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

After Qin Yuwei fled to Qin Feng's house, she thought that Qin Feng would take her in because they were relatives before, or at least give her a way out. However, Qin Feng sold her without saying a word.

However, Qin Feng did not send her to the brothel, but instead handed her over to Lu Yi in an attempt to curry favor with him.

Qin Yuwei was a stunning beauty, and Qin Feng thought Lu Yi would like her.

Lu Yi did indeed take Qin Yuwei in, but as the eldest prince, he received far too many women. He was never short of beautiful women, so he simply kept Qin Yuwei in a courtyard and kept her like a caged bird.

Unlike Lu Chen, who sleeps with every pretty woman he sees, Lu Yi is a martial artist who cannot be obsessed with beauty. In addition, he already has enough women.

He accepted Qin Yuwei mainly to give Qin Feng face. If he didn't accept gifts from others, it would mean that he didn't want to be on the same side as them. He would definitely accept the gifts that were due. Besides, Lu Yi also kept quite a few beautiful women to give away.

Politics can be very simple; even giving away women can be a political tactic.

When Lu Yi decided to win over Lu Chen, Qin Yuwei was the first person he thought of. Qin Yuwei was still a virgin and was so beautiful. He believed that Lu Chen, that lecherous man, would definitely like her very much.

Looking out the window at this moment, Qin Yuwei felt an immense sense of desolation.

Since the Qin family was wiped out, she had been hiding and running away. She thought Qin Feng would take her in, but she didn't expect that Qin Feng didn't care about their blood relationship at all.

Come to think of it, Qin Feng was on the side of Emperor Xia, and the aristocratic families were the targets of extermination, so it was normal for Qin Feng not to take her in.

Looking out the window, Qin Yuwei felt like a canary locked in a cage, destined to be passed around from person to person.

She had heard rumors about the Northern King, so she thought that once she entered the Northern King's mansion, she would suffer inhuman treatment. Once the Northern King got tired of her, he would probably send her directly to a brothel to be played with by other men.

Thinking of her tragic fate, Qin Yuwei had thoughts of suicide.

The Great Xia delegation's convoy soon arrived at the accommodations arranged by the Northern Kingdom. This was not a state visit, so Qin Feng would not meet Lu Chen in the Hall of State Affairs, but would meet with Lu Chen privately.

in the afternoon.

Under bright sunshine and gentle breezes, Lu Chen sat in a pavilion in the outer courtyard, waiting for the arrival of the Great Xia delegation.

As Lu Chen sat in the pavilion drinking tea, a gentle breeze blew by, and the next moment, Zhuge Chongguang also appeared in the courtyard.

Lu Chen then put down his teacup and asked, "Grand Scholar, what kind of conditions do you think they will offer to persuade me to stand on the Crown Prince's side?"

Zhuge Chongguang stroked his beard and smiled slightly. "In my opinion, they have probably guessed that Your Highness plans to go south to compete for the throne. Therefore, they will do everything they can to please you, so that you will feel that they are not a threat and that there is no need for you to compete for the throne."

Hearing Zhuge Chongguang's words, Lu Chen smiled. If the Crown Prince really sent the delegation to the Northern Kingdom for this purpose, then the delegation's trip would be in vain.

He will definitely head south to vie for the throne. Only by conquering the entire Great Xia will he have the strength to unify the major dynasties.

For him, in addition to material resources, population is also a very important resource of the Great Xia. He needs a sufficient population to unify the world, so he will definitely fight for the throne. However, there is still about a year to go, so he is not in a hurry for the time being.

You can pretend to agree to their request first, and then find an excuse to go south.

After a while, a female guard entered the courtyard. "Your Highness, the imperial delegation has arrived."

Lu Chen said calmly, "Let them in."

"Yes."

Soon, led by the guards of the Prince's Mansion, Qin Feng and several members of the delegation entered the Northern Prince's Mansion and arrived at the courtyard where Lu Chen was.

Upon seeing Lu Chen, Qin Feng quickly bowed and said, "Your subject pays respects to the Northern King!"

Lu Chen hummed in agreement and said, "No need for formalities."

Qin Feng and the others said in unison, "Thank you, King Bei!"

Lu Chen glanced at Qin Feng's information and was about to say something when he noticed that there was a woman behind Qin Feng wearing a light red gauze dress. The woman's hair was styled in a high bun with peach blossom hairpins, and she had a graceful figure. Lu Chen knew that her score must be over ninety even before he used the system to identify her.

Lu Chen then used the system to identify the woman's information.

Name: Qin Yuwei

[Identity: A remnant of the Qin family in Jiangnan, 23 years old this year, a sixth-rank martial artist. After the Qin family was destroyed, she originally planned to seek refuge with the Qin family in the capital, but Qin Feng gave her to the eldest prince, Lu Yi. The eldest prince was not interested in women and did not touch her, keeping her in a certain mansion. She is still a virgin. In order to win over the Northern Prince, the eldest prince decided to give her to the Northern Prince as a gift. (She seems to know some things that others do not know.)]

Rating: 92

【Favourability: 50】

Upon seeing Qin Yuwei's information, Lu Chen smiled slightly. His older brother was truly a good person; instead of enjoying the beauty himself, he thought of his brother.

Seeing that Lu Chen's gaze was fixed on Qin Yuwei, Qin Feng was overjoyed. It seemed that the rumors were indeed true. Although the Northern King had indeed shed the title of "useless", his lustfulness was undeniable.

As soon as Qin Yuwei entered the courtyard, the Northern King's gaze was immediately drawn to her.

Qin Feng then spoke up, "Your Highness, you came to the harsh northern lands at the age of sixteen. You not only defended the northern kingdom and protected the gates of Great Xia on numerous occasions, but you also developed the northern kingdom into what it is today, and even defeated Great Xia's most threatening enemy. Your achievements are truly remarkable..."

Seeing Qin Feng ramble on and on, Lu Chen knew that Qin Feng was about to launch into a string of flattering remarks, so he quickly said, "Stop, stop!"

"Lord Qin, you've come all this way, surely not just to praise me?"

Qin Feng smiled and said, "Of course not."

"His Highness the Crown Prince believes that the Northern King has made great contributions and deserves to be rewarded. However, the court is in chaos. Every time His Highness the Crown Prince says he wants to reward you with something, ministers from other factions in the court try their best to obstruct it. Therefore, His Highness the Crown Prince has decided to use his own gold and silver jewelry to reward you in gratitude for your contributions to the Great Xia."

At this point, Qin Feng said to the people behind him, "Bring them in!"

The next moment, the guards of the Northern Prince's Mansion carried dozens of large boxes into the courtyard.

Qin Feng continued, "His Highness the Crown Prince knows that you still appreciate beautiful women, so he specially selected some stunningly beautiful girls as gifts for you. They are all still virgins."

At this point, Qin Feng turned to look at Qin Yuwei, his expression changing instantly, and said coldly, "From now on, you are the prince's person. Go and serve the prince."

Qin Yuwei said expressionlessly, "Yes, Lord Qin."

Qin Yuwei then walked towards Lu Chen, and Lu Chen did not stop her.

Qin Yuwei quickly stood behind Lu Chen.

Lu Chen glanced at the gold and silver jewelry in the boxes, smiled, and said, "Lord Qin, you'd better not beat around the bush and just say what you mean."

"The Crown Prince sent you to deliver so many things, but nothing has happened."

Qin Feng immediately replied, "Your Highness is wise!"

"Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince intends to support you in establishing an independent dynasty in the Northern Kingdom and is willing to grant you all the land north of Qi Kingdom."

Lu Chen chuckled. "Is the Crown Prince afraid that I'll go south to contend for the throne?"

Hearing Lu Chen's somewhat unfriendly tone, Qin Feng's forehead began to break out in a cold sweat.

"Your Highness, Yancheng is now more prosperous than the capital. I have heard that the people of the North are no longer suffering from hunger and cold, and their lives are better than those of people in other parts of the Great Xia."

"For Your Highness, the Great Xia is now a mess. Since Your Highness has already developed the Northern Kingdom to this extent, why do you need that throne?"

"If Your Highness goes south, with the military strength of the Northern Kingdom, seizing the throne is indeed not a problem. However, even if Your Highness seizes the throne, given what Your Highness has done in the Northern Kingdom, the people of Great Xia will not agree to you sitting in that position. If they rise up in rebellion, it will be another big problem for you."

Hearing Qin Feng's words, Lu Chen smiled faintly. It seemed that Zhuge Chongguang was right. Lu Yi, or rather those around Lu Yi, had indeed realized that he might go south, which was why they were in such a hurry to send an envoy to the Northern Kingdom.

Lu Chen then said, "What you said makes some sense."

"However, the Northern Kingdom needs a lot of resources to develop, and the land in the Northern Kingdom is not fertile and can not grow much food. Although it seems that the people of the Northern Kingdom are not starving or freezing now, a big reason for this is that we buy a lot of food from other dynasties. If one day other dynasties are unwilling to sell us food, the people of the Northern Kingdom may once again live the kind of life of hunger that they used to live."

"Therefore, for the sake of the people of the North, the King of the North must also fight for that position."

Qin Feng wiped the sweat from his forehead and immediately said, "Your Highness, your concern for the people of the North shows that you are a benevolent ruler."

"Then you should know very well that if you lead your troops south, it will inevitably cause widespread suffering and countless deaths."

"Since you are so merciful, you should not have started the war."

Hearing Qin Feng's words, Lu Chen was so angry he laughed. He sneered and said, "So, the people of the North are just destined to starve and freeze?"

As he spoke, Lu Chen released his aura instantly, and Qin Feng and the delegation immediately knelt down. Qin Feng hurriedly said, "Of course not, His Highness the Crown Prince has thought of a better way."

Lu Chen said, "Oh? Tell me, what's your plan?"

"Once Your Highness establishes your own dynasty, Great Xia will immediately sign an eternal alliance with you. From now on, whatever the Northern Kingdom needs, Great Xia will provide it to you. Furthermore, Northern Kingdom caravans can freely conduct business within Great Xia's territory, and there will be no restrictions on what kind of trade they do, including grain."

"In this way, the northern country will no longer have to worry about food shortages."

"Moreover, by doing this, Your Highness will not have to deal with those landlords or aristocratic families, and Your Highness can focus on developing the Northern Kingdom."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen burst into laughter. After a while, he said, "My elder brother is truly considerate! He's actually gone to such lengths!"

Seeing that Lu Chen seemed to be in a better mood, Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief. Just as Qin Feng was about to continue speaking, Lu Chen said, "The Crown Prince won't let you just talk about benefits. Tell me, besides supporting my independence, what other conditions does he have, or rather, what does he want me to do?"

Qin Feng said, "Your Highness is wise. His Highness the Crown Prince wants Your Highness to publicly stand up for him and to send troops to resist other vassal kings at a critical moment."

Lu Chen's lips curled up slightly, revealing a wicked smile.

Before Qin Feng could continue, Lu Chen spoke up, "Alright, I agree!"

Seeing that Lu Chen agreed so quickly, Qin Feng and the others were stunned for a moment. They originally thought that the Northern King would make more demands, but they did not expect that the Northern King would agree so readily.

Qin Feng asked in disbelief, "Your Highness, have you really agreed?"

Lu Chen said calmly, "The Crown Prince is my elder brother, so of course I have to give him face. Moreover, the Great Xia Dynasty has always followed the system of primogeniture. The Great Xia Dynasty has been in a state of moral decay for hundreds of years, and it's time to get back on track."

"Moreover, the Crown Prince has shown such great sincerity, sending gold and silver treasures, ceding land, and even giving me such a beautiful woman. If I were to refuse, wouldn't I be ungrateful?"

At this point, Lu Chen turned his head and glanced at Qin Yuwei standing beside him.

When Lu Chen looked at her like that, Qin Yuwei felt as if she were being stared at by a wild beast, and her delicate body trembled involuntarily.

The thought of her future fate filled Qin Yuwei with immense sorrow.

At this moment, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and said, "By the way, go back and tell the Crown Prince to send me more beauties in the future. There aren't any pretty women in this poor, cold place like the North."

Qin Feng hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes, yes, when I return, I will definitely inform His Highness the Crown Prince about this matter and ask him to send more beauties to Your Highness."

Lu Chen waved his hand at this moment, "Alright, if there's nothing else, you can all go back and rest."

Qin Feng stood up and said, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Qin Feng then led the delegation away from the courtyard and the Northern Prince's residence. They left with bright smiles on their faces, as their mission had been accomplished and the Northern Prince had indeed agreed to the Crown Prince's request.

As long as the Northern King stays in the Northern Kingdom and stands on Lu Yi's side, Lu Yi will likely inherit the throne smoothly after the Xia Emperor passes away.

Give Lu Yi some more time, and sooner or later Great Xia will also have weapons like the Northern Kingdom. At that time, Great Xia may become even stronger than the Northern Kingdom.

If their plan succeeds, the status of the members of their delegation sent to the Northern Kingdom today will be greatly elevated, which makes Qin Feng and his group very happy.

After Qin Feng and the delegation members left the courtyard, Lu Chen had the servants of the Prince's Mansion move all the large boxes in the courtyard away. Soon, apart from the maids, only Lu Chen, Zhuge Chongguang, and Qin Yuwei remained in the courtyard.

Lu Chen completely ignored Qin Yuwei and asked Zhuge Chongguang, "Grand Scholar, do you think I should agree to the Crown Prince's request?"

Zhuge Chongguang smiled and said, "Doesn't Your Highness already have the answer in your heart?"

Although Lu Chen verbally agreed, Zhuge Chongguang immediately saw through his act. If Lu Yi were truly in danger and the Northern Kingdom sent troops south, Lu Chen would definitely seize the opportunity of marching south to defend the emperor and directly usurp the throne.

At this moment, Zhuge Chongguang continued, "Your Highness, if there is nothing else, this old minister will return to attend to state affairs."

At this point, Zhuge Zhongguang glanced at Qin Yuwei. He knew that Lu Chen might have important matters to attend to, so he didn't intend to disturb Lu Chen any further.

Lu Chen said, "Okay."

The next moment, Zhuge Chongguang left the courtyard. Without Zhuge Chongguang, only Lu Chen and Qin Yuwei remained in the courtyard, apart from the maids.

Qin Yuwei suddenly became extremely nervous, her delicate hands involuntarily clenching her dress, unsure of what she would face next.

Lu Chen then said calmly, "Miss Qin, did you learn how to serve others when you were in the Eastern Palace?"

Upon hearing this question, Qin Yuwei was slightly taken aback. She recalled everything that had just happened. It seemed that Qin Feng had not told the Northern King his surname. Why did the Northern King know that his surname was "Qin"?

Although she was very curious, Qin Yuwei did not ask the question. She replied, "Your Highness, the ladies-in-waiting of the Eastern Palace have taught me."

Since Qin Feng sent her to the East Palace, the palace ladies have been teaching her every day how to please men. She no longer has the spoiled young lady temperament she had in the Qin family, and can only be forced to learn those things.

Under the tutelage of those female officials, although Qin Yuwei had not yet had any practical experience, she was already very clear about matters between men and women.

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Very good. I will give you a chance. If you can serve me well tonight, you will be able to move freely in Yancheng, and I can also give you the status of a concubine."

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Qin Yuwei could hardly believe it was true.

She had prepared herself to be confined to the Northern Prince's Mansion for the rest of her life, but she never expected that Lu Chen would be willing to let her leave the Northern Prince's Mansion. Although she could only move around in Yancheng, it was still better than being confined to the Northern Prince's Mansion for the rest of her life.

Qin Yuwei immediately replied, "Thank you, Your Highness! This servant will certainly serve you with utmost care!"

Lu Chen then said to the maid in the courtyard, "Take her to take a bath and change her clothes."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The maid then led Qin Yuwei away.

Lu Chen sat in the courtyard for a while before getting up and leaving for his study.

While bathing in the tub, Qin Yuwei was somewhat distracted, feeling that the Northern King was not what she had imagined.

At this moment, she asked the maidservant by the bath, "May I ask, what kind of person is your prince?" (End of this chapter)