Chapter 369: What Did She Have?

She's about to give birth?

Who knows what she'll have? Just let it be safe and sound.

Zhu Cilang and Wu Sanfu both tensed up at once. In this day and age, a woman giving birth was like walking through the gates of hell. If she came through safe and sound, that was the ancestors' blessing.

On top of that, whether it was a boy or a girl was another headache.

Because Zhu Cilang had broken with the convention of selecting consorts from among the common people and instead married into great houses like warlords and the wealthiest merchants, the advantages were obvious — he could draw on his fathers-in-law's strength and wealth. But it wasn't without trouble either — palace intrigue would be unavoidable!

Even if Wu Sanmei and Zheng Chagu didn't want to fight, the families behind them would push them down the road of palace intrigue.

And between the two great houses of Wu and Zheng, Zhu Cilang actually leaned toward the Wu family. For one thing, Wu Sanmei was his first wife; the two had shared hardship together.

For another, the Wu family's strength was somewhat hollow. One family with two Dukes and the like was useless. The Wu family's meager household retainers had long since been absorbed by Zhu Cilang; the two were empty-title Dukes, that was all. The only one with real strength was Wu Sangui, who had slipped off to some unknown place in the northwest, but Wu Sangui's influence over the Ming central court was zero.

Besides, that old fellow Wu Xiang was henpecked, so he had no concubines, and few children. And Wu Sanfeng and Wu Sangui were not on the Ming side.

So it was just Wu Xiang and Wu Sanfu. And Wu Xiang was getting on in years; another ten or eight years and he'd be about done. Wu Sanfu was a mediocre sort, perfectly content to be a wealthy imperial in-law, with no great ambitions at all.

So Zhu Cilang could safely and boldly raise Wu Xiang and Wu Sanfu to the positions of imperial father-in-law and imperial brother-in-law. It would also set an example for the broad ranks of hard-pressed meritorious officials — though We, the Crown Prince, are the reincarnation of the Exalted Founder Emperor, We are thoroughly generous to meritorious officials; everyone may rest easy.

But Zheng Zhilong's side was different. Old Zheng was a great lecher, with wives and concubines enough to make up half a platoon, and twenty or thirty children. Moreover, Zheng Zhilong had two younger brothers (one dead) and a pile of nephews and nieces. Truly a case of strength in numbers!

Even if Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Sen both died young, there would still be a great crowd of Zheng sons and nephews to come out and hold high office.

Furthermore, the Zheng family's strength was immense! Not only did they have a navy numbering as many as 30,000 men, they were also the wealthiest people under heaven. If one were to divide classes strictly, they belonged to the accursed capitalist class.

Could Zhu Cilang afford not to guard against the Zheng family?

So the great Crown Prince Zhu had had Zheng Chagu for so long, yet had held back from taking a bite, using the excuse that Chagu was too young and didn't understand palace rules. Did Wu Sanmei understand the rules? Hadn't she gone straight to Zhu Cilang without any training either? And she wasn't much older than Chagu — both were ignorant little girls, fresh and tender and delicious!

But guarding against the Zheng family was one thing; openly suppressing the Zheng family was another.

If Wu Sanmei bore a son, raising her to the rank of consort would be beyond reproach. But if she couldn't bear a son... then Zhu Cilang couldn't very well refrain from taking a bite of Zheng Chagu forever!

If Zheng Chagu got a son first, Zhu Cilang would be in a bit of a bind!

So all the way from the parade ground, Zhu Cilang had been praying to his ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang for protection — Sanmei absolutely had to bear a son! Of course, the most important thing was still that Wu Sanmei be safe and sound.

By the time he returned to the gate of the Hall of Literary Splendor in the imperial city, before he had even dismounted, he heard an infant's cry and a man's hearty laughter.

"Hahahaha..."

That was the Chongzhen Emperor laughing!

The moment Zhu Cilang heard it, his heart lurched. Oh no — Chongzhen was that happy, so it must be a granddaughter!

At that thought he hurriedly dismounted, crossed the courtyard in quick strides, and headed straight for the main hall of the Hall of Literary Splendor — the so-called Hall of Literary Splendor was in fact just a row of somewhat taller tile-roofed houses, not a palace hall like those of the Three Great Halls.

The middle section of this row of tile-roofed houses was built somewhat taller, and that was the so-called main hall. On either side of the main hall were the living quarters of Zhu Cilang and his several chosen consorts. The east side was called the East Warm Pavilion, and was the residence of Zhu Cilang and Wu Sanmei. The west side was the West Warm Pavilion, where Zheng Chagu, Ning Xiangyu, and Fei Zhen'e all lived, each with her own room. Speaking of the current housing conditions, they really were not as good as back at the Dagon Workshop.

Inside the Hall of Literary Splendor, the Chongzhen Emperor was holding a swaddled infant, rocking it back and forth — who knew whether he was trying to rock the little baby into a daze? Empress Zhou was at his side, and when she saw Zhu Cilang come in, she hurriedly took the child from Chongzhen's hands and carried it over to her son.

"Chun Ge'er, it's a girl..."

"Hahaha," Chongzhen burst into laughter again. "A girl is good, a girl is close to your heart! We like granddaughters best..."

You fatuous ruler! How is a granddaughter supposed to be an heir? Does the Great Ming have to produce a female emperor?

Zhu Cilang truly felt an impulse to usurp the throne on the spot!

"Chun Ge'er," Empress Zhou spoke up then, gently, "you and Sanmei are still young. There will be plenty of chances. No need to rush."

As she spoke, she brought the baby — little face flushed red, already rocked into a daze by Chongzhen (actually asleep) — before Zhu Cilang, letting him hold his own child.

The moment the soft little baby was cradled in the great Crown Prince Zhu's hands, the bit of dejection he'd felt at not getting a son was swept clean away. An indescribable fatherly love welled up from the bottom of Zhu Cilang's heart like a spring.

Empress Zhou added, "Chun Ge'er, go see Sanmei."

"Oh." Zhu Cilang answered, handed the child back to his mother Empress Zhou, and strode quickly toward the East Warm Pavilion, still thinking to himself: I wonder how Sanmei is? It doesn't matter that she didn't bear a son this time, as long as she herself is all right.

"Waaah..."

Before Zhu Cilang had even entered the East Warm Pavilion, he heard Wu Sanmei's full-throated crying, and it seemed there was also a young girl crying along with her — who knew who that was?

The Crown Prince hastened his steps and entered a small room in the East Warm Pavilion that was being used as the birthing chamber.

The room was full of women, all gathered around Wu Sanmei, who sat on an embroidered stool weeping, trying to console her. Zhu Cilang looked around — Ning Xiangyu, Fei Zhen'e, and Zheng Chagu were all there, and Zhu Cilang's younger sister, Princess Kunxing, Zhu Meichuo, was also in the room. Wu Sanmei was hugging Zheng Chagu's waist and crying, while Zheng Chagu was holding Sanmei's big face in her hands, crying too! They looked quite heartbroken... though who knew whether the tears were real or just for show?

Zhu Meichuo was the first to notice Zhu Cilang's arrival. Rubbing her eyes, she called out, "Elder Brother Crown Prince, you're finally here. Sister Wu is so pitiful — she gave birth to a daughter..."

"What are you saying, little sister? What's pitiful about having a daughter?" Zhu Cilang said with a smile, stepping forward to Wu Sanmei's side. He said in a low voice, "Sanmei, don't cry. We like sons and daughters equally."

He did like them, but he couldn't very well make her the female heir apparent!

"Don't cry, Third Sister. His Highness the Thousand Years said he likes daughters too." Zheng Chagu was still young and understood nothing; she had no idea why the other was crying, and just kept trying to console her.

"Right, right," Zhu Cilang quickly nodded. "Sanmei, we're still young. We didn't get a son this time, so next time we'll keep working hard!"

Zheng Chagu chimed in from the side, "That's right, Third Sister, let's all work hard together!"

"Waaah..." Hearing that Zheng Chagu was also going to work hard, Wu Sanmei cried even more bitterly.

Zhu Cilang didn't know what to say either. He really did have to work hard together with Zheng Chagu — he couldn't keep neglecting her forever, could he? Such an adorable girl, so fresh and tender, so pretty... but if she bore a son before Wu Sanmei did, should he make her the Crown Princess or not?

(End of Chapter)