161 Chapter 161
◎Grandson of the Emperor. ◎
According to Zhang Qian's last wish, he was finally buried in his hometown, the land he had been away from for many years.
After the funeral ceremony in Chang'an, Liu Ju, on behalf of the emperor, escorted his family members who were escorting his coffin back home out of Chang'an City.
When he came back, Liu Che was sitting in front of the Xuanshi Hall, gazing at the distant sky.
In the second year of Jianyuan, the second year of Liu Che's accession to the throne, Zhang Qian was ordered to go on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions for the first time. Since then, the time he spent away from Chang'an has far exceeded the time he stayed in Chang'an.
Over the years, many nobles and dignitaries have come and gone in the court, but few have left a mark on the emperor's heart. After all, there are countless people who want to serve him.
But Zhang Qian was different. Even though the time he stayed in Chang'an and by Liu Che's side was so short, what he did caused a huge storm in Liu Che's heart.
The countries outside the Han Dynasty, the vast world, the brevity of life, and all kinds of feelings made the emperor, who was well-educated in literature, feel a little depressed.
"Aunt, have you heard the legend that the dead turn into stars in the sky?" Liu Ju sat down next to his father. "Now, Marquis Bowang can see every corner of the world."
Liu Che lowered his eyes: "I remember that you never believed in these legends."
Liu Ju looked at the blue sky and said, "Sometimes, I want to believe."
Liu Che raised his hand and rubbed his head, sighing regretfully, "Zhang Ziwen."
"Aunt." After a while, Liu Ju said again, "I'll bring Qingyue to accompany you tomorrow, okay?"
"Hmm?" Liu Che was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay, let my little grandson see me more often."
Liu Ju also smiled and said, "It could also be my granddaughter, Grandfather. We need to prepare for both scenarios."
Liu Che stopped laughing.
Liu Ju patted his back and said, "Aunt, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. If you're prepared for a granddaughter, then giving you a grandson would be a pleasant surprise."
Liu Che couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Sweet words and flattering expressions! You're clearly trying to comfort me, but you refuse to go along with me!"
"Then I can't just focus on the head and ignore the butt. I've comforted you now, but if you're disappointed again in the future, I'll..." Liu Ju didn't finish his words before he was hit on the head.
"Aung, why did you hit me?" Liu Ju said aggrievedly.
Liu Che said with a fierce face: "You really say anything. I am the crown prince of the Han Dynasty, and I am talking about not caring about my own head... How can this be so shameless!"
Liu Ju said bewilderedly, "What's wrong with that? Otherwise, I'll just take care of the head and not the buttocks... Ouch!" Liu Ju, who was hit again, begged for mercy, "No more, no more, old man, I won't say anymore!"
Liu Che snorted, "I see you're so reckless. You're definitely not going to be able to raise my grandson well. I'll be the one raising the emperor's grandson in the future. The granddaughter will be sent to the Pepper Room. The Empress has always been good at raising children."
Liu Che's feelings for Wei Zifu had been forgotten in the past, but as an emperor, he affirmed the queen's abilities.
Liu Ju hurriedly said, "The emperor's grandson will definitely be handed over to you, Grandfather. The children you raise are the best! But there's no need to trouble your mother for your granddaughter. She will teach her. The younger the better. She will teach the children well."
As the heir to the throne, the Emperor highly values sons over daughters, so he was easily lenient on the upbringing of his future granddaughter. However, the emperor's grandson was a matter of national importance, and seeing the Crown Prince agree without hesitation, Liu Che became somewhat suspicious: "You're so ready to hand over your son to me for instruction?"
Liu Ju blinked and asked in confusion, "Aunt, isn't my child your grandson? Isn't it natural for me to teach you? Why wouldn't I want to?"
Liu Che thought for a moment and said, "That's true, but you're so willing to do it. I feel like something's wrong. Are you secretly planning something bad again?"
Liu Ju looked at his father with resentment: "Aung, so this is how I am in your eyes. Oh, I am so sad."
Liu Che stroked his chin and said, "That's right."
Liu Ju: “…”
…
Because Qingyue's due date was probably in July or August, Liu Ju asked his father to postpone his punishment of hunting bears for another year.
Liu Che laughed and said, "Year after year, don't wait until your son can hunt bears before I can eat your bear paws."
"If I could grow bear paws, I would definitely chop them off and feed them to Grandpa." Liu Ju said with a smile.
Liu Che patted his head and scolded him lightly: "Nonsense! This is a critical moment, Ju'er, you would have been fine at other times, but don't talk nonsense now."
Liu Ju covered his mouth and said vaguely: "It is better to believe it than not to believe it. Uncle, I understand!"
Liu Che laughed and said, "After all, it is your son who can control you."
Liu Ju thought to himself, it is still the adults who can control me better.
The reproductive conditions in ancient times were very different from those of modern times. Moreover, giving birth is always a very dangerous thing for women at any time, so Liu Ju couldn't help but worry.
Considering that this was the emperor's first grandchild, Liu Che did not move to the Weiyang Palace after August, but continued to stay in the Ganquan Palace because of Shi Liangdi's poor health.
Liu Ju even tried to persuade his father to stay with him and return to Weiyang Palace, but the emperor said, "I'm not doing this for you, but for my grandson."
These words blocked Liu Ju's words and made him sigh secretly many times. As the heir that the emperor had been waiting for for almost thirty years, Liu Ju knew very well what his father expected of the emperor's grandson.
But the gender of the child is entirely a matter of luck. Liu Ju was really afraid that his father would not be able to fulfill his wish. Not only would he be disappointed, but Qing Yue and the child would also be implicated.
But Liu Ju had no one to talk to, so he could only worry in secret.
This melancholy continued until August 13th. After getting up in the morning and having breakfast, Qingyue started to move.
For the past two months, Liu Ju had been staying in his palace for breakfast, so he was there when the Qingyue rebellion started, but he was soon asked to leave.
After calming his chaotic heartbeat, Liu Ju asked someone to report to the Emperor that he was afraid he would not be able to go today.
As soon as he finished giving the order, Qing Yue's mother came hurriedly. She had moved her family to Chang'an long before Qing Yue became pregnant. After Qing Yue became pregnant, Liu Ju asked his father for permission and then brought her in to accompany Qing Yue.
"Your Highness..."
Without waiting for anyone to salute him, Liu Ju supported her and said, "Go in quickly and take a look. Qingyue will feel at ease with you here."
"Thank you, Your Highness." The anxious woman didn't have time to say anything more. She hurried over to change into clean clothes, washed her hands and disinfected them before entering the inner hall where her daughter was giving birth.
These were all arranged by Liu Ju. He prepared a lot of alcohol in advance for disinfection. He even prepared for the worst and had instructed the midwife that the master was the most important and he had to make sure the master was safe no matter what.
Without waiting for any news from the delivery room, His Majesty the Emperor sent someone to invite the prince over.
Liu Ju said, "I really can't leave. Please tell my father-in-law that after Liangdi gives birth safely, I... I will go and apologize to him."
The eunuch didn't dare to hear the word "apology" and immediately crawled back to report to the emperor.
Soon, Liu Che came in person.
"You're useless." Liu Che held the prince's shoulder. "You're still apologizing. You handled the Nanyue incident so well last time. How could such a small matter scare you?"
Liu Ju's hands were shaking, and his lips trembled as he spoke before he could speak: "Aunt, this is different."
His Majesty the Emperor could not understand the meaning, but seeing his son like this, he was naturally distressed, so he did not say much, thinking that he would talk to the prince after Shi gave birth.
Liu Che patted the prince's shoulder and stroked his back: "How about I find you something to do?"
Liu Ju shook his head: "Ah Weng, I can't do anything now."
"Aunt." Liu Ju turned to look at his father. "Go and do your work. I'll send someone to report to you if there's any news here."
This was why he couldn't leave today. Liu Che said helplessly, "Okay, you stay here. I have something else to do..."
The prince is soft-hearted and sentimental. Liu Che thought to himself that this is not good after all. I still have to teach him a lesson.
This was the current Emperor's thought, but after receiving the news that Shi Liangdi had given birth to a little grandson and holding the grandson in his own hands, all these thoughts were thrown out of the window by Liu Che.
Liu Ju didn't know yet that the newborn baby helped him escape danger. At this moment, he was in the inner hall with Qing Yue.
Since marrying Liu Ju, Qing Yue has been exercising with him for some time, and her physical fitness is pretty good. Therefore, although giving birth caused her a lot of pain, the process was still very smooth.
She was just a little tired now, and nothing else happened as Liu Ju was worried about.
As Liu Ju was watching the sleeping Qing Yue, the newborn baby was brought over. Madam Shi whispered, "Your Highness, please look at the little grandson."
Liu Ju hurriedly reached out to take it. He had held a baby in his previous life and still remembered the correct posture for holding a baby in swaddling clothes like this.
"Baby..." Liu Ju looked at the little child whose face was still red with loving eyes. He was so small and so light, but when Liu Ju held him in his arms, his heart felt so heavy.
Mrs. Shi was very surprised. She had never heard of the prince being close to any of his brothers, and he didn't have any brothers or sisters. How could he hold the child so skillfully?
Then, Mrs. Shi thought of the fact that the prince was said to have loved the sons of Marquis Guanjun and Marquis Pingyang very much since he was young, and perhaps he had developed these two traits at that time.
The palace servant came over cautiously and reported: "Your Highness, His Majesty is waiting for you in the main hall."
Liu Ju gently tucked the child's quilt and handed him back to Madam Shi: "Please carry him to the hall over there. I will ask my father-in-law to come and see him later."
His Majesty the Emperor must have come to see his grandson, but he certainly could not enter his daughter-in-law's inner chamber. Liu Ju was afraid that the child would be exposed to the wind if he was taken outside. Fortunately, this chamber was connected to the side hall next to it through an inner door, so the child could be taken there to avoid the wind.
Just as Liu Ju had imagined, his father was walking back and forth in the main hall with his hands behind his back, his face a mixture of anxiety and joy. As soon as he saw him, he asked, "Where is my grandson?"
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