After the Chu Family's annulment letter was published in the newspaper, word of the annulment quickly spread throughout the North Country. However, the focus of the people was not on Chu Yuqin, the sacrificial pawn in the family alliance, but rather on the severance between the Chu Family and the Wang Family.
Of course, the lack of public attention on Chu Yuqin was a good thing for Lu Chen. The fewer people talked about it now, the less gossip there would be when Chu Yuqin married into the Prince's Mansion in the future. By then, people would only remember that Chu Yuqin was merely a sacrificial pawn used by the Chu Family for an alliance.
On yet another warm and breezy morning, Lu Chen rose from the Gentle Jade Fragrance of Yelv Nanyan, casting a glance at the beautiful woman he had embraced all night.
During this time, Lu Chen had primarily devoted his attention to the few women with martial skill like Yelv Nanyan. Mu Zixuan and the other two ordinary women had already born him two children each, so it was time for them to rest.
But speaking of which, it was exceedingly difficult for a martial artist to conceive. No matter how cooperative Yelv Nanyan was or what methods he tried, she just couldn't get pregnant.
Of course, it wasn't just a problem with Yelv Nanyan alone. All the women in the Prince's Mansion who had martial skill faced the same issue.
Lu Chen began to wonder if a woman's body structure changed after practicing martial arts, which was why it was so hard to conceive. He had checked them with his Rejuvenating Skill and everything seemed normal compared to ordinary women. Aside from well-developed meridians and their martial skill, there didn't seem to be any changes in their physical structure.
Seeing Lu Chen awake, Yelv Nanyan with her cheeks flushed said, "Prince, there is no morning court today, why don't we sleep in a bit longer?"
Gazing upon the bright expanse before him, Lu Chen truly did wish to sleep in, but he remembered he had to check on the construction of the new city today.
With that in mind, Lu Chen said with a smile, "Nanyan, there must be moderation in all things. We can't be too indulgent."
As he spoke, Lu Chen's fingers gently glided over Yelv Nanyan's soft body.
Blushing even more at Lu Chen's words, Yelv Nanyan knew he was teasing her, yet thinking about what happened last night made her heart flutter.
Just then, the voices of maids discussing outside Paradise Spring Court could be heard, "Commander Bai, is the Prince in Paradise Spring Court? Commander Qin is looking for him on an urgent matter."
"The Prince is still asleep, let him wait a while."
"Commander Qin seems quite anxious; it must be something important."
"Alright, I'll call the Prince for you."
Subsequently, Bai Qingqing arrived outside Yelv Nanyan's bedroom, "Prince, Commander Qin is seeking you."
Hearing this, Lu Chen directly responded, "Tell Commander Qin to wait for me in the study, I will be there shortly."
Lu Chen then rose from bed, and upon his getting up, Yelv Nanyan hurriedly did the same, helping Lu Chen to dress.
The clothing of this era required wrapping and tying of belts, and as someone like Lu Chen who had attendants, dressing was an easy affair. However, for ordinary people, dressing took some time.
Watching Yelv Nanyan tying his belt, Lu Chen thought to himself that it might be time to guide the clothing style of the people in the North Country.
He didn't mind wearing these ancient-style clothes; women looked like ethereal immortals in these long gowns, which he found very attractive. But Lu Chen thought that in some situations, such as in the army, the clothing of this time was too time-consuming to put on.
Lu Chen considered that he should find an opportunity to discuss with Mu Zixuan about setting up a garment factory, so in the future, the soldiers' clothes in the army could be changed into a style that could be donned in an instant.
When Yelv Nanyan finished tying his belt and noticed that Lu Chen was daydreaming, she asked with curiosity, "Prince, what's on your mind?"
Snapping back to reality at the sound of Yelv Nanyan's voice, Lu Chen said with a smile, "It's nothing. I just suddenly thought of something."
With that, Lu Chen cradled Yelv Nanyan's cheek, bent down, and then gave her a deep kiss.
It was Lu Chen's habit to kiss the woman who had shared his bed the previous night upon waking up in the morning. Though no one knew where this habit came from, his women always indulged him.
After their kiss, Lu Chen said with a smile, "I have to get going now. You should rest a bit longer."
As Lu Chen turned to leave, Yelv Nanyan promptly said, "Take care, Prince."
Soon after, Lu Chen appeared in the study, only to find Qin Yushan handling a bow and several arrows as soon as he arrived at the courtyard of the study.
"Qin Yushan, is that the Piercing Cloud Bow in your hands?"
Lu Chen had known about the court's commissioning of the Piercing Cloud Bow quite early. Under the guidance of Lu Shuyun, the Ministry of Works had crafted this special weapon, which reportedly had immense power and could easily kill any martial artist below the eighth rank.
Lu Chen had instructed the Brocade Guard to acquire a few sets of Piercing Cloud Bows for the North Country a long time ago, but the weapon was strictly controlled, and even Grandmaster Liang Zong couldn't get his hands on it.
Upon seeing Lu Chen, Qin Yushan immediately set the bow on the desk and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Prince!"
Lu Chen nodded and replied, "At ease."