Chapter 72 "Production".

Chapter 72: Little One==

The wind howled and the night was pitch black, but as the Empress gave birth, the wind gradually subsided, and the lamps in the Hall of Mental Cultivation were lit, as if the daylight had already begun.

Eunuch Zhou went to the Imperial Hospital to invite Imperial Physician Zhang. Upon hearing that the Empress was about to give birth, Imperial Physician Zhang rushed to the Emperor's palace with his medicine chest. The Empress's childbirth was a major event; his wealth and glory were at stake, along with the lives of the mother and the child. Imperial Physician Zhang was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead, but he told himself to stay calm.

The midwife, who had been arranged in advance, had already been invited into the hall. The maids were serving water and brewing ginseng soup. Taking advantage of a break, the midwife asked the servants to prepare a few more clean handkerchiefs. Then, the midwife walked up to Xiao Yu and carefully advised, "Your Majesty, we are enough here. Why don't you move to the side hall first?"

"Your Majesty, please go out first." The pain in her lower abdomen made Su Wanyue's head and eyes a little blurry. She gently nudged Xiao Yu and whispered.

"I'll stay here with you." Looking at his wife, whose eyes were brimming with tears and whose voice was weak and feeble, Xiao Yu held her hand with a somber expression, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The midwives exchanged glances, thinking that their emperor had just ascended the throne and this might break the rules. Just as they were about to persuade him again, the young emperor's cold gaze swept over them, and the midwives felt a chill run down their spines. They dared not say another word.

Fortunately, the servants brought ginseng soup. After drinking the soup, Su Wanyue regained some color in her face, unlike before when her face was deathly pale.

"Your Majesty, please don't be nervous. Save your strength. Your pulse is steady and the baby is in the correct position. You will definitely give birth to your child safely." Considering that this is the Empress's first childbirth, the midwife comforted her, saying that this was only the beginning.

Su Wanyue leaned against Xiao Yu's chest and nodded gently. Xiao Yu squeezed her soft fingers and comforted her softly.

The Empress's childbirth was a major event in the palace. Qin Ruofu quickly received the news and, holding onto her maid's hand, tried to get down, asking, "Why is she suddenly about to give birth? Has something happened to Wanwan?"

Her beautiful fox-like eyes slanted slightly upwards, revealing undisguised anxiety. Zhang Mama helped her change her clothes, draped a purple fox fur cloak over her shoulders, and said helplessly, "Your Majesty, you're confused. Didn't the imperial physician say a few days ago that Her Majesty the Empress should be going into labor in the next couple of days?"

Qin Ruofu suddenly remembered that the girl was already ten months pregnant. She rubbed her temples, realizing that concern had indeed clouded her judgment.

"Your Majesty, the palanquin is ready. Would Your Majesty like to proceed?" Qin Ruofu stopped after taking only a few steps and instructed the palace maid Pei'er, "By the way, take the token and go out of the palace to tell Prince Nan that Wanwan is about to give birth."

Su Wanyue's biological father, the Prince of Nan, had already moved to the capital. The child in Wanyue's belly was his grandson, and he was Wanyue's only relative in the capital of Nanqiong. He definitely had to tell him this.

"This servant will go right away." Pei'er stepped into the night and headed to the Prince of Nan's mansion on the south street of the capital.

"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager." Upon seeing Qin Ruofu's palanquin in the distance, the maid waiting outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation quickly bowed. Qin Ruofu flicked her sleeve and asked, "How is Wanwan?"

"The midwife said Her Majesty the Empress's baby is in a good position and she should be able to have a safe delivery," the maidservant quickly replied.

Qin Ruofu felt a little relieved. Wanwan was so good; Heaven must be protecting her. Just as she was about to go in, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "Is His Majesty inside?"

"His Majesty said he's inside with the Empress." The maid looked conflicted, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

After all, His Majesty's actions were against the rules, but Qin Ruofu didn't care about such things. These royal rules were set by emperors throughout history.

Qin Ruofu thought for a moment but still didn't go in. The servants brought her a stool and a cup of tea. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. There was only one concubine in the harem, so there was no need to worry about jealousy or rivalry. However, everyone was still very curious about whether the Empress had given birth to a princess or a prince.

As dawn approached, the eunuch Zhou sent word to the ministers that there was no need to attend court that day. At first, the ministers thought the emperor was unwell and were very worried. However, it turned out that the empress had given birth. Each minister had their own thoughts: if the empress gave birth to a prince, her position as empress would be unassailable; if she gave birth to a princess...

They originally thought that if the Empress gave birth to a princess, the ministers would definitely advise the Emperor to take concubines and eventually have a prince. However, they then thought that His Majesty did not need to win over the power of the aristocratic families. Even if the Empress gave birth to a princess, her position as Empress would remain as solid as a rock.

"Who can blame us for the Empress's good fortune?" The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment and left the palace.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the midwife exclaimed with delight, "Your Majesty, give it your all, you're about to give birth!"

Sure enough, the child in the Empress's belly was well-behaved and did not cause the Empress too much suffering.

Just as the maid was about to stuff a clean white handkerchief into the Empress's mouth, the young Emperor had already handed his arm to Su Wanyue to bite. Su Wanyue was covered in sweat, her black hair was soaked with sweat, and she didn't stand on ceremony with the man, opening her mouth and biting down. Xiao Yu didn't even frown, his slender fingertips brushed the sweat off her forehead and kissed her trembling eyelids.

Qin Ruofu sat outside the hall for nearly two hours, very anxious. Just as she was about to ask what was going on inside, a loud, powerful cry of a baby suddenly came from inside the hall.

"It's a baby! It's a baby! Her Majesty the Empress has given birth to a little princess. Mother and daughter are both safe and sound."

Qin Ruofu was overjoyed and stood up. Zhang Mama congratulated her, "Congratulations, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

Qin Ruofu smiled and said, "By my decree, everyone in the palace will be rewarded with three months' salary."

Everyone: "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

"Come on, quickly accompany me inside to see Wanwan." Qin Ruofu held Zhang Mama's hand, her tone light and cheerful.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty the Empress! It's a lovely little princess!" Inside the inner palace, the midwife presented the swaddled baby princess to the Emperor and Empress. Su Wanyue smiled gently, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling. "Quickly, let me see her."

The midwife carefully carried the crying little princess forward. The little princess was extraordinary; she was the emperor and empress's first child and carried the blood of two royal families. She was destined for unparalleled wealth and honor.

Su Wanyue had just given birth and was still weak. Xiao Yu took the baby girl from the midwife. The baby girl was just born and looked like a ball of cotton. Xiao Yu's movements were still a bit clumsy, and his arms were slightly stiff. The midwife quickly gave him instructions. Only then did Xiao Yu hold the baby girl for his wife to see. The newborn baby was still wrinkled and had round, bright eyes. Just now, she had been shouting loudly, but she stopped crying when Xiao Yu held her.

"It seems the little princess is quite fond of His Majesty and the Empress," the midwife said with a smile.

Su Wanyue smiled gently, her brows softening like never before. Seeing his wife smile, Xiao Yu also smiled warmly. Watching His Majesty and the Empress interact, the midwife finally understood that His Majesty liked the princess because she was his and the Empress's child.

Qin Ruofu entered at this moment. The hall had been cleaned and the air was fresh. She first asked the imperial physician about Su Wanyue's condition before going to see the baby. Xiao Yu asked the midwife to bring the baby to Qin Ruofu. Qin Ruofu's joy was overflowing. The newborn girl was small and soft, with big eyes that showed no signs of shyness. "I think the princess looks like Wanwan."

Su Wanyue's face was like a lotus emerging from the water, pure and beautiful. The little girl's big eyes and small face were just like Wanwan's. The midwife smiled and agreed, "This servant also thinks so. The little princess will definitely be a beauty in the future."

"Wanwan, you've worked hard." Consort Qin looked at the little princess in her arms with great affection, wanting to touch her little face but not daring to.

The little girl opened her big, round eyes, and after a while, she got tired and obediently closed them. The midwife hurriedly stepped forward, "Your Majesty, this servant will carry the princess to the side hall to sleep."

Qin Ruofu hadn't had enough of holding her, and upon hearing this, she reluctantly handed the little princess over to the midwife. The midwife carried the little princess away, and Su Wanyue's spirit was already on the verge of collapse. Xiao Yu helped his wife lie down, tucked her in, and said gently, "Sleep, I'll stay here and watch over you."

Seeing this, Xiao Ruofu did not linger. She simply instructed the servants to take good care of the Empress and the little princess. The servants, of course, dared not be careless, especially Imperial Physician Zhang.

When the Seventh Princess heard that Su Wanyue was about to give birth, she rushed from the Princess's residence to the palace early in the morning. When Qin Ruofu saw her, she told her not to go in, "Wanwan has given birth, it's a little princess."

"Really?" The Seventh Princess exclaimed with delight. Her brother and sister-in-law's daughter must be incredibly beautiful. The Seventh Princess couldn't wait to go inside and see her. "Then I'll go see my sister-in-law and the little princess."

"Your sister-in-law just gave birth and is resting. The little princess is also tired, so the midwife took her to the side hall to sleep. Xiao Qi, come over tomorrow," Qin Ruofu quickly stopped her, saying helplessly.

The Seventh Princess looked somewhat regretful. "Then I'll go back to the Princess's residence first to prepare a gift for the children. I'll come see you again later, sister-in-law."

Qin Ruofu smiled and said "okay". The Seventh Princess then escorted Qin Ruofu back to Cining Palace, because the Empress had given birth to a princess safely, and the whole palace was filled with joy.

This good news also reached the ears of the major noble families and the Prince of Nan. Upon hearing that his daughter had been safely delivered, the Prince of Nan said "good" three times, and was so happy that he wept. As for the major noble families, upon hearing that the Empress had given birth to a princess, they immediately thought that they should raise their young sons well, in case they could win the princess's favor in the future.

As for the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the emperor's sleeping quarters, no one dared to disturb him. However, Eunuch Zhou went in and asked, "Your Majesty, would you like the wound on your arm treated?"

Xiao Yu's expression was serious, and he deliberately lowered his voice, "It's alright."

Knowing that His Majesty did not want to disturb the Empress, Eunuch Zhou quietly withdrew, keeping his eyes down and his mind at ease. As the sun began to set and the moon began to rise, Su Wanyue woke up at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM). As soon as she woke up, Xiao Yu also woke up.