It was certainly too late to demolish the Buddha Hall now, and Emperor Jingming didn’t dare mention it. He could only accept the consequences of his proposal, a case of reaping what one sows.
Seeing Emperor Jingming’s dazed expression, the Empress considerately gave the old emperor a moment to collect himself before asking, “What does Your Majesty think?”
“I—” Emperor Jingming’s lips moved, but he was at a loss for words. The Empress’s sudden proposal had caught him completely unprepared.
Meeting the Empress’s eager gaze, Emperor Jingming could only force a dry laugh and say, “To be honest with you, I haven’t given it any thought yet—”
The Empress smiled faintly, “The princes are already here. I don’t need to give birth to them, nor do you need to raise them. What preparation is needed?”
Emperor Jingming was speechless. Since when had the Empress become so articulate?
After his initial shock, he realized: the Empress was serious!
Now that the Empress had brought it up in earnest, Emperor Jingming had no choice but to take it seriously.
After a long silence, Emperor Jingming sighed, “Empress, you’ve always been sensible. You should know this matter is no small affair—”
The Empress lowered her gaze, a bitter smile on her lips, “I don’t want the palace to be empty and cheerless after Fuqing leaves for marriage, nor do I want to leave Fuqing without anyone to care for her after we’re gone—”
Emperor Jingming frowned and interrupted her, “Fuqing is the legitimate princess. How could she be without care? The Empress is overthinking.”
The Empress gave a self-deprecating smile, “Your Majesty, even now with Fuqing by our side, she faces repeated schemes. Who knows what might happen in the future?”
Emperor Jingming fell silent once more.
The Empress stopped pressing the issue and quietly turned to look outside, her eyes reddening.
In the courtyard, signs of revival were showing in the flora. In a short while, it would be lush and verdant.
Yet the Empress’s heart remained desolate.
Fuqing was her only daughter, her very life. Whoever threatened her daughter’s life, she would fight them to the death!
Whether the Emperor was willing or not, even if years of affection between them were worn away by this request, she didn’t care.
Seeing the Empress red-eyed and silent, Emperor Jingming felt distressed.
He had little romantic love for the Empress; his truest love had been given to Empress Yuan, and his later passions to younger, more beautiful consorts.
In his youth, the Empress had been a capable assistant in managing the harem. Now, she was a companion in his old age.
A lack of romantic love didn’t mean a lack of affection. Years of easy companionship had given the Empress significant weight in Emperor Jingming’s heart.
More importantly, this seemed to be the first time in all these years that the Empress had requested him.
Emperor Jingming remained silent for a long time, hesitating.
He knew better than anyone what it meant to have a prince recorded under the Empress’s name.
The Empress, too, remained silent, determined to see this through.
Having raised the issue, she had no intention of backing down.
Time ticked by slowly. The palace maids, banished outside by the imperial couple, occasionally glanced at the tightly closed doors. Experience told them the tea had long gone cold, but they dared not enter unbidden to replace it.
Whatever the Emperor and Empress were discussing was not for lowly servants to speculate upon.
It wasn’t yet the second month, and the weather was still cold, but inside the room, it was stifling. In this oppressive atmosphere, beads of sweat formed on both Emperor Jingming’s and the Empress’s brows.
This only seemed to make the atmosphere even more suffocating.
Finally, it was Emperor Jingming who broke the deadlock.
He sighed and said slowly, “It’s understandable that the Empress wants a son to comfort her in her old age. I… agree.”
Perhaps due to the prolonged silence, the Empress’s expression didn’t change much upon hearing Emperor Jingming’s words, but her heart was filled with wild joy.
Amidst her elation, there was also a tinge of sorrow.
In informal settings, the Emperor had always referred to himself as “I,” but just now he had used the royal “We.”
The Empress, being perceptive, naturally understood the difference.
But she didn’t regret it.
To gain something, one must be willing to lose something. It’s rare to have the best of both worlds and being too greedy can lead to misfortune.
That hint of sorrow was insignificant in the face of her wish being granted. It dissipated instantly, and the Empress showed a genuine smile, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“There’s no need for thanks between husband and wife.” Emperor Jingming’s mood was complex, and he had no desire to continue the conversation. “You should rest, Empress. We have some matters to attend to.”
“Take care, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Jingming nodded absently and walked to the door with his hands behind his back. Suddenly, he turned back.
The Empress was slightly startled, wariness flashing briefly in her eyes.
Could it be that the Emperor was going to change his mind?
Of course, retracting his word was impossible; Emperor Jingming wasn’t so thick-skinned. He had simply remembered something very important: “Has the Empress considered which prince to record under her name?”
The Empress had long thought about this question. Hearing Emperor Jingming ask, she replied nonchalantly, “Last night, the Bodhisattva came to me in a dream. I was so excited at the thought of having a son that I haven’t considered which prince would be suitable.”
She continued, bowing slightly, “Moreover, such a significant matter isn’t for me alone to decide. The choice of which prince to record under my name is entirely up to Your Majesty’s discretion.”
The Empress understood the principle of moderation. Her request for a grown son was already excessive, considering that when Empress Dowager had adopted the Emperor, he was still young. Now, if a prince were to be recorded under her name, he could be put to use immediately…
Thus, even if she had a preferred candidate in mind, she couldn’t voice it.
A prince recorded under the Empress’s name would undoubtedly be the strongest contender for the position of Crown Prince. If she were to specify her choice, it could be seen as interfering in state affairs from the inner palace, potentially backfiring.
If asked whether the Empress had a preferred candidate, the answer was certainly yes.
After careful consideration these past few days, her preferred choice was the Seventh Prince, Prince Yan.
Princes whose birth mothers held primary positions in a palace were completely out of consideration, such as the Fourth Prince (Prince Qi), the Fifth Prince (Prince Lu), and the Sixth Prince (Prince Shu).
This left only the Seventh Prince (Prince Yan) and the Eighth Prince (Prince Xiang).
Prince Xiang’s birth mother was of low status, but the Empress had observed from the sidelines that Prince Xiang was quite close to Prince Qi, which naturally made her dislike him.
Being close to Prince Qi likely meant hoping for Prince Qi’s ascension to improve his status. If Prince Qi were to ascend, Consort Xian would become proud. Would she, as the Empress, then have to step aside?
Prince Yan was different.
Although Prince Yan was born to Consort Xian, his relationship with his mother was thin. There had even been rumors recently of a falling out between mother and son, so there was no need to worry on that front.
The Empress was even looking forward to Consort Xian’s reaction when she learned that Prince Yan had accepted her as his mother.
Gaining an advantage while also dealing a blow to an unruly consort could be considered killing two birds with one stone.
Moreover, among all the princes, the Empress already had the best impression of Prince Yan, not to mention Prince Yan’s wife who had saved her daughter twice.
“Since the Empress hasn’t yet decided on a suitable candidate, allow me to think it over carefully. Until we’ve made a decision, don’t mention this to anyone else.”
The Empress smiled, “Rest assured, Your Majesty. I certainly wouldn’t speak carelessly about such an important matter.”
Emperor Jingming waved his hand and left Kunning Palace with heavy steps. Upon returning to Yangxin Hall, he sat down on the couch and fell into a daze.