Xuan Ling jumped up from the throne and rushed behind the screen. Seeing Sheng Xiyan fainted on the ground, he hurriedly picked her up and said, "Call the judge of Wuyuan here!"
Judge Wu rushed over, felt the emperor's pulse, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the imperial concubine fainted from shock. I will prescribe some medicine to calm her nerves and protect the fetus."
Xuan Ling frowned: "How about three dragon fetuses?"
"Your Majesty, rest assured. The dragon fetus's pulse is stable and there is nothing wrong with it."
Xuan Ling asked again: "Why hasn't the imperial concubine woken up yet?"
As soon as the words fell, Sheng Xiyan slowly opened her eyes, grabbed his hand, and said in a weak but firm voice: "Your Majesty, that's fake."
Xuan Ling held her hand and comforted her softly, "I know, Yanyan, don't worry, don't be afraid, leave everything to me."
That night, the wind was howling and the carved window frames were creaking.
Xuan Ling was sleeping soundly with Sheng Xiyan in his arms when he was suddenly awakened by the noise outside.
He frowned and asked in a low voice, "What's the commotion?"
Eunuch Fu rushed in in a panic, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, the Buddhist temple has caught fire!"
Xuan Ling sat up suddenly and pushed open the window, only to see flames rising from the direction of Zhongzheng Hall, lighting up half the night sky red.
He said coldly: "Where are the imperial guards?"
Eunuch Fu quickly replied, "Your Majesty, the imperial guards have gone to put out the fire."
Sheng Xiyan was startled awake, rubbed his eyes, and asked in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, is there a fire?"
Xuan Ling turned around and held her in his arms, coaxing her softly, "Yan Yan, don't worry, the guards have already gone to put out the fire."
Sheng Xiyan caressed her bulging belly and suddenly felt a slight movement. She exclaimed in surprise, "Xuanlang, the baby is moving!"
Xuan Ling's eyes lit up, and he put his big hands on her belly, which felt like bubbling.
"Yanyan, are you hungry? Your stomach is growling."
Sheng Xiyan was certain, "I'm not hungry, the baby is indeed moving!"
"Then let me feel it again." He leaned over and put his ear on her belly.
This time I could feel a bigger fluttering sensation,
Xuan Ling said excitedly: "It's really moving! It's been more than five months, so there should be fetal movement."
"Let me hear what the babies are saying."
Sheng Xiyan touched his ear and asked softly, "What are you talking about?"
Xuan Ling raised her head, her eyes full of tenderness: "The babies said they will be well behaved and make Mother feel more at ease."
Sheng Xiyan, however, looked worried: "Your Majesty, the wind is strong tonight, and the fire may not be that simple."
Xuan Ling covered her with a blanket, held her in his arms, and whispered, "Yan Yan, these tricks are nothing to be surprised about. As long as we are determined in our hearts, we can overcome everything."
Sheng Xiyan raised her eyes to look at him: "Your Majesty, when you first heard me say that I was pregnant with my third child, you must have had some doubts in your mind, right?"
Xuan Ling held her hand and kissed her fingertips:
"Although I was surprised, I was worried about the hardship you'd endure carrying three children. Actually, I'm incredibly happy. God must have seen how sincerely we wanted children, so he gave us three at once. Besides, that's how great I am."
Sheng Xiyan pounded his chest shyly: "It's really amazing, you hit three at once."
Xuan Ling smiled and said, "Yan Yan, you must believe that God gave us three children for a reason. It is our blessing."
Half an hour later, Commander Xue of the Imperial Guards hurried over and knelt outside the screen to report:
"Your Majesty, a eunuch who was helping to put out a fire has gone mad, shouting, 'If the foreign fetus is not removed, there will be a three-year drought!' He has been apprehended by this humble official."
Xuan Ling heard this, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. He said in a cold voice: "Interrogate him overnight to see where this nonsense comes from!"
The next morning, the court was held in the Golden Palace.
The joint memorial signed by the Censorate was presented with blood, and the old minister pounded his head on the ground, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Even during Emperor Gaozu's reign, twins were drowned, so a third must be a monster! That's why the plague is rampant. Your Majesty, please understand!"
Xuan Ling sneered, grabbed the Mountain and River Suppression Jade Seal and threw it out. The seal hit the old minister's forehead, and blood flowed out. "Anyone who dares to speak nonsense again will be executed along with all his clans!"
However, more officials came out and kowtowed like a tide:
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine's third pregnancy is an anomaly. The Hall of Mental Cultivation is where Your Majesty conducts government affairs and represents the dignity of the royal family. We, the elder ministers, have heard that the Imperial Concubine is staying in the Hall of Mental Cultivation to recuperate. This move may endanger Your Majesty's health! Please move the Imperial Concubine to a palace outside the palace to recuperate!"
Xuan Ling was furious and slammed the table and stood up:
"Assholes! How dare you all meddle in my household affairs? The Yangxin Palace is not only where I handle government affairs, but also where I sleep and rest. Do you have the right to make irresponsible remarks? The imperial concubine is carrying my heir, who dares to call her a monster?"
After a pause, he asked sternly, "My dear ministers, do you have any objections to me?"
All the court officials knelt on the ground and said in unison: "Your Majesty, please calm down. We dare not do this."
The two censors continued to make their suggestions:
"Your Majesty, beauty is a curse. The Imperial Concubine's third pregnancy has angered the gods. If you want to appease the gods, you must remove her from the palace. This will allow the plague to dissipate and restore peace to the people!"
Xuan Ling's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and he said coldly, "Come here, drag these two pedantic slaves out and behead them!"
"Your Majesty, honest advice is unpleasant to the ears! Your Majesty!" The two censors were still shouting as they were dragged away.
Behind the pearl curtain of the throne in the Golden Palace, Sheng Xiyan's hands, which were twisting the Bodhi wood rosary beads, were shaking slightly, and the fetus in her belly was moving violently.
She bit her lip, tears glistening in her eyes.
Xuan Ling asked coldly, "Where is the Imperial Observatory?"
The Imperial Astronomical Observatory knelt on the ground and trembled: "Your humble servant is here."
Xuan Ling's gaze was like a knife. "Why are you so silent, my dear? Could it be that the dragon fetus carried by the imperial concubine has truly angered the gods? Have you seen what the celestial phenomena are showing?"
The Imperial Astronomical Observatory said with great trepidation, "Your Majesty, I have never seen this celestial phenomenon."
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