The male supporting character was actually myself.

After making up his mind, the frantic excitement in his brain gradually cooled down, and he felt the previous discomfort surge through his body again. He felt weak and tired all over, yawning incessantly but without any sleepiness. His stomach also felt vaguely uncomfortable, and a little cold sweat gradually appeared on his forehead. Li Dongchen involuntarily curled up in the corner of the kang, trembling slightly and groaning.

"What's wrong with you?" Zhang Ziqiu pushed open the door and entered the room at the right time. Seeing his sallow complexion and lifeless eyes, she knew he was having a craving for cigarettes. She pretended to be concerned and said, "Are you sick? Should I go and call Dr. Yang to come and take a look at you?"

Li Dongchen was in excruciating pain, feeling as if ants were crawling all over his body, yet he couldn't find the right spot to relieve the pain or itch. Hearing her say this, he nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, "Quick, quick, go and call him over, oh... I feel so awful, oh..."

Zhang Ziqiu's original plan was to make his addiction even stronger and unable to quit, so that his body would gradually collapse and he would no longer be interested in bothering her and other women. As long as he could not give birth to a son, he would not be able to threaten her position.

Being the nominal eldest daughter-in-law of the Marshal's Mansion and doing a good job as the principal is better than being one of those helpless widows.

In that case, it was impossible to let Dr. Yang find out that he was smoking opium, otherwise the warlord might force him to quit, but he couldn't guarantee that he could stop him every time.

Just like before, if the concubine hadn't suddenly fainted in the hall at my father-in-law's place and been diagnosed with pregnancy, Dr. Yang probably would have found out...

She made up her mind to pretend to go out for a walk and came back with a sigh, "Dr. Yang is busy. Oh dear, those pregnant concubines are practically being worshipped. I think you just caught a cold. Drink some ginger soup and bear with it for now."

"Damn it, why is there so much trouble just because I'm pregnant!" Li Dongchen lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) groaning and cursing, tears streaming down his face as he begged her to go and call the doctor again.

After pretending several times, Zhang Ziqiu came over with a black dumpling, casually tossed it to him, and said coldly, "The courtyard over there is too busy to handle. Right now, those pregnant concubines are the treasures of the Marshal's Mansion. Let's not be so tactless as to offend them."

My dad used to use this thing to warm himself up when he wasn't feeling well. Just smelling the smoke would relieve his leg pain and general discomfort. You should try it; maybe it will help you sleep peacefully.

"What is this thing? And why does it smell so bad?" Li Dongchen had never handled opium paste before. He picked it up and smelled it, and frowned. He wondered if Zhang Ziqiu had taken the opportunity to play a trick on him with some kind of poop.

But he was in so much pain that his head was buzzing and he was too weak to think. When Zhang Ziqiu patiently brought over an oil lamp, he decided to try anything, so he used tweezers to slowly roast the black pill over the fire.

"Take it easy, just take it if it relieves your discomfort a little. My dad said that although this stuff is a medicine, it's also addictive. It's okay for an emergency, but you can't use it as medicine for a long time." Seeing that thick smoke was coming out, Zhang Ziqiu quickly gave a few words of advice and left the room, considerately closing the door behind her.

Li Dongchen was restless, wiping his nose and sweat as he watched the flames lick the black pills, which emitted a faint smoke.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!" He took a deep sniff and actually found the smoke somewhat pleasant!

With each breath, he felt his whole body quickly relax and feel comfortable. The previous discomfort receded rapidly, replaced by a blissful and refreshing feeling.

Li Dongchen involuntarily moved closer to the black, bubbling substance that was being heated by the fire. He felt that inhaling it through his nose alone wasn't enough, so he opened his mouth wide and tried his best not to miss a single wisp of smoke, swallowing it all into his stomach, letting the wonderful, fragrant smoke soothe and comfort every corner of his body.

As for Zhang Ziqiu's admonition not to smoke too much, he had long since forgotten about it.

A small black glutinous rice ball was quickly roasted to ash, and his body felt extremely satisfied. Li Dongchen lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) with his eyes half-closed, entering a magical state.

He felt as if he were floating on clouds and could do anything. In this dreamlike state, his body and mind were greatly enjoyed and relaxed. He didn't know how much time had passed, but he fell into a deep sleep in this extreme comfort and slept until dawn.

"Phew! I didn't expect that stuff you made could actually cure diseases." After getting up, Li Dongchen felt radiant and energetic, without feeling uncomfortable at all, and immediately developed a good impression of the black pill.

The fluffy little dumpling squatted on the wall with its hands tucked in, smacking its lips and shaking its head. "Holy crap, so that's how it is! Zhang Ziqiu is really something, how did she think of using this thing to drag the protagonist down? It's truly subduing the enemy without a fight, awesome!"

It gave Zhang Ziqiu, who was beaming with joy after her plan succeeded, a thumbs-up, and then hopped off to the backyard.

With his illness completely gone, Li Dongchen had more time and energy to think about how to carry out his plan to kill those competitors who were still in his womb. He carefully recalled the herbs and bottles his mother had secretly tinkered with back then, and went to the study to rummage through his mother's belongings, searching for any clues to that mysterious formula.

For more than ten days in a row, apart from the little dumpling running back and forth to monitor and report, the Marshal's Mansion was calm and peaceful, and Jiang Chen's unification cause was also progressing smoothly according to the original plan.

Just as Li Dongchen found the prescription and prepared the medicine to take action, Jiang Chen, having received firsthand information from the little white cat, immediately called Mr. Nangong.

"Hmm, this is breaking through the darkness before dawn." After hanging up the phone, Mr. Nangong stroked his catfish-shaped beard and calculated for a moment before revealing a satisfied smile. "It really is time to close the net!"

Amidst the festive decorations and the crackling of firecrackers, the Spring Festival celebrations concluded after admiring the lanterns, eating glutinous rice balls, and passing the Lantern Festival. The streets and alleys of Yucheng were shrouded in thick white snow, and every shop was open for business. Large red lanterns hung at the shop entrances, and bright red Spring Festival couplets adorned the doors, maintaining the joyous and peaceful atmosphere of a prosperous and peaceful year.

Mr. Nangong changed into his usual street-walking attire, carrying a wooden box and carrying a banner as he strolled down the mountain.

Today is the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, a day when the commander-in-chief specially went to the temple on the mountain to fulfill his vow.

"Speaking of which, the second young master is the most thoughtful. He was so happy to hear that the commander-in-chief was going to have another son that he sent him a congratulatory gift and reminded the commander-in-chief to worship the Goddess of Fertility. Today, he even specially arranged a ritual to fulfill his vow."

Although he can't come back from the front lines, his heart is full of joy. Even we can feel the Second Young Master's happiness at the addition of a new member to the Marshal's Mansion. On the contrary, the Eldest Young Master..." The bribed Nineteenth Concubine hooked her arm around Li Tianxing's and whispered sweetly in his ear, "The other day, when the sisters found out they were pregnant, everyone was overjoyed!"

But the eldest son turned and left with a long face. I heard he even complained to his wife that he'd have more brothers to divide the inheritance. His wife said he was too young to earn his own money and was just sponging off his parents. The eldest son was very unhappy and went home to beat and scold her.

Another concubine, who was not yet pregnant and had come along seeking a child, nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right, I saw it too!"

I also heard from the servants that when the eldest young master went back, he was stammering and said that he was not feeling well. He repeatedly instructed his wife to call Doctor Yang away and prevent him from preparing medicine to help the pregnant sisters.

The eldest young mistress, being sensible, offered him a few words of advice, but the eldest young master instead caused her to suffer.

I thought he was genuinely unwell, but the next morning he was full of energy, reciting poetry in the courtyard. It was obviously intentional. The three of us sisters hadn't conceived yet, and the eldest son beamed at us, but the look in his eyes when he saw any of us sisters who were pregnant was terrifying!

"General, we've already come to pray to the Goddess of Fertility even though we're not pregnant yet. What if we end up pregnant... Wouldn't the young master hate us sisters to death?"

"Sixteenth Sister has been having nightmares lately and can't eat or drink. She's usually in the best health, so why is she having such a strong reaction? Doctor Yang said her baby's position is very unstable. Commander, you really need to take this seriously, otherwise, if the sisters can get pregnant but can't give birth safely, it will be both physically and emotionally damaging!"

“It’s understandable that the eldest son has such thoughts. After all, he is the eldest son and has been recognized as the future heir of the Marshal’s Mansion for many years. Now that he has come of age, he suddenly has some younger brothers and sisters. He is a meticulous and thoughtful person, so he must feel uncomfortable.”

“I’m worried that the Marshal’s Mansion will have a bunch of babies coming out one after another. The second young master is stationed in the army and can’t come back, so he has no one to support him. The eldest young master is unwilling to protect his younger brother and sister. In the future, our children will be born out of wedlock and will not be favored by the eldest brother. How will they manage…”

……

The three concubines, who were not yet pregnant, chattered around Li Tianxing, making him somewhat uneasy.

He personally called his second son to announce the good news at the Marshal's Mansion. His tone was genuinely happy for his father, and he said that with the help of his brothers, the country would be more secure. That same day, he sent several cartloads of good things back to celebrate.

I really didn't pay attention to how my eldest son, Dongchen, behaved!

I was so busy having fun on New Year's Eve that I didn't even see when that kid left.

As for the rumors that he had too many children and was trying to seize the family fortune... that's quite possible!

Over the years, he had always thought that since he had few children and could not have any more, he had doted on his eldest son as the heir to the military governor's mansion. His second son had been fighting in the east and west to build up the country, and recently he had been coming to discuss with him from time to time how to govern the country. Now, after careful consideration, Dong Chen might very well have already regarded him as the future ruler of the country.

Having successfully conceived one child after another, and with these children reaching their twenties, it would be the perfect time for him to relinquish power and retire. It's no wonder he would consider his unborn children as his hypothetical enemies.

"Sigh, this child is so foolish!" Li Tianxing couldn't help but sigh.

Dong Chen probably hasn't figured out what Jiang Chen's new policies mean yet. It's obvious that after unifying the vast land, the new country will no longer operate under the previous dynasty's model!

Without ascending the throne as emperor or having a royal family, there was naturally no concept of succession rights.

The new country was conquered inch by inch by Jiang Chen leading his troops, and the new policies were also drafted and implemented by him. In the future, he himself will only be a nominal commander-in-chief.

Furthermore, since the majority of the Marshal's Mansion's income now comes from Jiang Chen's shares, how can he possibly use his second son's property to support his other children when he's about to die? Where would he find so much family property and power to distribute?

It seems I must find an opportunity to make things clear when I get back. I need to carefully consider how to distribute my family property. At the very least, I need to ensure that my concubines are secure and at ease so that they can have children freely. Only then can the Marshal's Mansion continue to produce offspring!

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Marshal's Mansion is Haunted

After a long period of excitement, Li Tianxing, under the protection of his guards, brought his three concubines down the mountain. The car suddenly stalled at the bend at the foot of the mountain.

"Waaah~ Huff!"

The car made a few whirring noises but wouldn't start, so the driver had to jump out to check the situation.

Mr. Nangong sat by the roadside, twirling his catfish-shaped beard, and said loudly, "The car wasn't broken down, but it just so happens to have stopped here, which means we're destined to meet. Distinguished guest, how about I offer you a divination?"

Having said that, he stood up and peered into the carriage, forcefully offering his divination. "Hmm, General, you look great! Your rosy complexion indicates a series of joyous events in your household. However, there's a hint of darkness within the red, which foretells a bloody disaster. General, please hear me out—"

Mr. Nangong pretended to do some divination with his right hand, then, fearing the guards would come to stop him, he hurriedly said loudly, "The Marshal's mansion is blessed by the Goddess of Fertility, congratulations on this auspicious sign of the addition of a son!"

"Oh? This fortune teller was really accurate!" one of the concubines exclaimed happily. "General, we are so glad we met such a wise man on the road; it was definitely worth the trip!"

Li Tianxing frowned slightly and shook his head, saying, "Although the joyous occasion at the Marshal's Mansion didn't spread much, there's been quite a commotion lately. Today, he went up the mountain to pray for blessings, so anyone who pays attention would know that the mansion has a new addition to the family. I think he probably just wants to take this opportunity to ask for some reward money. He just wants Lieutenant Li to give him some money to get rid of him. I'm too lazy to listen to the nonsense of a charlatan."

"The General is wise!" The concubine said with a smile as she leaned against him, glancing helplessly at the fortune teller outside the car window. She thought to herself that the man the Second Young Master had found was too unreliable; he couldn't even fool people with his ideas and appearance.

How could a seasoned and knowledgeable general be so easily fooled?

Lieutenant Li got out of the car, took two silver dollars and handed them over, saying, "This is a reward from the commander-in-chief. Now that you've received your reward, hurry up and leave."

Seeing that his original plan had not worked, Mr. Nangong couldn't help but sigh inwardly that the chosen one's luck was indeed strong. It was indeed a bit difficult for him to go against the heavens. He did not take the money and looked at the other party with a solemn expression, saying, "The jinx is hiding in the general's mansion and intends to do something naughty. The concubines in the mansion who are pregnant are afraid that their lives will be in danger."

Even if you don't believe me, for the sake of the commander's lineage, remember not to let anyone else come into contact with their food.

Lieutenant Li gave him a deep look, handed over two silver dollars, and said in a deep voice, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. Please accept this as a token of my appreciation and leave."

"It is the will of Heaven. If anything goes wrong, you can come to Nanhutong to find me at any time." He twirled his catfish-shaped beard, collected the silver dollars, bowed to the people in the car, picked up the banner, and turned to walk down the path.

Once he was out of sight, Li Tianxing's car started up without warning, as if nothing had ever happened.

No one mentioned the little incident on the way, and the group returned to the Marshal's Mansion in a grand procession. The fluffy little dumpling squatted on the roof of the car, scratching its ears, a little puzzled. It was clearly a powerful bug that could knock down its own host with a single blow, so why was it having so much trouble dealing with Li Tianxing?

Will the things I ask you to do work, Host?

"Young Marshal, I really did my best!" As soon as Mr. Nangong returned to the Reform Bureau, he hurriedly called Jiang Chen to report the situation. It was clear that the city was under attack, and the booming cannons were deafening.

He had no choice but to shout at the top of his lungs, "I've calculated it carefully. The laws of Heaven change too quickly. Obviously, that guy has put all his goals and energy into dealing with the unborn child. The laws of Heaven are hard to defy! At the very least, one fetus will die. This is all a preordained fate. If I were to change it, the consequences would be too great. I simply don't have that kind of power!"

Holding the microphone, Jiang Chen watched the front line advance smoothly and sighed, "Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate. If we really can't save them, there's nothing we can do."

Being able to calculate it and being able to stop it are two different things. After all, without the protagonist's halo, the world's will cannot revolve around bugs.

His own Horcruxes were deployed to the battlefield to reduce the losses of the soldiers, and it was impossible to send them back to keep an eye on them for the time being. Hopefully, the little white cat could play a role...

"Achoo!" The fluffy ball sneezed, covered its nose, and bristled as it glared at Li Dongchen, who was happily smoking opium. It cursed, "You're smoking all day long, it stinks! If it weren't for the special historical background that's backing you up, I would have reported you to the main system for drug use and said you don't deserve to be the protagonist!"

Damn it, no wonder some brain-dead scripts love using the warlord era as a setting. Does it really mean all sorts of chaos doesn't matter? The protagonist can even betray everyone and sell out their country for personal gain!

Zhang Ziqiu carefully checked that no one was paying attention before hurriedly entering the house, carrying her handbag. She took out a sealed paper from the handbag and said in a low voice, "I just ran into my father-in-law when I came in. It scared me to death!"

How did you get addicted to this stuff? And doing it at home is incredibly dangerous! If your father-in-law finds out, he'll definitely beat you to death!

Li Dongchen, holding a large opium pipe in one hand and a pipe in the other, was lounging on the kang in a classic pose, puffing away. He was immersed in a dreamlike, half-awake state and gave a lazy smile as he replied, "What's there to be afraid of? I don't smoke much. I just use it as a painkiller when I'm feeling unwell."

Besides, now that I have several pregnant concubines in the backyard, my father has no interest in paying attention to me!

He's completely preoccupied with those pregnant women now, haha... Father's getting senile. They don't even know if those babies are boys or girls yet, and he's already in so much pain. They're still illegitimate children, how could they possibly outdo me, the eldest son? He'll find out in the future; in the end, the only one he can truly rely on is me!"

"Keep your voice down, or the servants will gossip." Zhang Ziqiu looked at his absorbed expression, pretended to offer a few words of advice, then put the opium paste she had just bought on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and turned to leave the room.

Hmph, with your opium-crazy appearance, you expect people to rely on you?

She rolled her eyes dismissively, thinking to herself, "Go ahead and dream your pipe dream while you're smoking opium! I'll just pretend to be reluctant and buy you extra every time. At this rate, you'll be completely drained in no time. Then you won't have to worry about anything. Just focus on running the school well and everything will be fine!"

After having his fill of fun, Li Dongchen lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and dozed off for a long time. When he finally woke up refreshed, it was already getting dark.

"I'll have dinner a little later. You all serve the young mistress your meal first." He made good use of the time, using his illness as an excuse to postpone having dinner with Zhang Ziqiu, and found a moment to slip out of the west courtyard. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around during dinner time, he went to the back courtyard.

The wind was cool, and Li Dongchen felt that his mind had never been so clear!

He even felt that after a good night's sleep, his alertness had improved a lot. He could hear and see in all directions and actually entered the courtyard of the eighteenth concubine, who was the first to be found to be pregnant, without encountering a single person.

After discovering on New Year's Eve that his concubines were pregnant, Li Tianxing immediately changed the family's rule of having everyone gather for every meal.

In order to ensure that the concubines could take good care of themselves during their pregnancies, each of them was specially provided with their own small kitchen. This not only ensured that they could cook whatever they wanted to eat, but also ensured that each person would be responsible for their own tasks, which would be safer.

The sky grew even darker, and the lanterns cast flickering, indistinct light in the cold wind.

"Knock knock knock!" Li Dongchen found his way to the small kitchen in the backyard of the eighteenth concubine and saw that the sturdy maid was brewing medicine to prevent miscarriage. After thinking for a moment, he knocked on the closed wooden door and then hid behind a large vat.

The little maid was watching the medicine pot and stirring it from time to time. The warlord had personally ordered that the concubine's diet must be handled by a designated person and that no one else be allowed to touch it, or else they would lose their head.