If I send you to join the army and marry a woman, will you conquer the Empress?

"Yes."

Commander Lü rose respectfully, bowed his head, and stood aside, not daring to breathe loudly.

"Lu Zhong, do you think that girl Fuyao... has developed feelings for Qin Feng?"

The middle-aged scholar, who was also the current emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, suddenly asked.

"Your Highness, I dare not speak ill of her."

Commander Lü quickly replied.

"I command you to speak, so speak!"

The Xia Emperor's tone suddenly turned serious, carrying an unquestionable command.

"yes!"

Commander Lü shuddered in fright and quickly chose his words carefully before replying cautiously, "Your Majesty, Her Highness the Princess... seems to have a special fondness for Young Master Qin, unlike with others."

This was said in a very euphemistic way, but the meaning was already very clear.

"Then what do you think of Qin Feng?" Emperor Xia asked again.

Upon hearing this, Commander Lü finally breathed a sigh of relief; he was confident he could answer the question.

He recalled Qin Feng's stunning arrow strike that day, and also remembered his terrifying talent for remembering everything he saw and applying what he learned to other situations when he watched Qin Feng practice his spear.

"Your Majesty, Young Master Qin possesses extraordinary talent; he is a born military general!"

"Both his archery and marksmanship have reached a state of perfection!"

"I believe that if Prince Qin joins the army, he may one day be ennobled and appointed as a general, adding another pillar to the strength of our Great Xia!"

Commander Lü's evaluation was undeniably high.

However, after listening, Emperor Xia shook his head: "I don't think so."

Commander Lü's heart skipped a beat. Had he said something wrong?

Does His Majesty not think highly of Qin Feng?

Emperor Xia continued, "It's a waste of his talents to make him a general who charges into battle."

"This young man is a man of great vision and profound understanding. His strategy of 'resisting external aggression and pacifying internal strife, forming alliances and counter-alliances' is something that even the veteran officials in the court may not possess."

The Xia Emperor's evaluations grew increasingly higher with each sentence.

"His poetic talent is merely icing on the cake. His true value lies in his mind, which can see through the grand scheme of things!"

"Such talent, if he were to enter the imperial court, would surely have the potential to become the Grand Secretary!"

The bearing of a prime minister!

boom!

These four words exploded in Commander Lü's mind, leaving him completely stunned!

The Grand Secretary of the Great Xia Dynasty was the head of all civil officials and the leader of all officials.

Second only to the emperor, above all others!

His Majesty's evaluation of Qin Feng was actually this high?

This is simply unheard of!

"Unfortunately..."

Emperor Xia changed the subject, with a hint of regret: "He seems to have no interest in politics, only wanting to join the army, follow in the footsteps of his father and brothers, and make a name for himself."

Emperor Xia paced back and forth for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, I heard that he was once engaged to the daughter of the Left Chancellor, Yun Song?"

Commander Lü quickly regained his senses and told him everything he knew.

"Your Majesty, Miss Yun recently broke off her engagement with Young Master Qin. However, Her Highness the Princess and Miss Yun have made a bet."

"Oh? What kind of bet?"

The Xia Emperor became interested.

"I bet on whether Young Master Qin can win first place in both the upcoming literary and martial arts examinations!" Commander Lü replied.

"A double champion in both literature and martial arts?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xia was taken aback at first, then clapped his hands and laughed, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

"Haha, interesting! I'll wait and see!"

"If he can truly be both a scholar and a warrior, unparalleled in the capital... then he would be worthy of my favor."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer, flicked his sleeves, and strode away.

Commander Lü hurriedly followed, but his heart was filled with turmoil.

Does His Majesty's statement mean that he has tacitly approved it?

……

the other side.

Qin Feng walked out of Wenchang Pavilion, intending to go straight back to his residence.

The night breeze, cool against his face, calmed his turbulent emotions considerably.

Composing three timeless poems today, and discussing the state of the world with the current emperor, has truly taken a toll on my mental and physical energy.

As he was walking, he paused and looked up at a pavilion not far away.

Zuixianlou (Drunken Immortal Pavilion)

The most famous den of extravagance in the capital was also a place where countless high-ranking officials, nobles, and literati lingered.

A figure involuntarily surfaced in Qin Feng's mind.

The courtesan, Li Chan'er, who danced gracefully and possessed an innate allure.

A beauty of unparalleled grace and beauty.

It has indeed been a long time since we last met since that "day".

Since I have nothing to do at home anyway, why don't I... go see her?

With a thought in mind, Qin Feng headed towards the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Immediately, a sharp-eyed pimp came forward, his face beaming with smiles.

"Oh my, isn't this Young Master Qin? Miss Chan'er talks about you all the time!"

Qin Feng casually tossed over a silver ingot and said indifferently, "Take me to find Miss Chan'er."

"Okay!"

The pimp took the silver, his smile widening. He quickly led the way, taking Qin Feng to an elegant, detached house in the backyard.

"Please, young master."

Qin Feng pushed open the door and entered.

A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted over, not from incense, but from a natural body odor.

A gauze curtain swayed gently, and a stunningly beautiful woman in a thin gauze dance dress sat by the window, resting her chin on her hand, gazing blankly at the moonlight outside.

She had a graceful figure and exquisite curves, with a naturally charming oval face, especially her pair of captivating eyes, which were sparkling and radiant, seemingly capable of stealing one's soul.

She was none other than Li Chan'er, one of the four beauties of the imperial city and the most beautiful courtesan.

Hearing the door open, she turned around and saw Qin Feng. Her peach blossom eyes first lit up with joy, but then turned into a faint sense of grievance.

She stood up, took light steps, and came to Qin Feng, giving a slight curtsy.

"I thought that Young Master Qin had found a new love and had long forgotten about Chan'er..."

Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of barely perceptible melancholy that made one's bones melt.

Qin Feng chuckled inwardly.

That little devil really knows how to manipulate people.

"I've been busy with all sorts of things lately, but I finally had some free time today, so I came to see you as soon as possible."

Qin Feng casually made up an excuse and pulled her to sit down.

Li Chan'er then stopped crying and smiled, nestling close to Qin Feng, and asked curiously, "Young Master Qin, did you compose any extraordinary poems today?"

Clearly, the news of what happened at Wenchang Pavilion had spread at an extremely fast pace, and even she had heard about it.

"What's so great about poetry?"

Qin Feng shook his head, squeezed her smooth little hand, and deliberately kept her in suspense: "Today, I'll tell you a story."

"A story?" Li Chan'er's beautiful eyes lit up.

Qin Feng cleared his throat and began his impromptu composition.

"It is said that in the Eastern Continent of Divine Victory, there is a Flower and Fruit Mountain. On the top of the mountain is a celestial stone that, nourished by the essence of the sun and moon, nurtured a celestial embryo. One day, it suddenly exploded, and a stone monkey sprang out from it..."

"This stone monkey apprenticed under a master and acquired great supernatural powers. Later, finding the Heavenly Palace boring, he called himself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven..."

He embellished the well-known myth from his past life.

From the birth of the stone monkey, to learning skills from a master, to stealing treasures from the Dragon Palace, and then to the soul-summoning in the underworld...

Li Chan'er listened with rapt attention, her beautiful eyes wide open and her mouth slightly agape, completely absorbed in that bizarre and fantastical world.

When Qin Feng recounted how the monkey proclaimed himself "Great Sage Equal to Heaven," stormed the Lingxiao Palace, and even 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals couldn't stop him, Li Chan'er clenched her little fists with excitement.

"Sun Wukong fought his way all the way to Mount Ling, and even overturned the Buddha's throne!"

Qin Feng made up stories and did whatever he wanted to enjoy.

"Huh? And then?"

Li Chan'er pressed for an answer urgently, her heart pounding in her throat.

"Then?"

Qin Feng chuckled, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense: "It's getting late. To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next chapter."

"Oh dear! Young Master Qin, you're so naughty!"

Li Chan'er stomped her feet in anger, grabbed Qin Feng's arm, and kept shaking it while acting coquettishly.

Qin Feng remained unmoved, scrutinizing her thin gauze dance dress from head to toe, and suddenly asked, "I've heard you're a master of both singing and dancing?"

"That's natural."

When Li Chan'er mentioned her special skills, a hint of pride appeared on her face.

Qin Feng's gaze fell on her long, straight, beautiful legs, and he asked with a mischievous grin, "Um... can you do the splits?"

Li Chan'er's face flushed red instantly, so red it looked like it could bleed. She lowered her head shyly, her voice barely audible.

"Yes...I know a little..."

Qin Feng leaned close to her ear and whispered something in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"Strike a pose and show me!"