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

Chapter 399 Departure for the Northern Territory

After resting for two days in Donghai City, Lin Chen set off again, heading north.

On the day he left, Zhou Wu personally saw him off at the city gate, his eyes still red, and he kept repeating the same few words:

"Take care, Your Highness." "Your Highness, come back and visit often." "I will remember Your Highness's great kindness for the rest of my life."

Lin Chen was extremely embarrassed. He mounted his horse without looking back.

Zhou Wu stood at the city gate, watching the procession walk away, still standing there like a wooden stake driven into the ground.

In the days that followed, Lin Chen traveled north, stopping and starting along the way.

He would stop and observe wherever he went, killing corrupt officials and suppressing bandits.

But such places are becoming increasingly rare.

News of Lin Chen's rampage had already spread throughout the Great Yan Kingdom.

Those corrupt officials either fled, committed suicide, or turned themselves in.

The bandits and robbers were similar; they either scattered, hid in the deep mountains and forests and dared not come out, or surrendered voluntarily.

When Lin Chen arrived, there was often only a corpse and a suicide note left, or an empty county government office without a single person in sight.

Yenching University led a team to check the accounts. Once the accounts were clear, they left.

If the accounts are unclear or the person has absconded, investigate their assets.

If the family property is still there, or if it's confiscated, or if the family property is gone, then check the account books and trace them down; you'll eventually find something.

But in most places, they are innocent, not truly innocent, but intimidated into innocence.

Lin Chen didn't care; he ate, drank, and played as usual.

When they arrived at a place, he would take the girls around the city, showing them the scenery, eating local specialties, and listening to folk songs, making their lives feel like a vacation.

Shan Lingkongya gradually got used to this kind of life, and she started to smile and talk more.

She started to chat with Yao Yao, learn to make pastries from A Yue, and learn embroidery from Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang.

Sometimes she would sit alone in the yard, staring blankly at the clouds in the sky, a smile on her lips, lost in thought.

Having received Lin Chen's promise, Liu Sheng Piaopiao's mood brightened considerably. Following behind Yao Yao, she chattered away, clearly much happier than before.

Lingbo remained elusive, invisible during the day and occasionally appearing in the courtyard at night, standing for a while before leaving. No one knew where she went.

……

this day.

The group stopped to rest in a small town. The town was small, with only one main street and a few scattered shops on both sides.

Lin Chen booked the only inn, making the owner extremely happy.

It was late at night, and the moon was mostly obscured by clouds. The courtyard was pitch black, with only a lantern hanging at the end of the corridor.

Lin Chen came out of Lan Fenghuang's room, stretched his back, and walked towards Liu Shengxue's room.

When I got to the door, it was ajar and the lights were off inside.

Lin Chen paused slightly, pushed the door open, closed it behind him, walked to the bedside, took off his coat, lifted a corner of the blanket, and crawled in.

The bed wasn't big, just right for two people to lie on. Lin Chen reached out and hugged her, his fingers trembling slightly.

The other person's body stiffened slightly, their breathing paused for a moment, and then they resumed.

But my heart started beating faster, much faster, pounding like someone was drumming on my chest.

Lin Chen smiled slightly, his hand sliding down the other person's shoulder, over their arm, and down their waist.

In the darkness, no one spoke, only breathing grew heavier and more rapid.

Occasionally, a suppressed groan or two would escape his lips, muffled and seemingly coming from a great distance.

The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, and its light streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a thin white line on the ground.

On the bed, the shadows of the two people overlapped, making it impossible to tell who was who.

Shan Lingkongya lay there with her eyes closed, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly until her knuckles turned white.

Nineteen years. Nineteen years without a man touching her.

She thought her body was dead, and that those feelings had disappeared.

But the moment Lin Chen's hand touched her shoulder, her body came to life.

It's like spring has arrived, the land that has been frozen all winter begins to thaw, and something is pushing, drilling, and desperately trying to emerge from underground.

Shan Ling Kongya buried her face in the pillow, biting her lip to keep herself from making a sound.

But my body wouldn't listen to me; it trembled in fits and starts, like a leaf in the wind.

Shan Lingkongya's eyes welled up with tears.

It wasn't because I felt wronged, it was because I was moved.

She had lived for thirty-eight years and this was the first time she had ever known that the relationship between a man and a woman could be like this.

Afterwards, Lin Chen lay down next to her, one arm around her, the other behind his head, looking at the ceiling.

Shan Lingkongya huddled in Lin Chen's arms, burying her face in his chest, not daring to look up.

But her fingers were gently drawing circles on Lin Chen's chest, one by one, very slowly.

After a long while, she spoke softly, her voice muffled and nasal:

"Your Highness...when did you find out?"

Lin Chen did not answer.

Shan Lingkongya looked up. In the darkness, she couldn't see Lin Chen's expression, but she could see that his eyes were bright, like two stars.

"From the moment I walked in," Lin Chen said calmly.

Shan Lingkongya's cheeks flushed red: "Then you still..."

Lin Chen lowered his head, looked at Shan Lingkongya, and raised an eyebrow:

"You're already lying here, how embarrassing would it be if I left?"

Shan Lingkongya opened her mouth as if to say something, but then remained silent, her eyes welling up with tears again.

Lin Chen reached out and flicked her forehead: "Alright, don't think so much, go to sleep."

Shan Ling Kongya covered her forehead, and tears finally fell, but the corners of her mouth were turned up.

She buried her face back into Lin Chen's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, one beat after another, like a drum.

She thought: This man is so good.

It wasn't because he was powerful or influential, nor because he was young and strong, but because he recognized her and didn't embarrass her.

He gave her a way out, an excuse, a reason to "pretend not to know".

It made her feel that she wasn't offering herself up, but rather that fate had arranged it for her.

Shan Lingkongya closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips.

That's what a real man is like.

……

The next morning, when Lin Chen came out of his room, Liu Shengxue was standing in the corridor with a tea tray.

Their eyes met, and Liu Shengxue's face flushed slightly. She lowered her head and said softly, "Good morning, my husband."

Lin Chen nodded: "Good morning."

He took the tea tray, took a sip of tea, looked at Liu Shengxue, and suddenly lowered his voice to tease her:

"From now on, besides addressing him as 'husband,' will you also need to change how you address him?"

Liu Shengxue was stunned for a moment, then blushed and punched Lin Chen's chest: "You're so bad!"

Lin Chen laughed heartily, put his arm around her shoulder, and walked downstairs.

"Let's go, have breakfast, we still have a long way to go today."

Liu Shengxue leaned on Lin Chen's shoulder, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She didn't know if this was right or wrong, but she knew that Shan Ling Kongya was very happy last night, and that was enough.

After breakfast, the group set off again, but the atmosphere was different this time.

But no one said anything, and everything was understood without words, which made Shan Lingkongya breathe a sigh of relief.

Seven days later, the group finally reached the northern border.