A/N: I will be changing (Qi) to (spiritual energy) from this chapter onwards

XH 237 - Your guts are especially strong today!

Everyone was overjoyed when the 20th Emperor finally awakened, except for the person himself.

With a neverending gentle smile, Doctor Bai said that the Emperor was healthy with all his injuries cured. 

All except for one thing. 

"I suggest that Your Majesty stop using aphrodisiac drugs. Your Majesty may have taken a small dose per intake, but after accumulated for years had overworked your organ and diminished your dragon vitality. Your fertility is almost nonexistent."

The Emperor knew that he never used aphrodisiac and immediately understood that it was Concubine He that fed him aphrodisiac in soup almost every night. His depression became severe after knowing the truth. 

He had treated Concubine He so well, in an attempt to win her heart after hurting it when he forcefully took her away from her first love. But that pair of dogs dared to make him wear a green hat, even dared to aim for his life and throne!

The Emperor does not know how long he had laid on the bed, his soul tired and viewed life with blank eyes, wallowing in his depressing thoughts until someone slapped him across his face. 

An eunuch that happened to be inside the room got the chance to witness it and let out a sharp gasp. He quickly kneeled down fearfully, not knowing what to do except for begging for forgiveness and mercy.

The Emperor stared blankly at his Empress, who was staring down at him with a gaze that could freeze a person right down to their soul. 

"Are you sad because your eldest son died or because your favorite concubine betrayed you?" Her words were filled with sharp knives, unleashing her mockery and used it to mercilessly stab into his defenseless heart.

He could only blankly stare at her, as he does not have the energy or will to answer her. His mind was swimming in a dazed state, not in the right mind to supply an intelligent answer. 

"Did you forget you are the Emperor? Everyone in this Kingdom depends on you but you waste everyone's time by laying on the bed, caught up in your own misery. Your ministers plead for you to get well, plead for you to stay strong, but you continue on disappointing them the longer you stay this way. If you don't want to take responsibility as an Emperor, then pass your throne to one of your sons! No one will bother you on what you want to do after that!"

By now, every servant inside and outside the room kneeled down fearfully. Oh, my great Empress, your guts are especially strong today!

However, it was all thanks to the Empress' strong guts that the Emperor finally allowed himself to recover! 

He eased the ministers' worries, calmed down the restless citizens, and then put up a bounty on Liu Chu Chu throughout the Four Kingdoms.

Only with her death and her corpse as proof will the rewards be given. The reward was special, which was that the person will be given a chance to have his one wish granted by the Emperor. 

It was a reward that many would salivate for.

As the Crown Prince had died, the next candidate must be picked. Originally, the second in line would be the Second Prince, but his candidacy was no longer valid. The Emperor had to decide which of his remaining sons will be the next Crown Prince.

"The eighth brother will do well," His third son said before the Emperor could even say he wanted him to be the next Crown Prince.

"We had heard he had recovered his mind and is happy for him, but he is still too young." His eighth son was also naive and ignorant of how politics worked. It would be the same as sending a cute lamb right to the hungry wolves.

"Fourth brother, Imperial grandfather and I will be helping him. Age is not an issue for the intelligent Eighth brother."

"Third son, We still think you are best suited to be the next Crown Prince," the Emperor insisted. "You are the eldest and We must follow the tradition."

"Father Emperor, it's not a tradition but a decision made by one of our Imperial ancestors. We must change our ways as time goes by, where we will be heading for a better future. Some of our traditional ways will cripple our Kingdom's development instead of helping. Besides, if Eighth brother becomes the Crown Prince, he will have the support of Duke Heng. He will certainly take the post of the prime minister to support his nephew."

It was an enticing benefit. They had yet to pick a new prime minister and Duke Heng will be able to solve most problems they were facing now. 

"Tell your father truthfully. Why do you not want the throne?" The Emperor asked solemnly, discarding the formalities. 

Since he was young, he always wanted the throne, to show everyone that he was better than his elder brother. Once he became the Emperor, he was filled with ecstasy at the great power he finally got in his hands.

He was happy that his sons were willing to support the Crown Prince instead of fighting for the throne, but why would his third son and fourth son have no greed for the throne?
 
There must be something he had not noticed. 

"This son only wishes to spend my life peacefully with my family." Long Zhu did not say anything else, just smiling serenely like a beautiful painting. His eyes were brimming in satisfaction with his simple wish, even looking forward to it.

But the Emperor was not satisfied with his son's answer. "You wish to live peacefully with your family with the measly power you have now?" 

"Power?" 

As if the lid was removed, the Emperor sensed a powerful and tyrannical spiritual energy coming from his gentle and feeble looking son.

The Emperor did not notice he was trembling like a weak leaf before the blowing wind, his mind scattered as his foundation was shaken badly.

With a gentle smile so contradictory from his tyrannical spiritual energy, Long Zhu asked politely, "Is my power not enough to protect my family, Father Emperor?"

"E...Enough!" 

He could not identify exactly which cultivation rank his son was at, but it was certainly much higher than his! It was no wonder he was able to subdue Long Shan, which he had originally thought to be an error made by the documenter!

Suffering from shock, the Emperor fell sick again, and the officials once again became anxious. Fortunately he got better after two days of bedrest, but it did not erase the heavy weariness clinging onto his thinner figure. 

As soon as he managed to get out of bed, he suddenly announced a decree that the Eighth Prince will be the next Emperor.

Not the Crown Prince, but the 21st Emperor!

The Emperor wished to retire from his throne! It was first in history that there were two Emperors that chose to retire, both without incurable illness and still living! 

Not only did the officials receive such mind-blowing news, the Imperial harem also received a heaven shaking news!

The beauty loving Emperor wanted to disband his harem! Except for the concubines that had bore him children, the rest will be sent back to their families!

"Empress, please speak to the Emperor. We do not wish to leave his side!" Concubine Xiao cried tearfully, with the other concubines echoing along with her, creating a beautiful picture of crying maidens.

"This is His Majesty's decision. If you want to stay, then tell that to His Majesty. This one is powerless," The Empress rejected.

"We can't go back to our families. We will be punished for not being able to satisfy His Majesty!"

The lustful Emperor had touched every single one of his concubines, and none of them were pure with their chastity intact. The Empress knew they would suffer once they returned to their home as they would be considered a burden for not being able to get married again.

No man would want to marry a touched woman, even if she used to be the Emperor's woman. 

"Please stop, Imperial Concubine Xia," Long Lian cut in, unable to continue listening to their cries. "Mother Empress needs her rest and should not be bothered with this matter. Please speak up to the Emperor in regards to your concerns."
 
It took almost all the servants in the Empress' courtyard to send all the tearful concubines away. 

"Mother Empress, do you need a short nap?" Long Lian was worried about her mother's pale face.

The Empress shakes her head. "I've slept too much earlier. I'm not tired."

"I will ask the kitchen to make some sweets for you."

The Empress stopped her. "The afternoon meal had just passed, there's no need to ask for more food. Come and sit down, Long Lian."

Long Lian obediently sat down and grasped her mother's hand that was slightly cold to touch. "Mother, please don't think too much. There is still a younger brother that's yet to be born."

The Empress laughed lightly and smacked Long Lian's hand. "What are you thinking about? I should be concerned about you. Did you think I don't know what you are thinking about your father?"

Long Lian pressed her lips in displeasure but wisely did not speak out her thoughts.

"You should not detest your father for such a small matter."

"Mother!"

"He merely loves that person too much and did something childish just to get her. Just like you would snatch that little doll from your friend because you like it."

"Mother, how can you compare such a thing!" Long Lian exclaimed angrily. "That was years ago, when I'm still a small child!"

"The principle is similar," The Empress pointed out.

Long Lian stared at her mother with a piercing gaze. "Mother, you are angry with father too. Have you not thought of leaving Father Emperor before?"

If her mother wants to leave, she will help her!

A flash of memory replayed in the Empress' mind without control. A young, handsome boy grinned at her, yelling at her to follow quickly or the firework display will end.

She closed her eyes, pushing down the fond memories that she could never experience again. She had chosen this path and willingly let go of him.

Even if he would treat her well, she knew she could never be able to give her heart to him. She would not wrong him. 

When she opened her eyes again, it was calm and firm, just as her touch on her large stomach was filled with the gentleness of a mother. 

"I am his wife. Where would I be, if not by his side?"