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

Chapter 282 It seems the Northern King is destined for unrequited love.

Since returning from the Chu family, Lu Chen would spend his days in his inner courtyard cultivating relationships with his wives and concubines after finishing his official duties.

On one hand, he wanted to see if he could directly raise his cultivation level to the Celestial Realm through the system; on the other hand, he worried that he was just a puppet of some schemers, so he wanted to enjoy life while he could.

Who cares if he's a puppet or not? Let's enjoy ourselves first, and worry about the consequences later.

Although that's what he thought, Lu Chen didn't completely give up because of this. He still had to review official documents. In recent days, they had been discussing the terms of the trade cooperation agreement with the delegation from Da Wu.

Perhaps it was because Lu Chen did not agree to cooperate with Wu Yunwan, whose conditions were all very harsh, making it seem like she was not interested in cooperation.

The Northern Kingdom, the Hall of State Affairs.

Today marks the start of another round of negotiations. The trade cooperation agreement has been under discussion for over ten days, but neither side is satisfied with the other's proposed terms.

Lu Chen sat on the throne, looking at Wu Junwan in the hall, and said with a smile, "Princess, you came to my fiefdom of voluntarily, so shouldn't you make some concessions? Trying to take all the benefits, isn't that going a bit too far?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yunwan remained calm and said indifferently, "Although it was Da Wu that took the initiative to propose the cooperation, it involves Da Wu's interests, so I naturally cannot give in easily. If I were to give in easily, wouldn't that be tantamount to betraying Da Wu?"

At this moment, Wu Ming, who was sitting to the side, looked rather grim. He had originally thought that the conditions proposed by the Northern Kingdom were almost satisfactory and that they could sign the agreement, but Wu Junwan refused to agree no matter what.

Wu Ming originally thought that since he would be signing the trade agreement, he could bypass Wu Yunwan and reach an agreement with Lu Chen on his own. However, Wu Ming realized that his words were useless in the delegation, as the entire Great Wu delegation was Wu Yunwan's people.

As long as Wu Yunwan doesn't give in, the rest of the Great Wu delegation won't give in either. If Wu Ming were to agree to Lu Chen's conditions behind the backs of everyone in the delegation at this time, he would be betraying Great Wu. Wu Ming obviously wouldn't dare to do that.

He also understood why Wu Yunwan insisted on dragging her feet and was always dissatisfied with the conditions proposed by the Northern Kingdom. It was clear that Wu Yunwan did not want to give him the credit for this mission to the Northern Kingdom, which was why she was finding fault with everything.

Thinking of this, Wu Ming clenched his fists, and then he said, "How about we each compromise? Merchants from the Northern Kingdom can travel freely in Da Wu, and merchants from Da Wu can also do business in the Northern Kingdom."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yunwan said, "The matter of the caravan is a minor issue; the key issues are commercial taxes and the scope of business operations."

"I have heard that although the Northern Kingdom is relatively developed in commerce, the prices of many goods are directly controlled by the Northern King's Mansion, and not everything can be bought and sold in the Northern Kingdom."

"I believe this is very unfair to the caravans of Da Wu. Caravans from the Northern Kingdom can conduct any business in Da Wu, but caravans from Da Wu are subject to various restrictions when they come to the Northern Kingdom. This is obviously unfair. Since we are going to sign a trade cooperation agreement, some commercial projects of the Northern Kingdom should also be opened to Da Wu."

Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled. It seemed that Wu Yunwan was thinking that if she couldn't get the credit this time, then Wu Ming shouldn't get it either. Wu Yunwan should be very clear that there were some conditions that the Northern Kingdom would not give in to.

The northern region is still in the process of reform and development, so its management is relatively strict, and not everything can be liberalized.

Wu Junwan knew he wouldn't agree to those conditions, so she deliberately suggested adding them to the trade cooperation agreement.

Just as everyone was at a stalemate, a Jinyiwei soldier entered the main hall. Today was the day to receive the Great Wu delegation, and Jinyiwei soldiers would not enter the main hall casually unless there was something important to discuss.

A Jinyiwei soldier approached Lu Chen and whispered in his ear, "Your Highness, urgent news from the capital! Both commanders are waiting for you in their study!"

Hearing this, Lu Chen frowned. Liang Zong and Qin Yushan couldn't possibly be unaware that he was currently discussing a trade cooperation agreement with the Da Wu delegation. Sending a Jinyiwei soldier to find him at this time meant that something had really happened, and there must be some major commotion in the capital.

Thinking of this, Lu Chen immediately stood up and said to Wu Yunwan, "Your Highness, I am truly sorry, but I suddenly have an important matter to attend to. Let's end our discussion here."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen flicked his sleeve and turned to leave the council hall. Seeing this, Wu Ming thought Lu Chen was angry, so he said from the side, "Royal sister, Father sent you on a mission to the Northern Kingdom, not to provoke the Northern King."

"You say it's for the sake of the Northern Kingdom, but I get the feeling you have other intentions?"

Hearing Wu Ming's words, Wu Yunwan's expression remained unchanged. She said calmly, "Third brother, some interests cannot be given up easily. As a prince and a candidate for the position of crown prince, if you are willing to sell out the interests of the Great Wu, what qualifications do you have to compete for that position?"

As soon as Wu Yunwan finished speaking, Wu Ming snorted coldly and didn't continue. He stood up, flicked his sleeves, and left the main hall.

At the same time, Lu Chen went to the study.

At this moment, Liang Zong and Qin Yushan were standing at the door of the study. Upon seeing Lu Chen arrive, they both bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

Lu Chen walked directly into the study, saying as he went, "No need for formalities, come in and tell me what's the matter?"

The two then followed into the study.

Upon entering the study, Liang Zong handed the envelope to Lu Chen and said, "A strange phenomenon has appeared in the capital, and it is very similar to the one that appeared at the Northern Prince's Mansion. It was also a golden light that shot straight into the sky, followed by dark clouds and lightning."

Upon hearing Liang Zong's words, Lu Chen's brows furrowed instantly. No wonder the two of them were so anxious; such a thing had actually happened in the capital.

Lu Chen quickly opened the envelope and carefully read the information mentioned in the letter.

Qin Yushan continued, "Recently, there have been rumors in the capital that a Celestial Realm expert has been born in the royal family. However, there is another rumor in the capital that Zhuge Chongguang is not a true Celestial Realm expert. He is only a pseudo-Celestial Realm expert and is far from being a true Celestial Realm expert."

Listening to Qin Yushan's words and looking at the intelligence in his hand, Lu Chen fell into deep thought.

Unexpectedly, in such a short period of time, someone in the palace has actually reached the threshold of the Celestial Realm.

It's unclear who caused the strange phenomenon, or whether that person truly broke through to the Celestial Realm, or if that person, like Zhuge Chongguang, only had one foot in the Celestial Realm.

Judging from the rumors circulating among the people, the person in the palace who caused the strange phenomenon should only have one foot in the Celestial Realm. This rumor most likely came from the palace. Since the other party knew that Zhuge Chongguang had not broken through to the Celestial Realm, it means that the person was probably in the same state as Zhuge Chongguang and had not truly achieved Dao.

who can that be?

Was it the Imperial Advisor Situ Ce, or his own father, the Emperor?

His father, the Emperor, possessed a sacred artifact from the Xuan Yue Palace, making him the most likely candidate to break through to the Celestial Realm.

Seeing that Lu Chen did not speak, Liang Zong added, "The elite soldiers that the court sent to the south to quell the rebellion have all been transferred to the border of Qi State and will soon enter Qi State. The number is about 400,000."

"Although the court has been frequently mobilizing troops, His Majesty has not attended court for a long time. There are rumors that His Majesty is seriously ill and on the verge of death. The power struggle among the princes in the capital is becoming increasingly serious, and their struggles have become public. However, His Majesty has not intervened at all, as if something has really happened to him."

Upon hearing Liang Zong's words, Lu Chen, who was deep in thought, couldn't help but chuckle and then said, "My father isn't so easily harmed."

Lu Chen didn't believe for a second that the Xia Emperor was on the verge of death. He was already a Grandmaster; how could he die so easily?

His father was probably plotting some kind of conspiracy again.

Since there are already rumors that Zhuge Chongguang is no longer at the Celestial Realm, it is highly likely that Emperor Xia has discovered Zhuge Chongguang's affairs. Since Emperor Xia has already discovered them, it is impossible for Emperor Xia to remain completely inactive.

So what will Emperor Xia do next?

Should the imperial army be sent directly to attack the northern kingdom, or should a Grandmaster be sent to assassinate Zhuge Chongguang first?

However, Lu Chen was somewhat puzzled by the fact that Emperor Xia was feigning illness, wondering what the emperor was up to.

Could it be that the Xia Emperor thought he was in imminent danger and then rebelled at this time?

After regaining his senses, Lu Chen said to Liang Zong and Qin Yushan, "Have the spies continue to monitor the situation in the capital and the court, and inform me immediately if there is any news."

Liang Zong and Qin Yushan replied in unison, "Yes, Your Highness!"

Just then, a servant at the door said, "Your Highness, Princess Da Wu requests an audience."

Lu Chen said, "Tell her to wait for me in the pavilion in the outer courtyard. I will be there soon."

At this point, Lu Chen said to Liang Zong and Qin Yushan, "You two go ahead and do your work."

"Your subordinates take their leave." The two men turned and left the study.

Lu Chen did not immediately go to the pavilion in the outer courtyard. He looked at the intelligence in his hand and continued to think for a while. Finally, he decided to go to Zhuge Chongguang after meeting Wu Yunwan to ask what Zhuge Chongguang thought.

With that in mind, Lu Chen immediately went to the outer courtyard.

Dressed in a long purple dress, Wu Yunwan was already seated in the pavilion, sipping the Prince's Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Upon seeing Lu Chen arrive, Wu Yunwan smiled slightly and then said, "I didn't expect the Northern Prince's Mansion to have such special tea. I wonder if the Northern Prince's Mansion sells this kind of tea?"

Lu Chen glanced at Xiao Rou, the maid who was serving tea to Wu Junwan, and instantly understood what was going on. This must have been Mu Zixuan's doing.

Lu Chen wasn't angry. As his princess, Mu Zixuan probably realized that he was coveting the body of the Great Wu Princess.

Moreover, even if he and Wu Yunwan do not have a marital relationship, he can still gain some benefits through Wu Yunwan, so inviting Wu Yunwan to drink Dragon and Phoenix Tea is perfectly reasonable.

After regaining his senses, Lu Chen smiled and said, "If the Princess likes this tea, I will have a servant send her a pound later."

Wu Yunwan said, "How can that be? This tea is clearly not ordinary tea. How can I drink your tea for free?"

Lu Chen said, "If the Princess feels bad about it, how about agreeing to the conditions proposed by the Northern Kingdom?"

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Wu Yunwan immediately said, "No wonder the Northern King was willing to bring out such precious tea for me to drink. So that's what he was planning. I'm afraid that won't do. Although the tea is delicious, there are some principles that I will not compromise on."

Lu Chen said calmly, "Since the Princess has no intention of backing down, why did she come to meet me alone? Could it be that the Princess has come to her senses and intends to give Miss Qian to me as a concubine?"

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Wu Yunwan snorted coldly and said, "If you want Miss Qian to be your concubine, we'll have to see if the Prince of the North has the ability to do so."

Seeing that Wu Yunwan seemed to be angry, Lu Chen said with a smile, "Whether or not you have the ability, the Princess will know in the future."

Just as Wu Yunwan was about to continue speaking, Lu Chen suddenly said, "I can have the Princess sign the trade cooperation agreement, but the Princess must agree to the conditions we initially proposed."

Seeing that Lu Chen agreed so easily, Wu Junwan was slightly stunned. She had come today mainly for this matter, and she thought that Lu Chen would have to propose some conditions before he would agree. However, before she could even speak, Lu Chen agreed directly.

Her initial plan was to use the trade agreement as a condition to get her to sign it. The entire delegation to the Northern Kingdom was made up of her people. Only if she agreed would the delegation agree to the conditions proposed by the Northern Kingdom. If the delegation did not agree, then no matter what conditions the Northern Kingdom proposed, it would be useless.

Seeing that Wu Yunwan seemed a little confused, Lu Chen smiled and said, "The Princess came to see me about this very matter, so why does she seem so surprised?"

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Wu Junwan snapped out of her reverie. She smiled and said, "I'm a little curious. Why didn't the Prince of the North just have me sign the trade agreement from the beginning? Why waste more than ten days?"

Lu Chen gazed into Wu Junwan's beautiful eyes and said with a smile, "Who said I wasted these ten-odd days?"

"If I had the eldest princess sign the trade agreement from the beginning, wouldn't Miss Qian, whom I admire, have left the Northern Kingdom sooner? I would like Miss Qian to stay in the Northern Kingdom for a while longer."

Upon hearing Lu Chen's words, Wu Yunwan's smile instantly froze, and she immediately said, "Prince of the North, this joke is not funny."

Lu Chen said calmly, "My biggest characteristic is that I don't like to joke."

Hearing this, and looking into Lu Chen's eyes that were fixed on her, Wu Yunwan seemed to truly feel Lu Chen's undisguised love for her. However, she was no longer angry; a smile returned to her face.

"It seems that the Northern King is destined to have a one-sided love; Miss Qian will never be able to marry him."

Lu Chen said nonchalantly, "Your Highness, some things shouldn't be said too soon."

Wu Yunwan said, "I'm very curious, where does the Northern King get his confidence? Does he believe that the Northern Kingdom will one day be able to conquer the entire Great Wu Dynasty?"

Lu Chen's lips curled up again, and then he said, "It's not necessarily necessary to conquer the entire Great Wu. When the Northern Kingdom becomes strong enough, the Great Wu Dynasty will naturally send Miss Qian to the Northern Kingdom."

Wu Yunwan said, "Oh? Is that so? Then let's see how powerful the Northern King can make the Northern Kingdom."

At this point, Wu Junwan stood up from the stone bench and said, "If the Prince of the North has nothing else to say, I will return now."

Lu Chen said, "Alright, Princess, please take care."

Wu Junwan then left the Prince's residence.

As Wu Junwan sat in the carriage on her way back, she suddenly felt her heart race, and Lu Chen's words from earlier echoed in her ears once again.

Wu Yunwan couldn't help but wonder if the Northern King was really not joking and that he was actually plotting against her.

The Northern King is a vassal king who was able to make the Northern Kingdom so powerful in such a short time. Would he resort to such petty tricks because of a woman?

Or is it that the Northern King has been dragging things out for some other purpose?

Wu Junwan thought for a long time but still couldn't figure out why Lu Chen had dragged her out for more than ten days.

As soon as Wu Yunwan returned to her residence and entered the courtyard, a member of the delegation came in and said, "Your Highness, the Prince of the North has sent over a pound of tea."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yunwan was taken aback. She suddenly remembered the tea she had just drunk at the Northern Prince's residence.

Then Wu Yunwan said, "Bring it in."

The next moment, the delegation brought in the tea sent by the Northern Prince's Mansion. Wu Junwan took the tea from the Northern Prince's Mansion, opened it, and smelled it.

Although the tea leaves hadn't been steeped in hot water yet, a delicate fragrance could already be smelled. This fragrance made her feel incredibly relaxed, and her mental state seemed to loosen up slightly.

Wu Yunwan knew very well that this tea was extremely precious, but just to be on the safe side, she still said to Pei Hong, "Lord Pei, could you please examine this tea for me and see if there's anything wrong with it?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Hong approached Wu Yunwan, picked up a few tea leaves, smelled them, and said, "Princess, there's nothing wrong with this tea. But why did the Prince of the North send you this tea?"

Wu Junwan said, "The tea that Bei Gong just drank at the Bei Wang Mansion was brewed with this tea leaves. As soon as the tea entered my mouth, I felt my mind relax and my whole body become incredibly relaxed. The flow of true qi in my body also became much smoother, and I vaguely felt that I was about to break through."

Upon hearing this, Pei Hong was stunned. Tea with such effects must be incredibly precious.

Pei Hong then asked curiously, "Princess, why would the Prince of the North send you such precious tea?"

Upon hearing Pei Hong's question, Wu Junwan remained silent for a moment, recalling once again what Lu Chen had said earlier.

Wu Yunwan couldn't help but wonder again, could it be that this little man, the Northern King, really wanted her? Otherwise, why would he give her such a precious gift?

Unfortunately, she was destined not to marry this young man. She was destined to become an emperor, so how could she possibly marry the Northern King?

She will not only not marry the Northern King, but will even become his future enemy.

(End of this chapter)