Chapter 182 Child's Ownership

"ah--"

Mei Qiyue was startled by Cao Qinmo's shrill scream as soon as she stepped into the courtyard. Seeing that the courtyard was already full of people, she glanced at Consort Duan, Qi Yuebin, who had arrived early, paused, composed herself, and then stepped forward.

"This humble concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress."

"Get up."

"Thank you, Your Highness. Consort Yuan is in her late pregnancy and has difficulty moving around. She has asked me to apologize to Your Highness on her behalf."

"It's alright, the priority should be the imperial heir."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Mei Qiyue bowed respectfully, then silently stood among the concubines, her eyes lowered, showing no intention of meeting Duanfei's gaze. She naturally didn't notice the glances from the others shifting between her and Qi Yuebin.

Apart from Cao Qinmo's painful cries of childbirth, there was no other sound in the courtyard. Mei Qiyue kept her head down, her expression indifferent, but in reality, her nails were digging into her flesh. She was filled with anxiety. Would she really die in childbirth before leaving home? Would Consort Duan really go to such lengths?

Mei Qiyue didn't know if it was true or not, but she still felt uncomfortable. She had always wished that Hongyun only had her as his birth mother. But now that Qi Yuebin wanted to give up, she felt a pang of sadness.

She wasn't unaware of Qi Yuebin's kindness towards her and Hongyun, but people always want more. Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, she dared not look up, dared not show her vulnerability. She had never understood herself so clearly before, never realized that she was someone who wanted so much…

Qi Yuebin glanced lightly at Mei Qiyue, who was feigning composure, and said nothing more. He paid no heed to the stares of others, staring openly at the delivery room door, his thoughts already drifting back to the night the Emperor summoned him…

She wasn't a talkative person, and when she was with the Emperor, even if they didn't talk much, the atmosphere was warm and relaxed. But when news spread in the palace that she wanted to adopt Cao Qinmo's child, on the night the Emperor came, even though his attitude hadn't changed much, she still felt somewhat uneasy.

"Yuebin..."

"emperor."

“You’re daydreaming again,” Yinzhen put down the chess piece in his hand and looked at Qi Yuebin, who seemed lost in thought. “Is there anything you want to say?”

Qi Yuebin lowered her eyes to look at the scattered chessboard, remained silent for a moment, and suddenly asked Yinzhen a question: "Your Majesty knows, right? That's why you asked me to raise Hongyun back then."

It was a strange and vague question, but both of them knew the answer. Looking at Qi Yuebin's trembling eyelashes, Yinzhen slowly said, "Yes, I understand."

Upon hearing this affirmative answer, Qi Yuebin seemed to be both crying and laughing, trembling as she touched her flat stomach: "So what is Hongyun? Is he compensation?"

"I only hope to provide you with some security for the future."

"Your Majesty, but I want a child of my own." Qi Yuebin looked up and met Yinzhen's gaze without fear, emphasizing the word "my own."

"Isn't Hongyun good?" Yinzhen's attitude remained unchanged, but he asked again.

“Hongyun is very good. How could a child raised with all my heart and soul not be good?” When Hongyun was mentioned, Qi Yuebin couldn’t help but show a loving smile, but it quickly disappeared: “Your Majesty, but Hongyun is too good, yet he is not just my child.”

Qi Yuebin took a deep breath: "Your Majesty, all I want is a child of my own."

Qi Yuebin repeated the same words a second time, and Yinzhen said nothing. The next day, when Qi Yuebin heard that the Emperor had taken Hongyun under his wing to teach him, she knew that the Emperor had agreed.

Qi Yuebin was pulled back to reality by Cao Qinmo's scream. She remained silent, not caring about Cao Qinmo's life or death, only hoping that the child in her womb would be safe. This was the child she had given up all her affection for the Emperor and endured her own suffering to have; she could not allow anything to go wrong with it.

Cao Qinmo was confined to her quarters for many days due to her plot to harm Consort Hui, living in constant fear and anxiety, which made her labor difficult. Later, she had long since lost her strength, and it was only through the midwife's hurried report that she received a prepared ginseng slice from a palace maid outside, which she was given to hold in her mouth, allowing her to barely persevere.

As she watched the palace maid promptly deliver the ginseng slices, Mei Qiyue overheard Consort Fucha and Consort Qiu whispering behind her.

"Consort Duan must really care about Consort Cao's pregnancy, she even prepared ginseng slices for her early on."

"Of course! Consort Duan was already there when I arrived. She lives much further away than me. If she didn't care, would she have come so early?"

Mei Qiyue felt a chill run through her body. Only now, at this moment, did she realize she couldn't accept it. She couldn't accept that Qi Yuebin had given up on Hongyun so easily. How heartbroken Hongyun must be! She wanted to shout at Qi Yuebin, but knew she had no right to. The emptiness and unease in her heart solidified her resolve to seek refuge with someone else.

If the adoptive mother can't be relied on, then for Hongyun's sake, let's find him a new path!

"Wow--"

The faint cry of a newborn baby drifted out of the delivery room. Qi Yuebin unconsciously took two steps forward, staring intently at the delivery room door.

Soon, a nanny carefully carried the swaddled baby out and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Cao has given birth to a little princess."

"How is the little princess's health?"

Yixiu approached, glanced at the baby in the swaddling clothes, and asked softly.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, Consort Cao is doing very well during her pregnancy, and the little princess is in good health."

"That's good, someone come and give the reward..."

Before Yixiu could finish speaking of her reward, a cry of alarm suddenly came from the delivery room: "Oh no! Consort Cao has suffered a postpartum hemorrhage—"

Amidst the chaos of war, Yixiu sent the imperial physicians to treat the patient, but to no avail.

Cao Qinmo lay on the bed, her face deathly pale, feeling her body grow colder and colder. She knew she had reached the end. She turned her head slightly and pleaded in a weak voice, "Your Majesty... let this concubine... see the child..."

Yi Xiu sighed and turned to look at Qi Yuebin, who had already entered the delivery room and was holding the baby in his arms.

Qi Yuebin said nothing, but stepped forward with the child in his arms. Meeting Cao Qinmo's pleading eyes, he gently placed the swaddled baby beside her: "Take a look."

Cao Qinmo forced a grateful smile, turned her head, stared at the tender and vulnerable face of the child, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably: "My daughter..."

At this moment, gazing at her daughter's face, Cao Qinmo felt only endless regret and longing. She regretted that her momentary greed had led her astray, dragging her into this quagmire from which she couldn't escape. She regretted not having the chance to watch her daughter grow up, regretted becoming a stain on her daughter's reputation…

Just as Qi Yuebin had commented, Cao Qinmo was intelligent. Even on her deathbed, seeing Qi Yuebin holding the child, she understood everything. Her reluctant gaze shifted from her daughter to Qi Yuebin: "Please, Your Majesty... treat her well... she is... your daughter from now on..."

“You’re right, she is my daughter.”

Hearing Qi Yuebin's readily admit it, Cao Qinmo felt a pang of pain in her heart, but a relieved and grateful smile appeared on her face. She left behind her last words in this world: "How wonderful...she is...your daughter..."