The role of a mother-in-law towards the daughter-in-law is very vital. It can be said that if fathers were strict since they are prioritizing their daughter's future when choosing a spouse, then mothers would be the one that will surely hold the whip of the horse when it comes to their sons choosing a bride.

They could not just hand their well-breed sons to others ah!

Technically, this had been a natural course of selection, especially to those families that were considered to have a great influence in the society. This can be usually seen in business-related industries where sons are mostly wed off to another business partner that seemingly have a wonderful and beautiful daughter. This had become the norm, thus those people who tend to become deviant would be treated as the black sheep of the family.

But this is the course during the modern society. Comparing it with the ancients, at least, the contract between these people is somewhat freely done and consensual. They have to do it in accordance to the law or else they will be implicated by the government and the public.

On the other hand, the ancients do truly hold about these marriage contracts, but most of the time were done to the benefit of the other party. Marriage contracts between nobles are only to ensure the safety of each other's wealth, rather than the feelings of their children. It will even reach to the point where violence is implemented just to control the youngsters.

Though, in this story, marriage contracts are used the same but violence is entirely banned. After all, if one is not a noble or a royalty, an individual can be married freely. Or if ever circumstances where a royalty fell in love with a commoner, then the parents only needed to confirm if their feelings were the same so they can arrange a contract. In that way, there will be less trouble and hassle in both parts.

But this is different in the case of the Emperor.

The harem had become a tradition ever since the first establishment of the empire. This had become the responsibility of the leader of the palace, and it can never be easily eradicated since most of the people had already accepted it as true and right. So, no matter the emperor wanted to become a eunuch* or reinforce monogamy, he will still be tasked to create a harem since this is a matter of the state.

[A/N: No, he's not going to be castrated like a eunuch. I just used it to say that if ever an emperor doesn't want a wife or is asexual.]

Xie MeiLin, as the Empress Dowager, is one of the people that decide if one can enter the harem or not. It is her responsibility to manage the Emperor's garden since the Emperor has not chosen his empress, and thus become a vital figure when it comes to the selection process. The Queen of the land has standards so only those who were qualified to enter can be guaranteed a title.

Currently, there're twelve concubines in the harem, excluding Lin Mian Mian. They were chosen by the Empress Dowager in accordance to her checklist with the criteria highly dependent on their skills and talents. If one will receive a score lower than the average threshold then they will be crossed out. Of course, Yan JinLong would have a say in these beauties since he will be the one marrying them, not Xia MeiLin.

Before, the Empress Dowager has no impression towards the harem. As long as they are obedient and was taking good care of their children than selfishly using them as trump cards, then she will not treat them badly and reward them. As a mother, she wanted to implant the wisdom to the ladies about the importance of becoming a queen if ever one of them will become the Empress someday. She did not want to have a daughter-in-law that is a wretch.

However, when Xia MeiLin first saw Lin Mian Mian, she thought that she had found the person that could brandish a sword when handling his rogue son.

From the first look, Lin Mian Mian immediately earned his ticket towards the mother-in-law's heart. It could be said that if ever the thirteen concubines will have a race, and somehow Lin Mian Mian runs the slowest, the Empress Dowager will not think twice of giving him a horse to hasten his steps, or move the finish line before him.

He accidentally opened the flag of raising a favor with the mother-in-law! So lucky!

Xia MeiLin thought that choosing him as a wife is her idiot son's best decision in his life!

As for what she liked about Lin Mian Mian, it would be right to say that she was captivated by his beauty first. In the harem, beauty is something very common that anyone working on the site could just bat an eye whenever they saw a beauty. After all, beauty is a key ingredient to produce a good-looking son so this aspect has been considered as top priority.

Lin Mian Mian is beautiful; there is no doubt in that. However, his beauty is not to the point of looking fake. It is just in line with perfection, but imperfect on the same time. The flaws on his appearance are present but it did not make him look ugly, but more of an immortal that descended only to become human.

He looks fragile and frail but unbreakable.

He looks slightly dumb but not stupid.

He is the perfect example of a white lotus born from mud – an indication of purity despite the black schemes of the world. By this, Xia MeiLin is not afraid that Lin Mian Mian will be easily persuaded by the palace's internal strife since his morality can never be easily destroyed.

Right, though his chrysanthemum was broken easily by a banana launcher. He he.

Another point that made Xia MeiLin like about Lin Mian Mian is his temperament. He has a cool type –the one who is simply happy-go-lucky. He will not scheme if not needed, and would only interfere if his safety or those people he protected were in danger. This is a good attitude for an Empress since an Empress should not interfere with the Emperor's business too much, otherwise stated.

This perspective is almost in line with Lin Mian Mian's natural laziness, only by just using wonderful words to describe it.

She has a lot of words to describe Lin Mian Mian's good traits as though his son is Lin Mian Mian, and not Yan JinLong. This is the reason why she was very eager in meeting the ger. She wanted to chat with him, have some girly talk, because surely she knows that Lin Mian Mian will listen and agree to her complains. It's just that due to Father Lin's death, she postponed the meeting a lot of time.

Now that she can have a one on one talk with Lin Mian Mian, she did not waste any time and summoned the ger. Who knows how excited the Empress Dowager is in meeting this beautiful ger ah!

[A/N: Like mother, like son pfft-]

Lin Mian Mian arrived on the designated meeting place. He did not do anything excessive, which is very much in-line with the Empress Dowager's standards, and they started talking. By now, Xia MieLin was able to understand the ger's diverse knowledge of words. Lin Mian Mian isn't really the talkative type but once he gets comfortable with someone, he can tattle non-stop.

Though Lin Mian Mian was nervous earlier, it can be said that he is calm now. The Empress Dowager is not a bad person so he should not be paranoid in treating the woman. He treated her like how he treated his mother to which made the whole ordeal go smoothly.

Well, it went too smoothly to the point of the Empress Dowager asking something wonderful. While Lin Mian Mian is trying his best to entertain the old woman, Xia MeiLin suddenly blurted out:

"When are you giving birth?"

If seas could just go roll over and destroy the planet, or the sky will fall due to gravity, this question might become very superficial. Lin Mian Mian almost choked in air when it was asked. The sudden question almost compared to the Hydrogen bombs, destroying over the remaining brain cells that are working. He tried to hide his aghast expression with a twitching smile.

Repeating, he asked, "Lady... I mean, Mother, what did you ask?"

Xia MeiLin leisurely enjoyed the horrified expression of the youth secretly as she purposely prolonged the situation. She bit the baked crackers Lin Mian Mian brought and hummed with a smile. She finished the treat first before responding to the question.

"This Mother-in-Law wanted to ask when you are giving birth. Surely, you were expecting a child, right?" Xia MeiLin said.

'Why would you think of that', is what Lin Mian Mian wanted to ask. But he keep it on his mind since the lady did not know about his and Yan JinLong's current condition. Everyone can see how passionate the two people are, but nobody knows (aside from the servants) the real events behind the painting.

Isn't this is the reason why Yan JinLong promptly declared of bedding him once he is done in the war?

And once he return, no matter what excuses Lin Mian Mian will give, the other man will refuse to submit. After all, they are already legal partners. Yan JinLong already has given Lin Mian Mian enough time to prepare. Lin Mian Mian already knows the intention so he was in a hurry to leave.

Once the emperor is gone, it is time for the little wife to move.

Or else, he will really start liking this prison ah.

However, just thinking of becoming pregnant, Lin Mian Mian subconsciously rubbed on his tummy. He is a man on his previous life, and is still thought the same now. It still feels weird that he can now have the ability to carry a child and give birth to one. Just by imagining the scene made him feel uncomfortable.

Since the beginning, he is only thinking of dealing such task due to the original soul's intention. But as the storyline progresses, he realized that he was the one acting as 'Lin Mian Mian' now. There is no longer the 'original soul' but he 'himself.

Why did he think that this world is not real?

Opposite to his feeling is what the original Lin Mian Mian wanted. He wanted a child, and wished to have one, but he cannot. It is as though they were being played by fate. One who wanted to obtain what he wished will never be able to attain it, while the other who never expected to receive the gift will have it.

Xia MeiLin watched the tender action of the youth and thought that the ger must be feeling restless. Well, after all, it would be his first child. The child rearing for the ger is different from a woman. It takes a lot of consideration since a ger has the same constitution of a male giving them a hard time to give birth.

The reason of her question is also because of this concern. The females of the harem have their own physicians supervised by the Empress Dowager to look over when they are in labor. So far, there were no stillborn babies and the children are all healthy. Now that Lin Mian Mian is here, she needed to prepare beforehand since he needed more care than usual.

"Don't think too much about it," Xia MeiLin gave a reassuring smile.

"As a mother, I know the feeling. I am also worried when I have my first child. That is only the anxiety caused by being inexperienced. Later, on your second and third birth, you will realize that it is just part of being a parent."

Lin Mian Mian once again chokes on air. Surely, there is no child in his stomach, and yet here is the mother-in-law already taking consideration of the second and third child.

Are you hurrying up? You think babies can be grown up from seeds or something?

Lin Mian Mian wanted to cry blood ba!

Aside from that, Lin Mian Mian would be leaving so he won't be giving any births. This mother-in-law will surely be sad once she will know about it so Lin Mian Mian tried to coax the woman. At least, by reassuring here, she would not expect great from this transmigrated soul.

"Mother... oh, how I wish to carry a child," Lin Mian Mian acted out like a fragile mistress, slightly making his eyes a bit teary. "But due to my state..."

He is known to have a pink cinnabar. Though not entirely infertile, the planting still needed to be taken a lot. Xia MeiLin quickly understood his meaning. Gers who only have averaged-color cinnabars usually gives birth to a son after a year or two years from marriage. Lin Mian Mian not having a child right now is still normal.

"I am not hurrying this child," Xia MeiLin reaches out to pat the adorable ger. "The moment the emperor returns, I will make sure to send some supplements to help you in your spring. In this way, surely, you will be happy."

"Thank you mother," Lin Mian Mian happily cursed the term 'spring' and kiciking it towards Yan JinLong. Who's giving a child to whom ah? Not him!

Never!

Then again, this time, only one person sneezed on the battlefield.

"You caught a cold?" Minister Chang Jie asked.

"Don't talk nonsense," Yan JinLong swatted the minister away.

Lin Mian Mian did not want to focus on the #Topic: The In-Laws are Asking for Grandchildren, what Should I Do? Internet people, I need help!# since this is really a very awkward topic to him. So he shifted the conversation to a new topic, telling a few good stories with the Empress Dowager. Xia MeiLin also did not bother him about childcare and indulged the youth in a hearty conversation.

While they are having a great time together, another character hidden in the dark watched their interaction. It can be seen from the glint of the stranger's eyes the desire to kill Lin Mian Mian. With a smile, the person turned around to walk in another direction. A maid from the corner appeared to accompany the concubine.

"Lady Fu," the maid softly called.

"Hmmm. Prepare the medicine," Fu Xiao San commanded. "Make sure to mix it well so that he won't notice."

"Yes, Lady Fu," and the maid vanished.

Fu Xiao San chuckled as she returned to her room. Lin Mian Mian might be a docile sheep but Fu Xiao San can see that he is something beyond innocence. The Empress Dowager calling him to the chambers only meant something, and that is the appointment of the next Queen.

Before, her only problem is Yin Mei Mei. That concubine is really very explosive that Yan JinLong favored her so much. Fu Xiao San wanted to take her position so she planted her people around to keep watch on everyone's action - except for Lin Mian Mian.

This person, somehow, was able to keep his courtyard free from any strangers. No matter how she tried to bribe a servant, or have someone enter his feild, she can't since Yan JinLong is guarding him very much. Now that the dog is gone, she can freely execute her plan.

She was able to poison Lin Mian Mian on her previous life; she would also be able to do it now.