Chapter 142: Empress Zhang Gives Birth

On the way back to the city, Jin Zhongshan insisted on sharing a carriage with Zhu Xu.

Jin Zhongshan adopted a strategy of pouring out grievances, embellishing and exaggerating Joseon's various difficulties—especially its helplessness in the face of the Jin offensive—as he unloaded them all onto Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu remained very composed, offering a word of comfort now and then, but when it came to actual assistance—especially the greenhouse and firearms matters—he quietly deflected both, then brought up the matter of reinforcements, provisions, and pay, engaging in serious discussion.

At this point, Jin Zhongshan very much wanted to use Zhu Xu's own tactics against him, but he desperately needed Zhu Xu's help. After dodging this way and that, he gritted his teeth and agreed to an initial contribution of three hundred thousand taels of silver and ten thousand dan of grain.

Zhu Xu agreed with some reluctance, but in his heart he had no intention of giving Joseon all thirty thousand men at once—he would provide pay and provisions only for however many he actually sent.

Along the way, the two sides engaged in playful bargaining in a friendly and harmonious atmosphere, reaching a certain consensus.

When they reached the post station, Jin Zhongshan stood outside the carriage and bowed toward Zhu Xu through the curtain: "Your Highness, I am deeply grateful for your generosity. I hope we can proceed as soon as possible."

Zhu Xu smiled and nodded, saying: "This prince keeps his word."

Soon, Zhu Xu's party left the post station, all of them breathing a great sigh of relief.

Cao Wenzhao rode his horse alongside Zhu Xu's carriage and asked in confusion: "Your Highness, was it really necessary to let this Joseon man see so much?"

'The little Japanese are not easy to deal with...'

Zhu Xu sighed inwardly, then said: "Never mind him for now. Once we're back, probe the court's mood and see whether Minister Sun's memorial has had any effect."

"Yes." Cao Wenzhao replied.

At the palace gate, Zhu Xu stepped down from his carriage and happened to see Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, emerging from the palace, followed by a group of people in strange clothing.

Zhu Xu knew they were likely the Vietnamese—still called Jiaozhi at this time—and stepped forward with a smile: "Brother Prince Xin, leaving the palace?"

Zhu Youjian looked at Zhu Xu, furrowed his brow slightly, his expression showing displeasure, then said: "Mm, the Joseon envoy must be properly received—don't let anything go wrong. Also, don't casually leave the palace or the city. Some matters are not for you to touch..."

Listening to this fifth imperial brother's lecture, Zhu Xu felt helpless inside. In a world that ruled by filial piety, one could not show disrespect to elders, nor could one talk back to an elder brother in the slightest—especially in front of foreign guests.

Zhu Xu tilted his little face upward, wearing an expression of "I'm listening, I'll behave."

Zhu Youjian spoke for a while, and seeing that Zhu Xu remained impervious, his face grew even more displeased. He waved his hand and said: "You'd better look after yourself."

Zhu Xu felt as if pardoned, and immediately said: "Yes, Imperial Brother." With that, he quickly walked into the palace.

Zhu Youjian watched his retreating figure, snorted two puffs of air from his nose in displeasure, and turned to leave as well.

After entering the palace, Zhu Xu thought for a moment, then headed straight for Kunning Palace.

He was going to tattle on Zhu Youjian!

"Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law, Fifth Imperial Brother is bullying people again!"

The moment Zhu Xu entered Kunning Palace he shouted at the top of his lungs, casually kicking off his boots and tossing them about.

Huan'er ran out from inside, picked up Zhu Xu's boots, and said with a reproachful pout: "Your Highness, Her Grace must not be startled!"

Zhu Xu paid no attention and headed straight for the cloud bed where Empress Zhang was lying.

Empress Zhang lay on the cloud bed, her belly rising high, a piece of embroidery in her hands. She laughed lightly and said: "Enough, let him in, or he'll find some other way to pester me."

Zhu Xu walked in barefoot, sat on the stool beside the cloud bed, and rattled off like pouring beans: "Sister-in-law, Fifth Imperial Brother is getting more and more improper. At the palace gate, in front of outsiders, he lectured me for a full half hour—about this and that, purely to establish his authority..."

Empress Zhang lightly tapped Zhu Xu with her embroidery frame, smiling broadly: "Enough, stop trying to make me laugh. I'm close to giving birth now. If you have something to say, say it, and if not, hurry back."

Zhu Xu blinked and asked: "Sister-in-law, are the midwives, the postpartum nurses, and the imperial physicians all prepared?"

"Don't worry about those," Empress Zhang said, looking at her embroidery and threading the needle with some difficulty. "You go back and behave yourself. After I give birth, I'll be your little monkey again. But during this time, no matter what, you stay quiet."

Zhu Xu knew that Empress Zhang had always been gracious and magnanimous. This obvious warning was clearly because of the child in her belly—and no doubt, in her heart, she too was deeply worried.

Zhu Xu nodded very seriously.

After talking seriously for a while longer, Zhu Xu finally left Kunning Palace.

"Your Highness," Cao Huachun said as he walked alongside Zhu Xu upon his return to Jinghuan Palace, "the court has largely reached consensus on recalling Mao Wenlong, but there is still dispute over the replacement—mainly the censors objecting."

Zhu Xu walked into the bedroom to change clothes, and only after coming out did he say: "There's no more suitable candidate. Tonight Jin Zhongshan will attend the palace banquet, and at that time he will propose Xiong Tingbi. I imagine Imperial Brother will then be able to make up his mind."

Cao Huachun was taken aback: "Your Highness, you'll be attending the banquet too? Won't you get dragged into it?"

He knew that His Highness Prince Hui had always avoided factional strife. If he were publicly called out by name, he would be dragged in whether he wanted to or not.

Zhu Xu waved his hand and was about to speak when Yao Qingqing suddenly rushed in shouting: "Your Highness, something terrible has happened—something's wrong with Her Grace!"

The only person Yao Qingqing would call "Her Grace" was Empress Zhang.

Without a second word, Zhu Xu rushed out and ran toward Kunning Palace.

When Zhu Xu arrived at Kunning Palace, a crowd had already gathered.

Zhu Youxiao, the other consorts, even Prince Xin Zhu Youjian, and Grand Secretary Ye Xianggao and others were all there.

Empress Zhang was the legitimate empress, and this childbirth was Zhu Youxiao's only offspring. If it were a boy, he would inevitably be the eldest legitimate son—no one could afford to be careless.

Zhu Youxiao leaned on a cane, with Zhang Yanyao in a bright red gown at his side. Both stared anxiously toward the room inside.

Maids and old women hurried back and forth, and Empress Zhang's cries of pain came through the door.

When Zhu Xu arrived, no one paid him any attention—everyone was watching and waiting anxiously.

That Empress Zhang had health problems was no secret. Everyone was concerned about whether the child would be a prince, while also worrying whether the delivery would go smoothly.

Zhu Xu was the most worried of all. He stood behind Zhu Youxiao, brows tightly furrowed, his face twisted into a knot.

Historical records stated that Empress Zhang gave birth to a stillborn child, caused by Madam Ke having palace maids strike her heavily on the waist. Now that everything was going smoothly, his greatest fear was instead whether Empress Zhang might be implicated or suffer a difficult labor.

The cries of pain from within grew louder and louder, piercing through the door, heart-rending.

Zhu Xu trembled all over from what he heard and couldn't help covering his ears.

The most nervous of all was Zhu Youxiao. He sat on a stool, brows tightly knit, fine sweat beading on his forehead. Zhang Yanyao occasionally whispered words of comfort and wiped his sweat for him.

A full half hour passed before the cry of an infant rang out, and only then did everyone's hearts settle back into their chests.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! Her Grace has given birth to a Princess!"

Zhu Xu didn't catch whether it was a boy or girl, but hearing no news of Empress Zhang in danger, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

"As long as she's safe, that's what matters."

Zhu Xu murmured to comfort himself.