At those words, the hall instantly fell so quiet that a falling pin could have been heard.
Everyone held their breath.
Several young officials standing in the back instinctively shifted half a step backward.
Everyone knew what raising the question of an heir at this moment meant.
At best, it was lifting the very pot that refused to boil; at worst, it was holding up a mirror before the emperor, exposing the truth he least dared face.
You might die. The empire needed a replacement. You had better arrange your affairs before you died.
This was nothing less than a vicious stomp on Xu Tianran's nerves, already stretched to their breaking point.
But ultimately, an emperor without an heir was the greatest hidden danger at court, especially now that Lu Ren's name hung over everyone's heads like a massive boulder.
Should anything happen to the emperor, the Sun Moon Empire would not even have someone to succeed him.
The princes of the Imperial Family, already itching to act, would start fighting first. The armies at the front would become dragons without a head, and the Original Three Nations would seize the chance to strike back.
When that happened, the empire would inevitably become a pot of chaotic porridge, and the emperor's own bones would fuel the fire beneath it.
When Xu Tianran heard those words, he too froze at first.
His body visibly stiffened for an instant. Then bloodshot fury surged in his eyes. "What did you say?!"
"What time do you think this is? Huh? Lu Ren could attack at any moment! Whether Mingdu can hold out is still anyone's guess, and you want me to have a child now?!"
Xu Tianran practically roared those last few words, his anger carrying a sense of utter absurdity.
The prime minister