Chapter 37 It will take a few more days...

Renfengli in the capital city is very lively. The herringbone-shaped streets are crowded with people, and there are shops on both sides and constant shouting.

Going further in, you will reach Mingcheng Hutong, a cramped place full of pubs.

"Get out of the way! This is government business. Anyone who dares to stop us will be arrested!" A group of soldiers in official uniforms, with long swords hanging around their waists, crossed the street at a very fast speed.

All the people who saw them hurriedly made way for fear of bumping into them.

A group of soldiers quickly entered Mingcheng Hutong.

The pub was bustling with people.

Those who come here to drink are ordinary people. After finishing their physical work on weekdays, they come here to relax for a while.

The price is not high and you can also listen to books.

The storyteller on the stage was an old man, who lowered his voice and said, "It is said that the King of Jianping stabbed the emperor's chest with a sword, and blood flowed out. The emperor covered his chest tightly, in disbelief, and said, "My son, how could you do such a treasonous thing! Do you know that I have already written a will, and after I die, this world will be yours!"

Many drinkers listened attentively.

Bang--!

There was a loud noise!

The soldier kicked open the door of the tavern and shouted coldly, "Arrest them all!"

Everyone was panicked and ran away without thinking.

The storyteller on the stage was so frightened that his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground, "Sir, this is a misunderstanding! I was telling you stories from books, they are all fake!"

"Oh, whether you are real or fake, arrest him!"

"No, sir, this is a book given to me by the tavern owner. I am just following it. If anyone wants to arrest someone, arrest the owner!"

But no matter how he explained, the soldiers didn't listen and arrested them all.

Throughout Mingcheng Hutong, there were constant wails.

The people around saw people coming out in groups and their faces changed.

This bailiff actually arrested so many people at once!

The leading yamen runner looked around and snorted coldly, "If anyone dares to talk nonsense about the emperor and spread rumors again, this will be the end!"

"From today on, storytellers in teahouses and taverns are not allowed to talk about any imperial dynasty, even fake ones. If anyone is caught, they will be arrested!"

"Take them all away! Send them to jail!"

As the soldiers left, Renfengli finally became lively again.

The people gathered in twos and threes, whispering.

"I didn't expect that so many people were arrested. From this point of view, it might be true..."

"If the emperor had not lost his moral integrity, how could there be no heir until now?"

"Shh, be careful with your words! From now on, don't say anything else, or you'll be arrested!"

The arrest operation was not limited to Mingcheng Hutong.

Over the course of the entire day, the government arrested more than a hundred people. They had to suppress this rumor completely at all costs!

The second day.

All officials attended court.

Talk about this again.

As an important minister, the Left Prime Minister was the first to hand in a memorial, "Your Majesty, although the rumors seem to have disappeared now, in fact, this is only a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution. There will definitely be many people who will talk nonsense in secret. There is only one way to stop the gossips of the world, and that is to have an heir as soon as possible. In this way, all the rumors will be broken on their own."

Zhang Chengyan threw down the memorial and said, "Don't I know? But can this heir be created just by saying so?"

"Your Majesty!" Another official said, "I got a prescription from the Western Regions a few days ago. I heard that it can strengthen the body and will definitely be able to help Your Majesty."

The prescription was delivered to Zhang Chengyan.

Over the years, he has taken various tonics, and as a doctor through long-term illness, he has become familiar with the medicinal ingredients used in them.

He immediately saw the first few herbs - epimedium, deer antler slices, and cornus officinalis...

This is clearly an aphrodisiac!

Zhang Chengyan's face turned pale, and he tore the prescription into pieces without mercy, "Don't send me this kind of prescription again in the future!"

He stood up and said, "Resign!"

If he doesn't leave now, he will be angered to death by these ministers today!

All day long, they either offered him prescriptions for nourishing his body or aphrodisiacs. If they had the chance, they would probably want to crawl under the dragon bed and watch it with their own eyes!

Return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Zhang Chengyan leaned on the couch tiredly.

The current predicament can only be resolved by having an imperial heir.

Otherwise, it will only get worse day by day.

Wang Decai carefully massaged him, "Your Majesty, this rumor has suddenly spread everywhere, there must be someone behind it fanning the flames."

"How could I not know? I think the people who could do such a thing are my brothers!"

When Zhang Chengyan successfully inherited the throne, he also defeated his brothers in battles.

For the sake of his reputation, he did not execute them all, but instead exiled them to various remote fiefdoms.

They still have evil intentions and although they can't do anything to Zhang Chengyan, they can still find ways to disgust him.

Zhang Chengyan opened his eyes and said, "Go and call the Imperial Observatory."

"yes!"

Half an hour later.

The sixty-year-old Imperial Astronomical Observatory with a full white beard stepped into the Yangxin Palace and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister greets you."

"No need to be polite. I want to ask you, will there really be an heir next month? And who in the harem looks most pregnant right now?"

Now time is running out and we can't go on like this. We must find a truly suitable concubine so that we can conceive an heir to the throne faster.

"This..." The Imperial Astronomical Observatory lowered its head, "Your Majesty, I cannot tell the truth about this matter. However, judging from the astronomical phenomena, there are indeed signs that the royal heir will appear next month. However, the pearl is now covered in dust, and it is still unknown whether it can really appear. All we can say is... everything depends on human efforts."

Zhang Chengyan waved his hand tiredly, "Go down."

"Yes, I will take my leave."

"Wang Decai, let those palace maids come in and serve me personally." Since there is no one to choose, let's start with Concubine Li.

He had to get familiar with the opponent's body shape before he could take action.

The words fell.

A dozen or so palace maids filed in.

Each of them is fat and can block half of the door.

Zhang Chengyan felt some pain in his eyes.

But he still took a deep breath, raised his head, and stared at them, "Come here, from now on, stand in front of me, do you hear me?"

The palace maids didn't understand why, but they obeyed anyway.

The palace maids came before him one by one.

One person stands for half an hour, and then the next one takes over.

This one is fat and ugly.

The next one is fatter and uglier!

While dealing with memorials, Zhang Chengyan looked at them from time to time, trying to find beauty in their fat bodies.

That night, he turned over Lady Li's card again.

…

When the night is quiet.

Zhang Chengyan lay on the dragon bed with a hopeless look on his face.

As the Son of Heaven, he is the one who has the final say, but now he has to force himself so painfully to favor a woman he doesn't even like!

What kind of emperor is this! What kind of emperor is he!

He raised his head and saw Lady Li twisting her body like a worm beside him, and his stomach churned.

He stood up and got off the dragon bed, "Wang Decai!"

"The servant is here."

"Lady Li will wake up soon, let's have her carried away."

He...he still needs a few more days!

If you give him two more days, he will definitely be able to favor Lady Li!

I must be in a bad mood today, so I can't do it!

Soon, Concubine Li woke up, and Wang Decai immediately called the eunuchs to carry her away.

The night grew darker.

The last candle was completely extinguished.

The entire harem was in darkness.

Fubao jumped into Bai Wutong's arms again and meowed twice.

One beep means not favored, two beeps mean not favored but almost favored, and three beeps mean really favored.

"The emperor is almost going to favor Concubine Li. It seems that he will favor her sooner or later. This is not acceptable." Bai Wutong doesn't care who the emperor favors, but if he favors her after favoring others, she will feel inexplicably disgusted.

It’s probably because my father and mother have always been faithful to each other and there has never been a third person.

She let go of Fubao and called Chan'er, "Starting tomorrow, you will go to the imperial kitchen and keep an eye on it. Don't let anyone else find out. If there are any live pigs delivered, you must notify me immediately."

Chan'er blinked. She had been following Bai Wutong for a long time, so she knew very well that she shouldn't ask too many questions. "My lady, I understand. I will go there early tomorrow morning."