Quick Wear: The Heirless Boss Wants to Get Close to Her Every Day

Chapter 611 The Mad Regent vs. the Fake Princess (30)

The bronze cranes in the palace during the morning court session gleamed coldly in the morning light, while officials stood solemnly below the steps according to their rank, the rank badges on their court robes gleaming with dark patterns in the silence.

Li Zhan, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, lightly tapped the armrest of the throne with his fingertips. When his gaze swept across the steps, it landed on Cui Xian, the Minister of Rites. The old minister was standing exceptionally straight today, as if he were carrying some important memorial.

“Your Majesty,” Cui Xian stepped forward as expected, his tablet striking the palm of his hand with a clear sound, “I have a matter to report.”

Li Zhan nodded slightly: "Speak."

"Since Her Majesty the Empress entered the palace, her dignified bearing has been praised by the court and the public." Cui Xian first offered a polite compliment, then abruptly changed the subject, "However, the imperial offspring are crucial to the foundation of the nation. Your Majesty is in the prime of life, and the harem is still empty. I earnestly request Your Majesty to recruit more beautiful women to fill the six palaces, so as to ensure the continuation of the imperial line."

As soon as he finished speaking, several elderly ministers with white hair and beards stepped forward to second his opinion.

"Lord Cui is absolutely right! Since ancient times, when an emperor establishes an empress, he also needs the assistance of concubines in order for the family to flourish."

"I second that opinion! Among the newly presented embroidered items from the Jiangnan Textile Bureau is a screen with a design of a hundred children, which is very timely!"

Li Zhan's fingertips rested on the armrest, his knuckles turning pale white.

He ignored the ministers who echoed his sentiments, instead looking at the rising sun outside the hall, and slowly asked, "Which history book did Lord Cui peruse last night?"

Cui Xian was taken aback, wondering why His Majesty would ask such a question, but still bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, it is the Book of Rites."

"Oh?" Li Zhan raised an eyebrow, his voice low but penetrating. "Then do you know that 'a wife is a symbol of harmony'? The Empress is pregnant and needs to rest. Is organizing a selection of concubines at this time to make me a foolish ruler who favors concubines over his wife?"

Cold sweat beaded on Cui Xian's forehead, and he hurriedly kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare not! I was only thinking of the royal offspring."

"An heir?" Li Zhan leaned forward abruptly, the gold thread on his dragon robe shimmering in the morning light. "Isn't the child in the Empress's womb my own?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials like a knife. "Yesterday, the Imperial Physician examined the Empress's pulse. Her pregnancy is just beginning to stabilize, and she is most vulnerable to disturbance. Today you're suggesting a selection of consorts, are you going to advise me to depose the Empress and establish a new one tomorrow?"

The area below fell silent instantly, even the breathing became lighter.

Li Zhan slowly sat up straight, his tone returning to calm, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"By imperial decree—effective immediately, the harem system is abolished. Apart from the Empress, no more concubines shall be accepted."

Cui Xian looked up in surprise: "Your Majesty, please reconsider! It is an ancestral rule..."

"Ancestral rules?" Li Zhan sneered. "Governing a country should follow the trend. Now that the country is prosperous and the people are at peace, why should we rely on filling the harem to show off our golden age?"

He looked at the guard: "Bring me pen and ink."

As the eunuch presented the imperial edict, Li Zhan's gaze swept over the pale-faced officials.

"I will say it again—if anything goes wrong during the Empress's pregnancy, I will hold you all responsible."

The sound of vermilion ink falling onto paper was exceptionally clear in the hall. He declared firmly, "Abolish the harem and stop the imperial concubine selection. This matter will never be discussed again."

After the imperial edict was read, Cui Xian collapsed to the ground, staring at the bright yellow scroll as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Morning light streamed through the window, falling on Li Zhan's clenched fist, where ink stains from reviewing memorials the previous night still lingered. The officials below bowed their heads, none daring to look at the cold-eyed emperor on his throne.

After court, Li Zhan went to have breakfast with the Empress. He picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and handed it to her.

"Shuyi, today we have your favorite osmanthus cake."

Shen Shuyi took a bite from the hand he offered, and the sweet taste spread across her taste buds.

She smiled at Li Zhan, her eyes crinkling, "Delicious~"

Li Zhan fed her another piece, saying, "Eat more if you like it."

"I'm full." Although Shen Shuyi had taken medication to stop morning sickness, her appetite hadn't been as good as before lately.

Li Zhan finished the half-eaten pastry she had left, then leaned over and kissed her lips, rolling away the pastry from her lips.

Shen Shuyi blushed. "Don't you dislike sweets?"

"Yes, but for some reason, the ones you ate tasted really good." Li Zhan's deep eyes held a mischievous smile.

Shen Shuyi gently patted his arm, "Nonsense."

"By the way, Jingzhan, did the court officials object to your proposal to abolish the harem at the morning court session?"

"I don't object." Li Zhan held her hand. "Shuyi, just focus on your pregnancy and don't let those trivial matters bother you."

He wasn't like Chen Junliu, who needed to use his concubines to win over powerful officials. As the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he held absolute power and was not afraid of anyone or any form of coercion or threat.

Shen Shuyi smiled brightly, "Jing Zhan, you're the best!"

After breakfast, Li Zhan took her hand and strolled in the Imperial Garden to aid digestion. When she got tired, they went back to her bedchamber for a short rest.

Shen Shuyi woke up late in the morning, not really sleepy, just wanted to lie down.

With my eyes closed, I suddenly felt my stomach pressed against a hand.

Li Zhan originally intended to wait until she fell asleep before getting up to read the memorials, but he couldn't help but reach out and gently touch her stomach again.

He lowered his head and whispered, "I am your father."

Upon hearing this, Shen Shuyi couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"The child is too young to understand."

“Then I’ll talk to the child more often in the future. Maybe the child will remember the father’s voice after he is born.”

Shen Shuyi grabbed his hand. "Hmm, that makes sense."

"Go to sleep." Li Zhan gently stroked her long hair.

……

Time flies, the Tang Dynasty grows stronger and stronger, and Shen Shuyi's belly grows rounder and rounder every day.

It was summer again, and Shen Shuyi, afraid of the heat, wore thin and soft clothes, often exposing her arms and legs.

Li Zhan's gaze towards her was sometimes particularly intense.

Shen Shuyi would laugh at him at this time every time.

Three months later, it wasn't late stage anymore, and he could have sex, but he just "had the desire but not the courage."

He only dared to touch and rub against her every day, and that was it. This left Shen Shuyi speechless and blushing.

If this continued, she was afraid that the two of them would both go crazy from holding back their desire, so just as he finished showering and was about to get into bed, she stretched out her long, snow-white legs to stop him.

Her alluring eyes looked at him. "Why aren't you looking at the memorials?"

"It's not dark yet."

Li Zhan came up wearing only a pair of underpants and holding a white jade porcelain bottle in his hand.

"Let me rub this on your belly. An experienced nanny in the palace said that applying this balm will prevent stretch marks from forming."

Shen Shuyi wanted to say that she wouldn't get stretch marks even without applying any cream, and that her belly would even return to its pre-pregnancy state after childbirth.

Seeing how attentive he was, she couldn't very well stop him.

Shen Shuyi pulled her legs back, and the man got on the bed, skillfully lifting her inner skirt and pockets.

His fair, round belly was now visible before him.

Li Zhan scooped out the snow-white balm, melted it in his hot palm, and then evenly applied it to her stomach.

He applied the ink carefully and gently, speaking softly to the book's meaning.

"Six months have passed in the blink of an eye. Will your belly feel tight and uncomfortable?"

Before Shen Shuyi could answer him, the baby in her belly kicked Li Zhan's hand.

Li Zhan's eyes lit up, and he looked up at Shu Yi, "Yi Yi, the prince is kicking me!"

"I know, that's really strong." Shen Shuyi felt that the baby in her belly was a little rascal.

When Li Zhan was kicked by his son, the feeling of being a father was so real that he felt somewhat at a loss.

"With such strength, you'll become a great general like me someday!"

……

(End of this chapter)