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

Chapter 360 A Fond of Teaching

After breakfast, Murong Yun arrived, looking quite energetic. Upon seeing Lin Chen, he clasped his hands in greeting.

"Good morning, brother-in-law."

He's getting better and better at calling me "brother-in-law," it doesn't sound awkward at all anymore.

Lin Chen smiled and nodded: "Good morning, elder brother."

Murong Yun glanced at A Yue standing behind Lin Chen, her eyes flickered, and she smiled, but said nothing.

Lin Chen wasn't embarrassed at all and said directly:

"Brother, A-Yue will be with me from now on. Her brother, A-Cheng, is a guard in the palace. Please take care of him."

Murong Yun patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, I've got it covered."

Lin Chen nodded and continued:

"I prepared a pill for him that can directly help him reach the peak of the first rank."

"Make arrangements for him to find a place to cultivate in seclusion, and after he breaks through, arrange a good job for him."

Murong Yun's eyes lit up: "Peak of the first rank? That's enough to become the commander of the guards."

Lin Chen smiled slightly: "Then I'll have to trouble you, brother."

Murong Yun waved his hand: "We're family, no need to trouble yourself."

He turned to look at A-Yue and smiled:

"Ah Yue, don't worry about your brother, I'll take care of it."

A-Yue quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Murong Yun waved his hand: "Don't call me Your Highness, just call me elder brother."

A-Yue glanced at Lin Chen, who nodded. Only then did she whisper:

"Brother."

Murong Yun smiled with satisfaction.

The three of them left the side hall together and headed towards the training ground.

On the way, they encountered several palace maids and eunuchs. When they saw Lin Chen and Murong Yun walking together, they quickly bowed and greeted them. They only dared to raise their heads after they had walked away.

A young palace maid whispered to her companion:

"The Prince of Zhenbei is really handsome."

Her companion nudged her: "Keep your voice down, someone's hearing you."

The little palace maid stuck out her tongue and then withdrew it.

A group of people were already standing in the training ground.

Several royal attendants and five or six military officers, all looking spirited and eager, clasped their hands in unison when they saw Lin Chen arrive.

"Greetings, Prince Zhenbei!"

Lin Chen waved his hand: "Don't be shy, let's begin."

One of the retainers stepped forward first, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Your Highness, I practice palm techniques, but I always feel that something is missing. Please give me some pointers."

Lin Chen glanced at him. "Give me a slap and let me see."

The worshipper took a deep breath and struck out with his palm.

The palm strike was fierce, accompanied by a whistling sound, stirring up the dust on the ground and forming a vortex.

Lin Chen glanced at it and shook his head:

"Your palm strike had enough force, but not enough intention."

The offering was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"Yes," Lin Chen walked over and stood in front of him.

"Your palm technique follows a forceful and aggressive approach, but you are not a forceful and aggressive person. If you force it, your palm technique will become stiff and lifeless."

The offering was stunned and remained silent for a long time.

Lin Chen continued, "Go back and think about it. What is your personality like? What should your martial arts be like? Don't follow other people's paths; walk your own."

The offering stood still, his brow furrowed, lost in thought.

After a long while, he suddenly clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply:

"Thank you, Your Highness! I understand!"

Lin Chen nodded: "Go practice."

Next up are several military generals.

Some practiced with knives, some with guns, some with swords, and some with hammers.

Lin Chen looked at them one by one and gave them pointers.

It's not about teaching them how to modify their moves or how to adjust their power; at their level, they no longer need to be taught those things.

What Lin Chen taught them was how to "see" their own martial arts.

Everyone walks a different path, and their perspectives on the meaning are also different.

Some are knives, some are swords, some are fists, and some are hammers.

What Lin Chen did was not to point out a path for them, but to help them see the path they were on.

A warrior who practiced hammering was burly and had arms thicker than Lin Chen's thighs. When he slammed his hammer down, the ground shook three times.

Lin Chen looked at it and said, "Your hammering technique is fine, but you're too focused on the hammering."

The military officer was taken aback: "Too concerned about the hammer?"

"Yes," Lin Chen walked over and patted the large hammer.

"The hammer is inanimate, you are alive. You let the hammer lead you, not the other way around."

The military officer scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.

Lin Chen smiled calmly: "When you're practicing with the hammer, don't think about the hammer, think about yourself. The energy in your heart is much more important than the hammer in your hand."

The general closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then swung his hammer—

"boom!"

A large crater was blown open in the ground, and debris flew everywhere. People nearby were so frightened that they took several steps back.

The general opened his eyes, looked at the hammer in his hand, and his eyes lit up:

"Your Highness! I think I understand!"

Lin Chen nodded: "Keep practicing."

The military officer blushed with excitement and clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Lin Chen gave guidance to more than a dozen people in one morning.

Everyone comes with questions and leaves with answers.

As one of the worshippers was leaving, he remarked with emotion:

"Your Highness's cultivation is profound; I admire you to the point of prostration."

Lin Chen waved his hand: "You're too kind. It's just that you have good comprehension."

The priest shook his head: "It's not that he has good comprehension, it's that the prince gave him good guidance."

"I've practiced for thirty years, but I could never grasp the essence of it. Today, Your Highness's words have brought me sudden enlightenment."

Lin Chen looked helpless. "Alright, stop flattering me. Go practice."

The worshipper gave a slight smile, bowed respectfully, and left.

……

Murong Jing arrived at lunchtime.

He was dressed casually, smiling broadly, and seemed to be in a good mood.

"My dear son-in-law, you've had a hard morning."

Lin Chen smiled: "It's no trouble at all, just a quick task."

Murong Jing sat down, picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and suddenly said:

"Are you satisfied with that girl, Yue?"

Lin Chen nearly choked on his drink, coughing twice: "Father-in-law, you..."

Murong Jing smiled broadly:

"As long as you're satisfied, as long as you're satisfied. I told you, men are all the same, don't they all understand each other?"

Lin Chen was speechless.

This cheap father-in-law really doesn't act like he's an outsider.

Murong Jing drank another cup of wine and lowered his voice:

"My dear son-in-law, let me tell you, there are a few good ones in the palace. If you take a fancy to any of them, just say so."

Lin Chen quickly waved his hand: "No need, no need, one is enough."

Murong Jing laughed heartily and patted Lin Chen on the shoulder: "Alright, I won't force you."

In the afternoon, Lin Chen didn't go to the martial arts arena; instead, he took Lan Fenghuang and A Yue for a stroll in the streets.

The markets in Nanzhao were different from those in Dayan, and the things they sold were also strange and unusual.

There were vendors selling medicinal herbs, spices, jade, and even poisonous insects.

Lan Fenghuang led Lin Chen around the market, where they bought quite a few things.

There were beads and medicinal herbs for the old lady and her mother, Su Wanqing, and jade and spices for Liu Ruyan and the others.

There were also toys for Lin Nian'er, and even Lin Nianjun had some.

Passing by a jewelry stall, Lan Fenghuang stopped and picked up a silver bracelet to examine it.

The bracelet is very thin, with intricate patterns engraved on it. These are unique to the Nanzhao Kingdom, and they look exquisite, sparkling in the sunlight.

Lin Chen leaned closer for a look: "You like it?"

Lan Fenghuang shook her head and put down the bracelet: "I'm just taking a look."

Lin Chen didn't say anything and told the stall owner to wrap it up.

Lan Fenghuang was taken aback: "Husband..."

Lin Chen shoved the bracelet into her hand: "Take it."

Lan Fenghuang looked down at the bracelet in her hand, smiled, and put it on.

The bracelet dangled on her slender wrist, shimmering silver, and looked beautiful.

A-Yue watched from the side, her eyes shining with a hint of envy, but she didn't say anything.

Lin Chen noticed this, and asked the stall owner to buy another one, then handed it to A Yue: "Take this."

A-Yue was stunned: "Your Highness, I..."

"Stop saying 'I don't care,' take it."

A-Yue took the bracelet, her eyes reddening, and whispered, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Lin Chen waved his hand: "No need to thank me, let's go take a look over there."

After walking a few more steps, Lin Chen suddenly stopped and glanced at the side of the street.

A few children were squatting on the street corner, dressed in tattered clothes, their faces dirty like little kittens, staring longingly at the sugar figurine stall, their mouths practically watering.

Lin Chen walked over, bought a bunch of sugar figurines, and gave one to each person.

The children took it blankly, not reacting for a long time, as if in a dream.

One of the bolder ones looked up and asked, "Who are you?"

Lin Chen smiled: "A kind person who was just passing by."

The child blinked, hugged the sugar figurine, and ran off. After a few steps, he looked back as if to confirm if it was real.

Lan Fenghuang watched from the side and said softly, "Husband, you have such a kind heart."

Lin Chen waved his hand: "It was just a quick thing, a few sugar figurines aren't worth much."

Lan Fenghuang shook her head: "It's not about the money, it's about whether you're willing to stop and look at them."

Lin Chen laughed: "Alright, stop being so sentimental, let's go."