Li Chengjing couldn’t help pacing back and forth. He was the Crown Prince, the Emperor’s eldest di son. His children were naturally also the direct heirs to the throne. If Cheng Yujin gave birth to a pair of daughters, it was a good omen worthy for the whole country to celebrate. But in the case of sons…
When the eldest di sons were twins, it would bring chaos to the matter of the succession, which was a great taboo.
Within the imperial palace, the most common solution to this situation was to kill the twins before they were born. For the imperial family, they would rather kill one million by mistake than let one go.
It was, after all, his first child. If only he already had the eldest di son, then having twins wouldn’t be a problem.
Fate was too cruel.
Li Chengjing couldn’t help but sigh. Fate was always like this to him. When he thought that the long road had ended and he finally had his own home, fate would step in and tell him that everything was just an illusion.
Li Chengjing stood with his hands behind his back for a long time, thinking furiously. Imperial Physician Zhao kept staring at the floor, too afraid to even utter a word. After a while, Li Chengjing turned to Imperial Physician Zhao and said: “Gu understands. You should step back now.”
Imperial Physician Zhao bowed and slowly retreated. When he finally reached the door, Imperial Physician Zhao was just about to sigh in relief when he suddenly heard Crown Prince say, “If today’s matter is leaked outside, you will be the one Gu holds accountable.”
Imperial Physician Zhao’s heart thumped, and he hurriedly knelt down in response.
At the moment, Cheng Yujin was sitting in the inner hall, surrounded by the happy palace servants who had just been rewarded with three months’ salary by Li Chengjing.
Cheng Yujin listened to their auspicious words with a smile when she suddenly realized that Li Chengjing was nowhere to be seen.
Cheng Yujin instinctively felt something odd as she asked, “Where’s His Highness?”
Hearing this question, Lian Qiao raised her head and looked around the hall, but failed to find Li Chengjing. “This servant doesn’t know. Maybe His Highness is talking to Imperial Physician Zhao.”
Cheng Yujin nodded nonchalantly, but her heart secretly shook. No, if Li Chengjing simply wanted to take notes of the precautions during pregnancy, he could just order the palace eunuchs in his stead. Eunuchs holding high-ranking positions in the palace were all literate, and those on the manager or director levels were even more proficient in administrative tasks than average scholars. It would be faster and more effective if they were to do it, so why did Li Chengjing have to ask the imperial physician personally?
Moreover, Li Chengjing could also have asked Liu Yi to summarize the notes before handing it to him directly. There was absolutely no need for him to leave her alone in the hall for so long. During the last examination, Li Chengjing soon came back to accompany her after talking to the imperial physician.
The hall was still bustling with joy, but Cheng Yujin suddenly lost all interest.
After a while, Li Chengjing came back. Although he looked usual, Cheng Yujin’s understanding of him made her very sure that Li Chengjing had something on his mind. However, many palace servants were still around, so Cheng Yujin suppressed her anxiety until the evening when she and Li Chengjing were finally alone. Cheng Yujin asked bluntly, “Your Highness, are you hiding something from me?”
Li Chengjing was stunned, “Of course not. Why are you saying that? You are now pregnant, don’t think too much.”
Seeing his reaction, Cheng Yujin was even more certain. She said bitterly, “It’s about the child, isn’t it?”
Li Chengjing was silent. Although he didn’t say anything, Cheng Yujin already knew the answer. She collapsed on the cushion; her expression was terribly calm: “Your Highness, please tell the truth. The child and I are two people in one body. If you hide the truth from me, my ignorance and unpreparedness may accidentally bring harm to us both.”
Li Chengjing sighed. He admired Cheng Yujin’s rationality, but sometimes he also resented it. Even when facing such a desperate situation, she was able to remain so calm.
But Li Chengjing knew that Cheng Yujin was right. Twins were not usual. As the mother, Cheng Yujin would know sooner or later, and it would be cruel to hide the fact from her. Li Chengjing originally planned to wait until he could control the situation. Once Cheng Yujin was mentally prepared, he would tell her the truth subtly and slowly. Unexpectedly, she found it out in just one day.
She really understood him very well.
Li Chengjing sighed softly. He pulled Cheng Yujin to his side and gently supported her waist, “Yujin, you have to be mentally prepared.”
“Yes.”
Cheng Yujin’s eyes were firm as she looked at Li Chengjing intently. Li Chengjing’s lips quivered, and finally, he revealed the sad truth to her: “You probably have guessed it, but you are pregnant with twins.”
Cheng Yujin was stunned for a moment, but she continued to nod her head and said, “It makes sense. I am twins after all, and it is not surprising that I am also pregnant with twins.”
Li Chengjing couldn’t say anything in response. He had been looking forward to this child. Together with Cheng Yujin, he wanted to see their child grow up, be born, had the first cry… before today, he wanted nothing more than to look forward to the arrival of this child wholeheartedly.
But fate gave them such a cruel joke.
Cheng Yujin said calmly: “Second sister and I are twin sisters, so my children are likely to be sisters, too. Your Highness, do you think so?”
After Cheng Yujin finished speaking, she looked up at Li Chengjing. Her crystal clear eyes stared at him motionlessly, and tears suddenly burst out from the corner of her eyes. Li Chengjing held her face and gently wiped her tears: “It’s alright. I have suppressed the news, and I will do my best to protect you and our unborn children.”
Cheng Yujin’s tears finally fell: “What if they are boys?”
“It doesn’t matter if they are boys. We are going to have both the eldest and the second son at once.” Carefully avoiding her belly, Li Chengjing hugged Cheng Yujin tightly. “When the time comes, I will find a way. The only thing you have to do is to relax and take care of yourself and our children in peace.”
With tears on her face, Cheng Yujin leaned on Li Chengjing’s shoulder and nodded with her eyes closed.
Li Chengjing couldn’t help pacing back and forth. He was the Crown Prince, the Emperor’s eldest di son. His children were naturally also the direct heirs to the throne. If Cheng Yujin gave birth to a pair of daughters, it was a good omen worthy for the whole country to celebrate. But in the case of sons…
When the eldest di sons were twins, it would bring chaos to the matter of the succession, which was a great taboo.
Within the imperial palace, the most common solution to this situation was to kill the twins before they were born. For the imperial family, they would rather kill one million by mistake than let one go.
It was, after all, his first child. If only he already had the eldest di son, then having twins wouldn’t be a problem.
Fate was too cruel.
Li Chengjing couldn’t help but sigh. Fate was always like this to him. When he thought that the long road had ended and he finally had his own home, fate would step in and tell him that everything was just an illusion.
Li Chengjing stood with his hands behind his back for a long time, thinking furiously. Imperial Physician Zhao kept staring at the floor, too afraid to even utter a word. After a while, Li Chengjing turned to Imperial Physician Zhao and said: “Gu understands. You should step back now.”
Imperial Physician Zhao bowed and slowly retreated. When he finally reached the door, Imperial Physician Zhao was just about to sigh in relief when he suddenly heard Crown Prince say, “If today’s matter is leaked outside, you will be the one Gu holds accountable.”
Imperial Physician Zhao’s heart thumped, and he hurriedly knelt down in response.
At the moment, Cheng Yujin was sitting in the inner hall, surrounded by the happy palace servants who had just been rewarded with three months’ salary by Li Chengjing.
Cheng Yujin listened to their auspicious words with a smile when she suddenly realized that Li Chengjing was nowhere to be seen.
Cheng Yujin instinctively felt something odd as she asked, “Where’s His Highness?”
Hearing this question, Lian Qiao raised her head and looked around the hall, but failed to find Li Chengjing. “This servant doesn’t know. Maybe His Highness is talking to Imperial Physician Zhao.”
Cheng Yujin nodded nonchalantly, but her heart secretly shook. No, if Li Chengjing simply wanted to take notes of the precautions during pregnancy, he could just order the palace eunuchs in his stead. Eunuchs holding high-ranking positions in the palace were all literate, and those on the manager or director levels were even more proficient in administrative tasks than average scholars. It would be faster and more effective if they were to do it, so why did Li Chengjing have to ask the imperial physician personally?
Moreover, Li Chengjing could also have asked Liu Yi to summarize the notes before handing it to him directly. There was absolutely no need for him to leave her alone in the hall for so long. During the last examination, Li Chengjing soon came back to accompany her after talking to the imperial physician.
The hall was still bustling with joy, but Cheng Yujin suddenly lost all interest.
After a while, Li Chengjing came back. Although he looked usual, Cheng Yujin’s understanding of him made her very sure that Li Chengjing had something on his mind. However, many palace servants were still around, so Cheng Yujin suppressed her anxiety until the evening when she and Li Chengjing were finally alone. Cheng Yujin asked bluntly, “Your Highness, are you hiding something from me?”
Li Chengjing was stunned, “Of course not. Why are you saying that? You are now pregnant, don’t think too much.”
Seeing his reaction, Cheng Yujin was even more certain. She said bitterly, “It’s about the child, isn’t it?”
Li Chengjing was silent. Although he didn’t say anything, Cheng Yujin already knew the answer. She collapsed on the cushion; her expression was terribly calm: “Your Highness, please tell the truth. The child and I are two people in one body. If you hide the truth from me, my ignorance and unpreparedness may accidentally bring harm to us both.”
Li Chengjing sighed. He admired Cheng Yujin’s rationality, but sometimes he also resented it. Even when facing such a desperate situation, she was able to remain so calm.
But Li Chengjing knew that Cheng Yujin was right. Twins were not usual. As the mother, Cheng Yujin would know sooner or later, and it would be cruel to hide the fact from her. Li Chengjing originally planned to wait until he could control the situation. Once Cheng Yujin was mentally prepared, he would tell her the truth subtly and slowly. Unexpectedly, she found it out in just one day.
She really understood him very well.
Li Chengjing sighed softly. He pulled Cheng Yujin to his side and gently supported her waist, “Yujin, you have to be mentally prepared.”
“Yes.”
Cheng Yujin’s eyes were firm as she looked at Li Chengjing intently. Li Chengjing’s lips quivered, and finally, he revealed the sad truth to her: “You probably have guessed it, but you are pregnant with twins.”
Cheng Yujin was stunned for a moment, but she continued to nod her head and said, “It makes sense. I am twins after all, and it is not surprising that I am also pregnant with twins.”
Li Chengjing couldn’t say anything in response. He had been looking forward to this child. Together with Cheng Yujin, he wanted to see their child grow up, be born, had the first cry… before today, he wanted nothing more than to look forward to the arrival of this child wholeheartedly.
But fate gave them such a cruel joke.
Cheng Yujin said calmly: “Second sister and I are twin sisters, so my children are likely to be sisters, too. Your Highness, do you think so?”
After Cheng Yujin finished speaking, she looked up at Li Chengjing. Her crystal clear eyes stared at him motionlessly, and tears suddenly burst out from the corner of her eyes. Li Chengjing held her face and gently wiped her tears: “It’s alright. I have suppressed the news, and I will do my best to protect you and our unborn children.”
Cheng Yujin’s tears finally fell: “What if they are boys?”
“It doesn’t matter if they are boys. We are going to have both the eldest and the second son at once.” Carefully avoiding her belly, Li Chengjing hugged Cheng Yujin tightly. “When the time comes, I will find a way. The only thing you have to do is to relax and take care of yourself and our children in peace.”
With tears on her face, Cheng Yujin leaned on Li Chengjing’s shoulder and nodded with her eyes closed.
