If not abolished

Chapter 164 Wu Family

"Imperial Physician, is there anything wrong with my health?" Hu Shanxiang asked for my pulse once every ten days.

Today is the day to check Ping An's pulse. Hu Shanxiang has been worried these days. Those words linger in her ears. Everything is arranged. They can't fight against the arrangement of fate. Hu Shanxiang has been suffering from insomnia these days.

The imperial physician considered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty has recovered greatly after being treated. I just wonder if you haven't gotten enough sleep these days. Remember not to worry too much."

"I really haven't been sleeping well these past few days. Doctor, please prescribe some calming prescriptions for me." Hu Shanxiang originally wanted to ask about her pregnancy problem, but when the time came, she didn't know how to start.

It is better to take things as they come as far as pregnancy is concerned. What if she still doesn't give birth to a prince in the future? What should Zhu Zhanji do? Let her find someone else. In history, there were only two women who gave birth to sons for Zhu Zhanji. One was Sun Ruoji, but she had been struck out three times and there was no possibility of her giving birth. The other was the woman who gave birth to Zhu Qiyu. Her name cannot be verified, and we only know that her surname was Wu. There are two versions of her life experience. One says that she was from Zhenjiang and was summoned into the palace during the Yongle period to serve in the East Palace. Later, she served next to Zhu Zhanji. So, Zhu Zhanji and this Wu were childhood sweethearts, right? It is said that this Wu was already sixteen years old at that time. Both Sun Ruoji and this Wu were older than Zhu Zhanji. Could it be that Zhu Zhanji likes sister-brother love?

Zhu Qiyu gave birth to a son in the third year of Xuande, and was a few months younger than Zhu Qizhen. Logically, Zhu Zhanji would not be so shameless. However, considering the timing of Wu's pregnancy and her identity, one cannot help but suspect that she had used some means to get it.

One said that she was promoted to Consort Xian after she gave birth to a son, and another said that Zhu Zhanji did not like the mother and son, and kept them outside the palace until Zhu Zhanji's death, when they were brought back to the palace.

Another theory is that Wu did not enter the palace during the Yongle period, but when Zhu Zhanji ascended the throne that year and personally led an expedition to attack his uncle, he captured his uncle's entire family alive. According to the system, all the women in the Han Palace were sent to the harem as maids, and Wu was among them. Later, Zhu Zhanji pardoned Wu's crime and arranged for her to live in the home of the eunuch Chen Fu.

The two statements are very different. After analysis, it is not wrong that Wu entered the palace and became a palace maid. If she had a son and a title, but was always raised outside the palace, one would have to suspect that there was another hidden story behind this.

Some people believe that Wu's pregnancy was an accidental mistake made by Zhu Zhanji. In addition, at that time, Zhu Zhanji only had Sun Ruoji in his heart, and Sun Ruoji was pregnant. If Sun Ruoji knew about this, she would naturally be angry and it would be difficult to deal with. Therefore, he kept the mother and child outside the palace.

However, such a matter could not be concealed. After all, no matter how humble Wu's status was, she gave birth to a son. Even if Zhu Zhanji disliked him, in the absence of many offspring, the ministers and the empress dowager would put pressure on him to bring the prince into the palace. It was impossible for him to be kept outside the palace.

This was an extremely rare case in the entire Ming Dynasty. To sum up, this Wu did have a special identity and was very likely the daughter of a criminal. According to the etiquette of feudal society, it was indeed embarrassing for her to become an imperial concubine with such an identity. So it was reasonable to keep her outside the palace and not let anyone know.

So there was a path before Hu Shanxiang. If she failed to give birth to a prince in the future, then Wu was the best choice. After all, she could ensure that she would give birth to a son. He did become emperor later, and all-roundly speaking, he was better than Zhu Qizhen. If he was well educated since childhood, he should not be too bad.

Although I don't want to, but...if Zhu Zhanji has no heir in the future because of her...

"Wu Cheng, do you think Shanxiang has been acting strangely these days?" Zhu Zhanji clearly felt that Hu Shanxiang seemed to be under a lot of pressure these days, but she wouldn't say anything no matter how he asked.

"Well, I didn't feel it very much, but the Queen Consort has been in a bad mood these days. Could it be that she is not feeling well? Speaking of which, today seems to be the day for the Queen to check her pulse. Should we call the imperial physician to ask about the situation?"

Zhu Zhanji thought about it and said, "What you said makes sense. Go and call the imperial physician who examined Shanxiang's pulse today."

"Yes, I'll go right away." Wu Cheng went there immediately.

After the imperial physician came, he told Zhu Zhanji the same thing as Hu Shanxiang had said.

"You mean, the queen is overthinking and that's why she doesn't get enough sleep." Zhu Zhanji immediately grasped the point.

The imperial physician thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness, this is not wrong."

"Apart from this, is there anything else? By the way, you have been treating the queen's body before, how is it now?"

"There's nothing serious going on. After more than half a year of treatment, Her Majesty's health has improved a lot. Your Highness had been intentionally using contraception before, and Her Majesty's health is now able to..." The imperial physician's meaning was already very clear.

"I understand. The imperial physician has worked hard." Zhu Zhanji turned to Wu Cheng and said, "Wu Cheng, send the imperial physician back."

"Yes."

"Your Highness, the imperial physician has left." Wu Cheng said after finishing his work.

"You won't talk nonsense, will you?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. Everything has been arranged."

"Tell me, what is Shanxiang worried about? What is it that makes her unable to sleep well?"

"This... I am a dull servant, and Your Majesty is always thoughtful. Maybe she said something out of the blue and Your Majesty didn't think of it all at once."

"Suddenly, if you put it this way, I remembered that Shanxiang's mood suddenly became like this after the incident between the Prince of Han and the Princess." Zhu Zhanji suddenly had an idea and thought of something.

"I know!"

"Ah, what does His Highness know?" Wu Cheng was confused. What does His Highness know?

"Even if I tell you, you still won't understand. I'll go and explain it to Shanxiang right away."

"Explain?" Wu Cheng became more and more confused. Before he could think about it, Zhu Zhanji had already walked out.

"Shan Xiang, Shan Xiang." Zhu Zhanji walked in without waiting for anyone to announce.

Hu Shanxiang didn't have time to prepare and lost her composure. "Your Highness, I am sorry that I was unable to greet you. Please forgive me."

"Don't blame you, I was just anxious." Zhu Zhanji helped her up and sent the people around him away.

"Shanxiang, I have something to tell you." Zhu Zhanji said solemnly.

Seeing him so serious, Hu Shanxiang thought something serious had happened, so she also became serious and nodded, "Your Highness, if you say so, I can definitely handle it."

"It's not a big deal, but your recent troubles are indeed related to this matter, so I have to explain it to you clearly."

"My worries?" Hu Shanxiang thought Zhu Zhanji had also thought of it, "Does Your Highness know about it?"

"Well, don't worry about being pregnant. In fact, I have been taking medicine to avoid it, so..." Zhu Zhanji blurted it all out in one go.

"Wait a minute, Your Highness, what are you talking about? You have been taking medicine to avoid it. Why?" Hu Shanxiang was a little surprised. It is quite normal for modern people to use contraception, so why does Zhu Zhanji, an ancient man, also... That's not right. Since ancient times, people have emphasized having many children and being blessed. Who would use contraception and not have children? Are you sure Zhu Zhanji doesn't have some problem with his brain? No, you can't say that.

"Ah? Because I'm worried that you're not in good health, and I want you to recover before having a child. So you don't have to worry anymore, let's just let nature take its course. Besides, our daughter won't be born for nearly two years."

"Your Highness, since you know that I am not pregnant so early, isn't it unnecessary for you to use contraception?"

"Have you forgotten, Shanxiang, that last time, we were not as loving as we are now? I remember that time, I didn't go to your room many times at the beginning. That's why you had your first child more than a year after we got married." Zhu Zhanji recalled.

"But wouldn't it be good if we had a child earlier this time?" Hu Shanxiang still didn't understand why Zhu Zhanji used contraception.

Zhu Zhanji said stubbornly: "No, our first child must be Shunde, not anyone else." Zhu Zhanji shook his head as he spoke.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..." Hu Shanxiang felt that Zhu Zhanji was trapped in some memories of the past and couldn't get out.

"Shanxiang, do you know? When I was in Beijing, I dreamed about Shunde and Yongqing. I was not nice to them at that time. I wonder if they really hated me as their father."

"How could that be? No matter before or after, they have always respected you as their father. How could they hate you?"

"Really? I didn't care about them at all. Later, Yongqing... How sad you must have been at that time?" Zhu Zhanji burst into tears when he thought of his youngest daughter.

Hu Shanxiang hugged him and said over and over again: "This time, we will definitely protect them well and let them grow up safely and happily."

"Well, this time I must give them all the good things in the world." Zhu Zhanji nodded heavily.

Hu Shanxiang thought about it again and again, and finally asked: "Your Highness, if, I mean if, I only have two children, Shunde and Yongqing, in my life, what should I do?"

After listening to this, Zhu Zhanji frowned and said, "Don't worry, we will definitely have a legitimate son."

"But didn't we have it in the last life?"

"I've told you, I didn't work hard enough in my last life. Don't worry, we will definitely succeed this time if we work hard." Zhu Zhanji said confidently.

"But didn't Your Highness say before that everything was arranged? Just like the Prince of Han has no children, so in this life, even if she is pregnant, she will still die in the end..."

"So you have been worried about this all this time?" Zhu Zhanji now knew why Hu Shanxiang had been worried all these days.

Hu Shanxiang didn't say anything, which was considered as her agreement.

"I believe that since God has given us a chance to start over, he will definitely let us make up for these regrets."

"Then Your Highness, promise me that you will no longer use contraception, let nature take its course, and give birth to the baby if you get pregnant, okay?"

"Well... well, now I hope you don't get pregnant before Shunde is born." Zhu Zhanji was still determined to have Shunde as his first child.

"Your Highness..."

"I promise not to avoid it and let it happen naturally."

"Thank you, Your Highness."