After the Empress Dowager, the Empress, Dou Xiyin, and their people left, the Qianqing Palace returned to its tranquility. Supported by a palace maid, Cheng Yujin returned to the inner hall and drank a bowl of medicine to strengthen the fetus. Hearing the greeting “Long Live Your Majesty,” Cheng Yujin put down the bowl and stood up to bow to the Emperor, “Greetings to Your Majesty.”
Looking at Cheng Yujin’s heavy belly, the Emperor waved his hand and said, “You are pregnant. Take it easy.”
“Yes. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor sat on the dragon chair and fell into contemplation. He didn’t think about this before, but after Empress Dowager Yang’s accusation, he discovered that Cheng Yujin’s belly was indeed too big for her month.
Cheng Yujin slowly got up, lowered her head, and said respectfully, “Your Majesty, thank you for upholding justice for this daughter-in-law today.”
The Emperor understood what Cheng Yujin’s thank was meant for.
There was no doubt about the medical skills of the Emperor’s personal physicians. Imperial Physician Zhao could diagnose the twins months ago, so how could Imperial Physician Hu, who was older and more experienced, fail to do the same? When Imperial Physician Hu stated his inability to judge whether Cheng Yujin was carrying twins or not, he was just doing it at the Emperor’s behest.
After all, Imperial Physician Hu didn’t say that Cheng Yujin was not carrying twins; he only said he couldn’t detect it. After all, who could make a hundred percent guarantee when it comes to medical practice? When Cheng Yujin really gave birth to twins in the future, Imperial Physician Zhao and the Emperor could easily change their rhetoric without losing face.
What happened today was indeed for a reason and couldn’t be entirely attributed to Empress Dowager Yang. However, Empress Dowager Yang had no blood relationship with the Emperor, while Cheng Yujin was carrying the Emperor’s own grandson. Wasn’t it clear who the Emperor would take sides with?
However, the fact that the Emperor was openly partial to Cheng Yujin did not mean that he really didn’t mind the bad omen brought by twins. He said: “You have been working hard recently during Li Chengjing’s absence. From today, you should take it easy and stay in the Eastern Palace to take care of your fetus, and you also don’t need to go to Cining Palace and Kunning Palace to pay daily respect.”
The Emperor’s personal physicians claimed that Cheng Yujin was surprised and should take a good rest for the sake of the child in her stomach, which was a clear hint of the Emperor’s intention. Needless to say, Empress Yang took the first initiative to exempt the Crown Princess from paying respect. As for Empress Dowager Yang, since she was originally still recuperating from her illness, she naturally had no choice but to also give her an exemption.
With the Emperor’s words, Cheng Yujin could justifiably seclude herself in the Ciqing Palace without the need to go out, which totally aligned with her wish. Cheng Yujin gave the Emperor a curtsy, “Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. This daughter-in-law is very grateful.”
The Emperor did not respond. After a while, he slowly opened his mouth and said: “You should take care of your belly first and make the plan only after the child is born. A child’s gender was determined not by human, but by heaven. If you give birth to a pair of Junzhu1, this will be a happy event. It has been a long time since the palace welcomed the birth of a child. If a pair of sisters were to born, it would be an auspicious event.”
Cheng Yujin lowered her eyes, feeling a sudden great tense. In the end, she still couldn’t help but ask, “Your Majesty, what if it was a pair of boys?”
The Emperor paused for a moment, then said slowly, “If they were boys, drown the weaker one after birth. Li Chengjing will only have one eldest son.”
Cheng Yujin understood. The Emperor gave such an instruction to the imperial physician today, firstly was to cope with Empress Dowager, and secondly was to pave the way for the future. If she gave birth to a pair of girls, Imperial Physician Hu could claim that each individual’s pulse was different and that he was not sure they were twins at first; if she gave birth to a pair of sons, kill one and let one alive, and then announced to the world about the happy event of the birth of the Crown Prince’s eldest son.
The Crown Princess had only given birth to one child, and there was no such thing as twins from the beginning.
The Emperor’s attitude was very clear. Cheng Yujin staggered slightly, but she calmed herself and bowed to the Emperor again, “This daughter-in-law understands. Your Majesty, please allow this daughter-in-law to take my leave now.”
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