Quick Transmigration Cannon Fodder's Record of Counterattacks

Chapter 3593: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (12)

Consort Xuan’s head ached from overthinking. She had inexplicably displeased His Majesty, and she had grown spots on her face due to her pregnancy. Now that her delivery was approaching, Consort Xuan simply could not control her wild imagination.

The two children moved in her belly. Tiny feet and fists bulged against the skin of her stomach.

Consort Xuan touched her belly, practically dying of worry. She was isolated and helpless in this inner palace. She did not know how many people wished for her to die along with her children, hoping that these babies would never be born.

Right now, she could only rely on the empress. Consort Xuan pondered for a moment and said to Ning Shu, “Your Highness, this woman has two children in my belly. When the time comes, I will have to ask for your help.”

“Mm, this empress is the legitimate mother of these two children and has the responsibility to take care of them.” Seeing Consort Xuan’s conflicted expression, Ning Shu practically knew what was going through her mind.

Consort Xuan could think whatever she wanted.

Consort Xuan went into labor in the middle of the night. Her water broke, and she clutched her belly, groaning in agony.

The lights of the entire palace were lit, and the palace bustled with activity.

Even the lights in the other palaces lit up as everyone kept their eyes fixed on Consort Xuan’s palace.

Consort Xuan was in so much pain that her breath grew weak. Carrying two children in her belly especially made her feel despair.

Ning Shu touched Consort Xuan’s belly while the four midwives busied themselves examining Consort Xuan’s body.

Ning Shu released her mental power to check on the condition of the fetuses. One of the children had its legs pointing downward. If this was the case, one child might face a difficult breech birth.

Ning Shu rubbed the belly, trying her best to follow the contours and turn the child’s body around.

“It hurts so much, it hurts so much!” Consort Xuan looked as if she had just been fished out of the water. Ning Shu brought over the ginseng soup and took a sip herself first, carefully tasting the medicinal ingredients within.

This ginseng soup was brewed by Xi’er, whom Ning Shu had ordered not to leave its side for even a single step. “Drink some ginseng soup to replenish your qi. You will need strength to give birth later.”

Consort Xuan’s face was as pale as paper. Helped up by Ning Shu, she drank the ginseng soup. While sweating profusely, she asked weakly, “Has His Majesty arrived?”

Ning Shu replied, “Someone has already been sent to notify His Majesty. His Majesty will definitely be here soon. Do not scream, or else you will exhaust all your strength.”

Consort Xuan was trembling all over from the pain. With every contraction, she groaned in agony. Her face was completely drained of color.

Basin after basin of bloody water was carried out. Consort Xuan gripped the quilt tightly. “I am going to die. It hurts so much.”

“Do not speak.” Ning Shu transferred some spiritual energy into Consort Xuan’s body, which would allow her to hold on for a while longer.

However, this was Consort Xuan’s first pregnancy, and the delivery was severely delayed. Coupled with the fact that they were twins, she was tortured half to death before the actual birth even began.

Ning Shu poured more ginseng soup down Consort Xuan’s throat. Consort Xuan said weakly, “I cannot drink anymore. It hurts so much, it hurts so much!”

Ning Shu furrowed her eyebrows. She injected a bit more spiritual energy and said, “Drink a little more.”

“I cannot drink it. I want to throw up. I am so cold.” Consort Xuan’s hair was completely soaked in sweat. The hair at her temples clung to her face, making her look like a flower crushed into the mud.

Ning Shu checked Consort Xuan’s pulse without leaving a trace and then had the female physician perform acupuncture on Consort Xuan’s acupoints.

“Your Highness, His Majesty has arrived. He is asking Your Highness to step outside now.” Xi’er lifted the curtain, leaned in close to Ning Shu’s ear, and whispered.

Ning Shu frowned. “Did you not tell His Majesty that this empress is accompanying Consort Xuan through her delivery?”

“This servant did say so. However, His Majesty said there are midwives inside. Since you are the mother of the nation, you should not stay in the delivery room,” Xi’er said honestly.

Ning Shu swept her gaze over the four midwives. These midwives were all selected by her maiden family.

Childbirth was the most dangerous time for a woman. The slightest carelessness could result in two lost lives. If someone wanted to make a move, now was the absolute best time.

This was especially true for the consorts of the inner palace, who were delicate and frail. If something were to happen, it would be considered perfectly normal.

The more critical the moment, the less she could afford to leave. Ning Shu said to Xi’er, “Just say that this empress will stay and accompany Consort Xuan through the delivery.”

“Yes.”

Ning Shu leaned in close to Consort Xuan’s ear and said, “His Majesty is here. He is waiting right outside for you to safely give birth to an imperial prince.”

Hearing that Ao Tianze had arrived, Consort Xuan’s eyes lit up, and she clenched her jaw tightly.

The motivation, coupled with the female physician’s acupuncture, allowed Consort Xuan to regain a bit of strength in her body.

Waiting outside the door, Ao Tianze’s face was dark. He had not wanted to come in the first place, but this consort was nominally carrying his children. If he did not make a show of being here, those court officials would nag endlessly again.

Hearing Xi’er say that the Empress refused to come out, Ao Tianze’s expression turned even uglier. Were these two children actually going to be born? It was simply a humiliation!

Whenever Ao Tianze got anxious, he easily broke out in a sweat. Once he started sweating, his entire body became sticky and clammy. The intense discomfort made him feel extremely irritable.

Standing beside Ao Tianze, Fu Min tucked away the disappointment in her heart and comforted him, “Your Majesty, Sister Xuan will definitely give birth to the children smoothly.”

Fu Min touched her own belly. Why had she still not gotten pregnant? Why did Ao Tianze not want her to get pregnant?

Every time after serving him in bed, an older palace nanny would bring over a bowl of medicinal soup for her. Fu Min knew what it was, yet she still obediently drank it down. Now that she saw another consort pregnant and giving birth, the feelings in her heart were very complex.

The hardest thing to guess was the heart of an emperor.

Ao Tianze took a deep breath. Watching basin after basin of bloody water being carried out, he thought it would be best if both mother and children died.

There were only faint groans coming from inside. Was Consort Xuan failing to pull through?

Consort Xuan’s maiden family was quite powerful. A natural death like this would be for the best. The children would not be born, and the inner palace would have one less woman.

Ning Shu now occupied the midwife’s position. She lifted the quilt and checked on the progress of the delivery.

“Your Highness, you have a precious and noble body. Let this old servant handle it.”

Seeing Ning Shu occupy their spot and take over their job, one of the midwives could not help but speak up.

Ning Shu wiped away the blood with a cloth and tossed it into the bronze basin. Her hands were completely stained with blood.

The female physician continuously applied acupuncture needles to Consort Xuan.

Consort Xuan’s delivery was exceptionally difficult. Her pelvis was narrow, and she was having twins. It was practically costing her her life right now.

Consort Xuan looked as if she had been fished out of the water, and even Ning Shu was covered in sweat. Delivering these babies was akin to fighting a war. It was absolutely nerve-wracking.

After struggling with all her might, Consort Xuan delivered the first child. Xi’er quickly grabbed the previously prepared clothes and wrapped the baby up.

The child cried loudly. Ao Tianze, who was tanding guard outside the door, immediately darkened his face upon hearing the baby’s cries.

Xi’er held the baby. She didn’t let the midwives lay a single finger on it the entire time. Ning Shu did not trust the midwives.

After delivering one child, Consort Xuan fainted. The female physician pricked her philtrum with a needle. Consort Xuan faintly woke up. Her breath was already as weak as a gossamer thread. “I cannot do this.”

Consort Xuan’s face was incomparably pale now, and even her lips lacked the slightest bit of color.

Ning Shu said coldly, “The one born just now is a daughter. The boy is still in your belly. If you do not push hard, the child will die in your womb.”

Consort Xuan froze for a moment. She then clenched her teeth and mustered every last ounce of her strength.

If her son died in her womb, what hope would she have left?