Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

At this moment, celebratory voices arose one after another, with people offering birthday wishes and congratulations. Everyone was in high spirits, and the relationship between the emperor and his subjects was harmonious. However, at this moment, some people still realized that the important matter was still at hand.

"Your Highness... cough, Your Highness Liang is going to Liyue for further studies? There are hundreds of academies in Inazuma, and countless students of the same age to accompany you. Why go to Liyue for further studies?" The Director of the Academy stepped forward to inquire. He was the supervisor in charge of all the academies in Inazuma and the Bureau of Foreign Documents. It was only right and proper for him to come forward at this time to bring honor to his country. After all, he was, after all, his own prince. Wouldn't it make his country look backward if he went to study abroad?

"Liang'er bears a heavy responsibility, which can only be fulfilled by going to Liyue. Inazuma is located in a remote overseas region, and it is an indisputable fact that the heroes, talents, and even cultural wealth of the Northern Continent all turn to Liyue. Morax and I have already agreed that Liang'er will join the Ji Palace upon arriving in Liyue and receive the best education in the Northern Continent. You can all rest assured."

Liyue is indeed the number one country in the Northland. Even the heroes of Inazuma yearn for Liyue. Not to mention the distant past, just in the last two years, the genius young man from the Onmyo-ryo, Yuugami Seinosuke, gave up his high-ranking official position and went to Liyue to seek immortality... Even those who are dedicated to cultivation yearn for Liyue, let alone others.

At this moment, Lei Yingdong glanced at the relaxed ministers, chuckled to himself, and then suddenly said, "That's why you're always like this, single-mindedly trying to figure out the so-called will of the gods, and then acting according to your own ideas. In the end, you always end up being too clever for your own good."

She lowered her head and touched Shen Liang's face again, her eyes filled with a sense of reluctance and a sigh for some reason. Then, a clap of thunder sounded.

“The third reason for bestowing this surname upon Liang’er is the respect of a god for a god, and to bind you to my side with this surname. Know that no matter how lofty your ambitions may be, a fledgling bird must eventually return to its nest. Since you bear the name of thunder and lightning, wherever you go, you should know that this is your home.” Lei Yingdong said gently, “Pandora, the Fire-Chasing Demon God, today I bestow my surname upon you. From now on, your name will be ‘Leidian Liang’. In the years to come in Liyue, do not be intoxicated by the splendor of the Rock Lands, for the beings of Inazuma also need you.”

Demon.

No one could have imagined that the words "Demon God" would be uttered at this moment. After so many years in office, the term "Demon God" had become almost unfamiliar to them. After all, with Lei Zhi in power for so many years, the word "Demon" in "Demon God" was not auspicious, so they almost always referred to him as "Lord God"... But that didn't mean they had forgotten what "Demon God" meant.

That is the pinnacle of all living beings' evolution, the epitome of the most powerful creatures on the continent of Teyvat! The Seven Rulers of the Mortal Realm are essentially nothing more than seven of the most powerful demon gods. More than a thousand years after the end of the Demon God War, the only demon god they are familiar with is the Sea Serpent, whose bones were destroyed by the Thunder God Wuxiang with a single strike, and whose remains even formed a continuous mountain range!

But those words were indeed spoken by Thor...

Caught completely off guard, the demon god...

Another demon god from Inazuma? A newly ascended young demon god? Despite his young age, an individual who can be called a demon god will inevitably grow into an extremely outrageous and terrifying existence. There are no weak demon gods in the world because the word "demon god" itself means powerful!

And what did they just say? Were they relieved that the young demon god was going to Liyue for further studies? Were they worried that the young demon god would try to seize power from them?

At this moment, all the civil and military officials in the main hall stared blankly at Lei Yingdian and Shen Liang, who was feeding her grapes.

"General! Absolutely not!"

Finally, the Grand Minister was the first to react. Almost without any regard for his image, he pushed aside the table in front of him and scrambled to the front of the hall. Even though he was facing the Thunder God, he shouted in a hoarse voice, "General, please rescind your order! The Demon God is a national treasure that has not appeared for thousands of years. It must not be handed over to another country for any reason! This is for the blessing of the heavens and the eternal fate of the nation. We cannot allow His Highness Ryo to leave!"

The officials instantly understood. No wonder they allowed Prince Ryo's information to spread; the General had probably been planning this from the beginning. She wanted the Prince to gain fame and also wanted him to go to Liyue, but the Shogunate could never allow a newly born, young demon god to not belong to Inazuma!

This is truly a millennium of national destiny! Inazuma will have two demon gods! And they will absolutely not fight each other, they will be like one family! Just by looking at the way the general and the prince get along, you can tell that the general's pampering and trust in him is beyond compare, this is truly a blessing from heaven!

It's important to understand that demons and gods all have their own beliefs and cannot coexist, hence the demon wars. But now, Prince Liang is essentially a child raised by the General; his belief is the General's belief, and he's someone who can absolutely be supported and helped! The officials are filled with regret—how could they possibly want to hand over such a person to Liyue? Even if the Thunder God herself admitted that this prince is her spoiled brat and that he must become the head of the Shogunate today, they should be overjoyed, kneeling down and shouting "General, you are wise!" and then granting all wives and children a three-day holiday, making it a permanent holiday!

"Insolence!" Lei Yingdong roared. "A ruler's word is law. Now that the plan has been set, Liang'er must leave Daoqi. Her name has been bestowed; a good day will suffice for her departure!"

"If Your Excellency insists on sending Prince Liang away, this old minister will smash his head against a pillar in front of the palace and die!" The Grand Minister of the Palace was seventy-six years old with a full head of white hair, yet today he dared to stare directly at the Emperor's majesty with a fierce glare! It reminded one of the distant past, when this old man was also a renowned general who had killed over a hundred enemies on the battlefield!

"General, you are cleverly deceiving us with words! But for the sake of Inazuma's legacy, we would rather die than not tell you! Please, General, rescind your order!"

"Your subject will join the Grand Minister in striking the pillar!"

"I second the proposal!"

All the ministers turned their gaze to the head minister on the left, the fox-spirited lady who was in charge of the shrine. The white-haired fox-spirited lady yawned leisurely, as if she hadn't heard anything.

Now is not the time to pretend to be asleep, sister. You are a close friend of Thor and can be considered a high-ranking official. If you don't reveal some of the Emperor's intentions at this time, we can't continue playing this game.

Fox Prince probably couldn't stand the jabs at him by the memorials from the civil officials next to him. To be honest, the ministers of the shogunate still had some backbone. After all, they had fought their way out either with the followers of Orochi or with the battlefield in the eastern wilderness.

The white fox smiled, not looking at Thor or the officials, but simply stretched out its hand and said lazily, "Liang'er, come to your aunt."

Shen Liang's eyes lit up, and she decisively jumped off the platform, carrying the heavy coffin on her back, leaping into Hu Zhaigong's arms. Hu Zhaigong casually drew a talisman, absorbing Shen Liang's immense strength. She knew exactly what that coffin was made of; it could make a deep crater if thrown on the floor.

Then she supported the boy's buttocks, and Shen Liang happily hugged her neck and knocked her to the ground. He straddled her waist without any restraint, then picked up a strand of white hair from Hu Zhaigong and sniffed it.

"Hmm, it still doesn't smell as good as Sister Yu Tu's."

Chapter Four: Aunt Saigu! Aunt Chiyo!

How blatant!

The official in charge of court etiquette was nearly driven mad. What blatant disrespect for the dignity of the court! You were just sitting next to the General as a pet, yet you dared to attack the Palace Attendant without permission!

But he couldn't bring himself to utter the word "daring." Who was daring? The one who pounced on him was the new Demon God. The shogunate's etiquette and rules probably didn't apply to the Demon God, right?

In that instant, the officials suddenly realized something. Looking at the white-haired young man who had tackled the Fox Palace without angering her, they realized that Shen Liang was probably not just being kept in the deep palace by the Thunder God. Perhaps, maybe... their trusted ministers already knew the prince's identity.

However, Shen Liang had no interest in the various thoughts of the civil and military officials at this moment. He turned around and looked at the projection of the beautiful white-haired girl standing with her arms crossed beside him, namely Mistelin. He casually lifted her long hair and sniffed it, "It still smells familiar, sweet and pleasant."

"Liang'er seems to really like girls' hair?" Fox Palace said with a smile. "Sister Yu Tu... ah, your invisible sister? Is she here too?"

Mistelin lazily pursed her lips; she knew Fox Palace couldn't see her and didn't bother to respond.

“But my hair isn’t sweet. If Liang’er likes it, Auntie can dye it with fruit. Would you like apple or sunset fruit flavor?” Hu Zhaigong tilted her head. She had short hair, so she could only get close to Shen Liang so he could pull her hair and savor it. It was a little embarrassing to do this in public, but Hu Zhaigong was uninhibited and got along well with the even more uninhibited Shen Liang. They even started chatting and laughing.

"I prefer Aunt Zhaigong's white hair. Dyeing it will change its color, so I'd better not." Shen Liang didn't get up, but simply sat on the fox fairy's lap. Fox Zhaigong leaned against the table, half-sitting and half-lying, rubbing the little guy's face. She turned to look at the ministers and smiled slightly, "It seems they're arguing quite fiercely. What's the point of arguing?"

"Naturally, Your Highness should not leave Inazuma." The Grand Minister stepped forward, forcing himself to speak. He was of high rank, and there were certain things he had to say. "It's obvious that Liyue, as a nation with a stronger economy and military than Inazuma, has many insightful individuals who naturally recognize Your Highness's importance. Although Your Highness is a Demon God, you are still young, and your strength cannot compare to the Seven Regents. Going to Liyue would be tantamount to handing over Inazuma's national treasure to someone else. To be frank, it would be one thing if Your Highness were taken away, but what I fear is that Your Highness's heart is set on Inazuma, upright and unyielding, and even Liyue cannot sway you… In that case, you might ultimately be slaughtered. After all, Your Highness is an unparalleled Demon God. If you have the power to eliminate a neighboring nation's Demon God, who could resist such temptation?"

"The relationship between the seven ruling powers is not as fragile as you all think. Suppressing the Demon God is not so easy, and it is almost impossible," Lei Yingdong sneered. "Does anyone dare to risk making an enemy of this being? The Demon God War has just ended, who would want to start another conflict?"

"What the general says makes sense, but there's always a chance of something going wrong."

Has the general lost his mind? Instead of protecting a young demon god until he grows up, he's sending him out to train? Do demon gods need training? When Prince Ryo grows up, Inazuma will have two true demon gods. Although Morax, the god of Liyue, is known as the god of war with unparalleled strength among the seven rulers, surely these two demon gods can hold their own?

Your Highness, you're worried the General will spoil you, but it seems you're completely devoted to him. Don't be like that, buddy. By the time you grow up, the General will be old and faded. You'll be a newly born Demon God, and you can have a harem if you want. The female captain of the Seven Stars of Liyue, the Knights of Mondstadt, the princess of Fontainebleau, or the beautiful Fatui girls of Winterfall—you can just pick one and spoil whoever you want. Believe me, no one will refuse.

Even if you have a bigger appetite and even want to covet a god like the General, that's fine too. We'll try to match you up with the General. If that doesn't work, how about we ask the Great Tree King of Sumeru for your hand in marriage? The god of Sumeru is quite weak and still single. He'll definitely like a young and energetic boy demon god!

"Do I need to repeat myself? There's no need for any of you to argue." Fox Palace took a puff of her water pipe and exhaled a cloud of smoke towards Shen Liang. The white-haired, red-eyed handsome young man coughed from the smoke. She laughed out loud, then scanned the room again, her tone calm, "Everyone's talking about Inazuma, but it seems you've all forgotten to ask the person in question—Liang'er, do you want to go to Liyue?"

"Of course I want to, this is the place I want to go," Shen Liang said innocently.

A hammer is fixed.

Just as the Grand Minister was about to say something, he suddenly caught sight of Shen Liang's smiling gaze, and cold sweat instantly soaked through the back of his official robes. Some officials turned pale, while others angrily tried to retort but were pulled back by their companions, and for a moment, the court and its surroundings were in an uproar.

At this moment, inside the main hall of the castle tower, everyone suddenly realized a reality: they had no right to make the decision. They were merely trying to hope that the Thunder God would spare Shen Liang, but in reality, Shen Liang himself was a demon god.

Even if Thor didn't support him at all, if Shen Liang wanted to leave, no one in Inazuma could stop him, no matter where he went! From the beginning, these suggestions were meaningless. They just subconsciously thought he was young and naive based on his appearance. Even if he went to Liyue, it was just Thor's idea. But if this idea was Shen Liang's own, then there was nothing to talk about.

His immaturity is only relative to Thor or those powerful servants; to him, humans are just like old women, and he can go wherever he wants.

Having understood this, the Grand Minister nodded and withdrew.

This topic was temporarily adjourned, and the morning meeting continued. The morning passed quickly.

"The Grand General Who Conquers the East has arrived!" came the drawn-out shout from outside the hall.

Everyone in the court who were having a meeting looked up, including Lei Yingdian and Shen Liang, who both looked excitedly towards the outside of the hall.

"Is it General Chiyo?"

"Chiyo from Torakami is back?"

"After a great victory on the battlefield of the desolate sea, General Chiyo must return to claim credit. This time, it was a great victory that repelled all those dark calamities!"

"It can at least sustain the battlefield in the desolate sea for five years!"

The position of General-in-Chief is the highest military rank in the shogunate. Now that the threat of the Great Serpent Orobars has been eliminated, the position of General-in-Chief of the Western Expedition is vacant, and the position of General-in-Chief of the Eastern Expedition is the most prestigious title in Inazuma.

As the announcement was made, the resounding sound of horses' hooves thundered into the castle tower! Looking out from the main hall, a vast and imposing force marched straight into the white battlefield, and this force was clearly different from others. They were all female soldiers, riding strong, powerful warhorses that galloped like the wind, and on the backs of the cavalrymen on both sides of the procession, a gleaming golden banner was displayed. The golden silk banners featured a black demon mask pattern, with a large "tiger" character embroidered in silver-white in the center!

This is the castle tower! Someone's riding a horse here? But seeing this flag makes it clear. Only this unit in Inazuma can use the character "Tiger" instead of their own surname as their flag name. That's because the owner of this flag is none other than the renowned Inazuma commander-in-chief, Mikoto Chiyo, known as "Chiyo of the Tiger's Gnawing"!

Her fame was formidable; her status in the shogunate army was comparable to that of the Thunder God. Though a woman, she possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, once dancing wildly amidst a thousand swords, her twelve-layered kimono torn and scattered like fallen petals, yet her body remained unharmed. Even the Thunder God was moved and impressed by her. After leading troops, she fought in numerous battles, never suffering a defeat against the Dark Calamity. She was even swallowed by a calamity beast with a tiger's body and a snake's tail, yet she still managed to tear open its chest and escape. This is the origin of her name, "Chiyo of the Tiger's Bite," signifying her status as the most valiant warrior in Inazuma.

She was not only the foremost warrior of Inazuma, but also the most beautiful woman in Inazuma, deeply favored by the Raijin (Thunder God). As a result, the Raijin bestowed upon her a golden banner, a color originally reserved for shoguns. Furthermore, she was permitted to ride a horse in full military attire to the castle tower, and even during court assemblies, she was exempt from formalities and daily greetings.

The group rushed straight to the south gate of the playground outside. Torachiyo dismounted and strode in.

Meanwhile, Lei Yingdian had already gone out to greet them, and the others dared not remain in the main hall, crowding out to welcome her. Torachiyo, draped in a cloak, strode forward, revealing her stunning beauty.

Although she wore a cloak, Torachiyo wasn't wearing armor at all. Instead, she wore a formal twelve-layered black and red kimono, a style more suited to a gentle Yamato Nadeshiko than a general fresh from the battlefield. However, those familiar with Torachiyo knew she hadn't changed clothes; she genuinely wore them on the battlefield. She consistently portrayed herself as a pure Inazuma aristocratic young lady, and what else would a young lady wear but quiet elegance? In any case, armor was completely unnecessary; neither arrows nor magic could harm Torachiyo in the slightest on the battlefield.

She was extremely beautiful, and the demonic horns on her head and the bright red color on her arms and legs proved that she was a demon, but this did not diminish her reputation as the most beautiful woman. You could not tell from her face that she was a mother of fourteen or fifteen years old. She was clearly a girl of only seventeen or eighteen years old. Yu Yu Dao Qi looked at most like her younger brother.

"Greetings to Mother." As he passed the crowd outside the palace, Yu Yu Dao Qi, one of the children, quickly bowed.

But Mikoto Chiyo didn't even glance at her son, perhaps because she didn't hear him or because she simply didn't care about her descendants. Everyone in Inatsuma knew that Mikoto Chiyo didn't care about her family or husband. As a free-spirited demon, she spent her life indulging in battles alongside the Thunder God, leaving behind descendants was just a side effect, and even her husband was merely a son-in-law, with the children still bearing her surname.

"Aunt Chiyo!" Shen Liang hadn't seen this aunt for a long time, and happily leaped down the steps in two or three steps, carrying the coffin.

"Hey, hey, Your Highness, don't fall! Be careful that coffin behind you doesn't trip you up... Hey, hey, I told you so!" Torachiyo jumped left and right, like a mother hen waiting for Shen Liang to fall, then grabbed Shen Liang, who was tumbling with the coffin, and laughed, "What did I say, Your Highness? Also, don't call me aunt, call me sister, understand? Sister!"

“If it’s Chiyo-neechan, then you’ll have to call her Auntie Sakura with me, are you sure?” Shen Liang jumped down, hugging her neck.

“Then please call me Auntie, Auntie is very nice.” Torachiyo turned her head and said softly, “I have returned victorious, so how should we proceed according to our custom?”

Shen Liang kissed Hu Qiandai's fair cheek.

"As expected of my good Liang'er, so well-behaved and beautiful." Hu Qiandai laughed heartily, picked up the 1.5-meter-tall white-haired boy, and leaped up to the top of the steps. "General, I'm back. I've come to report the results of the battle. You can decide how to reward me. If it's too little, I'll use Prince Liang to pay off my debt."

The sound faded into the distance as the civil and military officials returned to the court while offering their congratulations.

Only Yu Yu Daoqi remained, watching his mother's indifferent back as his hand, which had been bowing, slowly fell to its stiff lower end. This scene was witnessed by Lei Dian Guo Beng, who, for some reason, smiled slightly, as if he had seen someone who shared his plight... a kindred spirit.

----------

After the morning assembly, we went to the Tono hunting grounds.

Shen Liang rode on Torachiyo's personal red-maned horse, gently squeezing its belly and carefully stepping into the stirrups. Torachiyo straddled him behind him, her left arm around his waist, patiently instructing him.

Compared to the nervous Shen Liang, Torachiyo's riding skills were extremely superb. She didn't even need any tools, such as stirrups and reins, which were on Shen Liang. Even without reins, she could still control this wild horse at any time.

"If you really want to go to Liyue, you absolutely must learn horsemanship. Liyue is a vast country, and I've heard that their trade routes often start at a distance of thousands of miles. If you don't learn to ride a horse, you won't be able to move an inch."

"What does it matter? I'll have a carriage to take me anyway." Shen Liang leaned against her, enjoying the soft, delicate body of Tora Chiyo, and answered lazily.

Torachiyo could clearly feel his head trying to burrow closer to her chest, as if he wanted to lean against her more comfortably. So she simply untied the outer layer of her twelve-layered kimono, tore off the breast wrap and tossed it aside, so that the boy could feel a softer and warmer experience.