As the convoy drew closer to Beijun, tension quietly settled over the family of Duke Mu.
The women of Duke Mu's Mansion were filled with anticipation—finally, they would reunite with Mu Zixuan. Among them, Mrs. Mu had been especially anxious to know how her daughter had fared all this time in Northern Prince mansion.
But the men of the household weren't nearly as calm. Their concerns weren't about reunion or sentiment—they feared something far more dangerous.
Would they simply pass through Beijun and continue even further north?
If that was the case, it meant heading toward the barbarian territories. And if they crossed that line… there would be no turning back. To venture into that land would be an open act of betrayal against Daxia.
Then came the moment of truth.
As they entered Beijun, Mu Changtian and the others were on high alert. Yet, to their growing apprehension, the convoy didn't halt.
Instead, it continued moving north.
Mu Changtian's heart tightened like a coiled spring.
Could it be… these people are really spies for the barbarians?
Unable to keep his suspicions bottled any longer, he leaned out of the carriage and called out to one of the Jinyiwei riding alongside them.
"Little brother, where exactly are we going?" he asked.
The soldier turned his head and answered without hesitation, "Duke Mu, our destination is Yancheng. It'll take a few more days to arrive."
Hearing the name Yancheng made Mu Changtian breathe a deep sigh of relief. So they were going there after all.
He pulled his head back into the carriage.
At that moment, Mu Xingping asked curiously, "Father, isn't the Northern King stationed in Yancheng? Could it be that the so-called 'mysterious prince' everyone keeps referring to is actually him?"
Mu Changtian shook his head firmly. "Impossible. Yancheng is the most prosperous city in all of Beijun. For the mysterious prince to be based there isn't surprising. But as for the Northern King…"
He didn't believe Lu Chen had that kind of power. Everyone knew what sort of prince Lu Chen was—or at least, what kind he used to be.
---
Several days later—
Beijun, Yancheng.
Disguised as a traveling merchant caravan, the Mu family's convoy finally arrived at the gates of Yancheng. Once they realized their journey had reached its end, the passengers inside the carriages lifted their curtains, eager to catch their first glimpse of the northern city.
Mu Changtian had been resting with his eyes closed, but Mu Jingwu gently nudged him awake.
"Father, we've arrived in Yancheng."
Mu Changtian opened his eyes and looked outside.
Though Yancheng was known as Beijun's most prosperous city, the stark contrast with other cities in Daxia was immediately evident.
Most of the people walking the streets wore heavily patched clothing. Some didn't even have shoes, walking barefoot across the cold, dusty roads. Poverty weighed heavily on the city.
And yet…
There was a strange brightness in their eyes.
A light not often seen in other cities—hope. Their expressions carried energy, even joy, as if they genuinely believed in a better tomorrow.
Mu Xingping frowned. "So this is Yancheng? The most prosperous place in Beijun still looks so poor... It's hard to imagine this region thriving anytime soon. I wonder how Little Sister is doing at the Beiwang Mansion?"
Mu Jingwu replied, "Don't worry. Beijun might be poor, but the Northern Palace isn't. I heard they make hundreds of thousands of taels every month just from selling perfume and soap alone."
But Mu Changtian wasn't listening to either of them.
His thoughts were elsewhere—focused solely on the so-called 'mysterious prince' he was about to meet. If the man turned out to be a barbarian in disguise... what would he do?
---
Northern Palace.
Lu Chen had just finished a sparring session with Wang Qingci and was now relaxing in the garden pavilion, casually reviewing portraits of noblewomen chosen to enter the palace as potential concubines.
Though Mu Zixuan had already been selected, as the prince's official concubine, her portrait still had to be formally included in the ceremony.
Not that Lu Chen cared much about these painted likenesses.
In his mind, they were even more ridiculous than modern-day photo filters. At least those were based on reality. Portraits, on the other hand, were entirely fabricated from the painter's imagination.
Still, he went through the motions and chose a few that looked more presentable than the rest. This was just the preliminary round. For the final selection, he would need to meet each candidate face-to-face.
Without seeing them in person, how could he evaluate anything?
Just then, a brocade-clad guard entered the courtyard and knelt.
"Your Majesty, the Mu family has arrived."
Lu Chen stood up from the stone bench at once.
So the whole family had finally come.
That would be a surprise for Mu Zixuan.
"Arrange a meeting immediately," he ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Jinyiwei turned and departed.
---
Meanwhile, the Mu family's convoy stopped outside the famed Yuelai Restaurant in Yancheng.
Once they had entered, a tall, broad-shouldered middle-aged man with an imposing presence approached Mu Changtian.
Mu Changtian stiffened immediately.
Another Grandmaster?!
This was the second time they'd encountered someone of this level under the mysterious prince's banner.
Just how terrifying was the power behind this man?
The towering figure—Qin Yushan—spoke calmly, "Duke Mu, please follow me. The three of you."
Clearly, he meant Mu Changtian and his two sons.
The rest of the women from the Mu family were led to the backyard of the restaurant, while the three men were taken upstairs to a private room.
To their mild surprise, the mysterious prince wasn't there yet.
"Please wait a moment," said Qin Yushan. "Our prince will be arriving shortly."
Mu Changtian didn't question it. All they could do now was wait.
Time passed, minute by minute. The tension in the room thickened.
Finally, after about two quarters of an hour, the door to the private room creaked open.
All three men immediately rose to their feet, eyes locked on the doorway, eager to see the face of the one who had orchestrated everything thus far.
The door opened slowly.
And the figure who entered was—
A familiar one.
Mu Changtian's breath caught in his throat.
He stared blankly for a long moment, then murmured, almost in disbelief, "North... Northern King???"
His two sons were equally stunned.
They knew exactly who this man was.
Mu Changtian remembered meeting the Northern King once, years ago, during his departure from the capital. Back then, the young prince had been immature, utterly clueless about political taboos.
How could that same man now wield such enormous power?
Unless...
Unless it had all been a ruse.
Had the Northern King been pretending all along—masking his true nature, feigning incompetence so well that everyone dismissed him?
If that was the case, then this young king was far more cunning than anyone had imagined.
He hadn't just deceived Duke Mu's family.
He had deceived the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
Until they stepped into Beijun, none of them had even considered the possibility that the 'mysterious prince' could be him. But now, there was no mistaking it.
The King of the North—Lu Chen—stood before them.
A man with terrifying forces at his disposal.
A man whose ambitions could no longer be underestimated.
Seeing their stunned faces, Lu Chen smiled lightly and said, "Father-in-law, you seem surprised to see me?"
That voice pulled them back to their senses.
The three immediately bowed with great respect.
"Greetings to the King of the North!"
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
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