The cogs in the mind of Emperor Gongxu quickly started working. If that were the case, then Head Eunuch Lui must have been on his way to the palace of eternal spring to report to the Empress dowager.
But why? Why not just wait for the announcement? why the sense of urgency? Was the empress dowager looking so much forward to the birth of her blood-related grandson when she did not even…
Suddenly a brief memory seized him.
Emperor Tangzhi, the emperor before him, who was enthroned at 5 years of age was the flesh and blood son of the empress dowager Cixui. Upon reaching adulthood, he started his own reign, monopolized power, and contradicted his mother in every turn. However, he got infected with smallpox and died shortly after with no male heir of his own.
Now, before he died, two of his consorts were already pregnant. At that time, it was said that the one who would give birth to a male child shall be the new empress dowager along with the then current empress, and if they both give birth to male children, then the older male child would be the next emperor.
Nothing came out of that though, as both died before even giving birth to a child. How was that possible? Well, it's not a secret that if empress dowager Cixiu wanted them to safely give birth, then, there were more than a hundred ways to protect them. If not, then, that's already a forgone conclusion.
What happened after was Gongxu's adoption and enthronement.
Why him?
Aside from his young age then, he was from the same generation as Emperor Tangzhi. Thus, selecting him as the next emperor would ensure that the dowager Cixui shall be in regency. In other words, she gets the power.
If Empress Dowager Cixui can do that to her own son's lineage for power, then, what can she not do?
Emperor Gongxu's dreadful realization promptly caused him to hastily walk out of the room. Meanwhile, the eunuchs stationed outside, having braved winds and storms with their monarchs, knew exactly what to do. Before the emperor could even step out of the palace, the palanquin has already been prepared.
A Eunuch was holding an open umbrella to shelter the emperor towards the palanquin, but emperor Gongxu seeing the puddles on the uneven stone tiles and the rain becoming heavier decided that he would reach the palace of gathered elegance faster by foot.
The eunuchs chased behind the emperor in panic while the one holding the umbrella did his best in ensuring the emperor's head won't get wet like his life depended on it. In hindsight, yes, it does, literally.
--
Inside the palace of eternal spring, Head Eunuch Li kept his kowtowing position as he awaited instructions from dowager Cixui.
Cixui took another whiff from her favorite hookah as she contemplated the fate of the unborn child.
Fengwan was the daughter of her younger brother and for almost 2 decades, she has shown her loyalty to herself again and again. However, she understood that when it came to absolute power, filial piety was but a farce.
If it were in the past, the pregnancy would have already ended in stillbirth, but the present situation made her reconsider.
It would be laughable for one to think that the reason was simply because her heart has softened with age. Far from it. In fact, she has gone more cynical.
Her calculative mind has already come up with different scenarios, it was just that she was still unable to settle on a decision with the most optimal outcome.
On one hand, a male child would pose as a threat to her own power. Not because of emperor Gongxu who was obviously anticipating that opportunity to wrestle out her power in court no matter how hard he tried to conceal it, but because of the possibility of Fengwan and her family betraying her later.
With Gongxu, she could simply remedy that problem as she was confident that she can get rid of him if needed. However, if she gets rid of Gongxu and the child ascends to the throne, most likely, Fengwan, after her postnatal confinement, would demand to have regency. (This was the same reason she even got rid of her own son's pregnant concubines then.)
On the other, getting rid of the child would be even more problematic. She knew that if something were to happen to Fengwan and the unborn baby, she would be the first suspect. In that case, although she won't lose all support immediately, it would inevitably damage her relationship with her own maternal family, who, by now, holds crucial positions in court.
Empress dowager Cixui exhaled another puff of smoke strengthening the already acrid smell in the room. What else could be done?
She knew that there were people unhappy with her rule in court and were just waiting for a chance to turn the tides. And she knew that they knew that the only way for that to happen was if her ties with her maternal family sours.
Thus, more than anyone, she wanted the child to be born safely.
"Send more troops to patrol the grounds and execute anyone acting suspiciously. Make sure that no harm shall befall Fengwan and the child." Empress dowager Cixui finally instructed.
In the end, she rather gamble with a devil she knew than one she didn't. Funnily, Gongxu has not even realized this and has been guarding his unborn child like his most precious salvation.
--
TBC