Lu Yu rode his horse and arrived, crossing the single-plank bridge connecting Yongqiu and Ying River, entering the Imperial Academy.
Within the Imperial Academy, many people were already there, leaning by the gates, waiting for Lu Yu to return.
Passing the Imperial Academy Stone Classics inscribed with "Pillars of the Emperor, Pillars of the State," Lu Yu rode his horse into a temporary "Silkworm House" within the Imperial Academy.
Before he could dismount, a large group of people surrounded him, speaking in a jumble, "Your Majesty, the divine physician Hua Tuo has arrived, and the midwives..."
"Your Majesty, Chief Cai suddenly had a stomachache... and then..."
"Your Majesty, it's been half an hour..."
"Quiet, everyone!" It was so chaotic that Lu Yu couldn't hear anything. He shouted.
The crowd finally fell silent, staring at Lu Yu with expectant eyes.
Only then did Lu Yu ask, "How is Sister Zhaoji now?"
"She has a stomachache..." Xiahou Yuan, who had been accompanying Cai Zhaoji, quickly replied, "The midwives inside say the child will be born soon. The position is very good, and the divine physician Hua Tuo mentioned that a C-section is not necessary; she can give birth naturally!"
Lu Yu breathed a sigh of relief...
From behind, Liu Xue, Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao, Sun Shangxiang, Ma Yunlu, Lü Lingqi, and Zhang Qiying also rushed over. Even Cao Mu, Fu Shou, and Diao Chan, along with little Lingju, had arrived. Their brows were furrowed, looking even more nervous than Lu Yu.
"Your Majesty, how is it?" Liu Xue asked first.
Lu Yu waved his hand gently, "Don't all make noise, I'll go in and see..."
He pushed through the crowd and strode into the house. However, outside the silkworm house, another crowd of people waited under the long corridor. Lu Yu was not unfamiliar with these people; they were Lady Ding, Lady Yin, Lady Gan, Lady Cai...
Come to think of it, all of Emperor Father Cao Cao's many consorts had had some interaction with Lu Yu!
But upon seeing Lu Yu now, apart from Lady Ding, all the other consorts had to bow.
Lu Yu, unable to attend to all this, was about to push open the door when he was stopped.
"Your Majesty, she is about to give birth. The lying-in room is inauspicious. It would be better for Your Majesty to wait outside!"
Lady Gan quickly advised...
All the consorts present had given birth before and had experience. At such a time, for a man to enter was first and foremost inauspicious, and secondly, with Lu Yu's status entering the delivery room, most people would be apprehensive, and it might even cause more trouble.
Lu Yu had no choice but to retreat...
Just then, Hua Tuo emerged from a side room.
Lu Yu, as if seeing a savior, grabbed Hua Tuo's hand, "Divine Physician Hua? How are things inside?"
This was the second time Lu Yu had asked this question.
Unlike Lu Yu's anxiety and urgency, Hua Tuo appeared unusually calm. "Although I haven't entered the silkworm house, from what the midwives have told me, everything is normal. Your Majesty need not worry!"
Lu Yu instinctively clasped his hands together and murmured, "Heaven bless us! Heaven bless us!"
Besides praying, there seemed to be nothing else he could do.
At this moment...
"Is the hot water ready?"
"It's already waiting!"
"Quick, bring it in..."
Several maids were talking hurriedly, and their conversation made Lu Yu's heart clench even tighter!
At this moment...
With a "Ah...", Lu Yu heard Zhaoji's heart-wrenching scream, and simultaneously, the cry of a newborn baby pierced the night sky.
She... she gave birth?
Lu Yu exclaimed, "So fast?"
A moment later, a midwife ran out, saw Lu Yu, and quickly knelt, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Your Majesty has been blessed with a princess, weighing... six jin and three liang."
"Has she been checked all over?" Lu Yu asked anxiously...
"She has been checked, and there are no issues!" the midwife quickly replied.
Lu Yu, still not at ease, broke protocol and had Hua Tuo examine the child again. Receiving another affirmative answer, the heavy stone in Lu Yu's heart finally lifted.
The princess is well, the daughter is well, and the daughter resembles her father!
At this point, Lu Yu was led into the silkworm house. Although he couldn't see Sister Zhaoji yet, he could see the little princess. She was a tiny thing, trembling all over, her large eyes blinking as if filled with curiosity about the entire world.
Lu Yu's eyes suddenly welled up with tears...
He couldn't tell if such a young child resembled her mother or her father, but from this moment on, in this world, Lu Yu had another loved one, a pearl to be held in the palm of his hand.
Hoo...
He let out a long breath, deeply moved!
At this moment, he seemed to finally understand what it meant to plan deeply for one's children as parents do!
Finally, he saw the weary Sister Zhaoji and held her hand.
"You've worked hard!"
"Your Majesty... have you seen the child?" Cai Zhaoji's voice was gentle, as if her body was completely drained, her voice still somewhat hoarse from exhaustion.
"I have, she's more beautiful than me, she takes after you!" Lu Yu said with a smile...
Hearing this, Cai Zhaoji smiled, her smile exceptionally sweet.
"I forgot to tell you." Lu Yu suddenly remembered what Fu Shou had whispered in his ear when he came out from Fu Shou's side earlier.
In fact, all the way here, Lu Yu had been preparing for this.
He took out an imperial edict from his怀 and personally read it with the dignity of an emperor.
— "When I first ascended the throne, the Empress's position was vacant. I passed through the loneliness of this tumultuous era, but with the phoenix seat undecided, the harem had no mistress; when the harem is unsettled, the realm is unsettled. Now, Cai Yan, styled Zhaoji, possesses solemn virtue and abundant prosperity, gentle and benevolent, with the qualities of a benevolent ruler. She is mild, enlightened, and virtuous, possessing the beauty of uprightness and the grace of dignified conduct. The supreme position of Empress, to be my equal, to preside over the ancestral temple, and to be the mother of the realm – is this not a weighty task! Only Cai Yan, with her virtue surpassing all, her knowledge and understanding, her kind heart and intelligent mind, can bear this responsibility. Today, I personally bestow upon her the golden edict and the phoenix seal, conferring upon her the title of Empress, the mistress of the six palaces."
As Lu Yu's voice fell, Dian Wei, who was behind him, produced a golden edict and a phoenix seal from somewhere!
Upon hearing this decree, Cai Zhaoji was completely stunned, as were the midwives and maids beside her.
Finally, it was Xiahou Yuan who reminded them, and everyone saluted in unison.
— "Long live Your Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years! Long live Empress, a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years!"
Waaah...
Unexpectedly, this single sound woke the "little princess" who had just fallen asleep.
With the little princess crying, no one dared to speak further.
Lu Yu, while helping Cai Zhaoji tidy her disheveled hair, murmured, "See, our daughter is celebrating her mother's title as Empress!"
This...
At this moment, Cai Zhaoji was completely dazed. She stood there like a wooden statue, still unable to believe that all of this was real.
This...
This younger brother whom she had personally saved from the chaos of war;
This brother five years her junior;
The father of her child...
The Son of Heaven of this empire... And now, this younger brother was also... also about to crown her as the Empress of this empire?
It felt like a dream, surreal!
Everything felt like a dream!
Over the past twenty years, scenes flashed before Cai Zhaoji's eyes: childhood memories of studying and playing together, the journey south to find relatives when they grew up, and then... her brother becoming the Hidden Dragon, their journey together into Cao Ying, and her brother continuously achieving merits and establishing his career. All of it made it difficult for her to distinguish between illusion and reality.
"Sister Zhaoji..."
A voice pulled Cai Zhaoji's thoughts back from the heavens.
But before he could finish, Lu Yu quickly corrected himself, "My mistake, it shouldn't be Sister Zhaoji. From now on, I should address you as Empress..."
Empress, though Lu Yu uttered these two words softly.
Yet, this title carried an extraordinary weight!
It meant that if Cai Zhaoji were to give birth to a son one day, he would be the legitimate heir, the most likely candidate to become the Crown Prince and inherit the Great Wei!
The weight of the title Empress was immense.
"Your... Your Majesty..."
Perhaps due to shock or weakness, Cai Zhaoji opened her mouth, but her throat seemed choked, and she couldn't utter a sound.
Lu Yu smiled, placing his hand on Cai Zhaoji's again, "Rest well. Once you've recovered, I will hold a grand ceremony to officially enthrone you as Empress!"
With that said...
Lu Yu cast one last look at Cai Zhaoji and turned to leave.
Blessings of a princess, establishment of the Great Wei Empress...
These all required his personal arrangements and management. Unbeknownst to him, Lu Yu felt the burden on his shoulders increase once more.
—
...
Outside Xuchang, within Mount Rang, in a tree hollow.
Xu Chu, rarely seen here, was present. The reason was that this was where Cao Cao lived in seclusion.
Come to think of it... there were countless scenic and picturesque places in the Great Wei, nestled by mountains and waters, yet Cao Cao still chose Mount Rang...
This Mount Rang held stories.
When Liu Bei had previously attacked Xuchang, he had hidden here. It was Xiahou Yuan who discovered it and led the imperial students to annihilate Liu Bei's tens of thousands of troops.
Similarly, after Ma Teng was killed, he had also hidden here...
This also laid the most precious foundation for the subsequent subjugation of Han Fu and the victory in Xiliang.
Moreover, it was very close to Xuchang City, close to Luoyang, and separated from Yingchuan only by the Ying River.
Ultimately, Cao Cao was still somewhat worried about Yu'er... fearing that there might be some oversight as he had just ascended the throne.
Of course...
Xu Chu had not appeared for some time, which had reassured Cao Cao. At least it proved that Yu'er could stabilize the situation, allowing him to better cultivate his mind and spirit!
But... Xu Chu's arrival today made Cao Cao's mood suddenly tense.
"What happened?"
Cao Cao was still sitting on the rush mat, surrounded by several Taoist priests kneeling nearby. Each of them kept their eyes down, their gaze on their noses, and their noses on their hearts, as if detached from worldly affairs.
"His Majesty has enfeoffed Cai Zhaoji as Empress of the Great Wei!" Xu Chu reported truthfully.
"Sister Zhaoji?" Cao Cao's eyes suddenly opened. He felt that if it were only this matter, Xu Chu wouldn't have specifically rushed here to disturb his secluded cultivation.
"When Yu'er was an infant, it was Zhaoji who saved him. For years, Zhaoji has taken care of Yu'er in every detail. Furthermore, Zhaoji is the daughter of Cai Yong, the leader of the northern literati. Cai Yong was also both a teacher and a friend to me. Now that Yu'er is the supreme ruler, it is not unreasonable to make her Empress!"
Cao Cao sighed emotionally first, then changed his tone, "When did Zhongkang start speaking hesitantly!"
"Supreme Emperor..." Xu Chu quickly said.
"Here, there is no Supreme Emperor. Zhongkang can just call me Mengde!" Cao Cao interrupted directly as soon as Xu Chu uttered the words...
But... Mengde, how could Xu Chu utter such a title?
He decided to stick to his usual address, "My Lord, it is Miss Zhaoji who has given birth to a daughter for the Crown Prince..."
As soon as this was said...
Cao Cao, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them. He even sat up abruptly, his lips unconsciously curling into a smile, emitting a surprised yet clear laugh.
Upon hearing the news of his granddaughter, Cao Cao could no longer maintain his desireless seclusion. "I have a granddaughter, I, Cao Cao, have a granddaughter! I, Cao Cao, have heirs!"
He shouted a few times...
Cao Cao was quite excited...
The surrounding Taoist priests also congratulated Cao Cao. Zhang Lu, who was cultivating with Cao Cao, sighed with emotion.
"King Wei is truly fortunate!"
"Hahahaha..." Cao Cao's hearty laughter continued, but as the laughter subsided, he suddenly realized another issue.
He quickly asked, "Are mother and daughter both safe?"
"Divine Physician Hua Tuo personally examined them, and they are all safe!" Xu Chu bowed. "Your subordinate was also about to congratulate my Lord..."
"Right!" Cao Cao suddenly thought of something else. His demeanor today was unusually agitated. "Has the name for this little girl been decided?"
"Not yet!"
"Then I shall name her!" Cao Cao raised his hand, his brow furrowed slightly. He paced back and forth, pondering carefully.
After walking back and forth three times, he wrote the first small character on a bamboo slip.
— Cao Yanxi, with happy smiles, like the gentle flow of a stream!
After walking back and forth twice more, Cao Cao wrote another name.
— Cao Shisheng, opportune moments with beautiful people, joyous songs filling the air!
Then, after another two rounds, Cao Cao picked up his brush...
— Cao Luoyao—, radiant like jade, her initial heart unwavering!
After this name was written, Cao Cao seemed to have an epiphany and finally added a name — Cao Nanxi, western embers and southern treasures, flower tides and moonlit evenings...
Ancient people named their children...
They had given names and courtesy names, just as Cao Cao's former name was Man, with the courtesy name "Jili"... and later "Cao," with the courtesy name Mengde...
If it weren't for Qiao Xuan's advice, Cao Song would most likely have renamed himself Cao Cao, as Cao Cao was born in the year of the Sheep, and sheep eat grass.
Naming them this way was for them to be well-nourished!
But things were different now. Yu'er was the Emperor, and the newborn daughter was a princess. Naturally, she had to be given a more beautiful name with better meaning.
As the most outstanding poet of the Jian'an era, Cao Cao's naming skills were indeed evident of his literary talent!
"These are all options... let Yu'er and Zhaoji choose!"
Cao Cao closed the bamboo slips and handed them to Xu Chu. "Tell Yu'er that the Cao family has descendants, and your father is very pleased!"
"Yes!" Xu Chu quickly agreed.
Cao Cao then called out, "Hurry... don't delay the auspicious time for naming!"
Xu Chu did not hesitate, turned, and ran, disappearing in a flash...
Zhang Lu, however, blinked his eyes and asked curiously, "My Lord, which name do you think His Majesty will choose?"
This...
Zhang Lu's question immediately piqued Cao Cao's interest.
He recalled the four names again, his face showing a hint of difficulty.
"If it were Yu'er, he would likely choose Yanxi, with happy smiles, like the gentle flow of a stream... If it were Zhaoji, haha, I think she would choose Luoyao, radiant like jade, her initial heart unwavering..."
As soon as he said this...
Zhang Lu's eyes narrowed into slits. "I, however, believe that His Majesty and the Empress will choose Nanxi, western embers and southern treasures, flower tides and moonlit evenings. This artistic conception is extraordinary... Only the peaceful Great Wei can create such artistic beauty for its people!"
Hmm...
Zhang Lu's words made Cao Cao laugh heartily. "Good, then we shall wait and see! Haha..."
His clear laughter echoed through the mountains of Mount Rang.
The valleys resonated, and for a moment, the entire mountain seemed to embody an artistic conception of "spring flowers blooming"!
...
...