Chapter 76 Gave Birth

Chapter 76 Birth

A Wu was startled and quickly asked, "Wh-what's wrong?"

Zhao Yi (a title for an imperial consort of the sixth rank) said softly, "Imperial Noble Consort (the formal title for a guifei or high-ranking consort), you are my savior."

A Wu was surprised, "What exactly happened?"

In truth, she felt somewhat uneasy, fearing she might have caused trouble for the other woman.

But Zhao Yi didn’t explain. She simply knelt and said, "From now on, I will pray for Your Highness every day, praying you'll soon bear royal heirs and enjoy eternal prosperity."

A Wu vaguely guessed something but dared not inquire further.

Instead, Zhao Yi kowtowed solemnly before taking her leave.

A few days later, A Wu suddenly heard that Zhao Yi had taken gravely ill and died soon after.

She hurriedly went to ask Consort Hui, but the latter stammered evasively, avoiding the subject.

A Wu vaguely sensed something and brought it up to the Jingxi Emperor that evening.

The Jingxi Emperor, coolly straightening his sleeves, didn’t even look up as he said indifferently, "Dead is dead."

A Wu didn’t believe it. She tugged at his sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, tell me the truth. What really happened?"

The Jingxi Emperor replied, "To outsiders, it would seem like you’re interrogating a thief."

A Wu quickly released him.

The Jingxi Emperor said irritably, "Why do you care?"

A Wu snorted and turned away—so temperamental!

It wasn’t until they were both in bed, nearly asleep, that the Jingxi Emperor suddenly spoke, "She was sent away. Her old flame came to take her."

A Wu was overjoyed and disbelieving, "Really?"

The Jingxi Emperor looked at her shining eyes and said coolly, "Considering her years in the palace, I gave her a sum of money. Whether her future is good or bad depends on that man’s devotion. If she loses the gamble, that’s her fate. If she wins, she’ll live out her days in anonymity."

Hearing this, A Wu couldn’t help but laugh. She hugged the Jingxi Emperor joyfully, "Such a splendid emperor!"

The Jingxi Emperor’s expression remained stern. He said coldly, "This kind of thing can happen once, but never again. Don’t go dreaming foolishly."

His words carried a hidden meaning, but A Wu remained oblivious. She grinned broadly, tilted her head up, and planted a loud kiss on his chin.

As the weather grew hotter, A Wu’s belly swelled unusually large with twins, making movement quite difficult.

************

However, on the imperial physician’s advice, to avoid excessive hardship during childbirth, A Wu still had to take daily walks. Naturally, this was exhausting, and she often whimpered and acted coy, hoping to skip it.

But the Jingxi Emperor was strict. Since the physician insisted on daily walks, there would be no exceptions. Thus, he had A Wu stay in Fengtian Hall, escorting her on walks along the corridors between handling state affairs.

Over time, they would inevitably run into ministers coming to discuss official matters. Though the officials felt the emperor was far too lenient with the Imperial Noble Consort, they reasoned that after fifteen heirless years, his current doting was forgivable. So, they pretended not to notice.

During these walks with the Jingxi Emperor, A Wu once came across the Crown Prince and Lu Yunjian.

The Crown Princess had given birth a few days earlier—a royal grandson.

By all rights, a thirty-three-year-old emperor welcoming his first legitimate grandson should be overjoyed. However, the Jingxi Emperor's entire attention was now fixed on his beloved Imperial Noble Consort, leaving no room for other thoughts. Thus, upon hearing the news of his heir, his reaction was indifferent—appropriate rewards were given, but without a shred of excitement.

The Crown Princess was clearly displeased and cried multiple times during her lying-in period.

If not for A Wu, how celebrated this heir would have been!

As for the Crown Prince, when he happened to encounter A Wu, his eyes flickered imperceptibly over her rounded belly.

The once delicate and slender young woman, now blessed by the Emperor’s favor, carried his child within her.

Standing beside her was his father, the usually reserved and stern Emperor, who now tenderly extended his arm to shield her, holding her hand gently and whispering sweet nothings.

Never in his life had the Crown Prince seen his father dote on someone like this.

He couldn’t put a name to the emotions churning inside him—was it envy of A Wu for receiving such care from his father, or resentment toward his father for making the enchanting A Wu swell with his child?

Or maybe he should just be glad for A Wu?

A Wu, who had once been adrift like duckweed, now basked in the Emperor's favor. Surely, his father could protect her for the rest of her life.

Lost in thought, his stare lingered a beat too long on A Wu’s belly.

When he finally looked up, he suddenly realized his father was smiling at him.

A man of such longstanding authority didn’t need to scowl—just that amused look was enough to make his son uneasy.

The Crown Prince hurried forward, bowing respectfully first to his father before saying, "This son pays respects to the Imperial Noble Consort."

As an Imperial Noble Consort, according to Great Hui’s customs, the Crown Prince was to address her with filial respect, referring to himself as "son." However, since she was not his birth mother, he did not call her "Imperial Mother," only "Imperial Noble Consort."

Yet the Jingxi Emperor said coolly, "You will observe the rites due a mother."

The Crown Prince’s stomach dropped.

Lately, he’d caught wind of the Zhen’an Marquis’s affairs in the East Sea and couldn’t help but speculate.

If the Zhen’an Marquis truly fell, the Empress would inevitably be implicated, paving the way for A Wu to ascend as the new Empress.

He couldn’t wrap his mind around A Wu—the delicate woman he’d once cradled—rising as Empress, his own stepmother…

And giving birth to his siblings…

A bitter ache clenched his chest. He didn’t understand how the world had come to this, nor how he would face his future siblings—after all, if he’d only been bolder those two months, perhaps A Wu would have borne his children instead.

If she had borne his, she wouldn’t be carrying these siblings now.

But at this moment, he had no choice.

After a long silence, he finally uttered, "This son greets Imperial Mother."

The title 'Imperial Mother' came out stiff, gritted between his teeth.

The Jingxi Emperor paid no heed to his son’s inner turmoil—he knew this son too well, making him easy to control.

With a benevolent smile, he instructed, "You are now a father yourself. The Crown Princess has just given birth—be more attentive, learn to cherish your wife. In a few days, when the child reaches its full month, the celebration must be prepared. You must take charge of these matters."

The Emperor’s words instantly snapped the Crown Prince back to reality. "Yes, Father’s words are wise. Your son understands."

Beside them, A Wu naturally sensed the Crown Prince’s conflicted gaze. But remembering that he had already fathered a child with another woman, she felt not an ounce of guilt.

A man who was intimate with another woman while she was missing had no right to feel guilty.

She accepted the title of "Mother Consort" with perfect composure.

Then, leaning against the Jingxi Emperor's arm, she smiled and instructed, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, please convey to the Crown Princess that she should take good care of herself after childbirth. If I find the time, I shall visit her."

The Crown Prince never expected A Wu to speak like this—so regally, like a mother-in-law!

He could only nod in agreement.

Beside them, the Jingxi Emperor was visibly pleased with A Wu's words, his eyes alight with approval.

Encouraged, A Wu continued, "By the way, we received some tonic foods recently—all of excellent quality. I’ll have a female palace official deliver them later as a token of this senior’s kindness."

The Jingxi Emperor’s look was practically a round of applause.

His beloved Consort truly knew propriety and spoke with grace.

Beads of sweat nearly formed on the Crown Prince’s forehead. He now realized his father was unflappable even in disaster—truly a man who had weathered great storms.

Or perhaps just shameless.

And his A Wu seemed even more shameless than the Emperor!

Among the three of them, only he looked like a greenhorn!

Finally, the Crown Prince took his leave. The Jingxi Emperor said, "I’ve been accompanying your Royal Mother these days. You should handle the trivial court affairs with more diligence. Review those memorials from the Ministry of Personnel first, mark your notes, and then present them to me."

The Crown Prince: "...Understood."

He fully grasped it now—his father spent time with A Wu while he did the work!

A Wu had also met Lu Yunjian, who, for some unknown reason, appeared haggard and pallid.

As an unrelated man, he dared not look at A Wu directly, keeping his eyes lowered as he bowed before hastily departing.

His steps were hurried, almost flustered.

A Wu subtly glanced at Lu Yunjian’s retreating figure. Hmph, his waist was so slim you could span it with your hands—his posture carried an air of delicate beauty, like a consumptive beauty.

But...never mind. A spineless man was far inferior to the Jingxi Emperor!

******

Despite A Wu’s pregnancy, the Jingxi Emperor still honored his promise and held a lavish but private celebration for her seventeenth birthday. The entire harem now bowed to A Wu’s authority.

What moved A Wu the most, however, was Princess De Ning, who gifted her a rare golden headdress from her own debut. A Wu dared not accept it—such items were bestowed according to rank and title, not to be worn casually.

But Princess De Ning insisted, earnestly urging, "Try it on, just secretly! I think it would suit you even better!"

Unable to refuse, A Wu wore it. Princess De Ning studied her with delight, circling her excitedly. "A Wu, you look stunning!"

That evening, A Wu recounted the incident to the Jingxi Emperor, praising Princess De Ning until her eyes welled up.

Such a sweet girl—if only she were her own daughter!

The Jingxi Emperor teased, "You’re barely older than her—hardly old enough to be her mother."

A Wu sniffed, "Well, she calls me Mother Consort now."

She was already enjoying the perks of motherhood—receiving filial gestures in advance.

The Jingxi Emperor paused briefly before chuckling, "I once said that I harbored many grievances with the Crown Prince and Princess De Ning, but fortunately, both are kind-hearted children."

A Wu, hearing this, immediately exclaimed, "The child A Wu bears will surely be kind, intelligent, and good-looking too!"

Though the Crown Prince was good and Princess De Ning was also good, she couldn’t let her own child be inferior.

He must praise her child as well!

The Jingxi Emperor, seeing her thoughts, smiled and said, "Indeed, A Wu is beautiful and clever, so the baby she bears will be the most well-behaved."

A Wu listened, satisfied—that was more like it!

As the Jingxi Emperor laughed, his gaze fell upon A Wu’s swollen belly.

There, his heir was growing.

He stared for a long while before his smile gradually faded, his eyes growing distant.

***********

Since it was a twin pregnancy, the birth came technically premature. Fortunately, the two children were not too large, and the delivery went smoothly.

First came a little prince, followed by a little princess—a son and daughter at once.

When the cries of the babies filled the air, A Wu’s heart eased.

She knew her life now had purpose. Even if her father and brothers never returned, she had her own children, her own family.

With A Wu joyfully delivering a pair of dragon-phoenix twins, the Jingxi Emperor was naturally overjoyed, and the Empress Dowager wept tears of joy.

After all, in the eighteen years since the Jingxi Emperor ascended the throne, he had only the Crown Prince and Princess De Ning. Now, at once, he gained a prince and a princess—two children becoming four, surpassing the past eighteen years in a single year. This was truly an immense blessing.

The entire inner palace received rewards—silver, fine silks, and red decorations—and every consort was beaming with joy. The entire court was invigorated by the news.

The Jingxi Emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to register the births, offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple, host a banquet for the officials, issue a general pardon, and receive congratulations from the court in ceremonial robes. An auspicious day was chosen to announce the joyous news to the people and the princely houses, along with gifts of embroidered gauze and brocade.

He also commanded the Ministry of Rites to select around a hundred unwed women from the common folk to enter the palace and serve the prince and princess.

For a time, the entire Great Hui Empire was immersed in celebration.

After giving birth, A Wu was pampered, with over a hundred palace maids and female palace officials attending to her in shifts day and night, ensuring every detail was perfect.

Not to mention the daily meals and medicines, all carefully arranged by imperial physicians to restore her health.

Perhaps due to such nourishing care, by the time she completed her postpartum confinement, she was already in good health, feeling no discomfort save for some residual bleeding.

Two months after the birth, A Wu was promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, second only to the Empress. On the hundredth day of the prince and princess’s lives, the Jingxi Emperor ordered Daoist priests to hold a seven-day Daoist ritual in the palace, praying for blessings upon the dragon-phoenix twins.

Such reverence for the twins left no doubt of the Emperor’s delight, spreading even to foreign lands.

In contrast, the Crown Princess’s son, the imperial grandson, received far less attention, incomparable to the twins.

Naturally, the Crown Princess seethed with resentment, weeping and complaining, often venting her frustrations on the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince had little affection for his wife, only doing his duty as a father and husband due to her pregnancy. When she complained, he mostly bore it silently, occasionally chiding her when her words grew excessive.

Repeatedly failing to provoke a reaction from the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess stormed back to her family to lament.

Yet when the Duke of Yingguo heard her words, his face fell. "You bore the imperial grandson, the Crown Prince’s son, while the Imperial Noble Consort bore a prince, the Emperor’s son. How can they be compared?"

The Crown Princess froze, tears still on her cheeks, staring at her grandfather in disbelief. "But the Crown Prince is the heir apparent, and my son is the imperial eldest grandson—shouldn’t he be more esteemed than that imperial prince born of a concubine?"

The Duke of Yingguo stamped his foot in anger: "You shame your role as the Crown Prince’s wife by uttering such shortsighted and reckless talk! So long as he is Crown Prince, he can never be compared to the Emperor. Do you not understand this?"

To put it bluntly, your father is the Emperor—that alone gives him the right to celebrate the birth of his son with grand festivities!

Even though you are the Crown Prince, you have not yet ascended the throne. Your eldest son, however highborn, is anyone’s guess—whether you will become Emperor or whether your son will inherit the throne remains uncertain.

In short, the Emperor's son, even if not the eldest, outranks yours by far!

Moreover, that woman has swiftly risen to the rank of Imperial Noble Consort. Now that the Emperor intends to act against the Marquis of Zhen’an of the Eastern Sea, everyone can see the signs. If the Empress is implicated as a result, that woman could leap straight to Empress, making her son the legitimate heir—far above the Crown Prince, who is the son of a secondary consort.

After this explanation from the Duke of Yingguo, the Crown Princess froze. Her voice trembled as she asked hesitantly, "Grandfather, is His Majesty actually—"

She couldn’t bear to finish the thought.

The Duke of Yingguo snapped, "Silence! Do not speak such nonsense!"

The Crown Princess was startled into silence once more.

Ever since her scheming against A Wu led to the revocation of the Duke of Yingguo's hereditary title for three generations, the Duke’s temper had turned volcanic. Whenever the Crown Princess returned to her family home, her family greeted her with stiff faces, and she herself couldn’t even meet their eyes.

The Duke of Yingguo said sternly, "The foundation of the state concerns the stability of the realm. Once the heir apparent is established, any reckless move to remove him would shake the very foundations of the empire. The Emperor is no fool—how could he lightly consider such a move and risk being branded as unfilial?"

With a grim expression, he paced the hall and continued word by word, "Moreover, the brat’s still in diapers—his talents remain unknown. His Majesty, having ascended the throne and ruled the land with prudence and foresight, would never recklessly consider deposing the Crown Prince, much less invite calamity upon his own young son!"

The Crown Princess thought it over and realized it was true—that little prince was still an infant. For all we know, he’s half-witted! And if anything were to happen to the Jingxi Emperor while the child was so young, the court would erupt.

Yet she still could not understand why the Emperor would bend over backwards to favor a newborn prince while neglecting his own eldest grandson. Was this not deliberate?

The Duke of Yingguo said, "When the Imperial Noble Consort was still pregnant, His Majesty already ordered the Crown Prince to join the Grand Secretariat to review memorials and draft responses. The Crown Prince is only seventeen—that kind of responsibility shows the Emperor's deep affection and reliance on him!"

The Crown Princess vaguely recalled this matter.

The Duke continued, "In matters of state, the Emperor does not hesitate to delegate authority boldly, nurturing the Crown Prince. The whole court knows that the Crown Prince is the heir apparent, and the Emperor has poured his utmost efforts into grooming him. In this regard, His Majesty has already secured an unassailable position. As for celebrations for a newborn, the scale of rewards, or grand Taoist rituals—what do these matter? They are but petty indulgences. How could they possibly shake the Crown Prince's foundation?"

He jabbed a finger at her, voice shaking, "If you obsess over such petty matters, waiting for an opportunity to act, or if your complaints were to spread, you’d be branded disrespectful toward your elders and cruel toward your younger siblings. The Crown Prince's position would remain secure, but you would never ascend to the throne as Empress. Do you understand?"

Hearing this, the Crown Princess had a sudden epiphany. As realization dawned, she recalled all her recent grievances and felt her blood run cold.

The Duke of Yingguo said, "His Majesty has ruled with firm authority for eighteen years, mastering the art of governance with steady and shrewd tactics, long since refining his control over the court. Now, in middle age, he has been blessed with a son and dotes on his Imperial Noble Consort. This is the first move he has made for his young children after their birth."

The Crown Princess looked up and saw her grandfather's solemn and icy expression.

The Duke's sharp and wise eyes fixed on his granddaughter as he said word by word, "This move is not aimed at the Crown Prince—it is aimed at you."

Cold sweat dripped down the Crown Princess’s back.

So the knife was already at her throat, yet she had been oblivious, nearly walking into a trap.

The crux of the matter was... the Emperor had already taken a dislike to her.

The Duke of Yingguo sighed deeply. "These past two years, my health has declined, especially after the New Year—I feel my time is running short. Hearing your words today fills me with worry!"

Whether to speak today's words or not had been a dilemma for him.

If he remained silent, his granddaughter would remain oblivious. But if he spoke, she would live in fear and anxiety, and one day might take desperate risks.

Upon this realization, it became clear that the Emperor had likely anticipated her seeing through his strategy—perhaps even using her to admonish the Crown Princess, placing a heavy weight on her mind to keep her restless and uneasy.

While he was still alive, he could at least keep watch. But once he was gone, who knew how these descendants would fare? Would they escape this calamity and successfully elevate this granddaughter to the position of Empress? And would that grandson of his ever have the chance to ascend the throne?

If not, then all his lifelong efforts would have been in vain, merely paving the way for others’ benefit.

Hearing this, the Crown Princess was startled and quickly knelt down. "Grandfather, you must help me navigate this."

She knew her grandfather had been the Grand Tutor to the Jingxi Emperor and understood him deeply. Now, she could only turn to him for help, to devise a plan early and guard against any mishap.

The Duke of Yingguo gazed deeply at his kneeling granddaughter, took a breath, and then spoke slowly. "What I say today, you must remember well—only then can you secure your future position."

The Crown Princess replied, "Yes."

The Duke of Yingguo continued, "You must always remember: stay steady amid change."

The Crown Princess widened her eyes. "Stay steady amid change?"

The Duke of Yingguo explained, "The Emperor, as a father, is kind and generous. Once Princess De Ning comes of age, he will carefully select a worthy husband and secure her future. The Crown Prince, as heir apparent, will also be meticulously guided to rule the realm. These two are already grown—the Emperor need not worry excessively about them. Only the two youngest, born to his beloved consort in his middle age, are his deepest concern. His greatest fear is that, if heaven cuts his life short, his young children might be mistreated or his favored consort bullied, leaving him unable to rest in peace."

The Crown Princess began to understand—she must show extra affection toward the younger ones to reassure the Emperor and prevent any thoughts of deposing the Crown Prince.

The Duke of Yingguo pressed on, "Thus, prevail through restraint, and contend by not fighting. You must also urge His Highness the Crown Prince to stay patient, kind, and tolerant, support his siblings, cherish his younger sister, and honor his mother. As long as you neither contend nor seize, even if the Emperor one day considers replacing the elder with the younger, he will lack justification!"

The Crown Princess had an epiphany. "I understand now. If the Emperor forcibly deposed the Crown Prince, it would stir court turmoil, draw criticism from the court, and even leave him seen as unjust."

In other words, for the Emperor to act, he would need an opportunity—one that she and the Crown Prince must not give him.

The Duke of Yingguo nodded, reiterating his teachings for the Crown Princess to heed.

This royal tutor was shrewd and experienced, having understood the Jingxi Emperor’s mind perfectly. Had he lived, what came next might never have happened.

Yet the Duke of Yingguo ultimately passed away the following year. And the Crown Princess, who had once taken her grandfather’s advice to heart, eventually forgot his solemn words—losing her chance to ascend the throne and even implicating the Crown Prince, sparking the Great Hui succession crisis. But that, of course, is a story for another time.