GSY Chapter90

Summer has gone and autumn has come. Snow has fallen in the north, and the weather in the capital has become colder, but it is still green everywhere.

 

During the past six months, Yuan Zheng had placed great importance on Li Jingchuo, intending to promote him to break the deadlock in Hedong. After the news of Si Shaoying’s death reached Hedong, the old general Si Beixing fell ill and died soon after. After his death, the Si family only had two mediocre sons left, who were simply unable to take on the responsibility of guarding.

 

Yuan Zheng’s move seemed to be aimed at Hedong, but in fact, it was to change the situation where the noble families guarded the border and inherited the family from generation to generation so that only the noble families who guarded the border were known but not the emperor. It also provided countless soldiers from humble backgrounds with the opportunity to conquer.

 

There’s a long history about the conflict between the poor and the aristocratic families. For a time, the aristocratic families in the capital heard the news and took action, openly and secretly asking Meng Tan and Cen Yelan about the emperor’s intentions.

 

Yuan Zheng was not as kind as the late emperor. He was a devil before he ascended the throne. Now that he was on the throne, although he did not do anything out of the ordinary, but his words and deeds gradually showed the authority of an emperor. However, he refused to listen to any persuasion and was, in fact, somewhat elusive.

 

But Meng Tan has always been slick and good at dealing with people and very good at speaking in a nice way. Cen Yelan was even more simple and crude. He simply said he was sick and stayed indoors, not seeing any visitors and keeping everyone out of his mansion.

 

A few days later, after a storm in the court, Yuan Zheng rejected all objections and issued the first decree since he ascended the throne, that is, all border soldiers will be rewarded if they have made contributions. Small contributions will be rewarded with small rewards, while great contributions will be rewarded heavily. Regardless of status, only merit will be considered. Even a humble family can become a general or a prime minister.

 

When the degree was issued, the whole world was shocked.

 

The Yan clans are numerous and have been entrenched for hundreds of years since the founding of the dynasty. Although the nobility has gradually declined over the past hundred years, but it is still difficult for the poor to make a name for themselves. There are countless people like Li Jingchuo, who served in the army for ten years and made countless military achievements but still failed to achieve their goals.

 

For a while, there were people who applauded and people who denounced, and there were many different opinions.

 

“Someone bothered you again today?” Yuan Zheng dropped a piece.

 

Cen Yelan let out an ‘en’, holding the black piece in his hand, thinking for a moment, and then making a move.

 

Yuan Zheng frowned, a little surprised, and said, “They still haven’t given up yet.”

 

Yuan Zheng’s move against Hedong undoubtedly aroused the vigilance of the aristocratic families. Now Yuan Zheng relies most on Cen Yelan and Meng Tan, both of whom are from aristocratic families. Meeting them is nothing more than trying to persuade them to speak for the aristocratic families and give him advice.

 

Cen Yelan said, “The Si family is now in name only. If you promote Feng Ning, it’s like you are promoting a poor family. They were afraid that they will become the next Si family.”

 

Yuan Zheng plays with the white piece between his fingers, jokingly saying, “Ah Lan, aren’t you afraid?”

 

Cen Yelan looked very calm and said, “Why should I be afraid?”

 

“Back then, my adoptive father had advised the late emperor and pointed out the various problems on the border. The late emperor was willing to make reforms but faced so much resistance at court that he had to give up. In fact, guarding the border never relies on one family or one person, but on tens of millions of soldiers. Rewarding those who have made contributions will not only avoid discouraging people but also motivate the soldiers to join in. Why not do it?”

 

Yuan Zheng sighed, “It would be great if everyone in the world was like Ah Lan, who understood the big picture. Ah Lan, you don’t know that during the court this morning, several people scolded me in a roundabout way.”

 

He sounded so aggrieved. Cen Yelan glanced at him, rubbed his legs, and followed his words, saying, “Oh? Who dares to scold Your Majesty?”

 

Yuan Zheng forgot what he was saying when he saw this. He dropped the chess piece and went over to squat in front of Cen Yelan. He stretched out his hand to rub his legs and whispered, “Are your legs sore?”

 

As Cen Yelan’s body became heavier, he often felt tired, and his waist and legs were weak, his physical strength was not as good as before.

 

Yuan Zheng pressed with moderate force, and he was very familiar with it, but Cen Yelan was a little uncomfortable and looked at Yuan Zheng with his eyes lowered.

 

Yuan Zheng looked at his round belly, leaned over and kissed through the clothes, and said, “Xiao Guaiguai[mfn]Guai means good, obedient[/mfn].”

 

Cen Yelan’s ears turned red, and then he heard Yuan Zheng say, “Ah Lan, do you think he will be a little prince or a little princess?”

 

His tone was full of yearning and expectation. Cen Yelan’s heart softened. After thinking for a while, he said, “Both are good.”

 

Yuan Zheng said, “It’s better if their temper is not like mine.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Yuan Zheng said, “I had a bad temper when I was a child, and I still have a bad temper now. If he had the same temper as me, which is naughty and mischievous, I would probably have a headache.”

 

He paused, looked at Cen Yelan, and smiled, “It’s best if he’s like Ah Lan, any gender is likable.”

 

Cen Yelan’s face turned even redder, and he said unnaturally, “What’s good about being like me…”

 

Yuan Zheng said confidently, “Of course it’s good, it’s perfect, nothing could be better.”

 

Cen Yelan whispered, “Nonsense.”

 

Yuan Zheng smiled and simply rested his head on Cen Yelan’s legs, saying, “Ah Lan, what name should we give to the child? I’ve thought of several, but none of them suit him.”

 

Cen Yelan paused and said, “The child’s surname is Cen.”

 

Yuan Zheng was stunned and stood up to look at Cen Yelan. Cen Yelan raised his eyes and looked at him without saying anything.

 

After a while, Yuan Zheng took a step back and asked softly, “Why?”

 

Cen Yelan said, “Ah Zheng, in what capacity will you include him in the royal family?”

 

Yuan Zheng said, “Of course, as my child.”

 

Cen Yelan looked at Yuan Zheng in silence. Yuan Zheng immediately understood and said, “Ah Lan, I just want the best for our child… He should have been a noble prince or princess of Dayan, admired by thousands of people.”

 

Cen Yelan sighed and called out, “Qi Lang.”

 

Yuan Zheng was stunned for a moment, and then he saw Cen Yelan spoke seriously, “Back then, your emperor father also wanted to give you the best, including the throne of the supreme ruler of the world.”

 

Yuan Zheng was shocked and looked at Cen Yelan. Cen Yelan also looked at him and said slowly, “If you bring him into the royal family, how will you explain his biological mother to the world?”

 

“He will not be legitimate, even if he is a member of the royal family, he will bear this stain for the rest of his life.”

 

Yuan Zheng was silent for a long time, then suddenly leaned over and bit Cen Yelan’s lips. Cen Yelan did not dodge but stuck out his tongue, kissing Yuan Zheng gently and patiently, soothing his anxious and depressed emotions.

 

After a while, when the two separated, Yuan Zheng pecked the corner of his lips again and said arrogantly like a child, “Even if he doesn’t enter the royal family, I still want him to be honored and favored and live a comfortable and happy life!”

 

Cen Yelan suddenly smiled and nodded, “Alright.”

 

As the days passed, the closer the due date came, the more nervous Yuan Zheng became, even more nervous than Cen Yelan, to the point where he could not sleep day or night.

 

He had read many classics and knew that giving birth was a life-threatening experience for a woman and was extremely painful, let alone someone with a special body like Cen Yelan.

 

He was so nervous that he would catch Su Chenzhao and ask him from time to time, “Is it really fine?”

 

Su Chenzhao had handled countless serious illnesses and difficult diseases since he was a child, but he had never delivered a baby. He was also nervous. When Yuan Zheng asked, he became even more nervous and stammered, “It should… shouldn’t be, nothing will happen.”

 

Yuan Zheng frowned and said, “What do you mean by should? How can it be a should?”

 

Su Chenzhao said, “I… I, I will try my best.”

 

Yuan Zheng was even more unhappy. “We should make sure everything is safe.”

 

Su Chenzhao really didn’t know what to say and looked at Cen Yelan for help. Cen Yelan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he was calmer than the other two and said, “Chenzhao, you go back first.”

 

After Su Chenzhao left, Yuan Zheng silently held Cen Yelan in his arms. Cen Yelan laughed, raised his hand, and touched Yuan Zheng’s head, saying, “Why are you so nervous?”

 

Yuan Zheng lowered his eyes, looked at his belly, and muttered, “How can I not be nervous? This is about giving birth to a child.”

 

“I asked someone, and they said it can be so painful that it can kill you, and there are even—”

 

He couldn’t continue, his face turned pale.

 

Cen Yelan smiled and comforted him awkwardly, “I have seen many people escape death, it’s no problem…”

 

Yuan Zheng’s heart softened, he leaned over and rubbed Cen Yelan’s forehead, saying, “Yes, General Cen is well-informed, it’s just giving birth, it is nothing.”

 

Cen Yelan was speechless. Yuan Zheng looked at him and could not help but kiss Cen Yelan’s lips again. He whispered to the child in his belly, “Xiao Guaiguai, be obedient and don’t bother your father. Otherwise, when you come out, your father will definitely punish you.”

 

Cen Yelan’s eyes showed a little smile.

 

No matter how nervous Yuan Zheng was, the day of Cen Yelan’s delivery finally arrived.

 

Yuan Zheng was walking with Cen Yelan in the yard that day. Cen Yelan suddenly stopped and frowned. Yuan Zheng’s expression changed immediately. He picked up Cen Yelan and ran into the room, shouting to the outside to have someone find Su Chenzhao over.

 

Cen Yelan looked at Yuan Zheng’s panicked eyes and held his hand tightly. Yuan Zheng held it tightly and kissed it randomly on his lips, saying, “It’s fine, don’t be afraid, I’m here, I will always be with you.”

 

Cen Yelan said, “I’m not afraid.”

 

He kept looking at Yuan Zheng and suddenly said without thinking, “Yuan Zheng, I like you.”

 

Yuan Zheng was stunned. He looked at Cen Yelan’s pale cheeks and wanted to smile, but his eyes suddenly turned red, and he said, “I know, I like you, love you.”

 

Cen Yelan felt relieved.

 

There was a rush of chaotic footsteps outside the room. The window was not closed, and the vast sky could be vaguely seen. A bird flapped its wings and flew across, as if it had crossed thousands of mountains and rivers and rushed towards the bright road ahead.

 

Epilogue.

 

In the fifth year of Chengming, the Northern Border’s General Cen Yelan requested permission to go on a long expedition and led the Northern Border Army directly into the royal court. He put down the threat of the Hu people in one fell swoop, and all the tribes on the northern border submitted and joined Dayan.

 

Emperor Yan was very pleased and promoted Cen Yelan to be a king of a different surname, with the title Xuan Ping, and named his daughter Cen Yu as Princess Changning.

 

Yuan Zheng reigned for 20 years, worked hard to govern the country, quelled foreign invasions, ushered in a peaceful and prosperous era, and left many good stories about wise rulers and virtuous ministers in the history books, praised by later generations. There was only one thing that people criticized Emperor Yan for in his life—throughout his life, he never had an empress, nor did he take concubines, and the harem was a mere formality.

 

People have made many speculations about this, but no matter how they speculate, that is all in the past.

 

{Finished}

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T/N: The end of the main story. All 4 remaining extras will be posted tomorrow guys~