CHAPTER 1572: CHAPTER 1572 ADOPT

Zhulan hurriedly got up and went to Ming Teng’s courtyard. When she arrived, the old master was also there. "Fourth Uncle, the child won’t be born anytime soon. You should go back to rest. I will send someone to inform you once the baby is born."

Rong Yushang sat on a chair as if glued to it, unwilling to move. "At my age, I don’t sleep much. I’ll stay here on watch. You head back first."

Zhulan couldn’t leave. She feared that if Lau Jia gave birth to a daughter, the old master would feel upset and might say something. Unable to persuade him, she had to stay and wait with him.

Ming Teng sat silently on the side. He did not prefer sons over daughters. Both boys and girls were his children. He merely glanced at his great-grandfather and felt a headache coming on.

Lau Jia was having her first child, and she had experienced fetal movements during pregnancy, making the labor not smooth. Dawn had broken, yet the child was still not born.

Zhou Shuren had someone inquire about the situation before he rode off to court in a carriage.

Ran Wan didn’t come over last night. Mingyun was not at home, and Ran Wan needed to take care of the two children and only came after breakfast.

Lady Li looked weary, "Have the two children eaten breakfast?"

Ran Wan replied, "They have eaten. They even asked about you in the morning."

Lady Li’s smile deepened. Despite her humble background, both her grandchildren adored her, especially her cooking.

Zhulan noticed Fourth Uncle nodding off, as the old master refused to go back to rest. She glanced over at Madam Ma, who was constantly reciting Buddhist chants.

Feeling somewhat weary, Zhulan seldom stayed up like this and found it hard to endure. If it weren’t for Lau Jia’s special situation, she wouldn’t have come to wait.

Time ticked by slowly, and before they knew it, noon had arrived. By then, the child had been in labor for eight hours. The waiting people outside were anxious; Lau Jia had consumed tonic soup, yet the baby still hadn’t been born.

Another half-hour passed before the sound of a baby’s cry was heard—a loud wail. The baby was finally born. However, Lau Jia’s condition wasn’t good, and those waiting outside weren’t yet aware of the baby’s gender when they heard cries of massive bleeding.

Ming Teng jumped up abruptly, "Summon the Imperial Physician."

Rong Yushang stared intently at the birthing room, his face losing its smile bit by bit. A servant woman came out holding the baby, "A little boy weighing more than five pounds."

Rong Yushang widened his eyes. He had already accepted that this child might be a girl, yet there was a surprise waiting. The old master, staring at the birthing room, stretched out his hand, "Bring him here."

The servant woman carefully passed the baby over, "The doctor has examined him, the baby is somewhat weak and needs proper care."

Rong Yushang held the baby as if it were a treasure, a precious gem of the Rong family, bowing his head down with no intention of letting go.

Lau Jia, learning she had given birth to a son, felt a sense of relief. Realizing her own severe bleeding, she widened her eyes, unwilling to die. She couldn’t bear to leave her husband and child. Aware that if she passed away, Ming Teng would remarry and have to bear the responsibilities of the Rong family, she vaguely heard that the bleeding had stopped and heard her mother’s crying voice.

Zhulan leaned back in the chair as the bleeding finally stopped; today’s situation with Lau Jia was too perilous.

The Imperial Physician finished prescribing the medicine, then glanced at the Princely Heir before speaking, "The Princely Heir’s wife is injured and will need several years to recuperate."

Zhulan had always known that Imperial Physicians tended to understate things. Now he said several years; the actual situation was far more severe, with at least five years at a minimum during which she couldn’t conceive. The only relief was that he didn’t say she couldn’t get pregnant at all.

Only now did Ming Teng remember his newborn son and the fact that he already had a son. Otherwise, even if his great-grandfather didn’t force him to divorce, other women would have been arranged for him. "I’ll trouble you in the coming days."

The Imperial Physician replied, "The Princely Heir is too kind."

Madam Ma’s heart sank listening to the Imperial Physician. Her daughter married into a high-status family; she needed to have more children. With her body injured after the first child, and considering that the old master of the Rong family already disapproved of her daughter, what could they do?

Zhulan wanted to see the child, but after searching the room, she found no trace of him. The child couldn’t be lost; he must have been taken by the old master. Zhulan gasped, "!!"

Lady Li realized too, "Mother, did Uncle take the child to raise himself?"

Zhulan, "Isn’t it obvious what the old master means?"

The baby was taken away right after birth. Zhulan closed her eyes. For the old master, the Rong family’s legacy mattered the most, ingrained deeply into his bones, unchangeable by anyone.

Ming Teng was dumbfounded, "But, great-grandfather didn’t say he wanted to raise him himself."

Zhulan looked at the unconscious Lau Jia in the birthing room, "We’ll wait for your grandfather to decide on this matter."

She did not support the old master taking the child to raise. The old master didn’t like Lau Jia to begin with. Wouldn’t this leave a thorn in Lau Jia’s heart? Even the most forgiving person would still feel a sting inside.

During the morning court session, because of the Zhezi from Zhangzhou Province, the entire court’s attention was on Sir Liu and Zhou Shuren. They couldn’t believe it was merely a coincidence. They only believed in manipulation behind the scenes. Sir Liu’s eldest son had taken up a post in Zhangzhou Province, with some even gloating, for Zhangzhou wasn’t a favorable place.

Knowing now the content of the Zhezi, they were furious. With the appearance of the finished medicine, establishment of the pharmacy, they understood that the nation needed medicinal herbs—a significant amount. To lower the cost of finished medicine, herbs needed to be widespread, and growing them was inevitable.

Now that Zhangzhou had started and gained experience, it was suddenly claimed by the Liu family, leaving ministers at court feeling everything but satisfied.

The Emperor didn’t bother with the lesser disputes. He had already discussed things with Zhou Shuren the day before. Zhou Shuren had envisioned much further than he imagined, aiming to make the finished medicine affordable for every citizen... a drugstore in every town, of course, including calculating the tax revenue from such medicine, which had the Emperor swallowing hard.

The Emperor signaled for silence, and after the assembly quieted, he said, "Given that Zhangzhou has complete experience, I have decided to make Zhangzhou a pilot site. This year, I will look at Zhangzhou’s performance in herbal cultivation."

Pilot testing, a suggestion from Zhou Shuren.

Old Sir Liu stepped forward, "The Emperor is wise. Long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty for ten thousand years."

No matter how unwilling everyone was, it was useless. The Emperor had made up his mind, and the Liu and Zhou families had kept it too well-hidden. Knowing now was too late.

After the morning court ended, Zhou Shuren walked alongside Old Sir Liu, who smiled, "I must thank Marquis Zhou."

He knew that Zhou Shuren had remained in the palace the previous day, and the Zhezi had arrived in the capital only then. Without Zhou Shuren speaking in front of the Emperor, today’s decision wouldn’t have been so straightforward, leaving him in awe of Zhou Shuren’s influence on the Emperor.

Zhou Shuren appreciated straightforward individuals, "If you, esteemed elder, truly wish to thank me, then please be kind to my granddaughter. Yu Die is slightly more lively. Please bear with her then."

Old Sir Liu was momentarily stunned, then warmth filled his eyes. Marquis Zhou valued even his granddaughter, a person who cherished his offspring and descendants, would never be too ruthless. "When Yu Die marries over, you and I won’t have to worry. My grandson Yuan Bo will protect her fiercely."

Having a grandson eager to please his future father-in-law was a source of both headache and relief for him. It reminded him of the feeling he had long ago; when he also had had to endure such frustration, it was painful. Those were treasures accumulated by the Liu family over many years, not lost even during times of war, only to be sent as gifts by domestic traitors to win favor with future in-laws!