Chapter 360 Fetal Movement

Huo Lin's heart tightened at her anxious look. He strode over to her side, squatted down, and asked nervously, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Huan took his hand and gently placed it on her slightly protruding belly, her voice excited: "Our baby is quite active; he just kicked me."

Huo Lin placed his palm on Jiang Huan's soft lower abdomen. At first, he felt only a sense of calm. He looked at her with a questioning look in his eyes.

Just then, he clearly felt a very slight pushing sensation under his palm, as if something inside was gently kicking him.

Huo Lin was jolted, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"It...it moved..." His voice was terribly hoarse as he looked up at Jiang Huan, extremely excited, "It really moved! I felt it!"

[As expected of my child, even his kicks are powerful!]

Looking at his silly expression, Jiang Huan nodded vigorously and smiled brightly: "Yes, he greeted you."

The two of them, one squatting and the other sitting, quietly savored the wonderful joy brought by this new life, and the hall was filled with a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

Since the first fetal movement, Huo Lin has become even more attentive to Jiang Huan, to the point of being extremely suspicious of everything, even the smallest detail.

The frequency of the imperial physicians taking the patient's pulse was changed from once every five days to once every three days.

That day, the imperial physician came to take her pulse as usual. He carefully placed a silk handkerchief under Jiang Huan's wrist, placed three fingers on her wrist, closed his eyes, and focused his mind to examine her pulse carefully.

Huo Lin sat to the side, his nerves taut as he stared intently at the imperial physician's expression.

The imperial physician examined the patient for a long time, his brows furrowing slightly before relaxing, his fingertips adjusting their position slightly, and he remained silent in contemplation.

Seeing his reaction, Huo Lin's heart leaped into his throat, and he couldn't help but ask, "How are you? Is something wrong?"

The imperial physician opened his eyes, withdrew his hand, but his face showed no worry; instead, it held a hint of a smile.

He stood up and cupped his hands in greeting to Huo Lin and Jiang Huan: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, congratulations, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is in good health, and the imperial fetus is strong and vigorous, but..."

He paused, seemingly considering his words.

Upon hearing just two words, Huo Lin turned pale and abruptly stood up: "Just what? Could it be that the pregnancy is unstable?"

The imperial physician hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please do not worry. The pregnancy is not unstable. After repeated examinations, I found that Her Majesty's pulse is smooth and clear. According to ancient records and my decades of medical experience, this is not a sign of a single pregnancy."

Huo Lin was stunned: "Not a single birth? You mean..."

The imperial physician's smile deepened, and his tone became more certain: "Your Majesty, this old minister is 80% certain that the Empress is carrying twins or multiple babies."

"Multiple pregnancies?" Huo Lin repeated in disbelief, the color draining from his face instantly, his brain buzzing as if struck by a heavy hammer.

Multiple births? How could it be multiple births?!

[Don't medical books say that multiple pregnancies are extremely dangerous? How can her body withstand it?]

He swayed slightly, grabbing onto a nearby table to steady himself, his eyes filled with unprecedented panic as he looked at Jiang Huan.

Jiang Huan was also taken aback by the news, but then she was filled with curiosity and joy.

Twins? Or more? Oh my god!

She instinctively touched her lower abdomen, her heart filled with anticipation.

But when she looked up and saw Huo Lin's miserable appearance as if the sky had fallen, and heard the chaotic fear in his heart, she couldn't help but laugh and cry.

What are you thinking? Having multiple pregnancies is tough, but it's not that scary.

Look how scared he is.

Seeing that the emperor's complexion was not right, the imperial physician quickly comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty need not worry too much. The Empress's health is excellent, and the pregnancy is stable. It seems that everything is fine now. This old minister will carefully prepare a prescription for the Empress to stabilize the pregnancy and nourish her body. I will do my best to ensure the safety of the Empress and the imperial heir."

Huo Lin took several deep breaths to barely suppress the turmoil in his heart, waved his hand, and his voice was still a little weak.

"I understand. I trouble the imperial physicians to ensure that the Imperial Noble Consort is safe and sound."

The imperial physician accepted the order, carefully gave further instructions, and then bowed and withdrew.

For the rest of the day, Huo Lin was in a state of absent-mindedness.

He frequently lost focus while handling government affairs, and when reviewing memorials, his pen would hover in mid-air for a long time without falling. He would look up at Jiang Huan from time to time to make sure she was still sitting there safely, his eyes filled with deep worry.

Finally, when all was quiet at night, Jiang Huan was already fast asleep.

Huo Lin opened his eyes, looking at the peaceful sleeping face of the person in his arms. He gently placed his palm on her lower abdomen, feeling the multiple little lives growing there. He was filled with mixed feelings and worries.

He drifted off to sleep after an unknown amount of time.

However, in his sleep, he fell into a cold and desperate abyss.

That was a world without Jiang Huan. He sat alone on the dragon throne, reviewing endless memorials, his heart heavy as if weighed down by a boulder, making it hard to breathe.

He saw himself vomiting black blood, saw the imperial physicians shaking their heads helplessly, saw undercurrents surging in the court, and saw war reigniting on the border.

He struggled, but to no avail. In the end, amidst loneliness and pain, his consciousness sank into boundless darkness.

"Jiang Huan!"

Huo Lin was jolted awake from his nightmare, sitting up abruptly with cold sweat on his forehead.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Jiang Huan was awakened by his movement and rubbed her eyes groggily.

Huo Lin turned around, and by the moonlight, he saw Jiang Huan clearly. He pulled her into his arms with such force that it was as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.

Jiang Huan was choked so tightly by him that she could hardly breathe and became fully awake.

Feeling Huo Lin's rapid heartbeat and slight trembling, she asked in surprise, "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Huo Lin buried his face in the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling her warm and fragrant scent, his voice hoarse, tinged with the sobs of someone who had survived a calamity.

"Hmm... I dreamt... I dreamt you were gone... I also..."

He didn't continue, but the loneliness and pain in the dream were so real that they left him with lingering fear.

Thankfully... thankfully she was there.

She is not a source of trouble; she is my salvation.

Without her, I fear I would truly die alone, just as I did in my dream.

Jiang Huan felt a sharp pain from his embrace, yet she could clearly sense his fear and dependence.

She gently patted Huo Lin's back, her voice tender: "Silly you, dreams are always the opposite of reality. Aren't I right here? I'm not going anywhere, I'm just here with you and our baby."

Huo Lin held her for a long time before slowly loosening his grip, but his arms remained wrapped around her, unwilling to let go.

He gazed at her blurry silhouette in the darkness, a surge of joy welling up inside him as he felt a sense of relief at having regained what he had lost.

“Jiang Huan,” he called her softly, his voice extremely solemn, “you are my lucky star, a treasure bestowed upon me by heaven.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huan smiled silently in the darkness, feeling a sweet warmth mixed with a touch of smugness.

Of course, that's for sure.

Without her as a plot hole, Huo Lin might have really followed the original storyline.

However, we can't open the champagne halfway through; we should wait until everything settles down before talking to him.

Jiang Huan leaned in and gently kissed his slightly cool lips.

"Good to know, so you have to treat me well and treat our little ones well, or I'll take them and run away."

Huo Lin chuckled softly at her words, and the gloom and fear in his heart were finally dispelled a little.

He tightened his arms around her, his chin gently brushing against the top of her head, his voice regaining its usual composure.

"Yes, I will take good care of you and the baby. No one will be allowed to hurt you, and I will never allow anyone or anything to take you away from me."