Chapter 1

Chapter 581: [The Red-Haired Man]

Du Weiwei sat down with a thud, drenched in cold sweat.

Chen Daolin looked at Du Weiwei, "You're actually afraid?"

"Of course, who isn't afraid of death?" Du Weiwei sneered, "I've worked so hard to create such a grand situation... of course, I want to win... but to win, I must be alive! If I die, how can I enjoy the fruits of victory, how can I savor the joy of winning?"

"… If… I mean if, if Luoxue had made another choice just now? If it chose to kill us on the spot, even at the cost of being backlashed by its own life force?" Chen Daolin asked.

"I would immediately turn and run! As far as I can! I would even hide in the Great Snow Mountain, or in the South Seas, and then wait for my strength to grow, wait until I truly stand firm in the realm, and then I would come back to take revenge... but if that happens, I would kill all the elves."

"You are truly a petty and selfish woman." Chen Daolin curled his lip.

"I never deny that." Du Weiwei sneered, "To me, I am the center of this world. I can only feel this world as long as I am alive! If I die, this world ceases to exist for me! Why can't people be selfish? As for being petty... I suddenly remember, I still have a debt to collect from you."

"…… Do you still want me to marry you now?! You, such a vicious woman, if I marry you, I won't be able to sleep at night! I'm worried that you'll plot against me even in my sleep!"

"Don't worry, you won't have the chance to be with me every night."

Du Weiwei's tone was cold, "Darling Chen, I don't love you. I am very clear about this, and I believe you understand it too."

"……"

"I won't fall in love with any man!" Du Weiwei said coldly, "But I need an heir, my status and bloodline dictate my responsibility! Moreover, to ensure the quality of this heir's bloodline, I must strictly select an outstanding mate."

"…… So you set your sights on me."

"Let me say it again, I don't love you, Darling Chen." Du Weiwei said calmly, "In my heart, you are just a man I admire and find interesting, or rather, someone who I think is worthy of being my friend, and that's all."

"So?"

"So, I will let you marry me, but this marriage is just a facade. I don't need you to be my true husband, you only need to share a bed with me during my optimal fertility period... see, it's a very simple matter. If everything goes smoothly, it will only take a few times. After that… even if you want to touch me, I will kick you far away. Darling Chen, you are just the one who provides the other half of my son's bloodline."

"Breeding? Stud?"

"Something like that. I don't mind." Du Weiwei shrugged.

"……"

Chen Daolin stood up, looked at the sky, it was already night.

He asked casually, "The battlefield… should be over by now, right?"

Du Weiwei was very confident, "I fully trust my army. Luo Wei is an excellent commander, and… without Tong Hu, the orcs, who have been exhausted by the grassland cavalry for a day, are no match for us. If I'm not mistaken, the orcs should have been completely routed a long time ago, and my cavalry must be pursuing them, perhaps even to the north of the Northwest Fort… the cleanup of the battlefield, according to the previous agreement, has been handed over to your troops—well, after all, this place is considered your territory, Baron Luo Wa."

Chen Daolin couldn't help but curse under his breath.

"Once we return… our wedding will be held soon."

Du Weiwei suddenly said seriously.

"Do you really think I will definitely agree to you?" Chen Daolin raised his head.

"You will." Du Weiwei smiled, "First… although you are very powerful now, you know very well that I won't stop until I achieve my goal. If you refuse me, who knows what terrifying plan or action this scary woman might come up with to force you to comply. Second… I think I'm not bad-looking, and I don't need you to be responsible to me for life… for men, it's not a loss, why would you resist to the death?"

After saying that, Du Weiwei actually picked up her spear and flew away.

"Darling Chen, get ready, I'll come to marry you."

"Hey!! You got it backwards!! Damn woman!!"

……

……

According to the statistics after the battle, the grassland cavalry, which numbered 140,000 before the battle, found 48,000 bodies on the battlefield after the fierce battle with the orcs.

The rest scattered and were gradually hunted down and captured by local troops over the following month.

In the end, only a few thousand cavalry managed to escape through various means, returning to the Northwest Corridor and heading back to the grasslands.

The grassland people never recovered from this defeat.

The orc king Tong Hu led an army of 280,000 to invade the south.

After continuous fierce battles with the grassland people and the Yujinxiang family, they were finally defeated.

The orcs suffered 58,000 deaths (mostly in the battle with the grassland cavalry) and 43,000 were captured (mostly after being defeated by the Yujinxiang family's army).

The rest retreated north, a complete defeat—the worst defeat for the orcs in 140 years.

The Yujinxiang family's army suffered fewer than 10,000 casualties.

Duke Yujinxiang Misaia became famous throughout the world with this victory!

Ten days later, Misaia, riding the momentum of his great victory, led his army south, gathering 80,000 cavalry, air force, and infantry, and arrived at the gates of Mulan City, the capital of the Nulin Province.

The commander of the Northwest Military District, Duke Panning, came out of the city alone and met Duke Yujinxiang outside the city. An hour later, Panning returned to the city alone—his close guards noticed that Duke Panning had signs of injury and blood.

Panning then ordered the city gates to be opened to welcome the Yujinxiang family's army.

The Northwest Military District opened all military installations and areas to the Yujinxiang family and conditionally surrendered their arms to the Yujinxiang family.

On the same day, news came from the eastern front.

The allied forces occupying the Free Port, under the command of the elf king Luoxue, marched north and left the Free Port.

The crisis on the eastern front was resolved.

In the eastern fort, the city celebrated with fireworks all night, as bright as day.

The commander of the Storm Army, who was stationed in the eastern fort, turned white-haired overnight after receiving a secret letter from the capital!

In early May, Panning resigned as the commander of the Northwest Military District and returned to the capital alone to report.

He was accompanied only by his deputy, Span, and 3,000 personal guards.

The rest of the Northwest Military District's army was reorganized on-site by the Yujinxiang family.

Thus, the entire Northwest region of the Roland Empire became a territory under the actual control of the Yujinxiang family, with the Yujinxiang family now commanding over 200,000 troops.

In mid-May, a grand wedding was held in Loulan City, where Duke Yujinxiang Misaia and Baron Luo Wa, Darling Chen, officially announced their marriage.

The capital remained silent on this, and Emperor Silo did not send anyone to attend the ceremony.

In late June, Queen Jill gave birth to a princess, and the Rolin family celebrated, but the family head, Akel, turned white-haired overnight. The next day, Akel resigned from his position as Minister of War.

Silo did not try to retain him.

A few days later, the direct descendants of the Rolin family, led by Akel, moved out of the capital and returned to the Southern Rolin Plain.

In July, Silo transferred the second and third divisions of the Storm Army to defend the capital.

The imperial situation became tense.

At this time, a secret letter from the Northwest Yujinxiang family was sent to the capital. The next day, Silo announced that the Nulin Province would be incorporated into the Yujinxiang family's territory.

The Storm Army withdrew to the eastern front to garrison.

In early March of the following year.

In the early spring, when snow was falling, Duke Yujinxiang Du Weiwei gave birth to a son and a daughter. The Yujinxiang family celebrated, and Loulan City partied all night.

In April, Duke Yujinxiang returned to the capital to report, accompanied by 40,000 troops, with banners flying and airships blocking the sky. Wherever they went, the city gates were opened, and there was no obstruction.

At the end of April, the emperor announced to the world that he would betroth his only daughter to Duke Yujinxiang's son and formally established the line of succession for the throne.

In the same month, Duke Yujinxiang was officially ennobled as the Prince Protector.

……

During this year, Chen Daolin could feel how much Du Weiwei had changed.

This woman, who was cruel to herself and even more cruel to her enemies, after becoming pregnant and giving birth to a son and a daughter… at that moment, it seemed that the sharpness in her had diminished.

Standing on the streets of the capital, Chen Daolin looked at the bustling Achilles Street, the lively Yujinxiang workshop, and the fat face of Anghelo, the head of the Pompeii Chamber of Commerce, who was standing at the entrance.

In fact, Chen Daolin had just had a hearty drink with Anghelo, and Ros, who was also drunk, was carried home by his servants.

This time, as Duke Yujinxiang's "husband" in the capital, Chen Daolin did not see Panning.

He heard that Panning had resigned from all his military duties and returned to his hometown to live in retirement.

Chen Daolin was very clear about the woman's overall plan.

She originally intended to force Silo to abdicate—if Silo refused, it would be a military coup.

The Yujinxiang family now had 200,000 troops, all elite… Silo was far inferior in both military strength and prestige!

Especially after the Yujinxiang family's victory in the Northwest, dealing with hundreds of thousands of grassland and orc troops… in a short time, Du Weiwei's reputation rivaled that of her ancestor, Du Wei!

Therefore, when Du Weiwei was ennobled as the Prince Protector, there was only praise from the people, and very little criticism.

But in the end, Du Weiwei abandoned the idea of directly forcing Silo to abdicate.

If the appearance was too ugly, problems might arise.

Moreover, now that Du Weiwei had entered the capital and held great power, the position of Prince Protector almost completely marginalized Emperor Silo.

Everything was like what her ancestor did 140 years ago. At that time, Du Wei was the emperor's husband, and the emperor herself had no interest in governing.

But the current situation was somewhat different.

Du Weiwei's idea was to let Silo remain on the throne, but after the Yujinxiang family's troops entered the city, Silo was almost under house arrest in the palace.

He now had only one daughter…

And, for the rest of his life, he would only have this one daughter!

This was Du Weiwei's decision. For the succession to the throne, Du Weiwei would not allow Silo to have any more children.

Queen Jill had been sent back to the Rolin family's territory, officially announced as being weak and returning home to recuperate.

In the palace, all the servants attending to Silo were replaced with men… at this time, if Silo could still have children, it would be a miracle.

Regardless, Silo's only daughter would marry Chen Daolin and Du Weiwei's son.

And in the future… they would follow the path Du Wei took back then.

Duke Yujinxiang would marry the princess…

But this time, Duke Yujinxiang would not give up the throne.

This time… everything would be different.

Moreover, Du Weiwei was very ruthless!

She did not plan to have any more children… in fact, since Du Weiwei became pregnant, she and Chen Daolin had no intimate relations—this woman was right, she did not love Chen Daolin, and she really did not.

Her plan was for her son to marry the princess, and then, at an appropriate time, to turn the Augustin family's throne into the Yujinxiang family's throne.

To avoid repeating the same mistakes, Du Weiwei even decided that once her son became emperor, the title of Duke Yujinxiang would be abolished!

The Yujinxiang family would become a true royal family!

There would no longer be a Duke Yujinxiang…

In the future, there would only be… the Yujinxiang royal family! And…

The Yujinxiang Dynasty!

Everything was already planned, and the rest was just a matter of implementing it step by step.

The only thing Du Weiwei was somewhat uneasy about was how long she could stay in this world.

She had not practiced for a single day in the past year.

Her realm and power had not improved, but Du Weiwei secretly told Chen Daolin that she had a feeling… the world seemed to be slowly rejecting her.

She would try her best to suppress her power, working very hard on this.

This woman was very ruthless, and she was determined to ensure that her plan was realized, and that she would see it through!

If… Chen Daolin believed that if Du Weiwei had to leave this world prematurely, then with her personality, she would certainly kill Silo before she left.

This was almost certain!

The person in charge of all palace affairs was that middle-aged nobleman—this man was from the Great Snow Mountain.

He was smart and cautious, and Silo was tightly controlled by him.

Chen Daolin looked at the bustling street and sighed in his heart.

Just three or four years ago, when he stood here, he was still a newcomer.

And now… in a certain sense, he could almost be considered one of the masters of this city.

Yes, saying this was not an exaggeration.

Du Weiwei and Chen Daolin had already reached a clear consensus.

If Du Weiwei were to have an accident and leave this world prematurely, then the next plan would have to be carried out by Chen Daolin…

For Chen Daolin, who had already entered the realm, this was not difficult.

Yes, Du Weiwei also thought so. Her method was very straightforward.

"Whoever stands in the way, kill them!"

Chen Daolin would be the first guardian of the future Yujinxiang Dynasty.

But… Chen Daolin was very regretful that, apart from the son and daughter he had with Du Weiwei… he had no other offspring.

He strongly suspected that Du Weiwei had done something to Barossa or Lodel.

Yes, that's right… Lodel.

Before Du Weiwei, Lodel finally managed to climb into Chen Daolin's bed.

How she succeeded, only Chen Daolin knew.

However, Chen Daolin's suspicions were not too heavy.

Because, so far, he did not have a high-ranking title. He was still just a baron.

Even if he and Lodel had a child in the future, the child would inherit the Lister family, not his own family.

As for Barossa… if she were lucky enough to have a half-human, half-elf child… the most they could inherit would be a baron's title.

At least, there was no need to worry about the Roland Empire experiencing the same internal strife between the royal family and the Yujinxiang family as it did in Du Wei's time.

In general, the past year had been extremely stable, almost to the point of being boring!

The only "episode" that surprised Chen Daolin for a while was Lanlan.

In the Northwest, one night, Lanlan actually tried to sneak into his residence, and…

Her target was not him.

The result was predictable.

Facing Lanlan, Chen Daolin was a bit awkward, but the woman seemed very calm.

She seemed to have undergone a transformation.

She only brought a message, telling Barossa that her brother in the elf tribe was very concerned about her safety.

Then, Lanlan disappeared—she did not even go to see Du Weiwei.

This time, she truly disappeared, and Chen Daolin never saw Lanlan again.

……

Returning to the Duke Yujinxiang's residence, as soon as Chen Daolin entered, Fiona ran over to tell him: "The Duke has been waiting for you."

Chen Daolin looked at the woman with some displeasure.

To be honest, living here always made him feel like a man who had married into his wife's family.

His own Baron Luo Wa's residence had not been built yet.

Du Weiwei was sitting in the study. Seeing Chen Daolin enter, she smiled slightly.

Du Weiwei's figure had become slightly fuller, and her gaze and demeanor were even more charming and feminine.

But Chen Daolin was not fooled