Lu Chen finally accepted Qin Yushan's suggestion and wrote a letter to Emperor Xia.
In the letter, he first complained bitterly about the harsh environment in Beijun, painting a miserable picture of the northern border. Then, with feigned humility, he requested reinforcements, hoping that Emperor Xia would send a large army to help resist the barbarians as soon as possible.
Toward the end of the letter, Lu Chen casually mentioned that he had recently discovered iron tools—distinctive ones that only Great Xia possessed—appearing frequently on the grasslands.
Finally, Lu Chen wrote with an aggrieved tone, complaining that caravans under the Eighth Prince's banner had been appearing often in Beijun. Backed by the prince's influence, they frequently evaded tolls, flaunting their power. Lu Chen urged Emperor Xia to rein in the Eighth Prince's arrogance and, ideally, compel his caravans to pay tolls properly.
The image Lu Chen presented in the letter was that of a fearful, helpless man—timid and cowardly—matching the reputation he had long cultivated for greed and indulgence.
Though he never outright accused the Eighth Prince of supplying the barbarians with salt and iron, Lu Chen was confident his father would pick up on the implied message.
After all, Emperor Xia was no fool; he would see the veiled accusation clearly.
Once he finished writing the family letter, Lu Chen planned to have Qin Yushan arrange for someone to deliver it urgently to the capital.
But Qin Yushan interjected again. "Your Highness, it's not enough to send only a family letter. You must also submit a formal war report detailing the barbarians' recent movements and have both documents delivered together to the capital."
He continued, "As it happens, our scouts discovered that the Northern Xian King's forces have begun massing near the royal court of the Sirius King. This intelligence is valuable enough to justify using the Red Silk Messenger."
Lu Chen blinked. "Is all that really necessary?"
Qin Yushan explained, "If you only send a family letter, it must pass through multiple channels before reaching His Majesty. But by tying it to an official war report, the Red Silk Messenger can deliver both directly to the emperor."
Unlike family correspondence, which required multiple approvals to reach the palace, a Red Silk Messenger carried authority that bypassed protocol. In Great Xia, red silk war reports had to reach the emperor immediately—even if he was asleep, he had to be awakened to read them.
Lu Chen nodded in understanding and drafted a second document: a formal war report urging the imperial court to dispatch reinforcements without delay.
Once both documents were prepared, Qin Yushan immediately arranged for the Red Silk Messenger to transport the letter and the report to the capital.
Later, Lu Chen sat alone in the study, staring at the map spread across his desk in deep thought.
Once his father read the letter, he would likely send Bai Qingqing, deputy commander of the Shadow Guard, to investigate the barbarians' activities in Beijun. When the time came, Lu Chen could use her presence to secretly transmit evidence linking the Eighth Prince to the enemy.
Of course, gathering such evidence wouldn't be easy. The real proof was in the hands of the barbarians.
Thus, their top priority now was to defeat the enemy forces. Only then could they retrieve solid evidence from the barbarians themselves—evidence that would allow Emperor Xia to take action against the aristocratic clans.
As for what would ultimately happen to the Eighth Prince and those noble families, Lu Chen didn't care in the slightest.
They were the ones who acted without honor or righteousness. So why should he show mercy?
While he was staring blankly at the map, a knock suddenly came at the door.
Lu Chen came back to his senses. "It's not locked. Come in."
The door creaked open, and Chu Yuqin entered the study.
Her graceful figure caught his eye. The moment he saw her, Lu Chen's stern expression softened.
"Aunt Chu," he said with a smile, "do you have something to talk to me about?"
Chu Yuqin approached and asked, "Chen'er, are you planning to send the palace personnel south to Anping City this time?"
"You should leave someone behind to take care of you, shouldn't you?"
Lu Chen thought for a moment and replied, "Why not let Xiaobai stay and take care of me?"
The moment he mentioned Bai Qingqing, Chu Yuqin gave him a knowing glance. She had expected this answer.
Bai Qingqing was strong, and though she and Lu Chen had known each other since childhood, they'd been separated for years. That distance brought a certain novelty for Lu Chen. And with Bai Qingqing's cool demeanor and stunning beauty, it was obvious she suited his preferences.
Chu Yuqin asked calmly, "Just her? You're not planning to keep that foxy girl from Baihua Tower too?"
Lu Chen was silent for a brief moment.
Chu Yuqin continued, "The third assassination attempt by Xueyue Tower has failed. The Eighth Prince has probably noticed Wang Qingci's unusual behavior. In my opinion, there's no reason to keep her in Baihua Tower any longer."
"Why not make her your personal slave? Let her serve you in the palace."
"Her strength isn't bad either. If danger arises, she might be able to protect you."
In Chu Yuqin's mind, Wang Qingci—being a ninth-rank warrior—could at the very least serve as a human shield in times of peril.
But Lu Chen shook his head after some thought. "No, let her accompany you to Anping City."
Chu Yuqin raised an eyebrow. "So you've really decided to leave Xiaobai behind?"
Lu Chen nodded and smiled. "Xiaobai is enough."
"And I'm worried that if I'm not in Anping City, that beast in the capital might send someone to trouble you. Wang Qingci is a half-step master. With her around, Zixuan and the others will be safer."
Chu Yuqin's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
Wang Qingci… is already a half-step master?
She was now in the same realm as herself?
That realization made Chu Yuqin feel somewhat uncomfortable. She had never liked that seductress.
Lu Chen's other wives and concubines were respectful to her, but that vixen always acted overly familiar—saying things like, "The prince is so powerful," or "The prince can make people fly."
It was clear she viewed herself as Lu Chen's equal, speaking so freely in Chu Yuqin's presence.
If not for Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin might have taught her a lesson long ago.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Chu Yuqin sighed and said, "Chen'er, I won't question your decisions anymore. But I still want to remind you—if you really can't withstand the barbarians' attack, retreat south."
"The capital is in turmoil. His Majesty is unlikely to send many reinforcements north. You'll be on your own out here. Even if you abandon Beijun, no one in Great Xia will blame you. At the very least, you tried to resist the barbarians."
In the eyes of the people, Lu Chen's image had already hit rock bottom. If he truly abandoned Beijun, no one would be surprised.
On the contrary, by standing his ground and fighting the barbarians at Yancheng, the people might start to view him in a new light—as a prince who still had some backbone.
Lu Chen smiled gently at her words. "Aunt Chu, don't worry. I value my life. If I really can't beat them, I'll know what to do."
Seeing his response, Chu Yuqin didn't press the matter. She turned and said, "Alright, I'll go inspect the patrols now. You carry on with your work."
With that, she left the study.
***
Two days later.
At the palace gates, the convoy heading south was fully prepared.
Lu Chen stood at the entrance, personally bidding farewell to each of his wives, one by one.
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