My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

Modern, Fengshuiyuan Villa.

The warm lights in the living room cast a soft and cozy glow over the entire space, casting a warm golden hue on the carpet's fine fibers.

The TV was still showing "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf".

Laughter occasionally escaped from the little boy's mouth on the sofa, giggling and clear as bells.

A plate of cut fruit was placed on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

Apple chunks and orange segments were neatly arranged in a glass dish, with a thin layer of water glistening on them.

The faint aroma of fresh fruit wafts through the air, sweet and mingling with the dry scent of the indoor heating, making you want to take a deep, pleasant breath.

Lin Ye had just finished dealing with work and closed his laptop, putting it aside.

The hot air blowing from the computer's vents gradually stopped, and the buzzing sound from the computer completely disappeared. Only the sounds of cartoons on the TV and Xiao Douzi's laughter remained in the living room.

As the Lunar New Year approached, he had more to do and his working hours increased significantly. Fortunately, his agent was very dedicated, which saved him a lot of trouble.

Lin Ye reached out and rubbed his slightly swollen eyes. Just as he was about to pick up the water glass on the coffee table and take a sip to moisten his throat, a crisp notification sound suddenly rang in his mind.

[A communication request has been received from: King Meng of the Great Flame Kingdom. Do you accept?]

Lin Ye paused. During yesterday's live stream, he had given Wang Meng a communication token, telling him to contact him if anything came up.

I don't know how much time has passed since last night.

Why are you suddenly contacting him? Could it be that something unforeseen has happened that you can't handle?

He glanced at Xiaodouzi beside him; she was still nestled on the sofa watching TV, hugging that bulging square cushion, only in a different position.

The little one curled up on the sofa, her legs crossed, her head resting on the armrest, her cheeks slightly pouting from the armrest, her eyes fixed on the TV screen, beaming happily.

The television's colored light reflected on her face, making the light in her eyes even brighter. Multicolored spots of light danced in her pupils, like fragments of color in a kaleidoscope.

Lin Ye smiled slightly and stood up.

The little boy noticed the noise, turned around, and looked at you with a questioning gaze through his round eyes.

Lin Ye looked at her tenderly and said softly, "Godfather has something to take care of over there. Little Douzi, you can continue watching TV."

He pointed towards the living room doorway, indicating that he wouldn't go far.

Little Douzi nodded obediently, rubbed her chin against the pillow a couple of times, and spoke in a soft, sweet voice.

"Then Godfather, go quickly, Little Pocket is waiting for you."

After she finished speaking, she kept looking at him, as if she needed to make sure he really wouldn't go far before she could feel at ease.

The little hands hugged the pillow even tighter, the ten fingers sinking into the cotton, leaving small indentations.

Lin Ye chuckled, bent down and ruffled her hair, his fingertips running through her soft strands and gently pressing on the top of her head.

Then, facing Xiao Douzi's gaze, he turned and walked to the corner of the hallway in the living room, deliberately finding a place where Xiao Douzi could see him at a glance, and where he could also see Xiao Douzi.

Xiao Douzi then turned her attention back to the cartoon, but she would still glance over every now and then to make sure Lin Ye was still there.

The lighting here is dimmer than in the living room. The overhead spotlights are off, and only the ambient light from the living room casts a warm yellow halo on the walls of the corridor.

Lin Ye leaned against the wall, the cool wall surface sticking to his back through his clothes, giving him a slight boost of energy.

He then mentally chose to accept Wang Meng's communication request.

"Wang Meng? What happened?"

On the other end of the communication talisman, inside the Imperial Study of the Great Flame Palace.

Wang Meng sat in the chair, holding the communication talisman to his ears with both hands. Hearing Lin Ye's familiar, steady voice coming from the talisman, he immediately sat up straight, his back tensing.

Although no one saw him, he still bowed respectfully before speaking, his voice heavy with fatigue and guilt from the past few days.

"Lord Lin... this humble general failed to guard the Great Flame well..."

Lin Ye frowned, took out a communication talisman from his system backpack, and stuck it on the Heavenly Mirror.

He then asked, "What happened?"

The scene in the celestial mirror gradually became clearer. Wang Meng was sitting in a grand hall, with sandalwood tables and chairs, a screen embroidered with gold dragons, and a plaque on the wall that read "Eternal Stability of Mountains and Rivers"...

Judging from the decor, it is undoubtedly the Great Flame Palace.

There was no one else around except Wang Meng. The hall was somewhat dim because Wang Meng had only lit a few candles around the table to save money, leaving the rest of the place in shadow.

There seemed to be a faint sound of rain coming from inside, but it was blocked by the buildings and not very clear.

The people are still in the palace, and there doesn't seem to be any disturbance.

If someone called, then what is it because?

Wang Meng covered his face with his hands, his large, calloused hands covered by knife scars, with only a small patch of his dark forehead peeking out from between his fingers.

His broad shoulders trembled slightly, and then a muffled sound came from under his palm, as if through a wall.

"About two weeks ago, it started raining in Da Yan. At first, it wasn't heavy, and no one paid much attention. But then, the rain became torrential and nonstop..."

He paused for a moment as he spoke, as if he was organizing his thoughts, before continuing after a few seconds.

"By now, almost all the coastal villages and counties in the south have been completely flooded, and several sections of the inland river embankments have collapsed. The Great Flame is now a land of refugees..."

Wang Meng lowered his hand. A man who killed without blinking an eye on the battlefield and who hadn't shed a tear for three days and three nights without eating or sleeping in the snowy north, now had tears in his eyes.

"Last year's bumper harvest in the northern border is almost gone due to disaster relief efforts. Some people in the court are even taking advantage of the situation to stir up trouble, taking Shu Rou away with their intentions."

"And...Shu Jingwei."

"Lord Lin was right. Shu Jingwei's situation has indeed taken a turn for the better. Today, she was secretly taken away by people from the Western Regions, and her arms and legs have been healed."

"With natural disasters and man-made calamities occurring simultaneously, the imperial court is also rife with undercurrents..."

His voice lowered, his head drooped limply, and his chin almost touched his chest.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, as if he had swallowed something back, and finally it turned into a very soft sigh.

"It is because this humble general is incompetent..." Wang Meng's voice was already a little hoarse, and his tone became increasingly rough and deep.

"I failed in my duty to protect the Great Flame... Lord Lin, please punish me..."

Lin Ye felt a little heavy-hearted.

A natural disaster... This is troublesome...

However, he still reassured Wang Meng: "It's alright, it's not your fault. Natural disasters are something that human power cannot prevent."

"You've done a great job holding on for so long." His tone remained calm.

The voice came through the communication talisman, not loud, but it landed steadily and clearly in Wang Meng's ears, carrying a power that suddenly put Wang Meng at ease.

"Leave the rest to me."