Having children earns benefit, start competing for dominance in the world by marrying a wife

During dinner time at the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen's family gathered together in great merriment. Over the meal, Chu Yuqin and the others were chatting and laughing—discussing children's matters one moment and the North Prince Mansion's estate affairs the next. However, Dongfang Longyue remained silent throughout.

If Chu Yuqin and the others had not deliberately steered the conversation towards her, she wouldn't have initiated any talk.

Dongfang Longyue felt very out of place. To her knowledge, only ordinary commoner families would eat together at one table.

In slightly larger families like her own, a Side Concubine like her would not have the privilege to sit at the table. Yet, here in the vast North Prince Mansion, such a large family actually sat together at one table for dinner, including Lu Chen's concubines.

Not only were they at the table, but Lu Chen's wives and concubines seemed to pay no attention to Lu Chen, the Prince, during the meal. She saw several women drinking alcohol, and moreover, they were pouring for themselves. Lu Chen didn't seem to mind their behavior at all.

From the behavior of these women, it appeared as if this was their usual practice.

Dongfang Longyue couldn't help feeling utterly perplexed. Was the North Prince so indulgent with his wives and concubines?

It seemed the North Prince Mansion was indeed quite different from what she had imagined.

After dinner, Dongfang Longyue returned to her own courtyard. She was about to ask her maid to prepare hot water for her when she discovered a maid coming out from the room next door, who said, "Miss Dongfang, the hot water is ready; you can take a bath now."

Dongfang Longyue took out her clothes and walked to a room adjacent to the bedchamber, discovering that this room was divided into two sections. One part held a huge bathtub and the other had something like a commode bucket, except that it was connected to the ground.

Dongfang Longyue was somewhat surprised. She had not expected the architecture of North Prince Mansion to be so unique, with a room specially designed for bathing, and such a spacious one at that, completely capable of accommodating several people. The white ceramic bathtub, in particular, looked incredibly luxurious.

Without hesitation, Dongfang Longyue shed her light gauze and lay down in the tub filled with hot water.

Instantly, her body was enveloped by the warmth, and she completely relaxed. Since her arrival at the North Prince Mansion that day, she had been quite tense, given it was her first time here and she was unfamiliar with how to interact with the other women of the mansion.

After soaking in the hot water, all of her worries seemed to disappear; she now only wanted to enjoy a quiet soak.

After an unknown period, Dongfang Longyue suddenly opened her eyes—to find the water had cooled. Only then did she realize she had dozed off while bathing. She quickly got up from the tub, dried off her body, and after dressing in a white undergarment, she entered the bedroom.

To her surprise, upon entering the bedroom, she saw a person sitting by her bed. Dongfang Longyue was taken aback.

The man sitting on her bed was none other than the North Prince.

At that moment, Lu Chen's gaze was lasciviously sweeping over her body. Dongfang Longyue had just bathed, and although she hadn't approached him, the scent of flowers from her body had already drifted to Lu Chen's nostrils.

Lu Chen said with a smile, "Longyue, have you finished bathing?"

Dongfang Longyue, conscious of being clad only in an undergarment and fully exposed before Lu Chen, felt her cheeks heat. She hadn't expected him to visit her room so soon.

Dongfang Longyue said, "Prince, why didn't you wake me earlier?"

Laughing, Lu Chen replied, "I saw you were asleep and didn't have the heart to disturb you."

Then, Dongfang Longyue began to slowly walk towards the bed, each step causing her heartbeat to quicken. Approaching Lu Chen, she felt as if her heart might burst out.

Seeing Dongfang Longyue's blushing face, Lu Chen smiled slightly, then reached out and pulled her delicate body into his embrace.

Instantly brought close to Lu Chen's body, Dongfang Longyue felt a scorching breath assaulting her, followed by a unique scent entering her nose. It was an aroma she had never encountered— not exactly fragrant, yet extremely pleasing, and after inhaling it, her body grew even hotter.

Lu Chen's hand rested on Dongfang Longyue's slender leg, caressing it as he said, "Longyue, your father must have told you that I won't grant you a title for now. If you desire one, you would have to leave the Eastern Newspaper Agency and give up your position as chief editor."

Dongfang Longyue softly murmured in agreement, "I understand."

Being embraced by Lu Chen, Dongfang Longyue felt increasingly strange. She had almost never been in such close contact with a non-relative man, and this was her first time being so intimate.

Lu Chen continued, "I know what you're worried about. You're afraid that by marrying into the Prince's Mansion, you will lose your freedom and from then on must only remain here to serve your husband and teach your children."

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Dongfang Longyue lapsed into silence, for that was exactly her concern.

Lu Chen was more than just a prince. In the future, he could very well become the Sum Emperor, or even the ruler of the world. By then, his women were very likely confined to spending their lives inside the Imperial Palace, forbidden from leaving.

Seeing that Dongfang Longyue did not speak, Lu Chen's hand continued to move unrestrainedly. As he caressed Dongfang Longyue's body, he said, "I am different from other seigniors, I trust my women very much. Even if you marry into the Prince's Mansion, you can come and go as you please, and you can even have your own career."

"You have been in the North Country for a while now, and I guess you know that the businesses of the North Prince Mansion are basically managed by the Princess, and the treasury of the North Country is managed by my side concubine, Yelv Nanyan. Apart from these two, the women in the mansion who know martial arts generally all have their own things to do."

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Dongfang Longyue was stunned for a moment. Although she was not very familiar with the women in the Prince's Mansion, having been in Yan County for so long and spending so much time with Lu Chen, she had heard some things about Lu Chen's wives and concubines.

She was well aware of the Princess managing the mansion's assets and Yelv Nanyan managing the treasury. Besides them, Dongfang Longyue also knew that Lu Chen had a woman overseeing the Rain-listening Pavilion.

Although she did not see that woman today, there was one time she came to the Prince's Mansion and accidentally saw that woman enjoying intimate pleasures with Lu Chen in his study.

Thinking about it now, Lu Chen indeed gave his women a lot of freedom to expose themselves in public, as seen at dinner when it was obvious that Lu Chen's women were not particularly reserved in his presence, drinking if they wanted to and one woman, drunk, even declared she wanted to go riding with Lu Chen tonight, looking quite unrestrained.

Such a scene at tonight's mansion would be absolutely impossible in any other Prince's Mansion or Aristocratic Family.

But then again, even if Lu Chen indulges his wives and concubines now, once he becomes the Sum Emperor, the ruler of all, his women will eventually have to be managed by someone if he does not manage them himself.

There will be countless eyes watching Lu Chen, especially the women by his side and every move they make.

If Lu Chen continues to allow his women to go out and do business outside the Imperial Palace, there will inevitably be ministers who stand up and criticize them for not attending to proper duties, for as women of the Son of Heaven, they should not be seen in public.

Perhaps Lu Chen will have no choice but to silence the mouths of the ministers and can only allow his women to return to the Imperial Palace, to stay there for life.

Thinking of this, Dongfang Longyue asked, "Prince, if one day you become the ruler of all, will you still allow your wives and concubines to expose themselves in public?"

No sooner had Dongfang Longyue asked her question than Lu Chen's hand suddenly slipped into her inner garment, touching places that usually would not be touched. Lu Chen then said with a smile, "Of course, as long as their safety is assured, it's no problem for them to go wherever they want."

Dongfang Longyue continued to ask, "What if ministers say that your wives and concubines should not expose themselves in public?"

Lu Chen replied indifferently, "That's their business. Some things always have a beginning. As the North Country develops, more and more jobs will become suitable for women, and women who have always stayed at home will come out to work."

"We need to encourage those women to engage in labor, and the women of the mansion must set an example. If the women of the mansion stay indoors all day to attend to their husbands and teach their children, how can we encourage civilian women to voluntarily leave home and join the workforce?"

Hearing this, Dongfang Longyue was momentarily stunned. She had not expected the North Prince to have such ideas about women working, something no emperor has ever thought of before.

Indeed, the North Prince was different from most men, worthy of being the Son of Destiny, his thoughts far ahead of this world.

The Son of Destiny is the one who leads the development of the world, and since Lu Chen thought this way, in the future, it might indeed be possible to see women boldly stepping out of their homes to participate in labor and production.

After all, ordinary women in the world, compelled by their livelihood, would also expose themselves in public, but such women are always subject to criticism.

If Lu Chen could lead the trend and have the women of this world boldly come out and participate in various labor activities, then even with a small population, the North Country could have enough labor force.

While Dongfang Longyue was exhilarated by what Lu Chen said, she suddenly realized that her inner garment had slipped off her shoulders and a cold breeze caused her body to chill.

Dongfang Longyue then came back to her senses, as now was not the time for her to be considering other matters.

At this moment, Lu Chen whispered in Dongfang Longyue's ear, "Longyue, you smell so good."

Hearing this, Dongfang Longyue immediately froze, her body growing even hotter.

Lu Chen continued, "It's late at night, we should go to sleep."

With a blushing face, Dongfang Longyue said, "Please be gentle, Prince."

As soon as Dongfang Longyue finished speaking, Lu Chen laid her down on the bed and began to busy himself with the matter at hand.

…

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