Chapter 210: I Can Endure

Chapter 210: I Can Endure

Yunli's pregnancy has been very stable throughout.

She was aware that with the Qi family's recent scandal, if anything happened to her now, the Empress would first struggle to convince everyone.

The Empress isn't foolish to reach out at this time.

And while the Dowager Empress has the power, she wouldn't extend her hand now; she's still in a period of showing filial piety with the Emperor.

Mainly, after concubines in the palace become pregnant, the Imperial Physicians are not allowed to disclose the sex of the baby.

Besides, the physicians cannot determine the sex with 100% certainty.

Thus, there's always a fifty percent chance it's a girl, making any action not worth it.

Time passed swiftly to the end of the year, and on the morning of the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, Yun Li finally went into labor.

She herself was overwhelmed and exhausted, struggling daily with her pregnancy, finding all tasks inconvenient.

She had been prepared for the nearing due date.

Once labor began, she was quickly moved to the birthing room.

Midwives had already been residing there for a month.

Hongcao directed everyone, with Zhifu, Zhuyu, Yincha, and Luwei attending inside the room.

Zhuding, Zhuyu, and Baile support from outside.

A physician was swiftly summoned.

Soon after, the Empress arrived, followed by the rest of the harem.

Emperor He Jingxi came after concluding the court session.

Suffering from labor pains, Yunli called out upon hearing the Emperor's arrival: "Your Majesty."

Emperor He Jingxi paused at the window: "I'm here, give birth with ease, fear not."

"Your Majesty, it hurts so much," Yunli cried out in pain.

"I... I am here," Emperor He Jingxi, somewhat at a loss.

He had never dealt with this situation before.

Yunli seemed to sniffle, "Your Majesty and the Empress, please wait inside. I'm fine, it's too cold outside for you. I will endure."

Such words, rather than expressing pain, made it all the more unbearable.

Yet, these words would be perceived differently by men and daughters.

Emperor He Jingxi felt immense pity for her.

The Empress felt indescribable, as did other women in the harem who had given birth; their experiences were similarly hard to articulate.

Thus, the Empress said, "Concubine Yun, don't panic. Everyone goes through this. You must endure, for there's no childbirth without pain. Making His Majesty worry is not right."

"Yes," Yunli replied, sounding aggrieved yet swift in her response.

Emperor He Jingxi glanced at the Empress, remaining silent.

Hot water was brought in, and the calm voice of the midwife commanded inside.

It wasn't quite time yet, but the sensation of bearing down was already there.

Emperor He Jingxi wasn't sure if it was because of Yunli's words or something else, but he really felt reluctant to enter the room now.

Eventually, it was the Empress who persuaded him to leave.

After all, it was the twelfth lunar month, and it had just snowed a few days ago; it was cold.

By the afternoon, when Yunli was finally about to give birth, she let out a loud cry.

Everyone inside the room, including Emperor He Jingxi and the Empress, heard her.

Emperor He Jingxi frowned, "Let me see."

The queen hurried to keep up.

She secretly despised Consort Qing for being overdramatic. Everyone has had children; why are you so fragile?

He Jinli approached the window again, asking through it, "How is Yun'er?"

"Your Majesty, I am about to give birth. If the baby does not resemble you, then I have suffered in vain," Yun Li said, her voice hoarse.

He Jinli chuckled, "Nonsense."

"Your Majesty, if I... if something happens to me, you must raise the child," she said.

"Consort Jingyi, don't speak such inauspicious words. Save your strength to give birth," the Empress finally couldn't help but say.

He Jinli also said, "Don't speak carelessly, you are blessed."

Consort Jinde was silent, watching He Jinli's back and wondering, does a person really become blessed just because His Majesty says so?

There are so many women in the harem who have given birth, but has any one of them received such a comforting word through the window from His Majesty?

In memory, it was only when the Empress gave birth to the eldest princess that it was like this, right?

But back then, the Empress, strictly adhering to rules, only spoke those comforting, sensible words through the window. Who would dare to cry out in pain or speak such presumptuous words?

Consort Jingyi, what courage she has.

So, she is this favored?

He Jinli cannot stay here forever, after all, the midwife still needs to instruct Yun Li on giving birth.

By the time he returned to the main hall, Yun Li was really about to give birth.

She had always been acting, but when it really came to giving birth, she thought, giving birth is indeed very dangerous.

To encounter complications here is indeed a matter of life and death.

If she were to die, she wouldn't be able to concern herself with this child.

Entrusting care to others would ultimately be futile, for once a person dies, they know nothing of what happens after.

At that point, it would all depend on He Jinli's conscience.

However, that was merely hypothetical; she felt herself to be very fortunate and naturally expected to be well.

An hour later, He Jinli's ninth prince was smoothly born, heralding his arrival into this world with his first cry.

The sound loudly announced his arrival.

The midwives' voices overlapped as they delivered the good news.

Zhi Fu and Zhu Yu and the others all cried.

In the main hall, Zhu Ding ran in to announce joyfully: "Congratulations to His Majesty, the ninth prince and Consort Jingyi are safe."

He Jinli stood up: "Good! Consort Jingyi has made a great contribution by giving birth to the ninth prince and is hereby promoted to Xiu Yi. After the full moon, she will move to the main hall."

"This servant thanks His Majesty for his magnanimous grace on behalf of Lady Xiu Yi. Long live His Majesty, long live, long live!"

"Reward everyone in Yu Qu Palace with three months' extra pay. One hundred taels for each midwife," He Jinli added.

This wasn't unique to Yun Li; nearly every consort who gave birth received something.

The amount of the reward, however, varied according to one's rank.

But for the midwives, the rewards were generally generous.

But if something went wrong during the delivery, you would only be punished, without a single penny in reward.

The Empress led the way, rising to offer her congratulations: "This consort congratulates Your Majesty."

The others followed suit: "Congratulations to Your Majesty, congratulations to the Empress."

Theoretically, all children belong to the Empress, after all.

He Jinli helped the Empress up: "Everyone, please rise."

After giving birth, Yun Li was completely drained of energy and had no desire to speak.

Even when He Jinli asked questions through the window, she was too tired to act, responding with a simple "Hmm."

Zhu Yu came out to answer for her: "Your Majesty, Empress, the midwife said that just now our Consort Jingyi was exhausted and is currently not very lucid. Consort Jingyi is well, and this servant thanks Your Majesty and the Empress on her behalf."

With that, she knelt to kowtow.

"You mean Consort Jingyi? She is now Lady Xiu Yi," Shu Zhao Yi said with a smile.

"Yes, we thank His Majesty for his grace," Zhu Yu hastily replied.

He Jinli instructed: "Tell her to rest well, I will visit again in a few days."

"Yes, this servant will remember."

After He Jinli and his entourage left, Yun Li fell asleep.

All the preparation was for this moment.

Indeed, when she woke up in the evening, everything was in order.

The child was in the room, anticipating she might want to see him upon waking, to prevent any distress from not seeing him.

"Your Highness, would you like to have a meal first? You haven't eaten lunch." Zhu Yu asked.