The court politics of Nanchu were thriving after the start of the year.
In March, when spring was warm and flowers blossomed, Su Rong found out she was pregnant.
Zhou Gu was completely stunned, staring at Su Rong’s flat belly, afraid to touch her, he asked softly, "Is it true?"
Su Rong nodded, finding his dazed and silly expression amusing. She reached out to pull him, but Zhou Gu immediately withdrew his hand, looking tense, "Don’t move."
Su Rong was speechless. She stood up, reached out to hug him tightly, feeling his body stiffen. She teased, "Fourth Young Master Zhou, you really lack courage, it’s just a pregnancy, not a big deal. I can walk and move, it doesn’t affect anything."
At her words, Zhou Gu felt like he was going to explode, "That’s not true."
He argued, "How can this not be a big deal?"
At that moment, in his heart, there was nothing bigger than this.
He carefully embraced Su Rong, "Don’t be naughty, this is a big deal. What you’re carrying in your stomach is our child."
Su Rong smiled, "Naturally, who else could it be if not ours?"
She tiptoed, wrapped her arms around Zhou Gu’s neck, and kissed him, "Congratulations, Fourth Young Master Zhou, you are going to be a father."
Zhou Gu immediately became overjoyed, his smile uncontrollable, his mouth wide open, sincerely replying, "Congratulations to you too, Miss Su Qi, you are going to be a mother."
Su Rong laughed out loud.
The Princess’s pregnancy was a significant event in Nanchu, not only was the Nanchu King incredibly happy, the Old Duke of Protectorate and Duke Cui were literally smiling ear to ear, and Xie Yuan was also very relieved. He looked at the young girl he had watched grow up; now she was to be a mother. She was luckier than her own mother; the fetus in her womb, not yet fully formed, had already received countless people’s joy and blessings and would be born among these joyful blessings.
With Doctor Zhang’s care and Su Rong’s own expertise in medicine, she did not find the pregnancy too challenging. On the contrary, the person who found it harder was Zhou Gu, who devoted most of his energy every day to Su Rong, strictly following the doctor’s orders, monitoring her diet and movements.
Then it was Grand Princess Shengan, the Lady of the Duke, and Eldest Lady Su, the three female elders, experienced themselves, all moved into the Royal Palace, fearing that the palace staff might not take good care of Su Rong.
Su Rong was under such tight supervision that after ten months of pregnancy, she gave birth to her first daughter with Zhou Gu.
On the day of delivery, Su Rong did not utter a sound inside, while Zhou Gu was sweating profusely outside, constantly asking Grand Princess Shengan, "Grandmother, don’t people usually scream during childbirth? Why haven’t I heard Xiaoqi scream?"
His body was drenched in sweat, including his palms.
Grand Princess Shengan took out a handkerchief to wipe the obvious sweat on his forehead, comforting him, "Your mother and your mother-in-law are both in the room, what are you anxious about? If there is any issue, they will call the doctor immediately. Xiaoqi not screaming probably means she hasn’t started yet, hasn’t reached severe pain."
Zhou Gu nodded but was still restless, "Grandmother, may I go in?"
"You better not go in, lest Xiaoqi sees you like this, and it becomes a burden for her." Grand Princess Shengan sighed, "Go look at yourself in the mirror; you are pale and it’s frightening. What if you scare her?"
Zhou Gu took a deep breath, holding Grand Princess Shengan’s hand tightly, "Grandmother, I’m scared."
"Don’t be afraid, nothing bad will happen, the doctor has said Xiaoqi’s baby is positioned well, and she has been well-nurtured during the pregnancy, it will surely go smoothly," Grand Princess Shengan reassured him, "Just wait patiently."
Zhou Gu could only calm down reluctantly, dismissing the thought of going in, indeed he could not scare Su Rong.
The Nanchu King was also very worried, but seeing Zhou Gu like this, he felt much calmer compared to that young man; he spoke to Xie Yuan, "When you were waiting for Xiaoqi to be born, were you also like Zhou Gu?"
Xie Yuan almost turned around and left. Tense-faced and expressionless, he said, "No."
In fact, when Zhenmin gave birth to Su Rong years ago, the spectacle had been much smaller than the crowd surrounding Su Rong now. It was just Su Xu, the Eldest Lady, and three other people, plus two midwives. Of course, a doctor from Huichun Hall had been summoned long before, but they dared not make too much noise or commotion, given that Seventh Aunt was only a minor concubine in the Governor’s Mansion of Jiangning County.
"Really, no? I don’t believe that. You’re probably not much better than Zhou Gu," said the Nanchu King.
Xie Yuan, disdaining him, said, "Would you shut up? Stop squawking."
The Nanchu King didn’t shut up. "Come on, let’s talk. I’m really quite nervous. After all, you have experience in keeping vigil here."
Xie Yuan ignored him.
The Nanchu King sighed, "Ah, Xie, you’re not adorable at all."
Xie Yuan pretended not to hear.
Inside the delivery room, the Lady of the Duke tenderly wiped Su Rong’s sweat, "Don’t be afraid. If it hurts, just scream. Don’t bear it silently."
Su Rong inhaled sharply, "I’m afraid if I scream, that nemesis outside will burst in, and seeing me like this might scare him to death."
The Lady of the Duke laughed amusedly, "He’s not that frail."
Su Rong shook her head, "He’s very timid."
The Lady of the Duke shook her head with a smile and fell silent.
The Eldest Lady glanced outside and laughed annoyed, "Just scream. Maybe he’s worried if you don’t? A few days ago, he stopped me and kept asking about the time I gave birth to your older brother, whether it was very pitiful? Whether it hurt terribly. He heard somewhere that giving birth is almost unbearably painful... He went pale after just a few words..."
Su Rong had never heard about that, but she didn’t feel the pain was that unbearable yet, "I can still bear it..."
The Lady of the Duke continued the conversation, "He has never seen childbirth from up close. In the earlier years, he always stayed in the Eastern Palace. When his older sister-in-law gave birth, no one informed him. By the time he returned to the residence, the baby was already born. He frowned in disdain at Zhou Rui. It was only after I told him that such comments could hurt his little nephew, even if he didn’t understand, that he quickly corrected himself and, still frowning, said it wasn’t ugly, that he had misjudged. Honestly, everyone knew what he truly felt, and it made his older brother nearly beat him up."
Su Rong laughed, which sent a sharp pain through her, making her gasp hard.
While speaking, the Lady of the Duke brought over some ginseng soup for Su Rong to drink, "It’s right to conserve your energy, but when the pain peaks later, just scream if you need to. Don’t worry about him. Who said being a father is easy? Everyone must go through this ordeal."
Su Rong swallowed the ginseng soup, nodding.
The Lady of the Duke further advised, "Don’t feel sorry for him. He’s a grown man. Right now, he’s just waiting outside, unscathed. How can that compare to your hardship?"
Su Rong nodded again.
The Eldest Lady, chuckling, said, "That’s not entirely fair to say. Over the past year, Zhou Gu has been drained, losing weight notably. The little flesh he managed to put on after the Great Wedding, he has lost again. I think he has had a harder time than Su Qi during her pregnancy."
The Lady of the Duke replied to her, "You still don’t need to feel sorry for him."
The Eldest Lady laughed, "Yes, yes. You don’t pity your son, so I pity my son-in-law. Are we even now?"
With that, both of them laughed together.
In such a lighthearted and humorous atmosphere, Su Rong relaxed completely and, before long, she went into labor.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
