Six months after Bai Li Chong Yan became emperor, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, Song Fang Hua, gave birth to a son. Upon the child's first month, he was adopted by Bai Li Chong Yan and Zhu Zhen.
Bai Li Chong Yan immediately issued an imperial decree, enfeoffing the child as Crown Prince.
This was a transaction between the two of them, something even Zhang Yi Cheng only learned of later.
For a time, he didn't know whether to be happy or worried, and everyone in the Zhang and Song families was quite astonished. Sudancx.com
On one hand, Bai Li Chong Yan and Zhu Zhen had been married for many years. Bai Li Chong Yan had no other consorts, and Zhu Zhen had not become pregnant. Thus, they were all waiting for Bai Li Chong Yan to hold a selection for new imperial consorts.
Instead of waiting for the selection, they received the imperial decree enfeoffing the Crown Prince.
Prime Minister Zhang and Minister Song entered the palace together. Upon seeing the emperor, Prime Minister Zhang immediately knelt and pleaded with Bai Li Chong Yan to retract the decree.
Minister Song reacted similarly.
"Your Majesty, your humble servant is aghast. Your Majesty is not yet thirty years old, and yet your health… you could summon renowned physicians from across the realm to treat Your Majesty, you could expand your harem and propagate the imperial lineage. Why… please Your Majesty retract the decree."
Minister Song insincerely advised, "Your Majesty, it is Zhen'er who is being willful. My wife and I will counsel her. Please, Your Majesty, you must retract the decree. Your humble servant is truly terrified!"
Their Zhang and Song families were already powerful ministers in the south. To speak frankly, their influence was immense. Now, with the emperor enfeoffing Song Fang Hua's son as Crown Prince, it looked like a scheme of feigned reluctance.
Even if it wasn't, this imperial decree would make the Zhang and Song families appear as treacherous ministers controlling the emperor in the eyes of the common people.
The two of them would never dare to accept it.
Bai Li Chong Yan remained unmoved. "My mind is made up. Father-in-law and Uncle, there is no need for further persuasion. The Empress also agrees to this matter. My heart belongs only to the Empress, and I wish to be with her alone for all our lives. I do not wish for anyone else between us, and therefore I do not want children."
The two elders were speechless.
For an emperor to utter such words was unprecedented.
Prime Minister Zhang, accustomed to being a loyal subject, immediately advised again, "Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, you have a responsibility to propagate the imperial bloodline. How can Your Majesty, for personal reasons, forgo having children?"
"If you don't want them, then don't. Uncle, there's no need to waste your breath. The Crown Prince is still young and will remain with the Grand Minister of Agriculture for now. When he is older, I will bring him to my side to raise him. Father-in-law and Uncle need not worry."
How could they not worry?
But besides worry, they also felt excitement.
Especially Prime Minister Zhang.
His grandson had become the Crown Prince. After the Emperor's passing, the realm would belong to his Zhang family. How could this not stir his heart?
The two of them could not argue further and had to give up.
The next day, at the imperial court, civil and military officials took turns to persuade him. Some even threatened to end their lives to prove their loyalty, but Bai Li Chong Yan suppressed them all.
He wielded both a stick and a carrot.
First, he told those who wished to dash their heads against the ground to demonstrate immediately, and then he used the examples of Yao and Shun, saying that the realm should rightfully be ruled by those with talent. If the Crown Prince later proved to be incompetent, he could be deposed…
His methods were still present. With a slight reminder, the civil and military officials could recall that he was once known for his ferocity. Now that he had restrained himself, he might not have truly become gentle.
Seeing that persuasion was futile, everyone could only back down for the time being.
After all, the emperor was still young, and perhaps at some point, he would regret deposing the Crown Prince and have a child of his own.
While they were thinking that the emperor was still young and could have his own children, Bai Li Chong Yan had already begun seeking the path to immortality.
He did so secretly, not even mentioning it to his closest confidante. He sent people overseas to seek elixirs of immortality or to secretly find alchemists to refine pills.
After some time, someone in the court accidentally learned of this matter and tried to persuade him in court. It was then that Zhu Zhen found out.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to be angry or amused.
Bai Li Chong Yan's blackening value had dropped to 10, and the time for the Battle of Yudou in the mission had long passed.
The capital was in ruins, and survival was difficult, let alone recovering the south. Logically speaking, all his goals had been achieved, and the blackening value should have been cleared.
Yet, no matter what Zhu Zhen did, it remained.
Recalling his recent strange behavior, Zhu Zhen immediately understood.
She led her people to the Imperial Study.
At that moment, officials were still in the Imperial Study, trying to persuade Bai Li Chong Yan.
The announcement, "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived," silenced everyone. As Zhu Zhen entered, the officials quickly knelt and bowed, wishing her a long life.
Zhu Zhen maintained a poker face, but inwardly, she found it amusing.
He was so worried about living to a hundred that he was already seeking elixirs of immortality before the age of thirty. If she truly lived for a thousand years, Bai Li Chong Yan would probably go mad.
"All you lords, please leave for now."