Chapter 312: Pregnancy and Double Happiness
The petals of the crabapple trees in the east courtyard of Prince Rong's mansion curled slightly in the afternoon sun, casting a pink and white velvet blanket across the bluestone slabs. Little Swallow reclined on a cushioned rattan chair, covered by a moon-white blanket embroidered with orchids, her hand resting lightly on her swelled belly. She wore a lilac-colored satin cheongsam, the collar loosely tied, revealing a small sliver of her smooth neck. Fine beads of sweat beaded her forehead—the heaviness of late pregnancy left her feeling constantly hot.
"Mom, look, this little girl's kicking me again." Xiaoyanzi smiled and patted her belly, looking at Du Xueyin, who was sitting opposite her. Du Xueyin was carefully trimming freshly picked jasmine flowers with a pair of silver scissors. Upon hearing her words, she put down the scissors and reached out to touch her daughter's belly, but then pulled back as if afraid of hurting it.
"You're almost due, but you're still not behaving." Du Xueyin's eyes were filled with pity. She picked up a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off Xiaoyanzi's face. "Brother Fang just sent someone to the imperial kitchen to order some iced sour plum soup. It should be here soon."
Fang Zhihang sat on a bamboo chair nearby, holding a medical book in his hands, but he didn't turn a page for a long time. His eyes kept glancing at his daughter unconsciously: "Didn't Doctor Li say yesterday that we had to wait a few days? You look so heavy, you should go back to your room and rest."
"It's so stuffy in here." Xiaoyanzi pouted and was about to say something else when she suddenly took a deep breath and her face turned pale. She clenched the armrest of the rattan chair tightly, her knuckles turning white, and beads of sweat suddenly appeared on her forehead.
"What's wrong?" Du Xueyin was so frightened that the scissors in her hand "clanged" to the ground. She rushed over and grabbed her daughter's hand, "Ci'er? What's wrong with you?"
"My stomach...my stomach suddenly hurts so much..." Xiaoyanzi's voice trembled. She rested her forehead on the slightly cool armrest of the rattan chair and her breathing became rapid. "It feels like...like something is falling down..."
"Is she about to give birth?" Fang Zhihang stood up suddenly, not even bothering to pick up the medical book that had fallen to the ground. "Quick! Send someone to get the midwife! And Doctor Li!"
Little Dengzi, who was sweeping the corridor, heard the noise, dropped the broom in his hand with a clang, turned around and ran out of the yard, shouting, "Hurry up! The princess is about to give birth! Call the midwife!"
Xiao Zhuozi and Xiao Chongzi were also panicking. One ran to the kitchen to get hot water, while the other hurried to move the step-out bed from the house. Xiao Jian had just returned from outside and saw this scene through the moon gate. His face changed and he rushed over in a few steps: "What's going on?"
"Brother... I think I'm about to give birth..." Xiaoyanzi curled up in pain, and cold sweat soaked the loose hair on her temples.
Xiao Jian frowned, picked up his sister and walked towards the inner room, his voice remarkably calm: "Don't be afraid, I'm here. Little Mosquito! Ride to the palace to find Yongqi and ask him to come back immediately!"
"Hey!" Little Mosquito responded, turned around and rushed out. When he ran past the screen wall, he almost bumped into the oncoming palace guards. "Get out of the way! It's urgent!"
The inner room was in chaos. Du Xueyin, shaking with her hands, changed her daughter's soaked cheongsam into soft pajamas, tears welling in her eyes. "What should I do? Yongqi's not here..."
"Why are you panicking?" Fang Zhihang pretended to be calm, instructing the maids to lay out the mattress, and asked someone to go to the storehouse to get the labor-inducing medicine that had been prepared long ago. "With me and Doctor Li here, nothing will happen." But his hands behind his back were trembling slightly.
Xiaoyanzi lay in bed, a sharp pain piercing her, causing her to groan. Her grip on the quilt clenched so tightly that blood oozed from between her fingers. The shadow of the crabapple tree outside the window swayed on the wall, like countless pairs of eyes watching her, making her panic.
"Mom... I'm scared..." In between the pain, Xiaoyanzi looked at her mother while panting, her eyes filled with unprecedented fragility.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Mother is here." Du Xueyin held her hand, her voice choked with sobs. "I gave birth to you and your brother, and I got through it. Our Ci'er is the bravest."
At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the courtyard, accompanied by Yongqi's anxious cry: "Xiaoyanzi! Xiaoyanzi!"
He was wearing a dark blue uniform with a crooked collar and dust on his boots, clearly having galloped all the way back. As soon as he rushed through the inner room, he was stopped by the midwife: "Your Highness, men are not allowed in the delivery room!"
"My wife is suffering in there! I can't go in?" Yongqi wanted to rush in with red eyes, but was stopped by Xiao Jian.
"You can't help if you go in. Wait outside." Xiao Jian's voice was deep and powerful. "Trust her."
Yongqi clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turned white, and his ear pressed against the door. Every time Xiaoyanzi screamed in pain from inside, his heart felt like it was being yanked.
Not long after, another announcement came from outside the courtyard. It turned out that the emperor and the empress had also arrived. It turned out that Yongqi was in the palace discussing matters with the emperor when he received the news. When Qianlong heard that Xiaoyanzi was about to give birth, he immediately put down the memorial and said, "Let's go! Let's go to Prince Rong's mansion to take a look!"
The Queen followed closely behind, carrying a brocade box filled with baby clothes. "I've prepared it a long time ago, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."
In the corridor outside the delivery room, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Qianlong paced back and forth, his hands behind his back, the usually calm emperor unable to conceal his anxiety. The empress sat in a chair nearby, softly comforting the bewildered Du Xueyin. Fang Zhihang stood by the column, his brow furrowed. Yongqi, like a stone statue, stood guard at the delivery room door, his muscles tense.
After an unknown amount of time, a loud baby cry suddenly rang out from the delivery room, shattering the stillness of the palace. Yongqi shuddered and suddenly looked up at the door.
Then, the midwife came out holding a baby wrapped in red cloth, her face full of joy: "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Majesty! It's a little prince!"
Qianlong breathed a sigh of relief, a smile on his face. Yongqi, however, remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the delivery room. "What about the other one? The imperial physician said...it's twins..."
As soon as he finished speaking, another clear cry was heard from inside, which was even louder than the previous one.
Another midwife came out with the swaddling clothes, grinning from ear to ear: "Congratulations, Your Highness! It's a little princess! Twins, a boy and a girl!"
"Where is Xiaoyanzi?" Yongqi finally grabbed the midwife's arm, his voice trembling.
"Your Highness the Princess is fine, she's just exhausted and just fell asleep."
Yongqi seemed to have lost all his strength and slid down the door panel to sit on the ground, tears falling on the blue bricks. Qianlong walked over and patted his shoulder, his eyes full of relief: "Good boy, you are so lucky."
The queen smiled and opened the brocade box. Inside were two exquisite little dresses: "Hurry up and change the child into new clothes. Let me see my wonderful grandson and granddaughter."
Xiao Jian took a swaddling cloth from the midwife's hand and carefully opened a corner. Seeing a wrinkled little face, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up: "Just like Xiaoyanzi, so stubborn and crying so loudly."
Fang Zhihang and Du Xueyin looked at the two little lives, their eyes red. Du Xueyin wiped her tears and smiled: "Good, good, now it's perfect."
The setting sun shone through the crabapple treetops into the corridor, casting a warm golden glow on everyone's face. Yongqi finally stood up, gently pushed open the delivery room door, and walked to the bedside. Xiaoyanzi was sleeping soundly, tears still lingering in the corners of her eyes, her hand still resting loosely on her belly.
He sat down beside the bed, held her hand, bent down and kissed her forehead gently, his voice so gentle that it could drip water: "Xiaoyanzi, thank you."
A few more petals of the crabapple blossoms outside the window fell, as if offering their most tender blessings for the birth of the twins. Qianlong watched this scene and smiled at the empress, saying, "Let's name these two children Mianrui and Mianxin. May they live a life of happiness and good fortune."
The Queen smiled and nodded, her eyes fixed on the couple cuddling in the delivery room, her eyes filled with warmth. From now on, Prince Rong's mansion would be even more lively.
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