Chapter 12: The Empress Is Pregnant

Zhu Xu nodded approvingly. Cao Huachun was making every effort to integrate himself into the Prince Hui residence. Though Zhu Xu remained neither warm nor cold toward him, he inwardly acknowledged the man's competence.

"Come, let's go take a look."

Soon, the carriage stopped not far from the imperial palace.

A group of eunuchs was leaving the palace — they were in charge of purchasing supplies and held the privilege of exiting the palace with ease.

"It's the last one," Cao Huachun said, bowing at Zhu Xu's side. "It's the last one. He's Li Yongzhen's disciple — greedy for money and fond of gambling."

Zhu Xu watched from afar. Sure enough, that young eunuch was shifty-eyed, glancing all around. Before long, he quietly slipped away from the group and dashed toward a small alley not far off.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a young man dressed like a steward hurried out, his expression quite anxious.

"Done." Zhu Xu said with a beaming smile. "Let's go — back to the palace."

Cao Wenzhao was one who understood Zhu Xu's mind. Though he didn't know Zhu Xu's next move, he had unwavering faith in His Highness's infallible planning. With a great weight lifted from his heart, he naturally responded with delight.

Cao Huachun, however, did not fully understand — but at least he had completed the task His Highness the Prince Hui had entrusted to him. He figured he ought to gain some trust now and be able to establish himself in the Prince Hui residence, so he too accompanied Zhu Xu back to the palace with great excitement.

Censor-in-Chief, the Zhou residence.

"What did you say — a living shrine!" Zhou Jianzong stared wide-eyed at Liu Mingde, who had just finished speaking, his expression as if he wanted to devour the man.

Liu Mingde's expression was hardly better. He said with hatred: "What virtue or merit do they have to enjoy temple sacrifices? One is a mutilated eunuch, the other merely a wet nurse — yet they seek the veneration of sages. Utter delusion!"

Zhou Jianzong had long harbored deep loathing for Wei Zhongxian. Hearing this news now struck him like a thunderbolt from the blue. His fists clenched white as he gnashed his teeth: "Brother Liu, as Censors, we bear the heavy burden of upholding the realm and rooting out treachery and evil. Let us submit a memorial together today, vehemently denouncing the misdeeds of those two. This time we must make His Majesty see their true faces and drive them out of the capital!"

Liu Mingde had come precisely for this purpose. He said at once: "Brother Zhou, just take up your brush — I'll add my signature!"

"Good!" Zhou Jianzong felt deeply gratified by Liu Mingde's righteousness. He immediately ordered his servants to prepare brush and ink, intending to impeach Wei Zhongxian and the Sage-Fostering Lady Madam Ke once more.

"Master! Master! Terrible news!" The steward who had earlier made contact with the young eunuch came scrambling in, crawling and stumbling.

Zhou Jianzong's face darkened at the sight. He bellowed: "Have you forgotten the rules?! Someone — drag him out and administer the household discipline!"

But this steward showed no fear at all. Paying no mind to who was present, he immediately pulled a slip of paper from his bosom and handed it over, speaking urgently: "Master, my fellow townsman in the palace sent word — they're going to impeach you!"

Zhou Jianzong had been about to set brush to paper. At these words his expression changed. He strode over quickly and snatched the paper.

'His intentions unclear, his words nonsensical — a false Confucian.'

'Gathering people of dubious character, speaking words of no consequence, making bows neither deep nor shallow, eating cakes neither hot nor cold.'

'He wronged Tingbi, and he wronged the frontier.'

Zhou Jianzong read it, trembling with rage, his eyes bloodshot.

This was a hastily transcribed document — over three hundred characters, all impeaching him, Zhou Jianzong. The signatures at the end were Supervising Secretary Guo Gong and Censor Ni Wenhuan.

Liu Mingde was reading alongside him. He flew into a fury: "The eunuch faction bullies people too much! Brother Zhou, why don't we rally our fellow righteous men and submit a joint memorial? This time we absolutely cannot back down — we must see those eunuch traitors and that wicked woman punished!"

But Zhou Jianzong suddenly calmed down. A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "This memorial hasn't been submitted yet. We must strike first and wipe out the eunuch faction in one fell swoop!"

Liu Mingde immediately seconded this, saying in a low voice: "Good! I'll go make contact right away. Today I swear to stand irreconcilably against the eunuch traitors!"

After returning to the palace, Zhu Xu changed his clothes, picked up a small trinket he had prepared long before, and headed straight for Kunning Palace.

"Sister-in-law!" Zhu Xu shouted loudly the moment he entered.

But before Empress Zhang could appear, Huan'er — dressed in an apricot-colored long gown — popped out unexpectedly. She rolled her eyes at him and sniffed: "Her Ladyship isn't feeling well today. She's not seeing visitors."

Zhu Xu was greatly alarmed at this. He reached out and grabbed Huan'er's fair, delicate little hand, asking urgently: "Sister-in-law is ill? What illness? Has the imperial physician been summoned? What did the physician say? Has medicine been prescribed?"

Huan'er had long been subjected to Zhu Xu's liberties, but seeing his face full of anxiety, her heart softened. Her pretty face carried a hint of worry as she said: "Her Ladyship probably caught a chill. Today she's been feeling nauseous often, her face is pale, and she nearly fainted. She won't let us summon the imperial physician — she's worried it will disturb His Majesty and add to his burdens."

Add to his burdens?

Zhu Xu chuckled inwardly. This wasn't illness at all — it was clearly morning sickness. She was with child.

But his face still showed great anxiety as he gripped Huan'er's little hand tightly: "Then how is sister-in-law now? Has anyone been sent to quietly fetch medicine?"

Huan'er had been about to answer when her pretty face flushed red. She hastily pulled her little hand free from Zhu Xu's wandering grasp and said with exasperation: "Her Ladyship said that if His Highness the Prince Hui comes, he's not allowed in. Come again tomorrow."

Zhu Xu showed not the slightest embarrassment. With his hands clasped behind his back, he put on a very experienced air: "Sister-in-law makes a good point. Brother has been busy with state affairs lately — this matter shouldn't be spread around."

Huan'er sniffed, blocking Zhu Xu's path with an expression that said: if you don't leave now, I'll chase you out.

Zhu Xu let out a deep sigh and turned around with a look of melancholy: "My heart I set upon the bright moon — yet a river of spring water flows eastward."

After Zhu Xu left, Huan'er's taut face finally gave way to a burst of laughter. It was a long while before she murmured: "If you don't know poetry, then don't pretend — putting on airs, mixing up donkeys' heads with horses' mouths."

Knowing that his sister-in-law was pregnant, Zhu Xu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had waited so long — finally, it had come.

He walked along lost in thought, muttering to himself: "With Huan'er there, plus the Wu Qing and Wu Rou sisters, there shouldn't be any problems. But the food and the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine need to be handled with care — I need to find a way to plant some people in there."

Zhu Xu's birth mother had died early, and he had essentially grown up under Empress Zhang's care. He had always kept this matter close to his heart. Beyond that, it concerned the very fate of the Great Ming — if this child was a boy and survived, he would inevitably be the future Crown Prince, the Emperor.

If the future emperor was a child, then there was no need to worry about his fifth brother ascending the throne. If his fifth brother did ascend, Zhu Xu's room to maneuver would be extremely narrow — he might even be directly confined to his fief, never allowed to leave for the rest of his life.

Zhu Xu was in an especially fine mood. He strolled around the palace for a while before leisurely walking back to his own Jinghuan Palace.

"Your Highness."

Just as Zhu Xu entered, Cao Wenzhao and Cao Huachun — the Big Cao and Little Cao — came forward to greet him almost simultaneously.

Overjoyed by Empress Zhang's pregnancy, Zhu Xu tilted his head up and said with a beaming smile: "What is it? What's happened?"

The Big Cao and Little Cao exchanged a glance. It was Cao Wenzhao who spoke excitedly: "Your Highness, just as you predicted — Lord Zhou has contacted dozens of court officials. They're currently at the Zhou residence working on a memorial. It should reach the palace soon."

Zhu Xu raised an eyebrow and waved his hand: "Come, let's go inside and plan this out carefully."