The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

The biting winter wind is like a knife, capable of cutting cuts into people's faces.

Inside the palace.

Most of the eunuchs who were out and about didn't take it seriously. A few palace maids who cared about their appearance covered their faces with their sleeves to ward off the cold.

Inside the emperor's bedroom.

The room, warmed by the charcoal fire, was as cozy as spring. Liu Shan sat cross-legged on his throne, lost in thought. It was an unknown amount of time before his eyes regained their liveliness.

"So the Prime Minister has been dead for almost thirty years." A complex expression appeared on his face, a mixture of respect, apprehension, admiration, and...

In general, he respected and appreciated Zhuge Liang, and affirmed Zhuge Liang's great achievements.

But I have some minor emotional issues.

It's like a son being strictly disciplined by his father. He might develop a rebellious attitude towards his father.

Moreover, he was an emperor.

A person's life is undefinable until they die.

While Zhuge Liang was alive, Liu Shan relied on him, yet also feared and was wary of him.

They feared being usurped from power.

Zhuge Liang wielded power equivalent to that of an emperor. No, even greater than that of most emperors.

Human hearts are unpredictable; how could he not be afraid?

Only after Zhuge Liang's death did he breathe a sigh of relief, and his gratitude towards Zhuge Liang became boundless. Ah, so this was a truly loyal minister.

This feeling.

However, because of past events, his feelings towards Zhuge Liang were extremely complicated.

He did not want to build a temple for Zhuge Liang.

He actually wanted to build a temple for Zhuge Liang.

"Alas." Liu Shan sighed deeply, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. His father had been dead for almost thirty years, and he too had grown old.

I'm going to die too.

Where do people go after they die?

I'm scared.

Liu Shan suddenly shuddered, looked up at the eunuch on his left and said, "I am not feeling well, quickly go and fetch a shaman."

"Yes." The eunuch bowed and left.

Liu Shan was filled with fear, unease, dread, and apprehension. Before the shaman arrived, he seemed like a trembling ball of flesh.

Life is the most important thing; nothing else seems to matter.

.............

As Liu Shan grew older, his whereabouts became increasingly secretive. Even his ministers, wives and concubines, the crown prince, princes, and brothers rarely saw him.

Only Huang Hao and the wizard could see him regularly.

At the end of the fifth year of Jingyao.

Even the royal New Year's Eve dinner was skipped.

When the Lunar New Year of the sixth year of Jingyao arrived, Liu Shan claimed to be unwell and hid in the deep palace, refusing to come out.

The grand court assembly that used to be held every year was also cancelled.

The way of all things is that some people die and some people are born.

Big Year.

The weather in Chengdu is colder than the dead of winter.

Inside the Northern Royal Palace.

Everyone—eunuchs, palace maids, stewards, soldiers, and concubines—was tense and uneasy.

Consort Li specially asked Liu Shan for leave and came to the Northern Palace to take charge.

Chen Yong and his son Chen Xi also arrived.

Liu Chen's maternal uncle, Li Qiu, sent his eldest son, Li Ding, to the scene.

Queen Chen Mingzhen is about to give birth.

There were five midwives, three wet nurses, and imperial physicians and servants on standby.

For the Han Dynasty, the King of Beidi was not important.

The emperor had many sons.

But for the Northern Kingdom, the Northern King and his crown prince were very important.

The son of the principal wife was the crown prince.

The crown prince is about to be born.

Of course, there is a 50% chance that it is a princess, but everyone in the palace firmly believes that this is the crown prince.

"Why isn't he born yet? Why isn't he born yet?" In the room next to the delivery room, Consort Li paced anxiously, wishing her grandson would be born in a flash.

In another room, Chen Yong and his son Chen Xi stood up and sat down intermittently, as if there was a stove under their buttocks, making them restless.

The die is cast. Whether it's the future of the family, or the bonds between fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters, they all yearn for the safe birth of the crown prince.

With the queen having a son, the world will be at peace.

Inside another room.

The eunuchs stood on either side.

Liu Chen and his cousin Li Ding knelt facing each other, with a chessboard between them. Liu Chen played black, and Li Ding played white, and the two engaged in a fierce battle.

Li Ding was distracted and made a complete mess of it.

Liu Chen remained calm, holding the black chess piece, and utterly annihilated Li Ding.

Li Ding looked up at Liu Chen's face, feeling admiration. Even in this situation, the king could still remain calm and play chess with me.

Then he thought, "Is it because the king has many children? But even if he has many children, the king and queen have a deep affection for each other. He should also be worried about the queen's safety."

For a woman, childbirth is like stepping into the gates of hell.

The first pregnancy is particularly severe.

However, Liu Chen had three beautiful wives who bore him five sons and one daughter.

Even with the medical conditions of ancient times, Liu Chen's son was more than capable. The throne would not fall into the hands of others.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps sounded.

Liu Chen remained unmoved, placed a piece, and checkmated Li Ding.

Li Ding's face trembled, and he nervously looked up.

A eunuch rushed into the room, panting heavily, but still managed to shout with all his might, "Your Majesty! The Crown Prince! It's the Crown Prince!"

"The Heavenly Mandate of the Black Bird descended and gave birth to the Shang Dynasty." Liu Chen first stabilized the game, then uttered a profound and enigmatic statement. He then pushed the chessboard aside and hurriedly left.

I have a crown prince! Hahaha. My family really does have a throne to inherit!

"So Wang was nervous too." Li Ding blinked, then smiled. Okay.

With the birth of the crown prince, the royal family of the North is now safe and sound.

He patted his backside, calmly stood up, and slowly followed.

When Liu Chen arrived, Consort Li was already beaming with joy as she held her grandson.

Liu Chen went over to take a look. The newborn baby was a little ugly, but it would soon become fair and plump.

Liu Chen, being very proper, did not enter the delivery room, but carefully inquired about the condition of the maid Chen Mingzhen.

I learned that Chen Mingzhen's delivery went smoothly, but she fell asleep because she was tired.

He was relieved, but still had the maid keep an eye on Chen Mingzhen and had the imperial physician stay in the palace.

After a while, Li Ding, Chen Yong, and Chen Xi gathered around.

Consort Li was an old noblewoman, so she didn't need to avoid suspicion and held her grandson tightly.

She wouldn't let anyone else see it.

She asked with a cheerful smile, "My son, what name do you want to give the Crown Prince?"

A king is born with a name and dies with a posthumous title.

Choosing a name is a big deal.

Li Ding and the other two immediately perked up their ears. Liu Chen, who had already prepared his answer, smiled and said, "All of you."

"Du?" Everyone, including Consort Li, was stunned. Why choose this name? It's a name, but it seems very ordinary. No, very few people would name their son "Du."

Liu Chen smiled and said, "I am about to embark on a long journey to Dujiangyan to witness the lifeblood of my great Han Dynasty. That's why I named my son Du."

He thought to himself, "Since Dujiangyan is the lifeblood of the Han Dynasty, I'll name my son after it. Hehehe."

The ancients had their own ways of naming their children. Names like Chongguo, Pengzu, and Pijiang are all traditional double names.

The others were all derived from classic books, word by word. They often contain profound meanings.

The name is very ordinary.

But Liu Chen thought it was great.

He had wanted to visit Dujiangyan for a long time, and now, in this very last moment, he was going to go.

Wait for him to come back.

That is when Yan Han is reborn.

The Heavenly Mandate of the Black Bird descended and gave birth to the Shang Dynasty. This refers to the Han Dynasty.

Today, the Crown Prince is born; the Han Dynasty will surely rise again.