You Have to Have a Child!

The next day, Kunning Palace.

The Empress asked in a tone as casual as chatting about household matters, "How is Jin'er doing?"

Palace maid Chunhua replied, "She returned to the Liu residence to rest yesterday."

"Was she hurt at all?"

"Not in the slightest."

The Empress smiled faintly.

I knew it. How would that good-for-nothing coward dare lay a hand on her!

Then the Empress rose to her feet and said, "Chunhua, let's go. We're going to see His Majesty."

His Majesty must have been tormented badly by Jin'er yesterday. I can't waste such a good opportunity. I need to press my advantage!

Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Chu Lu looked at the haughty Empress, his brows knitting slightly. Could it be that Liu Jin'er had failed to keep it hidden for even one day?

"Why has the Empress come today?" Chu Lu asked.

"I have come to advise Your Majesty to take more consorts and produce a royal heir as soon as possible," the Empress said.

After reviewing the situation in the palace over the past two days, the Empress had realized that the key issue was the lack of a Crown Princess.

Before, this had not been a problem. After all, Xu Liniang had been utterly useless and posed no threat to her whatsoever.

But now that Chu Lu had taken her place, the threat had become rather significant.

And the simplest way to uproot that threat once and for all was to replace her. Have a child, establish a young ruler, and Xu Liniang, this old Emperor, would become useless. Even if she were secretly poisoned to death, few would care.

Chu Lu instantly understood the other party's intentions as well.

A mocking sneer curled at the corner of his mouth.

In a relatively normal world, this plan would have been utterly useless against Chu Lu.

After all, carrying a child for ten months and giving birth took far too long.

And his injuries would take, at most, two months to heal.

But this all-female world was different.

Though Chu Lu still had not figured out how people in this world bore children, he had secretly examined Xu Liniang's body. Inside and out, it was no different from that of an ordinary woman. He had also asked Xu Liniang for the specifics, but she refused to say anything no matter what.

But there was one thing he knew clearly.

That was, in this world.

Thus, Chu Lu said directly, "Having no child beneath one's knees is indeed a serious matter and should be resolved as soon as possible. But My injuries have not yet healed, and I am still young, so there is no need to rush. We can discuss it once My injuries have healed."

"What does an unhealed injury have to do with it? It isn't hard labor," the Empress said. "Your Majesty only needs to lie there, and the consorts can handle the rest. Besides, you cannot let your guard down merely because you are young. The more children the imperial family has, the better."

"My mind is made up. The Empress need not say more."

"That will not do! Your Majesty would not be bearing children for yourself alone, but for all under Heaven, for the common people and every living soul! So long as Great Yan has no Crown Princess, it cannot know peace! Can Your Majesty really bear to watch the court crack apart because you refuse to bear children?!"

"I can," Chu Lu said.

The Empress's face grew ever more chilling. She said sinisterly, "Your Majesty, could it be that you are no longer capable? If so, I hear the Imperial Physicians have some suitable pills. I could obtain some for you."

Chu Lu's brows shot up, while Xu Liniang in his mind was also flying into a rage.

Xu Liniang was furious because someone had questioned whether she was capable.

Chu Lu, meanwhile, realized that this woman would not let the matter rest easily.

"I am very capable," Chu Lu said, directly launching a counterattack. "What the Empress says makes sense. We truly should produce a Crown Princess as soon as possible. In that case, the Empress shall come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation tonight."

"Huh?" The Empress froze. "Me?"

"Of course you," Chu Lu said. "If the first child is born to the Empress, she will be the legitimate eldest daughter, making her the most suitable choice for Crown Princess. Is that not so?"

"But, but..." The Empress was caught entirely off guard, her mind going blank. She had not expected that, despite their relationship having deteriorated to such a degree, he would still have the nerve to ask her to attend him in bed.

Could you even bring yourself to do it?

"But what? Surely the Empress is not unwilling?" Chu Lu sneered. "You would not be bearing children for yourself alone, but for all under Heaven, for the common people and every living soul! So long as Great Yan has no Crown Princess, it cannot know peace! Can the Empress really bear to watch the court crack apart because you refuse to bear children?!"

The Empress instantly turned crimson with rage.

You actually used my own words to throw back at me!?

"What Your Majesty says is indeed right, but I am old and faded, and would only spoil Your Majesty's pleasure. It would be better to let Consort Xian, whom Your Majesty favors most, take my place," the Empress evaded.

She had no desire to roll about in bed with Chu Lu, leaving Xu Liniang not a shred of room to spare.

Chu Lu narrowed his eyes and said, "Empress, could it be that you are no longer capable? If so, I hear the Imperial Physicians have some suitable pills. I could obtain some for you."

The Empress took a deep breath in fury. She finally saw it clearly—Chu Lu had never intended to agree. He was merely finding excuses to mock her.

So she slammed her palm onto the table and snapped, "Enough. I cannot be bothered to waste words with you. Today, you will bear a child whether you want to or not!"

"Heh." Chu Lu scoffed at the Empress's threat.

The dick is on my bod—no, that's not it. Anyway, I refuse to believe you can force me to do something like this.

"Empress, by all means make your move. I would like to see exactly how you intend to make me bear a child whether I want to or not," Chu Lu said.

The Empress gave him a long, deep look and said, "Your Majesty, do not regret this!"

With that, she abruptly rose, swept her sleeve, and left. "Chunhua, we're leaving."

After the Empress left, Xu Liniang said anxiously, "Chu Lu, be careful!"

"I know," Chu Lu replied, though he had no idea what exactly he needed to be careful about.

But by nightfall, he understood.

Feeling the scorching heat rising from his lower abdomen, the chaotic thoughts in his head, and the beautiful consort lying beside the bed, Chu Lu grumbled inwardly: Drugging me and sending a beauty, huh?

Unfortunately, this was not a Wuxia world, and Chu Lu was not a Wuxia character. He circulated his cultivation technique slightly, and soon dispersed the effects of the drug.

As for the consort the Empress had sent to his bedside, she was Consort Xian, the one mentioned before. Judging by her looks alone, she truly was exceptionally beautiful. No wonder Xu Liniang had been unable to tear herself away from her.

Naturally, Chu Lu had no intention of doing anything.

But just as he was about to ignore her and go to sleep, Xu Liniang's resolute voice rang out in his mind.

"Chu Lu, just do it!"

"Huh?"

"If you do not, the Empress certainly will not let this go. We also need to buy time. Rather than keep resisting and force the Empress to use increasingly drastic measures, we might as well compromise here," Xu Liniang said. "It's fine. It won't be that easy to conceive. And as long as you stop in time, the chances will be even lower."

"I'm not doing it!"

"It's fine, Chu Lu. You don't need to worry about me." Tears streamed down Xu Liniang's face as she gritted her teeth and said, "I understand. This is for the greater good. This is a necessary sacrifice. And this is my body! This doesn't count as being cuckolded! This doesn't count as being cuckolded! This doesn't count as being cuckolded!!!"

Chu Lu: "..."

"No, you clearly don't understand. I really don't want to do it. Stop talking. I'm going to sleep." Chu Lu buried his head and went to sleep.