her, asking in a cheeky tone, "Lord Shangguan, do you have a man you admire?"

Shangguan Youyi's face stiffened slightly, then she asked with a half-smile, "Young Master Qin, don't you know I've been divorced for many years?"

"what?"

Qin Yu was stunned. "Who's so blind!"

this……

He really didn't know!

He had only heard that Shangguan Youyi and Yun Ying were the two henchmen of the Empress, and he had no idea that Shangguan Youyi was a divorced person!

Shangguan Youyi shook her head and said, "It has nothing to do with others; it's my own problem."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Qin Yu apologized awkwardly.

I really had a sharp tongue!

Which pot does not open which pot.

If Shangguan Youyi is petty, she might slander him to the female demon in the future.

"It's alright."

Shangguan Youyi smiled calmly, "That all happened seven or eight years ago, and I've long since let it go."

Seven or eight years ago?

Does that mean she was divorced when she was eighteen or nineteen?

At such a young age, with her beauty, how could she be divorced?

What heinous thing did she do?

Qin Yu was secretly curious, but didn't dare to ask too many questions. Instead, he asked Shangguan Youyi about Luo Jianshan and his daughter's lawsuit against the emperor, thus changing the subject.

Zhao Zhen didn't even meet Luo Jianshan and his daughter. She simply sent someone to tell them that this was their private matter and she couldn't interfere.

Upon hearing the result, Qin Yu almost burst out laughing.

About fifteen minutes later, Zhao Zhen and Yun Ying finished their practice session, took the towels handed to them by the palace maids, wiped their sweat, and walked over.

Having just worked up a sweat, Zhao Zhen's hair was still damp, and her face was flushed, like a beauty who had just emerged from a bath, exuding a captivating beauty.

Without the imperial robes to cover her, her incredibly long legs became even more eye-catching, causing Qin Yu, a leg enthusiast, to glance at them a few more times.

Zhao Zhen noticed Qin Yu's gaze and, secretly annoyed, asked with an air of authority, "What are you looking at?"

That bastard!

He's completely blinded by lust!

How dare you stare at me like that?

This bastard deserves a good beating.

Flip it over and hit it!

"Ah... I'm looking at calligraphy!"

Qin Yu snapped out of his daze and quickly pointed to the large characters on the pillar beside him, saying in a serious tone, "These characters are vigorous and powerful, like dragons and phoenixes dancing; they must be the work of a master!"

Damn it!

I really need to change my habit of glancing around randomly!

This isn't some long-legged college girl!

This is a ruthless female demon who kills without blinking an eye!

Zhao Zhen bit her lip slightly, and asked with a half-smile, "You also know calligraphy?"

"I know a little, I know a little!"

Qin Yuqian smiled, "Good calligraphy, you should learn calligraphy..."