When this matter was brought up, Shen Jinchen paused for a moment before giving Cen Xi an explanation.

This relationship was something he forced upon himself. He was always insecure and lacked confidence, and every time they argued, Cen Xi would threaten to leave him. Therefore, he never mentioned her inability to get pregnant, and he was afraid to bring it up.

Because he was afraid—afraid that one day, for reasons beyond his control, Cen Xi would easily abandon him.

"Now that I know, what should I do? What about our previous agreement? What if you never have children in your life?"

Cen Xi didn't know how much of what Shen Jinchen said was true and how much was false, but they were indeed facing a real problem.

That is the serious fact that she can never get pregnant and cannot have children for him, so there will be no one to inherit the throne.

Shen Jinchen: "..."

Shen Jinchen fell silent. He was the only remaining heir of the Great Qi royal bloodline. If he didn't have a child, those who followed him would do everything they could to force him to take a concubine.

"Make a decision soon. You know my personality; I could never share a husband with another person in this lifetime. Shen Jinchen, it seems we really are not meant to be."

Cen Xi pushed him away, gave a sad smile. It was undeniable that she had fallen in love with this man, but it was precisely because she loved him that she could not bear to let another woman share her husband.

If this matter cannot be resolved, the wisest course of action now is to act decisively and decisively.

"No! No! Ah-Xi, we will definitely have a child, we definitely will."

Looking at Cen Xi's face, Shen Jinchen had a feeling that things were getting out of control. He was quite certain that if he really had another woman, even if it was only for the sake of continuing the family line.

Cen Xizhen would leave him without hesitation, and if he insisted on not letting go, it might lead to a separation of life and death.

He couldn't accept this reality.

He didn't understand why.

Why does fate torment him so?

“Nothing is absolute, Shen Jinchen. You should know that such a thing could happen. It’s better to end it now than to suffer for a long time. Let’s separate. You should ascend the throne as soon as possible and complete your mission. I will continue on my own path.”

Cen Xi felt this was an unsolvable problem; having children was something Shen Jinchen absolutely needed. And she would never compromise herself for love, so she decided to just ignore it.

"Why? Why can you always say you want to leave me so easily? Ah-Xi, it's not like you can't have children. You just need to raise them for a few years. After a few years, we'll definitely have our own children, we definitely will. Why... why don't you trust me?"

Looking at Cen Xi's restrained yet resolute appearance, Shen Jinchen felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing his heart. He grabbed Cen Xi's shoulders with trembling hands and questioned her repeatedly.

"Would it happen? Actually, you already knew the answer when you chose not to tell me about your health! Shen Jinchen, put yourself in my shoes, would you be willing to watch me do those intimate things with another man? Would you be willing to watch me do what you did to me along the way with Jun Jianchou?"

Cen Xi's eyes were red-rimmed, her gaze deep and complex.

She absolutely could not accept Shen Jinchen using another woman to do that kind of thing, even if it was only for the purpose of continuing the family line.

"you…!"

Shen Jinchen was overcome with anger and blood, and lost his balance, slipping slightly.

"so…"

"So let's break up. It's not because you don't love me, nor because I don't love you. You have your responsibilities, which I can't stop. Letting you go is the best thing I can do."

Cen Xi didn't help him up; she just glanced at him with a complicated look in her eyes and walked out.

This time, she was determined.

"No! No!"

Seeing Cen Xi walk away without looking back, Shen Jinchen let out a shrill cry, stood up instantly, and pulled Cen Xi into his arms.

Tears silently streamed down my face.

"No, don't leave me! Ah-Xi, don't leave me, I... I can give up my child, but I can't give up my empire. I can't live without you. Without you, I would rather be dead. I don't want to live without you."

"I don't want to live without you..."

Shen Jinchen repeated the same sentence over and over in a hoarse voice, tears welling up in Cen Xi's neck.

The night was deathly still, with only the suppressed sobs of a man inside the room.

Half an hour later, Shen Jinchen seemed to have cried enough and straightened up Cen Xi's body, ready to conquer the city and seize the land.

Cen Xi pushed him away abruptly, her voice hoarse:

“No matter what, this is a real problem. Let’s all calm down and think about how we should make a final decision.”

"Cen Xi! You're always so cold-blooded and heartless, always so quick to say you're leaving. Calm down? How can I calm down? I've already said I'll cure you, we'll definitely have a child, why won't you believe me?"

"Then why did you hide it from me? Why? If things weren't out of control, why would you keep it a secret? The situation must be really bad for you to choose to keep it a secret. You know your identity; you need to have a child, but can I give you that? What will you do if I can't?"

Cen Xi looked at him, tears silently streaming down her face.

Finally, everything was settled, and then she…

"I…"

Shen Jinchen was speechless. Yes, what would happen if she couldn't give him a child?

“We really need to calmly consider the consequences before deciding whether to be together. Shen Jinchen, your life isn’t just about love, it’s also about responsibility. You carry the dream of restoring the entire Great Qi royal family on your shoulders, and those who follow you won’t want you to stay with a woman who can’t have children. So you really should think about it carefully.”

Cen Xi wiped away the tears that had rolled down her cheeks, and after resolutely and earnestly saying what she wanted to say, she stepped out of the room.

Before Shen Jinchen could even process what she had just said, he saw her about to leave again. Without thinking, he caught up with Cen Xi, grabbed her around the waist, and turned back into the house.

"Shen Jinchen, don't make me hate you."

Seeing Shen Jinchen tearing at her clothes recklessly, Cen Xi didn't move, but a single tear slid down her cheek.

Her words were so provocative that Shen Jinchen's eardrums vibrated, causing him to abruptly stop moving. He then angrily pounded the bed and fled the scene without a word.

She did not return to the princess's residence for several days afterward.

After everyone left, Cen Xi lay on the bed alone for the whole night, her hand frequently touching her lower abdomen.

The next day, she got out of bed with a heavy head, feeling dizzy and disoriented. After a while, she asked Qingyi to invite Su Nianniang's family, as well as Eunuch Qin and Gu Chunhua, to her courtyard for questioning.

After Su Nianniang brought Xiaoyu and Jiuyi in, Cen Mingxian, who used to cling to Xiaoyu, seemed a little reserved. She looked at her eagerly for a while, then lowered her head in disappointment.

"What's wrong with Little Fish? Come here and give her a hug!"

Cen Xi felt a pang of sympathy seeing her awkward demeanor, so she waved to her.

"Princess... Princess, may I still call you Mother?"