Chapter 30 Chapter 30 I also hope you will give birth to a daughter for me...

The night was as dark as water, and a mosquito net in the color of Xiangfei was hung on the golden dragon head. There was silence in the tent, and only a faint sound of light breathing could be heard.

In the dim candlelight, Li Cheng turned sideways and looked quietly at the person next to him, with a faint smile on his lips.

From her tightly closed eyes, her beautiful nose, to her beautifully curved lips, he was captivated by them, as if possessed by some special magic that made him unable to extricate himself.

The night was quiet. The nanny guarding the screen could vaguely see the usually solemn and dignified prince, with his hands at his sides, gently leaning over Feng Yi. Their lips and teeth were intertwined, in a lingering obsession.

The old lady looked at her nose and her nose at her heart, and immediately lowered her head, not daring to look around.

After a long moment, footsteps were heard from the inside. The crown prince, his clothes disheveled, emerged with a tall figure.

Nanny Sun asked, "Your Highness, the hot water is ready. Would you like to take a bath now?"

Li Cheng paused for a moment, then nodded. As he walked towards the bedroom, he seemed to remember something and reminded her, "Kyoto has been quite unstable lately. Don't let Liang Yuan go out easily, or she might disturb the baby in her belly."

Nanny Sun murmured a yes. She secretly glanced at the tall figure in front of her. Even though he was only wearing a white lingerie and his hair was messy, he still couldn't hide his dazzling elegance.

Tongue-tied, she stood there, unable to move forward or backward.

Li Cheng didn't like being served while bathing, so after the maids had left, she found Mammy still standing nearby. Seeing the confusion on her face, she couldn't help but wonder, "Mammy, do you have anything to say?"

Nanny Sun sighed deeply, looking at His Highness's fair face, which still held a hint of satisfaction. Not daring to dwell on it, she carefully advised, "Your Highness, I have a few sincere words to say, but I'm not sure if I should say them."

The maids had served the Empress for many years, and even though Li Cheng was the Crown Prince, he still treated them with respect. He placed the clothes on the truss next to him, turned sideways to look at her, and said in a clear voice, "Mammy, please feel free to speak."

This place was originally Zhilan Residence where Fengyi lived. Because the prince got used to living here in the past few months, traces of the prince's residence can be seen everywhere.

There are black gold clothes on the truss, white jade gilded belts with four-claw python patterns, and a white jade rack not far away, which is specially used to hold the prince's crown.

It seemed as if this was the prince's real bedroom.

"Your Highness is young and full of vigor. Sleeping on the same bed with the Empress every night, it's inevitable that there will be some accidents." Nanny Sun helped him tidy up his clothes and continued to advise:

"This would not have been a big deal, but things are different now. The queen is pregnant with a dragon heir, and the imperial physician said the fetus is not very stable. I am worried that Your Highness will not be able to control himself and scare the dragon heir in the queen's belly."

She looked at the prince's face which was getting darker and darker, and continued bravely: "I know that Your Highness and Fengyi are deeply in love, but life is so long. Your Highness really doesn't need to be greedy for these few months of happiness. The real thing is to let the Queen give birth to a prince. Therefore, I suggest that Your Highness go back to the Tingfeng Pavilion in the front hall to sleep during this time."

After he finished speaking tremblingly, the expected scolding did not come. The prince stood there in silence, neither saying anything good nor bad. Madam Sun could not figure out the prince's current mood.

The surroundings were completely silent, with only the faint sound of the hourglass ticking from the Treasure Pavilion outside. Time ticked by, and the nanny's hands and feet were numb. Just as she thought His Highness was going to leave her alone, she heard the person above her suddenly laugh.

He pulled the handkerchief over and walked towards the pool, saying nonchalantly, "Don't worry, Mammy. I can tell the difference between the urgent and the serious. I know which is more important."

He then turned around and personally helped Nanny Sun up, his voice clear and melodious: "I am not the kind of person who would be impatient. Nanny has lived in the Eastern Palace for so long, is it possible that she hasn't known about this yet?"

"It's getting late, Madam, you're old, you should go back and rest. There's no need to stay here." He raised his hand and waved her off.

Nanny Sun looked at the smiling Crown Prince, feeling indescribable. She couldn't quite guess what the prince was thinking. However, since he had said so, he would surely take the heir in Fengyi's belly into consideration.

So she felt relieved.

The prince stepped naked into the bathtub. In the mist, he could only vaguely see the man leaning beside him, wondering what he was thinking.

Nanny Sun came out and met Nanny Liu who was on night watch. She couldn't help but tell her what had just happened. Nanny Liu frowned and shook her head and said, "You are really getting more confused as you get older."

"The Crown Prince is the heir apparent. Where he wants to live and what he wants to do is not something we servants should have the right to comment on." She pointed at Nanny Sun's head, annoyed.

"We were sent by the Empress. To be frank, even though we've lived in the Eastern Palace for so long, your Highness sees every move as the Empress's orders. You're undoubtedly telling your Highness that the Empress intends to interfere in your Highness's affairs and undermine his relationship with Fengyi. Think about it, would your Highness be happy to hear that?"

"What's more, the other day the Empress sent blood-red wine to facilitate the matter, and His Highness even sent Li Fu to Changchun Palace to inform the Empress and ask her to stop interfering in the matter. It's clear that he is truly devoted to Feng Yi. Why did you foolishly offend His Highness?"

Nanny Sun usually looked quite capable, but she didn't see things as clearly as Nanny Liu. After Nanny Liu's words, she finally understood.

He slapped his head repeatedly and cursed himself for being stupid.

"This Empress Fengyi might have a very noble destiny," Madam Liu looked up at the sky and murmured softly.

Nanny Sun was suddenly startled, her heart almost leaping out of her throat. She couldn't believe it: "...Are you talking nonsense?"

The identity of the person inside was clear. Even if the Crown Prince liked her very much, could he really go beyond the Emperor and Empress? Moreover, the Crown Prince had always been as clear-minded as a mirror. She did not believe that His Highness could do such a lustful thing.

Nanny Liu looked at her but smiled without saying anything.

Liang Hanzhang naturally didn't know about this episode. She fell asleep in the prince's arms and fell into a dream unknowingly.

This time, she dreamed not of Yanguang, nor of her brother, but of Gao, whom she had only met once. Gao looked very young, dressed in a pomegranate-red skirt, a pale pink, snow-gauze tunic that reached her chest, and a silk cape that clung to her arms like a butterfly, a look of elegance and grace.

She held a small windmill in her hand and smiled at the little girl, whose hair was only as tall as her knees. The little girl ran slowly, her legs and feet not so agile. She ran after the windmill with a smile, and bursts of silver bell-like laughter were scattered in the wind.

Liang Hanzhang stood nearby, and although he was just a spectator, he felt that the scene before him was very beautiful.

Suddenly, the world spun, and a rustling wind filled the air. Dark clouds obscured the sky, wild beasts howled, and the garden, once teeming with life, was transformed into a cemetery. From time to time, the wails of crows filled the air, their voices so mournful they could penetrate the cracks of a person's bones.

The mother and daughter seemed unaware of the danger and continued to chase each other. Liang Hanzhang was anxious and wanted to shout to warn them, but his throat felt like it was blocked by cotton wool and he couldn't make any sound.

A tiger roared from a distance. Not far from the grave, a pair of amber eyes with a bloody smell suddenly appeared. It was the big insect!

Its colorful fur blended into the eve of a storm, like an ink painting by a skilled artist. Its heavy claws stepped on the grave, roughly digging it open, and soon there were piles of bones in its place.

With a long howl, the tiger methodically charged towards the mother and daughter, its intentions obvious. Liang Hanzhang's heart felt as if it were being tightly grasped. Her face turned pale and she screamed, "Go! There's a tiger! Go!"

The playful mother and daughter still did not respond. It was unclear whether they did not hear her shouts, or their souls did not belong to this world and they were just chasing each other mechanically.

The tiger stepped on the white bones, and a slight crunching sound was heard. It raised its head, revealing its sharp white teeth still stained with blood, and opened its bloody mouth to swallow the mother and daughter.

"Run! Run!" Liang Hanzhang was so anxious that he was sweating all over and rushed forward without thinking.

But strangely, no matter how hard she tried, she could never finish the extremely short distance. Her eyes were bloodshot as she watched the tiger arch its back, suddenly leap forward, and tear her flesh with its sharp claws.

In a blink of an eye, the sky and the earth were filled with blood.

"No! Run, run!" Liang Hanzhang was so tired that he was out of breath, his chest cramping, and he watched the bloody scene. The mother and daughter who were playing just now had turned into piles of bones, no different from those buried in the grave.

The sky was high and the earth was vast, leaving her alone standing there, witnessing the silent death of humanity. Her body was unsteady, her head was buzzing, and the next moment she collapsed to the ground.

Time seemed to pass for an eternity, so long that she could no longer feel its existence. At the same time, she heard a familiar and gentle voice from deep within the white clouds, anxiously calling her name.

It was very strange. After hearing this voice, all the fear, confusion and horror I had just felt slowly dissipated like the tide.

She slowly opened her eyes and found herself sleeping in a Xiangfei-colored bed curtain, while the man next to her was holding her, looking anxious and worried.

"Zhang Niang, you finally woke up!" He was so scared that sweat covered his forehead. His voice was not as calm as usual, and if you listened carefully, you could hear a slight tremor.

The woman's eyes were tearful, with tears still flowing from the corners of her eyes, and her voice was muffled: "Your Highness."

"I'm here, I'm here." He consciously avoided the other person's lower abdomen and hugged her tightly in his arms, full of pity and love, and kept comforting her: "Don't worry, I'm here."

"Your Highness, the imperial physician is here," the nanny lifted a corner of the curtain and said in a low voice.

Li Cheng lifted her slightly and held her in his arms, holding her right wrist for the imperial physician to feel her pulse. He lowered his head slightly and saw the woman, like a wooden statue, mechanically raising her hand, her eyes fixed on the lines on his inner garment. His heart tightened.

After taking the queen's pulse, the imperial physician knelt down and reported: "Your Highness, the queen's pulse is stringy and rapid, her liver qi is stagnant, and she is in a state of confusion. It must be because she is worried too much, so she has been possessed by demons in her dreams."

Li Cheng frowned: "Is there any way to break it?"

"Your Highness, don't worry. The Queen's spirit is intact. Allow me to prescribe a tranquilizing medicine for her. She will be at peace in ten days."

Hearing that she had to take medicine again, Li Cheng's brows furrowed even deeper. "She's pregnant. Will this medicine have any effect on her?"

"Your Highness, this medicine soothes the liver and moistens the lungs. It's not very strong. Just take it for a few days. It won't affect the fetus in your womb." Seeing that your Highness was still dissatisfied, he considered it for a moment and added, "It won't have much of an impact on your Majesty either."

Even so, medicine is not without its side effects, so Li Cheng still wanted to treat it without medication. "Is there any other way?"

The imperial physician hesitated for a moment, subconsciously glanced at the thick bed curtains, and replied with a bow: "This is caused by heart disease. As long as Your Majesty remains calm and does not worry, this disease can be cured without treatment."

Li Cheng glanced at the person in his arms who still had a dull look in his eyes. He felt heavy in his heart. He asked a few more questions and then asked someone to go downstairs to boil the medicine.

He gently pressed his palm against her temple, carefully untangling her hair. He asked, "Mother Zhang, what did you dream about? Can you tell me?" He was patient and gentle.

Liang Hanzhang was indeed craving that gentle touch. Her dazed eyes gradually fell on the man's face, and she replied softly, "I... dreamed of a dead person."

"That mother and daughter were eaten alive by a giant tiger right in front of me, and I witnessed it with my own eyes, but I was powerless to do anything." Her throat felt like it had been scalded by boiling water, and every word she spoke was extremely difficult.

Li Cheng gently held her in his arms, kissed her forehead and comforted her: "It's just a dream. Dreams are the opposite of what they used to be. Don't take it seriously."

Liang Hanzhang lowered his eyebrows, as if he didn't hear what he said, and said to himself: "I know that mother and daughter. They are the eldest lady Gao in the Marquis Boyi's Mansion. The little girl should be her daughter."

"Marquis Boyi's Mansion?" The prince straightened his body slightly, letting her pillow more comfortably, and asked curiously, "Why did you dream about them?"

He had heard that the eldest wife of the Zhuang family had lost a child many years ago, and he was afraid that even Gao herself didn't know what her daughter looked like now. How could she, who had only met Gao once, recognize her daughter? Li Cheng shook his head, somewhat unconvinced.

The woman clutched the corner of his clothes tightly with both hands, and said in a low voice, not yet fully recovered: "Actually, I don't recognize her daughter either, but looking at the scene in the dream, and the age and appearance of the child, she should be Gao's daughter."

She also felt strange. Why would she dream of someone completely unrelated to her out of the blue? Was she too worried during the day, or was this dream suggesting something?

She couldn't think about it; the thought would start a throbbing pain in her head. Seeing her face grow paler under the light, Li Cheng hurriedly asked her to lie down flat, then placed his hands around her head, gently massaging her temples.

The woman on the couch refused to move and insisted on getting up. She said anxiously, "I am of humble origin. How can I be treated like this by Your Highness?"

Every time at this moment, Li Cheng's strong side would be fully revealed. He said in a firm voice: "I am the crown prince, do you dare not listen to what I say?"

Liang Hanzhang had no choice but to lie down obediently.

His hands kept moving as he added, "The imperial physician said that this is caused by worry. Zhang Niang, you must tell me whatever is on your mind. Don't keep it in your heart. It's not good for you or the child."

He had heard that pregnant women experience mood swings, difficulty eating and sleeping, and experience extreme hardship. At the time, he thought it was an exaggeration, but now it seems to be true.

The joy in his heart because of her pregnancy was gradually extinguished by the rain. Looking at her pale lips and weak breathing, the prince's brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

Liang Hanzhang was surprised at his skill. In fact, when his gentle voice sounded in her ears, she gradually calmed down.

Hearing the man's question, she was stunned for a moment. She knew the real reason for her worry. She was wondering whether to keep the child. If she wanted to abort the child, how could she do it without the imperial physician finding out?

But all this cannot be told to the prince under any circumstances.

She tried to force a smile: "I am not worried about anything, but I got pregnant suddenly. I am worried that I can't take good care of the child, and that the child will be wronged and disappoint Your Highness."

Li Cheng paused, a look of surprise on his face, as if he hadn't expected her to be worried about this. He sighed, "None of this is something you should worry about. Just rest and recuperate. I'll take care of everything outside."

He looked her up and down, leaning closer to her, his breath on her face, his eyes burning:

"Are you worried that if you give birth to a daughter in the future, my father and I will be unhappy?" If so, everything can be explained.

Liang Hanzhang moved his lips, but ultimately did not speak.

This reaction fell into the eyes of the prince, just confirming his guess. The man seemed helpless, pinching her porcelain-white face and explaining:

"Don't worry, I won't be disappointed even if it's a daughter. I'm the crown prince of a country. Although I hope to have an heir, I also hope that you can give birth to a daughter for me."

"If it's a daughter, she will be the most noble princess in our dynasty, and the prince consort she will marry will be one in a million." He felt the soft touch of his palm, and his eyes were filled with a trace of yearning for the future:

"You have met the Emperor and the Empress. They are very kind and have no dissatisfaction with you. All this is just your own unnecessary worry."

"Don't think too much, okay?" He lowered his voice slightly and coaxed softly.

The man's right hand rested on the bed, and as he leaned sideways, a sturdy chest could be vaguely seen through his collar. Liang Hanzhang's face flushed, and he casually replied, "Okay." Then he leaned back into his arms.