Chapter 304 The Unbreakable Thread of Fate

Chapter 304 The Unbreakable Thread of Fate

Under the spring afternoon sun, a loud, powerful cry shattered the peace of Prince Jing's Mansion.

Jiang Shuning lay among the brocade quilts, her body ached as if taken apart and put back together, every inch of her bones aching with a soft, lingering pain.

But when the midwife placed that tiny, wrinkled infant beside her pillow, all the exhaustion seemed to dissipate with that single cry.

She turned her head and carefully examined this small life that had just separated from her body.

His eyes were closed, his cry was so loud and strong it didn't seem like a newborn's.

Though his features were not fully formed, they already bore a strong resemblance to Xiao Lingchuan—especially the straight bridge of his nose and the slightly upturned corners of his eyes, as if cast from the same mold.

"He's here! He's here! The princess has given birth to a little heir!" Ling Wu rushed to the door, her voice brimming with uncontrollable joy and tears, shouting to the servants waiting anxiously in the courtyard. "Quick! Send an urgent message to the prince! Tell him that the princess and the child are safe—he has a son! A healthy, strong little heir!"

The entire mansion erupted in celebration, joy seemed to boil over, spilling into every corner.

Divine Physician Sun stepped forward and took the pulses of both Jiang Shuning and the little one.

He stroked his beard, his face full of relief. "The princess has a good constitution. Although the childbirth took some of her strength, there is nothing serious. The little heir's pulse is strong, his breathing steady—he is a very healthy child. I can finally give a good report to the prince."

Jiang Shuning managed a weak smile. "Thank you for your trouble, Divine Physician Sun."

She looked at the soft, adorable little thing in her arms, feeling a weird, indescribable feeling.

This was her and Xiao Lingchuan's child.

This bond of blood seemed like an unbreakable thread of fate, binding her tightly to the man she had once deeply loved and later bitterly hated.

Soon, the mansion's head housekeeper brought in two well-supplied wet nurses.

Jiang Shuning did not refuse. She needed to recover her strength quickly and could not afford to do everything herself.

She watched the wet nurse carefully take the little one away to the next room to feed him, and the room finally quieted down.

The days of her month of recovery were peaceful and nourishing.

Thanks to proper rest, combined with Divine Physician Sun's medicinal brews and the carefully prepared meals from the mansion, Jiang Shuning recovered remarkably fast.

Within just a few days, she was able to get out of bed and move about.

By the time her confinement ended, she had even put on a little weight, her complexion rosy and her spirits high. She showed no signs of having given birth, instead giving off a gentle, womanly charm.

The little one changed daily.

Soon, he transformed from a wrinkled, red little monkey into a plump, fair, pink-skinned dumpling, his black grape-like eyes curiously taking in the world. Whoever played with him would be met with his toothless grin, melting everyone's hearts, and they all wanted to hold him.

Cui Zhilan was confined to the Hidden Brocade Pavilion, each day she could only watch the main courtyard from the second-floor window.

She could see Jiang Shuning holding the child in the corridor, basking in the sunlight, which cast a soft glow around her.

The genuine motherly love on her face was something Cui Zhilan had never seen before.

She watched as Jiang Shuning lowered her head, gently rubbing her nose against the baby's chubby cheeks, making him giggle. The scene was painfully warm.

Cui Zhilan's heart churned with mixed emotions, like a jar of mixed emotions.

"I'm sorry, cousin."

"In the end, I couldn't bring myself to harm Xiao Lingchuan's child."

She leaned against the window frame, making a vow to herself.

"Cousin, don't worry. I'll find a way to make sure you and Miss Jiang end up together."

Time flew by, and soon the little one was almost two months old.

On an ordinary afternoon, the Prince Jing's mansion finally received a letter from Xiyu.

Ling Wu took the thin letter and practically sprinted into Jiang Shuning's room.

"Princess! The prince's letter is here!"

Jiang Shuning was holding the child. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly handed the sleeping little one to the wet nurse beside her.

Ling Wu unfolded the paper, cleared her throat, and read out loud excitedly: "The first thing is to name our little heir."

She paused, then read it out word by word: "Xiao Yejun."

"Xiao Yejun..." Ling Wu repeated the name, her eyes sparkling. "What a wonderful name! The ruler of Daye—how grand!"

Jiang Shuning lowered her eyes, her long lashes hiding the complex emotions within.

It wasn't just imposing, it was blatant ambition.

It seemed Xiao Lingchuan could not let go of his unfinished ambition for the supreme position.

He was using his son's name to declare his unfinished ambition.

"Princess, listen! There's more!" Ling Wu's voice suddenly deepened, taking on a serious tone.

Jiang Shuning looked up, signaling her to continue.

The second matter in the letter was to tell her that he had been set up.

When he led his troops to Xiyu, he discovered that the so-called rampant banditry was nothing but a ruse.

The forces entrenched there were not bandits, but well-equipped regular troops from the Xizhou Kingdom.

Moreover, Wang Qi, the eldest son of the Duke of State Stabilization, had already been rescued by the Xizhou army.

He and Ling Feng, along with their men, had fought a fierce battle against the Xizhou army in the rugged mountains of the Xiyu border for over a month. Both sides suffered countless casualties, and the fighting was brutal.

He had reported the situation and requested reinforcements from the court, but his memorials had sunk like stones into the sea—the court had not sent a single soldier.

In the letter, Xiao Lingchuan said he was pretty sure that this was a trap set by the current emperor and the General of State Stabilization.

A deadly scheme using the Xizhou Kingdom to get rid of him, the emperor's greatest threat.

At the end of the letter, his tone changed, telling her not to worry.

He said he was confident he could win the war, but that he probably wouldn't be back until much later than expected.

After hearing Ling Wu finish reading the letter, Jiang Shuning felt as if an invisible hand had seized her heart, causing a dull ache.

"Two nations at war, countless dead and wounded..." she murmured, her face turning pale. "His Majesty did not send reinforcements! How could he be so heartless!"

Even if Xiao Lingchuan's military achievements overshadowed the emperor, making him wary, the soldiers fighting and dying at the border were innocent!

In order to eliminate a political rival, he would actually sacrifice the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers and gamble with the nation's territorial security!

In her previous life, how did she never discover that Xiao Zhengxian's heart was so vicious?

Could it be that the thirst for power really changes a person beyond recognition?

"Your Highness, please don't worry too much." Ling Wu, seeing her pale face, quickly comforted her, "The Prince is resourceful and valiant in battle; he said in his letter that he is confident of victory! What matters most now is for you to take care of yourself, raise the little prince well, and wait calmly for the Prince's victorious return!"

"No!" Jiang Shuning stood up and said in a stern voice, "This is war! Where there is war, there will be countless casualties! What they lack is not just troops, but even more, doctors and medicine!"

She could almost picture the scene of corpses strewn across the battlefield and wounded soldiers wailing in agony.

Xiao Lingchuan... Could he also be injured?

Once this thought came to mind, she couldn't shake it off.

"Ling Wu!" she commanded sharply, "Immediately pick a dozen of the best guards skilled in martial arts to escort Divine Physician Sun and the other doctors from the mansion. Set off at once for Xiyu! Oh, and bring Hei Bao along—he's very perceptive and has a sharp sense of smell, and can help the Prince at a critical moment!"

"Your Highness, this..." Ling Wu was greatly alarmed, "But the Prince repeatedly emphasized in his letter that Divine Physician Sun must remain with you and the young prince to take care of you!"

"Jun'er and I are both fine; we have everything we need right now!" Jiang Shuning's attitude was resolute and brooked no argument, "What we need now is for those soldiers fighting bloodily in Xiyu to have Divine Physician Sun! One more doctor means several more lives saved!"

She stared at Ling Wu and said slowly and deliberately, "Also, immediately inventory all the usable wound medicine in the storeroom. If it's not enough, go to the largest pharmacy in the capital to buy more! Spare no expense—ship over all the golden wound medicine, hemostatic powder, bone-knitting plaster, and every other healing remedy you can buy! Remember, all actions must be kept low-key; absolutely no one must know that it was done by Prince Jing's residence!"

If the Emperor is intent on using this war to eliminate Xiao Lingchuan, once he discovers they are sending medicine to Xiyu, he will inevitably obstruct them in every way.

Ling Wu knew that the Princess had made up her mind, and further persuasion would be futile.

She took a deep breath and nodded firmly: "Yes, Your Highness! This servant will see to it immediately!"