Chapter 169 Ji Shu Gives Birth

Wei Heng felt uneasy. This meant that Ji Shu's status in the mansion was far more alarming than she had imagined, and she couldn't help but recall the scene she had witnessed in the Wei mansion last year.

Before, one could say she was an orphan living under someone else's roof, but now—

All she relied on was the favor of the Marquis of Yan. As long as that favor remained, she would be the undisputed mistress of Yanzhou in this mansion.

As for herself… she gave a bitter laugh. She was just an empty shell of a princess consort. Since the day of their marriage, her brother Xingjian had never set foot in Qingyun Residence again.

He spends his days either patrolling outside or handling military affairs in the barracks. No matter how much she tries to win his favor, she can't get even a second glance from him.

Fortunately, he never went to Yongning Lane again. Perhaps he had truly let go of it, or perhaps he dared not make any move because of the Marquis of Yan's imperial power.

In the half year since I married into the Marquis's family, my father and grandmother would often talk about it whenever I returned to the Wei family.

"While the young prince is still young and you are the only one in the harem, you should try to win him over and have an heir as soon as possible."

"Think about it, if your stepmother had given birth to a boy, the Marquis of Yan would be in the prime of his life. After this battle, it would only be a matter of time before he ascended the throne. You should make plans as soon as possible!"

With these thoughts in mind, Wei Heng secretly pinched her palm with her fingernails, then raised her hand to look at Ji Shu, who had a striking appearance, sitting in the chair.

He whispered to Yinzi, "Let the two wet nurses go back."

Yinzi replied with a "yes".

Having delivered the items, Wei Heng didn't want to stay a moment longer and immediately got up to say goodbye and leave.

After everyone left, Chunzhi sighed softly, "The Crown Princess seems much calmer than before."

Ji Shu picked up a lychee from the table, broke open the shell, and slowly put the glistening white flesh into her mouth.

"Zhi'er, you must always remember, a dog that bites doesn't bark." As he said this, he only glanced at Shutong indifferently, without any attempt to hide the fact that Shutong was beside him.

Shutong was sent by the old lady. Ji Shu usually didn't hide anything from her and asked, "Shutong, look, was this prepared by the old lady or by the Crown Princess?"

Shutong lowered her eyes, composed herself, stepped forward, and bowed, saying, "In my humble opinion, it would be better to disassemble all the chests and boxes for inspection, just in case."

Ji Shu nodded upon hearing this and instructed, "Do as you wish."

"yes."

After Wei Heng boarded the carriage, Yinzi noticed her mistress's extremely pale expression and cautiously said, "Princess Consort, this was originally a gift from the Old Madam. If we take it back like this, won't the Old Madam...?"

Before she could finish speaking, Wei Heng angrily swept the tea on the table to the ground. The porcelain clattered on the carriage floor, and Yinzi hurriedly knelt down.

After venting her anger, Wei Heng calmed down and said coldly, "Didn't you notice that the most capable servant of the old lady, Shu Tong, was assigned to her? The fact that she dared to speak like this today shows how much face she has in front of the old lady."

"But now, she is carrying the blood of the Marquis of Yan. If it is a boy, I'm afraid the world of Yanzhou will change."

"Then... does the young master know?"

Wei Heng's eyes held a chill: "Do you think he'd care?"

“Right now in Yanzhou, I don’t think there’s a safer place than Yongning Lane. Not only is Mother keeping a close eye on this place, but I’m afraid he is too.”

She chuckled softly, her eyes full of mockery: "Who would have thought that an orphan girl from Chongzhou would rise to this position in just one year?"

Yinzi lowered her eyes, wishing she could be deaf so she wouldn't know what she was saying.

Mid-August of the fourteenth year of Yongkang.

Ji Shu had just finished breakfast when she felt a warm current flowing down below her, and waves of contractions swept through her abdomen.

She paused for a moment, then quickly suppressed her panic and called out, "Chunzhi—"

Chunzhi had only been gone a moment when she heard the girl suppressing her pain and rushed over.

The lady braced herself against the edge of the table, cold sweat beading on her forehead: "Quick, call the midwife, my water has broken!"

Startled, Chunzhi was completely disoriented. Only when she heard the word "midwife" did she come to her senses and call out to Shutong. The two of them helped Ji Shu to the bed.

Chaos gradually broke out in the courtyard.

Upon hearing the news, Madam Pei rushed over from the Pei residence.

Inside the delivery room, basin after basin of bloody water was brought out. Smelling the pungent smell of blood, Madam Pei closed her eyes.

She kept chanting, "May the ancestors of the Pei family protect them and ensure the birth of Pei family offspring!"

Fortunately, Ji Shu had been moving around a lot in the months leading up to her delivery, and although the delivery was difficult, she managed to pull through.

After enduring excruciating pain all day, it wasn't until evening that Madam Pei heard a loud cry.

Ji Shu gave birth to a baby boy in August.

The midwife washed the baby clean, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and carried him out of the room. Madam Pei gently lifted a corner of the swaddling clothes.

Even though the child was just born with a wrinkled, red face, you could still tell that he had handsome features, especially his eyebrows and eyes, which looked just like Ji Shu's.

Overjoyed, she didn't know what to do. She carefully took the item and whispered, "Is the child's mother alright?"

Another midwife came out and said, "Reporting to the old lady, the mistress has exhausted her strength and is currently unconscious. She is fine."

Seeing that both adults and children were unharmed, Madam Pei was overjoyed: "Good, good, good! Everyone will be rewarded, and richly rewarded!"

As the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) was drawing to a close, Ji Shu slowly woke up.

The room was now free of the previous stench of blood, replaced by a familiar sweet fragrance. She turned her head and saw the tiny body in the cradle.

It seemed to be fast asleep, its eyes tightly closed, its peaceful appearance heartbreaking.

Her heart softened suddenly; this was the child she had given birth to with all her might. Her eyes welled up with tears.

After a while, Chunzhi came in to change the incense. Hearing the noise inside, she quickly walked in.

Seeing the lady prop herself up and sit up, her hands constantly teasing the young man's little hands, her eyes filled with tenderness that was almost overflowing with tears.

Chunzhi had never seen the lady like this before, and she involuntarily stopped in her tracks as she entered, her breathing slowing down.

When Ji Shu saw her come in, she composed herself and slowly leaned back against the pillow.

"Where is the old lady?" she asked, her voice still a little hoarse.

Chunzhi brought over a cup of hot tea, glanced at the young man subconsciously, and said, "The old lady went back an hour ago. She left only after seeing that you and the young man were both well."

Ji Shu took the water and drank it down in one gulp, noticing that Chunzhi's gaze remained fixed on him.

He then asked, "Did the old lady leave him here with me?"

Chunzhi nodded, leaned down to look at the boy, and suddenly her eyes crinkled: "Madam, look, the young master is blowing bubbles!"

It turned out that the baby had finished drinking milk, burped, and happened to blow a bubble.

Seemingly startled by Chunzhi, she burst into tears.

Neither of them had any experience in taking care of a child, and they were both at a loss. The wet nurse outside heard the commotion and rushed in to teach Ji Shu how to hold him and how to pat him gently.

Strangely enough, once the child was in Ji Shu's arms, he stopped crying and stared at his mother with wide eyes.