As spring approached, the sunlight grew brighter and warmer.
Yao Huang always insisted on taking a stroll in the back garden after breakfast and at dusk. When she felt tired, she would sit on a bench to rest, and then continue walking once she had recovered her strength.
The branches of the trees, which had been dormant all winter, gradually took on a layer of fresh green. Winter jasmine and plum blossoms bloomed as if competing with each other. The flower buds of the peach and crabapple trees were still small, while egg-sized buds poked out from the emerald leaves of the peonies. The herbaceous peonies nearby grew a bit slower, their buds only the size of quail eggs.
The cool breeze brought the fresh fragrance of reviving plants, and the two deer in the deer park also began to shed their dull old coats, growing new, shinier fur.
With such a beautiful and vibrant spring garden, Yao Huang could pick any spot and admire it for a long time. It was much more comfortable than being cooped up in the house.
Since the Princess Consort loved to stroll, Prince Hui could only cooperatively sit in his wheelchair every time to accompany her.
Nanny Jin and the others pushed a spare wheelchair for the Princess Consort, continuing to follow at a distance.
In the winter, Yao Huang had worried that they would freeze, but with the arrival of spring, she no longer had this concern. Prince Hui was a quiet man who disliked irrelevant people entering the back garden. Yao Huang felt that Nanny Jin and the others would also be happy to take this opportunity to stretch their limbs in this fairyland-like garden.
After breakfast on the twenty-sixth, Yao Huang was again pushing Prince Hui to tour the garden. They strolled from the east to the north. Just as they reached the bamboo grove, Yao Huang's lower abdomen suddenly tightened.
She had experienced similar brief cramps a few times in the past few days, so Yao Huang didn't pay it much mind and slowly continued forward. Unexpectedly, the cramping continued intermittently until they reached the foot of Mount Cuiping in the north.
Yao Huang felt a surge of joy in her heart. Was the little royal egg she had been carrying for so long finally coming out?
Even though it was Yao Huang's first pregnancy, she had heard plenty of advice from her mother and Nanny Jin. She knew that it would take two or three hours, or even longer, from the start of the cramps to the actual birth. Therefore, as long as her water hadn't broken and the pain was bearable, walking around more during the cramping stage would actually help with the delivery later.
When it didn't hurt, Yao Huang walked normally. When it did hurt, she would stop. By the time Prince Hui turned back to look at her, the pain had passed, and Yao Huang would point to a nearby tree and ask, "What kind of tree is this again?"
Prince Hui suffered the disadvantage of having to turn his head to see the Princess Consort while sitting in the wheelchair. Thus, he was kept in the dark by her the entire way. It wasn't until the Princess Consort pushed him back to the front courtyard of Ming'an Hall and the wheelchair suddenly slid forward a distance that Zhao Sui abruptly realized something was wrong with her. He hurriedly turned the thin wheels to look back, only to see the Princess Consort reaching out to hold onto the nearby doorframe, frowning in endurance.
Zhao Sui was about to approach the Princess Consort when his mother-in-law, Luo Jinhua, who had moved in long ago, and Nanny Jin ran over at the same time, supporting the Princess Consort from the left and right.
Yao Huang endured this longer cramp and looked inside. Seeing that Prince Hui's handsome face had turned pale in the wheelchair, Yao Huang smiled and said, "I'm definitely going to give birth this time. I'll go to the backyard and take my time, and Your Highness can wait slowly in the front. With so many people here, I'm not afraid, so Your Highness doesn't need to worry blindly."
Her mother and Nanny Jin both had expressions of wanting to quickly help the Princess Consort to the backyard. Qingai also pushed over the spare red sandalwood wheelchair. Prince Hui, who could calmly find a hiding place even after falling off a cliff and nearly dying, was now so nervous that he couldn't even utter a few words of comfort to the Princess Consort. He could only sit motionless, nodding his head in a seemingly calm manner.
Whether he was truly calm or faking it, Yao Huang couldn't bother with him anymore. She sat in the wheelchair and went to the backyard accompanied by her mother and Nanny Jin.
Qingai went to escort the Princess Consort. Feiquan walked to the door, thinking of taking care of the Prince, but when he looked up, he met the expression on the Prince's face...
Feiquan dodged to the side just in time.
Zhao Sui pushed himself into the side room.
The delivery room had been prepared long ago, and four sets of everything needed were ready as backups. The two doctors had superb medical skills. Nanny Jin was a female doctor who had delivered babies for noble and official ladies dozens of times and had delivered Empress Zhou's babies three times. Mother-in-law Luo Jinhua could give the Princess Consort the companionship she needed most.
At this moment, the person the Princess Consort needed the least was him. If he went, he would only cause trouble and add a burden to everyone.
After sitting for an unknown amount of time, Zhao Sui called Feiquan over and told him to go keep watch in the backyard as well, instructing him to come and report any progress with the Princess Consort.
After Feiquan left, Zhao Sui entered the inner room and leaned on the handrails.
His legs had been crippled from a fall three years ago. Zhao Sui had hoped for recovery countless times and had been disappointed countless times, having long since given up hope. But every once in a while, whether he was sitting in his wheelchair being pushed along the palace paths by Qingai, or listening to the Princess Consort smiling and talking about daily life, or lying beside her listening to her long breaths, Zhao Sui would still have fantasies, imagining how wonderful it would be if his legs weren't crippled.
If they weren't crippled, he wouldn't have to bring so many people when accompanying the Princess Consort in the garden. He could let her hold his arm as they walked, instead of her pushing his wheelchair.
If they weren't crippled, the Princess Consort could lean on him when she was in pain, instead of holding onto the doorframe alone while he could only sit in his wheelchair and watch.
Zhao Sui lowered his head and looked at his legs hanging powerlessly below the handrails.
Every desire he had felt over the past two years was not as intense as at this moment. He strongly desired to be able to walk, to stand and guard the Princess Consort, instead of sitting in a wheelchair and requiring others to be distracted to take care of him.
He tried once again to move his legs.
But his legs remained perfectly still, just like the countless times before.
.
The kitchen prepared lunch, but Zhao Sui had no appetite. He had Feiquan push him under the window of the east side room in the backyard, which was being used as the delivery room.
"Mother, did it hurt this much when you gave birth?"
"No, Mother gave birth while sleeping and felt nothing at all. When I woke up, your brother was next to me, happily calling me Mother."
Zhao Sui then heard the Princess Consort's laughter mixed with pain again.
"Why is it so slow? Can I just not give birth for now?"
"If you don't give birth now, wouldn't the suffering you endured for the past four hours be in vain?"
Zhao Sui lowered his eyes.
"Mother, go tell Aji to bring all the paintings the Prince drew for me. You won't let me talk to save my strength, so I have to find something to do."
"What can you do with the paintings?"
"Look at them. The Prince drew me like a fairy. When I see the fairy, I forget the pain."
"No wonder giving birth to you was easier than giving birth to your brother. It turns out it's because he's a fool and you're a fairy."
Joking aside, Luo Jinhua still went to call Aji.
Aji quickly brought two red sandalwood painting tubes, each containing five scrolls. Luo Jinhua continued to hold her daughter's hand while Aji unrolled the scrolls one by one for the Princess Consort to see.
Luo Jinhua said in surprise, "Before, when you praised the Prince to the skies, I didn't quite believe it. It turns out he really draws this well."
Yao Huang laughed while enduring the pain.
Seeing the painting of Yao Huang leaning against the door and washing her feet with rainwater, Luo Jinhua laughed, "What's there to draw about stinky feet? The Prince really doesn't mind you."
Yao Huang: "..."
Seeing the painting of Yao Huang making dumplings on New Year's Eve the year before last, Luo Jinhua looked at her daughter in the painting and then at her son-in-law in the painting, saying enviously, "In my next life, I also want to marry someone who can read and draw."
Aji chimed in playfully, "The Prince is skilled in both the pen and the sword. When Madam goes back, you could ask the Lord to start learning how to paint. Perhaps he is also a master of both literary and martial arts."
Luo Jinhua replied, "Count on him? I'd be better off counting on Jinbao to learn painting."
Yao Huang laughed out loud again.
Nanny Jin suddenly announced, "Alright, the baby is coming. From now on, no one is allowed to make the Princess laugh. Everyone, listen to me!"
Aji hurriedly put the painting away and backed out of the room.
Outside the window, Zhao Sui tightly gripped the armrests of his wheelchair.
Inside, Nanny Jin urged the Princess to push with every breath, and Prince Hui's hands gripping the wheelchair tightened in tandem.
After what seemed like an eternity, when Nanny Jin finally told the Princess to stop pushing, Prince Hui subconsciously loosened his grip on the wheelchair.
Following a flurry of orderly footsteps, the loud and clear cry of a baby rang out from within, sounding almost disgruntled as to why he had woken up in a strange new place.
Zhao Sui heard his mother-in-law's voice: "What is it?"
Nanny Jin laughed, "It's a little young master."
At this moment, Zhao Sui finally heard the Princess's voice again. It was a bit hoarse, but full of spirit: "How much does he weigh?"
Prince Hui finally breathed a sigh of relief.
.
People were not allowed into the delivery room immediately. After confirming that the Princess was safe, Zhao Sui had Feiquan push him back to the front courtyard to wash up and change his clothes. The outfit he had just worn had gathered dust in the garden and was soaked in sweat. It was inappropriate to wear it to see the Princess. At this time, the Princess was physically weak and needed to be kept away from any illness or filth.
Once he was properly tidied up, and before entering the delivery room, he had Qingai and Feiquan wipe down his three-wheeled wheelchair from top to bottom until it looked brand new. Then, Zhao Sui went in by himself.
Luo Jinhua and Nanny Jin had already stepped out. The delivery room was brightly lit. The Princess was lying on the bed with fresh bedding, resting on her side and looking at the swaddled baby next to her.
Hearing the sound, the Princess looked up. Seeing it was him, she smiled. Her bright, dark eyes were filled with the satisfaction and joy of someone who had just obtained a precious new gem.
It was as if the sky had cleared after a rainstorm; all the previous tension and fear were completely swept away by the sunlight.
Zhao Sui slowly wheeled himself to the bedside, his first concern being the Princess. "Is it uncomfortable lying like this?"
Yao Huang replied, "The Prince always asks such silly questions. If I were truly uncomfortable, would I be lying like this?"
She wasn't a fool, after all.
As she spoke, she turned the swaddle slightly so that Prince Hui could see the child more easily.
Zhao Sui lowered his eyes and saw a baby with a bright red face. His head and body were so tiny that just looking at him made one worry whether he could grow up safely.
Yao Huang laughed to herself, "My mother said that when my brother was born, he was six and a half catties, and I was six catties and eight taels. This child is also six catties and eight taels. He is considered quite sturdy among newborns."
The trace of worry that had just risen in Zhao Sui's heart was instantly soothed by the Princess.
Yao Huang shifted to lie flat on her back and reached out a hand, crooking a finger toward Prince Hui.
Zhao Sui grasped the Princess's hand.
Yao Huang was genuinely happy. "I'm finally done giving birth. Because of him, I haven't been able to go out properly for more than half a year. Now it's wonderful, I feel so light. Once I finish my month of confinement, I'm going to the outskirts of the city for a spring outing. I want to see our new mansion, spend a whole day strolling down South Street, and attend the wedding banquets of the First and Second Princesses..."
Just listing the things she wanted to do, the Princess rattled off a very long string of plans.
Zhao Sui said, "Alright, whatever you want to do, I will accompany you."
Yao Huang's wandering thoughts immediately returned to Prince Hui. Looking at his handsome face, which had become somewhat haggard recently, her face grew slightly warm, and she muttered softly, "The Prince should take care of his own health first."
Zhao Sui: "..."
.
In the palace, Emperor Yongchang was taking a relaxing stroll in the Imperial Garden when he received the good news sent from his second son's estate.
Upon learning that his second daughter-in-law and the child were both safe and sound, Emperor Yongchang was overjoyed. He took Eunuch Wang to the Emperor's private treasury and personally selected a reward for both his second daughter-in-law and his fourth little imperial grandson.
Emperor Yongchang was not afraid of his eldest and third sons finding out about his blatant favoritism in giving rewards.
His second son was simply better than them, and his second daughter-in-law pleased him more than the other daughters-in-law. After all, having been a father-in-law for so many years, Emperor Yongchang had only ever received local specialty tributes from his second daughter-in-law!
