I've announced that I'm destined to have many children, and my father has bestowed upon me

The back garden of the Prince of Wei's residence.

The sun shines warmly, and the flowers are gently intoxicated.

Zhao Chen'an was comfortably lying in the rocking chair, enjoying this rare moment of leisure in the afternoon.

Since the last time I presented the Nine Dragons Demon Halberd to help my father break through to the Dragon Transformation Realm.

The entire capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty was filled with a strange excitement, but his Prince Wei's mansion remained calm.

He liked this peace and quiet.

"Your Highness, Your Highness."

A high-pitched voice broke the silence as Eunuch Wei took small, quick steps.

He ran in with a big smile on his face, holding a bright yellow imperial edict in his hands.

Zhao Chen'an didn't even lift his eyelids.

Another arranged marriage?

Surely not? The Xiao family's son hasn't even entered the family yet. Father's efficiency is a bit too high.

"What's the matter, Eunuch Wei? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhao Chen'an asked lazily.

"Great news, Your Highness!"

Eunuch Wei bowed and held the imperial edict high above his head.

"His Majesty has decreed that His Highness Prince Wei shall depart immediately for the Xiao family to personally welcome Princess Wei to the capital!"

Zhao Chen'an stopped moving.

He slowly opened his eyes and sat up straight.

"You want me... to personally go and fetch the bride?"

He was somewhat bewildered.

That's against the rules.

Since ancient times, there has never been any reason for a prince to personally travel thousands of miles to fetch someone.

"That's what His Majesty said."

Eunuch Wei bowed his head and answered respectfully:

"His Majesty also said that the Xiao family's daughter is a favored daughter of Heaven and deserves this honor."

"Only Your Highness's personal welcome can demonstrate the sincerity of our Great Zhou. The wedding ceremony will be held after the Princess arrives in the capital."

Zhao Chen'an remained silent.

What is Father Emperor up to?

However, he didn't think much of it.

Anyway, if the sky falls, his father will hold it up. As a son, all he needs to do is obey and carry out his duties.

"Okay, I understand."

Zhao Chen'an waved his hand.

"I'll get ready and go shortly."

"This servant takes his leave."

Eunuch Wei bowed and quietly withdrew.

Zhao Chen'an sat there for a moment, then got up and walked towards the inner courtyard.

Such a big thing, I have to tell the three people in my family.

……

In the pavilions and waterside terraces of the inner courtyard, three exquisitely beautiful figures created a moving picture.

Ulanxue wore a loose, plain-colored long dress, radiating a gentle maternal glow.

She was gently stroking her slightly protruding belly.

Her face, which originally carried the heroic spirit of the grassland people, was now as pure as a snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains, untouched by any dust.

Li Qingluan, on the other hand, wore a smart red outfit that perfectly accentuated her voluptuous figure.

She was wiping her spear with meticulous movements, displaying a heroic and spirited demeanor.

As the daughter of a military family, her beauty possessed a sharp, aggressive quality that made people afraid to look directly at her.

Liu Ruoshuang remained aloof, dressed in pristine white, quietly reading a book.

She sat there, seemingly isolated from the entire world, ethereal and otherworldly.

Her stunningly beautiful face remained completely expressionless, like ice that had never melted.

Yet, it makes people irresistibly want to get closer and melt away that coldness.

When Zhao Chen'an walked in, he saw a scene that stirred his heart.

My three wives are all exceptionally beautiful, each with their own unique charm!

"Cough cough."

He coughed lightly, breaking the silence.

All three women turned their attention to him.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Zhao Chen'an walked to the center of the pavilion and repeated the oral message that Eunuch Wei had just conveyed.

"My husband is going to personally pick up that Miss Xiao?"

Ulanxue was the first to speak, her pure, large eyes filled with curiosity.

"Yes, it's Father's order."

"Then... I want to go too!"

Ulanxue suddenly stood up, her face showing excitement and anticipation.

"I've been in the capital for so long, and I haven't even gone out for a stroll yet! Husband, take me with you, I want to see the mountains and rivers of the Great Zhou!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chen'an hesitated for a moment.

"You're pregnant now, and the journey will be tiring. What if it affects the baby...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Qingluan slammed her spear into the ground, making a crisp sound.

"What does it matter?"

She pursed her lips, her words straightforward:

"Sister Xue'er is of the Heavenly Wolf bloodline and is a cultivator at the Sea of ​​Wheels realm. Her physique is far superior to that of ordinary women."

"Keeping her cooped up in this palace all day is actually bad for her and the child."

"Go out for a walk, relax, it's no big deal."

Zhao Chen'an thought about it and realized that made sense.

Ulanxue grew up on horseback and is the proudest saint on the grassland.

It was truly unfair to keep her confined in the palace like a canary.

"Okay, let's go together then."

Zhao Chen'an nodded with a smile.

Ulanxue immediately cheered and ran over to hug Zhao Chen'an's arm, like a child who had received candy.

Zhao Chen'an's gaze turned to Liu Ruoshuang, who had remained silent.

"Ruoshuang, what about you?"

Liu Ruoshuang closed the book in her hand and slowly stood up.

Her clear eyes were fixed on Zhao Chen'an, with a hint of barely perceptible worry hidden within them.

"I won't go."

Her voice was clear and cool, yet very firm.

"The Jixia Academy has just entered the Great Zhou Dynasty, and its integration with various forces in the court is still in its early stages. There are many things that I need to handle while I remain in the capital."

"My lord, your journey is long; please be careful in all things."

Although she was very worried about Zhao Chen'an's safety on this trip, she was even more aware of her responsibilities.

As the holy maiden of the Jixia Academy, she cannot act impulsively.

Zhao Chen'an walked up to her and gently took her slightly cool hand in his.

"Don't worry, since Father Emperor sent me, he must have made all the arrangements."

He could sense that this seemingly cold saintess cared for him deep down.

"If you stay in the capital, you can help me look after the house."

Zhao Chen'an's words carried a hint of teasing:

"I don't want to come back and find the palace completely emptied."

A rare, very faint blush appeared on Liu Ruoshuang's cheeks. Although it was fleeting, it still left Zhao Chen'an speechless.

The moment an iceberg melts is indeed the most beautiful sight in the world.

"You should take Sister Xue and Sister Qingluan with you this time, so they can look after each other on the way."

Liu Ruoshuang ignored his joke and gave him serious instructions.

"Understood, my head butler," Zhao Chen'an replied with a smile.

……

By evening, the carriages of the Prince of Wei's residence were ready.

Unlike ordinary carriages, this was a huge chariot pulled by four pure white spirit horses, each with a trace of dragon-horse blood.

The carriage was spacious enough to accommodate more than a dozen people.

Li Qingluan, however, felt that this was not enough.

She found Zhao Chen'an, her expression serious.

"My husband, I feel there's something fishy about this."

"How so?"

"What kind of family is the Xiao family? A family with a history of ten thousand years, with a profound foundation. It is said that even the Great Xia royal family has to show them respect."

"Their daughter, ranked sixth on the Prodigy Ranking, how could she possibly be interested in... interested in our Great Zhou?"

Li Qingluan put it bluntly: she simply didn't believe in such a windfall.

"It's already strange that she would agree to this marriage."

"Now that Father is making you personally go to fetch the bride, adopting such a humble posture, if there isn't something wrong with this, I'll change my name."

Zhao Chen'an scratched his head:

"Who can guess what my father is thinking? Anyway, he's my father, he wouldn't harm me."

"I didn't mean your father would harm you!"

Li Qingluan was getting anxious:

"I'm worried about safety on the road!"

As expected of the general's daughter, she thinks more comprehensively than him.

"So, what do you mean?"

"I have already sent someone to inform my father."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Li Qingluan's eyes:

"For this trip, I will bring three hundred elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, along with three hundred Xuanjia female guards whom I personally trained!"

"No matter what schemes or tricks they have, they're all nothing but chickens and dogs before absolute power!"

Zhao Chen'an couldn't help but smile as he looked at her confident and radiant demeanor.

"Okay, whatever you say. Anyway, it'll be more lively with more people, and a bigger show will prevent the Xiao family from looking down on us."

With Zhao Chen'an's consent, Li Qingluan immediately turned around and made the arrangements.

Night falls.

A massive convoy, escorted by three hundred Tiger Leopard Cavalry and three hundred Xuanjia female guards, slowly drove out of the imperial city under the watchful eyes of countless people.

At the same time, deep within the palace.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was brightly lit.

Zhao Daoting was standing in front of a huge sand table. On the sand table, the territories of the Great Zhou and the Great Xia were intertwined, and countless flags were scattered everywhere.

Eunuch Wei entered silently and knelt down to report.

"Your Majesty, Prince Wei has already left the city."

Zhao Daoting hummed in response, without turning around.

He picked up a small golden flag representing the Wei Prince's convoy and slowly planted it at the starting point of the road leading from the Great Zhou Imperial City to the Xiao family.

After doing all this, he finally raised his head, his deep gaze fixed on the dark night sky outside the window.

"The bait has been cast."

"Now, let's see how many fish will be unable to resist taking the bait."

His voice was very soft, almost inaudible in the empty hall.