The Demon Lords

The little imperial grandson cried fiercely. Even though he was a child not even a month old, it was as if he was deliberately showing off his capabilities, crying exceptionally loudly.

The female physicians were helping to clean the little imperial grandson, while Ji Chengjue lay prostrate beside He Sisi’s bed, clutching her hand and pressing it to his face.

He Sisi was now covered in sweat, her damp hair sticking to her skin, and her face looked somewhat pale.

Throughout history, childbirth has always been a life and death ordeal for women.

He Sisi turned her face to look at her husband.

She always felt very blessed, not because she married a prince, but because her husband was always witty and considerate at home and in front of her.

Of course,

as a girl from a civilian family, sometimes when she was alone in a room, she couldn’t help but recall her resolute decision to choose a current prince back then.

In her heart, there was a hint of pride, a small sense of delight, a slight self-satisfaction, and a touch of unease.

Naturally, being a princess also represents a great responsibility and pressure.

During childbirth, the exhaustion, pain, and agony were only physical. Mentally, she was oppressed by fear and a feeling of endlessness, making it a double torment of both mind and body.

However, during labor, He Sisi could clearly hear the commotion outside.

"Your Highness, no matter what, Sisi will ensure that our child is born safely."

"Your safety is all that matters."

At this moment, as a husband, his heart was filled with guilt towards his wife.

Unlike the couple in this room who were affectionate post-childbirth,

in another neat hall,

the atmosphere was extremely low.

The Yan Emperor,

did not leave.

With the Yan Emperor staying, no one below—Eldest, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Prince—could leave either.

Moreover, the Consort Shu even sent someone to bring Ji Chengsu here.

Perhaps, in Consort Shu’s view, since all the princes were at the prince’s residence and the Sixth Prince’s wife had just given birth to the Imperial Grandson, it was appropriate for Ji Chengsu as a younger brother to come and congratulate, and also just in time to gather with his father and brothers.

Ji Chengsu, supported by his attendant, walked into the hall. The attendant dared not enter, and then Ji Chengsu looked at his brothers present, finally opening his arms and running towards his father, seeking a hug.

However,

halfway through,

as the Yan Emperor’s cold gaze fell,

Ji Chengsu’s actions came to an abrupt halt,

immediately kneeling on the ground,

"Your son greets father, greets all older brothers, and greets sister-in-law."

Beside him, the Fourth and Fifth Prince exchanged a glance, seeing the shared meaning in each other’s eyes.

Fourth Prince: Consort Shu is really foolish, we just want to leave quickly now, and she actually sent the youngest here.

Fifth Prince: The youngest really thinks he’s special, but now that father’s Imperial Grandson has been born, he’s just like us, becoming insignificant.

In the struggle for the throne among the princes, what are they fighting for?

Aside from the extreme path of rebellion you might consider,

there’s only trying to win favor in front of your father.

Favor here means one, your father’s affection; two, your capabilities that your father values.

Now, the Yan Emperor has trampled the aristocratic families and cleansed the domestic scene, outwardly expanding and annexing the Jin State. Unless the two lords of the southern and northern territories suddenly go mad and rebel, within Yan, no individual or force can shake the authority of His Majesty the Emperor.

That is to say,

in front of this father,

the path of rebellion is directly excluded from the options for the princes.

Ji Chengsu was still kneeling there, not daring to rise until his father allowed it.

At this moment, he felt extremely wronged, because he used to feel that his father was kind to him, but today, it was different.

No matter how aggrieved he felt, he dared not cry out, only continuing to lower his head.

This hall wasn’t heated, so the floor tiles were cold, making it uncomfortable to kneel on, but he could only endure.

What Ji Chengsu didn’t know was,

his role as a "toy" had already been replaced by the newly born little life.

With someone even smaller around, and as a grandson, naturally, the Yan Emperor had little interest left in this youngest son.

This is reality,

the Fourth and Fifth Prince beside him saw it clearly.

What made the Fourth and Fifth Prince even more uncomfortable was Old He standing in the corner of the hall, trembling.

Originally, the Yan Emperor could sit at the head, and the princes could be granted seats.

But Old He didn’t dare sit, and neither could the princes comfortably sit down.

After all, Old He was equal in rank to the Yan Emperor.

Though the sovereign is above all, when Father is angry now, no one dares to risk inviting trouble.

All of them, as sons of the Yan Emperor, were familiar with their father’s temper.

Whoever made a mistake now would be offering themselves up to vent Father’s anger.

Look,

isn’t the youngest just like that now?

Old He was indeed a bit flustered; he recognized that the only man seated here was exactly the landlord who rented him his little courtyard.

But he had no intention of greeting or getting closer,

earlier, the dilemma of choosing between saving the mother or the child had stimulated him to shout, and now he was timid, not daring any longer.

Facing the Emperor of Yan,

this butcher of Yan State had long lost the grandeur of slaughtering pigs, replaced only with an ingrained sense of submission and subservience.