My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Upon hearing this, the Blue Rakshasa woman let out a strange, chuckling laugh: "Those women are nothing to worry about. The most difficult to deal with are Empress Zhangsun and Xu Hui."

If you can bring them both down, you'll have a chance to become empress.

If you can get rid of Li Chenggan, your son will have a chance to become the crown prince.

"Immortal Master, don't be anxious. This isn't something that can be rushed. I need to find an opportunity. If I mess this up, it will be troublesome."

As you just said, Li Chenggan is not someone to be trifled with.

"It would be very troublesome if Li Shimin found out about this," said Consort Yan.

"Sure, I have plenty of patience, but I hope you won't keep me waiting too long."

I, an old man, don't even know how many days I have left to live.

"Master, you are in good health and full of energy. You will live to be at least 100 years old."

"100 years old? That's practically an enchantress."

"If you want to find me, you can send out a carrier pigeon or fire a signal arrow, and I'll know."

As the blue-clad Rakshasa woman finished speaking, she took out two white carrier pigeons from her bosom and handed them to Consort Yan.

"I trained both of these homing pigeons myself. I can train not only centipedes, but also homing pigeons."

No matter where I am, they can find me. And this signal arrow is something I specially developed. As long as you release it into the air, even if I am hundreds of miles away, I can receive your signal.

If it were nighttime, it would be even more beautiful; once the whistle arrow is fired, it's like a shooting star streaking across the sky, emitting a loud and sharp sound.

With trembling hands, Consort Yan put away the pair of carrier pigeons and the whistling arrow.

Then, the Blue Rakshasa woman's figure flickered and disappeared without a trace, like a ghost.

Consort Yan was lost in thought, her emotions unable to settle for a long time.

night.

South of Chang'an City.

Xu Hui's residence.

Recently, Xu Hui's eyelids have been twitching. She wondered if something bad was going to happen to her.

Although she wasn't superstitious, she still felt a little uneasy.

She thought about what had happened before and after, and the more she thought about it, the more uncertain she felt.

Perhaps because she read so much, she always felt that the imperial harem was a battlefield without gunpowder, and that no one knew when someone would fall.

The women in the harem—Empress Zhangsun, Consort Wei, Consort Yang, and Consort Yan—each had a better background and more power than me.

Moreover, everyone else has children, while I have neither a background nor children.

She felt that living in the south of the city was still very unsafe.

It would be great if we could move further away, like back to our hometown or, like Empress Bo, to the Dai region.

I heard that it's a place with excellent feng shui.

Empress Bo escaped Empress Lü's pursuit by taking her son Liu Heng to the Dai region.

Ultimately, Bo Ji became the most fortunate of Liu Bang's women.

Liu Heng also became Emperor Wen of Han.

This mother and son can be considered true winners.

Xu Hui thought it was a pity that her belly was not cooperating and she had not gotten pregnant yet. How could she become the crown prince without a son of the dragon?

Of course, Xu Hui didn't want to be an empress.

She felt that it would be more reliable to give birth to a son for the emperor, while for me, a mother's status depends on her son.

She was considering whether she should leave.

How can I tell the Emperor?

Just then, a familiar figure walked in from outside.

Xu Hui glanced at him and saw that the man was none other than Li Shimin.

To be honest, Xu Hui felt a surge of secret joy when she saw Li Shimin.

During this time, she also missed Li Shimin very much.

Because she felt that Li Shimin was the most remarkable emperor in the history of the world.

She loved Li Shimin deeply, and she reminisced about the short but happy time she spent with him.

She suddenly threw herself into Li Shimin's arms.

"Your Majesty, I've missed you so much."

Li Shimin laughed heartily: "Since you miss me, why don't you move back to the palace to live?"

The conditions here are really poor, and life is inconvenient in many ways.

Xu Hui gently stroked her temples: "It's not that I don't want to go back to the palace, but I feel that now is not the right time."

Li Shimin placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her, saying, "You seem to have lost weight."

You are my concubine, isn't it only natural that you move to the palace to live?

Why do you say it's not quite appropriate?

Xu Hui placed her hands in front of her abdomen and paced back and forth in the hall, slowly saying, "Your Majesty, I don't know why, but when I was in the palace, sometimes I couldn't sleep at night..."

I suddenly woke up from my dream, drenched in a cold sweat.

My heart is filled with unease.

Li Shimin looked at Xu Hui with concern and asked, "What are you thinking about? Is someone causing you trouble?"

Xu Hui wanted to tell Li Shimin about that letter.

However, she thought again that if she did that, the harem would be thrown into chaos again.

Empress Zhangsun's health was already poor. What would happen if something were to happen to her?

So, after thinking about it, he decided to forget about it.

Anyway, I don't have anything to do right now.

No, not at all.

"Since you don't have any, you can move back tomorrow. I miss you too."

Li Shimin observed Xu Hui by the lamplight and found that she was tall and slender with a curvaceous figure, a head of glossy black hair, fair skin, white teeth and red lips, and especially her high and firm breasts.

Li Shimin saw this and was also deeply moved.

He picked Xu Hui up.

Xu Hui wrapped her arms around Li Shimin's neck, gazing at him with deep affection in her beautiful eyes.

Li Shimin walked to the edge of the couch and then placed her on it.

Xu Hui helped Li Shimin undress, and the two made love.

After their lovemaking, Xu Hui's face was flushed and she was covered in fragrant sweat.

She embraced Li Shimin and gently stroked his broad chest: "Your Majesty, I really want to have a child for you."

Li Shimin laughed heartily: "Good! You're so smart, your child will surely be smart, lively, and adorable."

"But I think there might be a problem with my fertility, just like Chen Ajiao back then, who couldn't have children." Xu Hui said with a worried expression.

Li Shimin was taken aback: "It shouldn't be that bad, right? You're so young and healthy, how could that be?"

"These things are hard to explain. We've been together more than once, but I still can't get pregnant."

When Li Shimin heard her say this, he felt that there seemed to be a problem.

"How about this, let the imperial physician take a look at you."

Xu Hui shook her head: "No need."

Why?

Now that the problem has been identified, how can we not solve it?

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten that Chen Ajiao spent 9000 million coins to treat her infertility?"

At that time, the annual revenue of the Han Dynasty's national treasury was only 50 billion.

She spent nearly 100 million yuan on her own, but in the end, she still couldn't cure her infertility.

Isn't that too extravagant and wasteful?

I think these things are ultimately up to fate.

If God wants to give us a child, he will come to us.

It's not that Liu Bang and Bo Ji only had that one encounter.

"Didn't she get pregnant and give birth to Liu Heng?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin laughed and said, "Yes, I have also heard that Emperor Gaozu of Han and Consort Bo only had one encounter."

Bo Ji was also a blessed person.

How about letting Lu Zhaolin take a look for you?

He was a top student of Sun Simiao.

"This—," Xu Hui paused, "Alright then, I've also heard that Lu Zhaolin is not only good at writing poetry and prose, but also has superb medical skills."

Then please ask him to diagnose me.

If it's cheap, then take a look; if it's expensive, then skip it.

However, it's best not to make such a fuss too much, lest it become a public scandal and everyone knows about it.

If he's going to come, let him come tonight.

Li Shimin felt that Xu Hui's words made sense: "Alright then, let's do it your way."

The next night.

Li Chengan, on the orders of Li Shimin, went with Lu Zhaolin to the south of the city to treat Xu Hui.

Li Chengan and Lu Zhaolin each rode a horse, traveling slowly.

Halfway there.

Li Chenggan asked Lu Zhaolin, "Father and Xu Hui have been together for so long, but Xu Hui hasn't conceived. What's the problem?"

"Your father has so many children, the problem definitely isn't with your father," Lu Zhaolin analyzed.

Li Chenggan frowned: "Xu Hui is so young, how come she can't get pregnant?"

"It's hard to say. Some people are lucky and get pregnant on their first try, while others can't get pregnant even after being married for several years."

This kind of thing is related to a person's mood, physical condition, and constitution.

Have you ever encountered this situation?

"I've encountered it occasionally."

Li Chengan couldn't help but ask, "Can it be cured?"

"Generally speaking, it can be cured."

"Xu Hui has been in the palace for some time now, and the Emperor dotes on her greatly. Logically speaking, she should have conceived a prince long ago."

I do hope she can give me a younger brother.

"Your Highness, if His Majesty has another son, won't you have one more competitor?"

Li Chengan laughed heartily: "I think that sometimes a person's fate is predetermined by God. What is yours will come to you, and what is not yours cannot be forced."

If Xu Huizhen were to give birth to a son for Father Emperor, and Father Emperor truly favors that child and wishes to make him Crown Prince, then I will gladly relinquish the position.

"Your Highness, you have a truly magnanimous heart."

Looking back at history, there are probably few people as magnanimous as you.

Many people who fail to become crown prince, or who remain crown prince for too long and fail to become emperor, will die of depression.

For example, King Zhaoxiang of Qin lived too long, to be over 70 years old.

He outlived even his crown prince.

Therefore, a strange phenomenon has emerged in history: if the old emperor lives a long life, the crown prince often doesn't live long either.

Li Chengqian laughed and said, "Those people, in my opinion, are all just being unreasonable."

What's so great about being an emperor?

There are so many things to do every day, it's never-ending. I get up earlier than the rooster and go to bed later than the dog.

Look, how many emperors live long lives? They all die from overwork.

"Your Highness, you can't say that. Being an emperor has its advantages too."

"Oh, what are the benefits? For example, having three palaces, six courtyards, seventy-two concubines, and three thousand beauties in the harem."

Li Chengqian laughed and said, "That's not a good thing, that's just creating trouble for yourself. It's perfectly fine for a man to have a woman."

"In the imperial harem, there are too many women, many children, all vying for the emperor's favor. Doesn't that get incredibly annoying?"

"Your Highness, what you say seems to make sense, but why were there so many emperors in history, and why were their harems filled with so many women?"

Li Chengan sighed deeply, "They all can't see the light."

If the emperor had fewer women in his harem, he could have lived a few more years. His indulgence in wine and women, often staying up all night, eventually ruined his health.

"It seems that Your Highness has a deep understanding of the art of health preservation."

Li Chengan thought to himself, "My predecessor liked fitness; I have that much common sense."

Li Chengan and Lu Zhaolin walked and talked and laughed.

Before long, they arrived near Xu Hui's residence in the south of the city.

Li Chenggan was very vigilant.

Even from a distance, he sensed that something was amiss.

He winked at Lu Zhaolin, and the two of them dismounted.

Lu Zhaolin quickly asked, "Your Highness, is something wrong?"

Li Chengan gestured for him to be quiet.

Li Chengan selected the route he wanted to take and found a place to tie his horse up.

Li Chengan crouched low and crept towards Xu Hui's residence.

Lu Zhaolin followed cautiously behind him.

Li Chengan arrived at the door and saw that it was open.

He looked at you and saw two maids lying unconscious on the ground in the courtyard.

Li Chenggan was taken aback. He wondered if Xu Hui was in any danger.

He quickly jumped into the courtyard.

Immediately afterwards, he kicked the door open.

An old witch pinned Xu Hui down on the bed and grabbed her neck with both hands.

Xu Hui struggled desperately, but to no avail.

Xu Hui struggled fiercely, but the old hag pressed her down even tighter.

Xu Hui was a weak woman, powerless to even kill a chicken. How could she possibly be a match for that old witch?

That old hag was none other than the Blue Rakshasa woman.

Lan Po Rakshasa noticed that Consort Yan was hesitant, so she decided to act first and inform her later, intending to kill Xu Hui.

Li Chengan shouted, "You old hag, what are you doing?"

When the Rakshasa woman saw Li Chenggan arrive, she was so frightened that she quickly let go of his hand.

She swayed and dashed out the door like a gust of wind.

Li Chengan quickly went to Xu Hui and asked with concern, "Xu Jieyu, are you alright?"

Xu Hui was pale, with several red marks on her neck. After catching her breath for a while, she finally spoke: "Your Highness, thankfully you arrived in time. I'm alright."

"What grudge do you have against the Blue Brahma?"

Why would she want to kill you?

"No, I didn't know her at all before this."

"Is that so?" Li Chenggan found it strange.

He couldn't understand why the Blue Rakshasa woman wanted to kill Xu Hui.

At this moment, Lu Zhaolin had already woken up the two maids in the courtyard. It turned out that they had been poisoned by the old witch, a poison called "Seven Steps Down".

Lu Zhaolin happened to be able to cure him.

Those two maids were lucky to escape with their lives.