Chapter 48: Giving Birth to a Prince

Chapter 48: The Prince’s Return

In the fifth month of the twenty-fourth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, ten months had passed since the first case of smallpox appeared in the palace, and calm had returned to the imperial grounds.

When Fang Yu learned that Yin Zhen and the others had returned to the palace from the imperial retreat, she hurried to Kunning Palace. It had been almost a year since she last saw Yin Zhen.

"De Consort..." Yin Zhen called out to her. Fang Yu went over and hugged Yin Zhen, her whole body shaking with tears.

"De Consort, I'm all right now."

Yin Zhen even comforted her in return. Fang Yu suppressed her overwhelming emotions, rolled up Yin Zhen's sleeves, lifted his collar, and inspected him thoroughly. The smallpox had left marks on Yin Zhen's body—there were many scars across his torso, spots and blemishes from the healed wounds. There were also scars on his arms and a few on his face, though not many. He had also grown much thinner.

The Empress, standing nearby, said, "De Consort, you wouldn’t believe it. When Yin Zhen first contracted smallpox, his body was covered in dense rashes. At its worst, his skin festered and peeled off. Now, it’s much better. You didn’t see how frightening it looked. In the future, applying the best scar-removing balm should help fade the scars. De Consort, you don’t need to worry."

Fang Yu looked up at the Empress and said with rare sincerity, "I am deeply grateful for your careful attention to Yin Zhen, Your Majesty."

"Yin Zhen is a child I’ve raised myself. Everything I do for him is only natural. De Consort, you need not thank me. Yin Zhen is still weak and has just returned to the palace. Why not let him rest first? You can come again tomorrow."

Fang Yu looked at Yin Zhen and told him she would visit again the next day, urging him to rest well and focus on recovering his health.

Yin Zhen nodded obediently.

That evening, Fang Yu went to Qianqing Palace to attend to the Emperor.

"Have you seen Yin Zhen?"

Fang Yu nodded.

Emperor Kangxi noticed that Wuya Shi’s eyes were red and swollen. On Yin Zhen’s first day back, she must have cried for a long time. He comforted her, saying, "Yin Zhen has survived a great calamity and is blessed with future happiness. The fact that he pulled through shows he is a child blessed by the Buddha and inherently resilient. I went to see Yin Zhen today as well. He is already out of danger. As his mother, you can set your heart at ease."

"Will there be any lasting effects?"

Emperor Kangxi replied, "I had smallpox when I was young. Do you see any lasting effects on me? Yin Zhen is luckier than I was—the rashes didn’t appear on his face. Thankfully, his looks aren’t ruined."

Fang Yu glanced at the Emperor. The marks from his childhood bout with smallpox had indeed faded significantly. Yin Zhen should also be able to recover similarly.

"The Empress treats Yin Zhen as if he were her own. She was willing to accompany him to the imperial retreat and stay by his side day and night. Yin Zhen’s safe recovery is largely thanks to the Empress."

Hearing the Emperor’s praise for the Empress, Fang Yu lowered her gaze. If the Empress had taken such impeccable care of Yin Zhen, would he ever be able to return to her side in the future?

It seemed impossible now for the Emperor to separate Yin Zhen from the Empress, especially after the Empress had risked her own safety to care for him. The Emperor likely felt even more convinced that his initial decision had been right—the Empress was the ideal person to raise Yin Zhen.

"Yes, Her Majesty is compassionate and generous-hearted. I am deeply grateful."

"Alright, now that Yin Zhen has returned safely, you, as his mother, can rest easy. The imperial physicians say Yin Zhen is no longer in serious danger. He’s just weakened from the major illness and will need nourishing care in the future."

Fang Yu could only murmur in agreement. She had little interest in attending to the Emperor, but fortunately, he did not seem to expect intimacy from her. The two simply shared the bed and slept.

The next day, Fang Yu went to Kunning Palace to see Yin Zhen. He was drinking medicine, with the Empress feeding him.

"De Consort, you’ve come. Why don’t you feed Yin Zhen his medicine?"

Fang Yu was somewhat puzzled. In the past, the Empress had never allowed her to get close to Yin Zhen. Why did she seem like a different person today? Despite her confusion, she sat down and began feeding Yin Zhen the medicine.

In truth, Yin Zhen was not like Yin Zhu. Yin Zhu needed endless coaxing to drink his medicine, but Yin Zhen was such a well-behaved child. He drank his medicine obediently, practically without needing her to feed him. He would just hold the bowl himself and drink it all in one gulp, then tell her the medicine was too bitter.

"Do you have any pain?"

"No pain, I'm all better. De Consort doesn't need to worry."

Fang Yu touched Yin Zhen's head. Perhaps because he had also developed rashes on his scalp, his hair had been completely shaved off, leaving him bald both front and back.

After Yin Zhen finished his medicine, the Empress had him return to his room to rest, so Fang Yu did not stay long at Kunning Palace. She and the Empress never had much to say to each other anyway.

Within a couple of days, Fang Yu heard that the Empress had sent Yin Zhen back to school for classes.

...

Perhaps because smallpox had caused too many deaths and there was a high likelihood of it recurring, and since the Eldest Prince and the Crown Prince had both been successfully inoculated and did not contract smallpox, the Emperor began promoting inoculation to prevent another smallpox epidemic, starting first in the capital.

Her sister-in-law sent a message through her mother, asking whether her child should be inoculated. Her elder brother’s son, her nephew, was now four years old.

Inoculation should be done early; children vaccinated early would not contract smallpox. Fang Yu wrote back telling them to proceed with inoculation and not to delay.

She didn’t know what the Empress had said to Yin Zhen, but now he would proactively come to pay his respects to her every three days without her having to summon him specifically.

Yin Zhu and Yin Zhen, having attended school together, had grown much closer.

One day, when Yin Zhu returned from school, there were two scratch marks on his face. She asked him what had happened.

Yin Zhu puffed up his chest and said he had gotten into a fight with someone.

"A fight? Who did you fight with?"

"I don’t know who he was, but I didn’t like him."

It was Little Zheng who explained for Yin Zhu: Yin Zhu had fought with Yi Lintai, the grandson of Prince Kang and a study partner of Yin Zhen, because Yi Lintai had mocked the Seventh Prince, Yin You, for not being able to walk. Yin Zhu stood up for Yin You and got into the fight. The two were pulled apart by Yin Zhen, but kids mostly just scratch each other when they fight—hence the two nail marks on Yin Zhu’s face. Fortunately, the injuries were not serious and should heal in a couple of days.

Prince Kang was highly trusted by the Emperor. During the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, Prince Kang had rendered great service and was also the Emperor’s cousin. His grandson had likely been raised privileged and spoiled, which was why he dared to mock Yin You.

However, these were just childish squabbles and not a big deal, so Fang Yu didn’t think much of it. She only gave Yin Zhu a light scolding, saying that while it was good to stand up for Yin You, it was best not to resort to fighting.

Most of the princes' study partners were from noble families or close kin. If someone were seriously injured, it would be difficult to explain.

Nevertheless, Yi Lintai’s mother, Lady Tanjia, learned of the incident and a few days later requested a meeting. Fang Yu granted it.

Yi Lintai’s mother apologized formally over this small matter with great respect, saying she had already disciplined Yi Lintai.

It was then that Fang Yu realized that what she saw as a childish quarrel—something the children should resolve themselves—was seen differently since Yin Zhu was a prince. Matters involving royalty tended to be magnified, hence the formal apology.

Fang Yu told Lady Tanjia that it was just children’s play and she hadn’t taken it seriously, so Lady Tanjia shouldn’t either—such scuffles were normal among children.

Lady Tanjia visibly relaxed after that.

After seeing Lady Tanjia off, Fang Yu went to Qianqing Palace and told the Emperor about the incident, mentioning only that Yin Zhu and Yi Lintai had fought, leaving out the cause.

The Emperor’s main concern was whether Yin Zhu could hold his own in the fight.

She rolled her eyes. Yin Zhu was a bit thin, but if he fought with a child his own age, he wouldn’t be totally helpless.

"Your Majesty, did I handle this correctly? Is there anything else I need to do?"

The Emperor laughed. "No need. Didn’t you say Yi Lintai’s mother already came to apologize? Since she apologized, let the matter rest. Besides, why are you so nervous? Yin Zhu is a prince. If someone injures a prince, it’s their place to apologize. I just didn’t expect Yin Zhu to be so spirited."

Since the Emperor said to let it go, Fang Yu let it go. She had never dealt with such a situation before, and since Prince Kang was also from the Aisin Gioro family, she wanted to be cautious.

"What are you afraid of? Yin Zhu is your child. They should be trying to win your favor, not the other way around."

"I was just worried it might cause trouble for Your Majesty."

The Kangxi Emperor chuckled lightly. What did he have to worry about? No matter who injured a prince, it should be them apologizing. Lady Uya worried about things she shouldn't and neglected what she should. Others, upon learning of the incident, hurried to apologize to her, indicating they understood that Yinzhu and she were both of higher status than they were.

It was merely children's play, and there was truly no need to pursue it further. An apology was enough to end the matter, and he naturally wouldn't hold anyone accountable.

"Perfect, you shall grind the ink for me. I plan to practice calligraphy."

Fang Yu nudged him, saying her hand hurt.

"How long has it been since you practiced writing? Let me see if you've made any progress."

Fang Yu bluntly said she hadn't improved. She only wanted to be literate, not to write beautifully. She didn't care about having elegant handwriting.

"You really aren't even as good as Yin Zhen. A couple of days ago, I happened to check Yin Zhen's homework. Look at his handwriting."

Fang Yu and the Emperor looked at Yin Zhen's submitted homework together. Yin Zhen's writing now showed a hint of character, clearly indicating he had been practicing diligently.

"How about it? Isn't it well written?"

Fang Yu nodded and said it was quite good.

"Crown Prince Baocheng, Third Prince Yin Zhi, and Fourth Prince Yin Zhen are all willing to put effort into practicing their handwriting."

Fang Yu asked the Emperor to show her the Crown Prince and the Third Prince's homework. She found that, as the Emperor had said, their handwriting was also quite good. She had thought the Crown Prince, surrounded by flattery and praise, might not strive to improve—after all, no matter how poorly he wrote, those around him would say it was good. But today she realized she was mistaken. The Crown Prince was not unlearned or arrogant; those who could write well had put in effort and patience to practice. This couldn't be faked.

In the end, under the Emperor's "pressure," Fang Yu practiced writing for half an hour and stayed to serve him that night.

...

In the blink of an eye, it was early July. Yin Zhen, who had been back in the palace for two months, had finally gained a little weight. When he came to pay his respects, his small face had finally filled out a bit.

Fang Yu also asked Yin Zhen what he had been studying in the Imperial Study. When she asked Yinzhu the same question, he couldn't answer for a long time, but Yin Zhen had a lot to say, even reciting content from the *Book of Rites* and the *Doctrine of the Mean*.

"It's hot. Don't spend too long reading or practicing calligraphy. After a day of study, half an hour is enough. You need to balance work and rest. Don't just bury your head in books—be careful not to strain your eyes."

Fang Yu knew the Empress was strict with him, wanting Yin Zhen to excel in his studies. Yin Zhen himself didn't show any resistance, so she couldn't say much more.

"De-E'niang, I understand."

"Eat more on usual days, but since it's hot, don't overindulge in cold foods. Also, avoid greasy foods lest they upset your stomach."

Yin Zhen agreed to everything. Seeing that she had given enough instructions, Fang Yu let him go play with Yinzhu. The two brothers played with spinning tops in the front courtyard of Jingren Palace for a long time.

Yin Zhen didn't return to Kunning Palace until almost dark. His imperial mother, the Empress, only had his nanny wipe his sweat and wash his hands, without asking what he had done at Jingren Palace. After washing up, he sat down to eat with the Empress. After the meal, he bathed and went to bed shortly after.

"Your Majesty, why did you let the young prince go pay respects to Consort De? He spent half the day at her place today."

In the bedchamber of Kunning Palace, Nanny Gui was drying the Empress's hair, combing it as she worked.

Niohuru Yuwan smiled. "Nanny, Consort De can no longer take Yin Zhen from me. Yin Zhen is now closest to and trusts me the most. What does it matter if he pays his respects a few times to Consort De?"

When Yin Zhen had smallpox, she accompanied him to the imperial gardens, risking her life to help him through it. In the eyes of the Emperor and the entire palace, her love for Yin Zhen was beyond doubt.

The six months they spent relying on each other for survival in the imperial gardens made Yin Zhen rely on and trust her even more. She believed that in Yin Zhen's heart, she was more important than Consort De—she was his closest person. Letting Yin Zhen pay respects to Consort De was nothing to fear. After all, Consort De could never surpass her, and doing so would also make the Emperor see her as kind and generous.

Over the past few years, because of her conflict with Consort De, the Emperor had been somewhat dissatisfied with her, feeling she wasn't setting a good example for the six palaces and that she was making things difficult for Consort De.

In the Emperor's eyes, Consort De was blameless, and she was the one at fault. Now, even the Emperor could find no fault with her. Lately, the Emperor had often turned over her green plaque, summoning her to attend him.

So, Yin Zhen paying respects to Consort De was insignificant compared to what she had gained.

Niohuru Yuwan curled her lips in satisfaction.

...

The weather in the capital grew hotter. Niohuru Yuwan instructed the servants attending to Yin Zhen to ensure he didn't overheat but also didn't get too cold. The amount of ice in his room had to be just right.

With numerous trivial matters in the Eastern and Western Palaces and the Emperor recently considering conferring titles within the harem, Niohuru Yuwan became much busier. The account books were piling up, and she still had to monitor Yin Zhen's studies.

Fortunately, Yin Zhen was a child who didn't give her much trouble. She'd heard the Emperor had praised Yin Zhen several times, saying his handwriting was excellent.

Niohuru Yuwan also felt proud. Perhaps because she was so busy, she didn't even notice her period was ten days late until her maid, Qiao Yue, pointed it out.

She wasn't getting any younger, and her periods weren't as regular as they used to be. Sometimes they were half a month late, so she didn't think much of it. She felt fine and hadn't summoned a physician.

But as days passed, her period still didn't come. Qiao Yue counted the days for her—it had been almost a month, and still no period.

She found it strange and thought something might be wrong with her body. She had heard that some women stop having periods when they get older, so she sent a servant to send for Imperial Physician Mu.

When Imperial Physician Mu arrived, he took her pulse. After checking twice, he directly congratulated her.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty. You are two months with child, Your Majesty."

Niohuru Yuwan couldn't believe it. Her eyes widened, and she stammered, "Im... Imperial Physician Mu, are you sure? I don't believe it. Take my pulse once more."

Imperial Physician Mu obligingly checked again and confirmed she was indeed two months pregnant.

Imperial Physician Mu was a senior physician in the palace, highly skilled, especially in treating women's ailments. After three checks, he couldn't be wrong. She turned to look at Nanny Gui and Qiao Yue, who were equally shocked and excited.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it's true. It's true. Imperial Physician Mu wouldn't lie to you," Nanny Gui said, her voice trembling with excitement.

Only then did Niohuru Yuwan come to her senses. She... she was really two months pregnant. She thought she could never conceive again. Several physicians had told her she would have difficulty having children. After her premature birth seven years ago, they all said it would be hard for her to conceive again, which was why she had requested to raise Yin Zhen.

But now, how could this be? How could she be pregnant again? She had indeed been favored recently, with the Emperor turning over her plaque several times. She hurriedly asked Nanny Gui to bring the record of her nights of service with the Emperor.

After checking, she found the dates matched.

Niohuru Yuwan also grew excited. "Imperial Physician Mu, is this absolutely certain? Could you have misjudged the pulse? How is it possible that I am with child? Didn't you previously say I would have difficulty conceiving?"

"Your Majesty, pregnancy is a mysterious thing. It is true that you would have difficulty, but there are always exceptions. Perhaps Your Majesty is blessed with deep fortune. I did not misread—Your Majesty is indeed two months pregnant."

Niohuru Yuwan covered her chest, feeling her heart racing. She was too excited and overjoyed. She needed to calm down a little to avoid harming the child in her womb.

After a moment, Niohuru Yuwan said, "Imperial Physician Mu, keep this confidential for now. Don't spread the news until after three months."

"I understand, Your Majesty."

Niohuru Yuwan added, "I entrust this pregnancy to you, Imperial Physician Mu. I hope you won't disappoint me."

"I will do my utmost to ensure Your Majesty safely delivers the child."

"Do I need to take any anti-miscarriage medicine? Is my child well? Is the pulse steady?"

"Everything is fine. There's no need for anti-miscarriage medicine for now. Are you unwell, Your Majesty?"

Niohuru Yuwan said that lately, aside from fatiguing easily, she had no other discomfort. She had thought it was because she was too busy.

"Since there's no discomfort, Your Majesty doesn't need to take anti-miscarriage medicine for now. Your Majesty need only rest quietly, avoid agitation, and refrain from attending upon the Emperor. After three months, when the fetus is stable, it will then be safe for you to resume your duties."

Attending the Emperor during pregnancy was out of the question for Niohuru Yuwan—not even after three months. She was advanced in years and could not afford to be careless in the slightest.

"Imperial Physician Mu, from now on, you must come to check my pulse every other day."

After Imperial Physician Mu left, Niuhulu Yuwan was still in shock and couldn't help but touch her belly. Seeing that Nanny Gui's eyes were already red, she smiled and said, "Nanny, look, heaven still favors me."

"Yes, Your Highness is blessed by the Buddha. It must be a little prince inside."

If it really were a prince, that would be wonderful. Niuhulu Yuwan's eyes softened. She told Qiao Yue to go to the Records Office and have her green plaque removed.

Because her previous pregnancy ended in premature birth, and even the mastermind behind it couldn't be found, she decided to keep this pregnancy a secret for as long as possible, ideally until eight or nine months.

She also had the servants notify all the consorts in the palace to excuse them from their morning courtesies, claiming she was unwell.

As for Yin Zhen, Niuhulu Yuwan also avoided seeing him. Fortunately, Yin Zhen was just a child and wouldn't ask too many questions.

However, the Emperor was not so easy to deceive. When he heard she was unwell, he came to see her. Luckily, her belly was still flat, and the Emperor noticed nothing unusual.

Niuhulu Yuwan usually wore loose Manchu robes to conceal her belly.

But just as the child in her womb reached three months, rumors spread throughout the imperial harem that she was pregnant. It was unclear who had leaked the news, and she was so angry she shattered teacups in her room.

"Your Highness, Imperial Physician Mu advised you not to get angry."

Niuhulu Yuwan then calmed down and had Nanny Gui summon He Zhongfan, ordering him to investigate who in Kunning Palace had loose lips. She would not tolerate disloyal servants who betrayed their master.

Not long after, Noble Consort Tong requested an audience.

Niuhulu Yuwan knew Noble Consort Tong must have heard the rumors and rushed over to confirm whether she was truly pregnant.

She had no patience for Noble Consort Tong now, knowing she surely had ill intentions. She sent Nanny Gui out to dismiss her.

However, once the pregnancy rumors spread in the imperial harem, and she continued to avoid making appearances, others would become certain of her pregnancy.

Niuhulu Yuwan didn't want to bother with it anymore. Let them know if they must; she simply had no desire to see the other women in the imperial harem now.

The Emperor also heard the rumors and came to see her. It was difficult to hide it from him, so she decided to tell him directly.

The Emperor's expression was one of joy. He told her to rest well and strive to give him a prince. He did not question her for keeping it secret earlier.

Perhaps because the Emperor seemed so happy, Niuhulu Yuwan's eyes sparkled with a smile. The Emperor was looking forward to this child, and that was more important than anything else.

Niuhulu Yuwan began to rest peacefully in Kunning Palace, paying no mind to outside matters. She refused to see any consorts who came seeking an audience, denying them entry.

One day, Yin Zhen wanted to see her. After some hesitation, she finally let him in.

"Empress Mother..." Yin Zhen had also heard the news that the Empress was pregnant, but since her belly showed no swelling, he wasn't sure. "Empress Mother, is there a little brother in your belly?"

Seeing the innocent look in Yin Zhen's eyes, Niuhulu Yuwan gently patted his head and asked if he wanted a younger brother.

"Sixth Brother is nice; he plays with me. If the younger brother is willing to play with me, then I want one."

Niuhulu Yuwan said gently, "Don't worry, when the younger brother is born, he will play with you just like the Sixth Prince does."

Niuhulu Yuwan knew that since she became pregnant, she had paid less attention to Yin Zhen because she needed to focus on her pregnancy and ensure this pregnancy didn't have any mishaps. She asked Yin Zhen how his studies were going lately and whether he had received praise from his Emperor Father.

"Yes, Emperor Father said my handwriting is very good. Emperor Father also took us to Archery Pavilion to practice archery. Emperor Father said he would take us out of the palace to go horseback riding in a few days."

"Good, then apply yourself to learning horseback riding and archery well from your Emperor Father. Don't let him down."

"Empress Mother, I understand. Empress Mother, can I touch your belly?"

"Go ahead."

Only when Yin Zhen touched her belly did he feel something different—a slight bulge. He had heard it would grow bigger and bigger.

"Empress Mother, does it hurt?"

Niuhulu Yuwan smiled. Even if it did hurt, she would endure it willingly. She told Yin Zhen it didn't hurt, not wanting to scare him.

"Don't worry about me. Just concentrate on your studies and listen to your Emperor Father."

Yin Zhen nodded.

Niuhulu Yuwan had Yin Zhen eat with her. After the meal, Yin Zhen returned to his room.

When Niuhulu Yuwan was five months pregnant, she suddenly noticed a small amount of bleeding. Though it wasn't much, it alarmed her, and she immediately sent for Imperial Physician Mu.

Imperial Physician Mu said slight bleeding was common during pregnancy. If it didn't continue, it should be fine. He reminded her that due to her age, she needed to be exceptionally careful with this pregnancy. He prescribed her medicine to stabilize the pregnancy and instructed her to take it daily.

Fearing someone might try to harm her child, Niuhulu Yuwan became extremely cautious about her food. Only a few trusted servants were allowed to handle the medicine to stabilize the pregnancy, and she insisted someone watch over the brewing process at all times without leaving.

After taking the medicine for several days, she felt much better, and the bleeding stopped.

When she had time, she summoned her mother into the palace. During their conversation, her mother asked about Yin Zhen.

"This child has been raised by you for so long. In the eyes of others, the Fourth Prince is your son. Once the child in your belly is born, if it's a prince, do you still plan to continue raising the Fourth Prince?"

"Mother, the Fourth Prince has been with me for many years. I can't abandon him midway. Besides, we don't even know if the child in my belly is a princess or a prince yet."

Yin Zhen was already seven years old. In another two or three years, he might move to the Princes' Residence. She definitely had to continue raising him. Yin Zhen was a dutiful child, and she had no reason not to raise him. If she stopped now, all her efforts over the years would have been wasted.

"As long as you've considered it carefully. If you give birth to a prince, our Niuhulu Family will support the prince who carries our Niuhulu bloodline, not the Fourth Prince."

Niuhulu Yuwan understood perfectly. Although Yin Zhen was raised by her, he was not her biological son. No matter how much she loved Yin Zhen, she would never prioritize him over her own child. Moreover, her decision to request to raise Yin Zhen back then was a last resort—a compromise. She never expected to become pregnant again after so many years.

Her mother stayed in the palace for three days before returning.

Niuhulu Yuwan's pregnancy progressed smoothly. Apart from that one instance of slight bleeding, she experienced no other discomfort. Even Imperial Physician Mu said her pregnancy was stable. She soon reached nine months, drawing nearer to the due date.

She mostly stayed only in Kunning Palace, venturing nowhere else. Aside from the Emperor, she refused to see anyone.

Four midwives were already staying in Kunning Palace. Wet nurses and servants to attend to the prince had already been selected. Everything was ready; they only awaited the birth of the prince.

On the night of June 1st in the 24th year of Kangxi's reign, Niuhulu Yuwan felt abdominal pain and urgently called for Nanny Gui and others, instructing them to summon the midwives and the imperial physician.

Her water broke five days earlier than expected, but the baby was full-term. Niuhulu Yuwan breathed a sigh of relief and continuously prayed that the child in her belly was a prince.

But when she actually began to give birth, she realized this delivery would be difficult. No matter how hard she pushed or strained, the child wouldn't come out. She followed the midwives' instructions, but there was still no cry from the baby.

She had to drink two bowls of ginseng soup to regain strength. The midwife reached inside and told her the baby was in the wrong position—they needed to reposition the fetus first.

The midwife pressed repeatedly on her belly. Niuhulu Yuwan screamed in agony, tears streaming down her face. She felt she was losing a lot of blood and smelled a strong metallic scent of blood.

For some reason, she thought of the deceased Hesheli Shi, who passed away the night after giving birth to a prince, without even seeing the child. But she didn't want to die; she wanted to live. She didn't want to end up like Hesheli Shi, losing her life so early.

"Your Highness, it's not working. We need to use scissors."

Niuhulu Yuwan was horrified. Using scissors could cause fatal hemorrhaging. She urgently cried out, "No scissors! No scissors! If anyone uses scissors, I will have you killed! Hurry up and reposition the child! Quickly!"

One experienced midwife hesitated for a moment, then directly reached in and turned the baby.

Niuhulu Yu Wan endured the pain, and when the midwife told her to push, she held her breath and exerted all her strength.

"It's born, it's born."

Niuhulu Yu Wan looked down and saw the child coming out. The midwife swiftly used scissors to cut the umbilical cord. She asked whether it was a son or a daughter, and after a careful look, the midwife told her it was a son. She asked them to bring the child over for her to see.

It really was a son. Niuhulu Yu Wan smiled. She had finally given birth to a son—she now had a son, her first child.

"My Lady, you still have to deliver the placenta (the afterbirth)."

Niuhulu Yu Wan nodded and gritted her teeth and pushed.

It wasn't until the evening of the next day that Niuhulu Yu Wan finished giving birth. Afterward, she sank into unconsciousness, drained of all strength.