novelraw Chapter 393: Have you... activated it?
Chapter 393: Have you... activated it?
After all, the Experienced Sisters in the Ministry of Internal Affairs were all selected by the Empress herself, through layers of scrutiny. To say there was no trickery would be utterly impossible. Planting a spy, for instance, would be all too convenient.Therefore...
Xia Ruqing felt much more at ease without the Empress’s involvement.
Zhao Junyao reached out his hand, just as he did when they were first together.
"Come here!"
Xia Ruqing watched him, her heart filled with sweetness. Only, with her big belly, she could no longer fit into his embrace. So she sat down beside him, snuggling close.
Zhao Junyao pulled her feet over, examined them, and smiled.
"Not swollen anymore?"
Xia Ruqing nodded.
Zhao Junyao then felt reassured.
He ordered a late-night snack: all his favorite dishes, along with a bowl of fragrant and richly stewed chicken with mushrooms. One sip was so delicious he felt he could almost swallow his tongue.
Xia Ruqing watched him eagerly.
"Sigh..." she murmured. "When I drank it, there was no salt. Emperor, you added salt to your bowl, didn’t you?"
Zhao Junyao looked at her pitiful expression, finding it both amusing and exasperating.
"I didn’t add any!"
Xia Ruqing feigned a look of proud disbelief.
"I don’t believe you!"
"You don’t believe me? Want to try it?"
As he spoke, Zhao Junyao actually held the bowl out to her.
Xia Ruqing didn’t stand on ceremony, taking the small spoon and having a sip.
Then, her face fell with disappointment.
"It really doesn’t have any salt!"
Zhao Junyao comforted her.
"I’m here with you, isn’t that enough? What? Still not satisfied?"
Xia Ruqing quickly put on a brazen, giggling smile.
"Satisfied, completely satisfied!"
After their late-night snack, they chatted for a while to let their food settle, then went to sleep.
...
Time flew, and soon it was the twenty-third of October. That afternoon, Xia Ruqing felt something was amiss. Her stomach kept tightening, as if something was dragging downwards.
After dinner, while she was on her usual walk, her stomach began to ache.
Xia Ruqing held her belly, her face turning pale.
Zi Yue was startled.
"Mistress, are you... going into labor?"
Xia Ruqing knew in her heart. It’s true.
But the pain was so intense she couldn’t speak. Zi Yue saw this and didn’t ask any more questions.
She quickly gave instructions.
"Zi Su, quickly go and fetch Sister Huang and Sister Jiang!"
She then instructed Xiao Zhu Zi.
"Go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and ask Imperial Doctor Zhang to come at once! Hurry!"
Next, she turned to Xiao Xizi.
"Go to Zhaochen Palace and find Eunuch Li. He will surely inform the Emperor! Go quickly!"
The three acknowledged their orders and hurried off.
After everyone had left, only Zi Yue and Zi Ning remained in the room.
The two of them helped Xia Ruqing into the inner chamber. They moved the previously prepared screen in front of the bed, ensuring the inner chamber wasn’t completely visible upon entry.
Then, Zi Yue instructed again.
"First, find Qiu Ye and have her boil a large pot of water in the small kitchen. Then, estimate the time; once the Emperor has arrived, go to Jiaofang Hall and inform Her Majesty the Empress!"
Zi Ning acknowledged and left as well.
Xia Ruqing lay in bed, watching Zi Yue calmly manage everything. She was deeply satisfied. It seems my daily efforts to train her weren’t in vain. She’s truly excellent, remaining composed in a crisis!
Sister Huang and Sister Jiang arrived quickly. Both were Experienced Sisters skilled in medicine.
Upon entering and moving past the screen, they saw Xia Ruqing on the bed, her face pale and contorted in pain.
Sister Huang hurried over, touched Xia Ruqing’s stomach, and then smiled.
"Don’t worry, don’t worry, the baby is in the correct position!"
Then she said to Xia Ruqing, "Mistress, I can feel the baby isn’t too large. Later, listen to the midwife, push hard, and the baby will surely come out!"
Xia Ruqing felt immensely reassured.
Before she could even thank them, the midwife and Imperial Doctor Zhang arrived together.
Then, a group of people bustled about the room: taking her pulse, examining her, and preparing various items.
Zi Ning came in and said, "Qiu Ye has the hot water boiling; it’s ready anytime!"
Zi Yue nodded, then pulled her outside and told her to wait in the corridor.
Inside, Zi Yue was helping her mistress undress, changing the bed linens, and preparing things like the baby’s swaddling clothes.
After taking her pulse, Imperial Doctor Zhang wrote a prescription and had someone brew ginseng soup, to be ready to replenish her strength later.
The midwife, meanwhile, was busy palpating her abdomen and repeatedly inserting her hand into Xia Ruqing’s birth canal, feeling for something.
Xia Ruqing was in so much pain that she clenched her teeth and grimaced. She bit down hard but did not dare to call out loudly. When the pain became too severe, she bit the blanket.
Seeing this, Sister Jiang hurriedly brought her a chopstick to bite on.
"Mistress, please endure a little longer, it will be over soon!"
Xia Ruqing could only see Sister Jiang’s lips moving; she couldn’t register what was being said.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the wave of contractions subsided. Xia Ruqing was already drenched in sweat.
Agony!
Just then, she heard a loud announcement from outside:
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Zhao Junyao arrived with a stern expression, his presence exuding a cold aura as he strode in like a gust of wind.
Suddenly, Xia Ruqing’s heart brightened.
She touched her belly with a wry smile.
"Little one, did you hear? Your father is here!"
The Little Bun, ready to break free from its shell, seemed to convey:
Mommy, I can hear you!
And then it came again—another contraction, even more intense than the last!
Xia Ruqing couldn’t bear it any longer and let out a trembling cry.
Outside, Zhao Junyao couldn’t remain seated upon hearing that cry. He could hear the palace maids, eunuchs, and Sisters outside desperately trying to stop him.
"Your Majesty, you cannot go in!"
"Your Majesty, the delivery room is unclean, you truly cannot enter!"
Zhao Junyao frowned, wanting to enter but was blocked firmly by everyone. After several attempts were thwarted, he finally lost his patience.
"All of you, get out of my way!"
His aura was overwhelming, and Li Shengan’s legs nearly gave out in fear.
Zhao Junyao’s eyes were sharp as a dagger, his voice thunderous!
"I do not believe this nonsense about the delivery room being unclean, nor do I fear any demons or spirits! If there are any, let them come at me!"
Qingqing was in pain; he couldn’t stay outside. If any spirits wanted to punish him, let them!
With that, he snorted angrily, flicked his sleeves, and strode through the doorway.
A screen blocked the inner chamber.
Xia Ruqing was a sobbing mess. I heard him! I really heard him! Even if he has many other women, he still cares about me, right? After all, I’m bearing his child!
Xia Ruqing thought. This is much better than having a child for some chauvinistic, cowardly, and reckless man, isn’t it? Ultimately, he’s a decent man, capable of affection and loyalty!
The pain!
"Ah!"
Xia Ruqing screamed.
Just a moment ago, I was a brave warrior woman. But the moment Zhao Junyao arrived, I instantly turned into a little lamb.
With tear-filled eyes, she called out and started to sob, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
Forget the rules! I don’t want to follow those stupid rules anymore! I just want to see him! I want him by my side, to show him how much I’m enduring to bear his child! He has always been affectionate and loyal. Even if he stops favoring me in the future, he won’t treat me badly! Yes, that’s it! Googlᴇ search novelhall.com
"Qingqing..."
Zhao Junyao’s heart clenched.
He stepped around the screen and appeared by Xia Ruqing’s bedside.
Of course, it was at the end where her head was. The other end had already been concealed by a blanket, raised high by the midwife.
From this end, nothing could be seen!