Chapter 186: Father-in-law, I apologize! [Many thanks for everyone's support! A second bow!]

"Dismissed."

The Emperor suddenly stood up, and a nearby palace eunuch, seeing His Majesty somewhat unsteady, hurriedly supported him.

As the hundred officials in the hall bowed in salute, the Emperor waved his hand and walked quickly outward.

Seated in the rear hall upon a sixteen-man carried shoulder palanquin, the Emperor sat restlessly, saying, "Faster! Even faster!"

Hearing the Emperor's command, the eunuchs beneath the shoulder palanquin began to trot.

Just before reaching the Empress's bedchamber, a female official approached; upon seeing the Emperor, she hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Prince has been crying continuously; Her Ladyship said to send someone to fetch the Xu family's Fifth Young Master."

"What?! Fang'er is crying! Go quickly! Ride a fast horse!"

Upon arriving at the entrance to the Empress's bedchamber, before the shoulder palanquin had even come to a stop, the Emperor had already disembarked; entering the hall, several imperial physicians were seen standing in attendance at the doorway.

Walking further inside, one saw Zhao Fang crying at the entrance to the confinement chamber where the delivery was taking place.

"What is happening? How could Fang'er be here?"

The female official was just about to answer when—

"Father Emperor, your son has come to pay respects to Mother Empress," said Zhao Fang, before bursting into tears again.

"Ah!"

From inside came the Empress's cry of pain.

Zhao Fang was startled into a shudder.

"Take the Imperial Prince away."

Hearing the Emperor's words, a nearby female official hurriedly approached Zhao Fang, but Zhao Fang ignored her, instead taking several steps toward the entrance of the confinement chamber.

"Carry him away!" whispered the Chief Palace Eunuch in a low voice.

The female official crouched down and was about to reach out, but Zhao Fang shoved her away.

"Father Emperor! I won't go; I want to stay with Mother Empress! Father Emperor! Wuu wuu wuu..."

When the female official stood up and lifted Zhao Fang into her arms, Zhao Fang struggled violently within her embrace.

"No! I won't go!"

Zhao Fang cried out in panic.

"Let me go!"

"Mother Empress!"

Fearing she might injure Zhao Fang, the female official could only loosen her grip.

Inside the confinement chamber,

Hearing her son's cries from outside the door, the Empress frowned within the room; enduring the pain, she said, "Tell Fang'er outside that the Xu family young master he likes is about to arrive."

"Yes, My Lady."

Outside the room,

The Emperor was also somewhat caught off guard by the Empress's labor and his only son's bitter weeping.

An imperial physician nearby hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Prince may have been frightened; it would be best to calm his spirits!"

"How can his spirits be calmed?"

"By having someone the Imperial Prince likes or feels safe with come to him; ideally, it would be Her Ladyship, but..."

"Very well, then let him come to my side."

The Emperor beckoned to Zhao Fang; at this moment, a eunuch had already placed a chair behind the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, please sit and rest awhile."

Zhao Fang came to the Emperor's side, crying as he clutched the Emperor's robes, and was then scooped up into the Emperor's embrace.

Feeling his imperial child's slightly trembling small body in his arms, the Emperor grasped his little hand; just then, the door opened, and a female official emerged, who, upon seeing the Emperor, hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Her Ladyship instructed this humble servant to tell the Imperial Prince that the Xu family young master he likes is about to arrive."

Sitting in the chair and holding his imperial child, the Emperor said, "Yes, just now Father Emperor sent someone on horseback to fetch Jing'er; Fang'er, do not cry."

Since birth, the most unforgettable and distressing experience Zhao Fang had endured was that time he got stuck,

and his most magnificent first encounter with the hundred officials shouting 'Long live the Emperor' also occurred when Xu Xu Zaijing presented the golden arrow.

Therefore, after hearing his Father Emperor and Mother Empress's words, Zhao Fang looked at the Emperor and stopped crying.

"Father Emperor, does Mother Empress hurt very much?"

The Emperor said nothing, merely humming an 'Mm,' while watching people carrying hot water and towels moving in and out of the hall.

An imperial physician also walked out from inside and came before the Emperor, carefully reporting his diagnosis.

Three fast horses galloped out from the palace gates,

The riders on horseback shouting loudly, "On imperial orders! Make way! Make way! Heh!"

The sound carried far; the common people on the road hurriedly cleared a path, watching the swift horses gallop away.

Jiying Lane,

The Sheng family gatekeeper was sweeping the entrance,

"Giddyup!"

The sound of whipping horses and hoofbeats came from afar; the gatekeeper turned to look and saw three horses galloping toward the gate.

On the horses were two imperial guards panting heavily and one palace eunuch nearly frozen stiff.

The three flipped off their horses and, with somewhat hoarse voices, asked:

"Is the Xu family's Fifth Young Master inside?"

The gatekeeper nodded.

"Take us to him; His Majesty summons him!"

In the lecture hall, Master Zhuang was fanning himself with a folding fan while listening to Xu Xu Zaizhang's interpretation of the topic,

when suddenly a voice called out: "Xu Han Wulang! Please come out quickly!"

Zhuang Zhu Xuejiu frowned and looked at Xu Xu Zaijing; soon the curtain was lifted, and two Imperial Guards soldiers and a eunuch walked in.

This sudden turn of events startled everyone in the lecture hall.

"Which one is the Fifth Young Master of Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu?"

Xu Xu Zaijing stood up from the back row: "What matter concerns me?"

Xu Zhangye also stood up and said, "What matter concerns my little brother?"

The eunuch hastily cupped his fists: "Fifth Young Master, the Empress and Your Majesty urgently summon you to the palace. As for the specific matter, please move your steps first."

Seeing Qingcao, at the very back, hurriedly hugged a large cloak and came to Xu Xu Zaijing's side.

Hearing these words, Xu Xu Zaijing hastily bowed to Zhuang Zhu Xuejiu; Zhuang Zhu Xuejiu waved his folding fan, signaling Xu Xu Zaijing to go quickly.

After leaving the lecture hall, Xu Xu Zaijing said, "Eunuch, can you speak now?"

"Fifth Young Master, the Crown Prince keeps crying; Your Majesty wants you to enter the palace immediately."

"Ah? I did not ride a horse today."

"Fifth Young Master, ride our horses then. Quickly!"

After exiting the Sheng family's main gate, one of the Imperial Guards soldiers yielded his horse, and the three whipped their mounts into a gallop once more.

Upon reaching the palace gate, just as the three were about to dismount, an Imperial Guards Wei Xiao asked, "Is this the Xu family's Fifth Young Master?"

"He is!"

"Indeed!"

Hearing the reply, that Imperial Guards Wei Xiao said, "Xu family's Fifth Young Master, Your Majesty has issued an edict: do not dismount; ride straight in."

As he spoke, the palace gate opened.

Xu Xu Zaijing reined in his horse at the entrance and said, "I do not know the way! Let them lead!"

"By Your Majesty's edict, only the Fifth Young Master may ride in."

The eunuch, having already dismounted, hurriedly walked to Xu Xu Zaijing's side and said, "Fifth Young Master, you go first—"

"Eunuch, forgive my offense."

"Ah?" Before the eunuch could react, Xu Xu Zaijing grabbed him.

"This does not count as riding!"

Saying this, Xu Xu Zaijing made the eunuch lie horizontally across the horse's back and rode in.

The Imperial Guards soldiers nearby said nothing.

"Point the way!"

In less than half a quarter-hour, amidst the astonished gazes of the palace attendants, the edict-bearing eunuch slid off the horse's back.

The eunuch at the gate also hurriedly went inside to report.

After placing the reins into the hands of the eunuch who had slid down, Xu Xu Zaijing walked while adjusting his appearance.

Led by the head eunuch attending the Emperor, he entered the hall; just as he came in, he heard a painful cry from the Empress within.

Xu Xu Zaijing knew in his heart that the Empress was in labor; he stepped forward, bowed, and said, "I pay my respects to Your Majesty and the Crown Prince."

Zhao Fang, held in the Emperor's arms, peeked out with tears in his eyes; upon seeing Xu Xu Zaijing, he wiped away his tears.

"Mm. Come here."

The Emperor ordered.

After Xu Xu Zaijing approached the Emperor's side,

The Emperor said to Zhao Fang, "Go."

Zhao Fang left the Emperor's embrace and walked toward Xu Xu Zaijing; the Emperor, seated on his chair, subtly shook his somewhat sore arms.

"Brother Jing, will Mother Empress be alright?"

"Her Ladyship's fortune is as vast as the heavens; surely she will be fine."

"But I am still worried about Mother Empress."

"Your Majesty and Her Ladyship are also worried about the Crown Prince; otherwise, they would not have summoned me to the palace."

Hearing these words, the Emperor smiled; in truth, Zhao Fang had already stopped crying much while in his arms; Xu Xu Zaijing's arrival was mostly to put Zhao Fang at ease and calm his spirit.

"But how can I help Mother Empress? She has been in pain for so long."

Hearing Zhao Fang's words, Xu Xu Zaijing looked at the Emperor; the Emperor, frowning and gazing at the inner room's door, said, "Just speak, Jing-ge'er."

"If the Crown Prince stops crying and does not make Her Ladyship worry, that will help Her Ladyship!"

"Mm! Fang'er will not cry! But how can we let Mother Empress know?"

Inside the room,

The Empress, covered in sweat, was in severe pain;

The female physician beside her shouted, "Her Ladyship, push!"

At this moment, a child's voice faintly drifted over.

The Empress paused, thinking Zhao Fang was crying again.

"Do not speak for now!" the Empress said somewhat wearily.

The room fell silent.

'Clouds rise to bring rain, dew congeals into frost.

Gold is born in beautiful waters, jade emerges from Kunlun Ridge.'

"

The female official beside her said, "Her Ladyship, it is the Crown Prince!"

The Empress nodded and softly said:

"Good child."

At the hour of Si,

The Empress gave birth to a Princess.

Holding the swaddling clothes handed over by the female official and looking at the female infant inside, the Emperor smiled at the Empress.

Stroking Zhao Fang's little face, the Empress said softly:

"Your Majesty, why not give our daughter a nickname?"

The Emperor looked at the Empress and smiled, saying, "Constant as the moon, rising as the sun; let us call her 'Yue'."

Rank two, Zhi Yue.

Previously nine monthly tickets, Du Qian Yue.

Presenting the author's small token of gratitude.

Additionally, thanks to 20180304072104322 and Chu Nan Zhu Jian Ke for casting ten monthly tickets each; I only just saw this today.

Equally, many thanks to the other readers who voted!

Thanks to alan35 for the donation of 1500.

Thanks to Patient with Depression w for the donation of 253.

Thanks to Little Code Name for 100.

Thanks to Clear Breeze Slanting Sun for 100.

Thanks to Reader 20230911134008028 for 100.

Thank you, everyone!

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(End of Chapter)