Chapter 367: Two More Sons

Chongzheng Hall—this hall, neither imposing nor ornate, stood impervious to wind and snow, still firmly situated among the palace complex of the Eastern Capital. Its plain tones faintly exuded an air of solemn majesty.

Inside the hall, seated upon the dragon couch, Liu Chengyou found his surroundings somewhat cold and quiet. A dozen or so palace lanterns flickered with flames, yet it was precisely this familiar solitude that set his mind at ease. Only this center of the Great Han's power was his comfort zone.

During his recent northern inspection tour, he had been away from the capital for a long time. Though immersed in local inspections, he had never ceased worrying about the Eastern Capital, fearing that some problem might arise in the imperial capital. Fortunately, through nearly two years of sustained efforts, he had assembled a capable bureaucratic apparatus that kept the court functioning stably. The chief ministers of the Great Han, led by Feng Dao, had ultimately not disappointed him.

Or perhaps it was because, since the founding of the state, national affairs had been troubled, and the Great Han had been exhausted internally and externally, with all levels seeking peace. Thus, during Liu Chengyou's absence from the capital, the military, political, and civil conditions in the Eastern Capital had remained generally stable. The calamity-ridden Great Han dynasty, through Liu Chengyou's efforts, had finally truly entered a rhythm of recuperation and recovery.

Breathing in the air of the hall, even the "ill tidings" reported by the Wude Office regarding public sentiment in the Eastern Capital—such as corruption, dereliction of duty, bribery, and deceiving the sovereign—felt strangely familiar and reassuring to Liu Chengyou.

The imperial desk in Chongzheng Hall had been redesigned; previously, its narrow surface could not accommodate many documents, so Liu Chengyou had ordered the Directorate of Construction to remake it. Now, however, the imperial desk in Chongzheng Hall was neatly piled with all manner of official documents and memorials—military and political matters of importance that had accumulated during Liu Chengyou's northern tour. Before even returning to the capital, he had sent word ahead for the various offices to prepare them for his review, so he could examine the handling results of the civil and military officials left behind.

Yet, faced with the desk full of documents, Liu Chengyou—who had maxed out his workaholic attributes—now clearly showed little interest. His sword-like brows were slightly furrowed, and his pupils seemed shrouded in a web that blocked out the information in the official papers.

"Zhang Dejun!" Suddenly, Liu Chengyou raised his head and called out, his voice rising, lacking its usual steadiness.

"Your Majesty!" Before long, Zhang Dejun, his body tense, stepped lightly inside.

Liu Chengyou took a deep breath, raised his hand, and pointed toward Kunming Hall: "How is the situation?"

Zhang Dejun's voice carried a hint of unease as he carefully replied: "No word has come yet."

"Then why aren't you going to find out at once!" Liu Chengyou rarely let his emotions show, and now he spoke with some ferocity.

"This servant will go at once!" Startled, Zhang Dejun hurriedly said.

Just as he turned to leave, Liu Chengyou straightened his back and said again: "Never mind! I'll go myself!"

Seeing Liu Chengyou making to move, Zhang Dejun couldn't help but say: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has said that His Majesty is being looked after by her. Please rest assured and attend to state affairs, and do not worry..."

Liu Chengyou frowned and shot him a glare. Zhang Dejun dared not say more, quickly leading the way and arranging for the imperial procession.

Kunming Hall, the bedchamber of Empress Fu, was now shrouded in a tense atmosphere both inside and out. After ten months of pregnancy, Empress Fu had reached the time of childbirth. Liu Chengyou's hasty return to the Eastern Capital was partly due to this matter. Empress Dowager Li was personally attending to her here.

"Your Majesty!"

Liu Chengyou strode in swiftly with the wind at his heels, ignoring the attendants who bowed in salute. He went straight to the table, stopped to steady himself, bowed to Lady Li, and softly called out: "Mother!"

Looking at her son, Lady Li nodded, a trace of tenderness flashing in her jade-like eyes. She reached out and said in a comforting tone: "Your Majesty, please sit. The elder Lady Fu should be fine!"

He glanced toward the inner chamber but heard no sounds of "screaming at the top of one's lungs." Several hours had already passed.

Below the hall, Noble Consort Gao and Worthy Consort Zhe were both present. Also there was the second young lady of the Fu family, who had been enfeoffed as Lady of Weiguo. The young lady had grown a bit more, and her delicate, beautiful face was deeply worried as she kept gazing toward the inner chamber, her eyes full of concern.

At this moment, however, Liu Chengyou had no leisure to converse much with his sister-in-law.

"Your Majesty!" Noble Consort Gao stepped forward at the lead, bowing to him softly.

Liu Chengyou nodded, reached out to help Gao up, glanced down at her already round belly, and asked in a grave tone: "Your body is not convenient. Why are you here instead of resting properly?"

Sensing the concern in Liu Chengyou's words, Noble Consort Gao gave a faint smile with her jade-like lips and replied: "His Majesty is giving birth to a child; this concubine's heart is filled with worry."

Within the Han palace, the rivalry between the Empress and the Noble Consort for favor was no secret, and Liu Chengyou was well aware of it. But hearing her words of "deep affection between empress and consort," he had no intention of probing whether she spoke sincerely. He merely said, "You are thoughtful."

Lifting the hem of his robe, Liu Chengyou sat down properly, conversing with the Empress Dowager somewhat absent-mindedly. The atmosphere in the hall grew ever more tense. The last time such a scene had occurred was when Pure Consort Geng had been giving birth.

Suddenly, a pained groan from Fu came from the inner chamber. The tearing sound pierced the ears and made one's heart clench involuntarily. Hearing this, Noble Consort Gao subconsciously touched her belly beneath her soft fur coat, and a trace of anxiety inevitably surfaced on her jade-like face, as if she felt the pain herself.

Liu Chengyou took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze from within, and noticed Gao's gesture. His brows slightly furrowed, he pointed at an attendant and directly ordered: "Take the Noble Consort back to her palace to rest, and attend to her well!"

"Yes!"

Noble Consort Gao seemed to be feeling some discomfort as well and did not insist on staying. Supported by the attendant, she rose, took her leave of Liu Chengyou and Lady Li, and returned to her palace.

Then he looked at Lady Zhe and said softly: "You should go back too."

Meeting the Emperor's gaze, the young Lady Zhe also couldn't help but stroke her own abdomen, reining in her "presence," and retreated very obediently.

During the northern inspection tour accompanying the imperial carriage, Liu Chengyou had sown his seed quite liberally. On the road back to the capital, the young Lady Zhe had also been diagnosed as pregnant.

The hall grew even quieter. Fu's pained groans came from time to time, and hearing them, even Liu Chengyou's composure could not help but grow somewhat restless.

After waiting in vain for nearly half an hour, he abruptly rose, intending to go straight into the inner chamber. Seeing this, Lady Li immediately called out to stop him: "What use would it be for Your Majesty to go in? Do not add to the chaos!"

Lady Li's matriarchal authority showed itself. Liu Chengyou looked at his mother, drew in a cold breath, and sat back down.

"Sit for a while longer!" In Lady Li's heart, was she not also anxious? Furrowing her phoenix brows, she flicked her sleeves and rose, saying: "I'll go in and take a look!"

After Lady Li went inside, another half hour or more passed. The winter night had quietly descended when, at last, a baby's cry came from Kunming Hall—a clear, crisp wail that instantly dispelled the heavy atmosphere in the hall.

As the serving maids relayed the joyful news of "mother and child both safe," Liu Chengyou broke into a relieved and cheerful smile.

In the last month of the second year of Qianyou, Liu Chengyou's eldest legitimate son was born.

Less than half a month later, the calendar turned to the third year of Qianyou. As the New Year's Lantern Festival approached, Noble Consort Gao also bore Liu Chengyou a son.

The Empress and the Noble Consort giving birth in succession, added to Worthy Consort Zhe's pregnancy, meant that the originally thin imperial bloodline suddenly became abundant. Such an auspicious omen seemed to herald that the calamity-ridden Great Han dynasty was due for a change of fortune.

The imperial family's branching out received blessings from both the inner and outer courts. Besides issuing grace edicts to celebrate, Liu Chengyou urgently summoned the learned scholars of the Hanlin Academy to give names to his two imperial princes.