Later, he ascended the throne and became the Emperor. To stabilize the imperial court, he held two selections for consorts, but only a dozen or so women were brought into the imperial harem in total. Afterwards, the incident of the Crown Prince being poisoned occurred, and at that time, he regretted it so much that he wished he could kill all those consorts!
The Crown Prince was different from him. Now, the previous court was extremely stable, and there were no imperial princes who could contend with the Crown Prince for the throne. The Crown Prince absolutely did not need to humble himself to sleep with other women. Therefore, he would not bestow any consorts upon the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince's preference was the most important!
Anyone who advised others to take concubines was not a good person!
The Empress nodded in agreement, then advised, "Your Majesty, you shouldn't be too impatient. You should give them, the young couple, more time. Waiting for two or three years is acceptable."
The Emperor also realized his slip of the tongue. "I only say this when it's just us, husband and wife. In front of them, the couple, I will absolutely not rush them to have children." He couldn't put pressure on the children.
The Imperial Physician also said that too much pressure would affect pregnancy. He remembered that very clearly.
...
Eastern Palace.
When Ning Yan opened her eyes, she found Pei Che staring at her unblinkingly. She shrank back slightly. "Your Highness..."
Pei Che pursed his lips. Yanyan's voice was too pleasant to hear. Just one 'Your Highness' made his body temperature rise by several degrees, and a hot current rushed straight to his lower abdomen...
"Don't be coquettish." He was indeed moved, but unfortunately, it was daytime, and they also had to serve tea to the Emperor and Empress.
Ning Yan: ...
"Get up. We need to go to the palace to serve tea. I'll let you catch up on sleep when we return."
Soon, palace maids filed in, serving the two masters as they changed clothes and ate, then they went to the Empress's Changle Palace.
Ning Yan thought the Emperor and Empress would surely set some rules for her, but they didn't. Not only did they not, but the two most esteemed people in the world were as kind and amiable as parents from an ordinary family. When they returned, they even brought back a pile of rewards.
When the Crown Prince was not present, Cui'er couldn't help but exclaim, "Miss has truly married well this time. Your servant truly didn't expect that the Emperor and Empress would treat Miss even better than Dingguo Duke and his wife!"
Ning Yan chuckled, "There are so many men in this world. Why should I hang myself on that crooked-necked tree? If this one doesn't work, we'll just switch. The next one will be even more obedient.
And don't call me 'Miss' anymore. I am now the Crown Princess. If others hear it, it will become a handle for them."
Cui'er: "Your servant understands. I definitely won't make that mistake again."
In the Crown Prince's study, a hidden guard reported in a low voice, "Dingguo Duke's wife is still not giving up. She wants someone to retaliate against the Crown Princess. Should this subordinate eliminate her?"
"Does Song Rui know?"
The hidden guard didn't know why his master asked about Song Rui, but he still answered truthfully, "He already knows."
"What was his reaction?"
"When the imperial decree of marriage was first issued, he was constantly depressed. He tried to speak to the Crown Princess but was blocked. After Dingguo Duke's wife revealed the truth, he initially didn't believe it and said he wanted to ask the Crown Princess in person. Later, Dingguo Duke called him to the study and said something, after which he started drinking frequently. He looked... he looked as if he was heartbroken."
Pei Che was relieved now. "Then let that woman live for two more days. Anyway, every extra day she lives is torture for her."
Having to be served for all her needs, and having to watch her husband and his concubine's affection, Dingguo Duke's wife must already be wishing for death, right?
From the moment he found Ning Yan, he had sent hidden guards to protect her, so he knew everything that happened around Ning Yan. Not only did he know that Dingguo Duke's wife falling into the water was Ning Yan's doing, but he also knew that Dingguo Duke's wife had once harmed Ning Yan. Furthermore, the hidden guards had personally heard Ning Yan express her dislike for Song Rui.
Therefore, Pei Che didn't care at all that the two had once been engaged, because Ning Yan had no Song Rui in her heart.
But he didn't like Song Rui's affection for Ning Yan. She was his darling, and he didn't like her being coveted by anyone.
Thinking of his and the Crown Princess's indulgence last night, Pei Che felt that he couldn't stay in this broken study for another moment. He wanted to go find his darling.
In the days that followed, Ning Yan and Pei Che entered their honeymoon period.
Ning Yan was exceptionally at ease when interacting with Pei Che. She wasn't as cautious as others, eating whatever she wanted, saying whatever she wanted, and occasionally even teasing him when no one else was in the room.
Pei Che had no women before and had never seen erotic paintings, so he always thought that being on the bottom was normal for a man. And these past two days, when Ning Yan forgot to tie his wrists, he would even remind her proactively.
Ning Yan: ...
For this, Ning Yan had Cui'er personally sew two new ties for her, adding cotton inside to avoid hurting her Crown Prince's hands. And honestly, playing this game not only excited Pei Che, but she also found it quite enjoyable.
More than a month later, Pei Che and Ning Yan were having lunch. "Qingqing, try this fish soup. It's freshly transported sea fish today, most delicious. Look how milky white the soup is, it must be good."
Ning Yan took the bowl and smiled at the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, you drink some too."
Pei Che was very pleased with her reaction. Whenever the Crown Princess looked at him with such eyes, he knew he would be blessed that night.
The servants waiting around them all showed an 'auntie' smile. When the masters were affectionate, the servants' lives were also easier.
Who knew that in the next second, Ning Yan would spit out the fish soup she had just brought to her mouth, retching non-stop!
"Yanyan, Yanyan, what's wrong with you? Has someone poisoned the fish soup? Come, quickly call the imperial physicians! Invite all the imperial physicians on duty to me!"
In just that one sentence, a thin layer of sweat appeared on Pei Che's forehead, his anxiety evident. His mind was already sifting through suspects who might have harmed Ning Yan, over and over again!
Don't let him find out! Otherwise, no matter who that person is, he will surely tear them to pieces!
Ning Yan helplessly tugged at his sleeve: "Your Highness, I'm fine... Ugh..."
Pei Che became even more anxious, comforting Ning Yan while urging someone to hasten the imperial physicians.
Soon the imperial physicians arrived. "Quick, no need for greetings, quickly take the Crown Princess's pulse! Imperial Physician Li, examine that fish soup, see if you can find out what poison was put in it?"
Ning Yan felt that she wasn't poisoned, but she had no chance to speak. Firstly, she was too nauseous, and secondly, the Crown Prince was going crazy and simply wouldn't give her a chance to interject.
She could only listen to him and extend her arm. Cui'er placed a handkerchief on her wrist, and only then did the Imperial Physician begin to take her pulse.
The room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. The Imperial Physician's expression grew more and more solemn. "Please, Your Highness, switch to the right hand."
Ning Yan endured the nausea and cooperatively switched to her right hand.
Pei Che paced anxiously in the hall. The longer the Imperial Physician took the pulse, the more serious the illness. If anything happened to Yanyan, how could he live?
No! Yanyan absolutely cannot die!
"How is it? Imperial Physician, why don't you say something?"
The Imperial Physician finally withdrew his hand, and with a smile on his face, bowed to Pei Che: "Congratulations, Your Highness, the Crown Princess has been pregnant for over two months!"
Pei Che: !!!!!!!!!
The Empress, who had rushed over upon hearing the news and happened to hear this sentence: !!!!!!!!!
Both mother and son were going crazy with joy, alright?
"Is it true? Is she really pregnant?! I have a child!!"
The Imperial Physician nodded, "If Your Highness is not at ease, you can have other imperial physicians take another pulse."
Pei Che nodded, and so more than ten imperial physicians all took Ning Yan's pulse again, receiving only affirmative answers.
The Emperor, who was originally reviewing memorials, stopped immediately upon hearing the news of the Crown Princess's pregnancy and personally came to the Eastern Palace. Subsequently, rewards flowed into the Eastern Palace like a stream.
Seven and a half months later, Ning Yan safely gave birth to a healthy imperial grandson, and the Emperor issued an edict of general amnesty throughout the land.
Dingguo Duke's wife received the news and was so angry that she couldn't catch her breath and died directly.
Dingguo Duke didn't even dare to report the death. He used to be quite satisfied with his wife. She had given birth to a son and a daughter for him, and she managed the inner chambers well. Her conduct with people and her household management were impeccable.
As a result, she quietly gave him a huge shock!
First, she was dissatisfied that her niece was marrying her own son, and she used an outsider to try and kill Yanyan.
But that was the family Yanyan, whom his son had fallen for and insisted on marrying. What did that have to do with Yanyan?
Then, even in death, she didn't let people rest easy. Yanyan gave birth to the imperial grandson, and she died directly of anger!
If this news reached the palace, would their entire family, hundreds of lives, still have a way to live?
Helplessly, he could only conceal his wife's death, and after seven days, he held a simple funeral and then hastily buried his wife.
When Imperial Grandson Pei Ziyu was three years old, the Emperor abdicated.
Pei Che felt as if he had been struck by lightning. "Father, you are still so young, why are you abdicating so early?"
He usually helped his father review half of the memorials. If he ascended the throne directly, where would he find time to accompany Yanyan later?
"It's precisely because Father is still young that I need to abdicate early. This way, I can still help you for a while. Did you think Father didn't know about your little thoughts? You're with the Crown Princess all day, be careful she gets tired of you.
Anyway, Ziyu is already three years old. From today onwards, you can bring the child by your side and cultivate him. When he grows up, he can take your place."
Pei Che: ...
What else could Pei Che do? He could only obediently sit on that dragon throne.
Another year later, Ning Yan gave birth to a beautiful daughter, and from then on, she stopped having children, never giving birth again.