Right after giving birth. I sleep however constantly they wake me up. I have to breast feed my child. My tummy surprisingly still round and full. The midwife said its natural and will subsided soon.
The dowager who hear of the good news decided that she needs to go to the royal temple to thank the gods. She request the empress to join her in the temple for prayer. The both of them set off immediately for the royal temple This prayer will be done for three months. They will be in time for the baby's hundred days celebration. Also they will bring back his bless name from the temple.
Meanwhile the emperor constantly want to carry the little baby. Talking nonsense to the little boy and he refused to allow anyone to go near or carry the baby. In the morning he rush to attend court. Very quickly he adjourn court and rush back to his son. The emperor constantly bicker with madame Cui for the baby and I am getting tired of him acting like that. When the baby cry i get frustrated and cry. The entire bedroom is in chaos.
When the child is finally sleep. I am more relaxed but seeing his father lingering around him is getting annoying. I wave to the emperor to come sit by me. He reluctantly walk towards me and sit by my side. The baby cradle is just right near the bed. We sit there in silence looking at the cradle. I sigh and turn siting backing him."My emperor, i know you are excited about having a son but what you are doing now is too excessive. He is still small. He doesn't know..."
"What do you know? This is your first time being a mother."
"I have taken care of little peach since she is born. I watch her grow up. I know. Believe me, what you need to do now is to be a good ruler. You have to set a good example for the baby to see and learn."
He look at me for a long time. "Maybe you are right. I have to set an example for him, I have to be written down into history that i am a great man. I have so much to teach him. So much to tell him. How long i have waited for this child."
"Tell him when he is older. Now he doesn't understand anything. All he can see is who is his parents. Who loves him. Show him love is what we should do. Not bickering with others who to carry him or hold him. Let him grow up happily.Let him learn everything in his own. When he doesn't know, we can be there to guide him."
"Why am i siting here listening to a person who is younger than i am?"
"That is because i have raised a child. My husband's child. I know more than you"
The emperor maintain his silence and keep his eye on the cradle.
"Will i miss everything as he is growing up?"
"You won't miss anything. He will be walking every step behind you. You just need to stop once awhile to wait for him."
"I want to believe you Shung Yu. He is my eldest son. I believe we will lead him to be a better crown prince than me in the past. He will avoid what i had lived."
"He will, if you believe me."
He nod his head a few times. Just at that point the sun is beginning to go down. It glow warmly at the window that reach the cradle.
The next few days he did not fight with anyone who wants to be near his son. The Emperor attended court hearing as usual. To celebrate the birth of his son, he had ordered free food station at all four corners in the capitial for any one who needs a full meal for three months. He is in joyous mood and generous to everyone.
For the emperor being a first time father, he learn everything. He is wiling to change the smelly cloth. Whenever his son soil his garment, he laugh. He enjoy most is that his son use his little hands to feel all over his face. He even gets up early before the sun raise to do some simple exercise that Xian Wen had teach him many years ago.
The women in his harem as he had promised me, he had them released back to their homes. All of them are given a huge dowry to marry some lower ranking officers. Some of the concubines wants to marry eunuchs to stay within the palace. Each of them claim that they are in love thus wants to marry the man they are in love with. The emperor grant them their wish but still they need to leave the palace. They are escorted to the eunuch's home town. With this, the empress's doesn't have a harem to take care off. The emperor is slowly cutting off the power she is welding behind his back. He even change the maids in her quarter.
The emperor's father-in-law, the famous prime minster Tang had requested in the court hall to have the little boy prince listed as the empress's son so that the baby boy can grow up as the legitimate crown prince of this nation that non one can challenge on. Of course there are people who object and some agree to it. It is a mad mess in the court hall everyday. The emperor just sits there and watch them shout across each other till they have no voice to speak. When they are quiet, he announce that no matter how, this son of his is the only crown prince of this nation. He has only one mother and the mother will be listed in the family tree. So this also cause a stir with his officers.
The good news comes from the border in two weeks. Duke Su had won the battle, the enemy had surrender. The hand written scroll with the seal stamp from the other nation is sent on fast horse to the emperor. With this, my father can return in glory and honour. In addition, there is no question who my son's mother will be. He can never be listed under the empress. With a famous grandfather, an honourable clans from both the grandparents and as a legitimate son of the emperor, no one can challenge him for the dragon throne. Unless the empress gives birth to a son, that boy will able to challenge my son to sit on the throne. For now i know, the empress had made herself into a barren stage. There is no option for her.
"My son brings all the joy to this world! He is indeed the son of the heavens!" He kiss the cheek of the little one.