Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C100

From the moment the eight month arrived, the Prince Wei's mansion entered a period of intense anticipation.

The birthing room, the delivery grannies, and even the imperial physicians who might be needed were all prepared. Everything was ready, awaiting only Mei Wushuang's labor.

Prince Wei's consistently meticulous nature, this time, placed a great deal of pressure on Wushuang. The more detailed his preparations, the more anxious she became. After all, this was her first childbirth in two lifetimes, and as the due date approached, her body grew increasingly cumbersome.

Swollen legs and feet, frequent nightly awakenings, aching back and waist, numb and distended legs – these discomforts, which had previously eluded her, all descended upon her after the eighth month.

She had progressed from being too embarrassed to ask him to help her up at night to use the chamber pot, to now being quite comfortable with him carrying her. When she wasn't gaining weight before, she was worried, but now that she was swollen, she felt she had become ugly.

Her tears also flowed more freely, she felt like crying at the slightest thing.

Song You said that all of this was normal, that pregnant women were like this. If the imperial physicians hadn't also said that pregnant women experienced emotional fluctuations, Wushuang would have truly suspected whether Song You was proficient in the art of healing with incantations, or if he was actually a gynecological sage.

As it turned out, Song You knew more than she imagined.

On the fifteenth of the eight month, a banquet was held in the palace.

On such a joyous occasion, naturally, princes, dukes, ministers, imperial concubines, and noble ladies gathered.

Prince Wei had to attend, so Wushuang was excused.

As he was about to leave, seeing her reluctantly tugging at his sleeve, Prince Wei promised to return as soon as the banquet was over. Ji Yang, in his heart, spouted a bunch of nonsense, such as why not just not go, that she couldn't sleep without him by her side, and so on. This annoyed Prince Wei to no end, and his expression became even colder.

As fate would have it, not long after Prince Wei left, Wushuang went into labor.

Because everything was prepared, even the imperial physician specializing in gynecology sent by Emperor Taihe, and a female medical officer attached to the Imperial Hospital, were stationed permanently at the Prince Wei's mansion, Granny Gong and the others were not flustered.

As soon as the message was sent, Fusheng arrived, personally taking charge at the Xiangluan Courtyard.

While sending word to the palace, various orders were issued, and Wushuang was helped to the birthing room.

Wushuang was truly panicked. Her abdomen contracted with pain, each wave more intense than the last. The delivery granny, showing no consideration for her, instructed Linglong and the others to help her walk around the room.

She knew that the delivery granny was doing this for her own good. Her baby was in the correct position, and long before the labor began, the delivery granny had explained the birthing process to her, such as how to open the birth canal as quickly as possible, how to conserve energy and exert force during the pain, and so on.

But knowing didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"The Princess Consort's baby is small, but the baby is vigorous and healthy, which is excellent, and the birth will be quick. Princess Consort, just think, would you rather endure the pain for several days, or would you rather endure the pain for a short while and give birth to the child? This suffering cannot be avoided. The sooner the baby is born, the sooner you will be at ease, and once the child is born, you can truly rest properly."

To avoid enduring days of labor pains, Mei Wushuang was truly exerting herself. Though drenched in sweat from the pain, she gritted her teeth and persevered.

When the pain became unbearable, she sought out Prince Wei/Ji Yang.

"Why has Your Highness not returned yet? Has he been detained in the palace?"

Granny Gong, at her side, lectured her on the numerous palace rules, explaining how the Mid-Autumn banquets were arranged, including not only feasting but also moon-viewing and composing poetry.

Upon hearing that he was living so well, Wushuang felt a surge of resentment in her heart.

Granny Gong coaxed her, saying that once the Princess Consort gave birth, there would be several more banquets in the palace that she could attend. In truth, Wushuang did not care for those banquets, she simply felt a sense of injustice.

Little did she know that the messenger from Prince Wei's mansion, sent to deliver the news to the palace, had already arrived, but Prince Wei was being held back by a group of ministers who were urging him to drink, preventing him from delivering the message.

Emperor Taihe's recent efforts to build momentum for Prince Wei were not in vain. With His Majesty's intentions so clear, the ministers below naturally harbored varied thoughts.

The unwavering loyalty of those surrounding the princes was a given; those were unbreakable bonds. Other ministers who remained neutral, or who had already leaned towards a side but were not deeply involved, could not help but entertain other considerations.

Emperor Taihe had not yet named an heir apparent. Aside from his own reluctance, the biggest reason was the unclear distinction between the legitimate and eldest son. Without a legitimate son, the eldest son would suffice, but discerning the eldest son was difficult, with too many disputes to be fought.

Prince Qin believed that with the demise of the First Prince, he was the eldest son, but Prince Jin felt that although he had only returned to the palace halfway through life, he was the eldest in terms of age.

Now, Emperor Taihe wished to bypass the first two and bestow the title upon the Third Prince. For those ministers who did not lean towards any side, did not value personal gain, and were solely devoted to the state, the fact that His Majesty could settle on an heir apparent, averting years of contention for the throne, was already cause for celebration.

Of course, there were also those who valued the merit of supporting the winning side, so a crowd gathered around Prince Wei. In less than a year, he had garnered the support of over sixty percent of the court officials, a result that greatly alarmed Chancellor Wu and Minister Fang.

Thus, the old ginger was spicier. Seemingly, since Prince Wei's return to the capital, Emperor Taihe had remained inconspicuous, but in reality, his covert arrangements were numerous, the kind that subtly led everyone by the nose.

But Prince Qin and the others had already left the capital. Even if they understood this now, it was too late to salvage the situation. They could only repeatedly send letters urging the princes to return quickly, but since the assignments that had sent the princes out of the capital were designed to do just that, how could they be easily completed and returned? The assignments appeared straightforward at first glance, but in reality, they were intricate and complex. In short, they would not be returning anytime soon.

And Chancellor Wu and his ilk could only watch helplessly as Prince Wei's prominence grew day by day.

Finally, when Prince Wei had a moment of respite, Fusheng quickly whispered the newly received news into his ear.

Prince Wei immediately stood up.

His action drew the attention of many.

"What is the matter, Your Highness Prince Wei?" someone asked.

Emperor Taihe, who sat in the most prominent position, also turned his gaze over.

Prince Wei bowed respectfully and said, "Father Emperor, news has arrived from the Prince's mansion, saying that this Prince's Princess Consort has suddenly taken ill. This Prince is somewhat worried and wishes to leave the palace and return to the mansion."

His words did not provoke any dissent. After all, everyone within and outside the court knew that Prince Wei's Princess Consort was nearing her delivery. Even Prince Wei's request to leave the banquet and return to his mansion did not invite criticism, as everyone knew that Prince Wei was no longer young, yet he had been preoccupied with military affairs in his early years and had not yet had any children.

In truth, some people had been hesitant about whether to side with Prince Wei, and a large part of their consideration was Prince Wei's lack of an heir. The people of Great Liang had always valued descendants. Why was it said to "establish a family and start a career," with "establishing a family" placed before "starting a career"? It was precisely for the sake of descendants. If this time the Princess Consort of Prince Wei could give birth to a son, although it would not dominate the overall situation, it would generally be a good sign, and presumably more people would come to his side.

"You may return," Emperor Taihe said.

Prince Wei immediately left his seat. The banquet continued, but he was not the only one whose thoughts were in turmoil.

In the past, when there were banquets in the palace, if there was no Empress, the Four Consorts would preside.

This time, however, it was the Empress Dowager who made an appearance.

Previously, the Empress Dowager had acted with thunderous force to rectify palace discipline. This matter had gradually become known to the various families in the capital. Many people guessed that something might have happened in the palace. As for what exactly had happened, only a few knew, but they were tight-lipped and dared not casually speak of it to the outside world.

In short, the Empress Dowager's actions had given the atmosphere of the inner palace a new look, and the palace servants were rarely seen with the laziness and chaos of the past.

Of course, this was only on the surface. In reality, quite a few insignificant figures had been secretly purged. It was only because so many people had been purged that people could not guess or understand who the Empress Dowager was targeting, or whether they themselves had been exposed.

For a time, everyone felt insecure, and the lower-ranking concubines were much more well-behaved, especially the Four Consorts, who were particularly obedient.

After sitting at the banquet for a while, the Empress Dowager returned to Cining Palace.

As soon as she returned, she heard about the Princess Consort of Prince Wei going into labor, which reminded the Empress Dowager of the incident during the New Year, as well as a doubt that had been lingering in her heart these days.

"In the past half year, this old one has rectified palace discipline and also uncovered quite a few discords. Many palace concubines' people have fallen as a result, but I always feel that something is still missing."

This question was not the first time the Empress Dowager had raised it. According to her initial assumption, the people who would deal with the Princess Consort of Prince Wei in that way and be able to extend their reach to Cining Palace were no more than a few, among whom the Four Consorts with sons were the most suspicious.

This mainly referred to Noble Consort Sun, Worthy Consort Wu, and Virtuous Consort Li. Pure Consort Zhou was known to be a fool, so she was not included.

Therefore, when the Empress Dowager said she was rectifying palace discipline, it was actually implicitly targeted, and as a result, these three consorts suffered the greatest losses. However, after investigating again and again, as time gradually passed, the Empress Dowager's feeling that 'the person who might have taken action is not these three' grew stronger day by day. There was no corroborating evidence; it was mainly just intuition.

But intuition was something that those who did not believe in it scoffed at, while those who believed in it believed in it very much. Coincidentally, the Empress Dowager was one of those who believed in it. Her intuition had helped her a lot in the past, so she had always harbored doubts in her heart.

Sulan said, "Empress Dowager, it is because you have been overworked and overthinking these days. In fact, the matter has already passed, and you have already given the attitude you should have given. There is really no need to be so..."

The remaining words were left unsaid, but the Empress Dowager understood the meaning. She smiled and shook her head, saying, "You don't understand. As long as one sits in the position of Empress Dowager, some things can be avoided, but others cannot."

She was not the Emperor's birth mother, yet she held the high position of Empress Dowager, receiving the support of all under Heaven.

What did she rely on? The affection from helping the Emperor in his early years? But affection fades, and affection also needs to be maintained. She had ignored all matters these past years because of the Emperor, and now she had returned to the fore, also because of the Emperor.

"Ah, now I only hope that Commandery Princess Minghui can marry peacefully. Once the Emperor has completed what he needs to do, and the harem welcomes its mistress, this old one can abdicate and yield to someone more capable."

Sulan said, "Duke Yansheng's family has been a prominent clan for generations. Although the Commandery Princess is betrothed only to a descendant of a collateral line, with the blessings of their ancestors, she should have a lifetime of stability."

"It's just that it's a bit far away," the Empress Dowager lamented.

"It is precisely because it is far that it is good. However, Shandong is not too far from the capital. If the Empress Dowager misses the Commandery Princess, she can summon the Commandery Princess back to the capital to continue their family bond. If the Commandery Princess then brings her children, wouldn't that be even more wonderful?" Sulan comforted.

The Empress Dowager patted her hand and said, "You're right! Farther is better. Only farther away can protect her from leaving this vortex."

At this moment, a palace maid came to report that Consort Dowager Hu had arrived.

The Empress Dowager told her to come in.

Before long, Consort Dowager Hu, wearing a stone-blue, high-collared long vest with a pattern of clustered flowers, entered. Her hair was streaked with white, and she was very thin. Although her face had many wrinkles, her skin was fair and delicate, but her appearance was somewhat bitter.

When the Empress Dowager saw her, she revealed a hint of a smile.

"Why have you come?"

Consort Dowager Hu said with a smile, "Thanks to you sending over mooncakes. I thought you wouldn't be resting so soon, so I came to thank you."

"Thank me for what? Among the old-timers from back then, only you and I remain. I said I would take you to join in the fun, but you refused. Now that I've returned from the lively scene, you've come. It seems you don't dislike liveliness, but are simply being distant with me."

"A new emperor brings a new court, a new Emperor brings new palace concubines. You are the Empress Dowager, the Emperor's mother, different from those of us who are just muddling through, waiting for death. Your presence brings joy, while mine brings misfortune. It has been so many years since I last showed my face in public, why bother going out to invite dislike? People would only ask who this old woman is."

Although Consort Dowager Hu spoke in a teasing tone, her words were not without truth.

The so-called Consorts Dowager and Concubines Dowager were originally the late Emperor's widows. Those without children or titles had gone to guard the late Emperor's mausoleum. Only those who had given birth to children could remain in the palace to enjoy their later years. If the new Emperor was benevolent, those with sons would leave the palace to live with their sons. Those whose sons had died or who had only given birth to princesses mostly lived in Shoukang Palace, adjacent to Cining Palace.

Over so many years, the late Emperor's widows were only the Empress Dowager and Consort Dowager Hu. The two had a good relationship when they were young, and now that they were old, their friendship was naturally extraordinary. However, Consort Dowager Hu had always been cautious and never caused trouble for the Empress Dowager.

The two spoke for a while, and then Consort Dowager Hu returned to her residence.

After she left, the Empress Dowager sighed, "She is also a pitiful person."

Consort Dowager Hu had once been a woman with a son, but unfortunately, Prince An died too early. After Prince An's death, Consort Dowager Hu naturally had no choice but to remain in the palace, and she had stayed for so many years.

The Empress Dowager sighed for a while, then said, "As one gets older, one tends to lament the past. Very well, go and rest. I hope to hear good news from the Prince Wei's mansion tomorrow morning."

At this moment, in the Prince Wei's mansion, Xiangluan Courtyard was the focus of everyone's attention.

Not only the servants led by Fulai, but also the officials, advisors, and even the guards of the Prince's mansion were probably all awake. Prince Wei had also returned, and after returning, he sat motionless outside the delivery room.

"Why is there not a single sound from within?" Prince Wei asked, rapidly turning the thumb ring on his finger.

Earlier, when he had just returned, he could still hear her cries from inside, but now everything had gone silent. This silence was particularly unsettling.

How could Fulai dare to say that before Your Highness returned, the Princess Consort had been crying vigorously inside, and it was said that she had even cursed Your Highness a couple of times? As soon as Your Highness returned, she knew and immediately fell silent.

"Perhaps the Princess Consort is afraid that Your Highness is worried?" Fulai said tactfully.

[Should I go in and take a look?]

[You stay seated for me! The reason she doesn't dare to make a sound is because she's afraid you won't be able to handle it and act rashly.]

"At a time like this, what is there to fear about worrying or not worrying? Let her cry if she wants to cry, don't hold it in!" Ji Yang said.

Seeing him say this, Fusheng and Fulai were both greatly embarrassed, but seeing that His Highness looked serious, they quickly sent one of them back inside to relay the message.

Prince Wei could sit still, but Ji Yang could not.

He began to pace back and forth in the room, thinking of many ways to slip in unnoticed, but unfortunately, there was someone inside threatening him, saying that this was a crucial moment and telling him not to go in and cause trouble.

Wushuang inside was also anxious. The main reason she didn't dare to cry out was that she was afraid Ji Yang would be agitated.

Originally, she had been unwilling to hold the soft wood, but now she was biting down on it, covered in sweat, but the child still hadn't come out.

"I can already see the hair, and it's so thick! Princess Consort, give it another push! Someone, give the Princess Consort a sip of ginseng soup. After drinking the ginseng soup, this old woman will tell the Princess Consort to exert strength. The Princess Consort should exert force, following the force of the pain, and I guarantee the child will be out in a few pushes."

Meifang stepped forward to remove the soft wood from Wushuang's mouth. She took several breaths, then quickly drank a few sips of ginseng soup and put the soft wood back in her mouth.

"Come, this old woman will tell the Princess Consort to exert strength, and the Princess Consort should exert strength! Come, come, come, exert strength... exert more strength... he's coming out, he's coming out, give it one last push…"

Some ten-odd times it went on like this, and just as Mei Wushuang, holding her breath, felt her strength about to give way, a loud cry of an infant rang out.

"She's given birth, she's given birth! It's a little imperial grandson!"