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

Chapter 180 The Empress's Request

The carriage swayed and rattled into the palace.

Lin Chen leaned against the carriage, tapping his thigh absently with his fingers, pondering the Empress's intentions in summoning him this time.

"Tsk, so late at night, are you lonely and looking for someone to chat with?"

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, then shook his head.

"Well, this is probably going to be another problem."

The carriage came to a stop with a creak, coming to a halt right in front of the Imperial Study.

Throughout the entire Dayan Dynasty, only the Prince of Zhenbei received this treatment.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Qingluan's aloof face came close:

"Your Highness, His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."

"What's the rush? We're here now."

Lin Chen slowly got out of the car, straightened his clothes, and pushed open the door to go inside.

The imperial study was brightly lit, and Zhao Lingyang was buried in a pile of memorials when he heard the noise and looked up.

Her eyelids twitched when she saw Lin Chen's lazy demeanor.

"The Prince of Zhenbei has quite the airs, making me wait for so long."

"Your Majesty is right. I came here as soon as I received the summons."

Lin Chen chuckled and cupped his hands in greeting, then walked straight to the chair next to him and sat down without waiting for a word.

He casually scooped up a bright red spiritual fruit from the fruit plate and took a bite with a "crunch".

The juice splashed out and almost dripped onto the imperial desk.

The Empress sighed, "...Can't you at least watch your manners?"

"Having to pretend in front of His Majesty is exhausting," Lin Chen said while chewing.

"Speak, what is it? You can't really be calling me to the palace because you miss me, can you?"

"You—" Zhao Lingyang was speechless, taking two deep breaths to calm himself down.

"How are the wedding preparations going?"

"Everything went smoothly. All the necessary preparations were made, and we're just waiting for the eighth day of next month to get things done."

Lin Chen spat out the fruit pit and tossed it precisely into a spittoon three meters away. "Is Your Majesty worried that I have neglected the Princess?"

"My elder sister... has a mild temperament, please bear with her."

"What are you saying?" Lin Chen smiled. "She's my own wife, if I don't cherish her, who will?"

Zhao Lingyang stared at Lin Chen for a few seconds, then suddenly sighed:

"Alright, let's get down to business. The Ancestor... wants to see you."

Lin Chen paused in his act of eating the spirit fruit.

The royal patriarch, Zhao Wuji.

The third-ranked Heavenly Ranking, a peak Celestial Being, an old monster who has lived for 288 years.

Of course, this is what's on the surface. Lin Chen doesn't believe that the foundation of the Great Evolution for thousands of years consists of just one ancestor.

However, he is not someone who likes to seek out secrets.

In the Eastern Region, without a powerful opportunity, the chance of breaking through to become a terrestrial immortal is almost zero.

However, none of this matters.

The important question is: why does this old man want to see him?

"Why do you want to see me?" Lin Chen suppressed his thoughts and casually tossed the spirit fruit pit into the spittoon beside him.

"I'm not a beauty, what would an old man like him want with me?"

The Empress raised an eyebrow and said irritably, "Be serious!"

"I'm perfectly serious," Lin Chen said, shrugging innocently.

"He's an old recluse who's been in seclusion for decades; surely he has a reason for suddenly wanting to see me?"

The Empress took a deep breath and slowly said:

"Our ancestor's lifespan is coming to an end. If he cannot break through again, I'm afraid... he won't last more than a few years."

Lin Chen understood.

"He wants my help to break through?"

"Yes." The Empress nodded. "The Ancestor has heard that you have two terrestrial immortals in your household, and wishes to... ask them for some guidance."

At this point, the Empress herself felt a little embarrassed.

What kind of beings are terrestrial immortals?

Looking across the entire Eastern Region, the only ones who are openly recognized are Li Bai and Guan Yu.

As for Guan Yu, who appeared in the northern border, the Empress was also puzzled as to where he came from.

A terrestrial immortal at the pinnacle!

That person is a top expert even in Zhongzhou.

Moreover, she didn't know if there were any other hidden experts in Lin Chen's mansion.

Therefore, the Empress was able to treat Lin Chen with such friendliness, essentially placing him on an equal footing.

This request for guidance from the ancestor is indeed a bit excessive.

But there was no other way; the patriarch's lifespan was nearing its end, and if he were to perish, the royal family's strength would be greatly diminished.

Lin Chen didn't reply immediately. He slowly finished eating the spiritual fruit, wiped his hands, and then looked up.

"Your Majesty, this is no small matter."

"I know." Zhao Lingyang pursed his lips. "That's why the royal family is willing to pay the price."

"The price?" Lin Chen smiled.

"Your Majesty, I am now the Prince of Zhenbei, with three northern prefectures under my control. I lack neither money nor power. What more could you possibly offer me? Would you hand over the throne to me?"

"How dare you!" Zhao Lingyang glared angrily.

"Hey, hey, just kidding." Lin Chen waved his hand.

"What I mean is, I don't think I really need the things that the royal family can provide."

The imperial study fell silent.

The candlelight crackled, casting flickering shadows on the Empress's face.

After a while, Zhao Lingyang suddenly stood up, walked around the desk and stood in front of Lin Chen.

Lin Chen was taken aback: "Your Majesty, what is this...?"

"I'm begging you," the Empress said, her voice lowering, her usually majestic eyes now filled with a pleading tone.

"If the ancestor is alive, the royal family will be stable; if he is gone... the Great Yan Dynasty will inevitably be thrown into turmoil."

The Empress paused for a moment, then continued, "Although you are nominally a subject, your power now surpasses that of the royal family."

"I know this request is excessive, but... considering your upcoming marriage to your elder sister, I'll help the royal family this time."

Lin Chen looked at the empress who had lowered her stance and stroked his chin.

Tsk, interesting.

A monarch can do this much.

"As for giving pointers... that's not necessarily a bad thing," Lin Chen said slowly.

The Empress's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"But I have conditions."

"Tell me! As long as the royal family can do it, I will never refuse."

Lin Chen stood up, paced around the imperial study a couple of times, then suddenly turned around and grinned:

"I want His Majesty to owe me a favor."

"...A favor?"

"Yes, a huge favor." Lin Chen walked up to the Empress, the two of them no more than three feet apart.

"When and how I repay it is up to me."

Zhao Lingyang frowned: "That's too general."

"If you were to ask me to do something immoral or harmful to the Great Yan Dynasty in the future, would I agree?"

"Your Majesty can refuse now," Lin Chen shrugged. "I'm not forcing you."

He said this and turned to leave.

"etc!"

Lin Chen stopped and turned around.

Zhao Lingyang gritted her teeth, her nails almost digging into her palms:

"...Alright, I agree."

"Great!" Lin Chen clapped his hands and laughed. "Then let's go. Take me to see the Ancestor."

"Now?"

"Otherwise what? Do you expect me to burn incense, bathe, and fast for three days?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

"Hurry up, I need to go home for dinner after I finish my business."

The Empress was speechless as she watched Lin Chen rushing from one event to another.

Does this person... actually take meeting the royal patriarch seriously?

But she didn't say anything more, only saying:

"Come with me."