This was the first time Cen Xi had ever seen Shen Jinchen so innocent and naive. From the moment they met, he had always been gentle and refined, full of scheming, and domineering and roguish.
Where can you find such naivety?
It seems he really likes children.
Thank goodness! Thank goodness! Jun Jianchou gave her that bottle of medicine, thankfully they had no regrets in the end.
Fortunately, she was able to bear him children, leaving him with no regrets in this life.
"Look at you, you no longer resemble a ruler of a country, you're more like a child."
"It's my first time being a father, so I'm not used to it. This kid is so strong, I'm afraid he'll be very mischievous when he's born."
Shen Jinchen didn't care that Cen Xi was laughing at him, but continued to feel his son's strong fetal movements.
"How do you know it's a son? What if it's a daughter? You just don't like daughters?"
Seeing his certainty that she was carrying a son, Cen Xi couldn't help but scold him.
"But I am completely wronged. Of course I love my daughter, especially the one you gave birth to. But with my status, I naturally want a son first. Your belly is so round, it's definitely a son."
Shen Jinchen stood up and flicked Cen Xi's forehead, his eyes full of laughter.
"Yes, it is your son. I hope Your Majesty will get what you wish for."
Cen Xi pulled his hand away and glared at him.
While everyone in the palace was enjoying themselves, some people outside were plotting something big.
Although Empress Chengde was favored by the emperor, her reputation among the court officials was extremely poor.
The mere presence of a female prisoner has already thrown the entire Later Qi dynasty into chaos. If this woman were to bear children and her son were to become the crown prince, she might disregard the original national policies. In the future, the interference of the harem in politics and the dominance of women over men would likely become countless.
In recent months, the residences of Duke Ji and Duke Shen have been so crowded with civil and military officials that their thresholds have been worn down.
They had to find a way to curb the woman's growing power.
However, given His Majesty's unprincipled indulgence, it is likely that after the emperor's deathbed remonstrance in court, the matter will be handled just like the court dispute a year ago—raised high and then gently put down.
These officials might even anger the emperor and lose their lives.
Therefore, the heavy responsibility of punishing the wicked woman fell to the emperor's adoptive father and uncle.
Only if they intervene can the civil and military officials in the court possibly save their lives.
After months of hard work, the civil and military officials finally persuaded the Duke of Shen and the Duke of Ji when the wicked woman in the palace was about to give birth.
After discussing it, Duke Shen and Duke Ji also found it unbearable that the concubine in the palace was influencing Shen Jinchen's thoughts so much. A dignified emperor of a country should not be so attached to personal feelings.
They must purge the court of corrupt officials to restore peace and order.
So, just as the empress in the palace was about to give birth, the Duke of Shen and the Duke of Ji secretly kidnapped the palace physician, Sun, and plotted in the dead of night.
That woman must die, and the day of her delivery will be the best time to strike without anyone noticing. Imperial Physician Sun, the head of the Fourth Imperial Hospital, has been taking care of the Empress's pregnant body.
Therefore, targeting him is absolutely foolproof.
Physician Sun did not disappoint them, after much concern for the country and its people from Duke Shen and Duke Ji.
Finally, he nodded with difficulty and agreed. After that, Physician Sun also brought a woman to Duke Ji and Duke Shen.
This woman bears a striking resemblance to the Empress in the palace. She appears gentle and mild-mannered, with a good temper, and is also kind and considerate, far superior to the Empress in the palace.
Both the Duke of Ji and the Duke of Shen were very satisfied, so they kept him in the Duke of Ji's residence and assigned someone to train him.
This woman was none other than Su Nianniang, who had been released from the palace four years ago. She never expected that someone would help her so much with her good deed in the palace, and that Physician Sun would recommend her to the Duke of Ji and the Duke of Shen.
Suddenly, her dormant thoughts came alive again. She was a smart woman. The Duke of Shen and the Duke of Ji had found her and trained her in this way, with only one purpose: to give her to Shen Jinchen and make her his woman.
So she became very obedient and diligently learned the elaborate etiquette taught by the nannies.
She even secretly learned some of the ways and manners of the person in the palace.
She also learned the ways the nannies taught her to please men very diligently.
She hoped that when she entered the palace, she could receive the same favor as that woman and be treated like a treasure by him.
Although her behavior was somewhat shameless, she did not regret it, because that tall and imposing man was so captivating.
Who told him to dote on that woman so much in front of them? She was envious, jealous, and wanted to possess her.
That's why she rejected the Empress's supposedly excellent arrangement and resolutely entered the palace.
But in the end, she was powerless and her words carried little weight, and the woman did not give her any chance to seduce him. In the end, she could only leave the palace with regret.
But now, all the civil and military officials in the court want to kill that woman, even the emperor's maternal uncle and adoptive father think so.
How could this not make her happy?
Even if the emperor loves her so much now, so what?
She will eventually replace her.
In the autumn of the fifth year of Yongxing, on the twenty-third day of the eighth month, the Empress in the palace woke up early in the morning, suffering from unbearable abdominal pain and about to give birth.
After a brief commotion, everyone in the palace quickly went to fetch a midwife and the imperial physician.
In an instant, Kunde Palace was packed with people. Cen Xi was giving birth for the first time in both her past and present lives, and the pain of each contraction made her sweat profusely.
Heart-wrenching screams echoed continuously from the inner palace, but each attempt to exert force yielded little result.
She was clearly having a difficult childbirth.
A sense of panic crept into her heart. In ancient times, there was no such thing as a cesarean section. This time, she feared it might cost her her life.
She suddenly felt a pang of panic. She longed to see Shen Jinchen one last time. If she were to die like this, without even seeing him one last time, she feared she wouldn't be at peace even in the afterlife.
"Qingyi! Because I want to see His Majesty, I want to see His Majesty."
When Cen Xi's hoarse and weak voice echoed in the hall, Shen Jinchen had already heard the report and frantically ran into the Kunde Hall.
But the imperial physicians and ministers all knelt down and kowtowed, desperately trying to stop him:
"Your Majesty, the place where a woman gives birth is an intrusion upon Your Majesty's countenance. Please, Your Majesty, consider the well-being of the nation and do not step into the palace."
"What if I insist on entering?"
Hearing his woman's weak screams from inside the hall, Shen Jinchen's mind was in turmoil, and he wished he could fly to her side immediately.
But before him, the civil and military officials formed a human wall, weeping bitterly:
"Your Majesty, if you want to get over here, then step over our corpses."
Meanwhile, Duke Ji and Duke Shen each held him up on either side, gently comforting him:
"Your Majesty, a woman must rely on herself to give birth. Your rushing in like this will do no good. Physician Sun is highly skilled and will surely ensure the Empress's safety. Don't worry, perhaps the Empress will be able to give birth in a while."
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