Chapter 259: Chapter 193: Mu Changtian’s Reminder i

After news that North City had reclaimed land ownership rights back to North Prince Mansion spread throughout Great Sum, Lu Chen suddenly acquired countless enemies. Many forces and organizations were already stirring, with some even offering a bounty for Lu Chen’s head.

Lu Chen was after all a Seignior, a son of the Sum Emperor, and yet there were people daring to put a price on his head. This fully demonstrated how much Lu Chen’s recent actions were hated and also indirectly proved how little deterrence the current Sum Emperor held anymore.

Most crucially, the imperial court had no reaction whatsoever to this, and the Sum Emperor showed no intention of protecting Lu Chen.

The trouble was caused by Lu Chen himself, and it was only right that he should solve it. As for any royal dignity, what dignity could they claim when even he, the Emperor, was forced to compromise by the Aristocratic Families?

Only by annihilating all the Aristocratic Families would those powers supported by them stop their arrogance.

One month later.

North City.

Lu Chen was dealing with government affairs in his study when Li Rui and Mu Changtian arrived to report on the recent reform situation in North City.

North City had a relatively small population, and through the propaganda of Brocade Guards and local soldiers, the common people were mostly reassured about the land issue.

Several commoners even obtained more arable land, leading them to believe that the North Prince was not deceiving them.

The reforms were also moving forward smoothly.

There were no significant issues with military reforms either. North Country’s laws stipulated that every adult had the duty to serve in the military. However, they were conscripts, different from recruited professional soldiers.

After serving for a few years as conscripts, soldiers had the opportunity to become professional soldiers. The treatment for professional soldiers was very good, and now many former soldiers in North City had become professionals.

Now, professional soldiers not only received land, but also a substantial allowance from the North Prince Mansion the moment they became professionals. Lu Chen even decreed that the descendants of professional soldiers could attend school for free, which instantly elevated the status of soldiers.

At that moment, Mu Changtian said to Lu Chen, “Prince, I think the promotion channels from conscript to professional soldier are still too few. According to the current reform plan, conscripts must serve several years before they can become professional soldiers. This may have limited motivational effect on the ordinary conscripts, and in the future, some might just want to serve out their time.”

“Therefore, I suggest that we increase the promotion channels, such as by improving their treatment based on military merits.”

Lu Chen replied, “This Prince has also had such thoughts, but recently there have been too many things to attend to, and this Prince hasn’t written detailed promotion rules yet. Since you have had the same thought, when you return, write down your ideas and submit a report. This Prince will take a look.”

“Yes, Prince!”

Lu Chen had not overlooked the welfare of the conscripts. He intentionally created a disparity in treatment between conscripts and professional soldiers, mainly to motivate conscripts to strive to become professionals.

If there was only one promotion pathway, it was obvious it wouldn’t be enough to extensively motivate the ordinary conscripts, so Lu Chen was also considering perfecting the system of military merit.

After finishing discussing the soldiers’ promotion matters, Mu Changtian and Li Rui continued to report on some problems they encountered in the reforms recently.

About half an hour later, the voice of a maid sounded at the door of the study, interrupting their report.

“Prince, Commander Qin has arrived.”

Qin Yushan was assigned to weapon manufacturing and had rarely come to report to Lu Chen personally lately. It was mainly the Commanders of the Brocade Guards who reported to Lu Chen about recent occurrences in Great Sum.

But since he came, it meant that there must be something important.

Li Rui and Mu Changtian immediately stood aside and stopped talking.

At this time, Lu Chen said to the maid at the door, “Let him in.”

Qin Yushan then pushed the door and entered the study, “Greetings, Prince!”

Lu Chen grunted in acknowledgement, his gaze falling on the bamboo tube Qin Yushan was holding.

“Commander Qin, has something significant happened in Capital City?”

Qin Yushan approached Lu Chen, passed him the bamboo tube with the letter, and then said, “Prince, many Aristocratic Families have secretly sent numerous assassins to North City, intending to harm you.”

“According to information from Commander Liang, just the ones they know of, there are three groups of assassins that have come to North City, and these assassins are all strong. Every group has Master Level Martial Artists, and there are even some who are at the Master Realm.”

Hearing Qin Yushan’s words, Lu Chen just smiled. He took out the letter from the bamboo tube and glanced over it seriously.

Lu Chen had basically anticipated the events that would unfold later. He had touched the nerves of the Aristocratic Families, who certainly did not want him alive. Although he was far in North City, the initiative he took was enough to incite the Aristocratic Families to wish for his death.

Upon hearing Qin Yushan’s report, Mu Changtian immediately stood up and said, “Prince, I will strengthen the guard in Yan County when I return and try my best to prevent those strong unfamiliar Martial Artists from entering Yan County.”

Lu Chen replied, “There’s no need.”

“They have countless methods to enter Yan County; walls cannot stop them.”

“Let all of them come. This Prince just happens to need some challenging Martial Artists to practice against.”

Lu Chen had already begun practicing the Absorption Technique. Since obtaining it, he had been going to Spring Sound Court every day. The Absorption Technique was now at the first level.

However, he had not yet used this technique. Staying within North Prince Mansion, he had no enemy contacts. Now that these assassins were showing up at his doorstep, it was the perfect opportunity for him to test the Absorption Technique’s power.

Hearing Lu Chen’s words, Mu Changtian thought for a moment, and it seemed true that Lu Chen didn’t need to fear those assassins. Lu Chen himself was a Grandmaster, and he also possessed many mysterious weapons. For those assassins to target Lu Chen would be suicidal.

However, although Lu Chen wasn’t afraid, other people were different.

With this thought, Mu Changtian said, “Prince, although you are now a Grandmaster, and ordinary martial artists naturally cannot harm you, your wives and children in North Prince Mansion are a different matter.”

“If those assassins find it difficult to assassinate you, they may turn to target those close to you instead.”

Hearing Mu Changtian’s words, Lu Chen fell into contemplation.

This indeed posed a problem.

Mu Zixuan and the boys from Great Wu and Xiaozhou were just ordinary people, and his children were ordinary as well, they would have no fighting power if faced with martial artists.

Lu Chen said, “I will have General Xuanyuan guard the Prince’s Mansion afterward to avoid assassins infiltrating the mansion.”

Seeing that Lu Chen had already considered a candidate to protect the people of North Prince Mansion, Mu Changtian didn’t say anything more.

Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie were both immensely strong, as they both had achieved the Master Realm, which was no small feat. With them guarding North Prince Mansion, plus the mansion’s mysterious weapons, fending off assassin attacks would not be a problem.

Of course, it’s easier to dodge the clear spear than to guard against the hidden arrow. If the people from North Prince Mansion were to leave the mansion, then it would be a different story. However, Mu Changtian believed that for the next while, Lu Chen would likely ask the women from North Prince Mansion to refrain from leaving the premises as much as possible.

Mu Zixuan was Mu Changtian’s daughter, and now she was also the North Prince’s wife, so Mu Changtian, compared to Lu Chen, was even more concerned about the safety of North Prince Mansion.

If something happened to his daughter, the relationship between the Mu Family and North Prince would no longer be as close.

At this moment, Qin Yushan continued, “Prince, there’s another piece of news.”

Hearing Qin Yushan speak, Lu Chen realized that he held two sets of intelligence in his hand, with another one yet to be reviewed.

Lu Chen then unfolded the first piece of information to check the contents of the second report.

Qin Yushan continued, “Great Wu has rallied an army of a million and launched a full-scale attack on Xiwu County, and Prince Lu Shuyun has been dispatched by His Majesty to the front line to battle Great Wu’s forces.”

Lu Chen chuckled and then said, “It seems the war should be coming to an end, eh? My eighth brother has even gone to the front lines to gather military achievements. Is he planning for our father the Emperor to appoint him as the Crown Prince?”

Mu Changtian said, “Prince, I’ve heard that the Chu Family Master has come to North City. If you’re willing, perhaps you could try to win over the Chu Family to prevent the aristocratic families of the South from uniting. That might be even more advantageous for you.”

Lu Chen, setting aside the report, said indifferently, “It’s useless. My maternal grandfather is no longer the Chu Family Master, and now only a small part of the Chu Family supports him. The Chu Family is essentially leaning toward my brother, Prince Lu Shuyun.”

Just then, a maid’s voice came from the doorway, “Prince, Commander Wu is here.”

Lu Chen said, “Let him in.”

Wu Yuan then entered the study, “I pay respect to the Prince!”

Lu Chen directly asked, “What’s the matter?”

Wu Yuan responded, “Prince, General Lin has already led the court’s twenty­thousand soldiers to withdraw to Yan County, and they should be leaving Yan County by sunset.”

The punishment measures from the court against Lu Chen came to North City half a month ago, and that was the withdrawal of twenty-thousand court soldiers, leaving North Country to deal with the barbarian tribes from the steppes on their own.

To Lu Chen, the punishment from the court was trivial, and he hadn’t taken it seriously.

Lu Chen said, “Let them leave; don’t bother with them.”

Wu Yuan said, “Prince, General Lin wishes to meet with you privately, if you would deem it convenient.”

On hearing this, Lu Chen’s interest was piqued, “Oh, a private meeting with me? That is quite interesting.”

“Then arrange it, I’ll meet him around dusk.”

Wu Yuan immediately said, “Yes, Prince.”

“I take my leave.”

Lin Xiuming’s father was the Left Prime Minister, and if Lin Xiuming wanted a private meeting, it indicated that Left Prime Minister Lin Gaoyuan was considering taking Lu Chen’s side. Otherwise, Lin Xiuming would not seek a private meeting with Lu Chen on the eve of his departure from North City.

As a general of the court, meeting privately with a seignior was a major taboo. If the court were to find out, there would be trouble for both Lin Xiuming and Lin Gaoyuan.

After Wu Yuan left, Qin Yushan also soon exited the study, and Mu Changtian, along with Li Rui, continued to report on the reform situation in North City.

At dusk.

Arranged by the Brocade Guard, Lu Chen went to a restaurant. Since Lin Xiuming wanted to meet him, it was certainly inappropriate for Lin Xiuming to come to the North Prince Mansion. Therefore, they specifically arranged for a secluded room in Rain-listening Pavilion.

Upon seeing Lu Chen, Lin Xiuming felt an overwhelming pressure. He was taken aback. Indeed, as he had sensed previously, the North Prince was a martial artist, and no less skilled than himself, even possibly stronger.