The Slender Waist-Chapter 810 - 575: Mother and Child Safe

The winter air was bitterly cold, and the rain was speckled with icy drops, shrouding the entire Andu City in a thin veil of mist, as if a celestial realm had descended.

When Ye Chuang entered the palace, Pei Jue was in Qianyuan Hall, preparing for the morning court session.

Upon hearing the news, he couldn’t even change his attire. Ordering Puyang Li to be informed, he rushed out of the palace gates, braving the piercing winter winds...

Feng Yun was meticulous in her preparations; the midwife and the wet nurse had been arranged in advance. Half a month ago, they had been quietly moved into her courtyard under the guise of maidservants.

But today was still nearly ten days before the due date Yao Ru had predicted. No one expected the child to arrive so hurriedly and unexpectedly...

The midwife was dragged out of her warm nest, rushing to Feng Yun’s room without even a moment to tidy herself.

They were seasoned women, rolling up their sleeves and confidently taking charge of the situation.

The sky was overcast, and the dim lighting in the room was less than ideal.

Each wave of pain grew more intense than the last. Feng Yun bit her lip, her face pale, her forehead soaked in cold sweat, but not a sound escaped her lips. The restraint and resilience on her face not only broke Xiaoman’s heart but also moved the two battle-hardened midwives to an unusual tenderness.

How could anyone give birth without making a sound?

They comforted her, saying, "My dear lady, cry out if it hurts. It’ll ease your mind a little."

"Don’t force yourself to endure it. Our weak and delicate bodies cannot possibly withstand such harsh suffering."

"Old woman like me, these hands have helped bring dozens, if not hundreds, of babies into this world—so many I can’t even keep count. And every single one of the mothers cried out like it was the end of the world. The way you’ve kept silent, my lady, is something I’ve never seen before."

Feng Yun shook her head gently, gripping the quilt beneath her tightly.

The lamplight reflected on her face, her brows furrowed, veins bulging.

With a particularly strong contraction, even her voice began to tremble.

"It’s fine, I can handle it."

They couldn’t possibly understand what she had endured before.

Compared to the torment she suffered in Qi Palace in her previous life... the pain of childbirth today seemed trivial.

"My lady, His Majesty is here."

Upon hearing the report from beyond the curtain, Feng Yun stiffened slightly.

She hadn’t expected Pei Jue to arrive so quickly...

"Help me up, quickly."

"Oh, dear lady, why should you get up now?" The midwife hurriedly stopped her. "Rest, rest properly. Don’t waste your strength."

Granny Han also quickly advised, "Such an improper place, His Majesty cannot set foot here."

The custom dictated that men should not enter the birthing room or witness labor—it was an unspoken rule.

Though Feng Yun dismissed the notions of "unluckiness," "inauspiciousness," and "uncleanliness" as superstitions, she did agree with one point—

Men entering the room wouldn’t be of any help; they would only add to the chaos and make the already tense workers even more anxious.

Pei Jue, being long accustomed to wielding authority, carried an aura of intimidation. Who wouldn’t be nervous upon seeing him?

Enduring the pain, she frowned and said, "Xiaoman, listen to Granny Han."

Xiaoman replied obediently and stepped outside.

Pei Jue entered through the main gates, dressed in his court robes, his majesty undeniable. When he had galloped across Huaxi earlier, people along the way had knelt in reverence.

From the guards at Changmen to the inner courtyard, no one had dared to obstruct him.

Since the relocation of the capital, these attendants had never seen the Emperor set foot inside Changmen before.

Suddenly barging in with his retinue had everyone on edge.

The inner courtyard was unaware of what was happening in the outer courtyard.

The Emperor’s serious expression and Ye Chuang’s grim demeanor had everyone tense to the point of holding their breath. As the Emperor walked past, people began whispering and speculating in hushed tones. What had happened inside? Why were things so tightly sealed?

The tension spread inside and out.

Pei Jue was about to lift the curtain to enter the inner room when Xiaoman stopped him.

"Your Majesty, please wait here for a while..."

Not hearing Feng Yun’s voice, Pei Jue frowned.

"How is Lady Yun?"

Xiaoman glanced back at the door, lowered her voice, and dutifully answered, "The midwives said the labor came unexpectedly before the due date. My lady is likely to suffer quite a bit..."

Pei Jue’s expression darkened.

He had never witnessed childbirth firsthand but had heard of the agony women endured during labor.

Years ago, his elder sister had given birth to Azuo and Ayou. The twins were breech, and her labor lasted an entire day and night. Her wailing could be heard throughout the estate.

He still remembered how Ao Zheng’s legs had gone weak when the midwife declared the babies might not survive, how he had dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together, frantically praying.

At this very moment, Lady Yun must be in excruciating pain.

His eyes glistened faintly. "I need to see her."

"Your Majesty, please reconsider..." Xiaoman, looking conflicted, bowed and blocked his way. "The labor room is full of blood and chaos, unfit for Your Majesty’s sacred presence. To avoid disrupting the order of heaven and earth and to ease my lady’s labor, I ask Your Majesty to wait outside..."

Pei Jue had never believed in such superstitions.

But Xiaoman’s words about "disrupting the order of heaven and earth" and "making the lady’s labor more difficult" left him rooted.

What would he do if he entered?

He couldn’t help Lady Yun. He would only cause more trouble.

He nodded heavily.

-

Inside and outside, everyone was busily rushing about.

The midwife and maidservants moved in and out of the room continuously.

The thick scent of blood seemed to be rising through the roof. Yet Feng Yun, apart from the occasional suppressed groan, never uttered a single loud cry.

Pei Jue paced back and forth outside the room with his hands behind his back.

Time crawled unbearably slowly...

Each quarter-hour felt like an eternity.

At last, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer and called Xiaoman over. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Why don’t I hear Lady Yun’s voice? Is something wrong?"

Xiaoman looked at the Emperor’s expression filled with worry and concern, and sympathetically replied, "My lady said she could endure it."

Pei Jue glanced at the curtain, his fingers tightening slowly.

They said the pain of childbirth felt like one’s flesh being torn apart, bone splitting asunder.

Yet she said she could endure it...

Lady Yun was risking her life to bear his child. As the father, shouldn’t he do something more?

Pei Jue thought deeply for a moment, then turned to leave the courtyard and called Zuo Zhong to his side.

"You are to handle something for me immediately."

Zuo Zhong lowered his head and cupped his hands, "Yes, Your Majesty. Please instruct me."

Pei Jue leaned closer to whisper in his ear.

Zuo Zhong, after hearing this, paused briefly, then responded, "Understood."

-

The news of Changmen spread rapidly across Andu.

At first, people speculated that the Emperor’s long-imprisoned wife, Feng Shi Er Niang, might have succumbed to illness, prompting the heavy security around Changmen.

Many tried to probe for the truth.

But stationed outside Changmen were not only Feng Yun’s retinue and Imperial Guard Camp but also guards from the Imperial Court.

The heightened tension fueled excitement among certain groups.

Some began suspecting Feng Shi Er Niang of rebellion, forcing the Emperor to deploy troops for suppression...

The rumors swirled chaotically.

By midday, the truth finally emerged.

The lady of Changmen had given birth...

It was a Little Prince.

Weighing six pounds and eight ounces, mother and child were safe.

For this, the Emperor suspended court for three days.

The news came as a surprise.

No one had been aware when Feng Shi Er Niang conceived the imperial heir; the sudden delivery left many baffled.

"The Emperor kept this well hidden."

The civil and military officials, now unexpectedly given three days off, discarded their robes and quickly had their wives prepare congratulatory gifts.

While some celebrated, others despaired.

For certain people, the birth of this prince was a monumental blessing. They praised heaven for ensuring Emperor Yong’s lineage wouldn’t extinguish... People like Ao Zheng, likely jubilant and already drafting congratulatory memorials.

Others, who had been counting on Feng Shi Er Niang’s lack of offspring to undermine Changmen, saw their schemes crumble. Dejected and restless, they began plotting to tarnish the prince’s birth with claims of illegitimacy...

-

Feng Yun slowly awoke, and seeing the figure seated by her bedside, disregarded her pain and hoarsely asked, "The child... where is my child?"

Her voice was low and raspy, tinged with anxiety.

This childbirth hadn’t been particularly arduous; from the onset of labor to the baby’s cry, it had taken less than an hour overall. Compared to giving birth to Yuchu, it had been exceptionally smooth...

A child who understood how to care for his mother.

But Feng Yun was too exhausted.

The last thing she remembered was hearing the midwife announce the child was a "Little Prince" before succumbing to deep slumber.

"The child is asleep. The wet nurse is watching over him; rest assured."

Pei Jue, seeing her waking and immediately concerned about the child, felt his heart ache slightly. Holding her hand, he asked, "Does it hurt?"

It would’ve been better left unsaid. Upon mentioning it, Feng Yun became acutely aware of the pain in her body, as if she had been battered, the more she noticed it, the more unbearable it became.

She replied, "It hurts."

Pei Jue’s expression was one of deep sorrow. "Lady Yun, thank you."

Feng Yun’s lips curved faintly with a smile. "What’s with all the formalities? The child isn’t just yours, you know."

Pei Jue gently brushed his fingers over her cheek, his touch slow, his emotions wordless yet overflowing... Gratitude, relief, the impulse to gather everything good in the world and offer it to her.

"Lady Yun, I owe you so much."

Feng Yun smiled faintly, pondering briefly before saying, "Now that the child is born, the matter won’t remain a secret. There will undoubtedly be discussions in the court; how does Your Majesty plan to handle this?"

Pei Jue looked at her expression.

She had just endured the agony of childbirth, and though she appeared frail and worn, the composed intelligence in her eyes was extraordinary.

Pei Jue sighed.

"You rest and recover; don’t worry about this. Matters like these are for men to deal with."