The next morning, as dawn broke.
Lingyang City was bathed in the soft morning light.
In front of the Golden Palace, civil and military officials, dressed in court attire, stood in orderly rows, waiting for the morning court session.
A high-pitched voice rang out, "The Emperor has arrived!" echoing through the empty palace.
All the officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" Their voices shook the heavens.
Zhao Yi, dressed in a dragon robe, strode steadily into the Golden Palace. His gaze was deep and resolute as he swept over every minister present.
He showed none of the sickness he had yesterday.
Only after he sat down on the dragon throne did the ministers dare to rise and return to their places.
"My esteemed ministers, do you have any important matters to report?"
Zhao Yi's steady and powerful voice echoed in the main hall.
"His Majesty!"
An elderly official, holding a tablet, slowly stepped forward from the ranks.
It was Qin Gang, the father of Empress Qin Sheng.
"Your Majesty, the foundation of the nation is the basis of the state. We are concerned that Your Majesty has no son, and we fear that the country will be unstable in the future due to the lack of an heir. We humbly request Your Majesty to select a virtuous and capable person from among the imperial relatives to be adopted and inherit the throne."
Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent. All the officials looked at the emperor, awaiting his reaction.
Zhao Yi's expression darkened slightly, his gaze becoming deep. He slowly looked around before finally settling on Qin Gang, who had proposed the idea.
"Lord Qin, which member of the imperial clan do you think is suitable to be adopted by me?"
Qin Gang stammered and couldn't utter a single word for a long time.
At this point, mentioning any relative is like putting them on the fire to roast.
Zhao Yi smiled and said, "I am well aware of your concerns. However, the Empress and I are deeply in love, and my heart also desires a legitimate son to inherit the throne. I have ordered the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Physician Song Jin, to carefully treat the health of the Empress and me, and strive to have a son as soon as possible."
These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion in the court. Many officials showed expressions of agreement, while a few remained silent, seemingly waiting for something.
Zhao Yi's gaze swept across the entire room as he continued, "My mind is made up. If the Empress is still not pregnant after two months, we can discuss the adoption matter again. In the meantime, I hope that all my ministers can work together to govern the country and not let such family matters disturb the affairs of the court."
These words caused an uproar in the hall.
The ministers looked at each other, both surprised and pleased.
The emperor's deep affection for the empress was unexpected, but the relief came from the fact that he did not completely reject the idea of adoption, but instead gave a clear deadline, giving hope to everyone in the court and the country.
Emperor Zhao Yi continued, “I know that all of you ministers are concerned about the country and its people, but my family affairs are also national affairs. I hope you can understand my good intentions. I will certainly govern the country diligently, live up to the late emperor’s wishes, and live up to the trust of the people.”
After speaking, he waved his dragon robe, and once again, shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" rang out in the Golden Palace.
When Qin Sheng learned of this news in the inner palace, she was so frightened that she lost her mind.
What does the Emperor mean by this? Does he know that she is pregnant?
Just as she was lost in thought, Li An's high-pitched, effeminate voice rang out from outside, "The Emperor has arrived—"
Qin Sheng hurriedly tidied her appearance and rushed to the palace gate to greet them.
Zhao Yi gently took her hand and led her into the hall, instructing Li An, "Go and invite Imperial Physician Song."
Qin Sheng stumbled suddenly, and if Zhao Yi hadn't caught her, she would have fallen. Disrespecting the Emperor was a serious offense.
While waiting for Song Jin, Zhao Yi leisurely sipped his tea, glancing at the absent-minded Qin Sheng out of the corner of his eye.
Before long, Song Jin arrived with a medicine chest. Accompanying her was Physician Qin.
Zhao Yi feigned ignorance: "Why did Physician Qin come along too?"
Li An smiled and explained, "Your Majesty, Physician Qin has been working in the Imperial Medical Academy for many years and is very experienced. If he can take pulses alongside Physician Song, it will be like double insurance, which will greatly reduce the risk of misdiagnosis."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi snorted and said, "You are quite meticulous and have quite a few clever ideas."
After saying that, he turned his gaze to Song Jin and instructed, "Imperial Physician Song is the one the Empress is used to. You can go first."
Song Jin was already feeling uneasy, and when he heard Zhao Yi say "it's what the Empress is used to," he felt a chill run down his spine, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Qin Sheng appeared calm and collected on the surface, but in reality, she felt like she was being roasted over a fire, enduring immense torment.
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