A New Weapon

"……" Li Qingyan stared at the young man, a strange look in her phoenix eyes, which had turned fiery red from her cultivation technique. The wind ceased, the clouds halted, and sunlight cascaded down like a waterfall. Xu Yuan curved his eyes into a smile, his handsome face bathed in the sun: "I only mentioned that to remind you—her temper is probably rather bad." "A bad temper?" Li Qingyan cast him a half-smiling glance, then shifted her gaze back to the brocade carp in the pond, the corners of her crimson lips curving slightly. "Very well, then. When the time comes, I shall personally invite this Saintess to attend the ceremony." With that, a glint of genuine interest appeared between the woman's phoenix eyes: "During the ceremony, in the name of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion, the Saintess shall sit in the foremost row alongside the Imperial Preceptor's disciple." "……" Xu Yuan's eyelid twitched. "That's not a good idea." Li Qingyan pressed her lips into a smile. "I wasn't asking for your opinion. The Sword Sect's chief, the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion's Saintess... Third Young Master Xu, your romantic interests certainly boast one prestigious status after another." Pausing, Li Qingyan asked with a beaming smile, "You must be rather proud of yourself, aren't you?" "……" Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then burst into a chuckle. Raising a hand, he pinched his thumb and index finger close together to indicate a tiny gap. "Though I'm loath to admit it, you're not wrong. There is a little bit of that." Li Qingyan's scarlet pupils narrowed slightly. "Hah. Growing up, I've seen plenty of profligates. Many acted far more vilely than you, yet on the surface, they'd still put on an act to pretend to be modest, courteous gentlemen. You, Third Young Master Xu, truly make no effort to hide it." Xu Yuan stared at Li Qingyan for two seconds with a knowing smile, before speaking: "Because there is no need for me to hide it." "No need?" "……" Xu Yuan didn't reply right away. Instead, he lifted a hand and reached slowly toward Li Qingyan's smooth, delicate chin. Li Qingyan saw it coming, but did not dodge. With a slender index finger lightly tilting up Li Qingyan's chin, Xu Yuan said with a warm grin: "Just like this. If any other profligate dared to flirt with a princess, his finger would probably be gone before he even touched her, wouldn't it? If those profligates don't put on an act, they're ruined the moment they cross someone they can't afford to offend. But I don't have to worry about that." "……" In the close-up gaze between them, the woman's scarlet pupils sparkled clear as amber. Suddenly, Li Qingyan chuckled softly. With a slight flick of her fiery red sleeve, she caught Xu Yuan's hand. It felt warm and soft. She looked at him: "I don't dislike this temperament of yours. I hope you can maintain it after our wedding." With that, Li Qingyan dispersed her cultivation technique, turned, and walked out of the inner court without looking back. "……" Xu Yuan stood where he was, glancing strangely at his hand, which she had just held in return. Shoot. Why did it feel like he was the one being flirted with? Smacking his lips, Xu Yuan quickened his pace to catch up, asking with a smile, "Princess, does this mean you agreed?" "What did I agree to?" Li Qingyan shot him a sideways glance as she walked. "After we marry, you will return to the army barracks with me." "What?" Xu Yuan came to an instinctive halt, mouth agape. Seeing his expression, Li Qingyan paused and curved her eyes into crescents: "As my prince consort, where I go, you go, naturally. Of course, Third Young Master Xu, you can always consider having that Saintess of yours—the one who can beat me—come to the barracks to snatch you back. And if she doesn't, you, my prince consort, and I will have a very delightful time together." "……" Xu Yuan was speechless. "……" The two walked out of the inner court, one after the other, in silence. Along the way, several dignitaries and nobles recognized Li Qingyan and bowed in greeting one after another, making Xu Yuan, the actual host, feel like a mere accessory. After accompanying this Princess Taiping for half a quarter-hour, Xu Yuan finally broke the silence: "Hey, what did you actually come to see me for?" Without looking back, Li Qingyan said, "I missed you, so I came to see you." "What did you say?" "I said, I came to the Chancellor's Manor because I wanted to see you." "……" Xu Yuan stared at the princess's stunning profile, somewhat amused. "Hah, I'm truly flattered. But haven't we only met once before?" Li Qingyan's voice was slightly husky: "I was raised in the Northern Border since I was old enough to remember, so naturally we have only met once." Xu Yuan stroked his chin. "Although I know I have captivating looks, Princess, don't you think this is a bit..." "Abrupt?" "Of course it's abrupt. Unconditional love is the most expensive kind." "……" Walking by the lake, Li Qingyan looked at the azure sky reflected in the waters of the wetland. "There's no need to be so guarded. I am not the kind of delicate, pretentious woman. The engagement is set; therefore, you are my man. Of course, you can also understand it as me being your woman. Thus, caring about you requires no reason." "……" Xu Yuan didn't reply immediately. He didn't know Li Qingyan's character, so naturally he couldn't tell whether she spoke in earnest or in jest. After a moment of silence, the corner of his mouth ticked up. "Whether it's true or not, I'll take it as the truth for now—" "Your Highness, Dean Jiang has arrived and is waiting for you in Lutian Courtyard." "……" Xu Yuan cast a helpless glance at Li Qingyan. Sure enough, the prettier a woman was, the better she was at lying. She had only come to the Chancellor's Manor for official business; seeing him was merely incidental. Still, "Dean Jiang" ought to refer to that old man Jiang He. What was the princess looking for Jiang He for at this critical juncture? Li Qingyan offered no explanation, merely asking, "Do you want to come along?" Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Since the Princess invites me, how could I refuse?" Inside the Chancellor's Manor were many courtyards for receiving external guests, varying in size and standard. Lutian Courtyard was one of the more elegant and tranquil detached courtyards. Arriving before Lutian Courtyard, Xu Yuan immediately noticed several carriages parked along the courtyard wall. *Delivering something?* The thought flashed through his mind. Wondering, Xu Yuan extended his intent-soul to probe what was inside the four carriages. Unfortunately, array patterns were engraved on the carriages, blocking his intent-soul from entering. Frowning, Xu Yuan asked softly, "What's inside these?" "You'll know shortly." Li Qingyan did not answer immediately, instead raising a hand to signal the guards at the entrance to open the gates. The guards opened the gates. The moment the two stepped inside, they saw an old man with crane-white hair and a youthful complexion resting with his eyes closed in the courtyard's pavilion. Hearing the sound of the courtyard gate, Jiang He opened his eyes, stood up, and smiled: "Princess—" Before he could finish, he noticed Xu Yuan following beside Li Qingyan. His brows instantly knitted together, and he called out from afar, "Tsk, why did a brat like you tag along?" His aged voice carried an unfriendly tone. Hearing this, Xu Yuan pointed at the ground without hesitation and fired back, "Hey, this is my home! Why can't I be here?" "You brat..." Jiang He was about to flare up, but after glancing at Li Qingyan beside him, he reined in his temper. "Hmph. Since Her Highness is here, I won't lower myself to argue with you." Xu Yuan and Li Qingyan walked into the pavilion. Xu Yuan plopped down into a seat, while Li Qingyan nodded politely. "Greetings, Elder Jiang." "There is no need for such courtesy, Your Highness." Jiang He ignored the insolent Xu Yuan beside them, speaking in a very gentle tone. "What Your Highness requested, this old man has delivered. Two per carriage, eight in total." Li Qingyan's phoenix eyes focused. "Wuyuan thanks Elder Jiang." Jiang He carried an air of nonchalant mastery, raising a hand to invite her to sit. "My disciple only finished half of it before leaving on her travels. With time pressing, even after taking over, I was unable to complete the inscriptions fully. The array patterns are not yet stable, so Your Highness must use them with utmost caution when leading your troops." "……" Sitting to the side listening to their conversation, Xu Yuan poured and drank tea on his own, a strange look in his eyes. Weapons. What was inside the carriages outside were weapons. A new kind of weapon, and one of tremendous power. But going by old man Jiang's words, this thing had been developed by his fourth sister as well. In that case, something wasn't right... Though Xu Xinyao was a genius in the Dao of Arrays, she had always devoted her talents to benefiting the people's livelihoods—production arrays, city defense arrays—but she had hardly ever crafted weapons. With that thought in mind, Xu Yuan chimed in abruptly, "Hey, Old Man Jiang, does Xinyao know you turned what she made into a military weapon?" "……" Jiang He, who had been discussing operational details with Li Qingyan, fell abruptly silent. Seeing his reaction, Xu Yuan immediately got his answer. Figures. Xu Xinyao's research achievement had likely been secretly forged from plowshare into sword by her master Jiang He once again. For a moment, the three inside the pavilion fell into an awkward silence because of Xu Yuan's question. When someone was touched on a true sore spot, they didn't throw a tantrum. Jiang He lowered his gaze, his aged face looking as though it had grown even older. Li Qingyan did not know the insider story, so she did not blindly interject. Xu Yuan felt a surge of sympathy in his heart. No wonder his fourth sister chose to leave on travels rather than stay at the Gewu Academy. Every time she invented something, it was repurposed for warfare. Given her personality, what her master Jiang He did was undoubtedly enough to shatter her Dao heart. And that was probably why Xu Xinyao consistently refused to contact Jiang He... After a long silence, Jiang He wore a complicated expression. In the end, he ignored Xu Yuan's question and continued, "Please be seated, Your Highness. If I could be given just one more month, this item should be completely perfected." Smoothing the skirts beneath her, Li Qingyan sat down and shook her head. "The fighting at the Northern Border is urgent and can brook no further delay. It is already beyond expectations that Elder Jiang could rush this out in time. I only wonder how effective it is?" Jiang He's expression remained complicated as he pointed toward the sky. "During initial testing, its area of effect exceeded the entire Imperial Capital." *Pfft—* The tea Xu Yuan was sipping sprayed right across the table. Could cover the entire Imperial Capital? What was this, a thermonuclear weapon? "……" Li Qingyan and Jiang He turned their gazes simultaneously toward Xu Yuan. Xu Yuan wiped the corners of his mouth and asked tentatively, "What... exactly is this thing you're talking about?" If they had something like this, how were the sects supposed to fight? A military array could withstand an attack, sure—it might withstand one, but could it withstand ten? They could just pave the road ahead with nuclear blasts. "A Cloud Qi Bomb," Li Qingyan answered straightforwardly. Jiang He sighed and explained in a low voice, "You needn't be alarmed. Covering the Imperial Capital doesn't refer to destructive power. The Cloud Qi Bomb was originally developed by Xinyao to combat torrential rain and severe floods." Hearing this, Xu Yuan used a handkerchief to wipe the tabletop clean, the shock in his heart subsiding considerably. Across the Great Yan realm, besides the menace of demonic beasts, there were also natural disasters just like in his previous life's ancient history. Certain provinces, prefectures, and counties often faced floods caused by months of continuous rainfall. In his previous life, even with advanced technology, agriculture still relied on the heavens for sustenance. In a drought, water could be diverted, but in a flood, there was truly no way around it; crops were simply lost entirely. Thinking of this, Xu Yuan asked, "So this thing targets the cloud layer?" Jiang He nodded and signaled for a guard to bring in a cubical box, one meter on each side. He opened it, revealing a round purple crystal inside that pulsed with waves of Source Qi. "Once detonated, this object generates powerful wind pressure, instantly dispersing the clouds in the sky. Back then, just a quarter of this amount was enough to cover the area of the entire Imperial Capital." Xu Yuan glanced at the hidden sleeve arrow bound to his wrist. "Xinyao's talent in the Dao of Arrays truly is once-in-a-millennium. What a pity..." Xu Xinyao's concept was sound. Moisture-laden clouds wouldn't simply vanish; even if blown apart, they would condense again, but doing so could significantly mitigate and disperse the rainfall. However, after Jiang He retrofitted the Cloud Qi Bomb for military use, it proved a perfect match for military operations in the Northern Border. Currently, the Northern Border was frozen for thousands of li, and the Barbarians were launching massive counteroffensives, taking advantage of the harsh blizzards to which they were accustomed. If Marquis Wucheng and Zong Qingsheng could employ this effectively, it might very well prove to be the fatal strike against the Northern Barbarians. It appeared the Emperor and Xu Yuan's old man truly intended to settle the Northern Border conflict completely before the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion's delegation arrived in the Imperial Capital. Xu Yuan didn't interject in the subsequent discussion. Jiang He explained in detail to Li Qingyan how to trigger the Cloud Qi Bomb and points of caution. A quarter of an hour later, Li Qingyan slowly stood up. "Many thanks to Elder Jiang for this. When I return to the capital next time, I shall certainly visit to express my gratitude." Seeing this, Jiang He also stood up. "This old man merely wished to contribute to the war effort in the Northern Border. The Barbarians have plagued us for a thousand years, and countless soldiers have died in the north. May the Ninth Princess enjoy boundless martial fortune on this campaign." Listening from the side, Xu Yuan felt something was off with the wording. Li Qingyan was going to the Northern Border again? Just then, Li Qingyan suddenly met Xu Yuan's gaze and gave him a gentle smile: "Prince Consort, would you be willing to accompany me to the Northern Border?" Figures. That was what she had been waiting to spring on him. Instead of rushing to reply, Xu Yuan knew Li Qingyan wouldn't ask just for the sake of asking. Her bringing him here meant things were already largely settled. After a moment of thought, Xu Yuan asked, "Just the two of us?" "Naturally not." Li Qingyan shook her head and glanced in the direction of the Palace City. "My Second Brother and Third Brother are going along as well." "……" Hearing this, Xu Yuan clenched his fists slightly. *That Li Yaoxuan is truly ruthless...* The Third Prince was the Crown Prince's full brother, easily considered the Crown Prince faction's right-hand man, while the Second Prince was the Crown Prince's biggest rival in the struggle for succession. The Emperor was raising the stakes—not against the sects, but against the Chancellor's Manor. If he sent his own sons to the front line, the Chancellor's Manor had to send one as well. Their shared friendship in the past, their shared ideals once stirred the heart, but with the passage of time, the changes of the human heart, and under the pressure of mortality, none of that was worth anything anymore. Li Yaoxuan didn't want empty promises; he wanted substantive commitment. *You, Xu Yinhe, care deeply about family? Then send your family to the front lines to prove where the Chancellor's Manor stands regarding the war in the Northern Border!* Grumbling inwardly, Xu Yuan still asked tentatively on the surface, "Princess, considering my cultivation level, can I opt out?" "Your eldest brother is the heir of the Chancellor's Manor; he likely cannot get away." Li Qingyan raised a hand and gently stroked Xu Yuan's cheek, her phoenix eyes tender. "Rest assured. I will protect you well."