148: Royal heir

Chapter 147: Imperial Heir

"Ah, it hurts so much..."

"Your Majesty, it hurts so much..."

In the sleeping quarters of Kun Ning Palace, Lu Liner lay on the bed, crying out in pain, her face covered in sweat.

Her abdomen was heavily swollen, and there were streaks of blood seeping out from below, making her look very pitiful.

"Lin'er, hold on. I am here, I am here..."

Zheng Yi sat on the edge of the bed, holding Lin'er's hands with both of his. Feeling the sweat all over her body, his heart ached.

"Royal Physician, how is it!"

The Royal Physician kneeling beside him quickly said, "Your Majesty, Empress accidentally fell, disturbing her fetus. Now, the baby in her womb is in a breech position and must be delivered quickly."

"Otherwise, both mother and child will be in danger."

"Deliver!"

Zheng Yi said concisely, "Use the best medicine from the Taiyuan Hospital. Ensure the Empress's life is saved at all costs."

"Understood! We will do our utmost!"

"Your Majesty, childbirth is considered inauspicious with blood. Please move outside the hall."

"Alright."

Zheng Yi gently stroked Lin'er's forehead and whispered, "Lin'er, I believe you can definitely give birth to our child. You can do it!"

"Your, Your Majesty, please don't leave me, okay..."

"I will be just outside the hall. I will not leave."

"Wuwuwu, Your Majesty..."

Reluctantly watching Zheng Yi's retreating back, Lu Liner subconsciously touched her belly.

"Good child, come out quickly, wuwuwu..."

After Zheng Yi left, several female physicians and midwives quickly went in, prepared many things, and began the delivery.

Years ago, Zheng Yi had already ordered the Taiyuan Hospital to establish a Taiyuan Hospital College to train young doctors.

This also included a group of female doctors, specifically prepared for the consorts in the Imperial Palace.

Of course, a few years of training could not produce female doctors with very strong medical skills. Some serious illnesses still needed to be treated by Royal Physicians.

Their position was similar to that of senior nurses.

Stepping out of the sleeping quarters, several consorts were already waiting outside.

Consort Duan, Consort De, Consort Yue, Consort Cui, and others.

Consort Duan was already four months pregnant, her lower abdomen slightly bulging.

Seeing Zheng Yi come out, the consorts quickly came forward.

Until now, Zheng Yi had only infused pure Yang energy into the wombs of Lu Liner and Xu Qingluan, allowing them to give birth to Imperial Princes.

He had not done so for any other consorts.

Even Consort Cui was the same.

The reason was simple: the three thousand worlds had not yet been activated, and he didn't know the situation within them.

So, he planned to activate one of the three thousand worlds first and then see how things went.

As for Consort Duan Xu Qingluan's pregnancy, it was entirely due to Xu Mujun and Xu Xuanwu.

"Your Majesty, how is the Empress?"

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "The fetus is in a breech position. She is in labor now. I hope everything goes smoothly."

The women's faces also showed some sadness. Childbirth for women was fraught with danger, and it was very easy for it to result in the tragic outcome of losing both mother and child.

Even if they were women of the Imperial Family, they were not exempt.

"Ah...!"

Inside the sleeping quarters, Lu Liner's screams of agony could be heard, clearly showing she was struggling to give birth.

Meanwhile, Zheng Yi and the consorts outside the hall could not help and could only suppress their anxious feelings and wait.

"Father Emperor! What's wrong with Mother Empress?"

Zheng Yuhuan walked over with a pouting little face, raised her head, and asked, "I, I think I heard Mother Empress crying."

Zheng Yi quickly picked up Princess Langhuan and whispered, "Mother Empress is fine. Mother Empress is giving Zheng Yuhuan a little brother."

"By the way, Zheng Yuhuan, do you want Mother Empress to give you a little brother or a little sister?"

"I don't like either!"

Zheng Yuhuan pouted and said, "Zheng Yuhuan already has several sisters. They are all so annoying and don't understand anything."

"If possible, I hope Mother Empress gives Zheng Yuhuan a little puppy~"

"A, a little puppy?"

Zheng Yi's mouth twitched. He could only stroke her head and say, "Zheng Yuhuan doesn't like sisters, so Mother Empress will give Zheng Yuhuan a little brother then."

"Is a little brother fun?"

"Of course a little brother is fun~"

Zheng Yi said, "When he grows up, he can climb trees, catch fish, and catch butterflies with Zheng Yuhuan."

"Really?"

Zheng Yuhuan's big eyes immediately lit up, sparkling.

"Then Mother Empress, hurry up and give birth. Zheng Yuhuan wants a little brother, giggle giggle..."

Zheng Yi also sat on the main seat holding Zheng Yuhuan, anxiously looking towards the door of the sleeping quarters.

When Lu Liner gave birth for the first time, it took her no more than half an hour to successfully deliver.

But this time, to give birth to the second child, it actually took her more than an hour.

Even Zheng Yuhuan couldn't hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep in Zheng Yi's arms.

During this time, Zheng Yi also advised Xu Qingluan to go back and rest, but Xu Qingluan refused.

Consort Bi, Consort Wan, Miao Consort, Qing Consort, and others also came one after another to check, but were all sent away by Zheng Yi.

Inside the sleeping quarters, Royal Physicians, female physicians, and midwives came and went, using more than a dozen basins of hot water.

And everyone who came out had blood on their hands.

The situation was not good...

"Wa wuwuwu...!"

Finally, a clear cry echoed from inside the sleeping quarters. Zheng Yi suddenly stood up, and the other consorts still waiting there were also startled awake.

"Born! Hahaha, Lin'er has given birth!"

Zheng Yuhuan groggily opened her eyes, hugged Zheng Yi's neck, and said, "Father Emperor, what was born..."

"Your Mother Empress has given birth, Lin'er has given birth, and she gave you a little brother, hahaha."

Not long after, the door of the sleeping quarters was opened, and an Aunt walked out holding a small infant.

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

"Empress has given birth, it's a... little Imperial Prince!"

Little Imperial Prince!

Imperial Prince!

The news from the Aunt's mouth caused the expressions of the consorts present to subtly change.

The Empress has given birth to an Imperial Prince.

Doesn't that mean he is the future Crown Prince, the future Imperial Heir?

And even... the future Emperor!

"Good, good."

Zheng Yi held Zheng Yuhuan in one arm and took the Imperial Prince that Lu Liner had just given birth to into the other, observing him carefully.

The little child looked like a newborn monkey, his skin wrinkled and very unattractive.

Zheng Yuhuan also said with a hint of disdain, "Father Emperor, the little brother is so ugly. Can we exchange him?"

Zheng Yi laughed, "How can we exchange him? Don't look at how ugly he is now. He'll be fine after being raised for a while."

He didn't know why, but at the moment he saw this little fellow, Zheng Yi felt an indescribable emotion in his heart.

This was his son.

The continuation of his Bloodline, and also his future.

"Zheng Yuhuan, be good and come down. Father Emperor will go in and see Mother Empress."

"No, I want Father Emperor to hold me. Can we go in together, okay?"

Zheng Yi said helplessly, "Alright."

Walking into the sleeping quarters, the room was filled with a strong smell of blood and an inexplicable odor.

The surrounding palace maids and midwives were still busy, and two Royal Physicians were gathered around the Empress, still treating her.

"How is the Empress?"

One Royal Physician turned around, knelt down, and said, "Your Majesty! Empress... is out of danger, but due to the breech position and forced delivery, she has fallen unconscious. We are currently treating her."

"Also, also one more thing, this, This subject doesn't know how to..."

"Speak! I grant you all immunity from punishment."

Another Royal Physician quickly turned around and knelt down, kowtowing his head to the ground and said, "Your Majesty, This subject and others are incompetent. Although we saved Empress. However..."

"Empress consumed a tremendous amount of energy during today's delivery, and her body is depleted. In the future, she will likely fall ill easily and suffer from chronic ailments."

"Furthermore, Empress has also injured her lower body. It, It is possible she may never be able to conceive again."

"Hmm?"

Zheng Yi frowned slightly, looked at the two children he held, and shook his head, "Never mind. You may withdraw. Treat the Empress well."

"This subject and others obey the decree!"

The two kowtowed repeatedly and then quietly withdrew.

"Mother Empress~ Mother Empress~!"

Yu Huan struggled free from Zheng Yi's embrace and ran to Lu Liner's side.

"Mother Empress, wake up. Zheng Yuhuan is here to see you, and there's a little brother too~ Please get up and play with us..."

"Wa wa wa..."

Suddenly, the infant in Zheng Yi's arms also began to cry loudly. Zheng Yi quickly gestured for a wet nurse to come over and handed the child to her.

Perhaps it was Zheng Yuhuan's calling, or perhaps it was the infant's crying, that woke up the originally unconscious Lu Liner.

"Mother Empress, you're awake~!"

Zheng Yi also walked over. Lu Liner's tired beautiful eyes immediately looked towards Zheng Yi, and a trace of a smile appeared on her pale face.

"Your Majesty~ This subject did not fail in my duty and finally gave birth to an Imperial Prince for Your Majesty."

"This subject is very happy..."

"Lin'er~"

Zheng Yi held Lu Liner's cold little hand and said, "You worked hard, Lin'er. I just saw the child, he is very healthy. You should also rest well."

"Thank, Thank you, Your Majesty. Where is the child?"

"The wet nurse took him. What you need to do now is rest well."

"Zheng Yuhuan, be good."

Lu Liner stroked Zheng Yuhuan's little head and asked, "Your Majesty, have you named our child?"

"It has been decided."

Zheng Yi smiled, "According to the ancestral tradition, all Zheng Imperial Princes will follow the generational character lineage."

"Shang Zhi Gong Cheng Bing, Wei Huai Jing Yi Cun, Fu Si Zi Lian Zhi, Kuang Shi Yong Xin Dun. Zong Yuan Cheng Ke Qing, Rui Zhi Shi Kan Zong, Yang Xing Qi Yuan Ya, Yin Si Fu Hui Tong."

"I am the twenty-second generation, 'Yuan'. And our child will be the twenty-third generation, 'Cheng'!"

"This is my first Imperial Prince, and also the future Crown Prince of Great Yu. Therefore, I wish to name him 'Ji'."

"Ji refers to rice, grain, which is the foundation of the people."

"It is also the land and the state, for the land and the state!"

"I hope that in the future, he can prioritize the land and the state, fulfill the role of the Crown Prince of Great Yu, and carry on the Legacy of his ancestors."

"Zheng Chengji... Zheng Chengji."

Lu Liner repeated the name several times, and a hint of color finally returned to her pale face.

Her eyes, which were originally tired, were now filled with joy and radiance.

"This subject thanks Your Majesty on behalf of Chengji."

"Rest well."

Zheng Yi stroked Lu Liner's head, then suddenly turned and whispered, "Lin'er, when you fell in the Imperial Garden today, was it an accidental fall, or was someone plotting against you in secret?"

"This..."

Lu Liner thought back carefully and hesitated, "This, This subject is not sure."

"Usually, This subject often feeds the koi in the Yulong Pond in the Imperial Garden, hoping for good fortune."

"But that day, for some reason, the pebbles on the edge of the Yulong Pond were a bit slippery. Perhaps the eunuch on duty did not clean them properly."

"The pebbles were a bit slippery?"

Zheng Yi murmured, "Although it is winter now, there has been no snow or rain for a long time, and no one has washed the area, so it should be dry. Why would the pebbles be slippery?"

"Moreover, only that section of the path was slippery?"

"Your Majesty, are you saying..."

Zheng Yi comforted her, "Lin'er, don't think too much. I will investigate this matter for you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You rest well. I will leave now."

"This subject respectfully sends off Your Majesty!"

After leaving Kun Ning Palace and dismissing the other consorts, Zheng Yi immediately summoned Tang Cheng.

"Tang Cheng, do you know who in the Jinyi Guard is proficient in investigation and solving cases?"

Tang Cheng immediately said, "This person is named Song Zhao. He was originally a Dali Temple official, and now he is a thousand households in the Jinyi Guard. He was in charge of the review of the Wang Family rebellion case and uncovered many of the Wang Family's crimes."

"Summon him to the Imperial Palace."

Tang Cheng said strangely, "Your Majesty, it is already late..."

"Right now."

"Understood!"

Soon, as dusk fell, Song Zhao, dressed in black, was brought into the Imperial Palace and went straight to the Imperial Garden.

Yulong Pond.

An area of several hundred meters had already been surrounded by the Jinyi Guard and Shadow Guard. No eunuchs or palace maids were allowed to approach.

As soon as the Empress fell and the eunuch came to report, he had already ordered the Jinyi Guard to surround the area and protect the crime scene.

If it was an accident, then it would be a waste of effort.

But if someone had done it intentionally...

"This subject, Song Zhao, greets Your Majesty!"

"Rise."

Zheng Yi said casually, "Lord Song may investigate this area and see if there is anything unusual compared to normal."

"Understood!"