Chapter 428: Chapter 426: Look at this child, there are some resemblances to Your Majesty in his brows and eyes.
Nanny Chen stopped Lu Ying outside the beaded curtain in time: "Childbirth is the bloodiest and filthiest affair. Your Majesty should wait outside and not be tainted by the bad luck of this place!"
"Everyone desires heirs, yet despises the blood and filth of childbirth. There’s no such logic under heaven," Lu Ying said coldly and pushed her away. "I want to go in and accompany her."
The inner chamber.
Old Doctor Chen had also been called over and was consulting prescriptions with Doctor Xiao Chen.
The two hurriedly saluted Lu Ying. He said coldly, "I warn you in advance: if anything goes wrong, you must save the mother instead of the child."
The father and son quickly complied.
Lu Ying strode swiftly to the step bed.
Several midwives were pulling the blankets, encouraging Shen Yinning to push with all her strength.
Shen Yinning’s pale face was drenched with cold sweat, and she screamed piercingly, "Lu Ying! I’ll kill you!"
Lu Ying: "..."
He hadn’t done anything.
He had just arrived.
Why did she already want to kill him?
He hurriedly sat by the bedside and tightly gripped Shen Yinning’s hand: "Zhaozhao, I’m here!"
A midwife poked her head out from under the blanket and said joyfully, "Commandery Princess, just a little more effort, and the child will be born soon!"
Shen Yinning’s eyes were bloodshot and wet, and with fierce determination, she bit down on the fleshy part of Lu Ying’s hand.
The ways of the world are absurd. Men impregnate women, yet bear none of the suffering, and still gain a child without any consequence.
If she must suffer such extreme pain, then he ought to experience some part of it alongside her!
Warm, metallic blood oozed from his hand.
To Lu Ying, the pain was insignificant.
At this moment, his heart was suspended entirely for Shen Yinning. He suppressed the wave of anxiety and concern surging in his chest, maintaining an unshaken composure, as if his mere presence here in Furong Palace would ensure Shen Yinning and the child’s safety.
He gently stroked her head, restraining a tremor in his voice: "It’s alright, it’s alright, it’ll be over soon..."
As he reassured her, the narrowness of his eyes betrayed infinite tenderness.
This was his first time witnessing a woman give birth.
Though he had previously consulted medical books and articles, seeing it in person and hearing everything filled him with dread and unease.
He wondered how these seemingly fragile women summon such extraordinary courage to bear and nurture new life.
After what felt like an eternity, following a resounding wail, the midwife exclaimed with delight, "It’s born! The Commandery Princess has given birth!"
The other midwives wept with joy, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Commandery Princess! Mother and child are safe!"
Nanny Chen stood to one side, her expression sour, "Blind and tactless fools. The child belongs to His Majesty, yet you congratulate him alone?"
Lu Ying didn’t mind such trivialities.
He kept holding Shen Yinning’s hand, "Everyone serving in Furong Palace will be awarded one hundred taels of patterned silver."
The midwives beamed, cleaning the baby and wrapping it in swaddling cloth before handing it to Shen Yinning.
Shen Yinning’s face remained deathly pale, her voice so weak she could hardly speak.
Exhausted and drained, she didn’t even want to look at the child, choosing instead to turn her face toward the inner side of the bed, her thoughts wandering to her late parents.
She missed her parents.
The midwives exchanged glances, then carried the child over to Lu Ying.
Lu Ying did not feel like looking.
It was this accursed creature that caused Zhaozhao nine months of suffering.
A midwife, unaware of the situation, smiled obsequiously, "Look at this child’s features! He seems to resemble Your Majesty!"
The room fell silent.
Nanny Chen hurriedly stepped forward for a closer look and echoed in surprise, "He does look a bit alike!"
Lu Ying, however, was indifferent.
He and Cui Ji were brothers, and naturally shared two or three similar features.
People often said nephews resemble their uncles; Zhaozhao’s child with Cui Ji resembling him was hardly surprising.
He waved his hand, signaling the midwives to take the child to the side chamber and find a wet nurse to feed him.
Lu Ying remained by the bedside, murmuring, "Zhaozhao..."
Shen Yinning’s breathing was shallow and faint; she wasn’t in the mood to converse.
Lu Ying gently tucked her blankets in, "You’ve suffered today. Rest now; I’ll send someone to prepare nourishing soup."
Forbidding anyone to disturb Shen Yinning, he ordered Wei Yu and Xiao Cui to guard the inner chamber, closing the doors and windows tightly against the chill, then rose and left.
Outside, the wind carried a lingering hint of spring’s chilly bite.
He stood beneath the eaves, the black-and-gold dragon-embroidered robe accentuating his tall and imposing figure.
"Your Majesty!" Shen Xinya approached him with visible delight, "I heard Sister gave birth to Assistant Minister Cui’s son? Assistant Minister Cui is truly blessed!"
Lu Ying methodically rubbed his Moyu Ring, ignoring her.
Turning the ring on his finger a few times, he spoke in an even tone, "Wasn’t the delivery supposed to happen next month?"
Doctor Xiao Chen had been greatly pleased with his reward, but Lu Ying’s sudden question chilled him to the bone.
He promptly knelt on the ground, sweating profusely: "Reporting to Your Majesty, according to this humble physician’s diagnosis, the Commandery Princess was indeed supposed to deliver next month. Boldly surmising, perhaps the Commandery Princess abruptly moved her fetus today due to unforeseen circumstances. For instance, a fall while walking, or a sudden emotional upheaval, both might lead to premature birth..."
Only now did the joyful maids and nannies in Furong Palace realize: the new emperor had suppressed his anger earlier in the inner chamber to avoid disturbing the Commandery Princess, but he was now ready to hold them accountable.
All knelt one after another, their hearts gripped by fear, worried that Lu Ying would punish them for negligence.
Lu Ying slowly turned the ring, his tone even yet chillingly deliberate, "A fall? Or sudden emotional upheaval?"
Though calm, his words sent Doctor Xiao Chen into another wave of terror.
He kept his head bowed, trembling as he replied, "Your Majesty, I was not serving in the inner chamber today, so I do not know exactly why the Commandery Princess suddenly had a premature delivery... From my examination, the Commandery Princess was in good health, and the child born is also healthy. In my happiness over this outcome, I neglected the fact of premature birth. Please forgive this humble physician!"
"Mother and child are safe, so you’ve forgotten the timeline?!" Lu Ying’s voice suddenly climbed in intensity.
Mother and child were safe only because he had tended to them carefully!
If Shen Yinning had been left to deal with pregnancy at Cui Mansion, an early birth might have claimed lives!
Lu Ying’s aristocratic and cold face was rarely marked by such fiery anger: "I personally reviewed the medical texts. Premature birth poses significant harm to both mother and child’s health! You claim mother and child are safe now, but if your medical skills are insufficient and overlooked latent conditions, what will we do in the future?!"
Doctor Xiao Chen flattened himself to the ground in terror, nearly losing his soul: "Your Majesty, please spare me!"
Haitang, kneeling behind him, caught sight of Shen Xinya’s resplendent hemline out of the corner of her eye and suddenly had an idea.
She spoke respectfully, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Commandery Princess was originally resting well and nursing her pregnancy in the chamber. However, Shen Beauty suddenly arrived, mentioning Miss Xue and Guan Songyuan’s wedding today. She claimed that Young Master Xue disrupted the ceremony with a public snatch, further insinuating that Young Master Xue and Miss Xue must have been secretly involved in an inappropriate relationship, and declared that Miss Xue’s reputation is utterly ruined and she’ll never stand in the Capital again. After hearing this, the Commandery Princess seemed to have been deeply upset, her body grew uncomfortable, and then her water broke, leading to premature birth!"
Shen Xinya was momentarily stunned.
Confronted with Lu Ying’s piercing gaze, Shen Xinya feigned innocence and pleaded coquettishly, "I did mention these words. But such remarks were mere private chatter among women. I never intended to use Xue Mianmian to provoke my sister."
She tightly gripped her trump card, entirely unafraid of being accused.
In fact, she intended to use the opportunity to reveal the truth from years prior!
Let Shen Yinning, who had stolen her favor all these years, repay what was owed to her!