Having many children brings many blessings; the struggle for power begins with marriage.

Chapter 225 Chen Wanrong's Special Methods

Upon hearing Zhuge Chongguang's words, the scene immediately erupted in discussion.

"Paying respects? I didn't hear wrong, did I?"

"Why would the Sage of Literature pay homage to the Northern King?"

"Did the Sage of Literature make a slip of the tongue?"

……

The word "pay respects" is not used casually. It is usually used when a person of lower status greets a person of higher status. However, Zhuge Chongguang was a literary sage. No matter which dynasty he went to, the emperor of that dynasty would personally receive him.

In terms of status, the Northern King's status is no higher than that of Zhuge Chongguang.

Although the Northern King was a prince, he was at most a vassal king. You should know that Zhuge Chongguang was someone who did not need to bow in front of the emperor of the dynasty.

Now, Zhuge Chongguang would actually take the initiative to bow to a vassal king.

What's going on?

Is this old man really Zhuge Chongguang?

Just as people were wondering why Zhuge Chongguang was bowing to Lu Chen, Lu Chen immediately came over, took Zhuge Chongguang's arms, and said, "Senior Zhuge, there's no need to be so polite."

At this moment, Zhuge Chongguang said, "If Your Highness doesn't mind, how about sharing a carriage with me?"

Although Lu Chen came on horseback, it would be somewhat impolite for the prince to ride a horse on the way back while the subject rode in a carriage.

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Then this junior will respectfully accept your offer."

Lu Chen then followed Zhuge Chongguang onto the carriage.

The surrounding people were shocked to see this.

The Sage of Literature not only paid homage to the King of the North, but also treated him with such courtesy?

Are they seeing things?

The Sage of Literature is a Grandmaster, and he's about to break through to the Celestial Realm. Is it really necessary for him to be so polite to the King of the North?

They even invited him to ride in the same carriage!

……

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Lu Chen boarded Zhuge Chongguang's carriage, which then slowly drove into the city, leaving the stunned crowd behind.

Among the crowd, a plump middle-aged man dressed in gold-embroidered brocade watched the carriage gradually disappear into the distance, then muttered to himself, "It seems that my future master really might be the Northern King."

Although the man was still unsure of who he should serve, judging from the events of the past two years, the Northern King was the most out-of-place figure in this world, seemingly incompatible with it.

The more extraordinary the existence of the Northern King, the more it suggests that the Northern King might be the person he is to serve. The chosen one is definitely different from ordinary people.

Thinking of this, the middle-aged man smiled, his fat face wrinkled, and his eyes narrowed into slits. Sure enough, coming to the North was the right decision.

All he had to do now was wait in the Northern Kingdom; he believed that the Chosen One would soon give him his orders.

At this moment.

Inside the carriage.

Zhuge Chongguang said, "Your Highness, some students from Huanyu Academy are already on their way to the Northern Kingdom. They should have arrived in the territory of Great Xia by now. I wonder what Your Highness plans to do with them?"

Lu Chen replied, "The Northern Kingdom is currently in dire need of officials, and I intend to appoint some learned scholars to official positions."

"In addition, I have already had an academy built in the new city. Once Huanyu Academy moves to the North, there will be a place for it to operate immediately."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Chongguang expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness."

At this moment, Lu Chen thought to himself that Zhuge Chongguang was, after all, a literary sage, a wise man who was rewarded by the system, and he had lived for so many years, so he must be a very intelligent person. It just so happens that he had some doubts in his heart recently.

Since Zhuge Chongguang is so intelligent, he might be able to figure out those things that he has never understood.

Thinking of this, Lu Chen asked directly, "Dean Zhuge, I have a few questions in my mind. I wonder if you can help me answer them?"

At this moment, Zhuge Chongguang said, "Your Highness, please don't be so polite. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. I will answer them to the best of my knowledge."

Lu Chen then asked, "Dean Zhuge should know about some recent events in the Great Xia Dynasty, right?"

Zhuge Chongguang said, "I have heard a little about it."

Lu Chen continued, "My father didn't take action against the Jiangnan aristocratic families at first, but instead waited until now to mobilize a large army to march south. In your opinion, is his move to the south to deal with the Jiangnan aristocratic families, or to prevent the plague from the Great Qian Dynasty from spreading to the Great Xia Dynasty?"

Zhuge Chongguang replied, "In my opinion, the Xia Emperor is most likely planning to take action against the powerful families of Jiangnan."

Lu Chen said, "Logically speaking, a few months ago would have been a good time to make a move. Why didn't my father act then, but instead waited until now? Isn't it a bit too late to act now?"

Zhuge Chongguang countered, "Your Highness, you should be aware that the Great Xia Dynasty has liberalized salt industry regulations, shouldn't you?"

Although Zhuge Chongguang was in the Great Qian Dynasty, the fact that the Great Xia Dynasty had opened up the salt industry was a major piece of news for all the major dynasties. Salt was very important in this era, and all the dynasties had their salt monopolies run by the government. The Great Xia Dynasty was the first dynasty to dare to open up the salt industry. In the past year, Zhuge Chongguang had often heard people discussing the Great Xia Dynasty opening up the salt industry.

Lu Chen said, "That's natural. I've always been curious about this. Releasing the salt industry's management rights is tantamount to handing over the lifeline of Great Xia to the aristocratic families. If everything is managed by the aristocratic families in the future, the entire economy of Great Xia will be in their hands. At that time, my father will be even less able to eliminate the aristocratic families, because once they are eliminated, the result will be the collapse of the entire economy of Great Xia. My father cannot bear this consequence."

Zhuge Chongguang said, "Although I was not in the Great Xia before, I know the Xia Emperor's determination to eliminate the aristocratic families. In my opinion, the Xia Emperor will never completely compromise with the aristocratic families."

"Since the Xia Emperor will not completely compromise with the aristocratic families, everything he does must be based on his own interests."

"In my opinion, the Xia Emperor's relinquishment of the salt industry management rights was not to compromise with those powerful families, but rather to make a deal with a particular powerful family."

"Although most aristocratic families would benefit from the liberalization of salt production rights, there would inevitably be one family that would profit the most."

Upon hearing Zhuge Chongguang's words, Lu Chen immediately realized something and said, "Does Dean Zhuge mean that my father doesn't intend to eliminate all the aristocratic families, but rather plans to unite with some of them to deal with the ones he most wants to eliminate?"

Zhuge Chongguang said, "This is just my personal guess. Your Highness should just take it with a grain of salt. I can't be sure if it's true or not. After all, I've been in the Great Qian Dynasty for a long time and I'm not particularly familiar with the situation of the powerful families in the Great Xia Dynasty."

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Dean Zhuge's guess has reminded me. I couldn't understand why my father would do things that seemed like compromises. Now it seems that he has probably been planning all along."

Lu Chen thought to himself, "As expected of the wise man rewarded by the system, he saw through the current situation of the Great Xia Dynasty in one go."

If Zhuge Chongguang's guess is correct, then his father has probably secretly reached a cooperation agreement with a certain aristocratic family or interest group.

Thinking about it this way, the reason he hasn't taken action against the Jiangnan aristocratic families for almost a year is because he's been secretly trying to win over certain people.

Is his sudden troop deployment south because he has already negotiated the distribution of profits with certain interest groups?

Lu Chen smiled knowingly. So that's how it is. It seems that his mind is not quick enough. He hadn't thought of this at all. Not long ago, he thought that his father had completely given up on taking action against the aristocratic families and planned to live like the emperors of the past, indulging in music and entertainment in the palace and just passing the rest of his life like that.

Many emperors in history were like this: they were ambitious at first, harboring all sorts of lofty aspirations, but once they encountered the slightest obstacle, they would start to slack off, staying in the palace to enjoy themselves until they died of old age.

On the way back to the Northern Prince's Mansion, Lu Chen asked Zhuge Chongguang several questions.

Zhuge Chongguang's answer enlightened Lu Chen. Lu Chen had little political wisdom, and he had never been involved in politics in his previous life. He was completely unfamiliar with some of the rules of politics, so he found it difficult to understand the actions of some seasoned veterans.

However, things are different with Zhuge Chongguang. In the future, if there is anything he doesn't understand, he can directly ask Zhuge Chongguang.

Lu Chen was very happy about Zhuge Chongguang's arrival. He personally hosted a banquet at the Prince's Mansion to entertain Zhuge Chongguang and the students from Huanyu Academy who accompanied him.

This news quickly spread throughout Yancheng.

The people of Yancheng, as well as the spies from various forces, found it all quite unbelievable.

The renowned literary sage has actually come to the Northern Kingdom, and it is said that he is very polite to the Northern King.

What in the North attracted the Sage of Literature?

Could it be that the Sage of Literature is planning to move the Huanyu Academy to the Northern Kingdom?

Immediately, various speculations and rumors circulated among the people.

The news of the Sage of Literature appearing in Yancheng surprised not only outsiders but also some of the people in the Northern King's Mansion. After all, the Sage of Literature was a Grandmaster, so how could a Grandmaster come to such a remote place as the Northern Kingdom?

At this moment.

Yunrong Courtyard.

The name Yunrong Courtyard is what the servants of the Northern Prince's Mansion call it. This courtyard didn't have a name before, but because Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong lived here for a long time, the servants named it Yunrong Courtyard to make it easier to distinguish them.

This is similar to Chun Sheng Yuan. Chun Sheng Yuan was also the name first used by the maids and servants of the Northern Prince's Mansion, and then Mu Zixuan and the others simply adopted this name.

At this moment, Chen Wanrong was sitting in the pavilion, her slender fingers on the guqin, preparing to play a piece. Just then, Lin Wanyun rushed into the courtyard in a panic.

"Palace Master, something terrible has happened!"

Chen Wanrong was stunned when she heard Lin Wanyun's words.

What could have made Lin Wanyun so flustered?

Chen Wanrong asked, "Aunt Lin, what happened?"

Lin Wanyun did not answer immediately. She walked directly to Chen Wanrong's side and whispered in her ear, "Just now, the literary sage Zhuge Chongguang came to the Prince's mansion, and the Prince of the North hosted a banquet for him."

Chen Wanrong was taken aback.

Literary sage?

If she remembered correctly, her master had once told her that among the known grandmasters in this world, the one most likely to break through to the Celestial Realm was the Sage of Literature, Zhuge Chongguang.

It wasn't because Zhuge Chongguang was older that he was most likely to break through to the Celestial Realm first, but because the cultivation method he practiced was not an ordinary martial arts method.

According to her master, Zhuge Chongguang is no longer considered a martial artist. Even if several Grandmasters were combined, they might not be a match for Zhuge Chongguang.

How did someone so capable end up in such a remote place in the North?

Wasn't Zhuge Chongguang in the Great Qian Dynasty?

From the Great Qian Dynasty to the Northern Kingdom, who knows how far it will take? Is there nothing for him, a Grandmaster, to do?

Chen Wanrong frowned slightly; she instantly understood why Lin Wanyun had said something terrible had happened.

Zhuge Chongguang is no ordinary person. If they use the love potion on Lu Chen at this time, Zhuge Chongguang is likely to find out. If Zhuge Chongguang does not leave the Northern Prince's Mansion, it will ruin their big plan.

This is indeed a big problem.

With the limited manpower of Xuan Yue Palace in the Northern Kingdom, they are not able to shake a Grandmaster, let alone a Grandmaster who is about to break through to the Celestial Realm.

Chen Wanrong asked, puzzled, "Aunt Lin, why is he in the Northern Kingdom?"

Lin Wanyun replied, "I overheard his conversation with the Northern King just now. It seems he plans to move the Huanyu Academy to the Northern Kingdom, and he will live there from now on."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong instantly released waves of icy cold air.

This is the last thing she wanted to see.

If Zhuge Chongguang stayed in the Northern Kingdom, then all the work that Xuan Yue Palace had done in the Northern Kingdom would have been in vain.

Why would a great master like him, instead of staying in the Great Qian Dynasty and enjoying its offerings, come to this remote northern country to run a school?

Lin Wanyun looked at Chen Wanrong and said, "Palace Master, what should we do next?"

"If we continue to wait, all our efforts this year will be in vain. Zhuge Chongguang is no ordinary person. If we use the love potion on the Northern King, he will likely notice."

Chen Wanrong did not answer Lin Wanyun's question immediately. She sat upright in the pavilion, lost in thought.

After a while, Chen Wanrong took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve and said to Lin Wanyun, "Aunt Lin, find a way to put the powder in the porcelain bottle into the water Lu Chen is drinking."

Chen Wanrong was not going to wait any longer. Originally, she did not want to use this tactic, but she had no choice. If they continued to drag it out, everything they had done might be in vain.

After taking the bottle from Chen Wanrong, Lin Wanyun asked in confusion, "Palace Master, what's inside?"

Chen Wanrong replied expressionlessly, "The powder on the wings of the lovebird butterfly."

This……

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun was stunned.

The lovebird butterfly is a rather special butterfly; the powder on the wings of the female lovebird butterfly can attract the male lovebird butterfly to mate.

When a man comes into contact with the powder on the wings of a lovebird butterfly, he develops strong feelings for women who have come into contact with the powder of female lovebird butterflies.

Chen Wanrong then continued, "Put in a small amount at a time, and try not to let him notice."

This powder is not toxic and will not harm the human body, so it is difficult to detect.

Of course, lovebird butterflies are very rare, and the powder on their wings is even more difficult to collect. Even cult members rarely use lovebird butterflies for evil purposes.

Chen Wanrong was able to collect so much powder entirely because her master raised a group of love butterflies.

(End of this chapter)