Chapter 167 Night of Difficult Labor

**Chapter 167: The Night of the Difficult Birth**

"Your Majesty, please stay."

Su Jiaojiao slightly furrowed her brow and said, "Everyone, come look at this."

The people gathered around Noble Consort Lan’s bedside moved to the desk, their gazes fixed on the brush in her hand.

Yu Ling didn’t perceive anything unusual. After a moment's hesitation, she said, “Your Highness, is there something wrong with this brush? Our mistress treasured it above all others. Whenever she had free time, she would use it for writing or painting, which is why only this one remains on the entire brush stand…”

Before she could finish speaking, Ling Xiao stepped forward and gave the brush a second glance. Her brows immediately knitted together. “How did Noble Consort Lan come into possession of this brush? This is highly improper.”

Seeing that Ling Xiao seemed to know something, Su Jiaojiao rotated the brush between her fingers and handed it to her. “Take a closer look.”

Ling Xiao nodded and carefully examined the brush before looking up at Su Jiaojiao. “If I am not mistaken, this is the rarest among the Scholar’s Four Treasures—the Purple Jade Bamboo Wolf Hair Brush. Such brushes are extremely rare and precious. Only two or three are presented as imperial tribute to the royal family each year, and in recent years, due to the scarcity of high-quality purple jade bamboo, none have been offered for three or four years now.”

She paused, then continued, “Though the shaft of this brush is as translucent as jade, its hue hasn't fully matured to ink-purple, suggesting it has not aged long enough. When we consider the timing, the only one in the imperial household who could have possessed such a brush was the Eldest Prince…”

Ling Xiao reverently handed the brush back to Su Jiaojiao with both hands and bowed her head. “I once served under the Empress Dowager, so I remember this Purple Jade Bamboo Wolf Hair Brush clearly. On the Eldest Prince’s first birthday, the Empress Dowager personally gifted him this very brush as a mark of honor, expressing her hopes that he would grow to become a person of great talent. Since then, no more have been presented as tribute.”

At this point, Su Jiaojiao naturally understood the implications in Ling Xiao’s words.

But she’d never conceived that the Empress could be so sinister—lacing poison into an heirloom personally bestowed by the Empress Dowager, harming the Eldest Prince silently through daily use, and now also afflicting Noble Consort Lan.

She cast a cold gaze toward Yu Ling and asked, “How did Noble Consort Lan come to possess such a rare imperial tribute item?”

Yu Ling and Xue Ling froze momentarily, then fell to their knees with audible thumps. “Your Highness, please believe us—we would never betray our mistress! She found this brush in the plum grove and had no idea whose it was. We urged her not to pick up random objects from the ground to avoid trouble, but she immediately discerned its worth and couldn’t bear to leave it abandoned, fearing it would be disgraced, so she brought it back.”

“Our mistress prized solitude and the brush arts, holding this object dear as a treasure. She polished and used it every day. None of us ever knew it was the very brush the Empress Dowager had gifted to the Eldest Prince…”

Outside, the tempest howled, pelting raindrops striking the window paper and eaves, while inside the hall, silence reigned.

Her piercing inspection cut through them like winter steel, and the atmosphere grew heavy.

After a moment, she finally withdrew her gaze and softly said, “Rise.”

By all reasoning, all personal items belonging to the Eldest Prince at the National Academy should have been seized by the Palace Command’s officers. Even if the Empress had ordered evidence destroyed, it should have occurred within the jurisdiction of the Palace Command, not the inner palace. Yet Noble Consort Lan had discovered this brush in the plum grove—this defied explanation.

Without hesitation, Su Jiaojiao returned the brush to the table, braced herself against Yu Ying’s forearm, and fell into deep contemplation.

The Palace Command was not within the inner palace, but it was nearby. Officers traveling from there to see the Emperor would inevitably pass through the plum grove along the palace corridor.

Might this mean that the Purple Jade Bamboo Wolf Hair Brush had accidentally fallen in the plum grove during the destruction of evidence, only to be found later by Noble Consort Lan?

Dread pooled in her stomach as she called out, “Xiao Songzi, determine which officer in the Palace Command is distantly related to the Empress. Also, investigate whether that relative participated in the Palace Command’s inquiry when His Majesty ordered the investigation into the Eldest Prince’s poisoning. Do this quickly.”

Then, she glanced again at the brush and coldly instructed, “Yu Ying, secure an unyielding case to store this brush properly and place it in the treasury of Yaoxian Palace. We will need it soon.”

Once the deadly artifact was secured, Su Jiaojiao released a breath none could detect, then turned to Imperial Physician Liu. “Please ensure Noble Consort Lan’s health is well tended. Her recovery must be complete.”

Imperial Physician Liu gave a slight nod, and Su Jiaojiao felt reassured. Lifting her gaze, she swept her eyes over those present in the hall and declared sternly, “What transpired here today involves palace secrets. Not a word of this shall leave these walls. Should I discover anyone daring to utter even a syllable, they shall face my unrelenting wrath.”

All within Jiyue Palace hurriedly knelt in submission. After casting one final glance at Noble Consort Lan, Su Jiaojiao turned and departed.

Summer weather was unpredictable—bright sunshine in the morning gave way to dark clouds by afternoon, and rain began to fall once more.

In the days that followed, Xiao Songzi labored exhaustively to uncover the connection between the Empress and the Palace Command. His efforts revealed that a certain Commander Li in the Palace Command had married a cousin of the Empress two years prior.

And coincidentally, this same Commander Li had been involved in the investigation of the Eldest Prince’s poisoning.

The investigation had made everything crystal clear. Su Jiaojiao could almost piece together the entire sequence of events surrounding the Crown Prince’s poisoning. She ordered Xiao Songzi not to tip off their target and to wait quietly instead.

Imperial Physician Liu came daily to perform acupuncture to stabilize the Empress’s pregnancy, and indeed, he managed to stabilize her condition, ensuring a safe delivery.

As the days passed, it was estimated that the Empress’s due date was just three days away.

On this particular day, the rain fell exceptionally heavily.

Despite it being midday, the sky outside was pitch-black without a sliver of light. Thunder roared, lightning flashed, as though the entire city of Chang’an was enveloped in an impenetrable curtain of rain.

Su Jiaojiao stood by the window of Yaoxian Palace, watching the rain pour down in sheets. The neatly paved stone path seemed freshly scrubbed, with raindrops splashing noisily into sizable puddles.

Through the open window, the distinctive rainy-day scent of damp earth and grass wafted in.

With the ongoing rain, the palace remained relatively cool, and they hadn’t brought ice to the bedchamber today.

Yu Ying approached quietly with a small bowl of slightly chilled sour plum soup, curtsying as she said, “Your Highness, I’ve brought the sour plum soup. While it’s not hot inside, the rain does make it rather stuffy. A sip might help you feel better.”

With that, she handed the silver bowl to Su Jiaojiao, noting her calm expression with a quiet sigh.

She knew well that the mistress had been on edge these past few days.

The Empress’s due date was imminent, yet there had been no word of Lord Su’s return to the capital with the prisoners.

Her Highness had always intended to strike the Empress down at the height of her triumph—even one day would change everything.

The Empress, guilty of many crimes and responsible for Yu Ai’s death, was someone everyone in Yaoxian Palace quietly longed to see punished.

As time ran short, Yu Ying couldn’t help but fear further mishaps.

Su Jiaojiao lowered her long lashes, accepting the bowl of sour plum soup and taking a few sips. The sweet-and-sour, slightly cool taste did calm her restless heart a little.

“Still no word from Lord Su?”

Yu Ying bowed her head. “I sent someone to check yesterday, but there’s been no news yet. The storm may have delayed them. Please don’t worry, Your Highness. Let’s wait a little longer. Lord Su will surely give you an answer.”

Su Jiaojiao nodded and asked no more, finishing the bowl of soup before returning the silver vessel to Yu Ying. “Close the window and help me take a nap.”

“Yes.”

Now six months into her pregnancy, her body had become increasingly unwieldy. Even simple movements had grown difficult without assistance.

Lying down, for instance, needed Yu Ying’s help—without it, Su Jiaojiao had to move with extreme caution to avoid any mishap.

Yu Ying tucked a light silk quilt around her, whispering, “With this storm raging outside today, if Your Highness feels uneasy, just call for me to stay with you.”

Su Jiaojiao nodded and closed her eyes wearily.

These past few days, preoccupied with matters outside the palace, her sleep had grown lighter, often interrupted by sudden awakenings at night.

Shen Huai, increasingly burdened with state affairs, still made time daily to accompany her and their unborn child. Yet, fearing that reviewing documents in Yaoxian Palace might further disrupt her rest, he would return to Taiji Palace late at night to work.

All this built-up exhaustion left Su Jiaojiao feeling particularly drained today. She fell into a deep slumber shortly after closing her eyes.

Yet even in sleep, she found no peace.

Perhaps the raging storm outside was too unsettling—unconsciously, Su Jiaojiao dreamed of the night her mother had died in childbirth.

She dreamed of her younger self weeping despairingly outside the delivery room, of her mother’s agonized cries, of the midwife stepping out to shake her head at her father.

The vision shifted, revealing her father remarrying. She dreamed of her nanny sighing as she held her hand, dreamed of being bullied and scorned, dreamed of day after day of walking on eggshells.

Even later in the dream, she saw her younger, inexperienced self when she first entered the palace—Talented Lady Jiang, Min Chongyi, Noble Consort Wang, and later Concubine Lian.

Memories of those years flashed by like scenes from a lantern show, as if replaying Su Jiaojiao’s entire life.

Her eyes were tightly shut, her sleep restless, her face growing paler by the moment.

Those past memories, vivid and clawing, seemed to loom right before her.

Yet at some point, Su Jiaojiao’s sleeping expression calmed again, as if she had truly fallen asleep.

Her hand pressed tightly against her rounded belly, where a tender new life was thriving.

Those nightmares would eventually fade—now, Su Jiaojiao had someone far more precious to hold dear.

She would have many, many more tomorrows, all filled with warmth and smiles.

Su Jiaojiao slept until dusk. When she slowly opened her eyes and looked toward the window, the sky outside had darkened completely.

The moment she fully awoke, a blinding flash of lightning split the sky outside. Her heart trembled only faintly, but the old unease and fear were gone, leaving only calm behind.

Just as she was about to call Yu Ying in to help her rise, Yu Ying rushed in, her eyes alight with excitement, and exclaimed, “Your Highness! A letter from Su Chang has arrived!”

The secret missive sent by Su Chang contained a full account of the Western Regions mystic’s confession and the evidence of the Empress’s orchestration of the hunting incident, each point clear and incisive.

With this crucial evidence pointing directly at the Empress, no matter how silver-tongued she was, the charge of plotting against His Majesty was enough to condemn her to a brutal execution and the destruction of her clan.

Coupled with the evidence Su Jiaojiao had long prepared, could the Empress still afford to gloat?

Su Jiaojiao clutched the freshly inked paper, letting out a cold, mirthless laugh. “Excellent.”

“Yu Ying, we proceed now. Notify Imperial Physician Liu at once.”

She truly wanted to see for herself the expression on the Empress’s face when she fell from grace into ruin, to witness the disgraceful end of her ever-false facade.

Su Jiaojiao crushed the paper in her hand, her eyes icy.

Empress, for all the sins you’ve committed, today, you shall repay them all.

After dinner, Shen Huai hurried from Taiji Hall into Yaoxian Palace.

The moment he entered, Cai Shan anxiously tried to wipe the rain from His Majesty’s robes to prevent illness.

But before he could finish, Shen Huai, eager to reach Su Jiaojiao’s side, gave up after a quick dab and strode inward, calling out, “Jiaojiao, I was delayed by court discussions today—my apologies.”

Su Jiaojiao lifted her gaze but did not reproach him, only lowering her eyes and speaking softly, “Your Majesty’s duties come first. It’s only natural.”

“Why call me ‘Your Majesty’ again?” Her words carried a barb beneath their surface. Shen Huai hated seeing her like this, his heart tightening with unease.

He stepped forward to take her hand, leaning down to touch his forehead to hers—still cool and damp from the nightmare—and murmured soothingly, “Jiaojiao, you’re upset.”

Su Jiaojiao remained silent for a while, without protest or complaint. Instead, she quietly reached out and clutched the hem of his robe.

Her voice trembled slightly. “Shen Huai.”

“I had a nightmare during my nap. I was afraid.”

“Because of the storm?” Shen Huai gently pulled her into his arms, speaking tenderly, “If you’re still scared, I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep, then go back to work. Alright?”

But Su Jiaojiao remained silent. After a long pause, she finally asked in a subdued tone, "The Empress is about to give birth."

"Will you—"

"Will I what?"

She lifted her gaze to him, her eyes shimmering with barely contained tears. "Will you favor the Empress's child more than ours?"

"Will you grow distant from me and our child for her sake?"

"Will you forget all the promises you once made to me?"

Shen Huai cupped her cheeks gently, gazing deeply into her eyes. "How could I ever?"

"Jiaojiao, the Empress was a duty of my past, but you—you are the longing of my heart."

"The Emperor’s word is unbreakable."

It was common for pregnant women to overthink, but constant worrying took its toll. Shen Huai didn’t want Su Jiaojiao to harm herself with such thoughts, so he helped her lie down on the bed.

Under the brocade quilt, he leaned close and kissed her forehead, then her cool lips, coaxing her to sleep. "With me here, you don’t need to think of anything else. Just rest peacefully."

Outside, the rain still fell without pause, the relentless downpour soaking the grounds of Yaoxian Palace, while deafening peals of thunder rolled across the heavens.

Half her face buried beneath the quilt, Su Jiaojiao concealed her icy composure completely from view in the dim candlelight.

Soon enough, someone from Fengyi Palace would come to summon the Emperor.

How could the Empress have anyone by her side during her most agonizing hour?

She must endure it alone, watching helplessly as the Emperor she had schemed so hard to win stayed by the side of her sworn enemy, only to give birth in rapture.

From despair to elation, then back to despair—such exquisite torment could not be surpassed.

While Imperial Physician Liu had been monitoring the Empress’s pregnancy, Su Jiaojiao had secretly arranged for him to examine her pulse.

The Empress carried a prince.

Su Jiaojiao could almost see the Empress, transported with joy as she gave birth to a son while in the grip of anguish and fury.

Never before had Su Jiaojiao wished time would pass more quickly. She could hardly wait to hear the summons from Fengyi Palace right now.

Feeling Shen Huai’s steady breathing beside her, she whispered softly, "I dreamed of the past during my nap."

"I dreamed of the day my mother died in childbirth, of the years I was bullied, and of those forgotten years when no one cared after my stepmother sent me into the palace."

"When life was bitter, I never realized how bitter it truly was."

"But now, with this child within me and this secure life, looking back, I suddenly realize how wretched those days were."

"So bitter I can't bear to remember, too painful to dwell upon."

Her eyes glistened as she tightened her grip on Shen Huai’s hand, lacing their fingers together. "Shen Huai, stay with me tonight, please?"

The words had barely left her lips when another thunderclap split the sky.

Before he could answer, someone pounded on the door, shouting through the storm: "Your Majesty—the Empress is in labor! You are urgently requested at Fengyi Palace!"

Three days early? she thought.

Before Shen Huai could process the news, the announcement of the Empress’s labor made him instinctively begin dressing.

The Empress’s delivery was a state affair—how could he possibly absent himself?

If he stayed away at such a moment, wouldn’t it invite scorn from the masses and provoke gossip about him and Su Jiaojiao behind their backs?

Yet just as he pulled on his outer robe, Su Jiaojiao’s hand reached out to stop him.

Her body trembled slightly as she clung to his sleeve, her voice quivering: “Your Majesty… please don’t go, alright?”

Her jet-black hair spilled like a waterfall, flowing softly down her back, while tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, making her look heartbreakingly fragile. “I’m scared…”

She cradled her swollen belly, tears streaming down her face. “It hurts…”

Shen Huai froze mid-motion, gazing down at her with the same tenderness he’d always felt. It had been so long since Su Jiaojiao had shown him such vulnerability. Unless she was truly terrified, why else would she beg him not to leave today of all days?

The Empress was indeed giving birth, but Su Jiaojiao had just mentioned painful fetal movements and shed tears before him—how could he think straight now? How could he bear to go to another woman?

His chest tightened with anguish as he reached out to gently stroke her brow and cheek, murmuring, “Alright, I won’t go.”

Then, raising his voice, he commanded sharply, “Servants! Send the midwives and other imperial physicians to the Phoenix Palace to assist the Empress in her labor. Fetch Imperial Physician Liu to examine Noble Consort Zhen!”

At his words, Su Jiaojiao wept even harder, asking softly, “Will Your Majesty blame me for being unreasonable? The Empress is enduring such perilous labor, yet I won’t let you go to her. If word spreads, the people might condemn me, calling me a seductive minx leading the emperor astray.”

Shen Huai replied gently, “You both carry my heirs. The Empress has already begun labor, which eases my mind somewhat. But you are six months along—if anything were to happen to you now, what would I do?”

Su Jiaojiao’s eyes reddened as she lowered her lashes. “Once my condition stabilizes, Your Majesty should go to the Empress. Yu Ying will suffice to stay with me. If anyone truly calls me a seductive minx, such a crime is more than I can bear.”

As thunder cracked, Shen Huai kissed her forehead. “Don’t overthink it. You and the child in your womb are what matter most.”

Meanwhile, in the Phoenix Palace…

Servants ferried hot water in frantic relays through the rain-soaked courtyards. Inside the bedchamber, the Empress’s screams of agony crescendoed.

Surrounded by midwives, the Empress writhed in pain beneath the raised blankets. One of them frowned anxiously. “It’s a hand presentation! Your Majesty, this may be a life-threatening birth—you must hold on!”

“I’ll die! I’ll die!” The Empress was drenched in sweat, her hands gripping the bed curtains so tightly they turned white.

“It hurts… ah—!” She gasped for breath as the midwives urgently guided her breathing to conserve strength.

But a difficult birth carried far greater risks than a smooth one, and the woman in labor was the mother of the nation. A single misstep could cost them their heads.

Even the most seasoned midwives hesitated to act. The lead midwife stepped outside, pulling Yu He aside in distress. “Where is His Majesty? Hasn’t he arrived yet? Her Majesty’s baby is in the wrong position—this could be fatal! Without His Majesty here, who will make the decisions? If anything goes wrong, I cannot bear the responsibility!”

Yu He was frantic as a scalded cat, helpless and near tears. “We sent for him long ago, but His Majesty still hasn’t come. There’s nothing more I can do!”

The midwife’s face darkened. “Then send someone again! The Empress’s labor is the most critical matter—how could His Majesty not come?”

Just as the Phoenix Palace was thrown into chaos, the maid sent to the Yao Xian Palace returned, soaked and disheveled.

With reddened eyes, she knelt and sobbed, “Sister Yu He, Noble Consort Zhen’s womb is troubled—His Majesty has remained at the Yao Xian Palace!”