119: Birth

Chapter 118: Hastening Pregnancy

"Fuyou House has appeared again."

"Hmm?"

A single sentence instantly dismissed Xu Mujun's thoughts.

Zheng Yi said, "For the two of us, or even the entire Great Yu, Fuyou House is the greatest enemy."

"I do not wish for any problems to arise in the rear when dealing with Fuyou House."

"Therefore, I am prepared to pacify the internal troubles of the entire Great Yu with the momentum of sweeping autumn leaves."

Xu Mujun hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, the late emperor also once intended to sweep away internal troubles, but this involved too many interests and secrets. Even with his boldness, it was very difficult to execute."

"As for this official, I am also powerless despite my aspirations."

Zheng Yi said, "Minister Xu can rest assured; I am not an impulsive person."

"In the past, the late emperor did not want to make a move. Aside from the too many interests and secrets involved behind the scenes, the main reason was that his strength was insufficient!"

"Back then, under the late emperor's command, there was probably only you, Minister Xu, as a trustworthy expert of the Innate Realm."

"And now under my command, not only are there experts of the Innate Realm like Minister Xu, but there are also hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the New Army and loyal men, which is enough to suppress the ghosts and monsters within the territory of Great Yu!"

"Furthermore."

Zheng Yi sneered and said, "I am not an ordinary person either."

Xu Mujun's expression tightened. Sensing carefully, he hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, you... have become a Cultivator?"

"Correct."

Knowing that this matter simply could not be hidden, Zheng Yi said directly, "I accidentally stepped onto the path of cultivation with the assistance of Consort Cui."

"Consort Cui?"

"Yes, when Consort Cui returned home to visit her Family a few years ago, she met a Cultivator named 'Xuanjizi' who took her as a disciple, and I obtained the secret cultivation technique from this person."

"Of course, my overall strength is still far behind compared to Minister Xu."

Xu Mujun suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, are there any other Innate Realm experts in your possession?"

"In former years, Prince Xian was a Grandmaster Realm expert, but he was still some distance away from the Innate Realm. Why did he suddenly Breakthrough?"

"And Elder Chen?"

Zheng Yi laughed and said, "To not hide it from Minister Xu, before Daoist Xuanjizi left, she once bestowed several spiritual sands. And Consort Cui was generous, using these several spiritual sands to set up a Spirit Gathering Formation within the inner palace. Prince Xian and Elder Chen probably broke through by luck at that time."

"With three Innate experts suppressing the realm, I think throughout Great Yu, unless hidden Cultivators or Innate Realm experts emerge into the world, I truly do not believe that anyone can stop the three beloved ministers?"

Xu Mujun shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, even without the three of us, relying solely on the New Army in Your Majesty's hands, it is enough to suppress Great Yu."

"Your Majesty, what do you plan to do next?"

"And where is Fuyou House?"

"Jiangkou County, Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangzhou." Zheng Yi said, "I have already sent the Jinyi Guard to contact them..."

"Your Majesty, absolutely not!"

Xu Mujun hurriedly stopped him and said, "Fuyou House is a Cultivator organization. If Mortals rashly contact them, I'm afraid it will attract their attention. What if it backfires?"

Zheng Yi said, "Then what ideas does Minister Xu have?"

"This matter must still fall into the hands of the Wang Family!"

"The Wang Family?"

"Correct."

Xu Mujun said, "Liu Chengen secretly arrested the main figures of the Eight Great Merchants of Bing under the guise of celebrating a birthday, but their Family influence is simply too massive, and a portion of the Wang Family members secretly fled."

"Why don't we secretly utilize this group of people, let them secretly contact Fuyou House, and then we act as the oriole behind them once more?"

Zheng Yi's eyes flashed as he said, "Good idea! Then this matter will be fully entrusted to Minister Xu..."

Xu Mujun shook his head in refusal and said, "Your Majesty, let the people of the Shadow Guard handle this matter. All the subordinates under this official are soldiers who have weathered many battles."

"Let them kill on the battlefield, and they will never frown. But if you make them do these covert things, I'm afraid they will easily be discovered."

"I understand."

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "Elder Chen."

Chen Liancang slowly stepped out: "Your Majesty, this old slave is here."

"Send a pigeon message to Ma Jinwu, telling him to temporarily suspend contact with Fuyou House. At the same time, have the Shadow Guard find suitable Wang Family descendants, set up covert deployments, and investigate all movements of Fuyou House."

"Understood!"

"Minister Xu has rendered great service through arduous efforts. Don't leave right away this time you've returned, and rest well for a period of time."

Zheng Yi laughed and said, "Luaner and Xuaner both miss Minister Xu very much, and I also have many matters to discuss with Minister Xu."

"This official... obeys the decree."

Xu Mujun said directly, "Your Majesty, this official also has something to say."

"Oh?"

Zheng Yi grew interested and asked, "What important matter does Minister Xu have?"

"Your Majesty, you are approaching thirty years of age, yet you still have no imperial sons."

Xu Mujun said, "Originally, this official should not be the one to bring this up, but many important ministers in the court took the initiative to find this official. For the stability of Great Yu, this official has no choice but to risk death to present an admonition."

"Within White Jade Capital, there are pools of wine and forests of meat. Please seal them off, Your Majesty, and focus on the chambers of several imperial concubines. For the sake of our Great Yu, please put in more effort, Your Majesty."

"Among the many imperial concubines now, Consort Cui is pregnant but has not yet given birth."

"If she gives birth to an imperial son, that is fine, but if it is still a female... court ministers will criticize, and it could even be exploited by some people secretly making an issue of it!"

Zheng Yi said helplessly, "Minister Xu, I have already tried very hard!"

"Whether it is a boy or a girl is naturally ordained by heaven, and I am also helpless about it."

Xu Mujun said, "Although giving birth to a boy or a girl is ordained by heaven, there are still patterns to follow."

"Your Majesty can hold another selection ceremony for palace maids, selecting women from families with many males to enter the palace and serve."

"Your Majesty wants to be the sovereign of restoration, Great Yu wants to continue its stability, the New Army wants its goals, and even the clear future desired by the Emperors Party established by Your Majesty—all of them require an imperial son!"

Speaking to this point, Zheng Yi also fell silent.

Indeed.

The stability of a country requires not only a magnificent sovereign of great talent and bold vision.

What is needed even more is a successor!

With a successor, the foundation will become even more stable, and the Emperors Party will become even more united.

Otherwise, a group of people follow you to conquer the world, and suddenly you collapse midway—wouldn't that be making wedding garments for others?

Although Zheng Yi is confident of living for several thousand years, or even tens of thousands of years.

However, the Emperors Party under his command and the foundation he established simply cannot continue to exist along with his longevity.

Although Minister Xu's words were abrupt, they could also be considered as thinking for his sake.

Zheng Yi pondered and said, "I will consider what Minister Xu has said."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

With Xu Mujun sitting in town in the capital, the entire capital became much more stable.

Of course, there were also not-so-good aspects.

For example, the action of blowing up the late emperor's mausoleum at Tianshou Mountain stopped. Otherwise, if Xu Mujun knew that Zheng Yi was digging the late emperor's tomb, who knows how angry he would become.

For another example, Zheng Yi reduced the number of times he went to Consort Cui, Yuechan, and Immortal Master Yuheng, almost exclusively favoring Xu Qingluan.

As for the child-bearing issue mentioned by Xu Qingluan, he was also considering it.

Now he has nine princesses, and the one in Xu Qingluan's belly is one hundred percent a female as well.

When ten females are born, the innate spiritual energy progress (First Tier) in the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror will reach its maximum value.

By then, what kind of changes will occur?

Turning into Second Tier?

If Second Tier wants to continue advancing, give birth to ten sons?

Or is it other hard conditions?

He closed his eyes and concentrated his mind within the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

[Life Master: Zheng Yi]

[Talent: Yin and Yang]

[Lifespan: 28 / 5668]

[Spiritual Root: Water (Medium Grade 112 / 1000), Earth (Low Grade 96 / 100), Wood (Low Grade 48 / 100), Gold (Low Grade 12 / 100)]

[Mana: 254 / 1000]

[Comprehensive Strength: Level 1 Qi Refining]

[innate spiritual energy Progress (First Tier): 9 / 10]

Within the entire Yin Yang Treasure Mirror, over sixty wisps of Innate Qi were swimming about.

Among them, the amount of Pure Yang Qi was the greatest, reaching thirty-seven wisps.

The amount of Pure Yin Qi was the least, with only twenty-four wisps.

These Innate Yin and Yang Qi were the Innate Qi condensed after he favored over five hundred women.

These over sixty wisps of Innate Qi represented over sixty descendants.

This was still the standard he deliberately maintained; otherwise, the quantity would be even greater.

Of the five hundred or more palace maidens, most people only had a single night of pleasure.

After obtaining lifespan, they were no longer favored.

Only those women with noble status, high beauty, or special traits could continue to be favored, thereby obtaining Innate Yin and Yang Qi by luck.

"Pure Yang Qi must certainly be utilized, and an imperial son must definitely be born!"

Zheng Yi muttered, "Let's wait until Consort Cui gives birth to the tenth daughter and I can control the innate spiritual energy first. By then, who knows what unexpected changes will occur."

"Furthermore... who exactly should give birth to the first imperial son?"

"The Empress? Consort Xu? Consort Yang? Or Consort Cui?"

If the Empress gives birth to an imperial son, he will one hundred percent be established as the crown prince, and he will receive the support of almost more than half of the ministers in the court.

If Consort Xu gives birth to an imperial son, she will also gain the support of the military faction in the court, and there is also a great probability of him being established as the crown prince.

As for Consort Yang, as the descendant of a criminal official, even if she gives birth to an imperial son, he will never be established as the crown prince.

In the court, absolutely no one supports him.

Logically speaking, having Consort Yang give birth to an imperial son is the safest.

And there is Consort Cui.

As a Cultivator, among the descendants she gives birth to, there is a very high probability that they will also possess Spiritual Roots.

For Zheng Yi, who wants to build a massive force, this is undoubtedly of great benefit.

He shook his head, stopping these wild random thoughts.

"Regardless, there is still plenty of time. Let's wait until Consort Cui gives birth to the tenth daughter."

"By then, gather all ten strands of innate spiritual energy in the imperial palace, and comprehensively enhance our strength first."

"At that time, we will consider the matter of who should give birth to a son!"

Zheng Yi took a deep breath and muttered, "And Xu Mujun, stay obediently in the imperial palace. I want to see what reaction your precious son will have with you in the capital."

Just at this moment, a eunuch walked in briskly from outside: "Your Majesty, Liu Chengen has returned to the capital to report on his duties."

"Chengen has returned?"

Zheng Yi's eyes lit up as he said, "Let him in."

"Understood!"

Soon, Liu Chengen walked in briskly with a face full of joy.

"This old slave Liu Chengen greets Your Majesty!"

"Rise."

Zheng Yi said, "Chengen, looking at your expression, is there some joyous occasion?"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, felicitations, Your Majesty!"

Liu Chengen nimbly climbed up and bowed, saying, "This old slave has already confiscated the properties of the Eight Great Merchants of Bing entirely, and also captured more than half of their clans, totaling over two thousand three hundred people."

"They have now been escorted back to the capital, awaiting Your Majesty's disposition!"

"Were there any casualties in the army?"

Liu Chengen's expression changed, and he hurriedly answered: "Casualties are not very heavy... One of the Wang Family's honored guests is a Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist. Even with the advantage of our New Army's firearms, we were unable to stop him, and he carved out a bloody path and escaped!"

Speaking to this point, Liu Chengen hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, "This old slave failed to handle the matter well; please punish me, Your Majesty!"

"Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist?"

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "I had already guessed it. The Five Great Families have a Legacy of over three hundred years; how could there possibly be no powerful Martial Artists within their clans?"

"It is merely a Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist; it doesn't matter. Just have the Jinyi Guard issue a nationwide arrest warrant."

The past Zheng Yi might still have had some worries when facing Grandmaster Realm Martial Artists.

But right now, to him, there is no threat whatsoever!

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Liu Chengen climbed up once more and said, "Your Majesty, this confiscation of the Eight Great Merchants of Bing really made this old slave... have his eyes opened!"

"Oh? What do you mean?"

Liu Chengen smiled bitterly and said, "This old slave originally thought that when confiscating Yang Reverse's home a few years ago, it was already eye-opening. I didn't expect that after confiscating the Wang Family and the Eight Great Merchants of Bing this time, I would realize that there is always a heaven beyond heaven and a person beyond person!"

"How much was confiscated?"

"In pure silver alone, eight hundred and sixty million taels."