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

Chapter 256 Marching North

Seeing that Mu Zixuan and the others couldn't guess, Lu Chen said directly, "The pills you have are called Youth Preservation Pills. You should know what they're for from the name, right?"

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, the three women were simultaneously taken aback.

When their eyes returned to the pills in their hands, they seemed to radiate a burning light.

Mu Zixuan asked incredulously, "Your Highness... does taking the Youth-Preserving Pill mean we won't age so quickly?"

Mu Zixuan only dared to guess that it was a medicine to slow down aging; she didn't even dare to think about staying young forever, since that was something every woman dreamed of. She simply couldn't believe that such a miraculous elixir existed in this world.

Lu Chen smiled and said, "My dear consort, your guess is too conservative."

"Once you take the Youth Preservation Pill, you will never grow old. At most, your hair will turn white as you age."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, the three women were immediately stunned.

They looked at the youth-preserving pills in their hands, wishing they could stuff them into their mouths immediately.

No woman doesn't want to stay young forever, and Mu Zixuan and the others are no exception; the allure is simply too great for them.

After regaining her senses, Mu Zixuan said, "Your Highness...this elixir must be extremely precious, are you really going to give it to us?"

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Of course, you're all my women, isn't it only right that I give you gifts?"

Mu Zixuan then said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for bestowing upon me the elixir of immortality."

Seeing that Mu Zixuan had already expressed her gratitude, Da Zhou and Xiao Zhou quickly added, "Thank you, Your Highness, for bestowing the elixir."

Although she was very happy, Mu Zixuan still asked, "Your Highness, this elixir is so precious, what about the other sisters...?"

Mu Zixuan hesitated, after all, everyone wanted such a magic pill. She was worried that Lu Chen only had three pills, but he gave them to the three of them. She feared that the other women in the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion would feel resentful.

Lu Chen said, "The reason I gave you these three Youth Preservation Pills first is because they are all martial artists. Martial artists don't age so quickly. If their cultivation level rises to the Celestial Realm in a short period of time, they can also maintain their youth forever and may not need the Youth Preservation Pills."

"And don't worry, I have more than three Youth Preservation Pills on hand. I'll give them to whoever needs them as soon as possible."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Mu Zixuan said, "Then I am relieved."

Mu Zixuan's biggest worry was that the women in the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion would become jealous over certain things, leading to infighting throughout the inner courtyard. Since Lu Chen had more than one Youth Preservation Pill, he should give the Youth Preservation Pills to those women when he went to sleep in their rooms in the future.

Lu Chen said, "Alright, you should take it quickly and see how it goes."

Upon hearing this, the three women did not hesitate and immediately took the Youth Preservation Pill.

After swallowing the Youth Preservation Pill, they immediately felt incredibly refreshed and much more energetic. Then, Lu Chen noticed that Mu Zixuan and the others' skin was peeling off at a visible rate, but they did not feel any pain.

At this moment, Lu Chen raised his hand and peeled off a piece of skin that had fallen off Mu Zixuan's face. The peeled area became smooth and delicate, and the three of them would no longer need to wear light makeup.

Mu Zixuan and the others also noticed the situation on their faces. Not only was the skin on their faces peeling off, but the skin on other parts of their bodies was also peeling off, just like a snake shedding its skin.

Mu Zixuan removed the dead skin from her hands and discovered that her arms had become incredibly white and smooth, which made her very excited.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a miraculous elixir; it took effect immediately after being ingested.

Lu Chen then said with a smile, "My dear concubines, go and wash off the dirt on your bodies first. After you've finished bathing, look in the mirror, and you'll be very surprised."

Mu Zixuan said excitedly, "Yes, Your Highness."

"This concubine takes her leave."

Mu Zixuan then asked the maids to fetch hot water so that she could bathe with Da Zhou and Xiao Zhou.

Next to the main hall is a hot water pool, which was built after Lu Chen came to the Northern Kingdom. Mu Zixuan and the other two bathed in it.

After they washed away the dead skin and dirt, their skin became as smooth as white porcelain, as delicate as a baby's skin, with a hint of rosy blush. If Lu Chen were here, he would definitely not be able to suppress his inner excitement.

Zhou Xiaoxiao exclaimed excitedly, "Sister Mu, you've become so beautiful! I almost didn't recognize you!"

Mu Zixuan said, "You too! We never expected that the youth-preserving pills the Prince gave us would make us even more beautiful!"

Zhou Youyou then said in a silly tone, "That's great! I won't have to put on rouge anymore."

The three women were overjoyed. After their bath, they immediately went to the glass mirror that had recently been made in the palace to look at themselves. As soon as they entered the mirror, they were so captivated by their own beauty that they didn't want to leave it for a while.

It took Mu Zixuan and the others a long time to realize that they should thank Lu Chen, but by the time they returned to the main hall, Lu Chen had already gone to handle government affairs.

We're about to head north, and there will be a lot to do these next few days, such as preparing supplies and weapons.

a few days later.

Lu Chen held a military parade outside the North City. This parade did not showcase the Northern Kingdom's firearms; it was mainly to boost morale.

Upon hearing that the Northern Kingdom was going to hold a military parade, spies from various countries mingled in the crowd to gather intelligence.

There had been rumors that the heavy cavalry of the North had been wiped out, and spies from various countries were eager to know if these rumors were true.

The Northern Kingdom is about to send troops north, and this military parade will definitely bring out most of its troops. There's no need to hide anything, so that the spies can roughly estimate the military strength of the Northern Kingdom.

Early in the morning, Lu Chen got up, put on his black and gold armor, and went to the city gate of the North City.

At this time, the various military camps in the North had completed their assembly. After the military parade, they would return to their camps to move weapons, and then head to the North to deploy defenses in the afternoon.

Around nine o'clock in the morning, the area outside the north city was already packed with people, all waiting for the military parade to begin.

As the drums sounded, the bugle calls began to blare, and then the soldiers from the northern kingdom entered the arena.

The first to appear were the infantry, who were not carrying firearms, but rather cold weapons such as long spears.

The infantrymen's steps were very synchronized, which was very entertaining for the general public. However, while laymen only saw the spectacle, experts could see the intricacies. Scouts from various countries could tell from the infantrymen's steps that this was an army with very strict discipline.

As the infantry slowly passed through the city gate, the next soldiers were the artillery battalion. The soldiers in the artillery battalion all carried bows and arrows in their hands and bows on their backs.

Since Lu Chen did not intend to display firearms, and in order to boost morale, he had to use other cold weapons instead.

For some reason, people noticed that after the northern archers entered the field, this army seemed even more different; they were more excited than the soldiers carrying long spears in front of them.

When these artillerymen, carrying bows and arrows, arrived at the city gate, they shouted in unison, "Those who offend our northern lands, though far away, shall be punished!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

……

Currently, most soldiers in the Northern Army are looking forward to war, and the soldiers in the artillery battalion have the strongest desire for war.

Their auras are all different.

After the artillery battalion passed, the last unit appeared: the most mysterious heavy cavalry of the North.

At this moment, everyone, including all the foreign spies, held their breath.

Just then, the earth began to tremble, and people's hearts were in their throats. A short while later, a dark mass appeared in the distance.

A terrifying pressure emanated from afar, so much so that some civilians were so frightened they could barely stand. The black cavalrymen exuded a heavy killing intent, and since they were all martial artists of the fifth rank or above, even though Lu Chen only dispatched 40,000 heavy cavalrymen, when these 40,000 heavy cavalrymen gathered together, they formed a hot, high-pressure mass.

As the Black Cavalry Legion drew near, people found it extremely difficult to even breathe.

The heavy clatter of hooves seemed to pound directly on people's hearts, making their hearts pound wildly.

At this moment, the black cavalry passed through the north gate of the northern kingdom, shouting in unison, "Wherever the King's sword points, our army will follow!!!"

"Those who invade the Northern Kingdom will be killed without mercy!!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

……

The Black Cavalry's imposing presence completely overwhelmed the artillerymen who had been carrying bows. As the Black Cavalry passed by, some people trembled uncontrollably. This army seemed to have emerged from the underworld, their killing intent so intense that it was suffocating.

The spies from various countries were all intimidated by the Black Cavalry.

Although it was rumored that the Black Cavalry had been wiped out when the Northern King marched south to attack the Northern Kingdom, some people still suspected that this was just a lie fabricated by the Northern Kingdom to hide its military strength.

Unexpectedly, the heavy cavalry of the northern kingdom were still there.

People don't believe that the Northern Kingdom could train such a fierce heavy cavalry in such a short time. This heavy cavalry must be the same army that defeated the 300,000-strong army of the Heavenly Wolf King.

With two grandmaster-level generals leading the way, and the remaining 40,000 heavy cavalrymen all being martial artists of the fifth rank or above, such an army was not so easily wiped out.

The military power of the North is terrifying!

Although this military parade was only divided into three corps, the large number of troops meant that the parade still took more than an hour.

After the military parade, Lu Chen returned to the Northern Prince's Mansion to bid farewell to his wives and concubines.

At this moment, Lu Chen stood at the gate of the Northern Prince's Mansion, glanced at his worried wives and concubines, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, the war will be over soon."

Hearing this, Mu Zixuan wiped away her tears and said, "Your Highness, I await your triumphant return!"

Chu Yuqin, standing to the side, said, "Chen'er, why don't you let Xiaobai go with you? You always need someone to take care of you."

Lu Chen only brought Chen Wanrong with him on this trip north. However, Chen Wanrong is, after all, the Palace Master of Xuan Yue Palace. Although she is already Lu Chen's woman, her status is what it is, and she cannot lower herself to serve Lu Chen. Therefore, Chu Yuqin still wants Lu Chen to bring Bai Qingqing along.

Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, "After I leave, Yancheng will probably not be very peaceful. Xiaobai should stay in Yancheng to protect you."

"I went north to fight, not to enjoy life, and I don't need anyone to wait on me."

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Chu Yuqin sighed slightly; she had guessed that Lu Chen might say that.

At this moment, Lu Chen said, "Oh, right, Aunt Chu, there's something I forgot to tell you."

Chu Yuqin asked curiously, "What is it?"

Lu Chen then leaned close to Chu Yuqin's ear and whispered, "When I come back, I'll marry you. Just wait to have my children."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Chu Yuqin's face flushed crimson. She turned to glance at Lu Chen's other wives and concubines, then said resentfully, "How improper!"

At this moment, Chu Qingli, who was standing to the side, saw Lu Chen suddenly approach her sister and whisper something in her ear that made her sister blush. She immediately glared at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen smiled faintly and didn't say anything more.

After Lu Chen bid farewell to them one by one, he led the 200,000-strong army of the Northern Kingdom northward.

Clearly, the number of soldiers in the Northern Kingdom had exceeded the maximum number stipulated by the imperial court's troop limit order, but Lu Chen simply stopped pretending this time and displayed the number of soldiers from the Northern Kingdom during the military parade.

Lu Chen also felt there was no need to pretend anymore. He had learned from Wang Jiantao a few days ago that the Xia Emperor was planning to unite with the grandmasters to kill Zhuge Chongguang. Lu Chen did not believe that his father was only doing this to deal with Zhuge Chongguang.

Zhuge Chongguang is now a Northerner and the second-in-command of the Northern Kingdom. Dealing with him is tantamount to attacking the entire Northern Kingdom.

Moreover, judging from Emperor Xia's various actions, once he has dealt with the powerful clans of Great Xia, the next step will be to weaken the power of the vassal states, and the Northern Kingdom will most likely be the first to be weakened.

They were already preparing to surround and kill Zhuge Chongguang, so it was impossible to leave the Northern Kingdom to the end. This was why Lu Chen thought there was no need to continue pretending.

……

half a month later.

The news of the military parade in the North shocked all the dynasties. No one expected that the North could develop such a powerful military force in such a short period of time.

The most shocked party was the Great Xia Dynasty, but because the war between the court and the Jiangnan rebels had reached a fever pitch, the court had no time to pay attention to what was happening in the North, so the matter did not generate much discussion in the court.

However, when Emperor Xia saw the intelligence in his hand, his face turned extremely ugly, even distorted.

Inside the Imperial Garden.

Emperor Xia stood by the lotus pond, looking at the intelligence in his hand, remaining silent for a long time. The next moment, sharp sword energy was released from his body, splitting all the buildings in the Imperial Garden into several pieces. Eunuchs and maids below the ninth rank were dismembered on the spot.

Seeing that the Xia Emperor was so angry, Situ Ce guessed that something must have happened in the north.

At this moment, the Xia Emperor coldly said, "Good, good, good, very good indeed, truly my good son!!!"

Emperor Xia had always believed that the heavy cavalry of the northern kingdom had truly been wiped out, but this time, with the barbarian invasion from the east, the heavy cavalry of the northern kingdom emerged once again.

In addition to the message that Wang Jiantao had sent back, Emperor Xia had realized that the growth rate of the Northern Kingdom had far exceeded his expectations. He had previously thought that those refugees would hinder the development of the Northern Kingdom, but he did not expect that the military strength of the Northern Kingdom had become so powerful.

Especially the heavy cavalry. According to the information relayed by the Shadow Guards, the strength of those heavy cavalrymen was basically above the fifth rank, and the leading general was suspected to be a Grandmaster of the Extreme Realm.

The heavy cavalry of the Northern Kingdom has far surpassed that of the heavy cavalry of the Great Xia Dynasty. When the Northern Xian King marched south, he thought that the heavy cavalry of the Northern Kingdom were just a bunch of shrimp soldiers and crab generals wearing heavy armor, which is why they were so easily wiped out. But now he is told that those heavy cavalrymen are all martial artists of the fifth rank or above!

At this moment, Emperor Xia addressed the trembling Grandmaster Shadow Guard kneeling on the ground, saying, "Still no news of Wang Jiantao?"

The shadow guard kneeling on the ground hurriedly said, "No, according to the reports from the shadow guards we sent to the Northern Kingdom, when they arrived there, they could no longer find Commander Wang and the others. It was as if they had all vanished."

Because Emperor Xia was worried that Wang Jiantao would not perform his duties well, he sent some more shadow guards to the Northern Kingdom. The news of the military parade in the Northern Kingdom that he had just received was brought back by the shadow guards sent later.

After arriving in the Northern Kingdom, these shadow guards could not find Wang Jiantao and his group. All the shadow guards in Yancheng had vanished without a trace.

Emperor Xia basically understood what was going on at this point. He said coldly, "No need to search anymore. Just assume they are all dead. From today onwards, you will temporarily take over as the commander of the Shadow Guards."

Upon hearing this, the shadow guard kneeling on the ground immediately kowtowed and said, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"

At this moment, Emperor Xia directly sent the intelligence he was holding to Situ Ce inside the pavilion. Although the pavilion had been destroyed, a ball of external energy surrounded Situ Ce, supporting the entire pavilion and preventing it from collapsing.

The intelligence sent by Emperor Xia directly pierced through Situ Ce's protective aura. Situ Ce was not surprised at all. After receiving the intelligence sent by Emperor Xia, he was completely unfazed.

He had long known that the Northern King was no ordinary man, and that the Northern Kingdom's heavy cavalry could not possibly be wiped out.

It seems that the Northern King has already noticed the Xia Emperor's actions, so this high-profile military parade is an indication that he no longer intends to hide it.

Just then, a soldier rushed into the Imperial Garden, shouting, "Report!"

The soldier immediately knelt before the Xia Emperor, who coldly said, "Speak!"

The soldier immediately reported, "Your Majesty, the Dongfang family has vanished! The imperial soldiers behind the rebel lines intended to seek help from the Dongfang family, only to find that their docks were deserted, and the Dongfang family's residence was completely empty!"

Upon hearing this, the Xia Emperor was taken aback.

Is nobody here?

What's going on?

The Dongfang family has already agreed to help him eliminate the Jiangnan aristocratic families. Could it be that they intend to go back on their word?

Emperor Xia's expression darkened further, and he asked, "How come no one is here? Have you found out where they went?"

The soldier replied, "No, not only our soldiers are looking for them, but the rebels in Jiangnan are also searching for them."

(End of this chapter)