I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

After Lu Yuan received the secret letter, he glanced at it and then casually tossed it onto the imperial desk.

I had heard Liang San Niang mention Liang Qingtian before. He was the Great King of the Southern Court of Northern Liang, with 300,000 elite troops under his command. According to seniority, he was Liang San Niang's great-uncle.

This man fought for decades, participating in hundreds of battles, large and small, without ever suffering a defeat.

Ah, the pillar of stability in Beiliang.

However, according to Liang San Niang, this old man actually had an incurable disease long ago, and was outwardly strong but inwardly weak.

It's uncertain how many more years he can live.

If a real fight breaks out, Lu Yuan has many ways to kill him.

"Father, there is no need to worry about Northern Liang."

Lu Cangqiong raised an eyebrow. Liang Qingtian is the God of War of Northern Liang, whose iron cavalry sweeps across the grasslands. Are you really that confident?

"Your Majesty, I'm not so much confident as to need to be confident at all."

Lu Yuan walked to the map, pointed to the border of Northern Liang, and said, "Liang Qingtian has 100,000 troops, but only 300,000 shi of grain and supplies. If he really wanted to start a war, he would have attacked long ago. Why waste time on the border?"

After thinking for a moment, Lu Cangqiong's eyes also showed some ideas.

"You mean, he's waiting for my reaction?"

"not only."

Lu Yuan turned around, waiting for Liang San Niang's reaction.

Zhou Fu listened from the side, completely confused, while Lu Cangqiong laughed heartily.

"Good lad, I understand."

He patted the armrest, "I'll have Liang San Niang write a letter home to her father later, telling him that Dayong is doing well and he shouldn't worry."

Lu Yuan added, "By the way, tell her that if Northern Liang really wants to go to war, the army is ready at any time."

Lu Cangqiong's smile grew even brighter.

The matter concerning Beiliang was dismissed with just a few words.

Lu Cangqiong was in a good mood, so he asked Zhou Fu to fetch the fine wine sent by Ningguo.

The father and son took their seats in the side hall, and the imperial kitchen quickly served several dishes of exquisite side dishes.

"Come, Yuan'er, have a couple of drinks with your father."

Lu Cangqiong personally poured wine for Lu Yuan, saying, "Those idiots from Ningguo have finally been taught a lesson by you."

Lu Yuan picked up his wine glass and smiled ingratiatingly, "I'm not bragging, but if those shrimp soldiers and crab generals really attacked, I could kill them all with a fart."

Stop being so cheeky.

Lu Cangqiong took a sip, his eyes and brows full of smiles. "Now, I'm just waiting to hold my eldest grandson. I must take good care of that girl, Bai Rushuang."

Lu Yuan's eyes darted around.

"Father, what you're saying puts immense pressure on me."

"Are you under a lot of pressure?"

Lu Cangqiong glared at him. "How many women do you have in your household? You still have the nerve to say you're under pressure?"

Lu Yuan coughed, put down his wine cup, and said casually, "Father, please don't worry. When I returned to the manor last night, the imperial physician just diagnosed that Hanqiu is more than a month pregnant."

Lu Cangqiong nearly crushed the wine glass in his hand.

"What?!"

He jumped to his feet, staring at Lu Yuan, his voice trembling: "What did you say? Say it again!"

"Autumn is here."

Lu Yuan repeated, "The imperial physician said the pulse is slippery, and it's been more than a month."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Lu Cangqiong burst into a thunderous laugh, loud enough for the eunuchs and palace maids outside the Qian Yuan Hall to hear clearly.

He paced back and forth excitedly in the hall, the hem of his dragon robe brushing the ground and stirring up a gust of wind.

"Excellent! Excellent! As expected of my son!"

Lu Cangqiong walked up to Lu Yuan and patted him heavily on the shoulder, "Capable of governing the country with his literary skills, securing the nation with his military prowess, and also excellent at expanding the family line!"

Zhou Fu stood to the side, his face beaming with smiles.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Highness! This is a truly joyous occasion!"

Lu Cangqiong waved his hand, signaling him to come over.

"By imperial decree, the Crown Prince's concubine Shen Hanqiu is hereby bestowed with one hundred taels of gold, one thousand taels of silver, a pair of jade ruyi scepters, ten bushels of pearls from the East Sea, one hundred bolts of Shu brocade, ten ginseng roots aged one hundred years, and twenty sets of top-grade deer antlers..."

He rattled off a long string of words, and Zhou Fuji's hand was sore from reading them.

After admiring his daughter-in-law, Lu Cangqiong thought of his in-laws again.

"My grandson's maternal grandparents' official rank is too low; it wouldn't sound good if word got out."

He turned to Zhou Fu: "What was Shen Hanqiu's father's name again?"

Zhou Fu quickly replied, "Your Majesty, Lord Shen Yilei is currently a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Justice."

"Fifth rank?"

Lu Cangqiong frowned. "Too low."

He waved his hand and announced, "By imperial decree, Shen Yilei, for his diligent service and dedication to the country, is hereby promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, effective immediately!"

Zhou Fu stopped writing.

From a fifth-rank official to a third-rank left vice minister?

This involves a jump of five ranks: from fifth rank, fifth rank, fourth rank, fourth rank, third rank...

This is the first time since the founding of the nation!

He looked up at Lu Cangqiong, then glanced at Lu Yuan.

Lu Cangqiong was overjoyed, while Lu Yuan remained calm and composed.

Since having his own backer, Shen Yilei has been doing his best in everything he does.

Zhou Fu swallowed hard, then lowered his head and said, "This old servant obeys."

Lu Cangqiong sat contentedly in the chair and personally poured Lu Yuan a glass of wine.

"Yuan'er, if anyone in the household becomes pregnant in the future, you must tell me immediately. I will support you."

Lu Yuan smiled and took the wine glass, saying, "Don't worry, when you retire and have your grandchildren, I'm just afraid you won't be able to handle all the red envelopes during holidays."

"Bah! Even if I have to sell everything I own, I won't let them go poor."

"Okay, okay!"

The father and son drank a few more glasses of wine, and the atmosphere was very harmonious, just like an ordinary family.

After a few rounds of drinks, Lu Cangqiong's smile gradually faded.

After putting down his wine glass, his expression became very serious.

"What's wrong?"

"Your mother would be very happy if she knew you were married and had children."

Mentioning the late Empress, Lu Yuan felt a pang of sadness.

He has been able to live peacefully until now entirely thanks to the protection and blessings of his mother.

"After I finish dealing with these matters, I will go to offer incense to my mother and sweep her grave."

Lu Cangqiong nodded, and seeing that the atmosphere was rather heavy, he changed the subject.

"Yuan'er, the financial situation of the Great Yong has greatly improved, but it has also aroused the jealousy and covetousness of other countries."

Looking at Lu Yuan, the emperor said, "I'm worried they'll unite and harm the Great Yong. If things get out of hand on all sides, even the fullest treasury won't be able to support us."

"Especially the reduction of power by regional princes and the disruption of powerful clans."

"We cannot allow internal and external difficulties to occur simultaneously."

Lu Yuan did not answer immediately.

He picked up his glass, took a small sip, and then put it down.

"Father, what do you think wolves fear most?"

Lu Cangqiong was taken aback. What kind of arrow did the hunter use?

"no."

Lu Yuan shook his head and said, "What wolves fear most is hunger."

After standing up, he walked to the map.

"The Northern Liang, Ningguo, Western Qiang, Nanzhao... these countries appear calm on the surface, but in reality they are all eyeing the fat piece of Dayong."

Lu Cangqiong nodded and said, "That's why I'm worried they'll unite."

"conspiracy?"

Lu Yuan laughed and said, "Father, the best way to deal with a pack of hungry wolves is not to fight them head-on."

When he turned around, there was a glimmer in his eyes.

"Throw a more delicious piece of meat into the wolf pack."

Lu Cangqiong's eyes immediately lit up.

"that is……"

Lu Yuan didn't say anything more, but simply raised his wine glass and toasted Lu Cangqiong.

After looking at him for a while, Lu Cangqiong suddenly burst into laughter.

"Good! What a brilliant idea to throw meat to the wolf!"

He finished it in one gulp, his eyes full of admiration.

"Tell me, what kind of meat are you planning to throw in?"