Everything they ate, wore, and used was of the highest quality, except that they could not leave the palace or return to their residences.

Xie Zhaozhao initially hoped that Empress Xie would come and discuss leaving the palace with her, but later she stopped mentioning it.

After meeting Xie Anfeng, Empress Xie arrived at Wenhui Hall and saw Xie Zhaozhao pacing back and forth in the courtyard. She said with concern, "You are pregnant, why are you pacing back and forth here?"

Xie Zhaozhao said gently, "The baby is about to be born. Aunt Chai and Uncle Chai said that walking around more will speed up the delivery."

"I heard that Yu'er's wife had a difficult twin birth, and it was your family physician who delivered the babies?"

"Well, the Xie family's physician and female physicians had no experience in delivering twins, so they asked Aunt Chai for help."

"There are many skilled gynecologists in the imperial physicians, so you can rest assured," Empress Xie said. "When you give birth, Gu Laosan will definitely not be able to come back. Whether he is here or not, I will not allow anything to happen to you."

Xie Zhaozhao smiled and bowed to Empress Xie: "This humble woman thanks Your Majesty the Empress."

Empress Xie sat for a while, then asked the imperial physician to take Xie Zhaozhao's pulse. The physician said that Xie Zhaozhao's delivery would be in the next few days.

Empress Xie arranged for four more palace maids to serve here, and all the female physicians were in place.

Xie Zhaozhao did not object to any of her arrangements. She simply led Yuanyuan and Lu Feiyan, walking step by step through the Xingning Palace in Sifang.

She counted every brick in the entire Xingning Palace and walked along the paths countless times.

They even counted the flowers and plants in the palace dozens of times.

Finally, on August 29th, she began to experience abdominal pain.

The entire Xingning Palace was immediately filled with imperial physicians, female doctors, and palace maids, with Empress Xie personally overseeing the situation, as physicians and palace maids came and went.

Xie Zhaozhao bit her lip in pain, but she still insisted on walking around before giving birth.

Empress Xie was even more nervous and flustered than she was, holding a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, her eyes closed as she kept turning them.

Yuanyuan and Lu Feiyan stayed by Xie Zhaozhao's side the whole time. Xie Zhaozhao said to Lu Feiyan, "It will probably be a while before the baby is born. You and Yuanyuan should take turns resting."

A female doctor named Su Xiao also laughed and said, "Yes, some people are in labor for three days before giving birth!"

Lu Feiyan obediently went to the small room next door to lie down and sleep.

As soon as she entered, she saw a "Lu Feiyan" who looked and dressed almost identically to her already waiting.

Lu Feiyan quickly changed into her palace maid attire, carrying a basin, and followed Su Xiao out of Wenhui Palace with her head down.