That evening, Hongli came to have dinner with Yushan, but she remained lying in her tent and did not get up. Hongli asked Changyue what was wrong.

"Where does Yushan feel unwell?"

Chang Yue didn't know what to say, so she whispered, "Her Majesty, the Empress is not in a good mood. Why don't you go and comfort her?"

Why are you in such a bad mood for no reason? Hongli walked to the tent and asked her what was wrong. "Tell me what's bothering you. Is it because of your elder brother's divorce? He's such an outstanding man, he'll definitely meet a suitable girl again, you don't need to worry."

She didn't respond, so he continued to guess, "Did the kids upset you again? Which brat? Yongzhang or Yongrong? I'll deal with them and get revenge for you."

Su Yushan remained lying face inward, grumbling unhappily, "Then you might as well deal with yourself."

"It's me?" Hongli didn't understand her meaning for a moment. "What did I do wrong? I don't think I did anything wrong."

Last night she was nestled in his arms talking to him! Today he went to court and reviewed some memorials, so why is she angry with him as soon as he comes back?

Hongli was puzzled and pressed for an explanation. He even turned her over so she was facing him, determined to get to the bottom of it.

Su Yushan glanced at him, her face full of worry, and sighed, "The imperial physician said I'm pregnant again."

Upon hearing this, Hongli beamed with joy, "This is a joyous occasion, how can you not be happy?"

Everyone says pregnancy is a joyous occasion, but Yu Shan doesn't see it that way. "Why should I be happy? I've already had four children. I told you long ago that I didn't want any more, and you said you would be careful. How come I'm pregnant again?"

Hongli coughed lightly and gave an awkward smile, "I've been very careful, but sometimes I might not be able to control myself and retreat in time, so accidents are inevitable..."

Taking medicine is harmful to the body, so Hongli had no choice but to use this method to prevent her from taking it. The imperial physician said that this method could also harm men. Although he couldn't verify whether it was true or not, Hongli accepted it, as long as Yushan wasn't harmed.

He has kept a fairly strict eye on things over the past few years, and there have been no major accidents. But there are always exceptions. This time, for example, he made a mistake because he was too engrossed in his work.

If he's not careful, she'll have to get pregnant again. The thought of the hardships of ten months of pregnancy fills Su Yushan with inexplicable fear.

"But I really don't want to have any more children."

Four children were already her limit. Childbirth is a great drain on a woman's energy, and after giving birth to Yongrong, she clearly felt that her body was not as good as before. She became more sensitive to cold and was prone to night sweats.

The imperial physician treated her for a long time, and she drank medicine for more than half a year before she recovered slightly. Now she is pregnant again, and if she has another child, her body will probably be damaged again.

She was already very happy with her life and really didn't want to experience that torment again.

Holding her soft hand, Hongli gently persuaded her, "I know you don't want it. I was careless this time, but now that we're pregnant, it's fate. It proves that we are destined to have this child."

Judging from his tone, Su Yushan had already guessed his attitude. "So you want this child?"

Over the years he's been with Yu Shan, Hongli has gradually changed some of his views, but deep down he's still a traditional man. Of course, he believes the more children the better, but out of respect for Yu Shan's wishes, he tries to restrain himself and doesn't have too many.

But now that she's pregnant, he wants to see the child born.

"In two years, Rongyu will be of marriageable age. You will definitely feel lonely without your daughter by your side. If you have another daughter to keep you company, you will have more fun."

Expectations are always beautiful, but reality often falls short of expectations. "How can you be sure it's a daughter? What if it's a son?"

“Sons are fine too,” Hongli said nonchalantly, spreading his hands. “Anyway, we have a throne to inherit, so we can’t have too many sons.”

"..." Su Yushan couldn't refute these words. She just sighed and fell silent, her eyes looking to the side, filled with worry.

Hongli was unsure of what to do. After a long silence, he finally asked, "So what are your plans?"

Ever since the imperial physician confirmed it, Su Yushan had been thinking about this matter. She pondered it all day, but still couldn't convince herself to endure another ten months of suffering. So, an idea came to her.

"I want to abort this child."

"But abortion is also harmful to the body!" After saying this, Hongli lacked confidence, because he knew very well that he was the one who caused all the conflicts.

“I know that pregnancy is very harmful to a woman’s body, and I don’t want you to suffer anymore, but I failed to control it well. This is my fault. I understand that you are in a bad mood and do not want this child, but you should know that abortion is also harmful to your body. I secretly hope that you can keep this child, but the decision is yours. If you still do not want it after careful consideration, then we will follow your wishes and have an abortion.”

He didn't force her, but let her make a choice. Su Yushan was also in a dilemma. Getting pregnant would harm her health, and getting an abortion would also harm her health. She didn't know what to do.

Yu Shan was a sensitive person; once something was on her mind, she would toss and turn at night, unable to fall asleep. Hongli advised her not to put too much pressure on herself.

"Sometimes our views may conflict. I will express my thoughts, but I will still respect your wishes."

That being said, how could she possibly disregard his feelings at all?

Confused, Su Yushan asked Yunfang and Changyue for their opinions while getting ready the next day. Yunfang felt that since the emperor had told her to decide, she should have an abortion, and she thought the emperor would understand.

Chang Yue, however, felt that she should stay. "In my humble opinion, since the Emperor favors only Your Highness and the other concubines in the harem have no opportunity to have children, the important task of producing offspring for the royal family falls on Your Highness."

Although His Majesty hasn't insisted, he must really want this child. Your Majesty should also consider His Majesty's feelings; royal blood is extremely precious, and naturally, the more the better. Your Majesty is only thirty-three years old this year; giving birth at this age is quite normal. As long as the imperial physicians provide proper care, it shouldn't be too harmful to your health. Of course, this is just my opinion; the final decision should be made by Your Majesty.”

Everyone has their own opinion on the same matter, and it's hard to say who is right and who is wrong. The ancients believed that having many children was a blessing, but Yu Shan didn't want so many children. However, Hongli was the emperor and only doted on her. It seemed unreasonable for her not to have children.

She had originally decided not to have the child, but the words of others made her hesitate. She was unsure whether her idea was right or a selfish act.

Su Yushan became increasingly confused about what to do.