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

Chapter 272 Your Majesty, I'm also thinking about our future children.

The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

The empress stood by the window, looking towards the direction outside the city.

She has been standing here ever since those eighteen golden lights and that cyan blade of light appeared.

I stood there for almost an hour.

Qingluan stood behind her, not daring to breathe.

That sword intent was too strong.

It was so powerful that it woke up everyone in the entire capital city.

Even the Imperial Guards inside the palace are still fully armed and guarding the palace gates.

The Empress's expression was solemn.

She was a celestial being (who had already broken through) and also the ruler of a country, so her perception of that sword intent was much deeper than that of ordinary people.

That's not something a terrestrial deity should have.

That is... the fulfillment of touching that threshold.

That Guan Yu, how could he be so strong?

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart.

Just then—

A whooshing sound rang out.

The Empress's eyes narrowed.

Qingluan instinctively shielded her in front of him.

The next instant, a figure landed at the door of the Imperial Study.

It's Lin Chen.

The empress was stunned when she saw him.

Then he suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you... alright?"

Lin Chen smiled and walked in:

"What could I possibly have to do? I'm just here to report to His Majesty on my work."

Lin Chen glanced at Qingluan and smiled:

"Miss Qingluan, could I speak with His Majesty alone?"

Qingluan looked at the Empress.

The Empress nodded.

The Azure Phoenix withdrew.

Only two people remained in the imperial study.

The Empress looked at Lin Chen, remained silent for two seconds, and then asked:

"Was that sword intent just now... Guan Yu's?"

Lin Chen nodded: "Yes."

The Empress took a deep breath: "Just what is his cultivation level?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment: "Peak of the Land Immortal realm, but I've touched that threshold."

The Empress remained silent.

The pinnacle of terrestrial immortals, touching the threshold of celestial immortals.

Such a person would be a giant in the Central Plains.

How could she possibly be confined to a small Zhenbei Prince's Mansion in the Dayan Dynasty?

She looked at Lin Chen, her gaze complex.

"Lin Chen, how many things are you still hiding from me?"

Lin Chen smiled: "Does Your Majesty want to hear the truth?"

The Empress nodded.

Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, "A lot."

Empress: "..."

She took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to hit someone.

"Then could you tell me some of the things you can say?"

Lin Chen sat down opposite the Empress and crossed his legs:

"Alright, then I'll report to His Majesty what happened tonight."

He recounted everything that had just happened outside the city from beginning to end.

From Yun Zhongge following him, to Jian Wusheng's appearance, to the people from the three holy lands jumping out one by one.

From their proposal of "joint development" to his unveiling of the Eighteen Arhats and Guan Yu.

From their shock to the final Treaty of Songshan.

The Empress's expression changed several times as she listened.

Her eyes flickered slightly when she heard the name "Eighteen Arhats."

"Eighteen... mid-stage Land Immortals?"

Lin Chen nodded: "Yes, eighteen."

Empress: "..."

She looked at Lin Chen with the same gaze she would give a monster.

"Lin Chen, tell me honestly, just how many terrestrial immortals do you actually possess?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment, then counted on his fingers:

"Guan Yu, Li Bai, the Eighteen Arhats, plus Dugu Qiubai in the Central Plains... probably more than twenty."

Empress: "..."

More than twenty terrestrial deities.

In her Dayan Dynasty, there wasn't a single one.

Where did these people come from?

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and asked:

"What are your plans regarding Songshan?"

Lin Chen said slowly:

"I've already spoken to them. Songshan will be set aside so they can build a teleportation array and a small town."

However, all outsiders must register; those who fail to register will be dealt with according to the laws of the Great Expansion.

The Empress frowned: "They agreed?"

Lin Chen nodded: "I agree."

The Empress remained silent for a while.

Then he suddenly laughed.

"Lin Chen, do you know what what you just did means?"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow: "What?"

The Empress stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the moonlight outside:

"This means that from today onwards, the Dayan Dynasty is no longer a remote and small country in the Eastern Region."

The forces of Zhongzhou want to establish a stronghold here.

In the future, a steady stream of caravans, cultivators, and resources will flow in.

She turned around and looked at Lin Chen:

"This is both an opportunity and a risk."

Lin Chen nodded: "I know."

The Empress continued, "You can subdue them for a while, but can you subdue them forever?"

Once they've established themselves and figured out your true strength, will they still be so obedient?

Lin Chen smiled meaningfully.

"Your Majesty, what do you think was the purpose of me revealing the Eighteen Arhats and Guan Yu just now?"

The empress was taken aback.

Lin Chen stood up, walked to the Empress, and said, word by word:

"That's to keep them guessing about my background."

"Eighteen mid-stage Land Immortals, one half-step Celestial Immortal swordsman, plus others hiding in the shadows—this force is enough to keep them busy for a while."

"By the time they figure it out, I might have a new trump card up my sleeve."

Lin Chen smiled as he spoke:

"Therefore, Your Majesty need not worry, they cannot cause any trouble."

The Empress looked at Lin Chen.

Moonlight streamed in through the window and fell on his face.

There was a smile on his face, but there was something reassuring in his eyes.

She suddenly remembered Lin Chen from a year ago.

Back then, he was a spoiled brat who spent all his time going to brothels.

What now?

He stood in front of her and told her not to worry, they couldn't turn the world upside down.

The empress suddenly smiled.

"Lin Chen".

"Um?"

"Do you know what? The way you are right now, you actually look... like a prince."

Lin Chen paused for a moment, then smiled:

"Your Majesty, are you praising me or insulting me?"

The Empress rolled her eyes: "Think for yourself."

Lin Chen chuckled, then, after he finished laughing, he said seriously:

"Your Majesty, I will have Yuan Tiangang handle the matter at Songshan personally, but there is one thing that requires Your Majesty's cooperation."

The Empress nodded: "Speak."

Lin Chen said, "After Songshan City is established, many people will definitely flock in. These people need to be managed."

"Your Majesty should establish a special office to be responsible for registration, review, and issuance of tokens."

We also need a dedicated team to patrol and enforce the law.

The Empress thought for a moment and nodded:

"Okay, what's your name?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, "Let's call it... the Foreign Affairs Bureau."

"Foreign Affairs Bureau..." The Empress read it aloud, then nodded, "Alright."

Lin Chen continued, "The people in the Foreign Affairs Bureau must be selected from the most capable."

"One's cultivation level doesn't necessarily need to be high, but one must be quick-witted, eloquent, and most importantly—cannot be bribed."

The Empress laughed: "Your standards are quite high."

Lin Chen shrugged: "There's nothing I can do, the job is tough."

The Empress nodded: "I understand. I will personally oversee the Foreign Affairs Bureau."

Lin Chen was taken aback: "His Majesty personally arrested him?"

The Empress raised an eyebrow: "What? No way?"

Lin Chen quickly waved his hand: "Alright, alright, His Majesty is personally in charge, there's definitely no problem."

The Empress looked at Lin Chen and suddenly asked:

"Lin Chen, could I borrow your... Eighteen Arhats for a while?"

Lin Chen was stunned: "What does Your Majesty want to do?"

The Empress said, "After Songshan City is established, there will definitely be some fools who want to cause trouble. I want to send a few Arhats to keep order."

Lin Chen thought for a moment and said:

"They are no good, they are not suitable. I will send Li Bai over to serve under His Majesty."

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

Lin Chen laughed: "Really, but His Majesty has to take care of the food and wine."

The Empress rolled her eyes: "Can't I even afford to feed one person?"

Lin Chen laughed heartily.

After laughing, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture:

"Your Majesty, it is late, I shall take my leave now."

The Empress nodded.

Lin Chen turned to leave.

"Lin Chen".

The Empress called softly, and when Lin Chen turned his head, she whispered:

"Thank you for tonight."

Lin Chen paused for a moment, then smiled:

"Your Majesty is too kind. I was only thinking of our future children."

After saying that, he blinked and quickly pushed the door open and left.

The Empress was left alone in the Imperial Study.

She stood by the window, watching Lin Chen's figure disappear into the night.

A slow smile curved his lips as he murmured to himself:

"Why are you running? Do you think I'm some ordinary woman?"

That being said, upon closer inspection, her ears were slightly red, and a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes…