Xie Zhiyi volunteered, "Let me do it! I'll play the businessman; it'll be more believable. Sister Hui and the others have a strong presence; they look like they came from the military. I'm not good at martial arts, so I can totally play an ordinary businessman. Besides, I'm already in business."

To be honest, everyone thought it was a good idea after Xie Zhiyi said that.

Of those present, Gu Hui and Jinghe had only trained in the army for a short time, but their demeanor had changed dramatically over the years.

If Xie Zhiyi is to pose as a merchant, and Gu Hui and the other two are to pose as guards, the credibility of this arrangement is very high.

Xie Zhiyi had stayed in Kuncheng for two years and was familiar with everything they had brought.

As for Peng Ze, he can return to the camp with Xue Qianyu, prepare for battle, and deliver a heavy blow to the Yunhai tribe that is about to attack.

The group began to discuss what to do next.

...

It was on the second day of September that Empress Xue, far away in Chunnan City, went into labor.

Grandma Xiao stayed by Empress Xue's side the whole time, so Empress Xue's delivery was completely smooth. It only took half an hour, and at noon, Empress Xue gave birth to a prince.

Upon hearing the baby's cries and the midwife's announcement that it was a prince, the Gu family, who had come to accompany the mother during childbirth, breathed a sigh of relief, as did the Empress Dowager.

The most obvious examples are Gu Shouxin and Cai Xiaolian.

Cai Xiaolian was terrified that if Empress Xue didn't give birth to a son, her husband would be deposed from the throne. She had no desire to be empress!

Gu Shouxin was relieved that he no longer had to choose the tallest among the short; they could now work together to raise a tall one.

This little prince has arrived at just the right time.

Over the course of nearly a year, the Empress Dowager heard about the various disturbances caused by the princes in the capital and saw the increasingly outstanding Gu Shouxin, which made her very hesitant.

Now that the little prince is here, and looking at her second grandson's expression, she feels relieved.

A few days later, the news reached the capital, and the emperor happily went to drink a few cups with Empress Dowager Jiang: "Mother, the crown prince has been chosen, and I am truly happy!"

Empress Dowager Jiang was genuinely happy for her son, but at the same time, there was a hint of melancholy in her eyes.

The emperor saw through it all but didn't know how to persuade them. Recently, the Third Prince and Li Shan had started causing trouble, even driving the Third Prince's wife to commit suicide. Li Shan, in league with the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, had been secretly pulling many strings.

The Duke of Rongguo was Empress Dowager Jiang's own brother, and he was the emperor's maternal uncle. However, that family hoped he would die so that the third prince could ascend the throne. The key point was that his foolish son actually agreed to it.

Empress Dowager Jiang looked at the Emperor with a kind expression: "Your Majesty, I've been thinking that after seeing the Empress and my grandson in two months, I will go into seclusion. This time, please don't stop me. You've grown up, my mission is complete, and I have no more attachments to this world. Your Majesty, remember, no matter what happens, I am now only your mother, nothing more. Don't let me hold you back; do whatever you want. You've already given the Jiang family the honor it deserves; you owe the Jiang family nothing. You are the ruler of a nation, different from ordinary people; your actions must be considered from the perspective of the entire Great Zhou."

The emperor, who was in a good mood after having a son late in life, suddenly lost his good mood.

He sighed, "Mother, is it alright if we stay in the palace? I'm afraid you'll be disturbed if you stay outside."