Chapter 168 The Birth of a Son
It was already past noon when Jiang Yingli officially started the operation.
Xiao Chenglan stayed by his side, and he was no longer as panicked as when he first heard the news.
He had to stay here and be a reassurance to Jiang Yingli, so how could he act rashly?
Seeing that the critical moment was approaching, the midwife wanted to ask Xiao Chenglan to leave, and the palace people around were stunned.
His Majesty's daily behavior made them naturally think that His Majesty should always be here, and no one remembered the saying that it was unlucky to see a woman giving birth.
However, this capable midwife was invited from outside the palace, so I wonder if this is normal for Your Majesty.
Xiao Chenglan didn't say much, just told her: "Just take good care of the imperial concubine, and don't say anything else."
When the midwife saw that he had no intention of leaving, she thought to herself that this was strange.
It is said outside the palace that His Majesty favors Concubine Xi, and it seems that what they said is true.
Men who cherish their wives and don't take concubines may not always be able to accompany their wives during childbirth. Some men can have a child in the time it takes to drink a little wine and listen to some folk music.
The emperor in front of him is very busy with state affairs, but he seems to be fidgeting all the time, which shows that he is really nervous.
Her visit today was truly an eye-opener. She wondered how many of her old sisters would laugh at her bragging when she told them about it after returning home.
Jiang Yingli remembered not to exert too much energy, and even when she was most uncomfortable, she only called out "Your Majesty." Fortunately, the nanny and midwife were both experienced practitioners. She followed their instructions and gradually became less afraid. She only wanted to give birth quickly.
Xiao Chenglan looked at Jiang Yingli's sweat-soaked hair and gradually could no longer hear the voices of others.
The sound of Jiang Yingli's deep breaths grew louder and louder in his ears, deafening and making his heartbeat erratic.
Jiang Yingli gripped Xiao Chenglan's hand until it turned white. When she thought the pain would continue for a while, she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, and the cry of a baby echoed throughout the hall.
"It's born!"
"Your Highness is so blessed. She gave birth so smoothly!"
Jiang Yingli smiled weakly. It was indeed going quite smoothly.
This child is really lucky. She didn't suffer much during pregnancy, and now she hasn't suffered any more during childbirth.
The midwife tidied up the baby briefly, picked up the child skillfully, and congratulated him with a smile.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, and Congratulations, Your Majesty, it's a prince."
Everyone in the hall knelt down to congratulate him.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, and Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
Jiang Yingli heard the child crying loudly, thinking he must be healthy. She completely relaxed and lay tiredly on the couch, too lazy to move or talk.
The midwife brought the child over for Xiao Chenglan and Jiang Yingli to see. Jiang Yingli saw that the child was wrinkled and started crying.
The midwife quickly comforted him: "Don't be afraid, Your Majesty. All newborn babies are like this. You and Your Majesty are both born with divine appearances. If you raise this child, he will definitely be incredibly beautiful."
She has taken care of many children and has a good eye. Although this child has some wrinkles now, you can tell from his eyes and eyelashes that he will be beautiful in the future, there is no doubt about it.
Xiao Chenglan took a quick look at the child, not caring whether it was flat or round, and wiped Jiang Yingli's tears first.
"Li'er, you've suffered."
Jiang Yingli saw Xiao Chenglan's hand, which was covered in blood. She asked, "Your Majesty, does it hurt? I just held on tightly and didn't care what it was."
"If I feel a little pain, you will feel ten times more pain. Why do you care about me instead?" Xiao Chenglan's eyes were full of heartache. He leaned close to her, used his fingertips to push away the hair stuck to her cheeks, and kissed her brow lovingly.
Jiang Yingli noticed his breath trembling a little, reached out and touched his cheek: "Don't be afraid, Your Majesty, I am just tired. This child loves me and has never let me suffer."
Xiao Chenglan was so nervous that his throat tightened, and he said in a hoarse voice: "Okay, if you are tired, just have a good sleep. I will always be with you."
The news that His Majesty had given birth to his eldest son spread quickly, and the ministers who had been worried about the succession finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Jiang Yingli was safe and sound, and Xiao Chenglan relaxed his tense nerves. He was in a much happier mood and was particularly easy to talk to during court sessions.
The third day was the baby's third bath day, and Xiao Chenglan and Jiang Yingli named the baby together.
It’s easy to decide on a nickname, so let’s call him Lin’er, which has both the majesty of the eldest prince and joy.
For his full name, Xiao Chenglan chose the character "Chen", expressing his high hopes for his son. Jiang Yingli added the character "An" at the end, wishing him good health and safety.
These two words represent Xiao Chenglan and Jiang Yingli's common expectations for Lin'er, without distinction between them.
During the morning court session on the fourth day, the censors who heard that the eldest prince was given the name Xiao Chen'an all made remonstrations.
"Your Majesty, it is the ancestral custom to give a prince a name on the hundredth day of life. Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine love their eldest son, so it is understandable to give him a name on the third day. But how could Your Majesty choose the character 'Chen'?"
Xiao Chenglan was annoyed when he heard this: "What do you think, my dear?"
"The character 'Chen' means the sun and the moon shining together, and has always referred to the emperor. Although the eldest prince is noble, he is only a prince, and cannot be higher than your majesty. This character cannot suppress it, and I am afraid it will damage the eldest prince's blessings."
These people spoke very carefully. Instead of directly saying that the eldest prince could not use the character "Chen", they used the method of "damaging his fortune" to persuade him.
Xiao Chenglan smiled faintly, "Don't worry about that, my dear minister. I naturally know that the word 'Chen' refers to the emperor. Anyway, Lin'er will ascend the throne in the future. He will be the emperor sooner or later. How can you say that he will damage his fortune?"
The minister gasped.
"What does your majesty mean?"
"I have drafted an edict to appoint the eldest prince as crown prince. I will choose an auspicious day to appease the heavens, the earth, and the ancestors, and to give important positions to the Crown Prince. Since he is the crown prince of Daye, if he doesn't use the character 'Chen', who will?"
The ministers below were all horrified, talking at once, and kneeling down in a panic.
"Your Majesty, the eldest prince is only four days old, still a swaddled baby! We still don't know his qualifications, how can you make him the crown prince so hastily?"
Xiao Chenglan said patiently, "Your concern is not without reason. I naturally know that the Crown Prince is the foundation of the country and cannot be treated lightly. That is why I have been training him since he was young. I am a good emperor, so why can't I also train a qualified heir to the throne?"
"How can being a king and educating a child be confused? Your Majesty, making a swaddled baby the crown prince is truly absurd! Please reconsider!"
Xiao Chenglan stood up, flicked his sleeves, and glanced at the ministers below.
"If Lin'er is incompetent in the future, I will naturally depose him without your further urging! My mind is made up; the Crown Prince shall be established today."
This sudden sharp tone made all the officials hold their breath for a moment. Many people couldn't help but look at Xue Shide.
Your Majesty is about to appoint a crown prince, how can the Xue family still remain calm?
Xue Shide was kneeling among the ministers calmly at this moment, and had no intention of speaking.
A prince is good, that’s what we want. He can be the Xue family’s puppet in the future, and that will be justified.
The Xue family's silence was seen by Zhao, Feng, and the other families as a sign of their unwillingness to step forward. If he didn't step forward, why should they?
Ever since the Su family fell, the relationship between the aristocratic families has become as thin as water.
We have to admit that the Xue family's crushing of the Su family was the worst move they made. If it was the Xue family that fell, the relationship between the aristocratic families would not have become so strained.
This emperor is cunning, and being the first to act in front of him will easily lead to being punished. In the midst of a storm, the most important thing is to protect yourself.
Being appointed as the crown prince is nothing; being able to sit firmly in the Eastern Palace is a real skill.
Besides, how long can an emperor reign? A hundred years later, his bones will turn into dust, but the aristocratic family will still be an aristocratic family.
It doesn’t matter who gets the limelight, what matters is who has the last laugh.
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