I became a prince in a martial arts world.

Sunrise and sunset, summer goes and autumn comes.

Before anyone knew it, the weather in Longshan Prefecture had begun to change. The leaves were turning yellower day by day, the temperature was getting colder day by day, and even the dust in the air seemed to have increased.

August is a month of clear skies and crisp autumn air.

Everything in the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion was on track, and Wang Yu became almost a free man. Apart from nodding in agreement on important military and political matters, he spent the rest of his time practicing martial arts and wandering around, and he grew closer and closer to Qianqian.

Fortunately, once everything was on track, Li Yunxiu had much more free time and would frequently appear by Wang Yu's side, giving Wang Yu a real taste of the fun of two women vying for his attention.

During this period, Zhao Rong bought two or three more spiritual herbs, which the tortoise shell digested and replenished, further improving Wang Yu's talent. "Ice Mountain Flowing Spring" advanced further, complementing "Flowing Fire Reflection" and allowing him to cultivate his internal energy faster and deepen his skills day by day.

However, more than two months have passed, and his "Reflection of Fiery Blaze" is still stuck at the fourth level. Moreover, the higher his cultivation level, the more difficult it is to improve. Whether it is his aptitude and talent or his dantian meridians, he needs more energy to continue to progress.

"It's a bit slow!" Wang Yu remarked.

If others knew about Wang Yu's rapid progress and heard his reflections, they might even be tempted to attack him with a knife.

Wang Yu's so-called slowness was only compared to his previous progress. It took him less than a month to reach the third level of "Flowing Fire Reflection" when he returned to the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion after transmigrating, and it only took him a little over a month to advance to the fourth level.

In the remaining months, although he remained at the fourth level, his innate talents and meridians improved, and he was getting closer and closer to the fifth level, but he had not yet undergone a qualitative change.

For others, being able to develop internal strength and master martial arts within six months is considered passing. If they can achieve some success, they can be considered promising talents in martial arts and sword fighting.

To leap directly into the ranks of masters like Wang Yu, to slay the Poisonous Hand Wei Tuo, one of the Five Great Bandits of Qishan, and to evade two deadly attacks from the successor of the Star Constellation Sect—that was something no one would even dare to dream of.

"Brother Yu!"

As Wang Yu was thinking, he saw Qianqian walk quickly over, holding a bottle of perfume in her hand. "It smells like osmanthus in August. This is a new osmanthus perfume made in the workshop. Do you smell how fragrant I am?"

Along with it comes a rich, mellow, and sweet fragrance of osmanthus, with a subtle and delicate aroma that is truly captivating.

"Where did the osmanthus flowers come from in the Northwest?" Wang Yu asked.

"Of course, they were bought from Jiangnan." Qianqian took Wang Yu's arm. "The little fat man specially sent a caravan to Wanghai Road, Jiangnan Road, and the two routes of eastern and western Sichuan to purchase fresh flower petals and bring them back to make a lot of perfumes."

Feeling Qianqian's slender and delicate arms, and the faint softness within them, Wang Yu moved closer to her without any hesitation. "What other perfumes have you made? Give me some, I'll give them to Yunxiu."

Qianqian took a step away, glared at Wang Yu with a charmingly defiant look, her eyes full of adorable allure, "You're with me, can you please not mention that old woman?"

"That shameless witch from the demonic sect!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Yunxiu emerged from behind a nearby artificial hill, holding a glittering silver object in her hand. She sneered, "You fight for the world with perfume? No wonder you've been defeated time and again and driven out of the Demonic Sect."

Qianqian hugged Wang Yu tighter in anger and retorted, "The people you serve aren't much better. With the world in such an unstable state, I estimate they'll be gone in about three generations."

Li Yunxiu narrowed his eyes, but still said, "The late emperor's campaign in the north was unsuccessful and a rebellion broke out in the southwest. These are not Your Majesty's faults. As long as we get through this period, Your Majesty will naturally be able to stabilize the country and create a new golden age."

Qianqian said with a grin, "But the Shuntian Army and the Red Lotus Sect were both created after he ascended the throne."

Although the Prince of Zhenxi's Mansion is located in the northwest, it occupies a vital trade route in the northwest, attracting merchants from all directions. The three prefectures in the northwest under its control can also receive reports from the imperial court, so it is aware of major events in the country.

When the late emperor passed away, the northeast and southwest were not yet stable. The current emperor has been on the throne for two years. In order to gather resources from the northeast and southwest, many places have imposed levies, which has led to instability in the country and resulted in sporadic wars.

The Shuntian Army and the Honglian Army rose to power under these circumstances. One claimed to be "following the will of Heaven and responding to the people," while the other claimed to be "the fire of the red lotus, eliminating evil and purifying the world." They occupied several prefectures in the east, making it difficult for the imperial army to suppress them.

Li Yunxiu said calmly, "A ailment as small as a mustard seed can be extinguished with the turn of one's hand."

Qianqian smiled and said, "Really? Maybe it's because that wise and mighty emperor doesn't have you by his side anymore. Anyway, the latest news is that the Shuntian army has captured another prefecture."

Li Yunxiu didn't answer, but said to Wang Yu, "The spring steel you mentioned has already been made."

Wang Yu also saw the spring in Li Yunxiu's hand and was overjoyed. "Great! We won't have to worry about bumpy rides when traveling by carriage anymore."

Li Yunxiu was stunned upon hearing this, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You're making spring steel for use in carriages?"

Wang Yu retorted, "Otherwise what?"

Li Yunxiu clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, saying, "Isn't it for manufacturing new weaponry?"

The craftsmen in the ironworks realized as soon as they developed the spring that it could be used in military equipment, so they immediately reported it to the Prince of Zhenxi's Mansion. Li Yunxiu thought so too, which is why he came to inform Wang Yu as soon as possible.

So what the other party was actually thinking about was a horse-drawn carriage?

Wang Yu took the spring from Li Yunxiu's hand, pressed it hard, and his eyes lit up. "What weaponry can compare to your own backside? Quickly give the order to make a new carriage."

Li Yunxiu took a deep breath, just as Qianqian beside her chuckled, "Do you think our master is a wise ruler?"

Just as Li Yunxiu was about to ignore them and leave, a guard hurried over, bowed to Wang Yu, and said, "Your Highness, a secret decree has been delivered from the court. It is sealed with fire and cannot be opened. It is specifically requested that Your Highness and the Princess be together before it can be opened."

"Huh?" Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu were both surprised.

Everyone thought that Wang Yu was Zhao Yu, and that the emperor released Zhao Yu to return and succeed as the Prince of Zhenxi for the sake of stabilizing the northwest. Li Yunxiu was a symbol of the two families' cooperation in their struggle but not their conflict.

Under normal circumstances, even if the imperial court had an edict to send to the Prince of Zhenxi's residence, it should be an official imperial edict, not a secret edict that would leave room for speculation.

It's not that secret edicts can never be transmitted, but rather that once a secret edict is transmitted, it cannot be spread or made known to the general public. Logically speaking, the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion and the Great Jin Dynasty should not have reached this level of relationship.

Of course, if something is beneficial to both parties but it's inconvenient to spread, it's understandable to use a secret decree for transmission. Back then, when Zhao Zheng sent Zhao Yu to the capital to exchange for the Bai Ling Rejuvenating Pill, he actually used a secret decree.

"Let's go take a look." Wang Yu waved his hand and walked towards the back hall with the guards. Li Yunxiu and Qianqian followed.

Upon arriving at the rear hall, they saw two men in plain clothes. Their eyes gleamed when they saw Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu, and they stepped forward to pay their respects, saying, "Greetings, Prince Zhenxi! Greetings, Princess!"

As he spoke, he presented a leather tube and said solemnly, "His Majesty personally instructed that only His Highness and the Princess Consort can open it."

Wang Yu glanced at Li Yunxiu, and seeing that Li Yunxiu gave him a wink, he immediately reached out and took it.

Seeing that the leather tube was sealed intact, Wang Yu casually opened it, only to find that there was only a thin sheet of paper inside. After unfolding it, Li Yunxiu came over to read it together.

Qianqian did not approach, but merely observed the expressions on Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu's faces.

[A letter from the Prince of Zhenxi and his consort:]

The Minister of Rites, Song Jingzhou, was arrogant and rebellious, colluding with foreign enemies. His entire family was executed, but unexpectedly, his two children escaped and took the treasure map of Loulan from years ago to the west. Several months have passed since then.

These two men are hiding in the Western Regions, colluding with the enemy and betraying the country. The Shuntian Army has already sent people westward to join forces with the two men to seize the treasure to replenish the army's funds. This is the imperial treasure. I hereby order you two to personally lead a team into the Western Regions to execute the two men, seize this treasure, and return it to the imperial court.

So be it.

After reading the secret edict in their hands, Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Really?" Wang Yu asked.

Li Yunxiu looked at the two men in front of her, then at the letter in her hand, and sighed, "It's true."

At this point, Li Yunxiu looked up and said to the two men in front of him, "We have received His Majesty's secret decree. You may rest in the mansion for two days before returning to the capital to report back."

"We cannot delay any longer, so we will return to the capital now." The two men bowed again and then took their leave.

Li Yunxiu led Wang Yu to her private office, and Qianqian followed curiously. Neither Wang Yu nor Li Yunxiu stopped them.

At this point, the three of them knew each other's secrets, and the rest was up to each other to use their own methods. The emperor had ordered Wang Yu and Li Yunxiu to personally lead the team regarding the treasure map, and this matter could not be kept from Qianqian at all, so they naturally had no need to stop it.

Qianqian followed him in, closing the door behind her. Then Wang Yu asked, full of curiosity, "He's the emperor of the Central Plains, yet he's coveting the treasure of a small Western Region kingdom?"

"Loulan is not a small country." Li Yunxiu shook his head. "Of the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions, Loulan is considered a second-rate major power and one of the wealthiest countries on the Northwest trade route."

Wang Yu blinked. "Loulan isn't dead yet?"

Li Yunxiu was speechless. "Of course it's not extinct yet."

"Then where did he get the treasure?" Wang Yu was full of questions. In the past, weren't the treasure maps in novels and operas all hidden before the country was destroyed, and then used by the royal family and descendants to restore the country?

"Who says you can't have treasures if you don't destroy a country?" Li Yunxiu laughed. "Thirty years ago, there was a mutiny in Loulan. The general killed the king at the time and became the King of Loulan himself."

I heard that the prince of Loulan escaped the pursuit and came to the Central Plains, wanting to ask the court to send troops to help them seize power. However, at that time, the Central Plains had just recovered from the war, and Emperor Taizu had no intention of launching a military campaign in the Western Regions, so the matter was left unresolved.

Unexpectedly, the King of Loulan had secretly left behind a treasure trove and even drawn a treasure map, presumably as payment for requesting the imperial court to send troops. It's unclear how it ended up in Song Jingzhou's hands.

After listening for a while, Qianqian finally understood, her eyes shining brightly. "The Loulan treasure map? The emperor sent you to the Western Regions to retrieve the treasure? The Minister of Rites presented the treasure map to the emperor?"

Wang Yu casually handed the secret decree to Qianqian, "No, he was killed by the emperor."

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