"Your Majesty is delighted that Empress Zhaoyi has given birth to a little prince."
Ha ha……
The emperor laughed out loud.
He picked up the little prince in one hand and held him above his head. Having the little prince was like having everything.
The little prince cried loudly in his cradle.
The emperor was so excited that he named the little prince Hao.
“Hao!”
Li Zhaoyi pondered the meaning of this word. Hao means Heaven. The emperor's intentions were self-evident.
Li Zhaoyi laughed, no longer having to hide her ambitions.
Before she gave birth to a son, she lacked the background to compete with the well-known Concubine Xue and Concubine Xiao. She always had to be patient in everything.
Now that she had given birth to a son as she wished, and His Majesty had named him Hao, she had enough confidence to fight against Xue and Xiao.
She ordered someone to bring the child to her, and she suppressed her excitement and kissed the child on the forehead.
This child, named Liu Hao, is her lifeblood, her future, and all her hopes.
Her future depends entirely on her children.
God was kind to her and let her give birth to a boy.
The news that Li Zhaoyi had given birth to a little prince spread like wildfire to every corner of the capital in the shortest time.
All the adult princes beat their chests and stamped their feet in frustration.
It's over, it's over.
Now that His Majesty has a little prince, these adult princes will become more and more annoying, and they can't wait to get rid of them as soon as possible.
God really favors Li Zhaoyi too much. Why does he get all the good things?
When the adult princes learned that His Majesty had named the little prince Hao, they were even more dumbfounded.
All the princes drank to relieve their sorrows.
When King Zhao heard the news in his palace, he overturned the table on the spot.
This old guy is crazy.
Prince Zhao hurried into the palace to discuss countermeasures with Concubine Xue.
Prince Ning's Mansion.
Prince Ning was upset and cursed the emperor behind closed doors.
"Has the old man gone insane? He actually named a newborn prince Hao. Isn't he afraid of shortening his lifespan? He's getting more confused as he gets older. It's totally unreasonable. Does he really think he can live for another 10 or 20 years? Does he really think he can raise the little prince to adulthood and pass the throne to a child? Haha!"
The eunuch Chang En advised, "Your Highness should be more relaxed. The little prince is so young, he might catch a cold and die one day."
"If a cold could kill the young prince, the old man would go mad and kill himself, using us adult princes who are in the way. The old man really is getting crazier with age. Go, call the eldest son back. I have something important for him to do."
Chang En took the order and left.
Prince Ning was not in a hurry to enter the palace.
Now that things have come to this, Concubine Xiao Shufei won't have any good solutions.
If there really was a better solution, they would have started it long ago when Li Zhaoyi was pregnant. Why wait until now, when the emperor became even more crazy after having a son?
The emperor was extremely suspicious and purged the palace, executing many people.
This time, Li Zhaoyi was pregnant, and the emperor personally arranged for people to take care of her daily life to ensure that nothing would go wrong.
In that situation, anyone with good sense in the palace would not act rashly.
Just like Shu Jieyu (Xian Fei), she was overthrown by Li Zhaoyi before she could even start. This shows how important Li Zhaoyi's status was in the emperor's mind.
…
Before the city gates were locked, Liu Zhao rushed back to the palace in a dusty state.
Without even having time to wash up, he went straight to Bixi Pavilion to meet Prince Ning.
"Li Zhaoyi gave birth to a little prince, and the old man named him Hao. His purpose is obvious. Have you heard about this?"
Liu Zhao nodded and said, "I heard about it on the way here."
Prince Ning paced back and forth in his study room in annoyance. "Hao means Heaven. The old man's intentions are obvious when he chose this name. If it were me, I would just confer the title of Crown Prince on the young prince."
"Old immortals get more and more crazy as they age. This is not a good thing. It is very likely that Li Zhaoyi will be promoted to concubine next, or even directly promoted to queen."
Liu Zhao shook his head: "Li Zhaoyi cannot become the queen for the time being."
"What do you mean?"
Liu Zhao took a sip of tea and said, "Grandfather will not let the little prince become a target. Once Li Zhaoyi is crowned empress, the little prince will become the legitimate son.
The tradition of this dynasty is to establish the heir apparent. But the little prince is so young, and if he is made the crown prince, I am afraid that he will die before the age of five.
The best way is to confer a title on her, while supporting the Li family and suppressing the Xue and Xiao families.
In this way, a three-way balance of power was formed in the palace, and the safety of the little prince was also guaranteed."
Prince Ning frowned in thought, "Even if I didn't make Consort Li the Empress, as long as her son lived well, I could have lived another twenty years, no, just another fifteen, and the throne would have been firmly in the Li family's grasp. This old man's actions simply show he doesn't even consider us adult princes as human beings. It's truly disheartening."
Prince Ning slammed his fist on the table, the hatred in his heart about to overflow.
Liu Zhao suddenly said, "Grandfather Huang is taking the elixir presented by the alchemist."
Prince Ning was stunned for a moment, then he was ecstatic, "Are you sure?"
Liu Zhao nodded.
Prince Ning laughed heartily. "Why would the old man trust an alchemist when there are so many other things he can believe in? He even took the risk of taking the elixir he offered. It seems he won't live long enough to see the little prince grow up."
After King Ning laughed, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Liu Zhao added, "Father, it's time for you to present a beautiful woman to your grandfather."
Prince Ning nodded repeatedly, "You are right. I will be a filial son. Tomorrow I will present a beautiful woman to this old man."
Liu Zhao reminded him again: "Father, it would be best if you put aside your prejudice against Uncle Zhao and join forces with him."
"No, I will join forces with the King of Yan. The King of Zhao is not worth considering."
Liu Zhao frowned.
Prince Ning said, "Prince Zhao is more trouble than good. He only causes trouble. Let him suffer the consequences."
"Father, don't forget the Xue family."
"As for the Xue family, I have my own plans."
The father and son talked secretly for two hours, taking all aspects into consideration. Only then did Liu Zhao leave the Bixi Pavilion and return to the East Courtyard to rest.
…
When he saw Liu Zhao, Gu Jiu wiped his eyes, a little bit unable to believe it.
"Why are you back?"
"I have something urgent to do, so I came back."
Seeing that he looked exhausted, Gu Jiu quickly ordered the servants to prepare hot water.
Liu Zhao was washing up in the bathroom while Gu Jiu was sitting at the head of the bed, his mind unclear as all kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind.
When Liu Zhao came out of the bathroom, she looked at him with a meaningful look.
Liu Zhao let the eunuch serve him and wipe his wet hair.
He opened his clothes, revealing his strong chest.
He asked her, "What are you looking at me for?"
"Are you back for something at the palace?"
Liu Zhao did not hide it, "That's right."
Gu Jiu glanced at the eunuch.
The eunuch immediately left tactfully.
Then she said, "Li Zhaoyi gave birth to a little prince as she wished. How serious is this matter?"
Liu Zhao said coldly, "Do you know that the little prince was given the name Hao?"
Gu Jiu nodded.
"This name is equivalent to determining the little prince's status, and it's just short of directly appointing him as the crown prince."
Gu Jiu chuckled softly, "If the emperor really appoints the little prince as the crown prince, aren't you afraid that the little prince's life will be shortened?"
"That's why he was named Hao, instead of being named Crown Prince directly. My Royal Grandfather's intentions are self-evident. My father, several of his uncles, and other uncles all disliked my Royal Grandfather's wishes. He intended to personally train a Crown Prince."
Gu Jiu asked, "But can the emperor live until then? We can't really execute all the adult princes."
"Not all of them will be executed, but they will all be imprisoned."
"A weak master and a strong minister is not a good sign."
"Don't forget the Li family behind Li Zhaoyi."
After saying this, contempt flashed in Liu Zhao's eyes.
Gu Jiu tried to ask, "What about the Li family? Will they become a serious threat?"
Liu Zhao was silent for a moment before he spoke, "Li Zhaoyi's father and brother are both of mediocre ability. If it weren't for the Emperor's grandfather's promotion, they would never have reached their current positions on their own. While the Li family may not be good at running things, they are very good at making money. They have already established a network of people in the court, and can be considered to be making a name for themselves."
Gu Jiu whispered, "The palace has formed three factions, and Jiang Shuyi can only rely on one of them."
Liu Zhao reminded: "That Jiang Shuyi is not worth considering."
Gu Jiu nodded, "I know. She lacks foundation and has an impatient temper. If she had five to ten years of experience, she might be able to break through. But she doesn't have much time left."
She looked at him again, "Are you in danger? Is the palace in danger?"
Liu Zhao's eyes suddenly turned cold. "At present, the palace and this young master are safe. Unless the emperor's grandfather has truly gone insane and is eager to clear the way for the little prince."
Gu Jiu laughed sarcastically, "If God wants to destroy someone, he will first make him crazy."
Liu Zhao came to the bedside and held Gu Jiu in his arms. "Don't worry, I will make sure you are safe no matter what."
Gu Jiu nodded and hugged Liu Zhao with his backhand, "You should also take care of yourself. Don't act impulsively and don't disregard your own life. If I become a widow, I will definitely not stay by your side forever."
The good atmosphere was completely ruined by the word "widow".
Liu Zhao's eyebrows twitched, "Can't you just talk nicely?" She always ruined the atmosphere and said something to spoil the mood when he was moved.
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, pinching Liu Zhao's nose, "I'm reminding you that you have to live well, otherwise I will marry another man."
"I will never give you the chance to remarry. You'd better give up on this idea as soon as possible."
Gu Jiu laughed, "Are you scared? If you are, take good care of yourself and don't do anything dangerous. Don't forget, I'm not pregnant yet."
Liu Zhao stared at Gu Jiu's abdomen with a look of resentment on his face, "How do you know she's not pregnant? Maybe she will be pregnant in half a month."
"Whether I'm pregnant or not, I know for sure."
"I will make you pregnant tonight."
Gu Jiu pushed him away and said, "It's your day, and you're not clean. Go to the study and rest."
Liu Zhao directly pressed Gu Jiu under him, "It's okay, I don't mind you. I will stay in the room tonight."
Gu Jiu turned over and said, "It's up to you."
…
Before dawn the next day, Liu Zhao set out for the military camp.
He didn't want to disturb Gu Jiu, but he didn't expect Gu Jiu to wake up by himself.
"Are you leaving?"
Liu Zhao nodded and said, "It's still early, you should sleep a little longer."
Gu Jiu rubbed his eyes and said, "Have breakfast before you leave. Remember to leave your seal. I need to go to the Shaofu to pick someone."
"I've kept it for you a long time ago. If you need anything, just ask Qian Fu. Don't worry too much about the affairs in the mansion. Get well soon and give me a big fat boy soon."
Gu Jiu laughed. She lay on her side, holding her chin with one hand. "Are you already eager to be a father?"
Liu Zhao came to her side, leaned over, and looked at her deeply. "Don't you want to be a mother?"
Gu Jiu guessed that if she said she didn't want to, Liu Zhao would probably be furious.
So, she nodded obediently, "I do want to, but you and I are rarely together, so it's not easy to get pregnant."
Liu Zhao gritted his teeth and said, "I will try my best to find time to come back. I must get pregnant this year no matter what."
Gu Jiu pursed his lips and smiled, "Then you should work hard."
Liu Zhao was furious and kissed Gu Jiu's lips tightly.
This bad woman, I really want to rub her into my body, kick her into my pocket, and keep her by my side all the time.
Gu Jiu was almost out of breath and pushed him away with force, "I haven't washed yet, my breath smells bad."
"I don't dislike you, what are you afraid of?"
Gu Jiu's mouth twitched, "I hate myself."
"Be good, don't despise yourself. This young master really loves you."
Gu Jiu picked up the pillow and threw it at Liu Zhao.
Liu Zhao laughed heartily, turned and left the bedroom, heading towards the military camp in the moonlight.
Gu Jiu lay on the bed, not knowing what he was thinking about, and burst out laughing. His eyes were particularly gentle.
She rolled over onto the bed, rolled up the quilt, and went back to sleep.
I slept until dawn.
After Li Zhaoyi gave birth to a son, she also had to seize the time to carry out her own plan.
After finishing her task, she took Liu Zhao's seal and went to the Shaofu to select four eunuchs, all of whom were in their twenties.
She found that using a eunuch was more reassuring than using a regular servant.
The Xiaohuangmen were eunuchs, equivalent to the royal family's household slaves. They had no offspring, so there was no need to worry about their loyalty.
No wonder eunuchs have been serving in the palace for thousands of years.
Moreover, when eunuchs acted outside, they represented the royal family's status. When others saw them, they naturally had to give them some respect.
Gu Jiu ordered Rong Xin and Bai Zhong to train the four eunuchs.
Bai Zhong dared to ask, "Madam, are you dissatisfied with our service?"
"This lady is of great use to you, so someone needs to take over your job."
Bai Zhong couldn't hide his excitement when he heard it, "Please give your instructions, Madam."
Gu Jiu said softly, "This lady plans to send you to Jiangnan to take charge of the overall situation, develop maritime trade, build sea vessels, and manage personal connections. The mansion will be handed over to the newcomers. You will train them well for this lady and strive to make them independent as soon as possible. You two can also set off for Jiangnan as soon as possible."
Bai Zhong and Rong Xin were both very excited, "I will definitely not let Madam down."
"Go get busy."
The two men took the order and rubbed their hands eagerly, determined to put in every effort to train the four new eunuchs.
Gu Jiu arranged for Song Zheng to deliver a letter to Er Zhuang, asking him to hurry up and train the shopkeeper and his staff. He would soon arrange for someone to go south of the Yangtze River.
Qingmei was a little worried, "Madam, if we go to Jiangnan at this time, what should we do if we don't have enough money?"
"How much silver can Zhenbaozhai mobilize?"
Qingmei memorized the account in her mind. When Gu Jiu asked, she blurted out, "We can only transfer about 10,000 taels of silver. But if we do that, Zhenbaozhai will be without working capital."
Gu Jiu frowned, "How many gemstones does Zhenbaozhai have in stock?"
"There's a stock of forty to fifty thousand taels."
Gu Jiu immediately ordered, "Notify the owner of Zhenbaozhai and ask him to clear out the inventory as soon as possible. At least 20,000 taels must be collected for Bai Zhong and the others to take to Jiangnan."
"As you command."
Xiao Cui came in hurriedly from outside, "Madam, that man is here again."
Gu Jiu frowned.
Xiao Cui asked, "Do you want to invite someone in?"
Gu Jiu smiled coldly, "Please invite him in."
The person Xiao Cui was referring to was Zhou Miao.
Zhou Miao swaggered into the East Courtyard, "Madam Zhao, we meet again."
"Please take a seat, Eunuch Zhou. Congratulations on your promotion."
Zhou Miao has left his position as Xiao Huangmen and been promoted to Nei Yezhe, a lower sixth rank official.
Zhou Miao said lightly, "It's all thanks to Jiang Shuyi."
Gu Jiu smiled softly and said nothing.
Zhou Miao said, "Jiang Shuyi asked our family to tell her that she is very grateful to Madam Zhao for taking care of her family."
Gu Jiu said softly: "I promised her that I would take care of her family, and I will naturally do what I said."
"After Li Zhaoyi gave birth to the little prince, Jiang Shuyi, following Madam's advice, has decided to join Li Zhaoyi."
Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Why are you telling this to me? Don't forget that I am Madam Zhao, the granddaughter-in-law of Concubine Xiao Shu."
Zhou Miao laughed heartily, "Madam, you should know the principle that a cunning rabbit has three burrows."
Gu Jiu shook her head. "I understand better that husband and wife are one, and that if one prospers, all prosper, and if one suffers, all suffer. This lady simply doesn't believe that if that day comes, Zhaoyi Li will be able to spare Gongzi Zhao, and this lady too."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
