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

However, the atmosphere did indeed shift from serious to the normal picnic mood. At that moment, a figure dressed in a demure twelve-layered kimono darted from the foot of the mountain to the torii gate of Narukami Taisha Shrine, then lightly leaped and landed steadily on the mountaintop. Immediately afterward, a little fellow carrying a large coffin followed closely behind Torachiyo, landing on top of the coffin. He was then pulled backward by the weight of the coffin and plopped down on his own coffin.

"Sister Ying, Aunt Ling Shan Fang, I'm back." Shen Liang untied the coffin, first tiptoed to kiss Ling Shan Fang's eager cheek, then greeted Lei Yingdong. Outside the court, he was naturally much more relaxed around these friendly women. After all, having lived in the Tenshukaku harem for so many years, he had a key to everyone's room. The so-called three great demons were simply his most familiar aunts and sisters.

Lei Ying nodded, restraining herself from playfully teasing Shen Liang. She had always been puzzled by Shen Liang's thought process—why did Shen Liang call everyone else "aunt" but only her "sister"? She didn't actually care about seniority, but she wondered if Shen Liang saw her as the youngest.

Shen Liang walked up to Raiden Shin. A beautiful woman in a white and purple kimono, holding a paper umbrella, stood gracefully under the cherry tree, cradling a lazy pink fox in her arms.

"Good afternoon, Mother." Shen Liang hugged Raiden's slender waist, then said aggrievedly, "Mother, Aunt Chiyo bullied me."

Before he could finish speaking, the fox in Raiden's arms darted out like lightning and bit Torachiyo's neck!

"Hey, hey, hey, Your Highness, you're turning your back on me! Let me go, let me go! None of you foxes of the Bai Chen bloodline are any good! Ouch, ouch, ouch, you haven't even transformed yet and you're already this sharp-tongued? Fox Palace, can you do something about this?!" Hu Qiandai shouted, grabbing the fox around her neck. The pink-furred fox bit her neck and wrapped itself around her neck, refusing to let go, looking like a pink fur scarf. Hu Qiandai grimaced in pain.

"Chiyo bullied you?" Raiden chuckled. "Bullyed you in what way?"

As he spoke, Lei Dian unzipped Shen Liang's sleeve, revealing his fair arm, and then turned to look at his wrist.

"Mother doesn't need to know how to bully her, just help me beat up Aunt Chiyo." Shen Liang looked at her adoptive mother's actions with confusion, tugged at Raiden's white cherry blossom sleeves, and gave a little coquettish plea.

Raiden smiled, examining the red mark on the inside of the boy's wrist. He then glanced thoughtfully at the trembling Torachiyo and said with a smile, "General Chiyo, there's no need for this. If you're in such a hurry, you can ask me for permission. Once I approve your marriage certificate, Ryo can give you all the explanations you need... Until then, General Chiyo, you'd better keep a low profile."

"Yes!" Torachiyo was so frightened that she immediately stood at attention.

In fact, Torachiyo wasn't that afraid of Raiden, who had the highest fighting strength among Inazuma's wives. Or rather, neither Torachiyo, Reizenbo, nor any of the retainers were particularly in awe of Raiden. On the contrary, Raiden, who was powerless, didn't dare to disobey them at all.

Especially since Shen Liang is her adopted son… Everyone actually regrets not letting Lei Yingdian adopt Shen Liang back then. If Lei Yingdian had adopted him, Prince Liang today would definitely be a dashing young general, charming and irresistible to all. Most importantly, even if he secretly had a taste of romance, what could Lei Yingdian do to them? At most, he could just give them a beating. But Lei Dianzhen, seemingly weak and easily bullied, is ruthless. She is truly willing to exile these hooligans to the Kingdom of Zhidong as diplomatic ambassadors, where they can only grow potatoes while shedding tears and longing for their homeland.

It is said that tears can even freeze.

Fox Palace, who had been watching the farce with amusement, finally spoke up: "Salamanders, lizards, geckos, and other creatures are called 'guardians' because they often live on the walls of houses. They are auspicious beasts that guard the palaces. Folk legend says that if you feed a gecko with cinnabar until it matures, you can take its blood and apply it to your arm. The blood will stay on forever. But if a person loses her virginity, the bloodstain will fall off on its own."

“Isn’t that interesting?” Raiden Shin smiled.

"The claim that it can be applied to the arm is found in Liyue's 'Huainan Wanbi Shu' and 'Bowu Zhi,' but the ancient methods are mostly untrue," Fox Palace laughed. "Therefore, I went a step further and collected the essence and blood of the deep-sea dragon lizard, supplemented with the ash of the chastity-preserving talisman, and relied on Yin-Yang incantations to create a genuine 'virginity-preserving talisman,' ensuring that it would be foolproof."

"thank you."

"It is my duty to do my best for the General."

Shen Liang looked at the smiling fox and his mother, puzzled, not understanding why they were bringing this up. Ling Shanfang and Hu Qiandai, on the other hand, pouted in displeasure, their expressions quite unpleasant.

"Don't make that face." Raiden Shinichi saw the aggrieved Torachiyo and couldn't help but chuckle.

"You really are the Empress Dowager. Of course you don't care because you're with His Highness every day. This humble general just returned from the front lines, weary from the journey and with a great victory. I deserve all the credit and hard work. But I haven't seen His Highness for half a year, and I still can't get my hands on him..." Torachiyo muttered.

"Didn't you already get your hands on it?" Fox Palace teased her.

"you!"

"General Chiyo, don't push your luck! Guess how I'll punish you if Ryo complains to me without this red sand?" Raiden Shin narrowed his beautiful eyes, which seemed to shoot out a cold, sharp light, making Tora Chiyo tremble. "Ryo is my child. If you want her, Chiyo, take her openly and honestly. Don't always sneak around like a cat... and so does your Reizenbo."

"Okay, okay," Ling Shanfang whispered.

"Sneaking around will only lead to superficial attempts, and what good will that do? On the contrary, it will only make you more enraged. Please think this through." Raiden shook his head helplessly. "Either announce to Inazuma that you are to be married openly and formally, or you might as well suppress your desires... My great yokai, you are not such petty people."

Warn them one by one.

At this moment, the pink-furred fox that had been clinging to Torachiyo finally let go and jumped onto Shen Liang's shoulder to lie down. Shen Liang rubbed it; this little fox was very intelligent and usually served as the pet of the Thunder God Sisters and him. It seemed that the Fox Palace had tested it and found that it had a bit of Bai Chen's bloodline; it would definitely become a renowned demon in the future.

“But His Highness is young. Although he is a demon god, he is younger than all of us. He is not from our generation. A proper marriage... really, we are all aunts now, and we don’t know how many years we have left to live. Sometimes taking things too seriously can lead to an unhappy ending.” After a long while, Ling Shanfang took a big gulp of wine from his gourd and laughed, “Like me, my husband has been dead for over three hundred years, and I still feel a little sad when I think about it. If it weren’t for His Highness’s explosive cuteness, I wouldn’t have even thought about finding someone else... cough, a thousand years later, His Highness will still be the same His Highness, at most equivalent to a person’s youth, while we will have turned into bones. For a young His Highness to already have the heart of an old person, isn’t that a sin? It’s better to take advantage of His Highness’s youth and innocence and just enjoy himself.”

Raiden frowned slightly.

Ling Shanfang shrugged, lay down on the grass, and squinted at the colorful lines of sunlight seeping through the leaves. "Flowers fade easily and people grow old easily, and I am abandoned by the endless bitter rain."

It is best for humans not to fall in love with demons, just as it is best for demons not to fall in love with gods. Lifespan is always the most painful and insurmountable barrier.

If it's just for pleasure, that's fine, but if it's about truly staying together, the one who lives longer suffers more.

Fortunately, Shen Liang doesn't understand it now, and he doesn't even try to understand it.

"How are the preparations for going to Liyue?" Raiden Shin didn't know how to continue this heavy topic, because she didn't actually think it was wrong... As a demon god of fleeting moments, Raiden Shin also appreciated the short-lived joy as dazzling as fireworks.

But letting Shen Liang fall for the hands of seductive and shameless women like Hu Qiandai and Ling Shanfang... Raiden Shin just felt it wasn't right.

"Am I going alone, Mother?" Shen Liang took Lei Dianzhen's umbrella and held it high for her. Lei Dianzhen smiled when she saw the boy struggling, then pulled up her skirt and sat down on the ground.

"Oh? Who would you like to go with you?"

Chapter Seven: Someone Received the Love That Mikoto Chiyo Did Not Give Him

"Anyone is fine?" Shen Liang looked at her expectantly. "Then I want my mother to come with me!"

The gentle and graceful Thunder Goddess was taken aback for a moment, then smiled serenely, "Mom also wants to go to Liyue with you, but there are millions of people in Inazuma, and they need Mom more than Liang'er. Unlike you, Mom is the goddess of Inazuma, and when the calamity of Kanria first appeared, I cannot leave my homeland. Without Mom, who will protect the people of Inazuma?"

"Sister Naying..."

“Your sister Kage can’t leave either. Kage is the most powerful deity in Inazuma, and she’s Mother’s guardian spirit. Without your sister Kage, I have no one to rely on if I stay in Inazuma.” Raiden chuckled, hugging the white-haired, red-eyed beauty who was clinging to her neck with a displeased expression. She gently nudged his cheek with her nose. “Don’t be upset. There’s something even more upsetting. Chiyo, Reizenbo, and Saigu, your three aunts can’t go with you either. They are the cornerstones of the country’s operation and can’t travel around with you.”

"Hey! Kage!" Torachiyo exclaimed anxiously. "Why is this happening? I rushed back because of this! The Shogunate army has other generals besides me, and they'll be fine for a few years! Isn't it perfect for me, a mere woman, to accompany His Highness in his studies and serve him in his daily life?"

“Liang’er is going out to see the world, what’s the point of you two following along? I can trust Zhaigong, but you two, one a ghost and the other a celestial dog, are you going to accompany him to his studies? I doubt Liang’er will even be interested in studying. Judging from your personalities…” Raiden blinked her beautiful eyes, her smile gentle, “If Liang’er doesn’t do well in his studies, you’ll punish him for a few nights, and if he does well, you’ll reward him for a few nights. Anyway, you’re just across the sea, even the Thunder God can’t do anything about it.”

"What are you going to do with those nights?" Shen Liang asked curiously, interrupting the adults' conversation.

"Kids, don't interrupt. Turn your face away." Raiden pressed the innocent boy against his chest, covered his ears, and still smiled at the others. "So let's give Ryo a chance to train himself. He has very few friends in Inazuma, mainly because everyone is too familiar with each other, having grown up together. He sees you as beautiful and kind aunts and sisters, while you see him as... cough, I don't need to explain further. But in Liyue, in unfamiliar territory, Ryo can start a new, correct life."

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being with us…” Torachiyo’s pretty face darkened slightly.

“You spoil him too much. No one can live in an environment of unconditional pampering forever. Liang’er is a little demon god, the child of my Thunder Ruler. He shouldn’t be a weak boy born in the deep palace and raised by women.” Raiden Zhen stroked Shen Liang’s hair, unable to put it down. “But I am, after all, a woman. We all are. I can’t bring myself to be heartless when I see Liang’er’s face. My heart melts when he holds me. This is a woman’s instinct. If I feel this way, what about you great demons who uphold your desires?”

The powerful demons were speechless.

"So, Liang'er, who else is there? Besides us, whoever you want to bring along, Mom will try her best to help you," Lei Dianzhen asked softly.

--------------

Shen Liang strolled alone through Inazuma City. After the picnic, he had no interest in listening to the elders talk about calamities or layoffs. He knew that he couldn't take any of the top talents with him on his trip to Liyue. Anyone with a little ability had to stay in Inazuma to serve the country... In Raiden's words, it was to prevent the brain drain.

So Shen Liang made an excuse that he was full and needed to digest his food, and ran down from Yingxiang Mountain. He hadn't actually spent much time outside of Yingxiang Mountain in the castle tower, so strolling around Inazuma Castle was a novel experience for him.

He attracted a lot of attention along the way, after all, his clothes were extremely strange. The straitjacket seemed to be unique on the Teyvat continent, and he was also carrying a coffin that was bigger than himself. But Shen Liang was already used to the strange looks from others. The only thing he needed to care about was not to bump into other passers-by while walking on the road. After all, no matter how beautiful or cute he was, being bumped into by a coffin was still considered unlucky by the Inazuma people.

He walked three blocks along Hanamizaka and stopped in front of Uyu-tei, a newly opened shop with a seafood ramen stall at the entrance. Shen Liang pulled back the curtain, intending to get something to eat.

"This..." The ramen shop owner was startled when he looked up and saw the beautiful young woman who had just entered. Most people would think that Shen Liang was a delicate and cute white-haired loli when they first saw her, but given that women from Inazuma usually tied their hair up, Shen Liang's loose, waist-length hair would make it difficult for them to be sure.

“I’m a man.” Shen Liang explained before the man could speak, as was her habit, and then complained, “Do I have to write ‘I’m a man’ on my clothes to go out? I don’t have any chest or figure, why does everyone hesitate for so long?”

The ramen vendor thought to himself, "Whose fault is it? Aren't girls of your height also flat-chested and lacking in figure? Besides, even if you were 20 centimeters taller, people would just think it's a pity that this girl didn't win over Inazuma's number one beauty from Torachiyo. It must be because she didn't eat enough meat and was malnourished when she was young. Here, I'll add half a pound more char siu for you!"

Shen Liang looked at his bowl piled high with meat, feeling bewildered. He thought that Wu Youting's new store opening was really a good deal. If such a good store could stay open for a thousand or eight hundred years, it wouldn't be a problem. At least he would definitely patronize it generation after generation.

Just then, someone called out to him, "Hey! Your Highness, over here, over here."

Shen Liang was somewhat surprised. Over the years, he had only received his education in the inner palace. Apart from occasionally seeing Lei Dapao, he shouldn't have any male friends.

Surprised as he was, Shen Liang looked in the direction of the sound and saw someone waving vigorously at him from a private room on the second floor of Wuyou Pavilion. When they saw him looking over, they smiled and said, "Your Highness is in a good mood. Why wait outside? Come up and join us."

The man had delicate features and looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, not much older than Shen Liang. Shen Liang frowned and pondered for a long time before remembering that he was Dao Qi, the eldest young master of the Yu Yu family, whom she had met at court that morning. He was the son of Hu Qian Dai, whom she had only seen a few times since birth.

Shen Liang greeted him with a smile: "Ah, I see you, it's Brother Daoqi?"

"Why do you call everyone 'brother,' 'sister,' 'aunt,' and 'uncle' so affectionately? Are you really the son of that so-called 'little wolf dog'?" Mistylin, sitting on the coffin behind him, sneered mercilessly. "I seriously doubt that more than just your memories were erased; the old you would never have had this kind of shamelessness!"

When you're out in the world, being a little sweet-talking won't cost me anything. Why be so tactless?

How did the prince who chased fire turn into such a spoiled and cute little princess who only relies on his good looks?

Say it again: I'm sleeping in the bathtub tonight.

Mistelin shut her mouth reluctantly; Shen Liang's threat had been very effective. Shen Liang didn't know why she liked to sleep with him in her arms so much, even though it made his holy blood boil and heat up to fifty or sixty degrees Celsius, she still persisted. So, Shen Liang often slept in the bathtub to suppress the holy blood in his body.

But Misterlin hated sleeping in the bathtub; it was cramped, hard, and full of water. But if Shen Liang insisted on sleeping there, she could only endure the discomfort and squeeze in. Most of the time, Misterlin preferred him to sleep in the bed. Anyway, no matter how much heat his body generated, Misterlin, as a phantom, didn't care.

Yu Yu Dao Qi's face flushed at Shen Liang's words, especially seeing the 1.5-meter-tall, white-haired beauty looking up at him innocently from downstairs with a sweet and lovely voice. He was not very old to begin with, and his breathing subconsciously caught in his throat. Fortunately, he quickly remembered that this prince was a genuine boy, and managed to suppress the flutter in his heart.

"Your Highness is alone?" Yu Yu Daoqi opened the door to the private room. "Traveling alone must be so boring. How about we have a drink together?"

Shen Liang glanced at Yu Yu Daoqi, who looked like a seasoned veteran despite being only a teenager, and then at the others in the private room. There were quite a few people there, most of whom he didn't recognize. However, he guessed that they were probably all second-generation heirs from the shogunate, with the older ones likely being their subordinates, and the pretty girls probably just there to keep them company.

People in the shogunate came of age early, entering officialdom at the age of fourteen. Mikoto Michiki was considered the eldest among these second-generation officials, as he had already been serving in the shogunate for several years. This was Inazuma; even teenagers had already picked up the habits of official society, where noble families promoted each other and held absolute power.

Shen Liang smiled and carried the ramen upstairs. "Okay, Brother Daoqi, I can't refuse your kind offer."

Yu Yu Daoqi hurriedly gestured for the others to make way: "Haha, Your Highness Liang is truly giving me face. Among all the civil and military officials of this shogunate, I, Yu Yu Daoqi, am probably the first person to invite Your Highness to dinner. You, move over and give Your Highness a seat. Since we parted, I have been deeply impressed by Your Highness Liang's unparalleled elegance. I never expected to meet Your Highness, who is out on a private visit, this afternoon."

Shen Liang realized that a young man is still a young man after all. Although he speaks in official jargon, he doesn't actually know how to speak properly. What does it mean to travel incognito? I haven't changed my clothes since this morning. Does it mean I'm traveling incognito when everyone is staring at me?

However, he still sat down in the private room, held the bowl of noodles, slurped up a big mouthful of noodles, and looked at the others innocently.

The table was laden with fine food and wine, and no one knew why Shen Liang had brought out ramen noodles—it was actually a bit disrespectful. However, Shen Liang was unaware of the cutthroat competition in officialdom; he simply felt that good food shouldn't be wasted.

"Your Highness likes noodles? Haha, Wuyouting's ramen is indeed famous far and wide for its deliciousness. If Your Highness is interested, I can send two cartloads of noodles to your residence." Yu Yu Dao Qi laughed heartily, cleverly defusing the awkward situation. Officials can lie without batting an eye; Wuyouting is a newly opened shop, how could it be famous far and wide?

"Is Wuyouting your property?" Shen Liang asked casually.

"Ah, no, I have only recently entered the court as an official and have not yet had the money to acquire any property," Miyuki said with a smile. "This is the property of the Miyu family, all of which is in the Hanamizaka area. My mother loves ramen, so she had someone open a restaurant for her."

"Brother Daoqi's mother is... Aunt Chiyo?" Shen Liang joked. "But the Oni race can't eat beans. These ramen noodles are made with bean flour. Aunt Chiyo can't eat them."

"I'm so glad Your Highness remembers my mother. You call her... Aunt? I am truly honored," said Miyukichi with a smile. "Ah, to be precise, it wasn't that my mother loved to eat ramen. A few years ago, I heard my mother say that there was someone very important to her who loved ramen. My mother tried to make it many times, but she couldn't manage it because of the bean flour. In the end, she couldn't stand it anymore, so she hired the best ramen chef in Inazuma and built Utsu-tei, so that the person she cared about could have ramen anytime, anywhere. Haha, my mother never said who that person was, but I think it was probably Lord Kitsui or the Shogun..."

“It’s me.” Shen Liang tilted her head and looked at Yu Yu Daoqi with a clean and innocent smile. “Aunt Chiyo has tried to make it for me more than ten times, but ramen without bean flour is always a bit lacking. When I said I didn’t like it, Aunt Chiyo got angry and cried. She chased after me and beat me up while forcing me to eat those dozen bowls of noodles.”

Yu Yu Daoqi looked at the smiling, handsome young man, his face still bearing the smile of a host, but his hands involuntarily clenched in his sleeves.