Building a Harmonious Song Dynasty

Chapter 83

Since Qin Zhen returned, many people have come to see her from outside the palace, including Liang Hongyu and Wu Shaofen, who had become generals' wives. Upon seeing them again, Qin Zhen said with considerable regret, "It's such a pity I didn't get to see the beautiful scene of your weddings, sisters!"

Liang Hongyu smiled and said, "The Empress's eyes are much better now, that's the best thing!"

The three of them chatted and laughed, keeping Qin Zhen company all day. In the evening, Qin Zhen wanted them to stay for dinner, but Wu Shaofen refused to stay and insisted on going home. Qin Zhen couldn't force them to stay, so she had to let them go.

At night, Qin Zhen complained to Zhao Gou beside her, "Now that my elder brother has married, he has forgotten about his younger sister. How unfair! I've been back in the palace for several days, and he hasn't come to see me or even sent a message."

Zhao Gou put his arm around Qin Zhen's shoulder, patted him, and said, "Didn't your sister-in-law come today? We're all family, we're all the same."

Qin Zhen thought for a moment and said, "Sigh, it's different after all." She mumbled something and fell asleep, unaware that Zhao Gou had been lying awake all night, deep in thought. Finally, just before dawn, he sighed and closed his eyes to sleep.

As the morning court session was about to begin the next day, Zhao Gou pulled his arm away from Qin Zhen's head, tidied himself up, and prepared to go to court. As he left Xiu Palace, he saw Wan Qiu waiting at the palace gate. He stopped and said softly but with an air of authority, "The Empress's current condition is not something to worry about too much. You, her trusted servants, should also have a plan in mind on what is best for her."

Wanqiu's eyes were somewhat deep. In the end, she lowered her head and replied, "Yes, this servant understands."

After seeing Zhao Gou off, Wanqiu looked down at the letter she had hidden in her sleeve, turned around and went back to her room to burn it secretly. After hesitating for a few days, she finally decided not to show it to the Empress for the time being.

When the news of Yue Fei's transfer to the northern frontier reached Qin Zhen's ears, Yue Fei had already been gone from Bianjing for five days. Qin Zhen looked at Zhao Gou approaching, then turned her face away, unwilling to look at him. She said defiantly, "I haven't even seen my elder brother once, and you've already transferred him away in such a hurry. Why is that?"

Zhao Gou sat down next to her and said, "You can see him however you want after you want. This time it was just a coincidence. Datong Prefecture has been quite unsettled lately. There are rebels who have fled from Western Xia causing trouble. As the General of Jingbei, it is his duty to do these things."

Since that's what they've said, Qin Zhen didn't press the matter further, but he still harbored resentment towards Yue Fei in his heart once more.

Among the army heading to Datong Prefecture, Yue Fei, riding a tall horse and clad in bronze armor, looked incredibly imposing! However, his fierce expression made everyone uneasy.

A junior officer reported to Yue Fei from behind: "General, the lady is still following behind the troops."

Yue Fei frowned and said to the junior officer behind him, "Go and tell her again that I don't need her to come with me. Tell her to go back to the capital and wait for me. Don't let me send her away on the grounds of obstructing the march!"

The junior officer's heart skipped a beat. He had no choice but to relay this message to Wu Shaofen, who was trailing behind the ranks. Since joining the army, the junior officer had served under Yue Fei, and he had personally witnessed Wu Shaofen, dressed as a man, sharing life and death with Yue Fei. They had been so loving; he could hardly believe that the usually amiable General Yue could be so cold-hearted towards his wife!

He told Wu Shaofen, who was covered in dust from her journey, Yue Fei’s words. Wu Shaofen lowered her head and wept silently.

"Madam... is there some misunderstanding between you and the General? We can't keep this to ourselves; we need to clear things up before we can find a solution."

Wu Shaofen forced a smile and thanked the junior officer for his kindness, saying, "Please tell the general that I will take good care of my mother and wait for him to return in the capital with the child in my womb."

Upon hearing that Wu Shaofen was pregnant, the junior officer exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, congratulations, Madam! I'll go tell the General right away!"

When Yue Fei learned of this good news, his face showed genuine joy, but it quickly faded. He turned back to gaze at the man and horse standing in the distance, gritted his teeth, and continued on his way without saying a word.

Wu Shaofen watched his departing figure and murmured, "It's enough that you know..." She chased after him for a hundred miles just to tell him the good news in person, but he still refused to talk to her!

Liang Hongyu, who had been chasing after them, found Wu Shaofen, who was grieving, and comforted her, saying, "Sister, don't be sad for the sake of the child. Come back with me."

Wu Shaofen looked at Liang Hongyu with a face full of sorrow and cried out, "What if he never forgives me for the rest of his life? What can I do?"

Liang Hongyu sighed and said, "No, he just hasn't figured it out yet. Everything will be alright. This is not your fault."

While trying to persuade him, Liang Hongyu recalled Yue Fei's incident two months ago when he stormed the palace with a sword. She wondered where Yue Fei had learned the whole story of Zhao Huan's affair, and why he wanted to question Zhao Gou.

Han Shizhong, Liang Hongyu, Wu Shaofen, and others all thought that Yue Fei's disrespect towards Zhao Gou meant he was doomed, but the next day Yue Fei walked out of the palace unharmed and never mentioned Zhao Huan again. However, after this incident, he showed no kindness to anyone involved in Zhao Huan's affairs, including his own wife Wu Shaofen and his sister Qin Zhen. This was why he didn't visit Qin Zhen after she returned to the palace, though Qin Zhen was unaware of it.

Zhao Gou tapped the table and asked Liu Qi, "Have you found out the source of the information?"

Liu Qi replied, "General Yue's residence previously received an anonymous letter. After reading the letter, he went to see Lord Fan's son, Fan Nianjing, but still does not know who sent the anonymous letter."

Zhao Gou pressed his throbbing temples and ordered, "Continue the investigation."

Volume Two: Soaring Eagle Chapter 157 A Showdown with a Child

With a small hand, Fan Nianjing touched Qin Zhen's already round belly. Slowly, he listened carefully to Qin Zhen's belly. Suddenly, he was startled and looked up at Qin Zhen curiously, saying, "Auntie, there really is a baby in there! He just kicked me!"

Qin Zhen said with a smile, "In just two months, he will be able to come out and play with you. Whether he is a younger brother or sister, you must take good care of him then."

Fan Nianjing nodded vigorously, then listened to the movements in his belly again. After a long while, he asked in a low voice, "Now that I have a younger brother or sister, will Auntie still treat me well?"

Qin Zhen chuckled and said, "Of course I'll still treat Jing'er well. No matter how many children Aunt has, Jing'er is still Jing'er, and no one can replace her."

Hearing Qin Zhen's words, Fan Nianjing's smile returned. Since Qin Zhen brought him down the mountain, although she had found him such wonderful adoptive parents, Qin Zhen was the one who introduced Fan Nianjing to the outside world; her position was irreplaceable. Furthermore, whenever Qin Zhen was in the capital, she would frequently bring Fan Nianjing to the palace, either to check on his studies or to take him sightseeing; their affection was no less than anyone else's.

He was kneeling beside Qin Zhen when he suddenly heard Qin Zhen speak: "Why are you here so early today? Have you finished taking care of everything?"

Fan Nianjing looked up towards the door and saw that the person who entered was none other than her "uncle" Zhao Gou.

When Zhao Gou saw Fan Nianjing, he smiled and said, "I heard that Nianjing came to the palace today, so I came early to see him. It's been a long time since I've seen him. He seems to have grown up a lot."

Qin Zhen nodded and said, "Yes, children his age grow the fastest."

The three sat together chatting and eating snacks. After a while, Qin Zhen got tired and was helped to take a nap. Zhao Gou said to Fan Nianjing, "Nianjing, go to the study with your uncle. I'll test your studies."

Fan Nianjing respectfully replied, "Yes."

They call it a test of academic ability, but it's really just about having him recite a few passages from the Four Books and Five Classics, or giving his opinion on a certain article or event—it's incredibly boring.

The two of them talked like this for an hour. Suddenly, as if she had made a decision, Fan Nianjing looked up at Zhao Gou and said, "Actually, I understand everything. I won't tell my aunt. Uncle Jiu, you don't need to come here specially."

He addressed Zhao Gou as "Ninth Uncle" instead of "Uncle-in-law," a directness that startled Zhao Gou. Looking at Fan Nianjing, Zhao Gou wondered if he wasn't worried that Fan Nianjing would kill him to silence him, given how openly he revealed his knowledge of their parentage.

Fan Nianjing seemed to know what Zhao Gou was thinking and said, "I trust Uncle Jiu. Ever since you and Aunt let me take my godfather as my father and made him an official, I have trusted you. You have never deliberately avoided me."

Zhao Gou looked at Fan Nianjing with appreciation. Such a perceptive and courageous child truly deserves to be of royal blood.

"When did you find out about your origins?" Zhao Gou asked, genuinely wanting to know.

Fan Nianjing replied, "I've known that since I was old enough to understand."

Zhao Gou was surprised, not expecting that he knew everything. He then asked, "Then you don't hate me?"

Fan Nianjing lowered her head, thought for a moment, and said, "I don't have a deep impression of my father. The only times I remember him are when he was drunk, he would take his anger out on the people around him, and... and the time he gave himself three feet of white silk. My mother once warned me not to let hatred blind me, but to use my clearest heart to perceive the good and bad in the things around me. From the moment I went down the mountain with my aunt, I felt that my aunt was a good person. After meeting you, Uncle Jiu, I also felt that you were the right person to sit in this position. So I don't hate you."

After a long silence, Zhao Gou finally said, "You have a good mother..."

"Yes," Fan Nianjing answered firmly. He would never forget that his mother, Zhu, had given her life to secure his freedom!

Zhao Gou then said, "After you visit your aunt in the palace, you should stay by my side more often. You need to learn how to handle political affairs gradually; simply reading books is useless."

"You mean...?" Fan Nianjing was extremely surprised. He hadn't expected Zhao Gou to teach him how to handle political affairs!

Zhao Gou gave a wry smile and said, "This should have been your position, shouldn't it? I promised Yue Fei that I would announce your lineage to the world on the right day. In the end, I will pass the throne to you."

Fan Nianjing was so shocked she couldn't speak. She could only stammer, "I...I didn't want to..."

"This is something you must do; it is your responsibility as a member of the royal bloodline." This was a decision Zhao Gu had made after much deliberation.

Yue Fei confronted him in the palace that day, demanding an explanation. There were many loyal ministers like Yue Fei in the court; if this matter were publicized, it would inevitably cause a huge uproar, and if it led to a mutiny, the nation would be in grave danger. But that wasn't the main issue. The crucial point was that although Qin Zhen was pregnant with his child, the child would certainly be born with a serious illness. How could he bear to place the burden of the nation on a child with a debilitating disease? Out of a sense of responsibility to the country, he couldn't do that.

The only way for him to succeed to the throne is to reveal Fan Nianjing's true identity at the appropriate time and adopt him as a member of the royal family who has been living among the common people.

In late autumn, Qin Zhen showed signs of labor. Numerous imperial physicians, midwives, and Ji Wuhuan were all prepared in the pre-arranged delivery room. After Qin Zhen was carried into the delivery room to await childbirth, Zhao Gou suspended court and waited outside for two full days before finally hearing a faint cry from the newborn.

The child was a boy, but he weighed less than five pounds at birth and was in very poor health. Fortunately, both mother and child were safe! This alone was enough for Zhao Gou.

Since the child's birth, Ji Wuhuan had been taking the prince to a specially prepared medicine room every day to treat his health, and Qin Zhen was not even allowed to see him. It wasn't until seven days later that he invited Zhao Gou and Qin Zhen to the medicine room to discuss something.

Qin Zhen was carried from the bed to the medicine room. As soon as she entered, she asked to see her child, so Ji Wuhuan brought the baby to her. The couple carefully took their small, thin son from Ji Wuhuan's arms, their hearts filled with sorrow.

Aside from being a little small, the child seemed fine, with a rosy complexion. However, his tightly closed eyes made Qin Zhen realize that something was wrong.

"Senior brother...his eyes..."

Ji Wuhuan nodded and said, "Just as I expected, he can't see anything. I saw him open his eyes once a couple of days ago, and his pupils were grayish-white."

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Zhen's tears fell, and she whispered to the child, "It's all my fault..."

Zhao Gou was heartbroken, but he couldn't afford to be sad. He could only hold Qin Zhen's trembling shoulders and comfort each other.

Qin Zhen looked at Ji Wuhuan as if he were a savior and asked, "Senior brother, you have a way, right?"

Ji Wuhuan said, "He was born with a deficiency and needs extra care to grow up safely. He will probably need medicine until he is fifteen. As for his eyes, we can only hope for the Eight-Leaf Lotus Eye Grass. We don't know if it will still be available in Kunlun Mountain this year. We can only search for it slowly."

Hearing that there was still hope, Qin Zhen said, "No matter how difficult it is, I will definitely give him a bright future!"

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky Chapter 158 Long, Long, Long

The birth of a prince should have been a joyous occasion for the entire court, but due to the prince's poor health, a faint cloud of sorrow hung over the celebration, with many secretly worried that the prince might die young.

Qin Zhen gave birth in the autumn, and the days that followed grew colder and colder. Since the baby was born, she had never left the warm pharmacy. Even after Qin Zhen's postpartum confinement period ended, she went to the pharmacy every day to stay by her side.

On the day winter began, Ji Wuhuan said to Qin Zhen, "After this winter is over, I want to take the child to Kunlun Mountain. The spiritual energy there is nourishing, and it's also convenient to find medicine, which will be good for the child."

Qin Zhen nodded and said, "Yes, I'll go with you."

"Junior Sister, you mustn't." Ji Wuhuan pressed Qin Zhen's shoulder and said, "Although this child is important, you still have your own life. You are the mother of a nation. How can you stay with us in Kunlun Mountain for so long? You will have a second and a third child. You can entrust him to me with peace of mind."

Upon hearing Ji Wuhuan's words, Qin Zhen couldn't help but burst into tears. She gently stroked her child's delicate face and said, "How could I bear to abandon him and live a life of luxury? I won't be at peace until I see him doing well!"

Ji Wuhuan only sighed and stopped trying to persuade her; she had to figure this out herself.

On the day the prince turned 100 days old, the palace was filled with banquets to entertain the officials as usual. On the same day, the Ministry of Rites also selected the name of the prince for Zhao Gou and Qin Zhen to choose from.

Qin Zhen looked at the characters written on the roster, and suddenly her eyes lit up. She took a liking to one of them and pointed to it, asking Zhao Gou, "Jiu, I like this character. It means long-lasting. What do you think?"

Zhao Gou nodded and said, "It's a good character. We'll use this character for our son's name. Our child will surely live a long and healthy life, and our family will surely be together for a long and healthy time!"

Zhao Jiu, the eldest son of the emperor, was thus chosen.

At the banquet, Qin Zhen sat at the head of the table and immediately spotted Yue Fei among the officials. She said happily to Zhao Gou, "Did you specially summon my elder brother back from the border? I must have a good talk with him after the banquet!"

Zhao Gou raised his wine cup, took a sip of the bitter wine, and remained silent. He was unaware that Yue Fei had suddenly returned to Bianjing. Had he known, he would have made arrangements in advance, and wouldn't be caught off guard like this now.