Outside the pavilion, rows of leafless trees stretched all the way to the end of the road, like solemn soldiers standing guard.

It's still cold in Beijing in February.

Jiang Si originally wanted to go back to the Dongping Marquis's mansion to have a quick meal with his father and elder sister, but was stopped by Jiang Ancheng: "You should go back to the palace and rest early. You are pregnant, don't run around."

He had heard that Princess Qi had given birth after attending the palace's New Year's Eve dinner. This showed that a pregnant woman felt most at ease staying at home.

When Jiang Si heard Jiang Ancheng say this, he did not insist anymore and returned to Prince Yan's Mansion with Yu Jin.

Erniu came out happily, circled Jiang Si twice, and called twice towards her bulging belly, as if greeting the future little master.

Yu Jin glared at Erniu and said to Jiang Si, "Walk slower."

Jiang Si is already six months pregnant, but she is not as bloated and uncomfortable as other pregnant women. Apart from a slightly bulging belly, she still has thin arms and legs and walks lightly.

She slowed down her pace and took a walk in the garden with Yu Jin.

The garden is already green, and apricot blossoms are blooming at the corners of the wall.

"Asi, don't worry. I have already written a letter to my friend in Southern Xinjiang, asking him to take good care of Jiang Zhan and send someone to follow him secretly."

"Well, I just hope that my second brother will come back soon."

Speaking of Jiang Zhan's long journey, Jiang Si couldn't help but worry, but she couldn't.

Seeing Jiang's face light up, Yu Jin reached out and touched her belly, and asked happily, "What do you think we should name our child?"

"We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, so how should we name it?"

"Let's give them a nickname first. I've already decided. If it's a boy, I'll call him Ah-Chiu, and if it's a girl, I'll call her Ah-Jiao. What do you think?"

Erniu, who had been following the two of them, couldn't stand it anymore and raised his head and barked twice.

Name the little master Ah Li? He disagrees!

Yu Jin was already used to Erniu's occasional tantrums. She glared at it, then looked away and waited for Jiang Si's response.

Jiang Si smiled and nodded: "Ah-Hu and Ah-Jiao are both good, let's call them that."

A thud was heard, and the two turned around at the same time, only to see Erniu lying on the ground with his arms and legs spread out, looking as if he had lost all hope in life.

As a big dog with its own ideas, it doesn't accept its little master calling it A Li!

The calmness of Prince Yan's Mansion could not stop the undercurrent outside.

The ministers, who had been eager to take action for a long time, finally requested to establish a crown prince.

Whenever Emperor Jingming attended court, several ministers would stand up and bring up the issue of appointing a crown prince.

If he adopted a soft attitude, the ministers would become aggressive and show signs of banging their heads against the pillars if they disagreed with him.

If he had a cold and hard attitude, the ministers would have cried and shouted that the throne was in vain and the country was unstable, and they could not become sinners of the Zhou Dynasty for their own glory.

Emperor Jingming returned to Yu's study, slammed the table and cursed: "These bastards are better actors than the actors on the stage! They are so talented, why don't they go and perform?"

Pan Hai silently picked up the notebook that had fallen on the ground and stuffed it under a pile of memorials without responding to Emperor Jingming's words.

When it comes to appointing a crown prince, it's not something he can say too much.

Emperor Jingming was still furious, slamming the table and saying, "I am not old anymore, the position of Crown Prince has been vacant for less than half a year, and these bastards are so impatient. To appoint a Crown Prince? Who do they want to appoint? The Prince of Jin or the Prince of Qi?"

Emperor Jingming shouted so loudly that the eunuch standing at the door lowered his eyes and dared not say a word.

“Your Majesty, please don’t get angry and hurt yourself. We are also thinking about the country…” Pan Hai was afraid that Emperor Jingming would get hurt from his anger, so he hurriedly advised.

Emperor Jingming raised his eyebrows and said, "The country and the people? Whose country is this? Whose country is this? I know who should be made the crown prince and when. It is not their turn to force me!"

On the second day of court, when a minister brought up the issue of appointing a crown prince again, Emperor Jingming became furious and cursed the minister out for saying this.

After a moment of silence in the hall, Yu Shi stood up and said passionately: "Your Majesty, this is wrong. We are all citizens of the Great Zhou. We eat the emperor's salary and bear the emperor's worries. We cannot stand aside while watching the emperor hesitate. This is irresponsible to the country—"

"You!" Emperor Jingming was rarely angry. He pointed at Yu Shi, but before he could retort, his vision suddenly went dark and his body tilted to the side.

All the officials were suddenly shocked.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty——"

There was a chaos, and Pan Hai appeared in the hall with a gloomy face.

The buzz of discussion suddenly stopped, and the ministers surrounded Pan Hai tightly, asking one after another: "Eunuch Pan, how is the emperor?"

Pan Hai said coldly: "Don't worry, everyone. The emperor is just overworked. The imperial physician said he needs to rest for a while. It's nothing serious."

The ministers all breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good."

"Everyone, please go away."

Some people were ready to leave, but many more stood still: "Eunuch Pan, will you attend court tomorrow?"

Pan Hai rolled his eyes and said, "The emperor needs to rest and will not attend court for the time being. The emperor said that if you have any business, just write a memorial and hand it in..."

Returning to Yangxin Palace, Pan Hai sighed quietly as he looked at Emperor Jingming lying on the couch.

It's not easy to be an emperor. Not only does he faint from anger, but he also has to take the opportunity to pretend to be sick to escape the pressure from his subjects.

"Are they all gone?"

"Dispersed."

"Well, it's good that they are gone. Don't let them bother me these few days!"

Pan Hai thought for a moment and reminded, "Your Majesty, you are sick and need to rest. The princes, princesses and others will definitely come to visit you. When the time comes--"

"Let them in if they come." Emperor Jingming said calmly.

The appointment of a crown prince was inevitable, so he could take this time to think about it carefully.

Prince Jin was secretly delighted when he heard about Emperor Jingming's "illness".

Ever since Princess Qi gave birth, the fourth brother seemed to have suffered a great blow and had the intention of stopping.

The emperor father is ill. If his health gets worse, the crown prince will have to be appointed as soon as possible, and his chances will be even greater.

Although Prince Jin wanted to go to the sick emperor's side immediately to win the emperor's favor, he felt that the first visit seemed too hasty, so he endured it and waited until someone took action.

King Qi thought the same.

The first bird to be shot hits the head, he always remembered this sentence.

Furthermore, he also wanted to paralyze King Jin and make him feel that he no longer had the desire to fight for the throne, and it would be even more difficult for him to be too aggressive.

The first person to visit Emperor Jingming was Yu Jian.

Emperor Jingming was surprised and felt relieved.

As the father and son were talking, Pan Hai reported, "Your Majesty, Prince Jin has brought the Crown Prince to see you."

"Please pass it on."

Soon, Prince Jin came in with his son and paid his respects to Emperor Jingming.

Emperor Jingming's gaze fell on Prince Fuger of Jin.

Fu Ge'er was a shy child. He was instinctively afraid of his grandfather who was the emperor, so he hid behind Prince Jin.

Prince Jin's expression remained unchanged, but he was anxious in his heart: This child Fu Ge'er really doesn't know how to please others!

Just as he was about to say something, the eunuch reported: "Prince Jing and the Crown Prince are here to visit the Emperor."