I became a prince in a martial arts world.

In the following days, Wang Yu became busy again. He rarely appeared at the palace during the day, instead gathering a group of craftsmen and spending his days tinkering with something in the palace workshops.

Li Yunxiu sent people to inquire, and all they learned was that Wang Yu had gathered a lot of sand, as well as some alkali, lime, and other similar substances, seemingly to fire something similar to porcelain.

"But isn't porcelain made from clay? Most of it is made in the Jiangnan region. Does the Northwest also have clay suitable for porcelain production?"

"I don't know. I heard that the prince's experiments failed several times, but those defective products were smashed and buried. Apart from the craftsmen, no one knows what the prince was trying to do."

Wang Yu himself didn't say anything, and no one else dared to ask.

So Li Yunxiu stopped asking, but she knew that Wang Yu was making something new, "If he could use the soil from the Northwest to make porcelain comparable to that of Jiangnan..."

The Northwest does have pottery and porcelain, but their quality is worlds apart from that of the famous porcelain from the Jiangnan region.

If Wang Yu were only making ordinary ceramics, there would be no need for him to personally go to the workshop to experiment. It must be that he has inventions such as flower essential oils and blast furnaces that would make it worthwhile for him to personally take action.

Thinking about the profits of the perfume workshop and the endless stream of swords and armor produced by the ironworks, Li Yunxiu couldn't help but feel hopeful.

……

On this day, Li Yunxiu was looking forward to good news from Wang Yu when she saw Wang Yu resting in a deck chair in the back garden. Next to the deck chair was a wooden bucket containing ice blocks taken from the cellar, and several watermelons were placed on the ice blocks.

"It worked?" Li Yunxiu's eyes lit up.

"No, I've failed too many times. I need to take a break," Wang Yu said lazily.

Li Yunxiu wasn't disappointed after her initial excitement. Instead, she sat down next to Wang Yu, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. "What exactly do you want to make? Is it porcelain?"

"No," Wang Yu shook his head. "It's not certain if it will succeed. You'll know once it's actually done."

Li Yunxiu smiled slightly. She was naturally not an impatient woman. Instead, she personally picked through the wooden bucket, chose a perfectly chilled watermelon, took it to the table, and cut it open with a knife.

"Sizzle—dodododo—"

As a martial artist, Li Yunxiu swiftly chopped down the watermelon knife in his hand, cutting the two watermelons, each the size of a human head, into palm-sized crescents. He then picked up a piece and handed it to Wang Yu.

Wang Yu took it and took a bite.

Li Yunxiu sat down to the side, took a slice, and ate it in small bites. "Watermelons from the Northwest are just sweeter than those from the Central Plains."

"It's alright." Wang Yu nodded. Although this watermelon has been cultivated for hundreds of years and is juicy and sweet, it is still inferior to modern varieties such as 8424 and Qilin.

Li Yunxiu smiled upon hearing this, thinking to herself that Wang Yu was increasingly adopting the air of the Prince of Zhenxi.

A rustling sound approached, and Zhao Yingjie and Yuan Feifei walked over. Their eyes lit up when they saw Wang Yu. "Brother Yu, what brings you here today?"

Wang Yu casually grabbed a slice of watermelon and threw it at Zhao Yingjie, saying, "So, in your eyes, all I can do is keep busy?"

Zhao Yingjie reached out and took it, chuckling, "You spend all your time in the workshop and never even go to brothels. Of course I'm curious to see you here today."

Zhao Yingjie came to the two of them, gave Yuan Feifei a slice of watermelon, and then prepared to leave, not wanting to disturb Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu's private time.

Then they saw Qianqian and Meng Zixiao arrive together, chatting and laughing casually.

Zhao Yingjie's eyes twitched, and he pulled Yuan Feifei to quicken his pace. But he had only taken two steps when he heard Wang Yu say, "It's hot today, and there are plenty of watermelons here. You and Feifei should sit down and rest, and have a few more slices."

Zhao Yingjie and Yuan Feifei exchanged a helpless glance and then sat down to the side.

At the same time, Qianqian and Meng Zixiao also arrived. "Oh my, what a special day it is today! Everyone's here!"

Meng Zixiao raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Brother Zhao, you're enjoying yourself!"

Wang Yu pointed to three or four large watermelons in the wooden bucket, "These were picked out by the most experienced watermelon farmers. Today the weather is hot, so everyone is eating watermelons to cool off."

"Then we won't stand on ceremony." Meng Zixiao sat down not far from Wang Yu without any hesitation, stretching out her long legs, and then picked up a slice of watermelon and ate it.

Li Yunxiu glanced at Qianqian, who smiled back, "I didn't expect you to be so good at knife skills, sister. All these watermelons are exactly the same size."

Li Yunxiu smiled in return, "My sister has such a good personality. She entertained Miss Meng on behalf of the Prince without any neglect."

Although the watermelons on the table were about the same size, they were far from being exactly the same. Qianqian was mocking Li Yunxiu for her poor martial arts skills. Li Yunxiu saw through Meng Zixiao's ulterior motives, but then saw Qianqian laughing and joking with her. This was a mockery of Qianqian's poor judgment of people.

Strictly speaking, Li Yunxiu was at a disadvantage in this round because she didn't know Qianqian's identity and acting skills, which was not a fault of her own.

"How is Miss Meng's recovery going?" Li Yunxiu asked.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I've recovered most of my strength and it won't affect my ability to fight." Meng Zixiao took a slice of watermelon, looked at Wang Yu with an eager expression, and said, "I heard that Brother Zhao killed Weituo with one sword, and his swordsmanship is deeply rooted in the old prince's teachings. I would like to learn from him."

These past few days, although Wang Yu has been conducting experiments in the workshop, he is there every morning and evening, and he also meets with Meng Zixiao every day, chatting for a while. After getting to know each other, they have changed how they address each other.

Wang Yu laughed and said, "My father practices swordsmanship."

"Oh? Really?" Meng Zixiao was taken aback, but then, without any embarrassment, he simply smiled and said, "Then Brother Zhao is even more amazing."

Li Yunxiu smiled, her eyes were deep, her delicate smile was as beautiful as a flower, and her eyes were as gentle as water.

"Your praise is so much I can't resist competing! Let's have a contest then. It'll feel even better after a good sweat and some chilled watermelon!" Wang Yu stood up, casually waving his hand. "Two swords!"

The next moment, two sheathed longswords came flying from not far away.

Zhao Yingjie leaped into the air, reached out and grabbed the two swords, then handed them to Wang Yu and Meng Zixiao upon landing.

Qianqian raised her little fist, "Brother Yu, be careful, don't hurt Sister Xiao."

Li Yunxiu clapped lightly, "Perfect for appreciating the unique skills of the swordsmen of Sichuan."

Seeing that Wang Yu had already drawn his sword, Meng Zixiao said "I'll make a fool of myself" and then also drew his sword. After twirling his sword, the long sword in his hand trembled repeatedly and pointed directly at Wang Yu's shoulder.

Wang Yu pointed his sword tip, and the blade angled upwards. The two swords clashed, yet no sound was made.

Meng Zixiao and Wang Yu exchanged a glance, smiled brightly, and then her sword flashed like the wind. She wielded a long sword, creating a flurry of sword shadows. The fierce sword wind was sharp and piercing, like a white dragon emerging from the sea, revealing its fangs.

Wang Yu employed the Seven Styles of the Setting Sun, combining offense with defense and defense with offense, engaging in a back-and-forth battle with Meng Zixiao.

Qianqian looked at the scene with both excitement and worry in her clear, big eyes.

Li Yunxiu narrowed his eyes slightly and commented softly, "It does indeed have the shadow of the Qingyang School's White Dragon Sword Technique, but it is not the same. Although it is more complicated, it is not as smooth as it is."

Zhao Yingjie asked from the side, "Has the Princess seen the White Dragon Sword Technique?"

Li Yunxiu nodded. "In the capital region, there are many disciples from various sects. I have seen the White Dragon Sword Technique and the Azure Dragon Sword Technique of the Qingyang Sect. One is sharp and fierce, while the other is light and elegant."

"Sharp and fierce?" Zhao Yingjie asked, "How does it compare to the Taihua School's swordsmanship?"

Mount Taihua is majestic and magnificent, and its perilous terrain is renowned throughout the world. The Taihua School of swordsmanship is also known for its extraordinary danger and fierceness.

Li Yunxiu thought for a moment, "The Qingyang Sect is known for its Five Elements Sword Technique, while the Taihua Sect is famous for its strange and dangerous techniques. It seems that the Taihua Sect's sword technique is more fierce."

Qianqian, who was next to her, pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say something, but she held back.

On the other side, Meng Zixiao and Wang Yu became more and more in sync as they competed.

The two were merely sparring, not dueling, so they only used sword techniques and did not unleash their inner strength. While Wang Yu's Seven Forms of the Setting Sun were indeed extraordinary, Meng Zixiao's White Dragon Sword Technique was also a renowned sword technique. Since the two were only comparing sword techniques, it was difficult to determine a winner.

After each of them demonstrated their sword techniques, their eyes met during the duel, and they already understood how to respond to the other's next strike. Their figures intertwined as their swords danced, creating a beauty that resembled a dance, as if they had practiced it many times before, displaying perfect tacit understanding.

Meng Zixiao felt increasingly comfortable as the fight progressed, and Wang Yu was also in a good mood.

Li Yunxiu's smile gradually faded, and Qianqian's expression stiffened slightly.

"Ding!"

With a soft thud, Meng Zixiao jumped out of the fighting circle, fanning his face with his hand to dispel the sweat and steam rising from his temples. "I can't fight anymore, or I'll aggravate my injuries."

Wang Yu sheathed his longsword, picked up a slice of watermelon, and lay down in his chair. "Mmm, this is definitely the most comfortable time to eat watermelon!"

Meng Zixiao also took a slice of watermelon and praised, "Brother Zhao's swordsmanship is much better than mine. I feel that my swordsmanship has improved after sparring with you for a while!"

"You're too kind!" Wang Yu laughed heartily. "It's been a long time since I've met a swordsmanship master with whom I can spar. We can have more matches in the future!"

"Okay!" Meng Zixiao readily agreed.

Li Yunxiu's smile grew even gentler, and Qianqian's laughter became even more joyful.

But Zhao Yingjie sensed something was off. Seeing that the watermelon was almost finished, he immediately scooped another one out of the wooden bucket, picked up a watermelon knife, and started chopping it up.

"Excellent swordsmanship!" Meng Zixiao exclaimed.

Zhao Yingjie grinned, and Yuan Feifei suddenly spoke up, "I'll play a piece for everyone."

Qianqian clapped her hands and laughed, "Listening to ice music on a summer's day is truly delightful!"

Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu naturally did not object, and a moment later a servant brought Bingquanming and handed it to Yuan Feifei.

"clank--"

As the music began, it sounded like an iceberg suddenly rising from the sweltering summer sun. Everyone closed their eyes to listen, enjoying chilled watermelon as a side dish, truly experiencing the feeling of drinking ice-cold beverages in summer.

The song ended, but the lingering melody still resonated.

Li Yunxiu praised with a smile, "Feifei's piano skills have improved again."

Yuan Feifei smiled and said, "With the great revenge avenged and the prince's comforting words, my mind is at ease, and I have indeed made some progress."

Wang Yu rubbed his hands together, then suddenly stood up. "I've recently started learning the piano too. Let me play a piece for you."

Everyone was taken aback by what they heard.

Only Qianqian's eyes flashed, recalling the day they went out to patrol the pass, when Wang Yu was reading "Introduction to Qin Music Score" and "Ice Mountain Flowing Spring".

Li Yunxiu was also curious. In his opinion, Wang Yu would not do anything without being sure of himself. Now that he was suddenly going to play the zither and perform, could it be that he had been secretly practicing for a long time and was just about to make a name for himself today?

Yuan Feifei naturally gave up her seat, and then Wang Yu sat down at the low table, stroking the world-famous zither with a graceful and skillful posture, just like a master.

Amidst the expectant and curious gazes of the crowd, a pig-slaughtering "thump-thump" sound echoed in the courtyard...