Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 106 My Sister-in-Law is Pregnant

In the study, Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng were gathered together.

"My lord," Li Chunfeng said slowly.

"During today's military parade, someone was secretly spying on us, and their cultivation level was extremely high."

"Oh?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "That gray-robed old man beside the Empress?"

Although he was at the Great Perfection of the Celestial Realm, he did not want to reveal it and rarely used his full divine sense.

"Not only that." Li Chunfeng shook his head.

"Besides that old man in the mid-stage of the Celestial Realm, there was another, even more hidden aura."

That person's cultivation was at least at the late stage of the Celestial Realm; they were skilled in concealment, and if it weren't for my keen sense of qi, I wouldn't have been able to detect them at all.

Lin Chen's eyes flickered slightly: "Late stage of the Celestial Realm?"

"It must be a hidden strength of the royal family," Li Chunfeng said.

"That person only appeared briefly at the start of the parade and then disappeared, but I could sense that he had been lurking in the shadows protecting the Empress."

"Interesting..." Lin Chen stroked his chin. "The Great Yan royal family is indeed unfathomable."

"And another thing," Li Chunfeng paused.

"During the military parade, I had a brief clash of energy with that old man in the gray robe."

He wanted to probe his master's cultivation level, but his subordinates blocked him with their Dao intent. After several unsuccessful attempts, he gave up.

"What was the result?"

"He must have mistaken me for a mid-stage Celestial Being." Li Chunfeng's lips curled slightly.

"However, if we really make a move, I am 80% confident that I can kill him."

Lin Chen laughed loudly: "Mr. Li is so domineering..."

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Xiao Yulou pushed open the door and entered, his face beaming with surprise: "Eighth Brother! Sister-in-law... Sister-in-law is really pregnant!"

Lin Chen suddenly stood up: "Really?"

"Absolutely true!" Xiao Yulou laughed.

"My second sister-in-law said that the pulse is smooth and round like a pearl, and the radial pulse is strong, which is a sign of good fortune and that the pregnancy is stable."

Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief, a smile spreading across his face: "That's great...that's great!"

He immediately rushed out of the study and ran towards the Plum Garden.

Xiao Yulou bowed to Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang, then followed them.

In the plum garden, Liu Ruyan leaned against the couch, surrounded by Qin Shuyan and other women, all with happy expressions on their faces.

Seeing Lin Chen rush in, the women made way for him.

"Sister-in-law..." Lin Chen sat down on the edge of the bed, took Liu Ruyan's hand, "Are you really pregnant?"

Liu Ruyan blushed slightly and nodded: "My second sister took my pulse and said it's been about a week."

Lin Chen gently stroked her lower abdomen, his eyes filled with tenderness: "I'm going to be a father... the Lin family will have an heir..."

Liu Ruyan looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes: "Eighth Brother, I...I'm so happy."

"I'm happy too," Lin Chen said with a smile.

"From today onwards, sister-in-law, you don't need to worry about anything. Just focus on taking good care of your pregnancy."

Leave the affairs of the household to Third Sister-in-law, and the affairs outside to me.

Qin Shuyan nodded: "Eighth Brother, don't worry, I'll take care of everything in the manor."

The women offered their congratulations, and the plum garden was filled with joy.

At this moment, the old lady and Su Wanqing rushed over upon hearing the news.

As soon as the old lady entered the door, she asked in a trembling voice, "Is Ruyan really pregnant?"

Chu Yueyao stepped forward to support her: "Grandmother, it's absolutely true. Although the time was short, the pulse was stable, and there's no doubt about it."

The old lady wept uncontrollably.

"Great...great...God bless you, Chen'er, Ruyan, you are heroes of the Lin family!"

Su Wanqing also wiped away her tears:

"Chen'er, you must take good care of Ruyan. From today onwards, the expenses for Plum Garden will be doubled. Just ask if you need anything."

Lin Chen smiled and said, "Mother, don't worry, I know."

That night, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was brightly decorated, as if it were a festival.

Although the news of Liu Ruyan's pregnancy is not being spread for the time being, the household is already filled with joy.

Lin Chen stayed with Liu Ruyan for a long time, until she got sleepy, before leaving.

As he walked out of the plum garden, he looked up at the sky and felt a surge of emotion.

Now that his sister-in-law is pregnant, he can be considered to have a bloodline.

Next, in seven days, will be the coming-of-age ceremony, where he will formally marry his eight wives, and then... he can lie down and enjoy life.

Of course, if someone dares to mess with him, he doesn't mind stretching his muscles and adding some color to his life.

……

The next day, at Zuiyue Pavilion.

Lin Chen, having nothing else to do, came to listen to Dongfang Bai play the zither.

Wen Ruoxi stayed by her side, and the two sat in the private room enjoying tea.

The music was melodious, like the tinkling of a spring.

Suddenly, a surge of spiritual energy emanated from the direction of the meditation hall.

Although it was very slight, Lin Chen still noticed it—it was a sign of a breakthrough.

"Her Highness the Princess is about to break through," Dongfang Bai said softly, pausing his zither playing.

"Without a doubt," Lin Chen chuckled, "After more than half a month of seclusion, it's time for him to break through."

Wen Ruoxi exclaimed with delight, "If the Eldest Princess succeeds in her breakthrough, His Majesty will be very pleased."

As they were talking, the fluctuations in spiritual energy suddenly intensified.

The spiritual energy of the entire Drunken Moon Pavilion converged towards the Meditation Hall, forming a visible vortex.

Lin Chen stood up: "Let's go take a look."

The three arrived outside the meditation hall.

The hall door was tightly closed, but a faint golden light shone through the crack, which was the protective aura from the breakthrough.

"Do you need a protector?" Wen Ruoxi asked.

"No need," Lin Chen shook his head. "The Princess is definitely protected by royal experts in secret. Let's not cause trouble."

As soon as he finished speaking, a subtle presence appeared on the roof of the meditation hall.

It was the old man in gray robes who stood beside the Empress during the military parade that day.

The old man in the gray robe looked at Lin Chen and nodded slightly in greeting. Lin Chen returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute.

The vortex of spiritual energy lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before suddenly contracting inward.

Immediately afterwards, the door to the meditation hall opened.

Princess Zhao Mingyue came out.

She was still wearing that simple dress, but her aura was completely different.

Vast as the sea, with an imposing aura, these are the characteristics of a Grandmaster!

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Your Highness!" Lin Chen was the first to offer his congratulations.

Zhao Mingyue wore a faint smile:

"Thank you, Duke. If it weren't for the abundant spiritual energy in the Drunken Moon Pavilion's meditation hall, I wouldn't have been able to break through so quickly."

The gray-robed elder leaped down from the rooftop, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "Congratulations, Your Highness, on your advancement to Grandmaster!"

"You're too kind, Imperial Advisor." Zhao Mingyue raised her hand. "I'll go to the palace now to meet His Majesty and report the good news."

She looked at Lin Chen: "Lord Duke, I will personally attend your coming-of-age ceremony in a few days to offer my congratulations."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhao Mingyue nodded to Dongfang Bai and Wen Ruoxi again before leaving under the protection of the Imperial Advisor.

Wen Ruoxi watched her retreating figure and whispered:

"Eighth Brother, the Eldest Princess has broken through to the Grandmaster level, further strengthening the royal family. His Majesty must be very pleased, right?"

"Of course." Lin Chen shrugged.

"But that's none of our business. We'll live our lives. Whether the royal family is strong or not doesn't affect my ability to stay calm."

"All you know is to lie flat." Wen Ruoxi rolled her eyes, but her eyes were full of laughter.

……

The Imperial Study in the Imperial Palace.

Empress Zhao Lingyang looked at Zhao Mingyue before her, her eyes filled with joy:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"Thanks to His Majesty," Zhao Mingyue said with a smile.

"It's also thanks to the Duke of Zhenguo's Zuiyue Pavilion, where the concentration of spiritual energy in the meditation hall is 30% higher than that in the palace's cultivation rooms."

The Empress nodded: "Although Lin Chen is unreliable, he is indeed dependable when it comes to getting things done."

The Tiger Legion has been trained, and now they've helped my elder sister break through to the next level... I should reward them handsomely.

"Your Majesty," the gray-robed old man—the imperial advisor—said in a low voice, "this old minister has something to report."

"explain."

"When Her Highness the Eldest Princess broke through to the next level today, this old minister sensed two hidden auras within the Drunken Moon Pavilion." The Imperial Preceptor's expression was solemn.

"It must be the Mr. Bai who played the zither. He has the aura of a celestial being, but it is not perfect. He should be a half-step celestial being."

Another force... is unfathomable; even this old minister cannot fathom it.

The Empress's eyes narrowed: "Even the Imperial Advisor can't see through it?"

"Yes." The Imperial Advisor nodded.

"That person's cultivation level is at least at the early stage of the Celestial Realm, and he is skilled in concealment. He should be the new trump card of the Duke of Lin."

(Jing Ke—the King of Assassins, Lin Chen arranged for him to protect Wen Ruoxi, since she goes out every day.)

Zhao Mingyue exclaimed in surprise, "Drunken Moon Pavilion has such a master?"

"Not just Zuiyue Pavilion," the Empress said slowly.

"There must be more hidden forces within the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. It is no accident that Lin Chen was able to rise to prominence in just a few months."

She paused, then looked at the Imperial Advisor: "Continue to monitor him, but don't alert him. As long as Lin Chen doesn't rebel, I can tolerate him."

"This old minister understands."

The Empress then looked at Zhao Mingyue:

"Your Majesty, now that you have broken through to the next level, you can help me with more of the affairs of state in the future."

Furthermore…make more contact with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to see how many more tricks they have up their sleeve.”

Zhao Mingyue understood: "Understood."