ATNCF: Chapter 124 Relocating the Capital (Part One)

 In September of the first year of the Longqi era, the autumn air in Chang'an was particularly brisk.

The new emperor had been on the throne for over a year, and the central plains were gradually returning to peace after the cessation of war. Under the government's policies of lightening labor duties and reducing taxes, the citizens were slowly recovering, resuming their farming activities.

Seeing that the situation had stabilized, Pei Ji began to plan in his mind the campaign to sweep the north and eradicate the long-standing threat of the Turks, which had plagued the central plains for over a hundred years.

To eliminate the Turks, careful planning was necessary. After much contemplation, he believed the first step should be relocating the capital from Chang'an to the eastern capital of Luoyang.

From a geographical perspective, Chang'an was situated to the west, close to the border, making it vulnerable to border conflicts and susceptible to famine due to natural disasters. Its connections with the eastern and southern regions were also inconvenient.

Luoyang, on the other hand, was located in the heart of the central plains, far from the borders. Its terrain and climate were more favorable, and it had better communication with the rest of the country.

Additionally, Luoyang had been the capital of several dynasties, with well-established residences and infrastructures. Even the palaces did not need to be rebuilt; they only required renovation of the existing Luoyang Palace.

Compared to Chang'an, moving the capital to Luoyang would ease the burden of future military expeditions by ensuring a more stable rear defense.

After deliberations between the emperor and his ministers, it was decided four months ago to announce the relocation of the capital to the entire nation.

For the past four months, preparations had been underway, with officials in Daming Palace and the ministers in the city packing their belongings in anticipation of the move. Meanwhile, Luoyang was also getting ready in an orderly manner.

The relocation was scheduled for the eighth day of the ninth month.

By the seventh day of the ninth month, Pei Ji ordered the court to be adjourned, instructing all officials to return to their residences to prepare for the journey the next day. In Daming Palace, everyone was on high alert.

Li Zhi rose early, listening to reports from the female officials of the Six Bureaus and Twenty-Four Departments about various situations, and personally inspecting each one.

Now the empress, with no other concubines in Daming Palace, she had to shoulder the responsibilities herself. Fortunately, the palace affairs were not as difficult as she had imagined. With the help of experienced female officials from the Six Bureaus and guidance from Empress Dowager Li, she quickly learned and, over the course of a year, became capable of managing everything on her own.

After finally arranging everything, she returned to Zichen Hall as dusk approached.

Pei Ji also happened to return from outside. Upon seeing her, he walked straight over, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and sat down with her by the couch.

The palace attendants, after placing the water basin, towels, and clothes on a nearby stand, withdrew on their own. These two preferred to do things themselves rather than have others serve them constantly.

With no one else in the room, Li Zhi leaned against Pei Ji, her eyes half-closed, as he wiped her face with a damp towel.

Over the past three years, whenever she was tired, he would silently hold her, help her dress, and groom her. This had become an unspoken habit.

After just a few wipes, Pei Ji’s movements changed.

Recently, both had been busy with their respective duties, and they hadn't been intimate for several days.

His towel moved down her jawline, and his face drew closer, his warm breath brushing her ear.

Li Zhi shivered, her half-closed eyes slowly opening, her moist gaze meeting his.

The towel was tossed back onto the stand. He lowered his head to kiss her eyes, his hand sliding along her collar.

"Sanlang, I'm a bit tired," Li Zhi said softly, not pushing him away, her body relaxed as she lazily called out.

Seeing this, Pei Ji understood she was also feeling emotional. He lifted her onto his lap, kissing her while hoarsely murmuring, "Don't worry, let me handle it. You don't need to move."

Li Zhi, half-opening her eyes, leaned closer, tugging at his collar, giving her consent.

They were so engrossed in each other that they forgot about dinner, kissing as they moved from the couch to the inner chamber, stripping off their clothes like peeling lychees, and falling onto the spacious bed together.

Between the fluttering curtains, clothes had already scattered all over the floor.

Pei Ji made Li Zhi lie on her back and covered her body with his, kissing her.

In the heat of the moment, Li Zhi suddenly frowned, her eyes losing focus.

Pei Ji was startled, noticing that the fragrant sweat on her forehead seemed to turn cold. He immediately stopped his actions. "Li Niang, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Instinctively, he tried to recall her menstrual cycle and realized it was still five or six days away.

Li Zhi shook her head and couldn't help but rub her forehead. "I just suddenly felt a bit dizzy, probably because I've been too tired these past few days. It's nothing."

Her whole body seemed even softer than before, lying on her side on the bed, her long hair flowing down, with a few strands sticking to her neck. They trailed down her plump, shapely figure, making her skin, which was pale with a hint of pink, appear even more radiant.

But despite the enticing scene before him, Pei Ji did not dare to act impulsively.

He looked away, stepped back, covered her with a brocade quilt, and put on his outer garment. "I'll call the imperial physician to check on you."

After the earlier dizziness, Li Zhi felt much better, though still weak. She was about to refuse when Pei Ji sat down at the edge of the bed, holding her shoulders. "We're setting off tomorrow. Let's get a proper diagnosis today, so we can be at ease."

Seeing him genuinely worried, Li Zhi didn't refuse anymore and quickly put on her dress, waiting in the hall.

Soon, the imperial physician arrived with his medicine chest, sat by the bed, and took her pulse.

After a thorough examination, Pei Ji asked, "How is the Empress? Is it due to overwork?"

The imperial physician didn't answer immediately. Instead, he flipped through the records of his previous consultations with the Empress, checking them twice before nodding. "Your Majesty, the Empress's dizziness is indeed partly due to fatigue. However, it is primarily because Her Majesty has been pregnant for nearly two months."

As his words fell, both of them were stunned.

The hall fell silent, with no one speaking for a long while. The imperial physician, not receiving the expected joyful response, was momentarily at a loss.

Pei Ji's expressionless face suddenly broke into a smile, his dark eyes shining brightly. "You mean—she's been pregnant for two months?"

The imperial physician nodded, instantly relieved.

Under his gaze, Li Zhi lowered her head and gently touched her still flat abdomen, only now realizing that her period had indeed not come last month.

She had been used to irregular periods due to her previously weak health and had thought it was just another symptom. Now, she realized she had overlooked it.

Within her, a small life was silently growing, a life that would bind her and Pei Ji to this real yet surreal world.

"Sanlang, I'm pregnant," she said, raising her head to meet Pei Ji's gaze.

The imperial physician had already left to prepare a prescription and write down the recent restrictions, leaving only the two of them in the hall.

Pei Ji couldn't stop smiling, carefully reaching out to cover her abdomen with his hand, gently stroking it.

"Yes, we're going to have a child." He sat down close to her, his voice slowly choking with emotion. "Thankfully, you're all better now..."

Li Zhi didn't say anything, reaching out to gently pat his back.

He hadn't said it, but she had always noticed. Over the past year, he had sought out many famous doctors, fearing that the injuries from her past medication had not healed.

"Yes, I'm all better now. You don't need to worry anymore," she softly comforted him, then leisurely looked at him. "If I hadn't recovered and couldn't have children in this life, what would you do?"

Pei Ji stroked her long hair and said, "Then I would have to adopt a child from our clan."

This was the most common solution for childless emperors throughout history. Only when all hopes of having a biological heir were exhausted would they resort to this. The torment and pressure they endured for years, even decades, before reaching this decision were unimaginable to most people.

However, there was no need to speak of these things now.

He sent word to Empress Dowager Li and the Grand Empress Dowager about the Empress's pregnancy. Thinking of Empress Dowager Li, he couldn't help but say, "Mother, once she knows, will certainly hurry to write and burn a letter to inform Father."

Since Pei Yan's passing, Empress Dowager Li seemed to have recovered remarkably quickly, living her life as before. But as her son, Pei Ji knew she had never truly let go of his father.

Empress Dowager Li kept one of Pei Yan's jade pendants in her personal pouch, touching it now and then, as if he were still with her.

Since the time she saw Li Zhi writing and burning a letter, she had been inspired to write down all the big and small events in the palace daily, placing them in envelopes and keeping them carefully.

Recently, on Pei Yan's death anniversary, she burned all the accumulated letters.

Before long, the imperial physician returned with the written prescription and a list of precautions, handing them over while explaining them in detail.

It was the first time for both of them, so they listened attentively, asking questions repeatedly until they fully understood.

When the imperial physician mentioned that the Empress should not be overworked during the first three months of pregnancy, Pei Ji couldn't help but worry, "But we are set to relocate the capital tomorrow. In her condition, can the Empress endure the travel?"

The imperial physician replied, "The route to Luoyang is along flat official roads, and the palace carriages are spacious. As long as the journey is slow and there are frequent rests, it should be fine."

After saying this, he seemed to recall something and lowered his voice, "However, during these three months, physical intimacy must be avoided. This must be taken seriously."

The imperial physician, accustomed to medical matters, spoke without discomfort. Although Li Zhi felt a moment of shyness, she nodded in agreement calmly.

It was Pei Ji who felt a twinge of embarrassment, reminded of their earlier, unfinished encounter. Nonetheless, he thought, it was fortunate he had stopped in time, otherwise, who knows what might have happened.

After clarifying many details, half an hour had passed, and the prepared medicinal decoction was brought in just in time.

Since there was nothing else to do, Pei Ji watched Li Zhi drink her medicine.

Hot meals were already laid out on the table, waiting for her to finish the medicine so they could eat.

According to the physician’s advice, it was best to take the medicine after a meal. However, Li Zhi dreaded the lingering bitterness in her mouth, so she always drank it before eating.

Finally, she finished the black medicinal soup, wrinkling her nose and wanting to rinse her mouth with a couple of sips of warm tea. Instead, Pei Ji leaned in and kissed her, sharing the remaining bitterness on her lips.

Li Zhi laughed, pushed him away gently, then took a piece of candied fruit into her mouth, leaned in to kiss him again, and murmured, “The days of sharing bitterness are over; from now on, we’ll share only the sweetness.”

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