I became a prince in a martial arts world.

Although nothing happened last night, when Wang Yu woke up the next day, he could still feel the gentle tickling of the hair on the tip of his nose, the fragrance of lilies, and those eyes that seemed to speak.

"You're such a smooth talker!"

If it weren't for my extensive knowledge and experience gained through various channels in my previous life, I'd probably be either being strung along like a lapdog or already a sycophant.

Wang Yu sighed, just as he heard a maid gently knocking on the door. "Your Highness, Steward Zhao has arrived."

"Come in," Wang Yu replied, getting up from the bed.

……

"The three generals and Commandant Zhao have arrived. We will first hold a memorial service for the old prince, and then meet with them," Zhao Yingjie said while explaining the process to Wang Yu.

At this moment, Wang Yu had changed into a royal robe, looking solemn and dignified. Accompanied by Zhao Yingjie, he arrived at the main hall of the palace.

Zhao Zheng passed away three months ago and was buried long ago, but Wang Yu has not returned, so the formal memorial service has not been held. Now that Wang Yu has returned, the service can finally be held.

This ceremony signifies a change of ownership of the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion, transitioning from the era of Zhao Zheng to the era of Zhao... Wang Yu.

Flags fluttered, drums tinkled, incense smoke curled, and offerings were made to the spirits of the dead.

The memorial ceremony lasted for most of the day, but in reality, Zhao Rong was in charge of everything. Wang Yu didn't have much to do, but he was the one in charge because this memorial ceremony was also the ceremony for him to take over the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion.

Li Yunxiu and Qianqian also attended the event in simple, elegant attire, standing on the left and right, representing the two new mistresses of the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion.

……

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

"Generals, please rise!"

Wang Yu was observing the four people in front of him, and the four people in front of him were also observing Wang Yu.

An old man with white hair and beard, whose eyes could not hide his arrogance, was Zhao Siqi, a veteran who had followed Zhao Ling in establishing the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion.

A burly man nearly two meters tall with a waist circumference equal to two and a half times that of Wang Yu, this was Peng Hu, a killing god who had fought his way out of the battlefield.

A middle-aged man of average build, with a calm expression and deep eyes, who seemed to be always observing others, was Lu Yunzhou, the most famous strategist of the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion.

There was also a burly man with dark skin and a taciturn demeanor; this was Zhao Defang, the captain who commanded three thousand Iron Eagle Cavalry.

Zhao Siqi and Zhao Defang are both from the Zhao family and are also distant relatives of Zhao Yu.

"Your Highness has been confined to the capital for ten years; you have truly suffered," Lu Yunzhou said first.

"The old emperor has no self-awareness. He really thinks he has the abilities of the founding emperor. He failed in the northern campaign and failed in the southern campaign, causing instability in the country. Who knows, we might still have a chance to sit in the Golden Palace," Peng Hu said with a grin.

"Shut up! How dare you say such a thing?" Zhao Siqi scolded, then looked at Wang Yu. "The world is unstable right now, and the emperor has sent a female top scholar. It's obvious he wants to use the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion as a pawn."

In my opinion, we should kill this woman immediately, thus extinguishing the emperor's hopes and easing the anxieties of the people. This would be a win-win situation, allowing us to reap the benefits of others' actions. In this way, we can either defend the northwest or contend for the Central Plains – this is the right path!

The reception hall fell silent instantly.

The three generals and Zhao Defang remained silent. Zhao Rong, the only one accompanying them, also remained silent. He was the chief steward of the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion, but it was inconvenient for him to interrupt when it came to important military and political matters.

Wang Yu glanced around at everyone's behavior. Although he didn't know if this was something they had planned together, he was certain that Zhao Siqi was trying to give him a hard time.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Wang Yu sat at the table, tapping it expressionlessly, and looked at Zhao Siqi indifferently. "Are you teaching me how to do things?"

"I wouldn't dare!" Zhao Siqi said solemnly, clasping his hands in a fist salute. "I'm doing this for the sake of the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion; I don't want it to become a tool in the emperor's hands!"

Wang Yu narrowed his eyes slightly and held up one finger.

"First, Li Yunxiu is now my unmarried princess, as everyone in the world knows. If I kill her, it is the same as killing my wife. If my reputation is damaged, the reputation of the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion will also be damaged."

"Secondly, the world is currently unstable, not in chaos. If I kill Li Yunxiu, I will be turning against the emperor. If the emperor intends to use the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion to establish his authority, how will you defend the Northwest when the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion's reputation is damaged and it has lost the support of the people?"

"Third, Li Yunxiu ranked third in the imperial examination, becoming the top scholar. She is unparalleled in debating with ministers and governing the country. She is capable of becoming a general or prime minister. Killing her would only sever the will of talented people across the land, and would be an act that destroys the foundation of the royal family. How can you then contend for the Central Plains?"

"Fourth, keeping Li Yunxiu around and feigning compliance with the court will reassure the emperor, allow Li Yunxiu to fully display his talents, and also strengthen the Northwest. This is the best of both worlds."

"Fifth," Wang Yu said, opening his entire right hand, "we will leave Li Yunxiu behind. If the imperial decree is in our favor, we can obey it; if it is not, we can ignore it. That's what it means to be able to advance or retreat at will."

"Do I need to tell you the sixth, seventh, and eighth?" Wang Yu stared at Zhao Siqi.

Zhao Siqi's face flushed red, his beard trembled, and he was speechless for a moment.

"General Zhao fought alongside my grandfather in the Northwest for decades and made great contributions, but his proposal this time is far below par and is quite surprising."

Wang Yu smiled, but his voice was as cold as ice. "I can only guess that General Zhao is getting old and his mind isn't working properly. Surely you're not deliberately trying to harm me and destroy the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion?"

Zhao Siqi was horrified. "Absolutely not!"

"That's good. It seems that General Zhao is indeed just getting old." Wang Yu smiled ambiguously. "I don't believe that General Zhao, who has been loyal for decades, would have his reputation ruined in his later years."

Zhao Siqi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and then Wang Yu continued, "However, since General Zhao is getting old, he should enjoy his retirement. I can't bear to see him continue to suffer in the military camp."

"In that case, please allow the old general to reside temporarily in the Prince's Palace. Once the Xionglue Army has been reorganized, you can return to your hometown to enjoy your family life."

Wang Yu tapped the table with his index finger one last time and said calmly, "I've finished speaking. Who agrees? Who disagrees?"

The reception room suddenly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Zhao Siqi was both shocked and furious, staring at Wang Yu in disbelief. Peng Hu grinned, but there was a clear hint of schadenfreude in his eyes. Lu Yunzhou glanced at Wang Yu, then looked away, keeping his eyes down and remaining silent.

Zhao Defang didn't say a word from beginning to end, but silently moved his feet and blocked the door of the reception room.

Zhao Rong glanced at Zhao Defang, took half a step toward Wang Yu, and fixed his eyes on Zhao Siqi's hands.

Zhao Siqi's face flushed red, his beard and hair standing on end. "Back then, I followed the old prince in raising an army, traversing the Northwest and sweeping across the desert. Over the decades, I fought hundreds of battles, large and small, always striving to be the first to act..."

"That's why I believe General Zhao didn't really want to harm me," Wang Yu said calmly.

Zhao Siqi choked.

He glanced at Zhao Rong standing next to Wang Yu, then at Zhao Defang who was blocking his way out, and finally let out a sigh of relief, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

"I will obey Your Majesty's command!" Zhao Siqi bowed his head and lowered his hands, his voice hoarse.

Wang Yu said to Zhao Rong, "General Zhao has fought hundreds of battles, large and small, over the decades, with great courage and merit. You should personally go to the royal treasury and find some fine items to present to General Zhao."

Zhao Rong cupped his hands in greeting, "There is a golden armor of the Western Region king that General Zhao personally captured in the imperial treasury. I would like to return it to the old general."

"Very good," Wang Yu said.

Wang Yu completely ignored the instantly aged Zhao Siqi and looked at Zhao Defang, who had been silent all along. He thought to himself, no wonder Zhao Zheng promoted him to the position of captain of the Iron Eagle Cavalry. He was indeed loyal.

Zhao Siqi may have been loyal to Zhao Ling, and perhaps also to Zhao Zheng, but when it came to his grandson Zhao Yu, he couldn't help but act like a grandfather.

Whether he simply wanted to give Wang Yu a warning or to control him as a grandfather figure from the same clan, he put Wang Yu in a precarious position, forcing him to retaliate.

If Wang Yu takes a step back, it will be utterly disastrous.

But if Wang Yu doesn't back down, then it's the only option for him to back down.

Wang Yu never expected that he would lose the most senior general the moment he met with several generals and was still thinking about how to get along with them.

The rest is simple.

Although Peng Hu remained nonchalant and Lu Yunzhou showed no unusual behavior, Wang Yu could sense that they had become much more respectful towards him, indicating that it was indeed Zhao Siqi who had acted on his own initiative, rather than them conspiring together.

"Your Highness's foresight is truly admirable!" Lu Yunzhou said with a smile. "I fear that Li Yunxiu will also fall into Your Highness's grasp, adding another ally to the Zhenxi Prince's Mansion. Congratulations!"

Peng Hu nodded repeatedly, "Congratulations!"

Then the three began to report on their respective military affairs.

Zhao Defang's Iron Eagle Cavalry was stationed north of Longshan Prefecture, which made it convenient for them to go north to support the front line and also to replenish fodder at the horse farms in the northeast.

Lu Yunzhou's Chengyuan Army and Peng Hu's Wuben Army were stationed in Fengming Prefecture in the south for rest and recuperation, while also patrolling the northwest trade routes to guard against the Qishan bandits who plundered along the way. Although they could not stop them all, they reduced the losses of the northwest merchants.

Zhao Siqi's Xionglue Army had only come down from the northern front this year and was now stationed south of Longshan Prefecture, which made it convenient for Wang Yu to integrate them.

"Last autumn and winter, the Black Qiang invaded the border and fought several battles with our cavalry. Among the enemy army were several disciples of Shi Mo, who were highly skilled in martial arts and killed dozens of our soldiers."

"The Bai Qiang people abide by the rules and have never invaded. They only trade cattle and sheep for grain, salt, and tea at the border trade markets, which has allowed the soldiers to eat quite a lot of meat."

The Qiang people of northern Mongolia are divided into two branches: the Black Qiang and the White Qiang. The Black Qiang revered black, while the White Qiang favored white.

The Black Qiang chieftain was ambitious and only wanted to invade the Central Plains and seize the fertile land. The White Qiang chieftain had no hostility towards the Central Plains and only wanted to trade and ensure the safety of his people.

The Shi Mo mentioned by Lu Yunzhou is the number one expert of the Black Qiang, known as the White Bone Mountain. He wields a pair of strange weapons called White Bone Claws. He fought Zhao Zheng, who was at his peak, for three hundred rounds and was only slightly inferior, and was able to retreat calmly.

Lu Yunzhou analyzed, "Now that the old prince has passed away, Shi Mo may have another idea and incite the Black Qiang to invade the border, wanting to enter the Central Plains and plunder."

Peng Hu snorted, "The border is heavily fortified; they can't get in!"

Lu Yunzhou nodded. "I'm worried they'll detour westward and enter the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions. Last year, the Qishan bandits and the Western Regions bandits joined forces and raided the second most important town of Cheshi, feasting on them."

"The weakness of the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions may attract the covetousness of the Qiang people."