Chapter 120

Chapter 120

Although the original Xie Run had feelings for Fang Huaian, they never crossed any real lines.

Even the handkerchief she gave him wasn't one she'd embroidered herself.

There were only a few letters trading tips on poetry, and nothing in them crossed the line.

It was the purest kind of young love.

The Xies and the Fangs had been next-door neighbors for decades.

As long as Xie Run stuck to her story that she'd asked Fang Huaian for poetry help as a clueless kid, would Prince Jing really send someone a thousand miles to dig up her childhood handwriting and compare it?

Xie Run was thankful the original owner's handwriting had always been consistently atrocious.

Inside the delivery room, things were moving fast, while outside, someone had already run off to tell the Princess Consort the good news.

"Your Highness, Shufei Xie has given birth to a young master, weighing seven jin three liang (about 8.8 lbs), and he's perfectly healthy!"

The Princess Consort finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, a healthy baby in this house!

She'd heard the baby wailing from the main hall—strong and full of life.

Without even waiting for Prince Jing to get back, she waved a hand and declared, "Rewards for everyone in Spring Mountain Courtyard!"

"We thank the Princess Consort for her generosity!"

For a moment, Spring Mountain Courtyard was buzzing with joy.

The Princess Consort went to see the baby too and was thrilled he was healthy.

She figured Shufei Xie was the lucky one.

Four kids had been born in the household lately, and hers was the only one born healthy.

With that kind of track record, no wonder Prince Jing spoiled her.

She'd earned every bit of it!

Prince Jing didn't get back from the palace until the hour of Hai, well after dark.

On the way back, he heard Xie Run had delivered a healthy boy, and he couldn't hide his grin.

He skipped the Princess Consort's Green Pine Courtyard entirely and headed straight to Spring Mountain Courtyard.

The moment he walked in, a maid rushed up to congratulate him.

"Congratulations, Your Highness!"

Eunuch Shi'an trailed behind, beaming, and played the role of Prince Jing's spokesperson: "I hear our Fifth Young Master's got a set of lungs on him—healthy as can be?"

"You bet! We could hear him wailing all the way past the second gate."

"The midwife said his arms are crazy strong—took two of them just to give him a bath."

Prince Jing was delighted, practically striding, and told Shi An, "Reward the ones who brought the news!"

The ones rewarded were glowing; the ones who weren't kicked themselves for not speaking up.

Xie Run had already changed and was lying in bed with a headband Dan Tao had sewn, gazing at the baby.

Newborns are all small and wrinkly—not much to look at, honestly.

But the moment she looked at him, her heart felt warm.

The exhaustion seemed to melt away.

Heavy footsteps echoed outside the bedroom, and Xie Run knew it was him.

Sure enough, she heard the maids' voices greeting him.

A moment later, Prince Jing strode in, his usually stern face lit up with joy.

"Your Highness?" Xie Run pretended to be surprised, her eyes instantly welling up.

She said softly, "You're here at last."

Fresh from childbirth, Xie Run still looked put-together—delicate and pretty, just a little pale and worn.

With her red-rimmed eyes, she looked like a classic beauty clutching her chest—even more pitiful and lovely.

However cold and hard Prince Jing's heart was, it softened right then.

"You've done well giving me a son. I won't forget it."

"Rest up—there'll be rewards for you down the line."

Prince Jing hadn't promised her anything concrete, but Xie Run was satisfied.

At least he was willing to say that much.

Xie Run smiled. "Then I'll hold you to that, Your Highness. When the chance comes, I'll ask for my reward."

"Then you better remember it. If you forget, don't expect me to remind you."

Xie Run's smile turned even softer.

The whole time, Prince Jing stayed by the brazier, warming up to shake off the cold.

He kept stealing glances at the little bundle beside her.

Only once he was sure he'd warmed up did he sit on the edge of the bed.

"On the way over, I was mulling over names for the boy—had a bunch of good ones in my head."

"But now that I'm actually looking at you two, they've all slipped my mind."

Xie Run smiled. "No rush, Your Highness. Take your time."

"His two older brothers still don't have names, so it wouldn't be right to name him ahead of them."

Prince Jing frowned. "You're too hung up on rules."

Xie Run just smiled and stayed quiet.

If she really threw the rules out the window, she'd end up like Cefei Ning—or worse, Jiang Baobao.

Prince Jing, though somewhat aloof, was also a man who could take advice.

He stopped dwelling on the naming matter and instead produced a small, exquisite longevity lock.

He glanced at Xie Run, "The other two have been prepared as well."

Xie Run: "..."

She couldn't help but burst out laughing, "You're still holding a grudge, Your Highness."

But she laughed too hard, and it pulled at her injuries.

Prince Jing was startled and immediately moved to call for help.

Xie Run quickly stopped him, "I'm fine, just don't make me laugh anymore."

Prince Jing said with a straight face, "When have I ever made you laugh?"

"Your Highness didn't; it's all my own fault for loving to laugh. I brought it on myself." Xie Run sighed and shook her head, looking at Prince Jing with a resigned expression.

Prince Jing's tone softened, and he said gently, "Loving to laugh is a good thing. I only hope our child will love to laugh too."

With that, Prince Jing's mood grew heavier, "This longevity lock—I still have two more, but I dare not bring them out, fearing they might weigh down their souls."

There was a saying that if a child was too weak, the longevity lock could crush their soul.

Only healthy children would be given a longevity lock at birth.

Ultimately, Prince Jing was still afraid those two children might not survive.

Xie Run said softly, "Though I haven't visited the young lords and lady this past month, I know they're slowly but surely growing stronger."

"For little ones, eating and sleeping well is a good sign."

Prince Jing was not comforted; his brows remained furrowed.

"Duanjing and Zhuangzhuang are fine, but the Fourth Young Master..."

At the thought of the Fourth Young Master's sickly appearance, Prince Jing couldn't help but recall Concubine An's timid, cowering manner.

Though he didn't dote on Concubine An, he had always made sure the Princess Consort looked after her since she became pregnant.

He also often reminded the household staff not to let her courtyard lack anything.

Prince Jing felt he had never treated her unfairly.

Who would have thought she was so useless!

Others longed for children, yet she had managed to give birth to two but couldn't even raise one of them properly!

And it's not like there were others in his household who could raise the children.

The Princess Consort was already raising Duanjing, and the other concubines were either pregnant or had just given birth.

He couldn't very well give Concubine An's children to other concubines to raise.

That wasn't the custom.

And besides, which of them—Concubine Lu or Concubine Wan—was fit to raise his children?