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

Chapter 49 First Glimpse into the Imperial Court

It was 3:45 AM, and the sky was still dark.

Lin Chen sat in the carriage, yawning, his eyelids drooping.

He was dressed in a purple ducal court robe, with a jade belt around his waist and a seven-beam crown on his head, but he was slumped on the cushion, completely unrespecting.

"My lord, we've arrived," Yuan Tiangang's voice came from outside the carriage.

Lin Chen lifted the carriage curtain, and before him stood the majestic imperial palace gate, brightly lit, where many officials' carriages were already waiting.

The officials gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones. When the carriage from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion arrived, all their eyes turned to it.

"That's Lin Chen?"

"It's been a long time; you've become quite presentable."

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Can't you see who's driving? Yuan Tiangang! The number one on the Earth Ranking, a half-step Celestial!"

The discussion abruptly ceased, replaced by looks of awe.

Lin Chen was completely unaware of this—or rather, he didn't care at all.

He slowly got out of the car, and Yuan Tiangang straightened his clothes and said in a low voice:

"My lord, do you still remember the rules of court assembly?"

"I remember, I remember." Lin Chen waved his hand.

"It's just standing there listening to them argue. By the way, after court, go straight to Zuiyue Pavilion; Su Mo has an appointment for noon."

"Yes."

The two walked towards the palace gate.

Upon seeing Lin Chen, the imperial guards at the gate immediately bowed and saluted: "Greetings, Duke Zhenguo!"

Lin Chen nodded lazily and stepped through the palace gate.

The imperial city was brightly lit, and the imperial road paved with white jade led straight to the Golden Palace.

The palace walls on both sides are towering, and every ten steps there is a guard standing watch. Their auras are calm and steady, and they are all martial artists of the fifth rank or above.

This is the profound heritage of the Dayan Imperial City.

As Lin Chen walked with the crowd, many officials took the initiative to come up and greet him.

"Lord Lin, I have long admired you! I am a junior official in the Ministry of Personnel..."

"The Duke of Zhenguo is a young prodigy, I admire him greatly!"

"Lin Guogong..."

Lin Chen nodded perfunctorily to everyone, continuing on his way.

Until a voice called out to him:

"Chen'er".

Lin Chen paused and turned around.

The man was about fifty years old, with a lean face, three long wisps of beard, and wore a dark scarlet official robe with a peacock insignia embroidered on his chest—a high-ranking official of the second rank.

His expression was serious, but his eyes held a complex mix of emotions.

This is Lin Chen's maternal uncle, Su Wenbo, the Minister of Rites and the elder brother of his mother, Su Wanqing.

"Greetings, Uncle." Lin Chen bowed respectfully, his attitude more respectful than before.

Su Wenbo looked him up and down, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes, but he quickly straightened his face again:

"Did you learn all the rules for your first court appearance?"

"I've learned it," Lin Chen answered honestly.

"Speak less and listen more during court sessions," Su Wenbo said in a low voice.

"Now that you have inherited the title and are the Duke of Zhenguo, you are attracting a lot of attention. Although the Second Prince's faction has been eliminated, there are still people in the court who are jealous of the Lin family."

"Thank you for the advice, Uncle."

Su Wenbo nodded, hesitated, and finally sighed:

"After court, go to your home. Your maternal grandfather... wants to see you."

Lin Chen was taken aback.

In my memory, my maternal grandfather, Grandpa Su, was a great Confucian scholar of his time and had been the teacher of the late emperor.

After retiring from officialdom, he devoted himself to writing and teaching, and his cultivation has reached the peak of a grandmaster. He is now ninety-three years old.

The original owner was a playboy, whom the Su family always looked down upon and rarely associated with.

"My maternal grandfather..."

"The old injury has flared up again." Su Wenbo's expression was somber.

"Three years ago, when the Northern Border was affected, your maternal grandfather used his literary skills to deduce the secrets of heaven, but suffered a backlash that damaged his foundation."

He's been relying on his cultivation to keep going all these years, but he's getting old, and the recent news about the Cui family upset him... He vomited blood yesterday.

With the cultivation level at the peak of the Grandmaster realm, living past a hundred years old should be a piece of cake.

However, if the foundation is damaged, lifespan will be greatly reduced.

Lin Chen's heart tightened: "I will go see him today."

"Okay." Su Wenbo glanced at him, then suddenly asked, "How is your mother...?"

"Mother is well; she was talking about Uncle yesterday."

"That's good." Su Wenbo's eyes flashed with guilt. He said no more and turned to walk towards the civil officials' line.

Lin Chen watched his retreating figure, lost in thought.

This uncle doesn't seem as cold as I remember.

Lin Chen collected his thoughts and walked towards the ranks of military officers.

According to the system of the Dayan Dynasty, the Duke of the State was above the rank of official, ranking first among all officials, second only to the Prince.

His position was at the very front of the military officers, alongside several old dukes.

After stopping, Lin Chen quietly looked around.

The Golden Palace is magnificent and imposing, with nine golden pillars supporting the dome, and the throne high above the steps, yet no one is there.

His Highness and his officials were arranged on the left and right, with civil officials on the left and military officials on the right, clearly distinguished.

The civil officials were headed by the prime minister, followed by the ministers of the six ministries, vice ministers, censors, and so on.

The military officers were led by several old dukes and generals, followed by the commanders of the various guards and generals.

Lin Chen's gaze lingered on the old dukes for a moment.

Duke Anguo, Zhao Mang, is eighty years old, with white hair and beard. He is in the middle stage of the Grandmaster realm and is now enjoying his retirement at home, rarely concerning himself with state affairs.

Duke Dingguo, Xu Zhen, was seventy-five years old and in the late stage of the Grandmaster realm. He commanded 200,000 troops in the capital garrison and was a powerful figure in the military.

Duke Zhou Wu, the Protector of the Nation, is seventy years old and at the mid-stage of the Grandmaster realm. He is stationed in the eastern border to guard against the Eastern Li Kingdom.

These three, along with Lin Chen's father, Duke Zhenguo Lin Tianxiong, were originally the four great dukes of Dayan.

Now that his father has died in battle, Lin Chen has inherited the title and become the youngest Duke.

"Duke Lin." An aged voice rang out.

Lin Chen turned his head and saw Duke Zhao Mang of Anguo looking at him with a smile.

"Duke Anguo," Lin Chen said, bowing.

"No need for such formalities," Zhao Mang said with a smile, stroking his beard.

"If your father were here, he would be pleased to see you like this today."

I have known your father for many years. If you need anything in the future, you may come to my residence to find me.

"Thank you, Duke." Lin Chen said, cupping his hands in thanks.

This Duke of Anguo was an old friend of my father's, and he was very friendly.

He also spoke up for the Lin family when they were in trouble.

Duke Dingguo, Xu Zhen, also glanced at Lin Chen and nodded slightly, as if to say hello.

Duke Zhou Wuyuan, the Protector of the State, is far away in the eastern border and has not yet arrived.

The military officers were relatively harmonious, but the civil officials were casting many glances at them with unclear intentions.

Lin Chen didn't want to think too much, so he closed his eyes to rest. He stood for about fifteen minutes, his legs aching, before he heard the eunuch's shrill voice:

"His Majesty has arrived!"

All officials stood solemnly.

Empress Zhao Lingyang emerged from the side hall, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe and wearing a twelve-tassel crown. Her appearance was exquisite, yet she possessed an innate majesty.

She slowly ascended the throne, and after sitting down, her gaze swept over the officials in the hall, lingering briefly on Lin Chen, a barely perceptible smile flashing in her eyes.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The officials bowed in salute.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The morning assembly began.

First, each department reported on its political affairs.

The Minister of Revenue reported that the grain transport in Jiangnan had been dredged, and that grain tax could increase by 30% this year.

The Minister of Works reported on the progress of the Yellow River dike repairs.

The Minister of War then reported on the military situation in the northern border...

"Your Majesty, the Northern Shu has been frequently harassing the border for the past half month. Although there has been no large-scale attack, small groups of cavalry have been constantly invading."

The commander-in-chief of the Zhenbei Army requested instructions on whether to launch a preemptive strike.

The Empress pondered for a moment: "This is a test from the Northern Frontier. Send an order to the Zhenbei Army to strengthen its defenses, but do not start a war lightly."

In addition, 30,000 suits of armor and 50,000 strong bows will be transferred from the Beijing garrison to reinforce the northern border.

"I obey your decree."