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

Chapter 398 Arrival at Donghai City

The ship arrived at Donghai City the following evening.

Yan Er and his men were already waiting. A thousand Imperial City Guards, a dark mass, lined up in a row on the dock, like a military parade.

Yan Er stood at the very front, followed by Yan San to Yan Shisan, all with solemn expressions, keeping strangers at bay.

The boat docked, the ramp was lowered, and Lin Chen was the first to disembark.

Yan Er stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed deeply:

"My lord, you must be tired from your journey. Was the trip smooth?"

Lin Chen waved his hand, "What's so hard about it? It's just a boat ride."

Yan Er smiled, said nothing, and exchanged a glance with Yan Da as a greeting.

The women followed Lin Chen down one after another.

Lan Fenghuang walked at the front, wearing a light blue long dress and her hair was tied in a simple bun, with a few strands of hair blowing in the sea breeze.

She looked up at Yan Er, nodded, and that was her way of greeting him.

Then came Yao Yao and A Yue. Yao Yao was carrying a wooden bucket with several fish in it, which she had caught over the past few days. She couldn't bear to throw them away and insisted on bringing them back.

Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang followed behind, one on the left and one on the right, moving in unison like two lotus flowers growing side by side.

Yagyu Yuki and Yagyu Hyou walked at the very back, with Yamarei Sora supporting them between them.

Shan Lingkongya looked around, her fingers gripping Liu Shengxue's wrist tightly until her knuckles turned white. She had never left Dongli in her life.

Lin Chen walked to her side and chuckled, "Madam, don't be nervous. Once you're here, feel at home. These people are all family; they won't eat you alive."

Shan Lingkongya glanced at Lin Chen, blushed, and nodded gently, but suddenly felt much more relaxed.

Zhou Wu and his men greeted him at the city gate. He was wearing a dark gold armor that was polished to a shine and gleamed in the sunlight. He looked much more energetic than last time.

Seeing Lin Chen approaching, he quickly went to greet him, clasped his hands in a salute, and bowed even deeper than Yan Er:

"Your Highness! This humble general welcomes Your Highness back to the city!"

Lin Chen helped him up: "Duke Zhou, don't be so polite. Has anything happened in the city while I was away?"

Zhou Wu straightened up and said with a smile, "It's nothing, everything is fine. Your Highness, rest assured, with me here in Donghai City, there will be no trouble."

As he spoke, his gaze passed over Lin Chen, glanced at Shan Lingkongya behind him, and then looked away without asking any further questions.

……

That evening, Zhou Wu hosted a banquet.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Zhou Wu held his wine glass, lowered his voice, and his smile faded slightly:

"Your Highness, there is something I would like to tell you."

Lin Chen glanced at him and said, "Speak."

Zhou Wu put down his wine glass, looked at Lin Chen, and there was an inexplicable worry in his eyes:

"Your Highness, you saw it on your recent voyage, didn't you? The things in the sea are getting more and more strange."

Those sea monsters, they weren't that big before. Now they're easily over ten feet long.

"I have served in the East China Sea for over thirty years and have never seen anything like this before."

Lin Chen picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said nothing.

Zhou Wu paused for a moment and continued, "Although I am a rough man, I know that this is not normal. I am worried... worried that the world will not be at peace."

Lin Chen put down his wine glass and looked at Zhou Wu.

Zhou Wu's brows were furrowed, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were much deeper than when they last met, and there were a few more gray hairs at his temples.

He had guarded the East China Sea for thirty years and had seen all kinds of storms, but this time was different.

This time, it's the heavens that are changing, not the people.

He can deal with changes in people, but he can't deal with changes in the heavens.

Lin Chen remained silent for a moment, then reached into his pocket, took out a small porcelain bottle, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of Zhou Wu.

Zhou Wu paused for a moment, looking at the small porcelain bottle, then at Lin Chen: "Your Highness, what is this...?"

Lin Chen picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said, "Pills can help people break through bottlenecks. How long have you been stuck at the late Grandmaster stage?"

Zhou Wu opened his mouth: "Twenty...twenty years."

Lin Chen nodded: "Eat it, and you'll be able to break through to the Celestial Realm in three to seven days at the shortest."

Zhou Wu was stunned. After several seconds, he came to his senses and picked up the small porcelain bottle with trembling fingers, holding it in his palm as if it were a rare treasure.

"Your Highness..." Zhou Wu's voice trembled slightly.

"This...this is far too precious, this humble general...this humble general cannot accept it..."

Lin Chen waved his hand: "Take it if I give it to you. I can't treat you badly for the sake of Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang."

Besides, your breakthrough to the Celestial Realm benefits both Donghai City and me; it's a win-win situation, so don't be shy with me.

Zhou Wu's eyes were slightly red, his lips trembled, and he wanted to say something but couldn't.

He clutched the small porcelain bottle tightly in his hand, stood up, took a step back, and knelt down with a thud.

"Your Highness's kindness and virtue are something I will never forget!"

"My life belongs to Your Highness from now on. If Your Highness commands me to go east, I will never go west. Whom Your Highness commands me to kill, I will kill!"

Lin Chen felt a little uncomfortable with his display of power and reached out to help him up.

"Alright, alright, get up and talk. It's such a small thing, is it really that big of a deal?"

Zhou Wu stood up, wiped his eyes, and smiled sheepishly.

"This humble general...this humble general is too excited. After a twenty-year bottleneck, this humble general thought he would never have another chance in his life. Your Highness has given this humble general a second life, this humble general..."

Lin Chen interrupted him: "Stop talking. Let's drink."

Zhou Wu picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

The wine dripped down his chin and onto his clothes, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.

He held the small porcelain bottle, looking at it again and again. The wrinkles on his face smoothed out, and he looked several years younger.

Lin Chen looked at Zhou Wu, pondering in his mind:

Zhou Wu is an honest, capable, and principled man. Giving him a pill in exchange for his unwavering loyalty is a worthwhile deal.

Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang sat beside them, watching everything unfold.

Da Shuang lowered her head, her lips curved slightly, and her eyes were a little red.

Xiao Shuang secretly glanced at Lin Chen, her eyes filled with tears.

They knew that Lin Chen gave Zhou Wu the pills not entirely because of them.

But Lin Chen said, "For their sake," and that was enough.

After the banquet ended, Lin Chen returned to the backyard.

Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang followed him into the house.

Da Shuang closed the door, and Xiao Shuang made the bed.

The two women stood by the bed, looking at him, their faces flushed and their eyes bright.

Lin Chen glanced at them: "What's wrong? Why are you being so proactive today?"

Da Shuang lowered her head and whispered, "Your Highness... thank you."

Lin Chen walked over and flicked her forehead: "What are you thanking me for? We're family."

Da Shuang covered her forehead, her eyes reddening. Xiao Shuang chuckled to herself beside her.

Lin Chen sat on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him: "Come here."

The two walked over and sat down on either side of him.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the three people, their shadows overlapping on the wall.

……

Zhou Wu returned to his study, closed the door, turned on the lamp, took out the small porcelain bottle from his pocket, and placed it on the table.

He stared at the small porcelain bottle for a long time, his fingers gently stroking the surface, feeling the warmth of the white glaze.

Then, after opening the bottle, a medicinal fragrance wafted out.

It's rich but not pungent. One breath and all the pores on your body open up, and your inner energy surges through your meridians, as if you've smelled something incredibly nourishing.

"The Celestial Realm." Zhou Wu's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement. "Twenty years... finally... finally..."

Zhou Wu's eyes reddened again.

He recalled how he started as a lowly soldier and climbed step by step to his current position.

He killed, performed meritorious service, was injured, risked his life, and countless times teetered on the brink of death.

The late stage of Grandmaster was his limit.

He thought this was how his life would be, that in a few years, when he got old and couldn't fight anymore, he would retire, go back to his hometown to farm, grow flowers, fish, and wait to die.

But now, with this pill, he can break through to the Celestial Realm.

The Celestial Realm grants double the lifespan, allowing one to work for at least another hundred years.

a hundred years.

Zhou Wu took a deep breath, put the stopper back on the bottle, stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

He looked at the distant sea, where the waves crashed and lapped.

He recalled that thirty years ago, when he first came to Donghai City, he stood on the dock, looking at the vast sea, and thought to himself: I must protect this sea.

Thirty years have passed, and he has succeeded, but he still wants to continue to uphold it.

"Your Highness," Zhou Wu said softly, "my life is now yours."