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

Chapter 273 The Ashamed Xuan Yuan Yunqi

Lu Chen put his arm around Xiao Wenyao and asked the maids in the city lord's mansion many questions about Xuan Yuan Chaoge and Dayu City.

Seeing how much Lu Chen cared about the affairs of Dayu City and how serious his expression was, Xiao Wenyao had no choice but to sit obediently in Lu Chen's lap without moving an inch. She just felt that the hard seat was a little uncomfortable.

After Lu Chen's questioning, Lu Chen basically understood the situation of the entire Dayu City, which was even more developed than he had imagined.

He had initially thought that Dayu City was simply wealthier than Yan City, but after learning more about it, he discovered that the lives of the people in Dayu City far surpassed those of the people in the capital of Daxia. No wonder these people didn't want to go to Yan City.

However, on the other hand, the environment of Dayu City is indeed quite suitable for industrial development. First of all, there are many craftsmen. Xuanyuan Chaoge himself is a city lord who encourages the people to do more hands-on work, unlike other places in the Great Xia Dynasty where people still distinguish between scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

Many officials in Dayu City were born into artisan families, so artisans held a relatively high status in Dayu City, and there was no distinction between scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

Lu Chen now felt that sending Mo Xing back to Dayu City to build steam engines and trains was an absolutely correct decision. Developing industry in Dayu City firstly provided a relatively stable environment, and secondly, there were many craftsmen here. More importantly, these craftsmen were far more receptive to new things than the common people of Daxia.

Just as Lu Chen was lost in thought, he suddenly felt the petite beauty in his arms moving around.

Lu Chen snapped out of his daze and asked Xiao Wenyao, "What's wrong?"

Upon hearing Lu Chen's question, Xiao Wenyao's face flushed instantly, and she replied softly, "Your Highness, I... I'm not feeling well."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately realized what he meant and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't notice. I'll make it up to you now."

At this point, Lu Chen directly embraced Xiao Wenyao's delicate body, placed her on the large bed, and then gently pressed down on her.

Early the next morning.

After getting up, Lu Chen had a sumptuous breakfast. Xuan Yuan Chaoge had arranged the highest standard of living for him, including food, supplies, and accommodation.

It must be said that the people the system assigned to him were truly loyal.

After breakfast, Lu Chen planned to visit the livestock farm in the north of Dayu City. The reason why Dayu City has such a good life is mainly because Dayu City has long been engaged in large-scale ranching. Although the people of Dayu City cannot be said to have meat at every meal, they eat much more meat every year than the people of other cities.

At this moment, Lu Chen said to Xuan Yuan Chaoge, "City Lord Xuan Yuan, you still have official duties to attend to, so you don't need to accompany me today."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Xuan Yuan Chaoge immediately recalled the way Lu Chen had looked at Xuan Yuan Yunqi yesterday. He then said to Lu Chen, "Your Majesty, this is your first time visiting Dayu City, and you are not familiar with it. How about I have my daughter show you the way?"

At this point, Xuanyuan Chaoge said to the servant beside him, "Go and fetch Yunqi, and have her lead the way for the King."

Seeing how sensible Xuanyuan Chaoge was, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, "Then I'll have to trouble Yun Qi."

Hearing Lu Chen address Xuan Yuan Yunqi as "Yunqi" so intimately, Xuan Yuan Chaoge knew something was up. He never expected that his daughter, whom he had only had for over two hundred years, would be chosen by the future Emperor. It seemed that even the heavens wanted the Xuan Yuan family to be revived!

A moment later.

The City Lord's Mansion, Xuan Yuan Yunqi's boudoir.

As Xuan Yuan Yunqi donned her black and gold armor, took her red-tasseled spear, and prepared to head to the military camp outside the city, a maidservant hurriedly approached her.

"Miss, Master has asked you to show the King around today!"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yunqi was taken aback.

To be honest, she didn't have a particularly good impression of Lu Chen. After learning that the Human Emperor had appeared, she inquired about Lu Chen through some channels and found out that their future Human Emperor was actually a lecherous man with a bunch of women in his harem.

It's normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines; even her father had more than one wife.

However, her father's desire to have children was not solely due to his lustful nature. He was worried about the lack of an heir and the impending arrival of the Human Emperor, so he wanted a child with exceptional martial arts talent to succeed him. Furthermore, he did not marry multiple wives at once; he would wait until each of his wives had passed away before marrying the next.

But the Northern King was different. According to the letter her brother sent her, the Northern King already had many beautiful women in his harem, and he already had six children.

In her view, this future emperor was simply fond of beautiful women.

Of course, even if she knew that this human emperor was a lecher, she wouldn't feel too much aversion to him. After all, he was the future human emperor, the person her father had waited for for hundreds of years. The mission of their Xuanyuan family was to assist the human emperor and achieve hegemony.

Moreover, Xuan Yuan Yunqi also realized that although Lu Chen was rather lecherous and always had beautiful wives and concubines with him when he went out, and could not live without women, he was still very good to the people of the Northern Kingdom. In addition, the Northern King was indeed very likely to have not only destroyed two relatively powerful barbarian tribes in the North, but also defeated the Grandmaster Tianqi King.

She was also someone who admired the strong, so her opinion of Lu Chen changed slightly, but it was only a slight change. She still felt that the Emperor's lustful nature should be corrected.

The emperor is, after all, the emperor. He should prioritize the conquest of the world. How can he devote all his energy to women? How can a martial artist practice martial arts if he doesn't abstain from lust?

Even though she sensed yesterday that Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, she still stuck to her own opinion. In her view, the Human Emperor was a sacred leader and the master of the world. A leader should act like a leader and pay attention to his behavior.

It wasn't that she thought Lu Chen had to have only one wife; she just felt that Lu Chen had far too many women around him.

Xuan Yuan Yunqi wasn't stupid. As soon as she heard that her father wanted her to lead the way for the Northern King, she had a vague feeling that her father wanted to sell his daughter.

She also has a second brother, and logically, if anyone should be leading the way, it should be him. Instead, she, a girl, was asked to lead the way for the Northern King. There's no need to guess what her father was thinking.

Xuan Yuan Yunqi sighed softly, then said to the maid who came to fetch her, "Take me there."

Immediately afterwards, the maid led Xuan Yuan Yunqi to Lu Chen's side. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Xuan Yuan Yunqi immediately bowed and said, "Your subordinate greets Your Majesty!"

Upon seeing Xuan Yuan Yunqi dressed in black and gold armor, Xuan Yuan Chaoge was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "Yunqi, your military duties will be temporarily handed over to your second brother. You don't need to be on duty today. Go and change your clothes first."

Xuan Yuan Yunqi glanced at Lu Chen and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Father, I am leading the way for the King, so naturally I am responsible for the King's safety. I must protect the King, so how can I take off my armor?"

This……

Xuanyuan Chaoge was somewhat frustrated. He couldn't believe that his daughter couldn't sense that Lu Chen was already a Grandmaster. Their King was already a Grandmaster, so why would he need another Grandmaster to protect him?

Besides, the people of Dayu City are all subjects of their king. How could anyone harm him? Moreover, this place is so remote that ordinary enemies would not be able to find it. Xuan Yuan Yunqi is clearly just making excuses.

Xuan Yuan Chaoge felt a little worried. From Xuan Yuan Yunqi's words, he could tell that his daughter didn't seem to have much interest in their king.

That won't do. He was hoping that Xuan Yuan Yun Qi could marry Lu Chen and have children with him.

Just as Xuanyuan Chaoge was about to continue speaking, Lu Chen said with a smile, "City Lord Xuanyuan, what Yunqi said makes sense. Let her wear the armor. Moreover, I have found that this armor suits Yunqi very well. She looks heroic and dashing. Perhaps she wouldn't have this kind of temperament if she changed her clothes."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Xuan Yuan Yunqi was taken aback, but she quickly recovered and bowed to Lu Chen, saying, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."

Lu Chen smiled slightly, "Alright, now that Yun Qi has arrived, let's set off."

Xuanyuan Yunqi replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Afterwards, Xuan Yuan Yunqi led Lu Chen and the others to the livestock farm in Dayu City.

Along the way, Xuan Yuan Yunqi and Lu Chen did not communicate much. Xuan Yuan Yunqi's face was expressionless, and she looked meticulous, as if she was paying attention to the surroundings at all times, as if she was really protecting Lu Chen.

Lu Chen glanced at her a few times, then checked her favorability rating. It was 63, 3 points higher than yesterday.

As Lu Chen rode his horse, he asked, "General Xuanyuan, did your father teach you all your martial arts skills?"

Hearing Lu Chen call her General Xuanyuan, Xuanyuan Yunqi was slightly taken aback, and her favorability towards Lu Chen increased again.

After regaining her composure, she immediately replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Lu Chen smiled and asked, "I would like to ask General Xuanyuan a rather personal question. Is that alright?"

Xuanyuan Yunqi said, "Your Majesty, please speak."

Lu Chen then asked, "General Xuanyuan, do you want to stay in Dayu City for the rest of your life, protect Dayu City, and then find a good family to marry into when you reach a certain age, or do you want to take your red-tasseled spear, gallop across the battlefield, make great achievements, and become a female general admired by thousands?"

Upon hearing Lu Chen's question, Xuan Yuan Yunqi was stunned again; she hadn't expected Lu Chen to ask such a question.

At this moment, an image involuntarily appeared in her mind: a battlefield filled with crowds of people and constant sounds of fighting, where she rode a warhorse and charged into battle.

Her dream was indeed to become a great general admired by thousands, but she also knew that this was almost impossible. She had inquired about the situation outside and found that not only in the Great Xia Dynasty, but also in all the major dynasties, men were favored over women, and there were almost no women in the army.

Not to mention outside, the situation in Dayu City is actually quite similar. If her father hadn't been the city lord of Dayu City, she might not have been able to join the Dayu City army, let alone become the commander of an army in Dayu City.

Seeing that Xuan Yuan Yunqi had not yet raised any questions, Lu Chen continued, "General Xuan Yuan, what's your decision?"

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Xuan Yuan Yunqi finally snapped out of her daze and immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I wish to become a Grand General!"

Upon hearing Xuan Yuan Yunqi's reply, Lu Chen's lips curled up slightly. He glanced at Xuan Yuan Yunqi's favorability rating again, which had immediately risen to seventy-five.

Lu Chen then said, "I can give you the opportunity to become a great general, but you must come with me to Yancheng. I wonder if you are willing?"

This……

Xuan Yuan Yunqi instantly sensed that something was wrong.

Why did she feel that the Northern King wanted to lure her to Yancheng so that she could become his woman?

Although she was somewhat worried, she also thought that apart from the opportunity given to her by the Northern King, she had no other chance to become a great general. If she did not seize this opportunity, she might not have another chance in the future.

Thinking of this, Xuan Yuan Yunqi then said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to follow you!"

Lu Chen said, "Alright! From today onwards, General Xuanyuan will stay by my side!"

Xuan Yuan Yunqi was somewhat confused. Wasn't following him meant she was to become a great general? How could she lead troops into battle while serving the Northern King?

The Northern King is the future Emperor and leader. Although he has led troops into battle before, with more and more generals around Lu Chen, the Northern King will definitely not lead troops into battle again in the future.

If you were to stay by his side, you probably wouldn't even be able to go to the battlefield.

Xuan Yuan Yunqi was startled. Oh no, she'd been tricked!

The Northern King wants him to be the Grand General; he's clearly trying to trick him into going to Yancheng!

Xuan Yuan Yunqi suddenly felt a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't dare to say anything more, after all, Lu Chen was the future Human Emperor.

Seeing that Xuan Yuan Yunqi's expression was somewhat unpleasant, Lu Chen knew what she was thinking, so he continued, "General Xuan Yuan, not just anyone can lead troops on the battlefield. If you were given ten thousand men, you might be able to manage them, but if you were given a hundred thousand, a million-strong army, could you still command the entire army?"

"To become a true general, you must learn. There are many military generals in Yancheng, and your brother is also in Yancheng. We often discuss military matters together. If you follow me, you will be able to learn a lot of military and troop-leading knowledge that you don't know. This will be of great help to you in becoming a general in the future."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Xuan Yuan Yunqi's mind went blank for a moment.

She actually thought the Northern King was lying to her. How could she doubt the future Emperor? Although the Northern King was indeed a bit lecherous, he was, after all, the future Emperor, their king. His word was law, and he would definitely keep his promises. How could he possibly lie to her?

Xuanyuan Yunqi immediately replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for giving me this opportunity!"

Lu Chen smiled, then glanced at Xuan Yuan Yunqi's favorability rating again, which had risen to eighty.

There is a play.

Sooner or later, he will be able to get Xuan Yuan Yun Qi's favorability towards him to reach 100 without the help of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea.

Of course, he would keep his promises. Since Xuan Yuan Yunqi wanted to be a female general, he would give her a chance.

In Lu Chen's opinion, Xuan Yuan Yun Qi would look even more beautiful if she wore armor.

Every woman has her own unique characteristics, and Lu Chen will not deliberately try to erase them. If all women become the same, only beautiful and without any other characteristics, what's the difference between them and inflatable figures?

Afterwards, Xuan Yuan Yunqi first took Lu Chen and the others to the livestock farm, and then took Lu Chen to the Mo Family Workshop, the largest workshop in Dayu City.

For the rest of the day, Lu Chen stayed in the Mo family workshop, discussing the construction of steam engines and trains with the craftsmen. They talked about everything from materials to the principles of steam engines, and then about where and in which industries steam engines could be used.

When the artisans in the city heard that their king had gone to the Mo family workshop, they all rushed there to see what was going on. As a result, the entire Mo family workshop was surrounded by layers upon layers of people.

Lu Chen's conversations with the artisans at the Mo Family Workshop opened the door to a new world in their hearts. This also allowed the people of Dayu City to see the importance their king placed on artisans, and laid the ideological foundation for future industrial development.

Seeing Lu Chen and the craftsmen discussing a certain machine in a very friendly manner, Xuan Yuan Yunqi suddenly felt extremely ashamed.

She suddenly felt that even if the future emperor was a bit lecherous, at least he was very kind to the common people and his subjects.

If the emperor had been a bit more lustful and had more children with his wives and concubines, the future prosperity of the royal family might have had a positive effect on stabilizing the world.

As evening fell, when Lu Chen and his group returned to the City Lord's Mansion, Lu Chen was surprised to find that Xuan Yuan Yunqi's favorability towards him had risen to ninety.

Unexpectedly, having Xuan Yuan Yunqi follow him for just one day almost maxed out her favorability rating.

It's a bit of a pity, though, that it's still 10 points short of 100.

Moreover, Xuan Yuan Yunqi is a special case. Even if he raises her favorability to a hundred, he cannot let her have a child for the time being. He promised to make her a general. If he lets her get pregnant so quickly, wouldn't he be breaking his promise? Lu Chen does not intend to break his promise in this matter.

When Lu Chen and his group arrived at the city lord's mansion, Xuan Yuan Chaoge was already waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing Lu Chen return, Xuan Yuan Chaoge immediately went up to him and said, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Lord Xuanyuan is joking. General Xuanyuan is dutiful and responsible. How could he possibly cause me any trouble?"

"By the way, Lord Xuanyuan, I have already made an agreement with General Xuanyuan. From now on, she will follow me. When I return to Yancheng, she will also come with me."

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chaoge was first taken aback, then overjoyed. He immediately said, "Thank you for valuing my daughter, Your Majesty!"

Xuan Yuan Chaoge's idea was to have Lu Chen marry Xuan Yuan Yunqi. Originally, he was worried that Xuan Yuan Yunqi would be resistant, judging from her attitude towards Lu Chen. Unexpectedly, after going out for a while, the matter was settled.

He truly deserves to be called the Chosen One and the Emperor; no woman can resist his charm.

Seeing her father so excited, Xuan Yuan Yunqi's lips twitched slightly; she instantly saw through her father's thoughts.

However, she followed the Northern King south to become a great general, not to bear children for him, which would probably disappoint her father.

(End of this chapter)