Su Yan could read me like a book at this point, all of my mothers could for that matter. Though the reason why they could wasn't just a skill from paying attention to detail.
"Oh don't go teasing him like that too much, Husband. So, Leiji, how are you going to handle it? Will you do the same thing for them?"
"Mother… Even when it's just those two, it's already a bit beyond what I'm comfortable with…"
"Oh really? I seem to recall you laughing their talks off as if it was nothing important. Or as if you weren't bothered if their thoughts weren't just a phase. You will have them as your own, even if I have to force you to do so."
"Mother, please, it's not as if I have it in me to turn them away. Not when they were pleading with every fiber of their being, like that… It was unsettling." I sighed. "Besides, even if it's uncomfortable for me, I know that those two would be completely heartbroken if I refused, which isn't something I should do as a big brother."
Ru Meng was smirking on the side, taking in the sight but she decided it was finally time to speak. "Don't worry too much about all of that stuff son, those two girls never for a moment stopped saying they would marry you. So just go with it, we certainly don't want to see them hurt. And finding someone else is impossible."
"I know, Mother Ru. That's why I didn't say no and allowed them to move in. Though, I will hold out a little longer just to be certain they aren't stuck in the phase because of when I left."
"So that's what you told them back then? You're just like your father, trying to weasel out of everything."
"Well, in any case, I'm glad I've returned home."
My family was in the throes of getting all giddy with my children. And of course, any of our friends of the family were welcome to come by. Time passed as I held my babies, and enjoyed the sights, ignoring the difficulty level of the next… Husband and wife seclusion. Especially now, that my other wives had finished gathering the others with potential.
"Father, Mothers. Please look after these adorable little ones for a little while. I have some matters that I must attend to."
"You sure you don't want me there, Son?"
I shook my head. "No, Father. Ever since you declared me the head of the cave heaven, against my will, these types of decisions no longer need your input." I sighed, with a saddened look. "Though, I wouldn't mind having you and mother there."
"I see, well… Good luck, Son. I wish you many more, I trust your judgement. I wouldn't have made you the head if I didn't. He laughed.
On a higher floor, well above the rooms where our family and friends were, my wives, the young women they brought, and I were now here.
"Husband, these young ladies, were all contenders to marry you before the war began. Each of them held out the hope of seeing you one more day. Each often came to the shrine to honor you."
"I see, and you wish to have more sisters, like usual?"
All of my wives with an impassioned tone… "YES"
I looked around the room and noticed that the one manager from before was there as well. "In that case, I can't really refuse you. However, I do have demands, one that must be followed, understand?"
The now joyfully tearful women nodded. It was almost as if they knew what it would be.
"First, you must understand, none of you can be made official wives." I said, trying to dissuade as many as possible right off the bat. Though, that didn't change a single one of their minds. "Well, that was the only demand that might have changed minds… You've been informed of all of this ahead of time…" I sighed when I saw the smirks and giggles.
It was now time for them to prove their boldness. And given the situation everyone was presently in, there weren't many ways to prove it. However, all of them included the exact thing they all did. As suddenly, there weren't any clothed women in the room.
"Fine then, I accept you as my concubines. A step below my wives, but several steps above the maids."
Thus I took responsibility for them all… Once done we left the room and had everyone mingle with the rest of the family. The maids offered me a revitalizing cup of tea at the very moment I appeared.
"Well, I had a feeling that was bound to happen at some point."
"Yes, and the best part is, more grandbabies."
"Agreed, great-grandbabies are the best. The more the merrier. Hear that, get to baby making again."
I chuckled with a soft and warm smile. "Grandmother, as much as I'd like to do that, I have business I must take care of. That is, unless my father wants the cave heaven back?"
"Nope, you keep it."
"You know, I might just pass it over to my brother. He seems to understand the in's and out's of running the cave heaven properly."
"That's up to you now, son. But, allow me to make a recommendation…" Yang Kai waited, and then sighed. "Wait until he is at least a 9th rank open heaven realm."
"I will…"
Huo Lei sat in my lap, and kissed me. "You know dear husband. If we do what mothers did, we could keep going right now. I know I could go for some fun with you."
Once this idea was introduced, it was only a matter of time before the rest of my family practically forced the matter. Especially my grandmother, Dong Su Zhu. And so, for the next few months, I took groups of my wives, concubines and maids into the chamber. 5 groups in total, that's just how many women were now my responsibility. And whilst they were still carrying, the heads of all other human forces gathered for a single massive submit as I had some pressing news to relay to them all. It was imperative to say the least…