Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Tenderness
The woman's voice was tinged with tears, but she tried hard to hide it in front of him. She looked him up and down before commenting, "Your Highness has lost weight," and then adding, "And darker."
Li Cheng laughed at the latter part of the sentence. He had been away for the past few months, either controlling floods, directing the people to resume farming, or investigating the whereabouts of government silver.
Going out in the wind and rain every day, getting tanned is inevitable. But from the woman's tone, it seems that she even has some disdain in her voice?
Just when he was about to make a joke, he saw the tear marks on her eyelashes and couldn't help asking, "What did you dream about just now that made you cry so uncomfortably?" Liang Hanzhang didn't know that he had a habit of talking in his sleep, and he didn't know how much the prince had heard.
She quickly changed the subject and said, "It's nothing. Has Your Highness had his meal? How about I ask someone to prepare some food? Your Highness has finally returned home, so naturally he must eat and drink well."
As he was about to get out of bed to give her instructions, the man put his arm around her waist and gently placed her back on the edge of the bed, his hands half resting on her sides. His eyes were piercing and unyielding. "Mother Zhang, you and I are husband and wife. Is there anything you can't tell me?"
Liang Hanzhang's expression froze. He thought, "How can they be considered a couple? His legitimate wife is the Crown Princess." And she, a mere concubine in the Eastern Palace, whose only contribution would likely be bearing the Crown Prince's eldest son or daughter.
She knew that if she didn't explain it clearly today, the prince would definitely plant a thorn in her side, not to mention that she needed his help. Liang Hanzhang pondered for a long time, biting her lip and saying shamefully, "I'm scared."
Li Cheng: “?”
As the woman spoke, she threw herself into his arms with tears in her eyes: "Your Highness, I am scared. People say that giving birth is like walking through the gates of hell. I am unlucky and I am afraid that something unexpected will happen that day and I will never see Your Highness and the baby in my belly again."
She spoke with such sincerity and emotion that her eyes, having just stopped crying, quickly became wet and her whole body was shaking with sobs. Li Cheng hadn't expected her to be so concerned about this matter. It was indeed his inconsiderateness.
Statistics show that 30% to 40% of women die during childbirth, and this is a conservative estimate. Even if the Eastern Palace gathered the most famous doctors in the Jin Dynasty, who could guarantee that there wouldn't be any mishaps on the day of childbirth?
Take his mother, the Queen Mother, for example. When she gave birth to Luo Hua, the baby was so large that she nearly suffered a dystocia. She then risked her life to give birth to the child, but the war kept her from properly recuperating. Furthermore, she was so worried about her father, the Emperor, that she cried endlessly, leaving her with a chronic illness. Now, in her early forties, she can barely see.
Can the safety of mother and child really be guaranteed on the day the child is born? The prince was suddenly extremely anxious. He hugged the woman, kissed her forehead with heartache, and whispered comfortingly: "Don't worry, there are countless famous doctors in the East Palace, and they will never let you suffer such an accident."
He cast his gaze not far away, his voice resonant and powerful, "If anything were to happen, I would definitely ask the Imperial Physician to come to my aid. Mother Zhang, I won't let anything happen to you." If it really came to that, it would only mean that this child was not meant for them. In that case, he didn't need to force it.
Liang Hanzhang leaned in his arms and wanted to use this excuse to fool the other party, but she didn't expect that the prince was really frightened by her words.
When I first heard it, I felt quite moved. After all, he was the crown prince of a country. The eyes of the emperor, empress and people all over the world were on the child in her belly. If they knew that the prince actually protected the elder one and not the younger one, they would be so angry that they would fall down.
The man's words were indeed pleasant to the ear. But, when the moment came, who could be sure? She scoffed inwardly. Sincerity was the least of her worries when it came to interests. Besides, it was hard to say whether the prince was sincere to her.
She didn't know what was wrong with her. She felt the prince had become very strange since he left, and there was a hint of inquiry in her eyes. Could it be that Yan Guang had told him the truth? Her instincts made it seem unlikely. Although the old man Yan Guang was stupid and evil, they must have been of the same mind on this matter.
The eldest son or daughter of the crown prince carries the blood of the rebels of the previous dynasty. What could be more exciting and more devastating than this?
It was precisely because of this that she was so fearless when she first faced the Crown Prince. Thinking of Yan Guang, Liang Hanzhang could not suppress her overwhelming hatred. Her brother was actually dead, and was killed in such a cruel way.
That person had repeatedly claimed that as long as she cooperated and monitored the Crown Prince's every move from the Eastern Palace, she would protect her brother's life. But now, he was dead in Jiangnan, at Yan Guang's hands!
Liang Hanzhang couldn't help but wonder, did his brother die a violent death, or was he deliberately murdered by Yan Guang? Could it be that this damned old man couldn't even spare his brother's life?
My brother had been tortured by him since childhood, and I thought that soon my brother and I would be able to see the light again and live a decent life in the world. I never thought that the beast would be so vicious!
The woman buried her head in the man's chest, her eyes becoming more sinister.
The imperial physician had already been summoned and was currently waiting in the outer hall. His Highness and the Empress had been separated for months and naturally had a lot to talk about. Steward Li was very considerate and had waited outside with his men, not intending to go in and interrupt the couple's conversation.
Li Cheng smoothed her hair with his fingers, his voice gentle, "I just came in and heard you calling out 'brother'. Haven't you been alone since you were little? Where does the term 'brother' come from?"
Liang Hanzhang's throat choked, not knowing that he had actually been talking nonsense in his sleep and that the prince had heard him. He thought about it in his mind for a while and then said something random:
"When I was a child, there was a brother in my neighbor's house who treated me very well. He always gave me the delicious food. Just now, I dreamed about my childhood and couldn't help but say some nonsense. I accidentally scared Your Highness. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."
Hearing her words, Li Cheng's brows darkened. She was always like this, calling him "the concubine" on the left and "the concubine" on the right, and the words between the lines were very awkward.
They were clearly a close couple, yet they had to communicate in this way. When would she ever be able to treat him like she had just now, as an ordinary and kind husband, rather than a high and mighty heir apparent?
But he couldn't speak freely of what was in his heart, fearing that her excessive thoughts during pregnancy would harm her body. Besides, there was still plenty of time in the future; he could always hold her heart firmly in his hands, letting her heart and eyes be filled with him. Never to be apart again, for all eternity.
The two of them clung to each other for a few moments before the Crown Prince finally called in the imperial physician. Several top gynecologists had been assigned to the Eastern Palace to tend to Liang Yuan's pregnancy. The Crown Prince's first child was a matter of great importance to the entire palace.
Li Cheng accompanied him and listened carefully to the doctor's reply. He finally breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that there was nothing serious. When the doctor was about to leave, he asked Li Fushun to follow him and invite him to the side hall.
After entering the side hall and closing the door, the prince asked, "Is there a possibility that Liangyuan will have a difficult delivery this time?" It was not a good question to ask in front of Liang Hanzhang, but he was really worried, fearing that what the woman had just said casually would come true.
The imperial physician suddenly looked up and asked boldly, "Why do you say that, Your Highness?"
Li Cheng didn't want to hide the truth from him. He wanted to let the imperial physician know Liang Yuan's heart ailment so he could prescribe the right medicine. "Liang Yuan has been worrying about something these days. She's worried about a difficult birth. I've heard many women have died during childbirth, so I specifically asked the imperial physician about this."
The imperial physician suddenly realized and said solemnly: "Although your Majesty is weaker than ordinary women, you have been taking good care of yourself in the past few months. I have also specifically instructed the maids around you to strictly control your diet and let you exercise at appropriate times. Many women have died in childbirth. Although I am not talented, I can guarantee that the baby in your Majesty's belly will be safe and sound."
"Are both mother and child safe?"
"Of course." The imperial physician smoothed his beard and said with certainty.
The moment these words came out, the prince felt reassured. He clapped his hands and laughed, "Very good! If you can help Liang Yuan give birth smoothly, I will reward you handsomely!"
At the end, he did not forget to add: "If the day really comes to save the elders and the younger ones, you must remember, as long as you save Liangyuan's life, you don't have to worry about anything else."
As soon as the words fell, not only the imperial physician, but even Li Fu was shocked. His Highness clearly valued his first child very much. I can imagine how much waste paper piled up on the imperial table, all of which were names that His Highness had given to Liang Yuan's unborn child.
Logically speaking, since His Majesty was now in good health, the matter of naming the child should have been decided by Him. However, the Crown Prince was reluctant, saying that this was his first child and that he, as the father, had to personally choose the name to show his respect.
Emperor Hui'an was always happy to have a grandson. As long as he had one, he didn't care who named him, as long as it didn't affect his later years of enjoying his grandchildren.
After the incident in the side hall, everyone felt that the Crown Prince's feelings for Liang Yuan were perhaps even deeper than he had let on. Doctor Xu suddenly wanted to take back what he had just said with such confidence.
If the queen really met with an accident, I'm afraid His Highness would skin him alive.
As soon as Li Cheng left, Liang Hanzhang sent a maid out to serve the meal. It was one thing for the Crown Prince to eat in the palace, but it was another for her to personally order the meal. Furthermore, based on her observations over a period of time, she had discovered that the Crown Prince never had a good meal in Changchun Palace.
It wasn't clear whether the Changchun Palace chefs weren't to His Highness's liking, or whether the Empress didn't understand His Highness' preferences. Regardless, the Crown Prince's expression wasn't as cheerful as when he arrived, even after leaving Changchun Palace. Thinking about needing a favor later, Liang Hanzhang tried to appear gentle and considerate, fulfilling her role as the Crown Prince's good wife.
A table overflowing with delicious food. Li Cheng looked a little helpless. He pinched her cheek and said with a smile, "Such a large table. How can I finish it all?"
"You can give it away if you can't finish it, but I am concerned about your Highness' hard work away from home. The food at home is always different from that outside. Your Highness should take good care of his body."
Hearing the word "home" from her again, the prince's chest warmed. Yes, their home. From now on, he would also be a man with a wife and children. In a few months, he would welcome the first little life into the Eastern Palace. Just thinking about it made him look forward to it.
Perhaps it was the doctor's words that had affected him, but the smile on Li Cheng's face never faltered, and he resolutely refused to let her serve him any food. Seeing the woman sitting next to him with her cheeks puffed out, he had wanted to feed her a few bites.
But Yuhu next to her reminded Liangyuan in time that she had just had lunch and should not eat more, otherwise she would have difficulty in having children in the future if she ate too much.
Since that was the case, the prince didn't dare to feed her casually. He could only eat while talking to her from time to time. He was well-educated, and even though he didn't follow the rule of not talking while eating, he still waited until he had swallowed the food in his mouth before speaking.
Liang Hanzhang sat next to him and watched him eat with gusto. He didn't think the meal was tasty at first, but he made himself hungry just by looking at it.
He suppressed the hunger in his stomach and tried to make his voice sound calm: "Your Highness, I heard that you captured the former crown prince during your trip to Jiangnan?"
Li Cheng didn't shy away from sharing these official matters with her, nodding and saying, "It is indeed the former Crown Prince Yan Guang. When I saw him, I could hardly believe that Yan Guang had aged so much." This was because Yan Guang's appearance was not particularly good, and to put it bluntly, he was actually quite ugly.
Because he was born to Empress Yuan, who had been with Emperor Li through thick and thin, Emperor Li paid no particular attention to his appearance and greatly loved and cherished Prince Yanguang. After all, the prince's ugliness was largely due to his genes.
As the saying goes, a hungry person is easily fed, and a thirsty person easily given drink. Because he wasn't born with a good appearance, Yan Guang was very concerned about how his appearance was perceived. He often asked historians to compose poems and lyrics praising his beauty. Word of mouth spread, and as more people shared it, many believed it.
What's more, most of the people below are not qualified to meet the emperor, so naturally they don't know whether the prince is really as elegant and clear-headed, and as serene as the rumors say.
Li Cheng was also affected by the rumors. He thought that although Prince Yin was old, he still had some charm. He didn't expect that he had such dark skin.
He couldn't help but sigh in his heart, fortunately, he and Liang Yuan were not born ugly, otherwise the child would be so ugly and would blame them as his parents when he grew up.
"You said Yan Guang served as the governor of Jiangnan for many years? Then where is the real Liu Yi?"
The prince didn't know why she suddenly got excited, and said patiently: "We haven't found out yet. Yan Guang said that the position of Governor of Jiangnan was offered voluntarily by Liu Yi, and then he left."
Li Cheng didn't dare to think too much about it, but everything seemed to be heading in the direction he least wanted to see.
Liang Hanzhang was stunned for a long time after hearing this. Suddenly, she grabbed the prince's sleeve and whispered, "I used to have some friendship with Liu Yi. Your Highness, can't you bring him back?"
Li Cheng was surprised: "How come you have a relationship with him?" The other party was a third-rank governor, and she had been a slave at the bottom for many years. He really couldn't imagine how their lives could intersect.
Liang Hanzhang started to cry as she spoke: "The ancestors of Governor Liu were also commoners. When he was young, he lived next door to my house and took a lot of care of me. I think he is definitely not a traitor who collaborates with the enemy and sells out his country, so I would like to ask Your Highness to find him and express my gratitude in person."
Liang Hanzhang was worried when she didn't get a reply from the prince. She stood up and saluted hurriedly: "I deserve to die. How dare I talk nonsense about state affairs..." She was used to men's gentleness and consideration. She almost forgot that he was also a ruthless and ruthless crown prince. How could he listen to the words of a woman like her?
The woman's sudden movement caught even the prince off guard. Because of her large movements, she nearly tripped over the armchair behind her. Because of her pregnancy, all sharp objects in Zhilan Residence had been removed. Any items that couldn't be moved were wrapped in thick cotton cloth around their edges, fearing they might injure the child in Liangyuan's belly.
But the incident happened suddenly, and no one expected her to suddenly stand up and lose her balance. Yuhu and the other two were martial artists, and by the time they reacted and tried to help her, the prince had already taken the lead.
Looking at the woman in his arms, the prince became angry for the first time: "Why are you moving around again?!" He had already been unhappy with her distant behavior, but he kept it deep in his heart and didn't show it. Moreover, he had his own pride, and constantly expressing his love to the other party would make him look cheap.
Unexpectedly, she almost fell down while performing the ceremony. Holding the warm person in his arms, the prince was still in shock and felt a surge of fear.
"From now on in the East Palace, you don't have to bow to me no matter what happens. Do you understand?" The man's voice was cold and angry.
Liang Hanzhang didn't know whether she was frightened by almost falling down or by the prince's scolding. She nodded stupidly and replied obediently: "I understand."
"In the future, you don't have to call yourself a concubine in front of me. I don't like it." The man added at the end.
"I understand, your concubine." Her voice was still weak.
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