Liu Xiu and Deng Yu arrived at Changqiu Palace. As soon as they walked to the main hall, they saw Chen Zhi of Great Changqiu wandering back and forth outside the palace gate.
Seeing Liu Xiu and Deng Yu coming together, Chen Zhi was startled for a moment. After a while, he quickly bowed and saluted, saying: "Your Majesty! Right General!"
Liu Xiu raised his eyes and looked into the main hall. The maids and maids were coming in and out in a panic. He frowned secretly and asked, "Chen Zhi, how is the queen's condition?"
Chen Zhi swallowed his saliva and said: "Your Majesty, slave... slave, I heard from Po Wen that the queen... the queen may be... dystocia..."
Liu Xiu and Deng Yu's expressions changed. There was no caesarean section at that time, and dystocia was a matter of life and death. Liu Xiu frowned and said, "How could this happen?"
Chen Zhi looked at Liu Xiu and whispered: "During this period, the queen has been in a bad mood."
Since the incident with Wei Xun, Liu Xiu had never set foot in Changqiu Palace. It was surprising that Guo Shengtong was in a good mood.
Seeing Liu Xiu frowning and not saying anything, Deng Yu coughed lightly and whispered: "Your Majesty!"
Liu Xiu came to his senses and said, "Go in and tell the queen that as long as the queen can give birth to the child smoothly, I will forget about the past."
Chen Zhi was overjoyed when he heard this. Without even thinking about it, he immediately knelt on his knees, kowtowed forward, and choked with sobs and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, my slave! Thank you, Your Majesty, my slave, on behalf of the Empress!"
He used to be a dependent of Liu Xiu, so Liu Xiu was naturally very familiar with Chen Zhi. Chen Zhi was a man of average character, but he was really loyal to Guo Shengtong.
After settling in Luoyang, Chen Zhi was willing to commit suicide in order to continue to serve Guo Shengtong. For a man, how much determination does this require?
Liu Xiu walked up to Chen Zhi, pulled him up, raised his head and said, "Go quickly!"
Chen Zhi thanked him, wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeves, and hurried into the hall.
Even if he was a chamberlain, he could not enter the inner room when Guo Shengtong was giving birth.
He came to the door of the inner chamber and saw a palace maid coming out. He grabbed the palace maid and said excitedly: "You, go in quickly and report to the queen. Tell her that your majesty has come to visit the queen in person and that she no longer gives birth to the queen."
Angry!"
The palace maid was stunned for a moment, then looked happy, and quickly turned around and returned to the inner room.
Liu Xiu and Deng Yu were waiting outside the palace. At first, they could chat for a few words, but as time went by, Guo Shengtong failed to give birth to a child successfully, which made Liu Xiu nervous.
Originally, it was just Chen Zhi who was wandering back and forth in front of the hall upset, but now it was Liu Xiu and Chen Zhi who were wandering back and forth.
Deng Yu calculated the time. His Majesty and he had been here for more than half an hour, but the queen still failed to give birth to the royal son. He only saw the nanny and the palace maid bringing in basins of hot water, and then another basin.
The basin of blood was brought out.
At this time, not to mention that Liu Xiu was unsure, even Deng Yu was in a state of confusion. He walked up to Liu Xiu and said, "Your Majesty, do you want to invite the great monarch to the palace?"
Liu Xiu stopped, thought for a moment, turned around and said to Zhang Kun who was standing aside: "Announce Pitong to the palace immediately! To the Changqiu Palace!"
Zhang Kun quickly agreed, turned around and ran outside.
Chen Zhi wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead and said to Liu Xiu in a trembling voice: "The Queen...it was not so difficult for the Queen to give birth to the prince and the second prince. This time the Queen...the Queen this time..."
Seeing Chen Zhi, who was usually mature and wealthy, he was panicking at this time. Liu Xiu felt more and more unsure, but on the surface he remained calm, patted Chen Zhi on the shoulder and said, "Don't think too much.
Auspicious people have their own destiny, and the queen will be fine!"
"Your Majesty is the emperor! If the emperor says the queen is fine, then the queen will be fine!" Chen Zhi muttered in a confused manner.
Liu Xiu glanced at Chen Zhi, sighed inwardly, and continued to wander back and forth. When Pi Tong was invited into the palace, half an hour had passed, but Guo Shengtong still failed to give birth to the child.
Pi Tong asked the palace maid about the situation, then took out a brocade box from his arms and opened it. There was a black pill inside. He handed the pill to the palace maid and told him: "Mix this pill into the water and feed it."
Queen, take it!"
The palace maid took it and raised her eyes to look at Liu Xiu. Liu Xiu asked: "Great Lord, what is this elixir?"
"It can restore the queen's physical strength and vitality, and help the queen give birth!" Pitong said seriously.
Pi Tong has the reputation of being the king of medicine. If Pi Tong can put such a precious elixir in a brocade box, it must be good. Liu Xiu nodded to the palace maid and signaled her to immediately arrange for Pi Tong's instructions to be carried out.
Time passed minute by minute, and half an hour later, a baby's cry suddenly came from the inner room. This cry made everyone outside the hall breathe a sigh of relief, and Chen Zhi even cried with joy.
Not long after, two Wen Pos quickly walked out of the hall, knelt down in front of Liu Xiu, and said excitedly: "Congratulations to Your Majesty, on the birth of Lin'er, mother and son are safe!"
Liu Xiu was overjoyed and said to Zhang Kun beside him: "Reward!" As he spoke, he strode into the hall. Chen Zhi knelt down and kowtowed to heaven to thank God for his blessing.
Entering the inner room, Liu Xiu saw Guo Shengtong lying on the bed, as if he had just been fished out of the water. Next to the bed, there was a woman holding a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. Liu Xiu suppressed his excitement and slowed down.
, walked over.
Although he tried not to make a sound, Guo Shengtong still felt his arrival. She slowly opened her eyes, and the moment she saw Liu Xiu clearly, her eyes suddenly became covered with mist, and she choked and said: "Your Majesty, come...
…come to see my concubine.”
Liu Xiu was angry with Guo Shengtong, but to say that he had no feelings for Guo Shengtong would definitely be a lie. He took two quick steps, came to the bed, held Guo Shengtong's slightly raised hand, and said, "Zitong, I
coming!"
Guo Shengtong didn't speak anymore, just looked at Liu Xiu and sobbed silently. Liu Xiu turned his eyes and looked at the infant baby.
This baby was smaller than Liu Qiang and Liu Fu when they were born. He was just a small ball with a wrinkled face and body. It was obvious that he was much weaker than Liu Qiang and Liu Fu.
Liu Xiu carefully took the baby over. It felt that it was not even half as long as his own arm. He held the baby with one arm so that Guo Shengtong could see clearly. He asked with a smile: "Zitong, look, is our baby very similar to me?"
picture."
Guo Shengtong, who was already weak, was amused by his words. She looked at the baby, frowned, and said, "It's so ugly, how can it look like His Majesty!"
Liu Xiu laughed and sat down on the edge of the bed with the baby in his arms. He looked at the baby's wrinkled little face and said, "Let's call him Kang'er. I hope he can grow up to be healthy."
After saying that, he looked at Guo Shengtong and asked, "Zitong, what do you think?"
Guo Shengtong said tiredly: "I, my concubines, all obey your Majesty."
Liu Xiu freed a hand, picked up a handkerchief, gently wiped the sweat beads on Guo Shengtong's face, and said, "During this period, I have neglected Zi Tong, Zi Tong won't blame me, right?"
Hearing this, Guo Shengtong couldn't help crying again. Liu Xiu wiped away the tears flowing from the corners of her eyes and said: "From now on, we must all live well and watch our children grow up day by day.
"
"Yes." Guo Shengtong nodded, and the tears flowed more fiercely.
Guo Shengtong's birth of Liu Kang did not go smoothly. It took more than two hours of back and forth. Fortunately, in the end, there was no danger and the mother and son were safe. Liu Kang was Liu Xiu's third son and the third prince of the Jianwu court.
After an unknown period of time, Guo Shengtong fell into a deep sleep. Liu Xiu handed Liu Kang to the wet nurse, and then he took Deng Yu and Pi Tong out of the Changqiu Palace and went to the Qingliang Palace.
Guo Shengtong gave birth to the third prince without any risk, which made Liu Xiu feel very good. Even the haze of Pang Meng's rebellion was swept away. When he arrived at Qingliang Hall, he asked Zhang Kun to prepare wine and food for him to share with Deng Yu and Pi Tong.
meal.
During the dinner, Liu Xiu thanked Pi Tong profusely, but Pi Tong did not take any credit, and said cheerfully: "Your Majesty praised me very much! The ministers did not do anything, and the queen, mother and son are safe, all because of your majesty's great blessing!"
Liu Xiu laughed and said: "With the presence of the great king, it is like taking a reassurance for me!"
Pi Tong smiled and did not answer the question. Deng Yu noticed that Pi Tong had been absent-minded, and he asked curiously: "Is there something on your mind, Wei Jun?"
After hearing this, Liu Xiu immediately looked at Pi Tong. Pi Tong said very few words today, as if he had something on his mind. He asked, "What's on your mind, great sir?"
Pi Tong pondered for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, I am old and want to... retire and return to my hometown."
As soon as he said this, Liu Xiu and Deng Yu were both shocked. Pi Tong was older than Liu Xiu and Deng Yu, but he was not so old that he had to retire and return home.
Liu Xiu was stunned for a moment and asked: "What kind of injustice has Weijun suffered? Just tell me and I will help you vent your anger!"
Pi Tong laughed when he heard this, shook his head and said: "Your Majesty is joking, how can a humble minister suffer any grievance?!"
He is Taichang, ranking first among the nine ministers, and his status is second only to the Three Dukes. Among the Three Dukes, the Chief Situ Fuzhan and the Chief Sikong Song Hong are all high-level wage earners. Their relationship with Liu Xiu cannot be compared with that of Pi.
Comparing the relationship between Tong and Liu Xiu.
Speaking of the ministers in the Manchu Dynasty, the only one who could really be higher than Pi Tong was the Grand Sima Wu Han. And Wu Han had been fighting abroad for many years and rarely returned to Beijing. Who else could bully Pi Tong in Luoyang?
?Who dares to bully Pi Tong?
He said: "Your Majesty, to be honest, I feel that my time is approaching and I want to return to my fiefdom and do what I want to do."
Deng Yu subconsciously stood up and reprimanded loudly with dissatisfaction: "What nonsense are you talking about, great emperor? What deadline is coming! It's all nonsense!"
Liu Xiu stared at Pi Tong blankly, and did not come back to his senses for a long time. Pi Tong was a meritorious minister who followed him to conquer the world in Hebei, and was the founding father of the country. Liu Xiu knew Pi Tong's character very well.
Pi Tong is not the kind of person who speaks freely. On the contrary, Pi Tong is extremely conservative and cautious in his words. Even if he is 100% sure, he will only say 80%. If he is 80% sure, he will say 50%.
He asked: "Is Weijun feeling ill?"
Pi Tong looked at Liu Xiu and nodded with a smile.
Deng Yu said anxiously: "You are the King of Medicine! Even if you are ill, you... you can cure it!"
Pi Tong shook his head and said: "It is difficult for a doctor to heal himself! Wei Chen's condition is clear to Wei Chen. Your Majesty, please let Wei Chen return to his fiefdom!"
Liu Xiu looked at Pi Tong. Suddenly, his eyes turned red. He picked up the wine glass on the table, raised his head, and drank the wine in one gulp. Then, he slammed the wine glass to the ground.
Bang! With the crisp sound, people outside didn't know what was going on. Zhang Kun and two Yulin guards subconsciously rushed into the hall. Liu Xiu shouted: "Get out!"
Zhang Kun and the two Yulin guards came in faster and left even faster. Liu Xiu looked at Pi Tong and said, "No! Weijun can't go anywhere, so just stay in Luoyang!"
Looking at Liu Xiu who was losing his temper, Pi Tong smiled bitterly and shook his head slightly. Liu Xiu stood up and paced back and forth impatiently. After walking for a while, he stopped and said, "Back then in Hebei, it was so difficult, so difficult.
We have survived the danger, and now that we are in Luoyang, we can share the glory and wealth, but you want to leave?"
Pi Tong could understand Liu Xiu's mood very well. Liu Xiu, even when he became the emperor, he also attached great importance to emotions. He protected the brothers who lived with him through life and death and shared joys and sorrows with him in every possible way, and granted them titles.
, giving a generous salary, hoping to pass on this hard-won glory and wealth from generation to generation.
However, Pi Tong did not value these, and his ambition was not here. He wanted to concentrate on studying medicine. Although he could not cure his own disease, he could cure many people's diseases and continued to stay in Luoyang as an official.
It's like being trapped here, and he can't do anything.
"His Majesty……"
"Okay, stop talking, I don't allow it!" Liu Xiu sat back on the couch, looked at Pi Tong with some annoyance and distress, and said in a more serious tone: "It's just not allowed!"
