“This time is different,” he said indignantly, coming over and wrapping his arm around my waist, taking a sip from my tea cup. “According to Liu Hua’s information, he plans to join forces with several old ministers, using the pretext that the Emperor and Empress have been without an heir for three years to make representations, and the imperial physicians are already prepared! Moreover, that third young master of the Shen family has been frequenting the palace recently.”
I looked at him with a smile, feeling extremely pleased.
He glanced at me, becoming even more furious. “A Yao, you seem quite happy?
I heard you’ve been spending time with the third young master of Shen, strolling and walking dogs together, chatting quite pleasantly. The third young master of General Shen was indeed clever, articulate, and remarkably, he was also an excellent painter, which suited my taste. My imperial uncle deliberately arranged for this third young master to approach me, wanting to dampen An Jin’s spirit. In my uncle’s words, he wanted to make An Jin understand that he wasn’t the only man in the world, especially since An Jin always looked down on others and was constantly thinking about how to oppose him.
This was hardly An Jin’s fault. My uncle inevitably brought up filling the harem each year and had never meant well towards him. With An Jin’s petty temperament, of course he would oppose him at every turn. My uncle was no pushover either, knowing An Jin was most sensitive about introducing other imperial consorts and would deliberately escalate the matter. In previous years, he would only nag a few words in my ear, but now seeing we had not yet had children, he became even more righteous in demanding that I let the imperial physicians examine me, adjust my condition, or even replace my partner. I ignored him, so he simply arranged several noble youths from the Southern Rui to constantly run into the palace under various pretexts, parading before my eyes, nearly driving An Jin to demolish the imperial study.
I cleared my throat and said seriously: “The third young master is indeed quite good. I’ve been thinking of finding an opportunity—”
His eyes turned cold, grabbing my arm: “Don’t you dare!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. He awkwardly glared at me and let go.
“What does it matter!” I said calmly: “I have already decided that when Afu turns fourteen, he will participate in the trial. As long as he passes the trial, I will establish him as the heir.”
“Your Majesty! This—is really inappropriate,” he shook his head repeatedly. “Your Majesty should have your own child. You should not delay having an heir because of the empress.”
“How does the imperial uncle know it’s the empress’s problem? It might be my own problem.”
The imperial uncle stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes. “Over the years, the imperial physicians have regularly taken your pulse and all say that Your Majesty’s body has no abnormalities. The delay in having an heir is definitely not Your Majesty’s fault. Your Majesty, please don’t hide it from this old minister anymore.”
“Very well,” I spoke straightforwardly. “Imperial uncle, An Jin was indeed poisoned because of me and will find it very difficult to have children. I have long decided that in this lifetime, I will only bear children for him. If we ultimately do not have this blessing, I will have no regrets.”
“Indeed,” the imperial uncle let out a long sigh.
“Please grant me your blessing,” I lowered my head.
After a long pause, the imperial uncle finally spoke: “Actually, over these years, I have seen clearly how he has acted and how he has protected you. But this matter of an heir—is there really no way?”
“I have sought out some famous physicians, hoping for a breakthrough. But whether or not I will have an heir, the matter of Afu participating in the trial at fourteen will not change.”
“Ah Yao, why must you be like this?” his eyes were slightly moist. I knew he was thinking of Yun Qiao, and my mood also turned slightly melancholic.
（end）
