The Emperor asked Jiang Lingye to try to trust him. Jiang Lingye remained stunned for a long time, and for several consecutive nights, she could not sleep.

She couldn’t clearly describe the feeling in her heart—was it trepidation, anticipation, or unease? During the third watch of the night, she would turn to her side, keeping her eyes open, staring blankly at the Emperor’s sleeping face, continuing until the fifth watch.

She admitted that she had indeed developed feelings for the Emperor. It was difficult for any woman not to be moved by a young, handsome, intelligent, accomplished man who wielded supreme power. Moreover, the Emperor’s temperament wasn’t bad; he never arbitrarily beat or killed servants. In intimate matters, except for that somewhat rough encounter at Furong Forest, he had been very gentle afterward. Such a husband could easily make a woman develop deep feelings for him.

However, Jiang Lingye knew that she had entered the palace for power and status, to change her fate, not to fall in love with a man. The lessons of countless imperial consorts in historical records made her afraid to entrust her heart completely to the Emperor. She feared that if she gave her true feelings, she would end up with a miserable fate.

So even though she knew she had developed feelings, she desperately suppressed them.

While in this conflicted state of mind, she became pregnant.

Jiang Lingye was both surprised and delighted. Shortly after receiving the Emperor’s favor, she secretly found an Imperial Physician for an examination. The physician told her, after taking her pulse, that she would have difficulty conceiving and might struggle with childbearing in the future. Upon hearing this, Jiang Lingye was extremely disappointed.

Her disappointment wasn’t because she liked children, but because in the palace, having a child would greatly strengthen her position. Even someone as favored as Empress Dowager Xue had to maintain her status by taking other people’s children.

However, Jiang Lingye quickly adjusted her thinking. She thought that she shouldn’t see Empress Dowager Xue as someone who needed to take children to maintain her position. Rather, she should consider that Empress Dowager Xue had never given birth to a child in her life but still managed to sit in the high position of Empress Dowager. So, having children was like adding flowers to brocade if one had them, but not earth-shattering if one didn’t.

If Empress Dowager Xue hadn’t been so vicious—not only taking a child but also killing the mother, and in such a cruel manner that even the dead weren’t spared, forcing the Emperor’s birth mother to be buried with her face covered and her mouth stuffed with rice husks, and completely wiping out the Emperor’s maternal family—if she hadn’t been so ruthless, the Emperor would have been filial to her, rather than treating her with feigned obedience.

Jiang Lingye caressed her abdomen, experiencing a particularly unreal feeling. Did she have her child now? Was she going to be a mother?

And her child—would it be a boy or a girl? What kind of child would it be?

Jiang Lingye was both anticipatory and worried.

The Emperor appeared very happy about her pregnancy. He placed his ear against Jiang Lingye’s abdomen and said, “I can’t hear anything.”

Jiang Lingye gently reproached him: “It’s only been two months. How could you hear anything?”

The Emperor laughed heartily: “You’re right. I’m just too anxious.”

Jiang Lingye pressed her lips together. She had some concerns in her heart, so she said tactfully, “This concubine cannot serve Your Majesty in bed during this period. Please don’t forget about me and come visit me at Fengyang Pavilion often.”

The Emperor smiled: “Does Lingye think that every time I come to Fengyang Pavilion, it’s just for you to serve me in bed?”

Jiang Lingye thought of countless nights of passionate lovemaking; her cheeks could not help but flush red as she muttered softly: “Isn’t that the case?”

The Emperor caressed Jiang Lingye’s abdomen, laughing softly: “I am not a beast in heat. I come to Fengyang Pavilion for you, not to bed you. As for what happens afterward, I can only blame my irresistible emotions.”

As the Emperor candidly expressed his feelings, Jiang Lingye felt both shy and amused. She leaned against the Emperor’s embrace, and the warmth of his palm on her abdomen seemed to flow into her heart. She began to express her inner anxieties to him: “Your Majesty, I’m so afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid that when the child is born, it will be missing limbs.” Jiang Lingye muttered, “I’ve already had several nightmares. I’m truly frightened.”

“That won’t happen. We have Imperial Physicians in the palace.”

“Even Imperial Physicians can’t diagnose such things.” Jiang Lingye’s face was filled with worry: “This is my first pregnancy. I don’t know if this kind of worry is normal.”

The Emperor was a man; he didn’t know whether Jiang Lingye was overthinking or if all pregnant women had such thoughts. After pondering for a moment, he said: “How about this—your mother and sister should have experience. I’ll grant them palace access permits so they can enter the palace at any time to ease your worries.”

Granting palace access permits to a consort’s family members, allowing them to enter the palace at any time, was a privilege reserved for the Empress and the four Consorts. As a Jieyü, Jiang Lingye shouldn’t have had this treatment. She was both surprised and concerned: “Your Majesty, is this… appropriate?”

“Why wouldn’t it be appropriate?” The Emperor gently caressed her abdomen, seemingly very fond of this child: “A Jieyü is anxious during pregnancy and wants her mother and sister as companions. This is human nature. I believe the court officials will understand.”

Jiang Lingye pressed her lips together, then smiled: “On behalf of this child, I thank Your Majesty.”

With Jiang Lingye’s mother and sister entering the palace to comfort her, her anxiety about becoming a first-time mother was somewhat relieved. Moreover, the child in her womb was exceptionally well-behaved and didn’t trouble her at all. She didn’t experience the nausea and fatigue that her mother and sister had described. So she had extra energy to read books extensively and discuss court memorials with the Emperor. As she touched her abdomen, her heart was filled with gentle affection. This child wasn’t even born yet, but she had already bestowed all her maternal love upon it.

She spoke softly: “Child, you are so considerate of your mother. You truly are the most precious gift the Compassionate Bodhisattva has given me.”

She was increasingly looking forward to the child’s birth.

However, while the Emperor and Jiang Lingye eagerly anticipated the child’s birth, there were naturally those in the palace who did not. Chief among them was Consort Xian.

Consort Xian had always harbored intense jealousy toward Jiang Lingye because she had come from her palace. After Jiang Lingye became pregnant and received even more favor from the Emperor, Consort Xian’s jealousy grew stronger. She secretly tried to tamper with Jiang Lingye’s food and drink but was discovered in time by Empress Dowager Xue.

Empress Dowager Xue scolded her: “Look at you, what a disgrace! If Jiang Lingye gives birth to a prince, Consort De will plot against her. You don’t even have a child—what are you plotting for? And if it’s a princess, there’s even less need for you to scheme. The matters of the court are already giving me enough headaches. Hmph, those scholars just can’t stand a woman controlling the government. I’m warning you, don’t create additional problems!”

Under Empress Dowager Xue’s warning, Consort Xian didn’t dare make any more moves. As for Consort De, she had always considered Jiang Lingye too lowborn to be worth her attention. Besides, the child hadn’t been born yet, and its gender was unknown, so she saw no need to act so early.

Thus, Jiang Lingye continued her pregnancy in peace and safety until delivery.

The twenty-seventh day of the first month in the fourth year of Taichang.

On this day, Chang’an had just experienced a snowfall. As the saying goes, “Auspicious snow forecasts a bountiful year,” and the Emperor was in high spirits. With the Lantern Festival of the fifteenth day having passed not long ago, the entire city of Chang’an was still filled with a festive atmosphere. At noon, Jiang Lingye dined with the Emperor. Her belly was now visibly swollen, and the Imperial Physician had said she would give birth within a few days.

The Emperor put his ear to her abdomen to listen. By now, he could hear the fetus’s sounds. After listening intently for a while, he rose and smiled: “I heard Imperial Physician Lin say that when he listens to his wife’s belly, his child often kicks him. But this child has never kicked me.”

Jiang Lingye smiled, pressing her lips together: “This child hasn’t just never kicked Your Majesty—it hasn’t kicked me either.”

The Emperor found this remarkable: “Is there such a well-behaved child under heaven?”

“In my view, this child sees that father is burdened with state affairs and mother is burdened with pregnancy, so it behaves well, not wanting to cause trouble for either of us.”

The Emperor gently caressed Jiang Lingye’s swollen belly and smiled at the child within: “You’re so obedient. What reward should the father give you? I know—I’ll give you the Guangling Commandery as your fief, and your title shall be Yong’an, meaning ‘eternal peace.'”

Guangling Commandery was the most prosperous fief in the Great Zhou, and the title Yong’an carried the meaning of eternal peace, full of fatherly love. Jiang Lingye was both surprised and moved. She advised: “Your Majesty, don’t spoil the child.”

“I’ve considered this for a long time, Lingye. Don’t try to dissuade me.”

Jiang Lingye still felt it inappropriate and wanted to say more, but suddenly she felt a pain in her abdomen, and cold sweat broke out instantly. Seeing this, the Emperor also panicked: “Lingye, what’s wrong?”

“I… I’m going into labor…”

In Fengyang Pavilion, the Emperor anxiously paced outside the door. Behind the wooden door came Jiang Lingye’s extremely restrained cries of pain. It was said that a woman’s labor pain was unbearable, like walking through the gates of hell, but even Jiang Lingye’s cries of pain were suppressed. She was always like this—cautious, walking on thin ice.

Even when he told her to try to trust him, she still didn’t dare.

Perhaps it was because her background was too humble, and her maternal family couldn’t provide any support, leaving her weak and isolated in Daming Palace, not daring to hope for too much. She feared that if she entrusted all her love to the Emperor, in the end, she would be abandoned before her beauty faded.

After all, there were too many precedents of passionate women being betrayed by heartless men.

But between two people, someone had to take the first step forward, rather than both waiting for the other to approach.

The Emperor made up his mind. Since he had chosen this cunning girl with ambition and capability from among countless people, willing to let her accompany him on this difficult imperial path, he would eliminate all her doubts. He pushed the door, preparing to enter the birthing room.

The attendant eunuch beside him hurriedly stopped him: “Your Majesty, the birthing room is unclean. Seeing blood is inauspicious!”

“What’s inauspicious about it? I don’t believe in that.”

Having said this, the Emperor prepared to enter the birthing room. Several eunuchs firmly held onto his legs, pleading: “If Your Majesty doesn’t consider yourself, please think of Jieyü Jiang and the royal offspring! Your Majesty is the true dragon son of heaven, blessed by the heavens. What if disaster befalls Jieyü Jiang and the royal offspring?”

Hearing this, the Emperor hesitated. From inside the room, Jiang Lingye also heard the eunuch’s dissuasion. Tears welled up in her eyes, though it was unclear whether from pain or emotion. She grasped the hand of a palace maid beside her and said weakly: “Go tell His Majesty that I appreciate his kindness, but he need not break protocol for me… I don’t mind, but I don’t want this child to be criticized from birth… If he truly wants to accompany me, then… let a lock of his hair stand in his place…”

The palace maid hurriedly went to report. After hearing that Jiang Lingye didn’t want the child to be criticized from birth, the Emperor fell silent. The maid then conveyed the rest of the message. The Emperor seemed to draw a dagger, and the eunuchs again tried to dissuade him, probably arguing that the Emperor’s body was precious and he should not cut his hair. But soon, everything outside quieted down, and then the maid hurriedly ran back in, trembling as she presented a lock of the Emperor’s hair.

Jiang Lingye’s tears flowed like a spring. She clutched the hair in her palm, as if holding the Emperor’s warm hand. She closed her eyes, enduring wave after wave of unbearable pain within her body. Finally, she no longer suppressed her suffering but began to cry out in pain like an ordinary woman before her husband.

Amid Jiang Lingye’s cries of pain, the Emperor anxiously paced like an ant on a hot pan, his usual grace completely gone. He was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. An hour later, after Jiang Lingye’s final cry of pain, the Emperor heard the wailing cries of a newborn baby.

Jiang Lingye had fainted from the pain. In her dazed state, she heard that after the palace maids had cleaned the room, the Emperor immediately hurried in. The first thing he did was sit at her bedside, stroking her sweat-soaked hair, anxiously asking the palace maid: “Is the Jieyü all right?”

The maid answered: “Don’t worry, Your Majesty. The Jieyü is perfectly safe.”

Only then did the Emperor relax. The maid held the child and said, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. The Jieyü has given birth to a little princess.”

The maid said “congratulations,” but there was some regret in her tone—a pity it wasn’t a little prince.

In her dazed state, Jiang Lingye wanted to object. What was wrong with a princess? The princess was also her child. She wasn’t disappointed at all; she was very happy.

But she heard the Emperor, like an excited young man, beaming with joy: “A princess? I already guessed it would be a princess! Only a princess would be so well-behaved! A princess is wonderful! A princess is wonderful!”

Overjoyed, he took the tiny infant wrapped in red silk. Looking at his daughter in his arms, he laughed heartily: “My Princess Yong’an has been born!”

His joy didn’t seem fake. Jiang Lingye felt another wave of emotion. She tried desperately to open her eyes, but her body was too weak to do so. She heard the palace maid flatter the Emperor: “The Jieyü only labored for one hour to deliver the princess. The physician said he had never seen such a quick birth. It seems the princess didn’t want the Jieyü to suffer!”

The Emperor gazed at the infant in his arms and carefully kissed her forehead: “My Princess Yong’an is so considerate from birth. Truly a precious gift from the Bodhisattva. I’ve already thought of several pet names. When your mother wakes up, she can decide.”

He held the infant with one hand and used the other to grasp Jiang Lingye’s hand: “Lingye, wake up soon and look at our child.”

But it wasn’t until sunset that Jiang Lingye finally regained consciousness. When she awoke, she found that the Emperor was still in her room, not having left. He was leaning at her bedside, with the newborn child sleeping beside him. The child was sleeping soundly, though her little face was wrinkled, making it impossible to tell whether she was beautiful or not.

Jiang Lingye looked at the child and then turned her gaze to the face of the Emperor sleeping at her bedside. From this angle, the Emperor’s profile was handsome, radiant as if the sun and moon were in his embrace. Jiang Lingye’s fingers moved slightly, wanting to caress his face like an ordinary commoner’s wife would caress her husband.

But the Emperor had already awakened. Jiang Lingye hurriedly withdrew her fingers under the silk quilt. The Emperor looked up, saw she was awake, and said with delight: “Lingye, you’re awake.”

The Emperor carefully brought the child to her side for her to see: “Our child.”

Jiang Lingye nodded: “Yes, our child.”

“I think she looks like you,” the Emperor smiled. “When she grows up, she will certainly dazzle the world.”

Jiang Lingye smiled, pressing her lips: “She’s all wrinkled and so ugly. This concubine can’t see how she resembles me, much less how she’ll dazzle the world.”

“How is she ugly?” the Emperor objected, “She’s very beautiful.”

“Hmm… very beautiful…”

The Emperor smiled and spoke a few more intimate words with her, then said: “I’ve thought of some pet names. Let me tell you.”

As he listed the pet names he had pondered over, Jiang Lingye’s eyes grew increasingly gentle. She reached out from under the silk quilt and slowly took the Emperor’s hand, saying: “Let’s call her Mingyuezhu.”

The Emperor was startled when she took his hand on her initiative. Jiang Lingye said, “Mingyuezhu, the Bright Moon Pearl, is one of the seven treasures in Buddhist scriptures. This child is a precious treasure that the Compassionate Bodhisattva has given to Your Majesty and me. Let’s call her Mingyuezhu.”

The Emperor pressed his lips together. He held Jiang Lingye’s hand in return and said softly: “Very well. Mingyuezhu, it is.”