Having children earns benefit, start competing for dominance in the world by marrying a wife

Hearing Lin Wanyun’s words, Chen Wanrong had pretty much guessed what Lin Wanyun meant.

Chen Wanrong’s expression became even colder. She had always thought that Lin Wanyun was involved with Lu Chen to help her feed him the powder of the Pair-Wing Butterfly, and secondly because she herself had certain needs.

But now, listening to their conversation, it was not the case at all.

From their discussion, it seemed that Lu Chen had poisoned both of them, which was why Lin Wanyun had surrendered herself to Lu Chen, hoping to obtain an antidote from him, then help herself detoxify and leave the North Prince Mansion.

When it came to poison, Chen Wanrong felt very confused; she never felt like she had been poisoned.

But if she hadn’t been poisoned, then Lin Wanyun should not have been threatened by Lu Chen, nor would there have been the exchange they just had. What exactly was going on?

Could it be that Lu Chen had deceived Madam Lin?

Or was it that the poison was exceptionally unique, and she was poisoned without even knowing it?

Lu Chen then said with a laugh, “How do I know if your word is your bond? What if I give her the antidote, she runs away, and you run away with her?”

Lin Wanyun responded, “Just give one antidote, you don’t have to give me mine.”

Lu Chen said, “If you’re set on dying, and after she takes the antidote and detoxifies, leaving the North Prince Mansion, you commit suicide, then wouldn’t I be at a great loss?”

Blushing deeply at these words, Lin Wanyun said, “I… I won’t… commit suicide…”

“I’ve already… grown unable to leave you…”

As she said this, Lin Wanyun turned her head away, so ashamed she wished she could hide away in a crack in the ground.

Hearing Lin Wanyun’s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, “I, of course, know you can’t leave me, but that does not mean you won’t seek death.”

Seeing that Lu Chen still didn’t trust her, Lin Wanyun simply said, “My heart… has been taken by you. Even if you didn’t coerce me, I would still be willing to be your woman.”

Hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t expected the woman who had always been so resolute to say such a thing today. Of course, he knew she was telling the truth; her favorability towards him had long since reached one hundred percent. But the likelihood of Lin Wanyun saying something like this was probably still for Chen Wanrong’s sake.

Like Chu Yuqin, Lin Wanyun was a traditional beauty with a gentler nature, typically reserved, usually finding it difficult to speak of love and affection.

Chen Wanrong felt like her heart was being pricked by needles upon hearing Lin Wanyun’s words.

So, did that mean Lin Wanyun had truly betrayed her?

No, it wasn’t right to call it a betrayal. If she truly liked Lu Chen, then as a child whom Lin Wanyun had brought up, she should wish her happiness, not consider it a betrayal.

But Chen Wanrong felt an inexplicable emotion inside, leaving her somewhat agitated and confused; she couldn’t clarify what this emotion was.

Shortly after, a series of hurried sounds came from the room. It was a long time before Lu Chen spoke again, “I never thought that there would come a day when my Wanyun would speak such words. So, does this mean you truly wish to bear my child?”

Lin Wanyun’s shame had peaked, her entire body flushed red, and her pale neck also blushed deeply.

Even she herself had never imagined that one day she would utter such shameful words.

Lin Wanyun thought to herself, just consider it for Rongrong’s sake.

If being shameless allowed her to obtain the antidote from Lu Chen, able to help Chen Wanrong leave the North Prince Mansion, then whatever she did was worthwhile.

Just as Lin Wanyun harbored this thought, Lu Chen said, “Wanyun, what do you think Miss Chen would feel if she knew you became like this for her sake? Would she feel heartbroken for you, or would she be extremely angry, thinking you betrayed her?”

With a weak voice, Lin Wanyun said, “What… do you mean?”

Lu Chen smiled and said no more, continuing with his busy work.

Chen Wanrong stopped eavesdropping on their conversation; she only felt an uncomfortable feeling in her heart and then turned around to leave the doorway.

…

Early in the morning, Lin Wanyun tried several times to drive Lu Chen out of the Yunrong Courtyard. She feared that Chen Wanrong would come back and discover what had happened between them, but no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t push Lu Chen away.

Fortunately, it was the day of the small court assembly in the North Country, and after half an hour of effort, Lu Chen finally left her room contentedly, leaving the Yunrong Courtyard.

After Lu Chen left, Lin Wanyun quickly straightened her clothes and came out. Not seeing Chen Wanrong in the courtyard and finding it empty, Lin Wanyun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

What Lin Wanyun didn’t know was that Chen Wanrong had returned last night and was now meditating in her room.

Seeing the empty courtyard, Lin Wanyun sighed.

What a sin, she had clearly come to help Chen Wanrong control Lu Chen and then use Lu Chen to create the Subtle Dragon Spell, but she ended up becoming Lu Chen’s woman and even fell in love with him.

This nemesis, Lu Chen, how could he be so adept at dealing with women.

Lin Wanyun muttered to herself, “Ah, Yue, how did you give birth to such a little rascal? You’ve made me suffer.”

…

As time passed day by day, the war between the Great Sum Imperial Court and the southern rebels had intensified; both sides were continuously reinforcing their troops and fighting more fiercely.

However, to everyone’s surprise, with the war having reached this point, why were the seigniors still without any action?

The Sum Emperors of the past few generations have all been reducing the power of the seigniors, and although they still retained a lot of autonomy for the seigniors, anyone could see that reducing the power of the seigniors was a governance direction of the Great Sum imperial family.

The aristocratic families and the seigniors colluded with each other and belonged to the same interest group. Many times, the aristocratic families could use the seigniors’ autonomy to gain more benefits for themselves without falling under the direct control of the Imperial Court.

If the Sum Emperor were to annihilate the ancient families, then cutting back the seigniors’ power might be next.

While the Imperial Army was fighting with the southern rebels, in reality, many aristocratic families from other regions were already aiding the southern rebels. They understood the principle of shared fate very well.

Even the families outside the South were supporting the southern rebels, but the seigniors remained inactive, which inevitably led to suspicions that the seigniors were intending to benefit from the conflict like the fisherman who profits from the fight between the snipe and the clam.

Lu Chen had always paid close attention to the civil war in Great Sum, and this war had allowed the North Country to gain a significant increase in population and more benefits.

As the Great Sum Imperial Court completely ignored the North Country, Lu Chen simply stopped pretending and began to aggressively expand his army. Thanks to the population increase, Lu Chen’s new round of military expansion added a hundred thousand soldiers. These hundred thousand were not the soldiers of Wind Cloud Island but soldiers recruited from the North Country itself.

If we include the soldiers from Wind Cloud Island, the North Country now had nearly four hundred thousand troops.

North Prince Mansion.

Lu Chen’s study.

Lu Chen looked at the military expansion plan on the table, a satisfied smile on his face.

It was at this moment that the voice of a maid sounded at the door of the study, “Prince, Commander Wu has brought a man surnamed Wei to the Prince’s Mansion.”

Hearing this, Lu Chen’s smile became even brighter. “Finally, he has arrived.”

Then he said to the maid, “Let them come to the study.”